Racing for Teens Unite to fight cancer

This May our charity partner, Teens Unite hosted its charity race series in Waltham Abbey and several plucky members of the HB Accountants team took part.

Meet the HB Race Team

Abby Debnam Amy Armitage Brad Hearn Callum Morgan Catherine Hill Karen Chase Vicki Foster

Here’s a shot of the team having crossed the finish line on race day.

Held on the 19th May at the River Lee Country Park in Waltham Abbey the series includes a 2k, 5k and 10k race.

The HB team want to support this charity which is dedicated to improving the lives of young people aged 13-24, with cancer and other life-limiting illnesses.

If you would like to support us please visit our Just Giving Page – the link is listed below.

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/team-hb-are-on-a-mission

Ben Blackmore: my experience of accountancy training

Ben Blackmore is a Trainee Accountant within the HB Accountants team. Having gained his first taste of working life as a sports coach with a family friend at the age of 15, he completed a Sports Diploma at college. His next move after college was to become a machining engineer at his father’s workplace.

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How to review your accountancy support

You compare your suppliers to ensure you’re getting a competitive price and service, but have you thought about reviewing your accountancy support? It may be that you’ve used the same accountant for a long while and they’re most likely giving you the support you need. But it’s always worthwhile conducting a review to make sure they’re reaching your expectations and meeting your current business needs.

But what should you look for? These are the questions we believe you need to ask yourself in order to make an informed assessment.

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Gain Strength from Business Connections in 2019

These days everyone recognises the value of effective business networking and HB Accountants take an active role in helping to make introductions within the business community. Here are details of upcoming dates for events in Hoddesdon, Ware and Hertford which we regularly host or attend. Please take the opportunity to join us and raise your profile amongst local business people.

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Q & A with Karen Robbins: how did I get here?

Karen Robbins is a Chartered Accountant and Accounts Manager who has worked at HB Accountants in Hoddesdon for 23 years. Karen is highly organised and enjoys helping clients to keep control over the accounting side of their businesses, so they can make better financial decisions. We asked her to explain how she reached her current role, from beginning her studies to helping today’s businesses in Hoddesdon and Hertfordshire to prepare for the government’s latest requirements for Making Tax Digital for VAT.

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Keith Grover celebrates his 60th

The 1st of December is the date when many people decorate their homes with festive decorations, in readiness for Christmas. At HB Accountants it’s a special day for another reason. Our very own Keith Grover turns 60.

Congratulations & Happy 60th Keith!

We’d like to wish him well. To prepare Keith for this milestone birthday we took him out for a special lunchtime celebration a few days ago to mark the occasion. 

60 years ago…

“It’s only make believe” was in the UK charts on this day 60 years ago with singer Conway Twitty; this track has since been covered by the likes of The Hollies and Fiona Apple.

Harold Macmillan was the Prime Minister and held this office from 1957 to 1963.

Musicians Jools Holland, singer Kate Bush and Duran Duran’s lead singer Simon Le Bon were born the same year as Keith, as were 5Live radio presenter Simon Mayo and Wallace and Gromit animator Nick Park.

A day in the life of … Charlotte Nicholson

Our insights into the working days of HB staff members continue with a day in the life of our Administrator and Marketing Assistant, Charlotte Nicholson. She chose a slightly unusual day – the day of the launch of Ambition 2018, the one-day sales and marketing conference for SMEs in Hertfordshire. HB Accountants is a sponsor and one of the organisers of the event, and Charlotte is actively involved as a result. The launch was coincidentally held on 24th May – the day before GDPR came into force, so it turned out to be quite a busy one…

7am – The alarm goes off and and I get ready for work. I’m not a morning person so I like to leave it until the last minute before I have to leave my bed!

8.30am – I leave the house to drive to work. My journey normally takes around 15-20 minutes, depending on whether or not I get stuck at the train lines.

8.50am – I get into work and start up my laptop. Then I rummage around the fridge, to see what I have in the office, that I can eat for breakfast, usually toast.

9am – Today is the launch event for Ambition 2018 which I have been organising and liaising with the venue – Stanborough Conservative Club in Hoddesdon. There are always last minute attendance requests, so I need to speak to the venue and ensure they are able to cater for extra numbers.

9.30am – Now that the launch event is all sorted I can move on to bits of work that I’ve been given by the directors. This includes setting up new clients on our system, sorting out accounts to be sent to clients, filing, answering the telephone and the door, posting on social media and ensuring we have enough relevant articles to go in our newsletter being sent out in a few weeks’ time.

11.30am – I’m now going up to the venue for the launch event. It starts at 12 noon, but I’m going to get there early to ensure the catering is under control, and I can also take payment from each attendee as they enter.

12pm – Everyone has arrived and is networking. The event is for the sponsors, so it consists of talks from the chairman, the marketing team, the charities and there is also more information about the speakers on the day.

2.30pm – I arrive back at the office and we are in panic about sending out our GDPR emails, so I’m on the phone to our Infusionsoft provider, getting it all sorted out, before the deadline tomorrow as I am on annual leave.

4pm – Emails all sent and we can relax!

4.10pm – I sort out the post for the day and get it franked. I often have a little chat with my colleagues, Jane and Amy, while I’m doing this which is really nice.

4.30pm – Fill in my timesheet for the day and ensure that all the things I need to get done urgently are completed.

4.50 – Tidy my desk and pack up my laptop. I leave the office for the day, stopping off at the Post Office, on my way home, to drop off the post.