Another busy year for the Haines Watts team

 As 2023 draws to a close, the team at Haines Watts Swindon reflect on another lively, enjoyable and successful year.

It’s been a busy year for us all. Our team has continued to evolve (every day is a learning day!). We have taken on new clients in exciting business sectors and worked hard to guide our clients through a year of economic uncertainty and financial pressures.

Next year, we are planning on more of the same as we continue to grow and develop as a business. We will also be launching an expanded range of services under the Haines Watts Employer Services banner (but more of that later).

The team have welcomed new faces Rary Ghirau, Zubair Khan and Lily Foster, who will be joined by Marlene Botes in January.

We also celebrated audit and accounts supervisor Charlotte Sunderland’s 25th anniversary with the firm. Charlotte joined the company as a trainee, qualified as a Chartered Certified Accountant and is a highly valued senior member of the team, and our longest serving inmate!

We had another addition to the Haines Watts family a couple of months back when our accounts manager Paige Warwick brought a bouncing baby boy called River into the world. Mum, Dad, big brother Harrison and baby all doing very well (if no doubt a bit sleep deprived in mum and dad’s case!).

As I mentioned earlier, January will see us launch an expanded Haines Watts Employer Services. In addition to the existing Payroll, Human Resources, Cash Flow/Credit Control Consultancy and Benefit in Kind Consultancy Services we are adding Health and Safety and PR services. More news on that to come.

Charity has always been a big focus during the year. 2022 finished with us once again opening our doors as a collection point for the annual Swindon Christmas Toy Appeal which supported 546 children within 217 families. This year will end the same with the number in need this Christmas expected to be higher and so we are once again opening our doors for donations of new toys. This Christmas is the seventh year of the appeal and we have supported it every year, so hurry down and drop in your donations until 4th December.

In between we once again sponsored a golf day for Hft, supporting people with learning disabilities to live independent and fulfilling lives. The event took place at Wrag Barn in Highworth, where £10,400 was raised. Across three years, the team has helped to raise over £30,000.

The team and many clients and business friends are supporting our associate director Emma Skinner as she trains to climb Mount Kilimanjaro to raise funds for Wiltshire Air Ambulance in September 2024. You can find a link to donate on any Haines Watts email that you receive or by following the link below.

As well as raising funds for charity, the team have also provided sponsorship to support the community. This included part sponsoring a netball tournament to raise funds for the breast cancer awareness charity CoppaFeel! and we are also fully sponsoring rugby player Henry Toomer who plays for Royal Wootton Bassett RFC for the 2023/24 season.

The Swindon office also came together with other Haines Watts offices across the region to encourage continued collaboration. The regional day took place in Bath with a focus on sporting activities involving teams from each Haines Watts office in the South West.

As I said earlier a busy, enjoyable and successful year.

On behalf of us all here at Haines Watts can I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a happy and fulfilling New Year.