Practice News:
19th November 2008Bloomer Heaven Holds Charity Seminar
Charity experts from Birmingham chartered accountants Bloomer Heaven Limited are holding an afternoon seminar on Wednesday, 26th November designed to help charities comply with new legislative changes. The new laws, which apply for year ends 31st March 2009 mean that trustees will have to start including public benefit reporting in their annual reports.
The event is open to trustees, finance managers and directors and all those involved in charity organisations. It takes place from 4pm to 6.30pm at Ramada Birmingham Oldbury Hotel & Conference Centre in Wolverhampton Road.
Speakers include Chris Stephen-Haynes, Karl George, Helen Blundell and Mark Hunt of Bloomer Heaven who are charity specialists. In addition to guidance on public benefit they will provide delegates with advice on how to strengthen governance and maximise impact as well as dealing with general matters such as making trustees meetings more effective.
Other issues covered will include the common pitfalls regarding payments to trustees and volunteers where charities can easily fall foul of PAYE legislation.
Commenting on the charity event, Helen Blundell says:
“The area of reporting public benefit is taking on a higher significance as it becomes part of the annual report. We guide delegates through what they need to do to help them meet these new challenges.
“We also offer advice which is vital to anyone making payments to trustees or volunteers with particular emphasis on how to prevent and rectify PAYE problems.”
The seminar costs £15.00 and includes a light buffet.
Anyone interested in attending should contact Debbie Hinks by email to debbiehinks@bloomerheaven.co.uk or call her on 0121 236 0465.
Bloomer Heaven Takes to the Dales in the name of Charity
“Lucky” Team Number 13. From left to right: Paul Woolley, Mark Hunt, Jackie Woolley, Dave Gray and Ian Bright
A team from Bloomer Heaven took to the hills of Derbyshire for a gruelling 28-mile challenge to raise money for St Basil’s – the Birmingham based charity, which supports the homeless.
Sporting the ‘unlucky for some’ number 13, Mark Hunt, Dave Gray, Ian Bright and Jackie Woolley – together with Jackie’s husband Paul joined almost 150 other teams to walk the dales. Unfortunately the weather wasn’t on their side and the rain started as the teams left Bakewell. With little let up it drizzled all day – soaking the walkers and hindering progress.
Despite the weather and the distance, the Bloomer Heaven team managed to keep to the route with only one slight detour, which was down to poor weather conditions and not being able to spot key landmarks on the horizon. The team spirit of the Bloomer Heaven group was also in evidence as they not only started together but finished together too while many teams saw their younger faster walkers taking off into the distance!
Commenting on the challenge, Mark Hunt says:
“We walked, then trudged, then shuffled across the muddy Dales – but we made it with everyone in tact! The last five miles were particularly bad and the weather was awful but it’s not called a challenge for nothing! And it hasn’t put us off - we’ll no doubt be back again next year to take on the Brecon Beacons!”
The team would like to thank everyone for their generous sponsorship for a very worthwhile local charity.
24th October 2008
Bloomer Heaven in the Pink
There will be a pink glow around the Lionel Street head office of Birmingham chartered accountants Bloomer Heaven on 31 st October as its staff raise money for the ‘Wear it Pink’ campaign by donning pink attire to the office to celebrate the day.
The campaign is part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month and the firm’s 60 members of staff will be turning out in pink shirts, ties, hats, t-shirts and feather boas! Staff will be donating at least £2.00 each for the privilege of being ‘in the pink’.
This is the second year that Bloomer Heaven has held this event and it is hoping to double the figure raised last year.
Event organiser, Jessica Daly says she is delighted that so many people have got into the spirit of the ‘Wear it Pink’ campaign and comments:
“As accountants are often seen as being rather grey, this is a great chance to dispel this myth and encourage our accountants to get out their pink ties and pink shirts. I’m sure our clients will welcome us bringing a bit of brightness into their lives and raising money for charity at the same time!”
The ‘Wear it Pink’ donations will fund innovative, world-class research throughout the UK to understand how breast cancer develops, leading to improved diagnosis, treatment, prevention and cure.
14th October 2008
Record Number of Trainees for Bloomer Heaven
City based chartered accountants Bloomer Heaven has recorded its highest number of trainees in its 130 year history.
The firm which has its head office in Lionel Street now has 15 trainees which more than doubles its intake in recent years and underlines Bloomer Heaven’s commitment to investment in providing top quality training for future accountants.
The training is also one of the most wide-ranging available and covers a cross section of accountancy disciplines. Current students are studying for ACA, ACCA, AAT, ATT and Payroll Professional exams. The firm recruits students on an annual basis and provides training programmes for A Level students as well as graduates.
The training programme has produced a number of well qualified and highly competent accountants – many of whom have remained with Bloomer Heaven after qualifying. These include the current managing director Chris Stephen-Haynes and director Sarah Law. Chris qualified with the firm in 1991 and Sarah in 1993. Nick Grove is also another success story for the firm. Having gained his ACA earlier this year, Nick now has his own client portfolio.
Commenting on the new intake of trainees, Bloomer Heaven’s training and HR manager, Jackie Woolley says:
“The firm believes in providing comprehensive and effective training to ensure the continual professional development of all staff. This means we can guarantee the highest level of staff competence and professional integrity to ensure that we offer an unrivalled service to our clients.
“We are committed to the training of students by providing financial and organisational resources to ensure that they receive the most appropriate guidance, tuition and experience throughout their training period. As a well-established medium sized practice, we can offer a varied ‘hands on’ work experience within our business lines including audit, accounts, tax and payroll. Our quality of training has led to excellent exam success and we are delighted that so many of our students continue as employees with Bloomer Heaven after qualification.”
Bloomer Heaven is an approved training office for the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) and has ACCA Approved Employer and AAT Accredited Employer status.
Bloomer Heaven also has an office in Stourport-on-Severn and a market day office in Lichfield.
Students currently studying under the Bloomer Heaven training scheme include:
ACA
Ben Brown, Sukhdeep Aujla, Jenny Harvey, Kate Healey, Richard Wareing, Mohammed Ansari
ACCA
Reesha Sen, Richard Hewitt, Sally Evans, Jonathan Wain
AAT
David Fox
ATT
Clare Greenaway, Ian Holme and Jessica Daly
Payroll Professional Diploma
Julie Parry
Some of the record number of trainees at Bloomer Heaven Chartered Accountants shown with Chris Stephen-Haynes (3 rd from right), the current managing director who qualified with the firm in 1991.
From left to right:
Front: Jenny Harvey, Clare Greenaway, Kate Healey, Chris Stephen–Haynes, Julie Parry, Sukhdeep Aujla.
Back: Jonathan Wain, Ben Brown, Richard Wareing, Nick Grove, Richard Hewitt Mohammed Ansari, Ian Holme