A leading chartered accountancy firm knows it can count on four members of staff who’ve each notched up 20 years’ of loyal service.
Coxeys, which has offices in Wrexham, Saltney and Chester, presented the quartet with thank you bouquets of flowers to celebrate their momentous career milestones.
After so long together Helen Mort, Carole Roberts, Laura Watkins and Jayne Williams are best of friends as well as being tip-top professionals.
Company director Joanne Evans said it was testimony to the firm’s long-standing ethos of promoting teamwork, employee engagement and positive work morale.
Presenting the colourful flower arrangements to them all, she said: “It’s hugely important to us that our staff are happy in their jobs and feel valued. From its very beginnings Coxeys has always worked to promote a good work-life balance, and we ensure managers’ doors are always open to all employees.
“It’s a formula that we genuinely feel works, to the extent that in the future we hope to have many more wonderful 20th anniversaries like this!”
Helen Mort, who heads up the Business Essentials book-keeping team, agreed that Coxey’s is a fully professional but friendly workplace.
She said: “It’s one reason I’ve never regretted staying so long. I’ve always felt appreciated, everyone supports each other, we’re encouraged to put forward new ideas, and there are real opportunities to progress our careers.”
Helen, 43, joined Coxey’s in 2004, originally working in the payroll department. Over the years she has worked her way up the ranks to achieve her Fellow Membership of the Association of Accounting Technicians (FMAAT) qualification.
A local football fan, she lives in Gwersyllt with her husband Michael and their two daughters, Chloe, 16, and Izzy, 12.
She said: “One benefit I think we’ve all four found is that the management here completely appreciate the importance of work-life balance.
“They are always very understanding about family commitments and they were happy to offer flexibility of hours when our children were younger.”
Book-keeper Jayne Williams, 58, joined Coxey’s 20 years ago, but her relationship with the firm goes back even longer. She originally came into contact with them when she was a self-employed book-keeper and they approached her to do some work.
She said: “After some time doing freelance assignments I was approached to join the firm full time. It was a bit of a surprise, but a great opportunity which I knew I couldn’t miss. I’ve been here ever since.”
Mum to two grown up boys, Matthew, 32, and Owen, 25, Jayne lives in Caego, Wrexham, with her husband Lloyd.
Work colleague Carole Roberts, 51, was recruited as a full time administrator and loves the various different challenges of her role.
She said: “I still remember how pleased I was when I applied for the job and got it. Coxey’s is a well thought of firm not just in and around Wrexham but further afield. We get to deal with lots of different businesses and meet an array of interesting people, I love my job.
“I think what I like most is the work ethic, there’s a determination to get the job done in a professional and efficient manner, but there’s also a good support network which runs throughout the firm so you never feel you’re working in isolation.”
A keen gardener, Carole lives in Southsea and has a daughter, Terri, 28, and a granddaughter Liv, 12.
Tax specialist Laura Watkins, 44, had no intention of following in her grandad’s footsteps, but accidentally fell into them.
She said: “My late grandad Eric Evans, was a finance director with Llangollen firm Dobson and Crowther, and my mum, Lindsay, was an accountant. But at first I went in a completely different direction. I studied history at Lancaster university. Then when I returned home I suddenly found myself doing what was originally part-time cover work for a lady who worked here at Coxeys’.
“After the cover job finished I left but a quirk of fate meant there was soon afterwards another opening for a temporary job in the tax department. I took that and really enjoyed it, then when it was time for me to leave an opening came up for a full time position and here I am 23 years later.”
Mum to two boys, Laura said she has never regretted the career switch.
She laughed: “I think working with figures is somehow in my blood, it was meant to be.”
Coxey’s managing director Anthony Lewis, has also been with the firm more than 20 years, having joined in 1998.
He said: “Coxey’s is now one of the biggest accountancy firms in the area with offices in Wrexham, Chester and Saltney, with 38 employees, and we are still growing.
“It is great to think that some of the staff who have worked so hard to help us get to this stage are still with us today, excitedly looking forward to the next chapter in the Coxeys story.”
