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 persue 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.

Lauryn graduated from the Royal Veterinary College in 2020 and has moved down south of the river from Herts to start her new vet life! At university, she enjoyed all aspects of small animal medicine, particularly cardiology and dermatology, taking tracking rotations in these areas.

In her spare time, Lauryn loves to dance, especially tap and jazz, which she has done since 3 years old. She also likes to crochet colourful blankets and clothes to brighten up her house and wardrobe!

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 horse Nina and 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.

Eve graduated from the University of Surrey Vet school in 2023 with First Class Honours.

During her time at university, she completed an elective rotation in small animal surgery, and hopes to continue to explore this interest throughout her career.

Her main interests outside of work include horse riding, Pilates and spending time with friends and family!

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.

Eden joined the veterinary team in February 2022 as a Trainee Veterinary Nurse.

In 2021 she attended Greyfriars Rehabilitation and Hydrotherapy and achieved a Level 3 Certificate in Canine Hydrotherapy.

She has been working alongside Louise within our hydrotherapy suite for about a year, expanding her skills and knowledge and gaining confidence.  She has run her own appointments on a Tuesday evening since October 2023.

Eden will step in to cover Louise’s maternity position, she is really looking forward to this new role and the opportunity to further utilise her skills and knowledge.

Louise has a level 3 certificate in hydrotherapy and joined the team in April 2022.  She has been working as a hydrotherapist for 13 years and joined us from another busy centre.

Outside of the hydrotherapy suite Louise is also a canine merishia practitioner and does sports massage therapy for dogs.

In her spare time 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.  She is currently studying towards 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, Marley, Rosie and Tilly, and one wonky cat called Arnie.

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 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 is working towards a “Nurse Consulting” certificate.

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 her Border Collie, Marvel.

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

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.

Sam first joined the team in 2009 as a trainee veterinary nurse and then went on to qualify as an RVN in 2011.

Sam then left us and spent some time working in practice in the middle east.

Sam returned to the Meopham team in 2021 working part time in our theatres.

Outside of work she is kept busy with her two young daughters and her crazy puppy Daisy.

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 October 2020, before moving into the nursing team as a night auxiliary assistant in November 2021. In September 2022 Chelsey began her official training at nursing college and is thrilled to be developing her knowledge and patient care alongside such an incredible, passionate team.

At the end of the day, Chelsey loves nothing more than being greeted at the front door by her two black cats, Luna and Bandit. Her other interests include reading, interior design 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 to continue her training.

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.

Lily is excited to start college and start learning all aspects of animal nursing!

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 two dogs, Dolly & Pablo, to the beach and 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.

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 hopes to one day becoming an RVN.

Ci transitioned into an auxilliary nursing position late 2024 in order to develop her clinical knowledge with aim of becoming a student veterinary nurse in the near future.

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.

Ella started her training to become a dog groomer in 2015 having always had a passion for dogs. She really enjoyed both the practical and theory parts of her course. Ella joined the Pride and Groom team in 2016 whilst still going to college to train for her diploma, which she completed in 2018.

Since 2020 Ella has been salon manager, overseeing the running of the Meopham, Sevenoaks & Tonbridge salons.

Her favourite style to cut is a traditional Spaniel groom but she still enjoys all styles.

She has 2 guinea pigs of her own and in her spare time enjoys spending time with family and friends, country walks and eating out.

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.

Eleanor joined our Pride & Groom team in February 2022. She became interested in dog

grooming when working at Battersea Dogs and Cats Home working as a

welfare assistant which is also where she fell in love the greyhound

breed. Eleanor started training to be a dog groomer in 2018 and while she

trained she worked at a dog grooming salon and  kennels gaining  a wide range of practical experience. After finishing her

training she then went on to work in a dog grooming salon for 2.5 years.

In her spare time Eleanor likes to be with her family and friends, going

out to eat, swimming and most important of all cuddling her cat

Kiwi.

Eleanor joined our Pride and Groom team in June 2023.

She achieved a Level 3 Dog Grooming Diploma in March 2022 and has since worked in a grooming salon for over a year to gain more experience.

Eleanor  has always had a passion for animals and enjoys grooming all breeds, but especially Cocker Spaniels.

In her spare time she enjoys spending time with her horses, friends and family and going for walks with her  miniature schnuazer Marley.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Pippa joined the team in October 2024.

Pippa previously worked as a fashion administrator for various online brands and has always loved animals.

Outside of work Pippa enjoys spending time with family and friends, attending music festivals and taking regular dance classes.

Pippa adores her jack Russel Cookie and enjoys taking her out for long walks at the weekend.

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.