Meet the RSPCA's FLO team
This small band of experienced farm welfare experts carry out their work in addition to the regular Freedom Food Assessors and their farm visits are conducted as required - often unannounced - and with the aim of improving the Freedom Food scheme and the RSPCA welfare standards that underpin it.
Allan Pearson, RSPCA Field Operations Manager – managing the RSPCA FLO team
“I’ve worked in agriculture for over 30 years after leaving Lancashire College of agriculture in 1982 and working in dairy farming for 16 years until joining the RSPCA in 1998.
At first, I covered all of the North of England and Scotland, including aquaculture from its beginnings on the Freedom Food scheme, and now I am the Field Operations Manager, looking after the rest of the busy FLO team.
I know I’m biased, but after 16 years in the dairy sector, my favourite farm animal is the dairy cow.”
apearson@rspca.org.uk
Roger Briddock, RSPCA Senior Farm Livestock Officer (FLO) – covering north of England and southern Scotland
“Coming from a farming background, I studied agriculture at Akham Bryan College at York. I started my working life on farms in Yorkshire, in New Zealand and then extensively throughout the UK. Later, I became a meat hygiene inspector in north-east abattoirs.
As the Senior Farm Livestock Officer for the RSPCA covering Freedom Food members in the north of England and southern Scotland, I enjoy the variety and day-to-day challenges that my job brings.
Four years into the role, I now monitor a wide range of Freedom Food scheme members including laying hens, pigs, chickens, beef and lamb, abattoirs and hauliers.
I love my job and the responsibility it brings.”
rbriddoc@rspca.org.uk
Emma Heathcote, RSPCA Farm Livestock Officer (FLO) – covering the West Midlands and Wales
“I’m Emma and I’m the FLO for the West Midlands and Wales. I have been in the job just over a year now and I really enjoy how varied the work can be and meeting lots of people every day - while working to help improve the welfare of farmed animals.
Prior to this role, I worked for Staffordshire County Council Trading Standards as an animal health officer and farm advisor, enforcing legislation and giving advice on health and welfare issues. Before that, I worked for DEFRA on animal health – specifically on TB, having studied Animal Science at the University of Newcastle.”
Charlotte Boss, RSPCA Farm Livestock Officer (FLO) – covering east and central England
“I have been working in the RSPCA FLO team for just under 2 years and cover the east and central area of England monitoring all species on the Freedom Food Scheme.
I`m passionate about farm animal welfare, and have a Degree in animal health from Harper Adams University College.
Prior to my role at the RSPCA I was an animal health inspector for South Wales Trading Standards. I was also part of a research team at The University of Warwick looking into factors affecting ‘Post-weaning multi-systemic wasting syndrome’ (PMWS) in pigs.”
Phil McCarthy, RSPCA Farm Livestock Officer (FLO) – covering south-west England
“I left school at 16 and joined J. Bibby Agriculture - a nutrition research farm on the Wirral - where I worked for 10 years, latterly as livestock manager. I then moved to the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine as animal technician for three years.
In 1986 I was selected as a trainee inspector for the RSPCA and became a uniformed inspector for 10 years based in North Buckinghamshire. In 1997 I joined the RSPCA’s Special Operations Unit (SOU) for 11 years. After a year out of the RSPCA with Staffordshire County Council animal health team I returned as part of the FLO team three years ago.”
Sue McCabe RSPCA Farm Livestock Officer (FLO) - covering Norfolk & Suffolk
“Before I joined the RSPCA FLO team I was an internal welfare and quality assurance auditor for a local Freedom Food accredited business, specialising in free range meat, chicken and laying hens.
“I live in rural Suffolk with my husband, two teenage kids and an assortment of four-legged and furry animals!”
Lorna Sherwood, RSPCA Farm Livestock Officer (FLO) – covering north and west Scotland
“I cover the far north and west of Britain, spending about half my time with hens, chickens and pigs and the other half monitoring salmon on Scottish farms.
I previously worked for the Scottish Government Rural Payments and Inspections Directorate – or what was the Department of Agriculture as most people know it - covering a variety of inspections and funding schemes in the south west of Scotland.
My favourite parts of the job are covering a large section of the most beautiful part of the country with my dog in tow and getting to spend time on the water (at least when the weather is nice!) - and seeing content and happy livestock and farmers.”