The Business Exchange Swindon & Wiltshire Edition 32: Aug/Sept 2017 | Page 11

FINANCE Innovative accountancy firm launches Hartham Financial, a new accountancy firm with a focus on cloud-based technology, is helping business owners have essential business information at their fingertips. Started by Oli Thomas and Angela Ashworth, and based at Hartham Park in Corsham, Hartham Financial seek to enable directors to gain business control through smart financial reporting and advice. Using a platform of industry-leading applications based around an accounting package called Xero, the aim is to empower companies with live financial data that can be accessed any time and on any device. They also provide traditional accountancy services such as statutory year- end accounts, VAT returns and payroll processing. Oli said: “We started this project to change the way accounting and financial services are delivered, moving the focus away from traditional compliance work, as technology plays an increasing part in our work. The capabilities of software such as Xero are vast, but it’s helping businesses understand what the technology can do and how they can use it to make real-time strategic and management decisions that excites us. We help and train our clients to capture and report their financial data in the most efficient ways, with the compliance work such as year-end accounts being completed in the background.” Angela added: “With HMRC’s strategy around Making Tax Digital, all businesses need to look at their current processes and how they can be streamlined and digitised. Our approach gives clients serious control over their finances, enabling them to make effective decisions to assist with development and growth.” Combined, Angela and Oli have over forty years’ experience in the industry, helping start-ups and SME business es achieve their potential. They are certified advisors for Xero and have recently completed the Cyber Essentials programme; a Government-backed scheme that audits your IT and cyber- security processes. This gives clients assurance around that their data is in safe hands. Hartham Financial is on the look-out for forward thinking, experienced management accountants. If you fit the bill and would be interested in joining the team, you can get in touch by email: [email protected] Oli Thomas Angela Ashworth For more info: www.harthamfinancial.com TRAINING FUND FOR BUSINESSES SMES across Swindon and Wiltshire are being urged to take advantage of £4m of free skills training for their workforce before the deadline to utilise the funds in July 2018. The training is available as part of the programme Skills Support for the Workforce (SSW), which Serco’s Employment, Skills & Enterprise business has been selected to manage across Swindon and Wiltshire and which is co- funded by the European Social Fund and the Education and Skills Funding Agency. The programme involves Serco working in partnership with Swindon & Wiltshire Local Enterprise Partnership (SWLEP) to address skills gaps and offer training opportunities free of charge to support growth across the local economy. Serco has partnered with expert training providers to offer local businesses a range of fully-funded accredited qualifications and bespoke training courses aimed at enhancing employees’ skills and increasing the competitiveness of local businesses. Businesses can select full qualifications or mix and match individual units that are directly relevant to their work. The programme will focus on supporting employed individuals in the key sectors of: advanced e