A veterinary practice with three branches in East Hampshire has won a prestigious award for its green credentials.

Staff at St Peter’s Vets care about pets and the environment as the firm has won an Investors in the Environment Silver award.

They’ve saved energy and reduced waste at its surgeries in Liss, Petersfield and Horndean by embracing greener ways of working.

The practice has reduced anaesthetic gas emissions, energy, gas and water consumption at its three sites while increasing levels of paper, cardboard and plastic recycling.

Simple actions like turning off lights, equipment and radiators, drying items naturally and investing in a water purifier have all made a difference.

The firm is heading in the right direction as St Peter’s Vets were awarded bronze in last year’s IIE accreditation scheme.

Their environmental initiatives are overseen by vet Ella Townsend who has formed a “green team” with five colleagues.

She said: “It’s important to everyone at St Peter’s Vets that we embrace sustainable ways of working and do as much as we can to protect the environment.”.

“It shows how much of a difference can be made by turning off equipment when it’s not needed and being a little bit more mindful about how we use energy every day.”

St Peter’s acted as a drop-off plastic recycling for MacMillan Cancer Support earlier this years and have also embraced the ‘reuse, recycle and reduce’ ethos by introducing a swap shelf at their Petersfield practice on St Peter’s Road.