Acorn House Vets

David Chennells - Senior Partner
MA VetMB CertPM MRCVS

David graduated from Cambridge in 1976. David has gained a reputation as a pig specialist and spends most of his working time visiting pig farms but still finds time for small animal consulting. He holds an RCVS certificate in pig medicine.

Gill Monsell
PhD MA VetMB MRCVS

Gill graduated from Cambridge in 1975 and became a partner in 1997. She enjoys soft tissue surgery and exotics. Gill is married with 3 grown up daughters, a mad lurcher and a crazy cat. She enjoys foreign travel, skiing and good food. She also holds a PhD from Cambridge Vet School.

Heidrun Chennells
MRCVS 

Heidrun graduated in Berlin, Germany in 1989. David and Heidrun have two teenage children. Both David and Heidrun enjoy riding their horses and walking their terrier.

Gaynor Dudley
Practice Manager

Gaynor joined the practice seven years ago and became a partner in March 2009.

Sally Gray
BSc (Hons) BVSc MRCVS

Sally qualified from Bristol University in 1993 after first gaining a degree in Agriculture from Nottingham University. She started life as a farm vet working mainly with cattle but has worked at Acorn House since 2000 with entirely small animals. Sally enjoys travelling and owns a rescued ginger cat called Jaspurr.

Joanna Morrall
MA VetMB MRCVS

Jo graduated from Cambridge in 2006 and worked in Cambridge before moving to Acorn House.
Jo owns a Harris Hawk and two cats (one deaf and one with three legs) and has a keen interest in exotic and avian medicine. She is currently working towards a GP certificate in exotic animal practice. In her spare time Jo enjoys scuba diving and ice skating.

Adele Martin
MA VetMB MRCVS

Adele graduated from Cambridge in June 2009 and particularly enjoys small animal medicine. She is also interested in primates and has spent some time in Borneo researching gibbon feeding behaviour. In her spare time she enjoys playing violin, piano and looking after her rescue cat Eddie.

Sheldon Middleton
MA VetMB MRCVS CertGP(Ophthal)

Sheldon joined Acorn house in September 2007, He graduated from Cambridge University and has a particular interest and a GP certificate in ophthalmology. Sheldon enjoys travel, skiing and hill walking. Sheldon owns a greyhound called Daisy.

Jen Harrison
BVetMed MRCVS CertSCVA

Jen graduated from the RVC in 2004 and joined Acorn House in March 2009. Her hobbies are agility with her dog Austin, walking the lakes and horse riding She also has a cat called Daphne and a rabbit called Mr Bob. Jen's clinical interests are arthritis, surgery and acupunture.

Rosie Theakston
MA VetMB MRCVS

Rosie started working for the practice after graduation from Cambridge in 1998. She worked full time for us until she left to have her first baby in 2003. Rosie had her second child in 2006 and she now works part time for us on a regular basis.

Katharine Nelson
MA VetMB MRCVS GPCert(SAM)

Katharine has been working for us since her graduation from Cambridge in 2003. She has also gained her GP Cert in small animal medicine. Katharine is married and had her first child In October 2007 and her second in October 2009. Katharine works for us on regular Saturday mornings.

Head Nurse

Deputy Head Nurse

Kerry Skinner
Dip AVN(surgical) RVN MBVNA

Kerry passed her RCVS examinations in July 2000. She has worked at Acorn House since August 2001. Kerry is one of our assessors responsible for student nurse training. Kerry passed the Diploma in Advanced Veterinary Nursing (Surgical) in 2007. 

Kate Bloomfield
RVN

Kate started working part time at the sugery in Dec 2005 and qualified as Veterinary Nurse in 1988. Kate has a special interest in feline medicine. She enjoys long walks with her dog and spending time with her 3 spoilt cats.

Sharon Dawes
RVN

Sharon is our longest serving member of staff having joined the practice in April 1993. She is one of our training assessors and has a keen interest in nursing clinics and dental care. Sharon has two cats that she rescued from the surgery.

Karen Longridge
RVN

Karen is our second most long standing member of staff having arrived from Ireland in Sept 1993. She spends the majority of her time assisting our senior partner with our farm clients. Karen is also responsible for ordering the stock for the Practice.

Jo has been employed at Acorn House since May 2006, when she moved from Kent to Bedford. She qualified as a Veterinary Nurse in 2003 and acheived her assessor award in 2004. Jo has 2 cats, rescued from the surgery. She enjoys horse riding and mountain biking. Jo had a baby girl in Sept 09 and is currently on maternity leave.

Jo Reynolds
RVN

Jo has worked for the practice since August 1997, she qualified in 2005. Jo has recently returned from maternity leave to work Monday mornings.

Catherine Bennett
RVN

Cat joined Acorn House as a trainee Veterinary nurse in Sept 2003, she qualified in September 2007. Cat owns two cats violet and Indigo. Cat had a baby boy last year and is now working back at the practice part time.

Ammee Wilkins
RVN

Ammee passed her final year nursing examinations in 2007 to become a qualified Veterinary nurse. Ammee has a dog, two cats and a tortoise called Shelbie 

Jessica Rayner
RVN

Jess joined Acorn House in 2004 and passed her nursing exams in Jan 2008. Jess has two cats Millie and Slash, she has an obession for pink and enjoys aqua-aerobics in her spare time.

Gayle Simpkins

Gayle joined us in October 2008 as a 2nd year trainee. Gayle owns numerous animals and has a keen interest in wildlife.

Morven Merrill
BSc PhD

Morven joined Acorn House as a trainee VN in November 2008. Morven owns a Black Labrador called Heather.  She holds a PhD in pig behaviour.

Deborah Trotman

Debbie joined Acorn House last year and is starting her official veterinary nurse training in September.

Claire Finch

Claire joined Acorn House last year and is starting her official veterinary nurse training in September.

Yvette Harding

Yvette joined the team in May 2006. They say never work with children and animals but she has spent many years doing both! Yvette enjoys walking her Cocker spaniel, Saffie, has a cat and loves reading and going to see live theatre and music.

Sally Smith

Sally joined us in 2006, after leaving a career in human nursing. She owns 2 dogs, 2 cats 2 goats and a horse!

Kerryann Vernon

Kerryann joined us in September 2007 having gained experience in hotel reception, she has also studied motor mechanics and enjoys cars and driving. Kerryann has two rescue dogs called Max and Maisie.

Michelle Riddle

Michelle has come back to work part time on reception after leaving to look after her family three years ago. Michelle originally joined the practice in 1991.