Ben Gamsa

BVM&S GPCert(SAS) GPCert(Endo) MRCVS
(Head Veterinary Surgeon and Director)

Ben qualified from the University of Edinburgh in 2008 and spent four years working in Oxfordshire at a Small Animal Veterinary Hospital. He was awarded a European Postgraduate Certificate in Small Animal Surgery in 2011. He particularly enjoys orthopaedics with one of his current interest areas being implanting 3D printed titanium cages in dogs’ knees for the treatment of cranial cruciate ligament disease (TTA Rapid Surgery). He also enjoys minimally invasive surgery, anything to do with eyes and was awarded a European Postgraduate Certificate in Endoscopy and Endosurgery in 2020 so anything involving putting cameras into difficult to reach places such as ears, noses, stomachs, bladders or procedures such as endoscopic liver biopsies!

He has a rescue cat called Alfie who loves to play (he was taken on as a kitten after a dog attack and had his broken leg fixed by Ben) and is now an accomplished mouse catcher!

Ben enjoys cycling, running, travelling, snowboarding, wakeboarding and photography. He completed the London Marathon in 2005 raising £2500 for Guide Dogs for the Blind and more recently raised £2700 by completing a half ironman to help fund a specially trained support dog for a local severely autistic child.

Ben’s secret talent is that he’s a dab hand with a saxophone!


Anna Gamsa

BVetMed MRCVS
(Head Veterinary Surgeon and Director)

Anna qualified from the Royal Veterinary College in 2005. She spent eight years working in Oxfordshire at a small animal veterinary hospital where she developed her keen interest in Soft Tissue Surgery. Anna has spent time working in Australia and in a charity clinic in Rarotonga, where she taught veterinary students surgical and medical skills whilst treating a whole range of animals on the island.

Outside of her vet life, Anna enjoys walking her cocker spaniel Poppy and swimming. She also has a white rescue cat called Reggie who is a little scared of his own shadow, but is a real treasure at heart and loves cuddles.

As many of you know, Anna and Ben had a daughter, Molly, in April 2016 who shares their love of animals and is a frequent visitor of Cotswold Wildlife Park and Roves Farm! Baby Jack is the latest addition to their family arriving in summer 2018. Molly is enjoying being a big sister and Anna’s decided that’s her last maternity leave!

Anna’s secret talent is that she is a qualified lifeguard!


Clemmie Willmore

BVetMed GPCert(EM&S) MRCVS
(Veterinary Surgeon)

Clemmie qualified from the Royal Veterinary College in 2008, since then she has worked in several small animal practices also as an emergency vet at a veterinary hospital. In 2010 she obtained the general practice certificate in emergency medicine and surgery after a year of postgraduate study.
Clemmie particularly enjoys the challenge of complex medicine cases and looking after our in patients.

At home, her house is ruled by her 3 rescue cats Dave, George, and Basil and shared with her son Teddy and husband Simon. Clemmie enjoys horse riding and cooking.’


Ashlea Wakeford

BVM&S GPAdvCert(SAM) PgC(SADI) MRCVS, RCVS Advanced Practitioner in Veterinary Diagnostic Imaging (Lead Clinical Veterinary Surgeon)

Ashlea qualified from the University of Edinburgh in 2004. She spent four years working in County Durham then moved south, working first in Cheltenham and then Oxfordshire before joining Cotswold Vets in July 2017. She has two European Postgraduate Certificates: one in diagnostic imaging which was completed in 2019, and an advanced small animal medicine certificate which was completed in 2022. Ashlea is an RCVS Advanced Practitioner in Veterinary Diagnostic Imaging. In addition to imaging, Ashlea particularly enjoys the client interactions that go hand in hand with ongoing medical care in small animals.

Ashlea has a scruffy terrier called Wilbur, and has rats, a hamster and a tank of tropical fish at home. In her spare time, Ashlea sings in a local choir.


Zuzana Large

DVM ANZCVS(Medicine Of Cats)
GPCert (Onco) MRCVS
(Veterinary Surgeon)

Zuzana graduated from the University of Veterinary Medicine in Kosice, Slovakia in 2007. She moved over to the UK in the same year and since then she has worked in several practices all around the UK. In 2012, she gained her ANZCVS membership in Feline medicine and became a member of the ISFM Academy of Feline Practitioners and subsequently gained her Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) Advanced Practitioner status in Feline Medicine the following year.

Her main interests are all aspects of Feline Medicine, looking after inpatients and Emergency and Critical care.

At home, she enjoys the great outdoors with her spaniel called Max and also she has a naughty tortie called Polly.


Lily Burden

BSc(Hons) BVetMed(Hons) MRCVS
(Veterinary Surgeon)

Lily graduated from the Royal Veterinary College in 2013 and also holds a degree in Zoology. Lily grew up in rural Dorset and has been obsessed with animals as well as having a love of the natural world for as long as she can remember. Lily has worked in a busy equine hospital and locally in an independent small animal practice. She has been lucky enough to travel to various countries with her veterinary skills and finally settled in the Cotswolds in 2015.

Lily enjoys all aspects of general practice and is passionate about keeping pets well at all stages in their life; from a proactive preventative healthcare plan to ensure the best start in life through to keeping them well and pain-free in their twilight years.

Lily and her husband have two dogs, a naughty portugese podengo and a whippet, who keep them busy alongside their horses.


Miranda Bryant

BVSc MRCVS (Veterinary Surgeon)

Miranda qualified from the University of Bristol in 2009. She started her career in mixed practice in Newbury before deciding to focus on small animal work. She has worked in Surrey and Wiltshire before joining Cotswold Vets. Miranda enjoys the wide variety that life in practice provides and that no two days are ever the same! She particularly enjoys cytology, dermatology and caring for our elderly patients.

Outside of work she enjoys walking Boris, her beloved Spinone X, running, and cooking.


Emily Hall

BVM&S MRCVS (Veterinary Surgeon)

Emily graduated from Edinburgh University in 2004. She has a wealth of experience working in different veterinary settings in the UK. Also, she has been lucky enough to combine work with travel and has experienced vet life in New Zealand and Australia.

After their first son was born, Emily and her husband decided to settle permanently back home in the Cotswolds where Emily grew up.

Emily enjoys the variety of general practice. More recently, she has gained an interest in pain management and offers acupuncture as a complementary therapy.

Emily lives with her husband, two boys and Labrador Teaka. Outside of work, she is a keen middle to long distance runner. More recently she has switched her fitness enthusiasm to triathlon training.


Tim Westwood

BVSc MRCVS (Veterinary Surgeon)

Tim hails from Malmesbury, but moved out to Australia in 1998 and graduated from the University of Queensland in 2003. He started his career in mixed practice near Melbourne before returning to the UK to work as a locum in 2007.

After spending the last 6 years in small animal practice in Sydney, Tim has now returned home to the West Country and has settled in the Cotswolds. He has a little Australian rescue dog called Benji who was surrendered to him in a very sad state. Benji is now doing really well, is incredibly spoiled and loves his new life in Gloucestershire!

Tim is interested in all aspects of general practice, but particularly enjoys small animal internal medicine. He is passionate about making visits as stress-free as possible for pets and their owners!

Tim has completed a post-graduate internal medicine course through Sydney University and plans to continue further studies now that he is back in the UK.

Outside of work, Tim spends his free time riding motorbikes, watching motorbikes and reading about motorbikes. He also enjoys working on his 20 year old WRX and taking it out to car events. Tim’s other passion is music, he likes to collect records and go out to gigs.

Tim’s secret talent is that he can play the drums and once performed a concert in front of Peter Gabriel from Genesis.


Sam Perkins

NCert(A&CC) RVN (Practice Manager)

Sam qualified from Hartpury College in 2009 and has gone on to complete a certificate in anaesthesia and critical care in 2013. She is extremely talented in this area so you can be confident that your beloved pet is in safe hands. She has a lot of geographical roots to the local area and has worked in a couple of local practices before joining the team at Cotswold Vets. Sam has a Labrador (Purdey), a Staffie (Dilly) and a cat called Dave. Sam has recently had a year off on Maternity leave with her son, Oliver, but is now back with us.

Sam enjoys DIY and exploring the countryside in her spare time.

Sam’s secret talent is that she is very skilled at making furniture!’


Devon Kilminster

FDSC RVN (Veterinary Nurse)

Devon previous worked at a small practice for three years and then qualified from Moreton Morrell College, Warwickshire in 2015 and joined Cotswold Vets in August that year. She has grown up with a variety of animals, little and large. She shares her love and time with her rescue dog, Arya, a German Shepherd cross Greyhound. She is hoping to start Agility with her soon. She is interested in exotic animals, anaesthesia, pet behaviour and surgical nursing.

Devon enjoys exploring country and seaside walks with her dog as well as travelling, cooking, DIY, fun runs (Bupa London 10k), keeping fit and music gigs.

Devon’s secret talent is home renovation.


Jen Walsh

BA(Hons) RVN (Head Veterinary Nurse)

Jen qualified from Abbeydale Vetlink in 2013 and has spent the last 6 years working at a busy small animal hospital in Swindon. Having recently moved to Cirencester, Jen has joined us as Head Nurse whilst Sam is away on maternity leave. Jen is really interested in small animal medicine as well as dog behaviour. She has always had dogs as pets, plus a whole host of small furries and she is a self-confessed puppy-addict! She loves walking and hanging out with her two dogs Che and Lola.

Jen is an out and out adrenalin junkie, spending most of her free time downhill mountain biking. She also enjoys skiing, snowboarding, baking (and eating!) cakes, going on holidays and watching films.

Jen’s secret talent is that she is a qualified water ski instructor.


Kirsty Milton

NCert(Anaesth) NCert ( Surgical nursing) RVN (Head Veterinary Nurse)

Kirsty qualified in 2010, and has only ever done veterinary nursing straight out of school as it’s all she wanted to do. She has worked in a wide range of veterinary practices enjoying her hospital nursing. She particularly enjoys anaesthesia and surgical nursing (both of which she has certificates in). In her very little spare time Kirsty runs a small baking business with her sister and enjoys running with her two dogs Chutney and Walnut.

Her secret hobby is owning a small number of sheep and chickens.


Clare Dinsey

BSc(Hons) Cert(VNECC) RVN (Veterinary Nurse)

Clare qualified from the University of Bristol in 2009 and since then has worked in 2 referral practices. During this time, she has completed a certificate in Emergency and Critical care, and recently has become a tutor for students undertaking this course. Clare joined Cotswold Vets in April 2018 after having her son Oliver. Her particular interests are medical and emergency nursing, and she enjoys getting to know the patients during their stay with Cotswold Vets.

In her spare time, she enjoys baking, running and watching ice hockey during the winter months!


Annette Stoner

ISFMDipFN RVN (Veterinary Nurse)

Annette qualified as a Registered Veterinary Nurse in 2014 at a veterinary hospital in Lincoln and she now lives in Wiltshire with her husband and daughter. She has two cats, a black domestic short hair called George and a sphynx called Mouse, both of whom have their own stories before being rescued by Annette on her journey through veterinary nursing. She has an ISFM diploma in Feline nursing and loves anything anaesthesia and dental. Known as one of the practice’s cat whisperers, she takes a particular interest in feline care and dentistry.

Her hobbies include walking, yoga, crafting and when not at work enjoys spending time with her family, cats(obviously) and friends.

Her secret talent is making very convincing chicken noises!


Chrissie Richardson

Cert(VNECC) NCert(E&CC) REVN RVN (Veterinary Nurse)

From a farming family, Chrissie’s love for animals began at an early age. She would always be found outside, helping out on the farm and looking after the animals. Chrissie pursued a career in veterinary nursing, qualifying in 2003. Her love for animals of all shapes and sizes has led to a varied career in both equine and small animal practice.

After starting her career at a mixed animal practice in Herefordshire, Chrissie then spent 7 years working at Three Counties Equine Hospital in Tewkesbury. During this period, she also undertook a working sabbatical, completing a busy stud season in Australia, nursing sick mares and foals. Chrissie moved back into small animal nursing in 2010, working at a referral hospital in Swindon where she obtained 2 certificates in Emergency and Critical Care nursing.

Chrissie joined Cotswold Vets in 2020. She enjoys all aspects of her chosen profession and is passionate about providing the best possible care to all the patients she encounters. Always looking to expand her horizons, she is currently studying for the ISFM certificate in Feline Nursing.

When not working or studying, Chrissie enjoys spending time with her young family, walking their dog Fly and catching up with friends.


Rosy Cragg

RVN (Veterinary Nurse)

Rosy qualified as a Registered Veterinary Nurse from Hartpury University in 2017. For the last three years, she worked in a small animal practice in Stow before joining Cotswold Vets in November 2020.

Rosy particularly enjoys inpatient care as she enjoys getting to know the patients during their stay with Cotswold Vets.

In her spare time, she enjoys going on countryside walks and spending time with family and friends. Rosy also enjoys looking after her rescue cat Tigger, who joined her family as a kitten.


Becca McCann

RVN (Veterinary Nurse)

Becca has worked in hospitals and first opinion practices for 6 years, before qualifying as a Registered Veterinary Nurse in 2019. She joined Cotswold Vets in the summer of 2021.

Becca enjoys all aspects of the job with a particular interest in inpatient care. At home she has a crazy border collie, Alfred and a sweet-natured cat, Penny.


Shannan Quick

BSc (Hons) RVN (Veterinary Nurse)

Shannan graduated from Hartpury University in 2022, joining Cotswold Vets in June of the same year. She has a keen interest in inpatient and medical nursing, something that developed during her training at a busy veterinary hospital in Berkshire.

Shannan also enjoys conducting nurse consultations as it gives her the opportunity to get to know the patients and their owners better! She particularly loves helping owners to support their pets throughout their life with preventative health care advice and support.


Rhys Evans

Veterinary Receptionist

Rhys had worked as an animal care assistant in another local vet practice for 6 years before joining Cotswold Vets as a receptionist in July 2021. Rhys loves getting to meet you and your pets, and always has some treats nearby to keep everyone happy! Though he has a fondness for most animals, he has a particular soft spot for dogs and in particular Staffies!

In his spare time, Rhys likes to spend time walking with his rescue dog Cooper (who’s a big fan of cuddles), playing football and various tabletop games.


Hannah Mathews

Animal Care Assistant

Hannah completed her Extended Diploma in Animal Management in 2012, followed by a NVQ in Horse Riding Management and Care in 2013. She then went on to work with horses for some time at an ex racehorse rehabilitation yard.

Hannah has also worked within a dog walking/pet sitting business and worked with children in the years leading up to her arrival at Cotswold Vets in July 2021.

In her spare time, Hannah enjoys horse riding, gardening and going on long walks with her dogs Harper and Dennis!


Amanda Johnson

Veterinary Receptionist

Amanda has joined us after recently moving to the area with her husband who serves in the military. She has worked in a previous veterinary practice as a Client Care Advisor and before that as a Medical Administrator in a GP surgery.

Amanda loves all animals but has a soft spot for cats. She shares her home with her two cats; Toffee and Tabitha as well her husband and two daughters.

Amanda has a degree in Art and Design from the University of Worcester and loves to be creative anyway she can. She looks forward to meeting you and your furry friends.


Ella Boyle

Animal Care Assistant

Ella graduated from Hartpury University in 2022 after studying BSc (Hons) Animal Behaviour and Welfare. She has enjoyed a variety of roles prior to starting at Cotswold Vets such as a lifeguard, swimming instructor and an urgent care assistant. Ella has volunteered in many dog kennels, zoos and conservation centers.

Ella lived on a small holding with many animals including dogs, cats, goats, donkeys, chickens and ducks. In her spare time she enjoys spending time with family and friends, horse riding and visiting coffee shops.