News
Scientists take on charity challenge Gavin Roe-Pearce, stakeholder engagement manager at the Rosalind Franklin laboratory, said: “To reach the five million mark is amazing. A sample is somebody’s life so the staff all realise what an important role they’re playing. “Training for the run has been great for our physical and mental health. It’s a good team-building exercise too.”
Trustee warning from Burgis & Bullock
A new report into the misconduct of trustees at Hope House School is a timely reminder to trustees of their responsibilities, according to a regional accountancy firm. Three trustees from the Newark-based charity will not be able to act as a charity trustee for at least eight years – and Wende Hubbard, managing partner at Burgis & Bullock, says this acts as a warning to trustees of their financial obligations to their respective charities. The report from the Charity Commission followed investigations into the trustee’s misconduct and mismanagement of the charity. Burgis & Bullock’s charities and notfor-profit team, led by Wende Hubbard, works closely with a range of charities in Warwickshire and the wider Midlands. Wende says that current trustees or individuals considering taking a trusteeship should be confident that the matters outlined in the report are dealt with robustly and appropriately. She said: “There are many lessons for charity trustees to observe from this report and the Charity Commission’s summary provides a useful reminder of some of the key responsibilities that trustees of the charity face. “The prohibition of the charity’s trustees from acting as trustees elsewhere for a period of up to ten years is a salient reminder that trustees are personally liable for both their own and their charity’s failings. “First of all, trustees must use charity funds in accordance with the terms of the charity’s governing document and the requirements of any contractual obligations. “Importantly, trustees must ensure that the charity has adequate financial and administrative controls in place. In the Hope House School enquiry, the trustee board were found to have put in place a control whereby cheques over a certain limit were required to be signed by two trustees, but one individual continued to make payments as a sole signatory.”
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Wright Hassall's Kylie Cooper and Bhavika Patel (left) and The Race Organiser's Harpal Singh and Sam Tyler (right) with the Rosalind Franklin runners
Scientists from a COVID-19 testing mega-lab in Leamington Spa will be trading in swabs for sneakers as they embark on a new challenge for charity. Colleagues from the Rosalind Franklin laboratory only completed their milestone five millionth PCR test this month but have already set their sights on a new goal. Twenty members of staff have now signed up to the Wright Hassall Leamington Regency 10k Run as they aim to raise more than £1,000 for their personally chosen charity Flourish,
which supports the mental wellbeing of girls in Leamington and Warwick aged 11-18. The group are no strangers to good causes, having raised £480 for Helping Hands in last year’s race, while in their day job they play a vital role in the fight against coronavirus, processing hundreds of thousands of COVID-19 samples a week.
Phil Wilding, managing partner of Leamington-based Wright Hassall, said: “It’s fantastic to see the Leamington team lead the way not only in the fight against COVID-19, but also in helping local causes through the Regency Run once again this year. We wish them good luck for their race.” The Wright Hassall Leamington Regency 10k Run, which has been sponsored by the law firm every year since its inception in 2005, has raised more than £400,000 for local causes over the years. This year’s event takes place at 9am on Sunday, April 10 and will be opened by Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games heavyweight boxer Lewis Williams.
For further information visit www.regency10k.co.uk. To donate to the Rosalind Franklin team, visit www.gofundme.com/f/rosalind-franklin-laboratory-regency-10k.
Accountancy firm welcomes fresh talent amid continued growth A Midlands accountancy firm has opened its 2022 graduate programme early to attract and nurture new talent after a period of sustained growth. Prime Accountants Group, which has offices in Birmingham, Solihull and Coventry, has successfully retained and grown its team during what has been a tumultuous time for many industries. The business, which recently announced the acquisition of Kings Norton-based firm Stanley Yule, is eager to support its growth by bringing forward the next intake of its graduate programme to create its own pool of professionals who can be nurtured by its highly-skilled team. Morgan Davies, Prime Accountants Group director, said: “It’s been a strange few years for all industries and many are still dealing with the effects of the pandemic. “In the midst of this, youngsters have also struggled with the fact that several firms didn’t take on many graduates. In fact, some didn’t take on any in 2020. “Prime, however, has taken a different stance. We knew the only way to tackle
challenges was with the right people, and what better way than to nurture this talent yourself. It’s why last year we took on the highest number of graduates we’ve ever taken on and are looking to do the same in 2022.” Prime’s graduate programme is open to anyone at degree level with good quality A-level and GCSE results with a minimum of B/6 in GCSE maths and English. The programme offers
successful candidates a chance to learn a wide variety of skills, including the functionalities behind audits, accounts, corporation tax and how accountancy software works. Their ‘on the job learning’ will be augmented by theoretical training as Prime offers a fully-supported and funded study package, allowing graduates to obtain professional qualifications at college.
www.cw-chamber.co.uk
