All staff members DBS checked
Hello! My name is Anna, and I’m a director at Inspiring Animal Therapy. I have a background in psychology, holding a bachelor’s degree in the psychology of human and animal behaviour. Throughout my studies, I explored the intersection of human psychology and animal cognition, delving into how these two fields connect.
In the past year, I completed my dissertation project titled “Exploring Attitudes Toward Animal Assisted Therapy in Healthcare Settings.” This research revealed that participants believe Animal Assisted Therapy could be highly beneficial if implemented more widely in healthcare. My interest in this area was inspired by my little sister, Imogen, who has spent significant time in healthcare settings due to her diagnosis.
As a true animal lover, my life revolves around my animals. In my free time, I enjoy training and riding my horses, particularly teaching them new liberty tricks. I still live at home with my parents and my six siblings on a smallholding, where we care for over 70 animals. It can get a bit chaotic, but I wouldn’t have it any other way!
Hello! My name is Becki. In addition to my role at Inspiring Animal Therapy CIC, I am also a foster carer. Previously, I served as a Family Support Service Manager in Derbyshire, where I gained extensive knowledge and experience working with families.
I live with my husband, Jake, our two children, and two foster children, along with a variety of animals that share our home and almost take it over! My background is in Education Studies, and I hold a bachelor’s degree in this field, having spent many years working in education. A common thread among the families I’ve worked with is their love for animals, which resonates deeply with me. I have always believed in the transformative power of animals to support families through trauma, anxiety, and additional needs.
This passion fuels my ambition to create a centre in the future where children can receive education while gaining hands-on experiences with animals. As the Safeguarding Lead for our company, I hold a Level 3 Safeguarding qualification and have a full DBS check.
Hello! My name is Lisa. I am a registered nurse with 24 years of experience. I live with my husband and our seven children on our smallholding, where we also care for 70 animals!
Throughout my nursing career, I have worked in various areas, including palliative care, district nursing, children’s continence, and most recently, school nursing. I am also proud to be Imogen’s mum. When my daughter was diagnosed with a brain tumour in September 2020 at just 23 months old, it felt as though my entire world had collapsed. During that challenging time, my incredible children and our animals were my greatest sources of strength.
This experience ignited my dream of establishing a charity that provides a range of therapies for children facing devastating diagnoses. When I met Becki and discovered our shared passion, I knew we would make the perfect team.
Hello! My name is Lydia, and I’m currently in my first year of college. In my spare time, I’m passionate about working with animals and love seeing the positive impact they have on people during our outings.
I joined Inspiring Animal Therapy CIC in 2021, starting as a volunteer to gain experience, and I’ve been proud to be an employee since 2022. My favourite animals are reptiles, and I have a special affection for Forest, our snake.
Hello! My name is Sam. I am Inspiring Animal Therapy’s Administrative Assistant.
I travelled the world for my career in events and hospitality. It has given me a passion for helping to make people’s dreams a reality, just as we are able to do for so many with our animals.
I am a mum to a beautiful one-year-old, Elias, who shares my love for all creatures and takes any opportunity to visit Inspiring Animal Therapy’s furry (and not so furry) friends. Seeing his love for animals warms my heart. It is a privilege that we also get to see so many other children – and adults – bond with our animals during their sessions.
There is so much growth ahead of us and I’m excited to be a part of the journey that allows us to connect with so many people to help tackle so many areas of health and well-being.
And who doesn’t love animals?!
Hello! My name is Kathryn, Inspiring Animal Therapy’s community and grants co-ordinator.
I am huge advocate of animal-assisted therapy, having seen first hand its power as it helped my daughter cope with gruelling treatment for brain cancer.
With a background in journalism, I am using my skills to spread the word about the many benefits to children and adults of spending quality time with therapy animals.
When I am not cuddling my animal colleagues, I can be found studying to be a counsellor to support Inspiring Animal Therapy’s mission to care for all our clients.
My name is Rachel and I’m an Animal Therapy Practitioner for Inspiring Animal Therapy.
I live with my husband Ben and our two boys, Oliver and Alex. I have two dogs; a Labrador called Teddy and a Puggle called Lily, and a cat called Polly. I grew up surrounded by all sorts of pets and always dreamed of working with animals.
I have a degree in Business Studies and Economics. I have worked in Sales Administration and Event Administration. I took some time out of work after we had our children.
I started volunteering for Inspiring Animal Therapy in April 2025 and have recently joined the team as a member of staff. I find it so rewarding seeing the positive impact the animals have on our clients and I’m so excited to be part of Inspiring Animal Therapy’s journey.
On September 1, 2020, our courageous little Imogen, just 23 months old, faced the heartbreaking diagnosis of a brain tumour. Since then, she has undergone 16 brain surgeries, spent over 12 weeks in the hospital, and received 40 rounds of proton beam therapy. These challenges have left her with disabilities and visual impairment, but despite it all, she continues to fight with incredible resilience. Imogen’s connection with animals has brought her comfort and a sense of normalcy during challenging times, making this therapy an invaluable resource for her. Imogen is our inspiration and a driving force behind the creation of Inspiring Animal Therapy CIC.
As Imogen’s care needs grew, her frequent hospital stays made it increasingly difficult for Anna and Lisa to manage the care of their four horses. In search of support, Anna began looking for someone to loan Comet, their pony. After meeting several potential candidates without finding the right fit, Anna was about to give up when she received a message from a woman named Becki.
This marked the beginning of our journey. Anna and Becki immediately connected, discovering their shared passion for helping others in unique and meaningful ways. Before they knew it, they had a company name and were embarking on their first market research visit. After a year of gathering insights and refining their services, Anna, Becki, and Lisa proudly launched Inspiring Animal Therapy CIC on August 31, 2022.
Inspiring Animal Therapy CIC aims to support a wide range of different people by using Animal-Assisted Therapy across areas in East Cheshire, North Derbyshire and Greater Manchester.
Inspiring Animal Therapy offers a heartfelt service that brings the healing power of animal companionship to those in various settings including care homes, residential settings, hospitals and educational settings. Our mission is routed in the belief that interactions with gentle and friendly animals can offer profound emotional, psychological and social benefits. Through our programmes participants experience reduced stress levels, enhanced mood, improved interpersonal connections, fostering a sense of joy and well-being. The animals in our care are meticulously selected and trained to interact with individuals of all ages,
A heartfelt service offering Animal Assisted therapy to various settings including care homes, children’s homes and schools. Our mission is rooted in the belief that interactions with gentle and friendly animals can offer profound emotional, psychological and social benefits. Through our programmes participants experience reduced stress levels, enhanced mood, improved interpersonal connections whilst fostering a sense of joy and well-being.
Covering areas in East Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Derbyshire, Tameside
CE/AE13/310325
14319190
admin@inspiringanimaltherapy.org