When Andrea Grocott, a resident of Newcastle-under-Lyme, isn’t busy managing two local dental practices, she can be found tending her flock of sheep.
Practice manager at mydentist Liverpool Road and mydentist Cherry Orchard in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, Andrea ensures the smooth operation of her practices.
But her life outside of work takes an unexpectedly charming turn into the realm of animal care, tending to her flock of sheep.
Andrea’s journey with mydentist has been one of steady progression.
Beginning as a dental receptionist at mydentist Meir, she gradually ascended through various management roles across practices in the area before settling into her current position.
Reflecting on her career, she said: “I feel there are good line management relationships and support when needed, with great development if you want to progress.
“I also really enjoy the fact that I can pursue my passion of being a shepherdess and feel supported by my team while doing it – they always love seeing the photos of the new lambs each spring.”
When not in the dental domain, Andrea’s affection for animals shines through.
It all began when she and her husband acquired a property with some land, prompting them to introduce a couple of sheep to the landscape for maintenance purposes.
When discussing her inspirations, she said: “My husband breeds falcons, which are shipped to Abu Dhabi, so we’ve always taken care of some kind of animal.
“It takes up a lot of his time to do that, so as we have enough land, I decided to pursue a lifelong dream of mine and get some sheep to look after and rear.”
Despite the demands of managing two dental practices, Andrea adeptly intertwines her responsibilities, consistently returning home on her breaks and after her shifts to fulfil her duties as a devoted shepherdess.
A typical day for Andrea begins bright and early.
She said: “I’m up at 6am every morning to go down and feed the sheep, and lambs, and take my dogs for a walk.
“Once the animals are sorted, I get my two grandchildren sorted for school as they live with us. It’s then onto the road at about 8.15am to sit in traffic on the way to work.”
While managing two dental practices brings its own challenges, managing a flock of lambs brings unique tasks to Andrea’s routine; from safeguarding their health at birth to securing suitable accommodations as they mature.
Discussing the challenges of rearing sheep, she said: “The first challenge is making sure all the lambs are delivered healthy and that they are not rejected by their mothers.
“They’re just like humans really. They need vaccinations and health checks and when they get to a certain age, we then try to place them into ethical petting farms to ensure they can continue to live a happy and fulfilled life.”
Andrea’s colleagues at mydentist are intrigued by her dual roles as a dental professional and caretaker of lambs and they admire the passion she invests in her flock and appreciate the quaint human names she assigns to her woolly companions.
When discussing how her colleagues view her hobby, she said: “I think they’re amazed at the amount of work that goes into It, and they love that I call the sheep human names such as Boris, Guinness, Daisy, Dylan, Midnight, Fernando, Annie, and One Eye Jo."
Ultimately, Andrea believes that her experiences, both in her professional career and her affinity for animal care, have moulded her into a more-balanced and grounded individual.
She said: “I actually think that, even though it’s hard work, caring for the sheep and lambs, together with helping my husband at times with the falcons, it calms me down and gives me a good work/life balance and our patients love hearing about how the lambs are getting on every spring... Although, I can’t eat lamb now!”