• Swindon & Wiltshire Community champions
• Thursday June 22 2023
• Author Name: Peter Davison

Accountancy firm Haines Watts helps raise more than £10,000 for charity Hft

A team from Swindon-based accountancy firm Haines Watts have helped raise more than £10,000 for national charity Hft, which supports people with learning disabilities.

Not only did a team from Haines Watts take part in the annual fund-raising golf day at Wrag Barn, near Highworth earlier this month – the firm also sponsored the event in its entirety.

Martin Gurney, tax partner at Haines Watts, said: “We’re proud to be part of this event and to have sponsored it for the third year in a row. There are lot of local people and businesses involved in the day, and an amazing amount of money was raised.”

Hft provides a range of services to those with learning disabilities across England and Wales with the aim of allowing each person to live their best possible life in the way they choose. The charity pioneers the idea that adults with learning disabilities have the right to choices including supported independent living.

Emma Macdonald, community fundraising manager, said: “We would like to give our heartfelt thanks to everyone who attended the 33rd Wrag Barn Golf Day in aid of Hft. The support given has created life-changing opportunities for the amazing people we support and our fantastic colleagues delivering their vital care is truly appreciated.

“I would like to extend a special thanks to Wrag Barn Golf Club for hosting the event, and our sponsors, Haines Watts Swindon.”

In total £10,467 was raised and this money will be split between three Hft projects:

• Helping to fund a wellbeing room for staff at Hft’s premises in Bristol
• Allowing the charity’s Gloucestershire ‘Voice To Be Heard’ group to offer a monthly social session with live music, quiz nights and other activities.
• Supporting Hft Bradbury in Cornwall with the costs of building a sensory room.

Hft is a charity very close to the hearts of those who take part in the annual fundraising event, including Wrag Barn directors Tim and Verity Manners as it provided much needed support to a loved one.

Now in its 33rd year, Wrag Barn’s fundraising events for Hft are estimated to have raised more than £200,000. Golfers enjoy a round of golf across 18 holes, brunch and they also take part in an auction and raffle after dinner.

Martin added “It is important to us to be involved in the local community, and supporting events such as this is a great way of doing this.”

Haines Watts has offices located in Old Town, Swindon and Cirencester. Nationally, Haines Watts is a top 15 firm of Chartered Accountants and was named Accountancy Firm of the Year 2020 in the FDs’ excellence awards.

In 2021 the company was named as one of the UK’s Top Ten accountancy practices to work for after investing in staff wellbeing, cultural development and mindfulness support across the pandemic.

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