Mark is the head nurse of our Workington branch and has been a member of the team since 2007, qualifying as an RVN in 2010. He has a keen interest in general medicine and completed a certificate in emergency and critical care nursing in 2015. In his spare time he enjoys running and fell walking, and is currently trying to complete the Wainwrights.
Meet the Team - Veterinary Nurses
Mark Bowman
RVN
Rachel Dunning
RVN
Rachel grew up in Cumbria and joined the team having spent six months travelling after graduating from Newcastle University, during which time she visited Malaysia, New Zealand and Fiji. She loves to spend her free time outdoors, walking in the hills with her border collie, Ruby, or exploring on horseback.
Claire Dent
RVN
Claire has been a part of the team since 2006, and qualified as a veterinary nurse in 2019. Her passion is canine behaviour as she finds it rewarding to help improve the lives of anxious and fearful dogs, and she is studying for further qualifications in the area. At home her pets include Maude the tortoise and Ted, a big, soft German shepherd.
Rachael Lewis
BSc RVN
Rachael was born and bred in Cumbria and loves her role at Millcroft, being particularly interested in medical nursing and rehab, as well as training our nursing students. She loves exploring in her campervan alongside Clova the working cocker and border collie, Skye. She also has three cats at home – Weasley, Ralph and Pickle – and in her spare time she is a keen fitness enthusiast, including competing in ultramarathons.
Gina Goldwater
RVN
Gina – better known as Gee – qualified from Myerscough College in 1997 and joined team Millcroft in 2006. She runs nurse clinics on Saturday mornings and loves meeting up with clients and giving out cuddles to patients. She shares her home with lovely animals and awful children who she loves very much, and enjoys spending time walking, watching tele and enjoying the occasional whisky.
Rosie Wilson
FdSc RVN
Rosie joined the team in 2004 and has committed fully to Lake District life, walking her Labrador Sully whatever the weather and wild swimming year round! She also shares her home with Gus the cat, and enjoys eating, drinking and being merry with friends and family, playing hockey and travelling the world.
Rachel Hewson
RVN
Rachel has been a member of the team since 2006, after qualifying from Myerscough College in 2002. She is particularly interested in running nurse consults, and also is a qualified student nurse mentor. She lives on a dairy farm near Wigton and enjoys going about the daily chores with her family, as well as running with the Wigton Road runners.
Lesley-Ann Johnston
RVN
Lesley qualified as a veterinary nurse in 2005, but has been a part of our team since 1992! She loves the variety of the job but gets a particular buzz from seeing happy pets leave the practice after she has cared for them as inpatients. At home she has a seemingly ever-increasing number of pets, and enjoys time with family and friends as well as walking and cycling.
Alisha Kirkbride
RVN
Alisha has been with the team since 2011 and now is passing on her knowledge as a clinical coach to our student nurses. She loves to travel, with Australia, Thailand, Italy, Dubai and the Maldives among her favourite destinations. When at home, she enjoys walks with her cocker spaniel, Chester, followed by pub lunches, as well as spending time with friends and family.
Nichola Rae
RVN CertVNES
Nichola first joined the practice in 2002 as a student veterinary nurse and has progressed to being our clinical lead nurse, overseeing lots of different areas of the practice. She believes she gets the best of all worlds in her role, from intensive nursing and anaesthesia at Cockermouth to building bonds with clients and patients at Egremont. In her spare time she enjoys walking her bord terrier, gardening and going to music and comedy gigs.
Angela Richardson
RVN
Angela – or Ange as she’s more commonly known – started her first role in practice in 1990, qualifying as an RVN in 1995 and joining the Millcroft team in 2005. She enjoys all aspects of the job, even though it has its ups and downs, and is proud of how our nursing team rise to challenges! She shares her home with five rescued cats and enjoys watching movies, going to gigs and making fantastic cocktails – just ask the team!
Katie Johnstone
RVN
Katie first joined the team as a receptionist in 2015, before deciding to train as a veterinary nurse, qualifying in 2021. Most of her spare time is taken up with her baby, but she also enjoys walks with her dog, Paddy, socialising with friends and family, barbecues and taking part in her town’s annual carnival!
Hannah Storey
FdSc RVN
Hannah was brought up around livestock and has always taken on a hands-on role with animals – and she still looks forward to lambing time and enjoys looking after her four donkeys! Outside of work she enjoys running and fell walking, and is aiming to complete the Wainwrights, often alongside her Labradors, Milly and Elsie.
Lauren Winter
RVN
Lauren has been with the team since 2012, having qualified as an RVN in 2009. She enjoys theatre nursing, inpatient care and rehabilitation – and has further qualifications in physiotherapy and laser therapy. Outside of work she is a mum of four, and shares her home with a variety of much loved pets! She enjoys long family walks and camping trips in the lakes.
Luisa Dixon
RVN
Luisa qualified as a Registered Veterinary Nurse in 2022 and joined our team the following year. Outside of work she enjoys getting out on the fells, paddleboarding and horse riding – hopefully followed by food and a pint at the pub!
Emma Morgan
RVN
Emma joined the team in 2023, having previously worked for another practice since 2017. She loves her job and the variety of her days, but is particularly interested in surgical nursing, and hopes to develop her skills in this going forward. Outside work she loves socialising with friends and families, cocktail catch-ups and dancing, as well as walks with her furry friend Alfie.
Lisa Iddon
RVN
Lisa qualified in 2008, but started in practice as a Receptionist after leaving school. She is particularly interested in wound management and canine behaviour.
Lisa has a new hobby, Ryland Sheep, if you want to find out more, make sure you ask her! Lisa has two dogs at home, springer spaniel Hazel and Bailey the poodle, and enjoys taking them on long walks, as well as camping, reading and socialising with friends and family.
Alisia Bell
RVN
Alisia joined the team in 2020, qualifying as a Registered Veterinary Nurse one year later, almost ten years after she started working in the veterinary industry. She particularly enjoys dealing with hospitalised patients and rehabilitation. In her spare time she spends time with friends and family, explores the lakes and relaxes with her cats, Gravy and Mash!
Helen Copping
RVN
Helen trained as a Veterinary Nurse in Cumbria before travelling and working for some time abroad, including volunteering in an Australian wildlife sanctuary! Helen has a keen interest in feline nursing and recently finished a two year "ISFM feline behaviour" course with a distinction. She enjoys walking in the lakes with her partner and their rescue dog Ruby, and also shares her home with cats, Maverick and Goose, and Susan and Shaun the guinea pigs.
Jess Graham
RVN
Jess qualified from Askham Bryan College in 2022, during which she saw practice in her hometown of Durham, and joined us soon after. She combines her vet nurse duties with her role as a vet tech in our large animal team, and enjoys the variety that brings, with a keen interest in surgical nursing, emergency cases and all things dairy! She loves spending time exploring with her dogs, Finley and Stan, and meeting up with friends and family.
Louise Blackwell
RVN
Louise qualified as a Registered Veterinary Nurse in 2019, and joined the Millcroft family in 2020. Outside of work Louise's time is spent doing a variety of crafts and exploring Cumbria, usually with her camera in tow. She also enjoys trying to branch out in her tiny garden by attempting to grow berries, runner beans and of course lots of flowers from seed.
Kim Moore
RVN
Kim qualified as a veterinary nurse in 2006 and joined the team in 2019, since when she has taken on managing registrations for our Lifetime Care Club and qualified as a pet bereavement counsellor. At home she has a Patterdale terrier, Obi, who is totally obsessed with tennis balls and likes to go for adventures. She is also kept busy by her small herd of cows and a flock of sheep.
Hannah Chambers
RVN
Hannah graduated from Middlesex University in 2016 and has a particular interest in emergency and critical care nursing, completing her certificate in the area in 2023. Outside of work she enjoys walking, swimming and exploring new places in her campervan, often alongside her black Lab, Django.
Michelle Myers
RVN
Michelle worked with the team while completing her training at Myerscough College, qualifying as a Registered Veterinary Nurse in 2021. She particularly enjoys nurse consults – from clipping nails to removing stitches and giving secondary vaccinations. At home she enjoys spending time with family and her dog, Milly the poodle cross.
Kayley Sharp
Kayley has been studying to become a veterinary nurse since she joined the team in 2021, and is very excited to qualify and wear her RVN badge! She enjoys all aspects of the job but is particularly interested in exotics. At home she has two rabbits of her own, Beetroot and Feta, and enjoys spending time with them as well as with friends and family.
Hannah Bowen
Hannah has been studying to become a Registered Veterinary Nurse since she joined the team in 2022 and enjoys the variety of life in practice – you never know what may come through the door! Outside of work she enjoys going to the gym, riding her horse Toby and ticking off the Wainwrights alongside her dog, Loki.
Lauren Bates
Lauren joined the team in 2022 and is looking forward to beginning her training to become a Registered Veterinary Nurse. She enjoys helping with patient care and assisting with x-rays and ultrasounds. Outside work she enjoys horse riding, fell walking and taking part in her local young farmer's club.
Lucy Carlton
Lucy joined the team in 2021 and loves the variety of the role and the fact that she gets to see something new every day – not to mention meeting all of our patients! At home she has a Staffordshire bull terrier cross called DeeDee, who keeps her busy outside of work!
Emily Lowes
RVN
Veterinary Nurse
Emily qualified as a Registered Veterinary Nurse in October 2022 and joined Millcroft in July 2023. She has a keen interest in Surgical Nursing and hopes to complete an Advanced Nursing Certificate for this in the near future.
At home Emily and her partner have a Cocker Spaniel called Oreo, and 2 kittens, Bean and Tippex! Outside of work Emily enjoys playing netball in Division 2 of the Copeland League, and spending quality time with friends and family.