VETS:
George Hnatkiwskyj BVSc MRCVS
George qualified from Bristol University in 1982 and has continued to work in mixed practice ever since.
He started the practice in 1993 as a one man surgery in the centre of Northiam and it has steadily grown into the current veterinary team on the rye side of the village. He still has a keen interest in large animal work but now also enjoys his small animal surgery especially repairing fractures and torn cruciate liagments.
In his spare time George enjoys a host of hair raising activities such as skiing, mountain biking and rock climbing.
Jordan Harries BVM&S MRCVS
Jordan joined us in Summer 2021, following spending time here as a student. She enjoys all aspects of mixed work, and has particular interest in flock health as she has a flock of sheep herself.
Sarah O’Reilly BAgrsc DVM MRCVS
Sarah has recently joined us in Spring 2022. She has particular interest in large animal work, and would be happy to hear from anyone interested in Herd/Flock Health planning.
In her spare time she likes to go on walks with her dogs, Flo and Ivy, as well as a spot of gardening and visiting her family in Ireland.
Tom Philpot BVMSci MRCVS
Tom joined the practice in July 2023, having graduated from Surrey university.
He has fitted in very well and has already found himself with a large client base. He is enjoying the mixed practice and is as happy to be out on farm as he is in the consulting room. Tom is particularly interested in small animal medicine and geriatric medicine.
In his spare time Tom loves exploring the Kent and East Sussex coast with his fiance. He also loves a game of Squash, socialising with friends and supporting his football team Charlton Athletic.
Geoff Smith MA BVetMed PGCertVBM MRCVS
Geoff joined the practice in September 2023 having been working locally for the past 10 years. His main interests involve small animal medicine and surgery but can also be found out on farms at times.
Liz Wood BVMSci MRCVS
Liz BA(Hons) BVMSci MRCVS joined the team in October 2022.
She graduated from Surrey.
She has a keen interest in equine medicine and OneHealth.
In her spare time, Liz enjoys going on long walks with her dog Raffa, who also comes along to work sometimes!
Charlotte Gray MA VetMB MRCVS
Charley qualified from Cambridge University in 2009 and quickly started work at Badgers Oak. She has become very involved in the local area and now has her own pig farm in Beckley village rearing free range pork.
In the practice she loves seeing our small furry patients and doing small intricate surgeries!
Outside of work she is kept busy looking after her little girl Robin and 10 dogs – Harry the collie, Maddie the lurcher, Alan the Rottweiler, Norman the Bernese/Newfoundland cross, Tinks, Rodney and Nessa the Leonbergers, Joan the bulldog and Frank and Betty the German shepherds. Plus she also has 9 cats! – Brian, Tim, Stanley, Arthur, Felix, Paul, Kevin, Alfred, and Bogey.
OUR NURSES:
Stefanie Georgetti RVN
Stef started her training at the practice in 2002 and has stayed ever since she qualified. She now works 2 days a week, spending the rest of the time bringing up her 2 children Harry and Grace on the family farm.
She has a keen interest in Middle white pigs, and can often be found camera in hand practising her photography skills.
Charley Heffer RVN
Charley joined us in Feb 2022 after qualifying in 2021. She has a keen interest in working with the hospitalised patients especially ensuring that they are comfortable during their stay. She is also embracing the large animal side of Badgers Oak as this is a new experience for her. In November of 2022 Charley gave birth to her first child and is loving being a mummy to baby Jaxon and has recently returned back to work from her maternity leave.
Anna Hnatkiwskyj
Anna is the youngest of George’s children and has decided she would also like a career in the veterinary industry and is now training to become a veterinary nurse.
Having grown up in and around the practice Anna has been involved in handling all types of animals from a very young age. Whether it be restraining a wriggly Ferret or manouvering a stubborn Cow.
Anna now has her own dog, Bella the Poodle who she recently rehomed and now spends most of her spare time walking and trainig her.
Verity Paine RVN
Verity is one of our new RVN’s. She has just returned to nursing after having taken a couple of years out to raise her 3 daughters. She has 2 dogs and a cat.
Verity is loving being back nursing and is especially looking forward to getting involved with the large animal side of the practice as her favourite animal is a cow.
In her spare time Verity loves spending quality time with her family but when she is not racing around after her children she likes to unwind by practising yoga.
Fiona Norman-Brown RVN
Fiona joined us at the beginning of this year. She qualified as a veterinary nurse in 2016. She has since worked in a couple of different practices and has discovered a passion for in-patient care.
This is the first mixed animal practice that Fiona has worked in so she is very excited to get her hands dirty with the farm animals.
In her spare time Fiona is a keen runner and has completed the London Marathon twice. She has a Cavalier King Charles spaniel called Humphrey and loves nothing more than chucking on her wellies, going for a country walk and enjoying a pub lunch.
Rhiannon Catt RVN
Rhiannon joined as an SVN in 2021, she graduated from Plumpton College in 2024.
Lucy Britton RVN
Lucy returned to work at Badgers Oak in the summer of 2022 after taking a few years off to raise her daughter. Lucy first joined the practice in 2007, its been lovely having her back in the team. Lucy has a particular interest in radiography and anaesthesia.
Stephanie Morris
Steph has been a Veterinary Nurse at Badgers Oak since 2006 after moving to Beckley with her daughter Scarlett.
She has a pomeranian cross called Butler, and a Shih-tzu cross called Olive.
Steph has stepped down from nursing now, swapping syringe for pen and has taken over all of the insurance side of the practice. She is also responsible for booking all of the TB tests in for our farmers.
Outside of the practice Steph has become a popular dog walker in the village. You will often see her out and about with a pack of local doggies.
Will Hnatkiwskyj RVN
Will, George’s eldest son, moved from Devon in 2013 to help out in the practice. He quickly developed an interest in veterinary nursing and qualified as a veterinary nurse in 2018.
He is especially interested in radiography and loves large animal work.
He has a giant breed dog called Heidi and is always first to volunteer to help with dogs of the humongous variety!
Sarah Sheppard RVN
Sarah joined the practice in 2017 after some time away from nursing to bring up her 3 children.
She is a friendly face in the practice and loves looking after our elderly patients. In her spare time she can be found walking her 3 dogs Arthur, Mary and Otis.
OUR ADMINISTRATORS:
Candy Pearce
Candy started work here in 2007 as a receptionist and has since taken on a much more managerial role. She previously worked at Mallydams wildlife rehabilitation centre and always knows what to do when people bring us wildlife in trouble.
She has three children: Conor, Noah and Stanley as well as a Cavachon called Ted and a Borde Collie called Molly
Clair Copeland
Clair joined us in August of this year and has many years of Veterinary reception experience behind her.
Clair is married and has a daughter, she keeps Sheep and Chickens, she has 3 Dogs and 4 Ferrets. Clair loves walking and socialising with friends and has already become a valuable member of our team.
Emily Davies
Emily joined the team in 2024. She is originally from North Wales, where she studied Zoology at university.
Emily has a keen interest in reptiles and amphibians and has various different tree frog species at home!
Claire Valentine
Claire has worked at Badgers Oak for over 15 years and is a qualified Veterinary Nurse, who now works mainly as a receptionist and administrator.
She lives with her three children and her dog Woody, a rescued Staffie cross.
Baking is her passion and she often spoils us with her latest masterpiece.
Sam Foreman SQP RVR
Sam started as a receptionist in 2014 after previously doing dog agility training and pet sitting. She is a Registered Animal Medicines Advisor (SQP) and completed her gold level accredited veterinary receptionist award in 2022 which makes her a Registered Veterinary Receptionist (RVR).
Sam has a collection of animals including Tia the spaniel, Gizmo the hamster and Poppy and Daisy the rabbits.
