30 Jul 2026
Community open day raised almost £1,000 for Vetlife while providing visitors a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the practice.
Chris Simpson
Job Title
Receptionists Tracey Kelsall (left) and Lindsey Barber.
A Cheshire vet practice has celebrated its 50th anniversary by giving the public behind-the-scenes insight in a community open day.
Woodcroft Vets in Cheadle celebrated the milestone by welcoming more than 200 visitors through its doors to explore usually off-limits areas of the practice, meet the veterinary team, and learn more about the facilities and range of services available.
Clinicians guided attendees through behind-the-scenes tours showcasing the hydrotherapy unit, laboratory, operating theatres, advanced anaesthesia monitoring equipment and dental x-ray suite.
They also delivered pet first-aid demonstrations, while face painting and other family-friendly activities were available for younger visitors.
Almost £500 was raised for Vetlife through donations and cake, raffle ticket and tombola sales, with the figure matched by VetPartners, while the event also featured stands from Tameside Wildlife Rescue and the Humane Education Society charities.
Woodcroft Vets HR manager Fiona Knight said the response to the open day “was incredible and exceeded all our expectations”, adding: “Celebrating 50 years is a wonderful milestone for everyone at Woodcroft Vets, and we wanted to mark the occasion by inviting the local community to see what happens behind the scenes every day.
“Most pet owners only ever see our consulting rooms before trusting us with their beloved pets, so it was fantastic to be able to open our doors and show them our practice, our technology and, most importantly, the dedicated team who care for their animals.”
She concluded: “We hope everyone left with an even greater appreciation of what goes on behind the scenes and the expertise involved in caring for their pets.”
