Meet the Team - All of us

Lauren Ware

Lauren joined us in July 2022 as part of our Reception Team and is based at our Longtown and Brampton branches. 

Lauren has had a variety of jobs, all focusing on animals of one form or another. After growing up around Penrith working with her family's flock of sheep and always having dogs and cats at home, animals no matter how big or small were always her passion. Firstly, working on a dairy farm just outside Penrith for two years after leaving school and studying Agriculture at Newton Rigg College. To becoming an AI technician, after gaining great enthusiasm and interest for breeding and fertility in cattle, she went to work for Semex and travelled all around Cumbria to help farms with their progeny for number of years. Looking for a change post Covid, Lauren tried her hand in the world of Bee Farming, unfortunately wasn't meant to bee.

Her interests are as much inside as out. Such as going for walks, gardening, trying to keep fit, crafts and curling up with a good film or book alongside her beloved cats Delilah & Dorothy. 

Lauren is fond of change, so you can never be too sure what colour her hair will be from one week to the next, but don't be afraid to ask her about it. 


Fiona Armstrong BVMS MRCVS

BVMS MRCVS

Fiona joined us in March 2017 after a spell in mixed practice in Scotland. She is a local, being well known to most of the farming community and in 2019 she married Stuart, a local farmer.

Fiona works as a mixed vet, seeing both small and large animals, predominantly in Brampton and Haltwhistle. She has taken a keen interest in several health initiatives, including the BVD Stamp it out campaign in England


Emily Baxter RVN

RVN

Emily started her nurse training with us in 2020.

Emily qualified as an RVN in July 2022 after studying at Askham Bryan York. She is currently working towards a Bachelors of Science in vet nursing at Myerscough College. Emily enjoys nurse consultations, emergency care and has a keen interest in rabbit nursing! 
 
In her spare time Emily enjoys riding her horse and spending time with her 9 dogs and 2 cats and is a member of Haltwhistle Young Farmers.

Vicky Walton

Vicky joined the Capontree reception team in July 2022 and will be based mainly at the Brampton and Haltwhistle surgeries. 


Olivia Atkinson Student Veterinary Nurse

Student Veterinary Nurse

Olivia started a regular placement with the Capontree nursing team in 2021 to gain experience. She joined the team full-time in Summer 2022 as an Animal Nursing Assistant and has now started studying at Askham Bryan College in Gateshead for her full Veterinary Nursing qualification. 

She says "I spend most of my spare time painting, reading and riding horses. Having taken up baking in lockdown, I also enjoy experimenting in the kitchen and sharing my bakes with the team. I have two much loved animal companions  - a spaniel named Buddy and a cat called Patrick"


Katherine Lewin BVSc MRCVS

BVSc MRCVS

Katherine joined us in August 2022 after graduating from the University of Liverpool that summer. She has started in a mixed role but has a keen interest in large animal work so will be focusing on this area initially, and is looking forward to getting to know all of our clients and farms.     

Having grown up in the Lake District she loves anything involving hills or water, so outside of work can usually be found running up a fell with her Border Terrier Maisie, or surfing over on the North East coast. 


Lucy Jardine Student Veterinary Nurse

Student Veterinary Nurse

Lucy joined our nursing team in August 2023. She will be assisting the nurses with all aspects of pet care and has just started her training towards her Nurse qualification at Askham Bryan College in Gateshead


Natasha Shanker BVSc MRCVS

BVSc MRCVS

Natasha graduated in the summer of 2022 from Liverpool. She has joined us on the companion animal team and will be based predominantly at Brampton. 


Jeanette Laidlow

Jeanette joined our team at Capontree towards the end of 2022. She works mainly on the small animal reception at Brampton and Haltwhistle. 


Marie Wilshaw

Marie joined the team at Capontree in June 2023. She will be working on both the small animal and large animal reception at both Longtown and Brampton. 


Lilly Dearman Student Veterinary Nurse

Student Veterinary Nurse

Lilly joined our nursing team in January 2024. She will be training alongside the vets and Registered nurses with all aspects of pet care and progressing her further qualifications in animal care


Charlotte Morfitt BVM BVS MRCVS

BVM BVS MRCVS

Charlotte joined us in Summer 2022 in a small animal position. She has a developing interest in surgery and is found mainly at our Brampton and Haltwhistle surgeries.

Outside of work Charlotte plays the violin and has a keen interest in Moto GP. 


Sarah Houldsworth BVMS MRCVS

BVMS MRCVS

Sarah joined our large animal team based from Haltwhistle in Autumn 2023. She has interests in all aspects of livestock health and production. 


Gemma Sessford Animal Nursing Assistant

Animal Nursing Assistant

Gemma joined the team in the Summer of 2024 and will be assisting the nurses in their day-to-day tasks, while also starting her qualifications at Askham Bryan in Gateshead. 


Euan Woodside BVM&S MRCVS

BVM&S MRCVS

Euan qualified in the Summer of 2023 and joined our team shortly after. He will mainly be seen out and about on farms throughout the practice area. 


Matthew Hutton BVMS MRCVS

BVMS MRCVS

Matthew was born in Belfast but grew up in Newcastle upon Tyne. He graduated from Glasgow vet school in 2021 and spent two years at a small mixed practice in Angus before joining the team in Autumn 2023.

He works out of our Longtown branch as a 50:50 mixed vet, with a particular interest in emergency/out of hours work for farm and small animals. He is often kept company on calls by his dog, Annie, a Welsh Corgi.

Outside of work, Matthew is a keen football supporter, and regularly spends weekends off driving up to Glasgow to use his season ticket


Charlotte Hetherington BVM BVS MRCVS

BVM BVS MRCVS

Charlotte is a local girl, from Croglin. She graduated from Nottingham University in December 2024 and joined us straight after. Charlotte will be working both on farm and seeing small animals, mainly through the Brampton surgery. 

Outside of work Charlotte enjoys netball and walks with her dog 


Laura Parkinson BVSc MRCVS

BVSc MRCVS

Laura graduated in 2021 from Liverpool University. She has joined our team in Spring 2025 as a mixed vet with a focus on large animal work. She will spend a lot of her time from Longtown, but will also be seen at Brampton. 

Outside of work Laura enjoys running and the gym. 


Vikki Glaister

Vikki joined the team in October 2023 as our practice Administrator. She is the point of contact for your pets insurance claims and client accounts. Vikki has over 20 years experience of undertaking different roles within the veterinary practice. She is Petplan trained and has a wealth of veterinary related qualifications.

Vikki has a love for cats and has several at home who live happily with her chocolate lab Luna .

Vikki is very keen Newcastle United supporter which is reflected in her black and white themed office. Vikki has a love of football and audiobooks.


Helen Dodd

Helen joined the Capontree reception team in January 2024 and will be working mainly at Brampton on both the large and small animal teams.