Keely Furborough

General        Manager 

Keely joined LAA as General Manager in 2004 and is responsible for the overall running of the Centre. Keely works closely with Anne, our Chair of Trustees. 

Keely has a Foundation Degree in Business and Management, ILM Leadership & Management Level 3, BTEC National Diploma in Business Studies and a Royal Institute of Public Health Foundation Certificate in Health and Safety in the Workplace. 

Keely was a former volunteer of LAA from 1994 -1997 and also has three years experience in domestic animal rescue in Southern California (USA). 

Keely enjoys history, travel and reading.

Nicky 

Accounts      Manager 

Nicky is responsible for our Accounts and works closely with Ian Pritchard our Treasurer. 

Kerry Freeman 

Admin Manager   (p/t)

Kerry joined the LAA Team in 2008 and is responsible for administration, including managing the database, microchip registrations, donations and legacy gifts. 

Kerry has 30 years experience in administration, including roles with solicitors, insurance and HR consulting companies. She has qualifications in Business Studies, Communication Skills, Shorthand (Pitman) and RSA III Typing. 

She enjoys reading and spending time with the family and her Labrador, Poppy. 

Kerry enjoys working with the lovely team of people (staff and volunteers) at LAA and spending time with the dogs who visit the office! 

Jane Sharp

 CPSS Co-ordinator

Jane previously worked in our Cattery from 2012 for five years and then rejoined the team in May 2018 to cover the Centre Co-ordinator's role whilst Rebecca was on maternity leave.  She took up her current post in January 2019 

Jane began her time at LAA as a volunteer in the Cattery and has a COAPE Diploma in cat health and welfare. 

Jane has three cats who are previous LAA residents, Crumble, Treacle and Merlin.

In her spare time, Jane enjoys spending time with her rescue cats, walking in the countryside, baking and reading crime and historical novels. 

Izzy Tutcher

Philanthropy Manager (p/t)

Izzy joined the team as our Fundraising Manager in 2016 and began her current role as Philanthropy Manager in December 2019. She is responsible for Trusts & Grants Fundraising along with developing our fundraising programme. 

Izzy has over 10 years experience in fundraising, with a background in higher education fundraising at the universities of Coventry, Warwick and Exeter.

She has a degree in Psychology (BSc Hons) from Coventry University and received her Certificate in Professional Fundraising from Boston University in 2013.  

Helen Wilber

Fundraising  Manager

Helen joined the team in December 2018 and is responsible for Fundraising, Communications and Marketing. 

Helen has a background in education and has worked for a number of charities.    

Grace Fletcher

Fundraising and Communications  Assistant (p/t)

Grace joined the team in March 2023 and works alongside the Fundraising Manager.

Grace has a background in working in Administration and a degree in English. She loves her ESports and manages a semi-professional team in her spare time. 

Aimee Hermiston

Receptionist/Relief Kennel Supervisor

Aimee is the first person most people will meet on arrival at the Centre and is responsible for writing the fantastic animal profiles you will see around the Centre, on our website and on Facebook.

She joined the team in November 2006 working in the Kennels, since 2008 she has had the role of Relief Kennel Supervisor and in 2012 she began working on our Reception.

Aimee has a BSc (Hons) in Animal Management and Welfare, National Diploma in Animal Care, a Higher National Diploma in Animal Science, qualifications in human and dog first aid and has also undertaken leadership courses. 

Aimee lives with two previous LAA residents, Terriers Bean and Jack who are 11 and 13 years old. 

Aimee has a passion for animals and their welfare, and also enjoys gardening, keeping fit, walking and socialising too. 

Rebecca Fleming

Centre Coordinator (p/t) 

Rebecca joined the staff team in 2007. She is incredibly well organised and responsible for overall day to day operational running of the Centre. 

Prior to her role as Centre Coordinator, Rebecca was our Kennel Coordinator for three and a half years and was a Kennel Assistant for six years. She also studied animal care and welfare for five years and has work experience in a veterinary practice. 

Rebecca has a degree in Animal Welfare (BSc Hons) and has completed team leader, emergency first aid at work and fire marshal courses. She also has training in dog and cat first aid. 

In her spare time, Rebecca enjoys baking, crafting, cleaning, gardening and walking her Rubble, a one-year-old Jack Russell Terrier who was previously a resident of LAA. 

Emma Kyser

Receptionist (Maternity Cover)

Emma joined the staff team in 2022, and looks after our busy reception desk during the week. Emma has previously worked as a Veterinary Receptionist, and then as a Teaching Assistant, but realised her heart lies in working with animals. 

Emma has two guinea pigs, and a one-eyed dog called Rose, who are all rescue animals. In her spare time she likes to go open-water swimming (the colder the better!) and also spends many hours on her allotment.

Heidi Geisler

Receptionist

Heidi joined us in 2022, She works on our reception desk every Saturday.

Alex Stevenson

Kennel & Cattery Manager 

Alex is responsible for the physical and mental wellbeing of the dogs and cats at the Centre.

Alex started at LAA in August 2015 as a Kennel Assistant fresh out of University. In August 2017, Alex took up his role as Cattery Supervisor. 

Alex studied an MSc in Animal Welfare (graduating Sept 18) and also has a BSc in Biology with Animal Behaviour. He is a canine and feline first aider and has Level 3 Microchipping training.

Alex previously volunteered with Leicestershire Wildlife Hospital (2014) and with rescue wildlife in Costa Rica (2017).

Alex lives with Jack, a 10-year-old Collie and has a passion for educating the public in good animal welfare, particularly feline behaviour, conservation and travel.

Rebecca Upton

Cattery Supervisor

Rebecca joined the LAA Cattery team in August 2022. She has a degree in Animal Science from Chester University. Rebecca has found a love for cats through working in rescue. She previously worked with a bigger variety of animals, including big cats, rhinos and giraffes, as she was a Zookeeper for 8 years. 

At home, Rebecca has a cat, dog, 4 rabbits and a tortoise, all of which came from rescue. She is a passionate fundraiser, and enjoys helping to raise awareness of conservation and animal welfare. Also, being a huge Harry Potter fan - you may see a few of our cats being named after the characters from the books!

Holly Barnwell 

Kennel Assistant (p/t)

Holly started at LAA in May 2011 and has a National Diploma in Animal Management and previously volunteered at Leicester Animal Rescue.

Holly adores all of the dogs who stay in her Kennels (Murphy) and loves when they come back to visit! 

Holly lives with Huskies Bert and Beau and staffies Baby and Chance.

She enjoys spending time with her dogs and socialising with friends.

Laura Oxbrough

 Kennel Assistant

Laura joined the team in August 2012 and currently looks after the Sparky kennel block. 

Laura has a Level 2 Diploma in Animal Care, along with experience in boarding kennels and catteries. 

Laura likes helping dogs to enjoy their time while with us at LAA. She also likes meeting a variety of dogs, helping them to find loving homes and hearing about how they are getting on in their new surroundings.

Laura has two cats, who were rehomed by LAA in 2020, called Arlo and Ava. She enjoys socialising with friends and family and also works as an Independent Ambassador for Tropic Skincare helping to promote cruelty-free skincare. 

Gracie Perkins

Kennel Assistant

Gracie has worked for LAA since April 2020. She has worked with both cats and dogs. 

Sandra McGuckin

Kennel Assistant

Sandra started at LAA in 2007, initially as a volunteer in the Cattery, and then became a member of staff in that team. She later moved over to the Kennel Team. She has various qualifications including Animal Psychology and Behaviour, and she is also a fully qualified dog groomer.

There are many fun facts about Sandra - her previous jobs include working as a human cannon ball and stunt woman, circus performer, and HGV driver! Her love of animals has always been there, and she also worked as a groom at various stables.

Sandra has a Staffordshire Bull Terrier named Reggie, who came from LAA, and she loves anything to do with animals and nature. She also likes 1940's re-enactments, 1950's Rockabilly music and has a motorbike which she takes to bike-meets and charity ride outs.

Amber Randall

Kennel Assistant 

Amber joined us in December 2022. She started on weekends but is now a full time member of the Kennel Team.

Jade Shipman

Kennel Assistant (p/t)

Jade works in our Kennel Team and joined LAA in December 2014. Within a week she had fostered one of our dogs, a Staffordshire Labrador Crossbreed called Ted, who she then adopted. She also has another dog, a Chihuahua French Bull Dog Cross, called Elmo. 

After leaving Brooksby College, where she achieved Level 3 in Animal Management, she volunteered at various places including local Vets. She also volunteered at a local exotic pet store where she cared for snakes and a crocodile.

Jade also does dog walking alongside working here, which keeps her busy as do her two children. She loves buying shoes and going to car shows in her spare time.

Nicole Weston 

 Kennel Assistant 

Nicole joined the team as a Kennel Assistant in May 2017. She has a Level 3 in Animal Management and a Higher National Diploma in Animal Management. 

Nicole has previous experience managing a reptile shop and lives with her Staffordshire Bull Terrier Ollie, Jack the cat, a bearded dragon called Lilly and a tarantula named Rasta. 

In her spare time, Nicole enjoys reading fantasy fiction and regularly plays board games on Friday nights with friends. She also enjoys watching films with friends and family and taking her dog on long walks. 

Caitlin Wooldridge

Kennel Assistant

Caitlin works as a Kennel Assistant based in the Dog Intake team. She joined the team in 2020 just before lockdown after volunteering with us and completing an Apprenticeship in Animal Care.

She loves caring for the Dogs who arrive at the Centre, and following their journey from intake to going home. Seeing how nervous some of them are on arrival, she enjoys building relationships with them as they are assessed and likes that her role makes a difference to their development before they find their homes.

Caitlin has two dogs of her own (one which came from LAA), they are called Perdy and Kasper and she can often be found walking them in her spare time.

Jessica Brandreth

Cattery Assistant

Jessica joined LAA in November 2022 and works in the Cattery. She previously worked for the RSPCA in Leicester.

Aimee Bond

Kennel Coordinator 

Aimee previously worked for LAA before she moved over to the Dogs Trust and gained further training and qualifications (up to Level 6) in Dog Behaviour.

Since November 2022 Aimee is back with LAA as Kennel Co-ordinator, and is responsible for the day-to-day organisation of the Kennels. 

Aimee has a dog called Barney, and a cat called Murray, who both came from LAA. She has two rather contrasting hobbies- Kickboxing and Ballet! 

Olivia Latham

Kennel Assistant

Olivia joined LAA in March and is currently working Fridays and weekends. She is looking forward to getting to know animals and staff.