'Meet The Animals!' / Our Team Members
Richard Clarke BSc(Hons) FCA
Managing Director
(+ Director Of Metaphors)
(+ Director Of Doing Whatever Needs To Be Done To Keep The Show On The Road!)
Northants born and bred, Richard graduated in 2000 with a First-Class Honours degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of Reading. Thereafter he went on to qualify as a Chartered Accountant whilst working for a regional firm of Chartered Accountants in Newbury. Once qualified, Richard took a 'belated gap year' and travelled the world before continuing his career as a Chartered Accountant in Northampton. Initially working for a national firm, Richard obtained an ICAEW Practice Certificate and became a self-employed partner in 2009 before migrating to Managing Director of his current independent firm in 2018.
Richard prides himself on the level of dedication and commitment that he has towards his clients. Having earned the trust and respect of a number of clients over the years, Richard fulfills the position of a Trustee for some existing discretionary trusts and is also earmarked as an Executor (and in some circumstances a Trustee, in the event of a Will Trust or Life Assurance Trust becoming active), positions that he is truly honoured to hold.
Some of Richard's philosophies relevant to his occupation: 'corners shall not be cut', 'look beyond the gate to consider what's in the whole field before rushing through', 'don't let the tax-tail wag the dog' and, perhaps most importantly, 'life is a roller-coaster, you've just got to ride it (with a little help from friends)'.
Richard's personal interests include;
- Spending time on his 40 acre 'hobby farm' situated in the parish of Cold Ashby, Northants - tinkering with (and on occasion swearing at!) old tractors and machinery, enjoying the relative peace and quiet of the holding, whilst taking in the fantastic south-westerly view that Honey Hill has to offer (except on wet and windy days, that is!).
- In relation to his family, trying to get his two young children to stop playing on their tablet computers at home and get them to come and help with farm chores!
- Occupying rural holiday cottages in Cornwall and throughout the rest of the UK (not frequently enough, according to his partner!)
Alison Goodwin FMAAT
Practice Manager
(Duties Include Cheering Up Clients & Colleagues )
Alison is a Fellow Member of the Association of Accounting Technicians. She fulfills the role of Practice Manager at the firm which, in addition to managing the day-to-day operations of the firm's office, includes managing the firm's diverse portfolio of 'non-rural' clients. Among her many responsibilities, Alison is also tasked with the role of keeping the firm's Managing Director on the straight and narrow!
Alison spent the first part of her career building up to the position of a Finance Manager in the building sector, qualifying as an member of the Association of Accounting Technicians during that time. In 2011, with the building industry still struggling from the onset of the banking recession a few years earlier, and with an interest in swtiching to the 'public practice' side of accountancy, Alison took the initiative to distribute her CV to a number of accountancy practices in Northampton. Richard Clarke picked up on that CV and, as they say, the rest is history!
In her spare time Alison enjoys keeping fit by playing netball and spending time with her family.
Sam Leatherland FMAAT
Head Of Self-Assessment
Accounts & Tax Services
(Fastest 'Farm-Averager' In The West)
Sam is a qualified member of the Association of Accounting Technicians and is currently working towards attaining fellowship status.
Sam started working for Richard Clarke when he was fresh out of secondary school in 2007. Hence if Sam makes a mistake at work (which he rarely does) he is quite within his rights to blame Richard, who taught him most of what he knows regarding accountancy and tax compliance work!
Sam devotes the vast majority of his time to compliance work, with his duties also including the development of the skill-sets of other colleagues within the office. Be it drafting year-end accounts, attending to self-assessment, corporation tax, payroll or benefit-in-kind tax returns, then chances are Sam's your man in your hour of need!
Regretfully, Sam is an avid football and lifelong fan of Manchester United. On the upside, he recently got engaged and is currently working towards, and looking forward to, moving in with his fiancée.
Laura Allen MAAT
On-Site Bookkeeper
(Partner Of The MD)
Laura is a qualified member of the Association of Accounting Technicians and is currently working towards attaining fellowship status. Laura gained her qualification whilst working for the bookkeeping and data collection arm of a national firm of agricultural consultants.
Laura now manages the firm's portfolio of agriculture-related bookkeeping clients using primarily Sage and Farmplan software, although she does have exposure to other forms of bookkeeping software.
Laura is not based at our office in Northampton, rather she visits the trading premises of clients to conduct her work, which she fits in around ferrying her children to/from school/clubs and helping to look after ageing family members (thus allowing Richard Clarke, her partner, to dedicate more of his time to servicing the needs of clients).
In her spare time Laura enjoys spending time with her young children and partner, and visiting her parents who are based in West Berkshire.
Bethany Powell MAAT
Senior Trainee Accountant
(So Discreet & Polite, She Probably
Is An After-Hours Secret Agent)
Beth joined the firm in April 2018 as a trainee accountant. She is currently studying for her Level 4 AAT qualification. Her position involves working with owner-managed SMEs, drafting VAT returns, accounts, tax returns and attending to payroll duties for sole traders, partnerships and private limited companies.
In her spare time Beth enjoys gaming on her PC and socialising with her friends and family.
__________ __________
Junior Trainee Accountant
(Joining Us Soon!)
Watch this space - new team member expected to join us soon!