Bill Starr
qualified from the Royal Veterinary College, London in 1972. He was
employed straight from college by Johnson and Daniels in Watford (later
to become The Park Veterinary Centre) as an Assistant Veterinary
Surgeon. In 1974 he became a partner in the Practice and has remained so
with occasional time off for good behaviour. His professional interests
are all companion animals with an additional interest in reptiles,
amphibians and bats. His interests outside work are many and various but
include photography of butterflies and orchids, motor racing, gardening
and cycling. He shares his home with his wife and his two black & white
cats, Mole and Badger.
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Chris
Sander qualified in London in 1969. Joined Johnson, Daniels and
Partners in 1970 and has been a Partner since 1975. He is married to
garden designer Jacqui and has three daughters and a son (also a vet),
two dogs and three cats. His hobbies include family, sport (still
playing cricket), painting (an award-winning picture hangs permanently
in the RCVS headquarters), photography, horse racing, activity holidays
etc.
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Chris
Blackmore qualified from the Royal Veterinary College in 1977 and
married Jenni shortly after. He has spent all his working life at The
Park Veterinary Centre, the first 12 years as a ‘mixed’ Practioner and
the remaining twenty years concentrating on matters equine. He is very
comfortable with the fact that he has examined and treated all his
equine cases in their own environment and enjoys the rapport that he has
built up with his patients over a considerable length of time. It is
only slightly disconcerting that he is now attending the pony owned by a
clients’ granddaughter having dealt with grandmothers’ horse some thirty
years ago!! His interests, apart from attempting to run a ‘clinically
correct’ Veterinary Practice, include most sports that involve chasing a
ball around (including golf balls that end up in unimaginable places),
gardening, dog walking, horse racing and holidaying in beautiful Norway.
Contrary to rumour (mostly instigated by his wife) he does not intend to
retire from Practice in the foreseeable future.
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Mark Gardiner
qualified from Liverpool University in 1982 and has been with the
Practice ever since, except for a 3 month study tour to USA/Canada in
1990. He completed his CertCHP in 1991 and has over 25 years experience
in Equine and Large Animal veterinary general practice. Highlights
include castrating both a Shire horse and a gerbil on the same day.
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Jade
qualified with honours from Glasgow Vet School in 2002. After graduating
she crossed the border and has been a part of the team at Park
Vets since 2005. She has completed a
Certificate in Small Animal Medicine as she has a particular interest in
this area. Within the Practice, Jade organises our ‘Patient of the
Month’ and promotes our Canine Blood Donor Scheme. Jade enjoys playing
the drums and walking her chocolate Labrador, Oakley.
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Charlotte
graduated from the Royal Vet College in 2003 and has worked for Park
Vets for the last 3 years. She can usually be found on a stable yard
either through work or play, always accompanied by her four-legged
friend, Tess. Charlotte event rides in her spare time; her horse ‘Wally’
is 5 years old and making a promising start to his new career.
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| Melanie
qualified in 1995 from Berlin University, Germany after also having
spent some time studying in the US. She has been working in the UK since
1996, first as a mixed practitioner and then exclusively as a small
animal veterinarian. Melanie joined Park Veterinary Centre in September
2005 and has a special interest in ophthalmology (eyes). She loves
German Shorthaired Pointers and spending time with her little son. |
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Monique
graduated from the Royal Veterinary College in 2005 and joined the Park
Veterinary Centre shortly afterwards. Her interests lie in emergency and
critical care. Aside from work, Monique is a keen tennis player and
enjoys eating out. Monique’s cat, Maggie, was brought into the surgery
as a stray having been in a traffic accident. Maggie had broken her
pelvis but is now recovered and loving her new home.
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James
graduated from Bristol University in 2000 and initially worked in mixed
Practice including a year in New Zealand and Australia. James has been
at Park Vets since 2004 and has specialised in Small Animal
work with particular interests in surgery as well as ultrasonography.
Outside of work James enjoys travelling the world with his wife Penny,
walking his Border Terrier, Arthur and looking after his diabetic cat,
Tracy.
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Holly
graduated from the Royal Veterinary College of London, along with
Monique, in 2005. She was a welcome addition to complete the veterinary
team at Park Veterinary Centre in 2007. Holly has a keen interest in
surgery and has just embarked on a General Practioners Certificate in
Small Animal Practice. Holly enjoys spending time with her 3 dogs;
Lottie & Jazz and Alfie, whom she rescued in 2005.
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| Louise
qualified from the Royal Veterinary College in 2006. After working as a
locum she joined The Park Veterinary Centre in March 2007. Louise works
in both sides of the Practice but has a strong Large Animal bias with a
particular interest in equine reproduction and Sports Horse medicine.
She competes in many areas of equitation especially dressage and besides
riding enjoys many outdoor pursuits including mountain climbing. |
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| Jenni
qualified from the Royal Veterinary College, London in 1977. Since that
time she has been working in Small Animal Practice, 29 years of which
has been at Park Vets where she consults 3 days per
week. Her main veterinary interests are canine and feline medicine. Her
thirty years of experience, enables her to apply ‘clinical common
sense’. She has owned various animals (cats, dogs, horses, guinea pigs
etc) throughout her life and attempts to approach the care and treatment
of her patients as if the animals were her own. Her interests outside of
a busy veterinary life include gardening, cooking, looking after a
family of three, walking the dogs, and keeping fit by playing squash and
attending pilates and yoga classes. Jenni is very fortunate that she now
has many patients whom she considers to be ‘old friends’ |
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| Wanda’s work
at The Park Veterinary Centre allows her to enjoy meeting a wide variety
of people and animals. Wanda works with a friendly team of receptionists
and nurses and together they have provided a caring environment at the
branch surgery since 1999. |
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Carol,
affectionately known as Queenie, joined us (or should we say we all
joined her) in 1967 and was the first nurse to be trained at ‘Johnson &
Daniels’ back in the days when we were based at Clarendon Road.
Qualifying in 1970 she went onto become the Head Nurse but then left us
to raise her family. Luckily she returned in 1985 and has been with us
ever since. We think the building may collapse if she left, as with the
ravens and the Tower of London!
Carol’s role within the Practice changed in 1996 when she decided to
specialise in counselling people with pet behaviour problems and she now
holds the veterinary nursing association (BVNA) Certificate in Companion
Animal Behaviour and the post graduate Diploma in Companion Animal
Behaviour Counselling from Southampton University.
In 1998 Carol set-up our puppy socialisation groups and now hosts very
successful puppy playgroups at our branch surgery on a Monday and a
Thursday.
Carol is now our Small Animal Manager responsible for the smooth running
of the Practice and client liaison.
When not at work Carol enjoys gardening, reading (especially history),
and has a particular passion for visiting Holy Island. Her special
interest in puppy socialisation has been extended outside of work and
she now runs her own Puppy School in the evening.
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Sharon
joined Park Vets in 1979, initially working as a small animal nurse
then as Head Nurse. Since 1998 she has been the Equine Manager, but has
retained her interests in all domestic animals with particular regard to
re-homing and rehabilitating horses, dogs and cats that have had
traumatic backgrounds. Sharon’s free time is spent exercising her
‘rescued’ horses and dogs.
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Debbie is
our Senior Small Animal Nurse. She qualified in 1994 after completing
her training at Park Vet Centre. Debbie is now in charge of recruitment
and nurse training and is an NVQ trained assessor. Her cat, Henry, was
re-homed from the PVC after being treated as a stray with cat Aids.
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Angie came
to ‘Johnson & Daniels’ to work part-time, in the office, during 1987
however, it wasn’t long before the job became full-time. She qualified
as an Accounting Technician in 1990 and together, with a team of people,
is responsible for the administration of the Practice. If Angie is
missing from the office she can probably be found repairing a computer,
fixing the washing machine, organising a Practice social event, or some
other strange ‘administration’ task. Angie’s most difficult job is
controlling the purse strings especially when one of the Vets discovers
a new piece of equipment that “we absolutely must have”! On a personal
side she likes travelling, gardening, Christmas, birthdays and all
things pink.
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Anne joined
the staff (of 6) at J & D as a trainee nurse in 1971 when the surgery
was situated opposite the Palace Theatre in Clarendon Road. Her starting
salary was £4 per week! Although there have been tremendous advances in
Veterinary Medicine some things never change and Anne says “Vet Nursing
remains a very fulfilling vocation”. During her career Anne has been
involved in many aspects of vet life and has watched our Practice and
its team spirit grow into the impressive establishment it is today. She
currently shares responsibility of being Branch Manager at Katherine
Place with Viv. Anne was allowed time off for good behaviour 3 times
over the years, just long enough to produce 3 sons, the youngest of whom
is studying Vet. Science at university (of course she is proud!). Her
hobbies include charity work – see above – walking, cycling and sewing.
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Viv is a
registered Veterinary Nurse. She currently shares the management of the
branch clinic with Anne. Viv has been part of the Park Vet’s team since
1988 although she has had a little time out to have 3 children. She is
not a ‘home grown Park Veterinary Nurse’ as Viv trained in Yorkshire and
attended college in Staffordshire. Viv enjoys running nurse clinics for
micro-chipping, worming advice etc and helping run the Puppy Playgroup.
She is especially interested in nutrition having studied a diploma in
this area and is able to give advice and support. In her free time she
enjoys pilates, learning French and is passionate about her garden. She
has also completed an IT course where she learnt about a different type
of mouse!
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Eliza
started work with us as a trainee nurse in 1998 and qualified as a
veterinary nurse in 1991. She is now responsible for the Ward, and along
with her team of nurses ensures your pets are comfortable and well-cared
for whilst they are in our care. Outside of work Eliza likes reading,
films, and music of various styles.
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Susanne
started her veterinary nurse training at Park Vets in 1997
and qualified in 1999. Her main interest is in anaesthesia and she has
recently become a senior theatre nurse, along with Jo, ensuring the department runs
smoothly and that the training of other nurses is carried out to a high
standard. Outside of the Practice Susanne enjoys walking her dogs Stan
and Ollie. Stanley is less camera shy than Susanne!
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Jo started
work at The Park Veterinary Centre in August 1995 and qualified as a
Veterinary Nurse in 1999. ‘Anaesthesia and Surgical Nursing’ is her main
field of interest and she has recently been appointed Senior Theatre
Nurse, along with Susanne. Jo has many animals including Ollie, the
Border Collie, Doodle the Labradoodle, Ted and Bear her two cats and
Tracker, the tortoise, all of which take up the majority of her
spare-time.
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| Gill joined
Park Vets in 1992 and says she was quite unaware of how much she would
enjoy working with animals and their owners. Obviously, many years
later, she still loves her job. Gill’s outside interests are cycling,
walking, gardening and having fun with her grandchildren. Gill is also
responsible for the beautiful flowers that we have at the front of the
building whenever possible. |
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