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About Aldeburgh Vets
Aldeburgh Vets is an independently owned companion animal practice owned and run by Brian Faulkner, FRCVS, and Jess Bartman, MRCVS.
Our practice ethos is simple; we want to build trusting and sustainable relationships with you and your pets in order to keep them well and help them to get better as quickly as possible when ill or injured.
Veterinary Surgeons
Veterinary Surgeons
Brian Faulkner
BSc (Hons), BVM&S, CertGP(SAM), CertGP (BPS), MBA, MSc(Psych), FRCVS, Director
Brian graduated from Edinburgh Vet School in 1995 and worked in mixed practice. Over his 27+ year career Brian has worked in more than 250 veterinary practices as a locum vet as well as setting up 5 veterinary practices in Suffolk. He also works as a practice management consultant and communications psychologist. Brian was the Petplan UK Vet of the Year in 2008 after having been runner-up in 2007. He is Honorary Associate Professor in Veterinary Business at Nottingham University as well as working as the Media and PR vet for Petplan Pet Insurance .
Brian was the President of the UK Society of Practising Veterinary Surgeons in 2017. He is also the Founder of Colourful CPD (www.colourfulcpd.com), an online CPD provider of veterinary training all around the world. Brian also founded the British Veterinary Receptionist Association (www.bvra.co.uk) and created the Accredited Veterinary Receptionist Award. In 2020 Brian was awarded Fellowship of The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (FRCVS) in recognition of ‘outstanding contribution to clinical practice’.
In 2017 Brian raised £120,000 for Brooke Animal Hospital by running 10 marathons in 10 consecutive days all across the UK and Ireland. In August 2020 Brian ran 31 marathons in 31 days from John O’Groats to Lands End (https://www.colourfulcpd.com/jogle-2020/) to raise £10,000 for a charity called ‘Street Vet ‘ which attends to the dogs of the homeless. In 2022 he was also awarded the RCVS Inspiration Award for his work with charity and support for colleagues within the profession.
Jess Bartman
BVSc, MRCVS, Director
Jess grew up on the North Norfolk coast before heading to the South West to study. She graduated from the University of Bristol Veterinary School in 2012 and went on to spend four years working in a mixed veterinary practice in Devon.
In 2017, Jess took some time out to travel the world, visiting New Zealand, Australia, Fiji and much of Asia before returning to her Norfolk roots in 2018. She then worked as a locum vet, where she met Brian while working together at his former surgery in Wickham Market.
Jess is one of our Directors here at Aldeburgh Vets and enjoys being involved in the continued development of the practice and the team. She is passionate about providing excellent care for both patients and their owners.
Outside of work, Jess enjoys spending time at home with her husband, particularly renovating their house and taking on new projects together. She also loves heading out for beach walks with their two dogs and making the most of the Suffolk and Norfolk coasts.
Niamh Lingley
MVB, PGCertSAM, PGCertSAOpthal, MRCVS
Niamh grew up in Tipperary in the South East of Ireland, and qualified in Dublin in 2010. Shortly after qualifying, she moved to Suffolk where she has been living and working happily ever since, and now considers herself a local!
Niamh spent 2 years after graduating working in mixed equine and small animal practice, before choosing to focus on just small animals, and after 3 years of studying achieved a postgraduate certificate in small animal medicine in 2016. Since Niamh is a glutton for punishment, she also studied for another certificate, this time in Ophthalmology which she completed 2026.
Niamh lives locally with her husband Matt (a local boatbuilder), their two sons, a beautiful but aloof cat called Bonnie and a very energetic whippet affectionately called “naughty” Nora. When she is not peering at dogs and cats eyes, Niamh enjoys running, sailing, canoeing, horse riding and exploring the Suffolk countryside with Matt on their tandem bicycle.
Wilf Whitehouse
BVetMed, MRCVS
Wilf grew up in Cornwall and initially studied biology at university with the ambition of becoming a plant scientist. However, as his interests developed, he was drawn towards veterinary medicine as a way to combine hia scientific curiosity with hia love of animals and the opportunity to make a real difference to their lives.
After graduating, Wilf moved to Singapore, where he worked as a small animal vet. This was a fantastic opportunity to develop his clinical skills while experiencing veterinary medicine in a very different cultural setting.
For Wilf, being a small animal vet sits at the intersection of purpose, passion and people. He enjoy the science and problem-solving involved in veterinary medicine, but equally values the relationships he will build with pets and their owners.
Alex Bucci
DVM, MRCVS
Bio coming soon :)
Veterinary Nurses
Veterinary Nurses
Sarah Melwani
Registered Veterinary Nurse Lead
Sarah grew up in Suffolk and now lives locally with her husband and her sassy little cat, Cinders.
Sarah studied Animal Management at Otley College and has gained over ten years of experience within the veterinary nursing profession. She has also previously worked for the RSPCA, giving her a wealth of experience and a strong passion for animal care.
Sarah joined the Aldeburgh Vets team in May 2022 and went on to qualify as a Registered Veterinary Nurse (RVN) with us in summer 2023. Alongside her nursing role, Sarah runs our weight clinics, helping our patients achieve and maintain a healthy weight through tailored advice and support. She enjoys building relationships with our clients and their pets and continuing to develop her knowledge and skills within the practice.
Ula Hall
Registered Veterinary Nurse
Ula is Suffolk-rooted and lives locally with her husband and children, along with their cat, Rooster, and Labrador, Mabel.
Ula has been a Registered Veterinary Nurse (RVN) for over 25 years and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the Aldeburgh Vets team. She originally joined us as a locum RVN before becoming a permanent member of the team. Ula had previously worked alongside Brian at his former practice, so she was already a familiar and friendly face to both the team and some of our clients.
Alongside her role as an RVN, Ula is also a Clinical Coach. She has enjoyed supporting and mentoring veterinary nursing students throughout her career, having worked as a Clinical Coach alongside colleagues at previous practices. She now takes on this role at Aldeburgh Vets, supporting Ruby throughout her RVN training and helping her develop her knowledge, confidence and practical skills.
Chloe Tucker
Registered Veterinary Nurse
Chloe grew up in Aldeburgh and now lives locally with her husband and their two lovely Dachshunds, Isla and Mila, in their new home.
Chloe has loved animals from a very young age and has always wanted to build a career working with them. She qualified as an Animal Nursing Assistant at Otley College in 2015 before joining the Aldeburgh Vets team in June 2021, where she continued to develop her knowledge and experience within the veterinary industry. Chloe achieved her Registered Veterinary Nurse (RVN) qualification in summer 2025 and is enjoying putting her skills into practice as part of the team.
Outside of work, Chloe enjoys spending time with her family and her two Dachshunds. She also runs a baking business from home, which is a firm favourite with the team!
Ruby Enskajt
Student Veterinary Nurse
Ruby lives locally with her fluffy Cockapoo, Ralph, and her tortoise, Sherman. She loves taking Ralph on long walks on her days off and enjoys spending time with her pets.
Before joining the team, Ruby spent several years working at Fordley Moore Kennels, where she gained valuable hands-on experience caring for dogs of all shapes and sizes.
Ruby completed her Veterinary Nursing Assistant qualification at college in 2023, followed by an Animal Care and Welfare course in 2024. She has now taken the next step in her career and has started her college training to become a Registered Veterinary Nurse (RVN). She is enjoying continuing to develop her knowledge and skills throughout her training and gaining plenty of hands-on experience along the way.
Client Care Team
Client Care Team
Anna Hind
Client Care & Insurance Lead
Anna lives locally in Aldeburgh with her partner and their two Spaniels. She returned to her Suffolk roots in 2012 after studying Marine Aquaculture in Cornwall and has always had a love for the sea and everything that comes with it.
Before joining Aldeburgh Vets in May 2021, Anna worked in pub management, bringing with her a wealth of experience in customer service and working with people. She is now our Client Care Lead and plays an important role in making sure our clients and their pets feel welcome and well looked after. Anna also manages pet insurance claims, helping our clients navigate the process and taking some of the stress out of making a claim.
Outside of work, Anna loves spending time by the sea with her family and her dogs. She enjoys making the most of everything the Suffolk coast has to offer, especially when she can bring her two Spaniels along for the adventure.
Kayla Barr
Client Care Assistant
Kayla has always lived in Suffolk and currently lives near Saxmundham with her partner and her rescue dog, Winnie. She has always had a passion for animals of all shapes and sizes and, after a career in hospitality, decided to combine her love of animals and people by joining the client care team at Aldeburgh Vets.
Kayla is a friendly and welcoming face on reception and loves getting to know our clients and their pets. She particularly enjoys meeting all the dogs who come through the door and helping make their visits to the practice as positive and stress-free as possible.
Outside of work, Kayla enjoys going on adventures and working on her training with Winnie. They love spending time together and are always learning something new!
Sarah Stock-Davis
Client Care Assistant
Sarah has always lived in Suffolk and now lives locally with her husband and children. She has a real love for animals, particularly Staffies and chickens, and has spent over 20 years working with animals in a variety of settings, including veterinary practices, the RSPCA and local farms.
Sarah has also worked alongside Brian at his former practice in Wickham Market, so she may already be a familiar face to some of our clients. She has now joined the Aldeburgh Vets team as a Client Care Assistant, where she enjoys welcoming our clients and their pets and helping to make their visits to the practice as friendly and relaxed as possible.
Outside of work, Sarah loves spending time with her family and, whenever she gets the chance, enjoys getting creative with crochet.
Amy Fryer
Client Care Assistant
Amy grew up locally in Aldeburgh and is now in the process of renovating her first home with her partner.
Having spent her career working in hotels, events and hospitality, Amy decided it was time for a change and to take her career in a new direction by joining the Aldeburgh Vets team.
Being a familiar face locally, Amy enjoys getting to know our clients and their pets and is looking forward to developing her knowledge and skills within the veterinary industry.
Outside of work, Amy enjoys horse riding and spending time with her partner. She is also Chloe’s sister, so Aldeburgh Vets is very much a family affair!
Management
Management
Ellie Ridgard-Hall
Practice Manager
Ellie grew up locally in Suffolk but spent some time in Canterbury studying at university. After graduating in 2019, she returned to Suffolk and continued working in hospitality and events before deciding to take the next step in her career.
Ellie joined the Aldeburgh Vets team in January 2021, initially to begin her career within the veterinary industry and work towards becoming Practice Manager. She achieved this in 2023 and now leads the practice team, helping to ensure the day-to-day running of Aldeburgh Vets is as smooth as possible for both our clients and their pets.
Outside of work, Ellie enjoys spending time outdoors with her husband and their two troublesome Terriers! They love heading out on hikes and adventures together, particularly exploring the mountains whenever they get the chance.
Georgia Faulkner
Director
Georgia has worked alongside Brian in their series of family-owned veterinary practices for the last 20 years.
Georgia continues to oversee the IT systems and Accounts for the practice but has gradually handed over the reins of day-to-day practice management to Ellie. Her most important role now is to turn up a couple of times a week to check the level of biscuit stocks and make tea!
Outside of the practice Georgia is involved in several other veterinary-related businesses and also volunteers her time as a Magistrate. When time allows she enjoys walking their 3 dogs (Bear, Ellie and Lola), travel and reading.
