Our Team - Thorne Widgery

Vanda joined TW over 30 years ago and has acquired a great deal of knowledge during her time heading up the Tax Department. Being an expert on trust and estate matters, Vanda gives respected advice on often complex personal financial affairs or those with investible assets and is a trusted source of advice for many of our long standing clients.

Lisa joined the team as Audits and Accounts Manager in 2012 and has over 20 years of accounting experience. With an in-depth knowledge of the charities, education and other non-profit industries, she is particularly involved in developing our services to meet the needs of clients in these sectors.

Dan joined TW in 2001 and his primary role is to deliver an outstanding service to his varied portfolio of commercial clients. This includes being truely pro-active and solving problems before they even become one. Effective tax planning and advice are a huge part of this.

Sam joined the team in 2013 and is our Xero accounting software expert, overseeing training with clients on the Xero system, together with responsibility for internal training. Sam is a full ACCA and AAT member. Sam is always looking for opportunities where new technologies and innovations can assist the practice and our clients.

Katy joined us in August 2022 and has worked in a variety of roles within the finance industry over the last 5 years, specialising in bookkeeping with a lot of work in the hospitality / tourism industry. She is looking forward to learning how TW’s systems streamline workflow & reduce paper waste. Outside of work she loves horse riding and can often be found teaching at her local riding school & volunteering with the pony club, as well as occasionally competing in Dressage.

Kevin has a wealth of experience providing financial business advice to companies and individual clients, mainly working in the Agricultural, Charity and Education sectors. Kevin aims to see his clients prosper through maximising their tax benefits, strong financial planning and making the most of business opportunities.

As Head of the Marketing Department at Thorne Widgery, Rob oversees all brand, visual, and strategic aspects of the firm’s marketing efforts. With over 15 years of experience in SEO & digital strategy, large-format print & design, signage and branding, Rob brings a unique blend of technical know-how and creative energy to the role. Known for his hands-on approach and high-energy style, Rob thrives in environments where creativity and data go hand in hand. Outside of work, Rob is a committee member at Leominster Sports & Social Club, runs a skittles league in the area, and uses his GVC qualification to capture stunning aerial photography and video with his UAV.

Elaine joined the company in 2006 and is responsible, with Sam, for coordinating our clients’ payroll on a weekly, fortnightly and monthly basis, as well as processing their year-end paperwork. With over 20 years of Payroll experience, Elaine has enjoyed building a good rapport with her clients and ensuring that everything is processed on time.

Maxine has numerous years of experience as a bookkeeper and is AAT qualified so will be able to provide a range of services to businesses and individuals. Outside of work she loves running, movies and computer gaming.

Emma brings 9 years of bookkeeping experience to Thorne Widgery, having worked with both small family-run businesses and larger entities. A member of The Institute of Agricultural Secretaries and Administrators (IAgSA), Emma is passionate about the digital transformation of accountancy, a direction that aligns perfectly with Thorne Widgery’s forward-thinking ethos. Looking ahead, she plans to complete a level 2 bookkeeping qualification in the coming year. Beyond the numbers, Emma is an award-winning artist, designing and creating art jewellery. She enjoys working with textiles and pursuing DIY projects. A former Geography teacher, she is the proud mother of a 5-year-old daughter, with whom she loves sharing her creative spirit.

Alex Cole is a bookkeeper with an AAT Level 3 qualification, currently working towards Level 4. In another lifetime, she ran her own surf shop, where she gained firsthand insight into the value of effective bookkeeping as a business owner. Alex is excited to join Thorne Widgery’s collaborative team, embracing new opportunities for growth. Outside of work, Alex enjoys wildlife walks and practising Iyengar yoga.

Ildi joined Thorne Widgery as a bookkeeper, bringing experience in finance from a high school setting. She holds an ICB Level 2 Bookkeeping Certificate and an AAT Level 2 Accounting Certificate and is currently working towards her AAT Level 3 Certificate in Bookkeeping to expand her skills.

Eager to transition into an accounting-focused role, Ildi was drawn to TW’s supportive team and expertise in cloud-based systems like Xero. She enjoys the problem-solving and attention to detail required in bookkeeping and is excited to develop her expertise further.

Dan joined TW in 2001 and his primary role is to deliver an outstanding service to his varied portfolio of commercial clients. This includes being truely pro-active and solving problems before they even become one. Effective tax planning and advice are a huge part of this.

Jennifer joined TW as a Digital Bookkeeper with hands-on experience managing accounts for multiple companies and properties. She is Xero Certified and passionate about improving systems to make them smarter and more efficient. Jennifer is looking forward to working towards her AAT qualification in the future. Outside of work, she enjoys reading, board games, cosy computer games, and countryside walks with her pug.

Sam has a passion for helping clients with their payroll issues and supports the wider team at Thorne Widgery. Joining in 2020, he is proud to be part of a successful and forward-thinking company and enjoys getting stuck in with the payroll department to keep everything running smoothly.

Martin has been with the Company for over 25 years, providing effective accounting and tax advice to clients in the corporate sector and taking care of their statutory and compliance requirements. He is also a valuable member of the Senior Management Team.

Rebecca joined TW in 2010 as an HGTA accounts apprentice, and has since gained her AAT and ACCA qualifications to become a fully qualified accountant. Her role within TW involves managing audits of Charities, Companies and Academies and assisting, Lisa, Head of Audit.

Megan has over 25 years experience in tax accountancy, moving to TW from Baker Tilly in 2014. She deals with the tax aspects of a varied client portfolio.

Wendy joined TW in 2014 after 25 years at Baker Tilly and has invaluable experience in preparing accounts for sole traders, partnerships, small limited companies and charity accounts. Wendy works extensively with the agricultural team preparing accounts for clients whose businesses include poultry, dairy, arable and fruit.

Kirsty joined TW in February 2023 and has 18 years' experience working with a wide range of clients and handling their accounts, VAT and tax affairs. Having moved from a smaller company she is enjoying working as part of a larger team and getting to know TW’s clients. In her space time she loves walking and horse riding.

Charlie Price is a part of our busy administration team. Since joining us she has been expanding her knowledge of how everything works at TW and learning how to deliver the best service to clients, alongside her studies for a Level 3 business apprenticeship.

Hanah joined TW in 2025 as an Apprentice Admin and will be starting her Level 3 Business Administration apprenticeship in September. She is keen to expand her knowledge of admin, learn about systems, and gain experience in dealing with clients. Hanah is looking forward to applying what she learns in her studies to real-life situations, building her confidence, and developing her skills across different areas of administration.

Kevin has a wealth of experience providing financial business advice to companies and individual clients, mainly working in the Agricultural, Charity and Education sectors. Kevin aims to see his clients prosper through maximising their tax benefits, strong financial planning and making the most of business opportunities.

Having worked in the accounts department starting as an apprentice over 10 years ago, Lizzie is now specialising within tax after completing the Chartered Tax Adviser qualification. Lizzie works alongside Vanda , assisting clients over a wide range of tax queries and advice.

With 28 years experience in all departments within an accountancy practice, Lisa is able to support the Client Managers and our clients working with Janet and the admin team.

Evan is an Innovation Project Manager and Sam’s right-hand man in the innovation team. His role revolves around using technology to make client’s processes more efficient. He manages the implementations, training, and support for Xero of Education (XfE) and also delivers consultancy to other accountancy firms on how best to use software to run their practice.

Olivia is the newest addition to Thorne Widgery's Tax team. She specialises in private client tax, Inheritance Tax, trusts, and estates. Olivia is currently pursuing a Level 7 apprenticeship with the Chartered Institute of Taxation and is nearing the completion of her ATT qualification. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family and cheering on her son at his local football games. Olivia is also an avid Liverpool supporter.

Stephanie joined TW in 2020, bringing with her years of experience supporting the agricultural sector with her bookkeeping skills and knowledge. She enjoys working as part of the team and now works with a wide range of industries. Stephanie is ATT and AAT qualified, ensuring she can provide a range of services to businesses and individuals.

Joining us in 2022, Connor is an AAT qualified accountant with a passion for innovation and the cloud.

He assists clients as they make the move to Xero and heads up our support team ensuring that clients are not only supported during the initial migration but also with their day to day queries and well into their future.

Connor’s goal is to help clients make full use of Xero and the integrating apps - making it an even more powerful business tool.

Jack Crowther joined us in October 2024 as a Project Manager for Xero for Education (XfE). He holds an MPhys in Physics with Professional and Research Placements (First Class) and brings expertise in process improvement, software development, data analytics, and project management. Jack is passionate about growing the XfE business and looks forward to expanding his knowledge of finance and accountancy, while driving new developments within the department.

Outside of work, Jack enjoys playing strategy board games, especially chess, plays piano and produces music with a love for contemporary jazz. He stays active through running, cycling, tennis, and paddleboarding, and is an avid sports fan.

Sarah joined TW in 2010 after moving from the banking sector and is ACCA qualified. She uses her agricultural background to look after a number of agricultural clients as well as managing a variety of commercial clients.

Jarrett joined TW in 2011 and having passed his AAT and ACCA qualifications is now a Fellow of the ACCA. His role within the company involves working alongside Martin Davies to manage his corporate portfolio.

Michael joined us in May 2018. As our developer he specialises in our innovative work and is very experienced with a number of software’s including Javascript, PHP and Swift to name a few.

Taz joined Thorne Widgery in July 2019 having previously worked at another practice in Herefordshire alongside his studies at university, where he achieved a first-class degree in Accounting and Finance. During his time in practice, he has worked mainly with sole traders, but has expanded his expertise working at TW in various sectors, Taz completed his studies for the ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) qualification in April 2022 and is now Accounts & Audit Manager.

Working in the accounting team, Alex has previous experience supporting a business analyst at publisher Newsquest prior to beginning his training in August 2019. With A levels in Business Studies, Psychology and Statistics, Alex has a lot to bring to the role and is working with clients on a range of matters.

Joining TW in 2021, James is an experienced accountant who shares the firm’s forward-thinking, proactive approach.

With broad expertise in accounting, taxation and business advisory services, he enjoys building close client relationships, through his local connections in and around Ludlow.

Abbie is a key member of the Ludlow office and she completed her ACCA at the start of 2023. Abbie really enjoys working with a variety of clients and brings a lot of experience to the team.

Francesa first worked at TW between 2011-2018 and returned to the company in 2022, we are so excited to have her back as an accounts manager! She has lots of experience in Audit, the charity and academy sector and accounting for small businesses. Outside of work Francesa loves spending time with her young family and they are currently renovation a house!

Rebecca joined TW in late 2017 after completing her ACA qualification, having worked in practice for 7 years across a wide variety of clients gaining experience in accounts, audit, VAT and tax. She is looking forward to continuing to develop her skills and career whilst assisting Lizzie and Dan preparing and reviewing client accounts.

Sophie joined us in September 2024 and has a wealth of experience providing advice to small tax clients and medium corporates. She's been in practice since 1998 and qualified in 2005. Sophie is a Fellow of the ACCA and as Senior Manager in our Rural Business and Agriculture Accounts team, she will be advising clients across this sector.

William Sampson joins the taxation team as Accounts and Tax Trainee and is currently studying towards his Level 3 AAT qualification with plans to pursue ACCA certification and achieve Chartered status. He's looking forward to build his professional network while continuing his studies. Having joined Thorne Widgery based on strong recommendations from colleagues who recognised the firm's team-focused environment, Will is excited to contribute to and grow within the company. Outside of work, he enjoys playing a range of sports including cricket, touch rugby, and football.

Joseph joined TW in 2020 with a passion to learn more about the accountancy profession. He enjoys working closely with our friendly team and has now achieved his MAAT qualification. Joseph supports the wider accounts team and continues to develop his knowledge of clients and the support they need to help their businesses thrive.

Ellie joined us in June 2023 in the Ludlow office and is looking forward to gaining experience by working with a wide variety of clients while working towards her ACA qualification. Outside of work she loves walking and playing volleyball.

Noah works as part of the migration team, primarily overseeing the transfer of data into the system. Outside of work he enjoys climbing, camping, playing DnD and relearning Spanish!

Noah also spends time creating efficiencies and automations to streamline manual tasks, ensuring the team can focus on delivering an excellent service to schools and trusts.

Josh is the latest member to join the audit team and is looking forward to learning about the broad spectrum of business finance as well as developing his career at Thorne Widgery. Outside of work Josh plays cricket and football in Ludlow and awaits results of his A-levels in Business, Psychology and PE.

Will joined our Audit and Accounts team straight out of college and is currently studying for the AAT qualification. He loves learning new things and looks forward to helping business’s progress.

Emily has joined the Ludlow brand after completing her Maths, Business and Psychology A Levels and AS Level in Further Math. She is studying for her AAT and is looking forward to learning new skills and developing a career in accountancy. Outside of work she has an interest in cars, driving and loves running.

Joe has a BA in Business and Finance and will be working towards this ACCA. He is looking forward to developing his knowledge and skill base in the accountancy industry and as well as being part of a growing, forward thinking company. Outside of work he loves anything to do with football, cricket and golf.

Joel joined us after completing his A-Levels in Maths and Science and is studying for level 2 in his AAT. He is looking forward to getting stuck into the role and learning as much as possible. Outside of work his interests are gaming and cars.

Evie joined the Ludlow office in 2025 as an Accounts Trainee and is currently working towards her AAT Level 3 qualification. With A-Levels in Chemistry, Biology and Maths, she has a strong interest in numbers, technology, and accounting software. Evie is excited to contribute to the firm while working towards becoming a chartered accountant. Outside of work, she enjoys travelling – including a trip around Australia – socialising, and spending time with animals.

Reuben is part of our Innovations and Software Development team and is currently working towards his AAT Level 3 qualification. With a background in customer service, he enjoys helping people adapt to new systems and tools that make their work easier. Outside of work, he’s into the gym, hiking and video gaming.

Harry joined TW in 2025 as an Apprentice Accountant within the Agriculture & Rural Business team. He is due to begin his AAT Level 2 qualification in September and is already developing a strong interest in bookkeeping, financial reporting and cloud-based accounting systems. Harry is passionate about learning and is focused on how accountancy can support business decision-making and long-term growth. His goal is to become a full AAT member, with the long-term aim of progressing to chartered status.

Sam joined us in August 2023 and is working towards his ACA qualification and studied Economics at Cardiff university. He became interested in accountancy after studying an introductory accounting module.

Sam is looking forward to working with a range of farming and rural business clients. Outside of work he loves being outside! Whether it be running, walking or hiking he likes being outdoors.

Bryndley joined TW as an apprentice in June 2023 having done work experience with us. He is now training to get his AAT qualification and is looking forward to working with a broad range of clients. Outside of work he enjoys socialising with friends and going to the gym.

Sophie joined TW as an Accounts Manager in the Rural Business and Small Business team. She is a Fellow of the ACCA and holds a Law degree (LLB), bringing extensive experience in accounts preparation, particularly supporting small local businesses. Sophie was drawn to TW for its forward-thinking approach and strong local reputation, and she’s enjoying being back in a collaborative office environment.

Outside of work, Sophie enjoys reading, running, countryside walks with her dog, and watching her children play sports.

Henry joined TW in 2025 as an Audit Trainee after completing his BSc. He is currently working towards his ACA qualification and is keen to build his financial knowledge and develop his Excel skills while learning from the Audit team. Outside of work, Henry enjoys playing social golf and watching rugby.

James joined TW in 2025 as an Accounts Trainee within the Audit department. With A-Levels in Business and IT, along with a BTEC in Enterprise and Entrepreneurship, he has a strong interest in supporting local businesses and helping them thrive. James is currently working towards his full AAT qualification and is looking forward to building strong connections within the team. Outside of work, he enjoys motorbike riding, maintenance, and watching Formula 1.