24 Oct 2023
Anna Shadforth crowned BVRA Veterinary Receptionist of the Year, beating more than 800 other nominations.
Paul Imrie
Job Title
A receptionist in Kent has beaten hundreds of others to be crowned Veterinary Receptionist of the Year in a national contest.
Anna Shadforth, a receptionist at Pennard Vets in Borough Green, Kent, was one of 827 people nationally to be nominated for the British Veterinary Receptionist Association (BVRA) award.
She said: “I’m so honoured to receive this award. I really love what I do – it’s more than a job; it’s a way of life, and I find helping my team, our clients and their pets incredibly rewarding.
“As part of the award win, I will now have a place on the BVRA council for the year, which means I will help shape the training courses and the support veterinary receptionists receive. I will also be part of the judging team for next year’s awards, so it’s a very exciting role.”
Senior vet Charlotte Botham and vet Hayley Stenning put in the nomination.
Dr Botham said: “Anna is a rare find – she brightens the lives of all she meets, including our furry and feathered friends. For the clients she serves and the team she works with, she is not just a friendly, smiley face when they walk in – she’s a safe place, a friend, a confidant and a fabulous sounding board.
“She laughs and smiles with joy during the happy times, and she’s a supportive shoulder to lean on during the sad times.
“Anna is not only manning the front desk and answering phones, but doing the stock take, ordering food and prescriptions, dealing with insurance queries, keeping the place spick and span, sorting blood and other samples – the list goes on.”
Dr Botham added: “She is also a feisty cat wrangler, a bouncy dog distractor, or is simply there to hold an anxious paw or hand, with treats or a cup of tea at the ready.
“Our clients, staff and suppliers – as well as every pet that walks through the door – is treated like family. Any concern, big or small, is acknowledged with compassion and empathy, and she finds an efficient and fair solution to every problem.”
