Well done Ben!

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Congratulations to Ben Kilbride on qualifying as a fully-fledged Chartered Accountant after passing his final ACA Advanced Level exam.

Ben has been a member of the WNJ team in Preston since May 2015 and has worked hard to get his qualification, passing the 15 exams needed to complete the process.

The exams are designed to help students gain practical experience and in-depth knowledge of business, finance, and accountancy. Ben received the great news that he had qualified just before Christmas.

He has also had to overcome some personal challenges along the way. Ben said: “It has been a long and sometimes difficult route to get here.

“I found it really tough on occasion, particularly the arduous waits for the results to be released.

“And was exceptionally difficult to keep on track while my daughter, Eloise, was seriously ill in hospital. Yet again, her resilience and bravery helped me to push on to get it done.”

Ben, a former student of Nelson and Colne College, added: “Thanks to everybody who has helped me along the way, particularly Clare and Eloise for bearing with me, and my work colleagues at WNJ.”

Everyone at WNJ is delighted for Ben and we all wish him well as he continues on his career path with us.

Exam success for Gina

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Gina Smith, who began her WNJ career as an apprentice, has passed her final Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) exam and is now fully qualified.

During her seven years at the practice, studying while developing her skills in the workplace, Gina has enjoyed a more varied apprenticeship than most people.

It has included working in the WNJ payroll department, alongside her usual audit and accounts work. She was also a member of the WNJ furlough claims team set up to help clients during the pandemic.

Gina began by studying for Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) examinations before moving onto her ACCA studies. She undertook her studies at accountancy and financial services training company Kaplan in Manchester and at Runshaw College in Leyland.

Now fully qualified, Gina, 24, from Bamber Bridge, near Preston, is looking to further her career at WNJ.

She said: “It’s been seven years of hard work to get through all the exams, but that work has now paid off and I’m very grateful to everyone at WNJ who has helped and supported me along the way.”

Gina, a former pupil at Brownedge St Mary’s High School in her home town, currently works with WNJ business clients across the UK, carrying out audits and working on their annual accounts.
She said: “I’m really enjoying being a member of the audit and accounts team here, meeting and working with such a wide variety of clients.

“I really like how we build relationships with clients, especially the face-to-face meetings and I’m looking forward to developing my career with WNJ and working to help and to advise more businesses.”

Paul Woodburn, partner at WNJ, said: “Everyone at WNJ would like to congratulate Gina on passing her final exams. She has worked hard and has become a valuable member of our team.

“Her success is well deserved and we look forward to seeing her continue her career development with WNJ.”

Renewing family ties

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The grandson of Douglas Nelson, one of WNJ’s three founding partners, is looking to forge a career in accountancy with the practice his grandfather helped to create.

Henry Nelson, 19, joined WNJ in September as a trainee accountant on the practice’s apprenticeship scheme.

And he is delighted to be renewing the family ties that stretch back more than six decades and to be following in his grandfather’s footsteps.

WNJ was founded by William Wallwork, Douglas Nelson and Michael Johnson in 1960, from the merger of a number of smaller regional firms whose origins went back more than100 years.

It began life in offices in Theatre Street in Preston city centre. The main office was relocated to Derby House in Fulwood, Preston, in 1988 and then to Chandler House on Preston’s Riversway, where Henry is now based, in 2003.

Henry, a former Newman College student, said: “My grandad sadly passed away a few months before I was born.

“But my grandmother was really pleased when I told her the news that I’d been accepted for an apprenticeship here. She said he would have been very happy and so proud.”

Henry, who is from Fulwood and who went to Archbishop Temple High School, said: “I’m really enjoying working at WNJ and I feel I’m learning so much. Everyone in the business is so helpful.

“There’s such a wide variety of work which makes every day different and I especially like meeting clients. It is a job where you feel you are really helping people.

“My aim is to work hard, to just keep on learning and to look to build a successful career in accounting.”

Mike’s new advisory goal

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WNJ has further strengthened its team with the appointment of Mike Faulkner to the role of Tax Advisor.

Mike, who has Association of Tax Technicians (ATT) qualifications, brings with him a wealth of experience as a consultant in tax matters, and is relishing his new post.

He said: “When it comes to taxes there are a lot of challenges at present. With the number of chancellors that we’ve had in recent times, the situation isn’t straightforward when it comes to the tax landscape.

“My role is to help WNJ clients to navigate their way safely through it all and to provide the strong and clear advice and support they need when it comes to tax planning and vitally important areas, such as business exit strategies.

“I’m really enjoying being part of the team at WNJ and building working relationships with the wide range of clients we have here, advising them on a host of tax issues.”

Mike, who is from Preston, is based in the WNJ office in the city’s docklands. Away from work he has another role as assistant manager of ambitious semi-professional football club FC United of Manchester, who play in the seventh tier of the English game’s pyramid system.

And before joining that club he was first team coach at Bamber Bridge FC for around a decade. Mike, a father of three, took up coaching at a relatively early age when his playing career was ended by a bad injury.

He says: “Football coaching is something I’ve done for around 20 years, it is a whole different world to the day job but what they do have in common is the need to plan, organise, communicate clearly and work towards the goal that’s ahead of you.”

WNJ partner Paul Woodburn said: “We’re delighted to welcome Mike as a great addition to our team.

“He has a wealth of experience and can support and guide clients in a wide variety of tax matters, whether that be capital gains tax, inheritance tax or employee share schemes.”

• To discuss any tax issues or tax planning matters please call us on 01772 430 000