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Staff & Community News

STAFF NEWS –

As always, we are delighted to welcome new members of staff to our growing team. In April, Laura Mitchell joined us as a trainee Chartered Accountant and Kerry Fairley as Credit Controller in our Finance Department. Robyn Younger joined as Payroll Administrator in June. In July Duncan Elliot joined us as a Farm Accounts Technician with Ellie Sergeant as Chartered Account Graduate, Sarah Watson as Admin Administrator and Phil Groom as HR Manager.

Heather Robertson in our Berwick office and Wilma Watson in our Three Counties office both retired recently and we wish them well.

Partner, Alan Patterson left us on the 31 July after retiring from the practice at the end of March and continuing on a consultancy basis for four months – we wish Alan all the very best after his record 50 years of service.

GWA GOLF DAY 2024 – 

Friday 21 June saw us hold our annual GWA Golf Day at Eyemouth Golf Club. It was a glorious sunny day, and the golf was very competitive.  On the 50th year of competing for the GWA tankard, there was a tie for the lead with 4 players scoring 35 stableford points, which meant several recounting of score cards and count backs to determine a winner.

Winner for the 1st time, Jay Baverstock took the tankard and the Aran knit cardigan with a better back 9 holes.

James Patterson won the Bill Renton Cup beating Graeme Hyland with a BB6, also a mention to Mark Thomson who also shot 35 points.

The best partner was Robbie Dalgleish winning the Graham Hush Shield with a score of 27 points.

In the afternoon, we played 4 holes for the Jim Spence Salver which was won by Beth Mill-Irving and Neil Morton with an impressive score of 19 points.

COMMUNITY NEWS – 

We are always delighted to get involved with a wide variety of community events around the local and surrounding areas and this spring and early summer has been a busy time.

In May, we supported Berwick Operatic Society’s production of Our House – The Madness Musical and DunsPlayFest with their successful programme of spoken word events. We also supported HospiceCare North Northumberland with their annual charity golf day.

June saw us sponsoring a Charity Bowling Competition at Spittal Bowling Club for the Motor Neurone Disease Association, and a class at National Sheep Association – Scotsheep 2024 at Aikengall Farm, Dunbar.

This summer we are proud to sponsor the Lowry and the Sea, Summer Exhibition at The Granary Gallery running from 26 May – 13 October. In addition, we are also sponsoring two of the interpretation panels on the Lowry Trail around Berwick.

In August we supported the Berwick Bridge 400 celebrations and the annual Berwick Food & Beer Festival.

STAFF COMMUNITY OUTREACH INITIATIVE – 

Through our own Staff Community Outreach Initiative, we have supported:

Red Balloon Pre-School, nominated by Sharon Virtue

Duns Football Club, nominated by Steven Burns

Riding of the Bounds Children’s Walk / Hobby Horse, nominated by Bethany Innes

Grace House, nominated by David Heppell from our Three Counties office

Ancrum Junior Football Club, nominated by Graeme Hyland

St Cuthbert’s First School, nominated by Claire Spence

Berwick Cancer Cars, nominated by Laura Mitchell

Back to News and Events

News and Events

Christmas and New Year Office Hours

Our Festive Opening Hours for our Offices are detailed below -

Payroll Changes

Attention! An important change in legislation will be taking affect in April 2026 which will affect payroll processes.

Another U-Turn On Double Cab Pick-ups

As you may be aware, in February 2024 HMRC proposed a change in relation to the tax treatment of double cab pick-ups for both capital allowances and benefit in kind (BIK) purposes. They then quickly changed their mind around a week later and decided not to implement the changes. However, following the most recent Budget the Government have again decided these changes should be put in place.

Abolition of the Furnished Holiday Lettings Regime

The favourable tax regime for Furnished Holiday Lettings (FHLs) was first introduced in 1984. Forty years later, in the Spring 2024 Budget the then Chancellor of the Exchequer, Jeremy Hunt announced its abolition from 6 April 2025.