Our Team

Charlotte Hussey BSc. (Hons) BVM&S MRCVS

Director and Veterinary Surgeon

Charlotte qualified as a vet from the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Science, Edinburgh, in 2011. Prior to this, she completed an honours degree in Physiology with Biochemistry at Southampton University. The veterinary profession is her second career, and she feels confident that this industry is where she will remain – particularly since founding Skylark Vets!

Charlotte grew up in the countryside, surrounded by woodlands, fields and haystacks. She has always harboured a passion for both animals – whatever their shape or size – and the great British outdoors. She particularly loves hill walking, but is amenable to many outdoor pursuits! Over the years, her many companions have varied from dogs to birds, to guinea-pigs and rabbits, to bearded dragons to tortoises. This experience has been tremendously helpful in helping her to empathize with pets and owners alike.

British wildlife is close to Charlotte’s heart, and she is keen to help to preserve the natural world wherever possible. She is a firm believer that wild animals should remain wild!  Although very fond of companion mammals, Charlotte holds a special veterinary interest in birds and reptiles.

When not out walking, Charlotte is usually singing with one of several choirs she is a member of, swimming in the local fresh water sources, taking on ultra-walks, baking at home, or reading a book.

Charlotte is known for her passion in caring for exotic animals. In 2019 she was in integral part of the committee that set up and ran the ‘ICARE’ conference at ExCel, London. The International Conference on Avian herpetological and Exotic mammal medicine was a huge success, educating international veterinary colleagues on exotic animal medicine and surgery.

She is now happy with the mixture of static and ambulatory work that Skylark Vets provides, and likes to focus on client education to improve animal welfare at home.

Grace Wainwright RVN

Lead Veterinary Nurse

Grace has been working in the animal care field since her part time jobs as a teenager. She started working in veterinary clinics in 2008 and qualified as a nurse in 2012. Grace enjoys working with a wide range of species to ensure they all get the best quality of life with their families.

Outside of work Grace enjoys swimming, reading novels and traveling. Her travels have taken her to Svalbard in the artic to see wild polar bears, whales, walruses, artic foxes and a wide range of bird species. Africa on safari, New Zealand to go open water swimming with dolphins, Hong Kong to see pink dolphins and Australia to dive with turtles, sharks and seahorses to name a few.

Dawn Vanner

Administrative Support & Receptionist

Dawn joined us in November 2020 and has been a Veterinary Receptionist since 2006. As well as being a friendly face on reception, Dawn is in charge of most of our admin and keeps our practice organised so that we can focus on providing medical care. Dawn loves all animals, especially dogs! She actually had a phobia of birds which she has since overcome since meeting Charlotte’s Love Birds who enjoyed making sure she became familiar with them! Dawn has a rescue dog called Primrose who can frequently be seen – and heard – at the clinic.

Nigel Smith BVetMed CertSAS MRCVS

Veterinary Surgeon

Nigel qualified as a veterinary surgeon in 1996 from the Royal Veterinary College in London. He spent his first two years in mixed practice before joining the Blue Cross Animals’ Hospital where he cared for mostly dogs and cats for 18 years. Nigel helped to provide surgical and emergency care for the large caseload in the charity hospital and gained his post-graduate Certificate in Small Animal Surgery in 2012. Nigel then went into general private practice.

Nigel has recently returned to the UK from a clinical teaching post in the Caribbean. He enjoys traveling, spending time with his family and looks forward to learning to play the steel pan. Nigel also enjoys working with pet owners to best help their loved ones.

Deborah Colston

Marketing Assistant

Deborah Colston joined the team in November 2022 having been a Skylark client since we opened in Edenbridge. She has a broad background in marketing services and takes care of our marketing needs here at Skylark on a part time basis. Deb’s favourite things are tea and dogs – but not always in that order! She lives in Edenbridge and has two teenage boys, two dogs and four gerbils.

Heather Sutton RVN

Locum Veterinary Nurse

Heather qualified as a veterinary nurse in 2012. She has worked in many areas of nursing from critical care and general nursing, through to the prestigious position of Lead Nurse. She is a kind and compassionate person, deriving great satisfaction from the careful nurturing of sick patients back to health.

Heather loves to travel, and worked in the Cook Islands before heading back to the more temperate climbs of the UK. Holiday destinations are now the limit of those sunny places! Heather is happily married, but also has a loopy lurcher and an entertaining tortoise at home to keep her company.

Nowadays, life is extremely busy for Heather as she gave birth to identical twin boys in July 2020! She works as a locum veterinary nurse, so you may well meet her during your visits to us.

Nicky Jackson RVN

Locum Veterinary Nurse

Nicky is our regular locum nurse who covers staff holidays and busy periods. She brings with her a wealth of experience, having qualified as a Veterinary Nurse in 1990 and going on to spend 20 years as a Practice Manager for a busy small animal practice.

Nicky took a step back from full time veterinary nursing to dedicate her time to her main passion in life – animal rescue. She runs an animal rescue charity from home and cares for horses, goats, sheep, dogs, cats, rabbits and guinea pigs. When Nicky does find some spare time, she enjoys competing her own horse, skiing, travel and musical theatre.