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DRE & Co joined forces with Roger Parry & Partners Chartered Surveyors & Land Agents to host an informative event at The Walls, Welsh Walls, Oswestry on Thursday 22nd April 2010

This was very well attended and thanks to all those who came along. We hope you found it useful.

For further advice or details of the speakers, please telephone Fiona Wilkinson at our Shrewsbury office or get in touch with your usual DRE contact

NEW FINANCIAL PLANNING FIRM IS ON THE RIGHT TRACK

"Pictured (left to right) are three of the key individuals at DRE & Co Financial Planning LLP: chartered financial planner, Stephen Jones and chartered accountants Caroline Hall and Tony Matthews".

A new financial planning firm has recorded a successful first six months of trading since the venture was established at the end of 2007.

DRE & Co Financial Planning LLP (DREFP) is the brainchild of Shropshire chartered accountancy practice DRE & Co Ltd and North Wales’ prize winning financial advisers 75point3 Ltd. DRE & Co offer a range of services including company accounts, audits, taxation, payroll acquisitions and mergers, serving approximately 2500 clients in a variety of businesses from sole traders to large private companies throughout the UK. 75point3 provide advice to individuals and companies on all aspects of financial planning for pensions, life assurance, investments and mortgages.

Whilst the partners within DRE & Co are qualified to offer financial advice, the provision has never been core to their business as senior partner Tony Matthew explains: “We have previously held ad hoc agreements with other financial advisers, but it was only when we went into detailed discussions with Stephen Jones, the managing director of 75point3, and his team that we realised the business opportunities open to us. As chartered accountants we recognise the need for financial advice and consider the tax angle and DREFP will deliver the solution. We are promoting DREFP using a soft- sell approach, which allows us to maintain the best of relationship and to add genuine value to the service available for our valued clients.”

Stephen Jones, partner in DREFP said: “DRE & Co has a long history in ensuring that their clients receive quality financial advice and take a very pro-active approach compared with other firms that we have worked with. We are excited to set up a formal structure whereby the accountancy firm can remain fully involved in our relationship with the customer over the long term. From our perspective we are optimistic that we can successfully develop our prize winning approach in Shropshire via DREFP and from perspective of DRE & Co customers, they will have access to high quality advice that is monitored by their chartered accountants who will be rigorous in ensuring that advice meets their own high standards of delivery.”

More information about DREFP may be found online at www.dre-financial.co.uk

Comedy actor opens offices

BBC television comedy actor John Challis opened the new Ludlow office of chartered accountants DRE & Co.

The Only Fools and Horses and Green Green Grass star performed the ceremony, which was attended by 70 clients and local business people.

Previously located in the town centre DRE & Co, which also has offices in Shrewsbury and Oswestry, has moved to the Eco Business Park.

Richard Heath, associate at DRE & Co, said: "We have moved offices for a number of reasons but primarily because the practice has grown due to an increase in demand fr our services and a consolidation with the knighton office.

"Although, we will still maintain a presence in Knighton the core business serving our clients from in and around that area will now be based in ludlow.

"Compared to the previous office the new single-floor facilities are bigger, with potential space for additional employees as the business continues to grow, easily accessible for people with disabilities and has free parking for clients and all our staff.

"We have also made a substantial investment in new telephony systems and IT equipment."

Eco-efficiency

In addition, the building DRE & Co now occupies, along with other premises at the Eco Business Park, was purpose built with eco-efficiency and substainability in mind.

Richard added: "Businesses now take environmental responsibilty seriously and by relocating to a low-energy consumption office, that recycles water whenever possible and was constructed with products from renewable managed sources, we feel DRE & Co are making a positive contribution to a sustainable future and a reduction in our 'carbon footprint'."

Notching up a half century

A Shropshire chartered accountancy practice is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2007.

Established by Dennis R Edwards in 1957, DRE & Co employs 55 people across four Shropshire-based offices, in Owestry, Ludlow, Shrewsbury, Knighton, It also has an office in Ruthin in Denbigshire.

Tony Matthews, who joined the practise in 1980 and is now senior partner, said: "Technology and computerised processing of tasks to save time in areas such as bookkeeping has enabled DRE to develop as a provider of wider business solutions.

"More recently the advent of the internet has empowered people to carry out sophisticated research on the key accountancy issues affecting their businesses. In turn we are fostering positive long-term relationships with clients as they better understand the work we do for them."

The firm's founder, Dennis Edwards, passed away in 2005. Mr Matthews added: "Dennis was always a breath of fresh air to work for and never yielded to the boring accountant stereotype.

"We have continued that ethos and view ourselves as a forward thinking, innovative firm. When i first joined DRE, Dennis and i were the only qualified accountants; we now have 13 and a number of staff with Association of Accounting Technicians qualifications."

Training

The practice is also recognised as a training office for the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants.

Although originally established to cater for the local farming community, recent catastrophic events affecting rural livelihoods including foot-and-mouth disease has seen a reduction in the number of these clients and now 30 percent of clients are now large companies.