Our incredible Nurse and Wildlife Champion Sam, helping to ensure our local wildlife is given every possible chance.

Sam Collins
RVN
Aireworth Vets

The context

Our practice faces an enormous wildlife case load and Sam generally takes this on wholeheartedly, as well as being a well known face of the community who will take on almost any challenge! Hedgehogs, rabbits, birds of a myriad of species, stray ferrets and tortoises, even a lizard on the loose in Asda!! She nurses them back from a generally very poor place till fit enough for release (or rehoming strays)

The action

I have witnessed Sam come up with incredible ways to ensure her charges feed (even going so far as to find and bury worms for birds before) and digging ‘starter holes’ for moles. She spends money she doesn’t have to endure that every animal gets the absolute best chance, with no thought for herself first. Sleep comes 2nd to the constant feeding of all her charges.

The ripple effect

The whole team constantly feels in awe of Sam and seeing the incredible successes she has buoys us all no end. Without her the world would be a poorer place, the lovely clients that bring injured wildlife wouldn’t have the same peace of mind knowing she’d fight tooth and claw for them and the local community all know her as the champion of the downtrodden. She truly makes my day brighter everytime I work with her and see her face every challenge head on.

Voting opens 13 November.