Broad Lane Vets in Coventry has appointed two new directors, Alison White and Aidín Walls. Both longstanding members of the practice team, the new directors will join current owner Elly Pittaway, who celebrated her twentieth anniversary at Broad Lane this Spring. With a stable team and a strong family ethos, Broad Lane is a thriving independent practice and a well-established member of the XLVets community. As the new directors come on board, the practice is looking towards a sustainable future retaining its place in the hearts of local residents.

Aidin Walls

Both new directors are enthusiastic to take on their roles and are looking forward to building upon Broad Lane’s success. “I’m delighted to take up this new position alongside Alison, and we’re both keen to work with Elly and learn from her expertise,” says Aidín Walls.

Elly Pittaway, who has owned the practice for 13 years, says she is very happy to welcome the new directors to the helm. “I am so pleased that Alison and Aidín are coming on board as directors,” she says. “Both are a great credit to the team and their leadership will help safeguard Broad Lane’s future and preserve our ethos. Together, we’ll be looking out for opportunities for improvement while still sticking to the central values of the practice, where we treat pets as part of the family and extend that family philosophy to colleagues too.”

Alison White

Alison White also celebrates the family ethos of the practice and explains that one of the most attractive parts of her new role is working out how to invest in her colleagues. “I’m keen to bring some of our new ideas for team development to fruition,” she says. “This is an exciting time for Broad Lane as we’re extending the premises, and that raises lots of opportunities for us to make the most of our team and improve the level of care we provide to our patients.”

The practice is extending into an adjacent building where they plan to include a well-equipped dental suite in addition to a dedicated area for nurse-led clinics. This larger space, Aidín explains, will enable staff to expand their horizons: “In the practice we have lots of fantastic nurses with different specialities like physio, wound dressings and cytology. With the extra space we can help them utilise these skills and really play to our strengths as a team.”

Supporting staff to maximise their potential is a central part of the practice philosophy and Alison explains that this is one of the reasons why many staff have remained at Broad Lane for one, two or even three decades. “We invest in training to help everyone reach their personal goals,” she says. “There’s also a flexible working policy to help manage commitments outside work. This is a really important part of the practice culture for us, and myself and Aidín will be proud to help preserve that culture as the practice retains its independence.”

As the new directors look forward to their new roles, they are finding invaluable help and support within the XLVets community. Aidín is involved in the XLVets Leadership Book Club, while Alison is taking the community’s Women in Leadership training course. “I’ve found XLVets to be a very inclusive and supportive group,” says Aidín. “And as I’m starting out on this new journey, it will be great to be able to call on the support of other vets who’ve taken a similar path.”

Susan Goodfellow, Chief Marketing Officer of XLVets, expresses her delight that Alison and Aidín are taking leadership roles. “It’s great to see such a strong independent practice developing its leadership team to nurture the practice spirit for years to come,” she says. “Good succession planning is so important for independent practices to build a sustainable future. We’re delighted to see Elly, Alison and Aidín working together towards a bright outlook for Broad Lane Vets.”