Meet the Team

Martin Hobbs is the Practice Principal and owner of The Meopham Hospital and The Swanscombe and Sevenoaks Veterinary Surgeries. Martin gained a first class degree in Animal Physiology and Nutrition from the University of Leeds.

He graduated from The Royal Veterinary College in 1992, with distinctions in anatomy and surgery. In 1996 he opened the Meopham Veterinary Surgery and subsequently The Swanscombe Veterinary Surgery in 2000, The Sevenoaks Veterinary Surgery in May 2010 and The Tonbridge Veterinary Surgery in August 2021.

Following postgraduate study and examination Martin has been awarded the RCVS Certificates in Small Animal Surgery in 2002 and Veterinary Diagnostic Imaging in 2004.

He has also gained a Certificate in Small Animal Ophthalmology. His main areas of interest are small animal surgery and diagnostic imaging. Martin is a Local Veterinary Inspector.

Bruce qualified from The University of Pretoria, South Africa in 2000 and joined the Meopham Veterinary Hospital in 2005. Bruce is the Senior Veterinary Surgeon at Meopham. Bruce has a strong interest in radiology and internal medicine and has recently achieved a Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons Advanced Veterinary Practice Certificate in Small Animal Medicine.  This accompanies his other certificates which are the BSAVA Certificate in Small Animal Medicine Medicine and a Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons Advanced Veterinary Practice Certificate in Diagnostic Imaging.  Bruce plays a key role in the use of our CT machine and is also a Local Veterinary Inspector. 

Rupert graduated with distinction from The University of Liverpool Veterinary School in 2008.  He has worked in both mixed and small animal practice and has a special interest in all things surgical.

Rupert has a recently achieved a Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons Advanced Veterinary Practice Certificate in General Small Animal Surgery.

Outside of work Rupert is a keen sportsman and loves his cricket and exploring the Kent countryside on his bike.

Penny graduated from The Royal Veterinary College in 2011 with a BSc(Hons) in Veterinary Science and a Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine. She has a special interest in small animal surgery and diagnostic imaging.

In 2015 she passed the British Small Animal Veterinary Association Post Graduate Certificate in both Soft Tissue and Orthopaedic Surgery and has more recently achieved an RCVS Post Graduate Certificate in Diagnostic Imaging.

Outside of work she enjoys snowboarding, horse riding and running.

Lauren graduated from the University of Bristol in 2011.  Between graduation and starting work she travelled to Greece where she had a fantastic time doing charity work neutering stray animals.  In 2017 she completed an advanced qualification in emergency medicine and critical care, which she finds an incredibly rewarding area of her job.

In Lauren’s spare time she is a keen gym-goer, swimmer and golfer.

Abi qualified from Bristol University Veterinary School in 2017 and immediately came to work at the Meopham Veterinary Hospital having grown up in the area. She spent a lot of time working between our Sevenoaks branch and our Meopham hospital where she gained a strong interest in Small Animal Medicine and decided to pursue this by undertaking a certificate from the University of Liverpool and has now achieved a Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Practice.

She is now the Head Veterinary Surgeon at our Tonbridge branch and has enjoyed developing the practice since it opened in 2021.

In her spare time she enjoys keeping fit and spending time in the Tonbridge countryside; she is also kept busy by her mischievous cat Ravi who she rescued straight after graduation.

Charlotte graduated from the University of Surrey School of Veterinary Medicine in July 2020.  She spent her childhood in Kent where she returned to complete her final year of University.  During her training, she completed an elective rotation in diagnostic imaging and has gained a keen interest in ultrasonography which she hopes to explore further during her career.

Outside of work, her passions include keeping fit, enjoying good food (including the occasional bag of sweets!) and spending time with family and friends.

Alex graduated from the Royal Veterinary College in 2020 and has moved from West Sussex to start her vet career.  At University she developed a keen interest in surgery as well as critical care and ophthalmology, which she took tracking rotations in.

In her spare time Alex is a keen hockey player both on the pitch and in goal.  She also enjoys playing the piano and spending time with friends and family.

Zoё graduated from the University of Surrey School of Veterinary Medicine in 2021.  Zoё has grown up in Kent where she returned after graduation to start her veterinary career here with us.

Whilst working with us she has developed a keen interest in diagnostic imaging and surgery.

Outside of work she enjoys spending time with her cat Tiggy, who she rescued from RSPCA.  Zoё also likes to grow her collection of tropical fish.

Kirsty graduated from the Royal Veterinary College in 2010, having previously completed a Bachelor of Science at the University of Liverpool.  She worked in mixed and small animal practice in Yorkshire, before moving to Kent.

In 2020, Kirsty completed the British Small Animal Veterinary Association post graduate certificate in Small Animal Medicine and has since found a keen interest in ultrasound, internal medicine and inpatient care.  Outside of work, she enjoys walking, reading and Pilates.

Henry graduated with First Class honours from The University of Surrey school of veterinary medicine in 2021.

He initially worked in mixed practice in somerset before moving to Kent, to pursue his surgical interests.

Outside of work Henry enjoys cycling, squash, and live music.

Shay graduated from the Royal Veterinary College in 2021.

Shay worked in Henley for a couple of years as a GP, then worked for a year at Davies Veterinary Specialists as a rotating intern before joining Meopham Veterinary hospital.

Shay spends her free time travelling the world, trying new foods and scrapbooking.

Ewa (‘Eva’) completed her studies in veterinary medicine at the Warsaw University of Life Sciences in 2016. Prior to this, she completed a Bachelors in Cell Biology and Neuroscience at Rutgers University in 2010. Since graduation, she has been working in the UK as a vet at various practices. In 2024, she completed her Postgraduate Certificate in Emergency Medicine and Surgery and currently spends most of her time performing emergency work. She also has an interest in neurology.
She spends her free time traveling to various destinations as she’s always keen on a new adventure.

Thomas graduated as a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in Poland, but has spent most of his career working in various Small Animal clinics in London.

Thomas joined the team at our Meopham Hospital in 2023, with a keen interest in emergency and critical care, and has recently achieved a Post Graduate Certificate in Emergency Medicine and Critical Care.

In his spare time, Thomas enjoys travelling, exploring different culture & cuisines, and gardening.

Megan graduated from Cambridge Vet School in 2024. Megan grew up in Shropshire and has now moved to Kent to start her career as a vet. At university, Megan enjoyed all aspects of small animal medicine particularly neurology and ophthalmology and hopes to explore these interests throughout her career. Her hobbies include running, cycling and spending time in the kitchen.

Olivia graduated from the university of Edinburgh Vet School in 2024 with distinction.

Olivia has a keen interest in emergency medicine as well as soft tissue surgery, choosing to take these as elective rotations in her final year.

Outside of work Olivia enjoys horse riding, yoga, nature walks and travelling to South Africa to visit her family and friends.

Joe graduated from Cambridge Vet School in 2024 and has moved down south from Manchester to begin his life as a vet.

During university, he developed a keen interest in small animal medicine and hopes to continue this whilst working with the team at Meopham.

Outside of work, Joe likes running and attending music festivals with his friends and he is hoping to learn to play tennis after years of watching Wimbledon.

Tara graduated from the University of Nottingham in December 2024.

During her final year rotations, Tara undertook electives in  diagnostic imaging and emergency critical care.

Tara also has an interest in anaesthesia and pain management and wishes to explore this further later in her career.

Outside of work Tara enjoys spending time with family and friends, baking and playing netball.

Tara has 4 cats at her family home and hopes to get her own  rescue cat in the near future.

Beatrice graduated from the University of Liverpool in July 2025.

During university, she enjoyed all aspects of small animal medicine, developing a keen interest in diagnostic imaging and cardiology. 

Her main interests outside of work include yoga and spending time with her friends, family, and two dogs. 

Laura graduated from Nottingham in December 2025 with first class honours and an award for achieving the highest grade in her class for small animal medicine. Laura is interested in all aspects of veterinary medicine, but particularly interested in endocrine diseases, oncology and dermatology.

Interests outside of work are dance, baking and going on country walks with Laura’s family and dog.

Louise has a Level 3 Certificate in Hydrotherapy and joined the team in April 2022.  She has been working as a hydrotherapist for 16 years and joined us from another busy centre. Louise is also qualified as a Level 4 Merishia Massage Practitioner and Canine Sports Massage Therapist.

In her spare time, Louise enjoys spending time with her family & friends.

Ashleigh has a Level 3 Certificate in Canine Hydrotherapy and is currently completing her Level 4 Award in Canine Hydrotherapy. Ashleigh joined the team in Dec 2025. She has been working as a hydrotherapist for 2 years and joined us from another centre. Ashleigh is also qualified in K-Laser.
In her spare time, Ashleigh enjoys spending time with her family & friends.

Katie joined the Meopham Veterinary Hospital as a student in September 2012.

In July 2015 she qualified as a Registered Veterinary Nurse from the College of Animal welfare and was in charge of running our busy theatres before taking on the position of Head Nurse.

In her spare time Katie enjoys horse riding and playing tennis.

Gemma joined the practice in October 2007 after several years working in a small animal practice in Wales. Gemma was appointed the position of Deputy Head Nurse in 2009.  She enjoys all aspects of nursing but can often be found in our busy theatres.

Gemma is responsible, alongside Vet Lauren, for maintaining our practice standards in order for us to retain our RCVS hospital status.

Vicki joined the Meopham team in 2008, qualifying as a registered Veterinary Nurse in 2010. Vicki is one of our night nurses at the Hospital.  Vicki has a keen interest in exotic patients and emergency/intensive care and has achieved a Certificate in Emergency and Critical Care Nursing.

Vicki also holds a certificate in Advanced Veterinary Nursing of Small Mammals.

Outside of work Vicki enjoys gardening, weight lifting and looking after her own family of animals : Jack Russells Akkarin and Marley.

Bryony joined the practice in 2017 as an auxiliary nurse, progressing to trainee nurse after a month. She qualified in 2019 and took on the role of inpatient nurse at our Meopham Hospital for two years, with a short period of cover as a night nurse. In early 2022 Bryony acted as maternity cover as head nurse of our Sevenoaks branch. Her favourite element of nursing is helping hospitalised patients return to full health with the care she provides them with during their hospital stay.

Bryony has a keen interest in nutrition and hopes to achieve a certificate in this during her nursing career. She is kept busy when she is not working maintaining her garden.

Amy joined the practice after graduating in July 2019 from the University of Bristol with a first class honours degree in Veterinary Nursing and Bioveterinary Science.  Amy particularly enjoys medical nursing and being scrubbed in to assist with procedures in theatre.

Outside of work she enjoys reading in the sun and fussing her rabbit Hallie.

Sophie started working with us in September 2014 as a student after completing a Zoology degree at the University of Nottingham.

Sophie qualified as a Registered Veterinary Nurse in 2016 and worked at our Meopham Hospital as an Inpatient nurse until 2021 where she completed her diploma in Feline Nursing.

Sophie is now our Tonbridge branch Head Nurse and has recently completed a Certificate in Consulting.

In her spare time, Sophie plays hockey for Gravesend Ladies Hockey Club where she is the Club Captain.

Sarah started as a trainee veterinary nurse at The Meopham Hospital in 2013 and passed her nursing exams to become a qualified veterinary nurse in 2017, she has a keen interest in medical nursing.

Before working at the Meopham Veterinary Hospital Sarah worked at The RSPCA Leybourne Centre which works closely with the hospital. She is the branch head nurse of the Swanscombe Surgery.

Lucy joined the practice in October 2017. After studying Animal Management Level 3, Lucy chose to branch into veterinary nursing with the hope of becoming an exotics nurse.

She owns a horse called Hunnie and a Crested Gecko called Nala.

In her spare time she enjoys Western riding.

Maddie has been working as a veterinary nurse since 2018, and qualified to become a Registered Veterinary Nurse (RVN) in 2021.
She has had a keen interest in canine behaviour and training in dogs ever since owning a dog of her own.

Maddie enjoys utilising her knowledge in behaviour whilst performing her appointments to build confidence in all patients, especially during socialisation clinics at our Meopham Hospital.

She enjoys both the surgical and medical sides of nursing and she has recently completed an intense 18 month Emergency and Critical Care course to develop both of these areas further.

Franki joined the Meopham Veterinary Hospital in 2002 as a trainee veterinary nurse and qualified in 2005.  She was soon appointed as Deputy Head Nurse and a clinical coach, training the junior nurses.  She is currently a member of the theatre nurse team.

Franki also teaches emergency canine care to the public and is a pet portrait artist.

In her spare time Franki enjoys drawing, painting, running, caring for her rescue pets and spending time with her family and children.

Jordan joined the Meopham Veterinary Hospital team in September 2022. She qualified in November 2017 from Hadlow College.

Jordan enjoys all aspects of Veterinary Nursing to include, medical nursing, theatre and nurse clinics.

Jordan oversees the smooth running of our theatres at Meopham on a daily basis.

In her spare time Jordan enjoys socialising and spending time with friends and family.

Danielle joined our Sevenoaks team shortly after qualifying in February 2023, having worked in practices since 2016. Danielle has since moved over to the Meopham Hospital and works within the theatres there.

Danielle enjoys all aspects of nursing, especially critical & intensive care and pain management. She also has an interest in exotic species and is keen to learn about them in the future.

When not at work, she enjoys walking her Labrador, Cooper, and cuddling with her cat, Theodore.

Jasmine first joined the team as a night auxiliary nurse before progressing onto the day rota as a trainee veterinary nurse.  She was inspired to become a Veterinary Nurse after experiencing the nurses taking care of her own family dog.

Jasmine qualified as an RVN in 2023 after 2 years at college and particularly enjoys spending time with and caring for the inpatients.

She is looking forward to learning more through CPD & hopes to one day complete a certificate.

Out of work Jasmine enjoys spending time with her friends and family.

Scarlet came to us as a Student Veterinary Nurse.  She has always wanted to be a Veterinary Nurse since she was a child and has been working in practices since 2017.

She studied for 3 years at Plumpton College and qualified as an RVN in March 2024.  Her favourite parts of the course were learning about anaesthesia, ethics and client support.

She loves all animals but particularly cats.

In her spare time she enjoys woodland walks, travelling and spending time with her beautiful cat Weezy.

Bradley joined the team in December 2021 as a Student Veterinary Nurse, qualifying in September 2024 as RVN. He has previously worked in small animal practices and is enjoying all aspects of a Veterinary hospital and the fast-paced environment.

Outside of work Bradley enjoys spending time with his family and friends. He also spends time rehabilitating Hedgehogs which he has a keen interest in; needless to say his favourite animal is the Hedgehog!

Amelia first spent time at the practice as a work experience student in 2015, and in September 2018 she joined the team as a trainee veterinary nurse.

Amelia started college in April 2022 and qualified as an RVN in April 2025.

Her favourite area of nursing is caring for inpatients, and she is looking forward to increasing her knowledge through CPD.

Outside of work, Amelia likes to spend her time travelling when she can.

Chelsey joined the team as a receptionist in 2020, before transitioning to nursing as a night shift assistant in 2021, and beginning her official training in 2022.

Chelsey is thrilled to have qualified as an RVN in August 2025, and is looking forward to developing her skills further. Chelsey enjoys the variety that working in a hospital setting offers each day, but is particularly interested in medicine.

At the end of the day, Chelsey loves nothing more than coming home to her two mischievous black cats, Luna and Bandit. Her other interests include embroidery, reading and trips to Scotland.

Emily joined the team at Meopham Veterinary Hospital April of 2021 and is now based at our Tonbridge Veterinary Surgery.

She has a great interest in nursing and the welfare of animals, in her spare time she also enjoys horse riding and spending quality time with her border terrier Binkie, Leopard gecko Nessie and two bunnies Chillie and Nellie.

Jasmine joined the team November 2021, having previously worked in the equine industry. With her strong interest in animal welfare and medical nursing Jasmine went on to pursue a career in veterinary nursing.

In her spare time Jasmine does canine photography and also participates in bouldering at a climbing gym.

Lilly joined the Swanscombe team as a trainee veterinary nurse in March 22 after completing a Level 3 Animal Management course at Canterbury College. Lilly then joined the team at Meopham in September 24 and started college shortly after.

Lily has always wanted to work within the veterinary industry after growing up with many family pets.. She has previously completed work experience at doggy day care and a farm, working with a mixture of animals & breeds.

Outside of work, Lilly likes to spend her free time with her friends and family going our for meals and the cinema. She also enjoys spending time taking her dog Pablo to the beach and the countryside for long walks.

Freya joined the team in February 2022 having previously worked in the pet retail industry.  This developed her interest in animal welfare amd pushed her to pursue a career in veterinary nursing.

In her free time Freya enjoys spending time with her dogs and going out with friends and family.

Hazel Joined the team in October 2021 as a night auxiliary assistant having previously worked in roles such as, horse groom, domiciliary care and driving instruction.

Whilst having learnt so much in her night role Hazel is excited to have taken the step up and has now begun her training to become a registered veterinary nurse.

Whilst the course is full on she is thoroughly enjoying it.

In her spare time she enjoys reading, writing, horse care and spending quality time with friends and family.

Angel started on reception at the Tonbridge branch in June 2022, and then went on to start her Veterinary Care Assistant Apprenticeship course in January 2023. Angel completed this with a distinction in June 2024, and is now waiting to start college to become a Registered Veterinary Nurse.

Outside of work, Angel like spending time with family and friends.

Angel took on a rescue cat, Charlie, in December 2023.

Hannah joined the team as an auxiliary nurse  in February 2024, and has since taken on the position of trainee veterinary nurse.

Outside of work, Hannah enjoys spending quality time with her friends & family, going to Nando’s, and taking her Cocker Spaniel, Rosie, for long walks.

Hannah is excited to start her journey to become a Registered Veterinary Nurse and looks forward to developing her clinical skills.

Rachel joined the team in 2024, having previously worked in the equine industry, both in a veterinary clinic and in stud work.

Rachel is looking forward to starting her journey to becoming a registered veterinary nurse and excited to see where it takes her.

In her spare time Rachel likes nothing more than long country walks with friends or curling up with a good book.

Ci joined us in early 2024, originally as a member of our Meopham customer care team.

She has always wanted to work within the veterinary industry with the aim to be a veterinary nurse.

Ci transitioned into an auxilliary nursing position late 2024 in order to develop her clinical knowledge and in January 2026 transitioned into a Veterinary trainee nursing role.

At home Ci has a rescue Great Dane dog called Daisie.

In her spare time she enjoys baking, spending time with her family and snuggling up on the sofa with Daisie to watch movies.

Louisa joined the team in November 2024 having recently completed an Animal Management course at Hadlow College, and would like to go on to train as a Registered Veterinary Nurse.

At home, Louisa has two Dobermans called Bambi and Jabba, and a Dachshund called Muffin.

In her spare time, Louisa likes to read, and walk her dogs.

Naomi joined the team in January 2026 and has always wanted to work with animals after being surrounded by many family pets. After a few months of work experience in a veterinary surgery, Naomi dreamed to one day become a registered veterinary nurse and is so happy to finally be working in a veterinary hospital.
Outside of work Naomi loves baking, cooking and photography, as well as chilling with her two dogs and red foot tortoise.

Rebekah joined our Pride & Groom Team in September 2021. She has a passion for animals and previously worked for 8 years at a Kennel and Cattery.

Rebekah started training towards her Level 3 Dog grooming Diploma in April 2021 passing her practical before joining the Team here at Meopham, she qualified in 2022.  Rebakah enjoys grooming all breeds of dogs and particularly enjoys grooming Cavalier King Charles Spaniels.

In her spare time she enjoys spending time with her family and friends as well as going for walks with her two Duck Tolling Retrievers Maple and Willow.

Rebekah was promoted to Head Groomer in October 25

Megan is a passionate dog groomer who has been in the industry since 2021. She holds both Level 2 and Level 3 qualifications in dog grooming and loves helping dogs not only look their best but also maintain healthy coats.
At home, she shares her life with her little dog, Twinkle, who is always by her side and has been a wonderful helper in practicing and refining her grooming skills over the years.
When she’s not grooming, Megan can usually be found exploring new places whether it be climbing mountains, travelling to new countries, or getting lost in a good book. She believes in finding balance between creativity, care, and adventure, and brings that same energy and passion to every dog she works with.

Laura has joined the office team at The Meopham Veterinary Hospital in May 2022 after starting her career at our Sevenoaks branch in a receptionist role.

Laura is HR and Pet Health Club Manager, in October 2025 Laura was promoted to Practice Manager.

Laura has previously completed an Animal Management Diploma and has always had a passion for animal welfare.

Her main hobbies include caring for her 4 cats and crested gecko at home and she enjoys going to the gym, swimming and taking long dog walks when visiting her mum who has a beautiful rescue greyhound.

Charlotte started back at Meopham Veterinary Hospital in Sept 2022, having previously qualified here in 2011.  Charlotte has a keen interest in orthopaedic surgery and came back as the theatre nurse, ensuring the day-to-day running of the theatres was as smooth as possible.  Charlotte changed roles within the hospital and became Practice Manager in December 2024.

In October 2025 Charlotte reduced her hours to focus on her family. Charlotte continues to work within the office team managing referrals.

Susan has been with the practice since it started in September 1996. She personally manages large account customers. Her other responsibilities include credit control and VAT. Outside work she enjoys the country life with her beloved Labrador Benson.

Jo joined the practice in May 2013 as a receptionist and was then promoted to our accounts team where she is enjoying her role (although she still manages to keep up to date with our patients downstairs!).  In her spare time she enjoys going to the theatre, painting and decorating and travelling. Jo has two cat’s called Zac and Bea and loves nothing more than cuddles with them when returning home from work.

Lilly joined our Meopham reception team in Spring 2023 and in November 2024 was appointed as Head Customer Care Advisor at our Meopham Hospital.

She has always had a passion for working with animals and has previously worked in the equine industry.

In her spare time Lilly enjoys riding her horse and taking her dogs for long walks.

Terri joined the Meopham Team in 2021 after working as a qualified dog groomer for several years.

She also previously worked in a boarding kennels/cattery and as a dog grooming tutor at a local college.

In her spare time Terri enjoys spending time with her family and Bichon Dolly.

Bethan joined the Meopham reception team in February 2023.

Outside of work she enjoys spending time with her two dogs Mazie and Evie and taking them on walks.

In her spare time she likes to bake for her family and friends.

Millie joined the reception team in April 2025.

With a deep rooted passion for working for working with animals, Millie graduated with a BSc (Hons) in Equine Science from Hartpury University last year, and has varied experience working within the equine industry.

In her spare time, Millie enjoys caring for her pony Skye, hiking around the UK and playing the guitar.

Robyn joined the Meopham team as client care advisor in October 2025.

Robyn completed a Level 3 BTEC qualification in animal care and management in 2022 and went on to do further clinical training within the veterinary industry.

In Robyn’s spare time she enjoys photography, reading, spending time with family and friends and walking a very melodramatic rescue greyhound called Betty.