Our Team-Masefield

Our Team

Headed up by vet, John Hope-Ryan, the five-strong team at Masefield House Veterinary Centre are dedicated to providing the best care for you and your pets.

John Hope-Ryan MA VetMB MRCVS

Originally from South Africa, John came to the UK in 1988 to study at Cambridge Veterinary School. After qualifying, he taught at the Royal Veterinary College in London for a year. Subsequently, he has worked in practices in Warwickshire, South Wales, London and Abu Dhabi; setting up practices in both London and Abu Dhabi.

He opened Masefield Veterinary Centre in 2003. In the little spare time available, John is a keen cyclist, enjoys photography, has an interest in medicinal plants and loves to walk the Malvern Hills with his family. I currently have a scrap of a dog called X and X, a very opinionated cat.

Victoria Cockayne (Practice manager)

During her childhood, Victoria always had a house full of animal’s - cats, dogs, geese and chickens.

She began her veterinary career in 1989 as a general assistant and spent the next fourteen years as a veterinary nurse working in various practices throughout the UK.

She joined Masefield when it opened in 2003 and continued nursing for the next six years becoming the Practice Manager in 2009.

She has two gorgeous lurchers and a cat who are all getting on a bit but, despite various ailments, they continue to enjoy life, especially curled up togetheron mybed!!

Married for twelve years, Victoria and her husband have a great time riding motorbikes and road legal quad bikes. She also enjoys the gym, gardening and growing her own fruit and vegetables. Although her main passion is greyhounds and lurchers.

Katie Hickey VN (head nurse)

Katie trained as a veterinary nurse in Bromyard and qualified in 2001. She started working at Masefield shortly after it opened.

She has two cats, two tortoises, and one very small dog. In her spare time, she enjoys walking on the Malvern Hills and undertaking DIY on her new home.

Vicky Higgins (trainee veterinary nurse)

Worcestershire born-and-bred, Vickey is animal mad with six horses, three dogs, seven chickens and a naughty little kitten to her name. All of these keep her busy especially as she also competes with her horses.

Currently in the final year of her nursing qualifications, when not working or studying, she can be found on the farm with her animals or socialising with friends and family.

Robyn Kimber (trainee veterinary nurse)

Robyn has always lived around animals since she was very young. She has an old, but very naughty, Jack Russell Terrier, a laid-back Cocker Spaniel and has just taken ownership of a mischievious Jack Russell called Alvin.

In her free time, she likes to walk Alvin on the Hills and also has a very active social life. She is approaching the end of her second year of nurse training and is really enjoying the challenge.