Meet Lindsey Raven Emrich
RVN and Green Champion at The Mayne Veterinary Clinic
My journey to becoming an RVN began with a fortunate work experience opportunity at Colchester Zoo, which reignited my childhood dream of becoming a veterinary nurse. After just two weeks, I was lucky enough to be offered a full-time position at the zoo. Although I enjoyed my three years as a keeper, I wanted a more hands-on experience with animals in their natural habitats. So, I took a year off to travel, which was an incredible, life-changing experience.
On my return, I was determined to pursue nursing again and accepted a position in Cambridgeshire. I began my nurse training at a Pet Doctor’s branch and completed it at the prestigious Animal Health Trust referral centre, where I feel incredibly fortunate to have trained.
Joining The Mayne Veterinary team
The Mayne Veterinary Clinic came into my life at just the right moment – at a time when I was feeling disillusioned with the veterinary sector. It’s a young, progressive practice filled with people who share similar values and have young families, and it has become the best place to call home. The supportive workplace culture here nurtures our interests and initiatives, and I doubt I will ever want to be anywhere else. We have achieved so much and will continue to do our bit, standing proud as an independent practice.
Taking the lead on sustainability
My passion for sustainability is deeply rooted in my love for nature and driven, in large part, by my daughter. Every day, I marvel at nature and wish for it to continue providing us with well being and nurturing in this fast-paced world. I also want my daughter to experience the same. It’s undeniable that humans have been the problem, but equally, we can be the solution, so we must work with hope towards that.
It was our wonderful manager who recognised my enthusiasm for all things green and encouraged me to take it further by becoming the practice’s sustainability lead as we embarked on our own green adventure.
I’ve become that person in the practice who constantly nudges everyone towards greener practices. I often get comments like, “Lindsey, you would be proud of me,” or, “Oh gosh, don’t listen to this!” Through regular environmental meetings, I’ve been able to spread awareness, and I like to think that all our staff now have a better understanding of environmental issues and how we hinder but can also help, too.
Our first-ever team litter pick remains one of my favourite experiences. Everyone was so enthusiastic about the amount of litter we collected, and we even found a glass diamond door knob, which later became our “litter-picking hero” trophy! We’ve continued these litter picks twice yearly, and in 2024, we organised a whole month of “lunch break litter picks”. Getting the whole team together and out in the fresh air was great for our team’s mental health as well as the environment.
We’ve had so many green initiatives, from sunflower-growing competitions to insect-house building. We have also won cycle-to-work awards, and this year, we were incredibly proud when the practice won Webinar Vet’s Green Practice of the Year.
The future looks bright, with many more plans on the horizon. We’re now collaborating with our local council to build a large bug house in the local park, and in 2025, we aim to achieve the RCVS Environmental Award to add to our accolades. Our goal is to continue being not just an excellent independent veterinary clinic but also a practice that genuinely cares for the environment. Together, we will do all we can to preserve it and limit our impact.
Community involvement
In 2018, I started the Fingringhoe Green Group in my village to find like-minded people. The group has gone from strength to strength with regular group litter picks, recycling days and fundraising events, amongst many other things.
We initiated the ‘Pollination Pledge’ in 2023, encouraging residents to engage in wildlife-friendly practices by creating a leaflet with a list of pledges they could undertake, such as not using pesticides and planting wildlife-friendly plants. Witnessing the community embrace these changes has been incredibly fulfilling.
The Fingringhoe Green Group
As part of my work with the Fingringhoe Green Group and to gain further knowledge, I became an Essex Wildlife Trust ambassador. I’m also a critical care nurse for ‘Hedgehog Friendly Vets’, which was set up by a fellow RVN. We have helped to rehabilitate and release countless hedgehogs, a species that was classified as vulnerable to extinction on 30th July 2021 by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List for Mammals.
VetYogi
I have been teaching with Vet Yogi for the past four years. Chloe, the founder of Vet Yogi, works tirelessly to promote wellbeing within the veterinary industry. I contribute by teaching on her online platform, the Vet Yogi Collective, as well as conducting live sessions at various congresses.
It is so wonderful for us to have a presence at events like the London Vet Show, where we can offer live sessions to community members and see delegates return year after year. Wellness is so important within our industry and helping to spread this message is really rewarding.
The article was originally posted in The Cube magazine, February 2025 issue. Click here to read the magazine.
