“PM+M have engaged with us from the start to understand our organisation and its needs, and to provide much-needed support in managing these as they have developed. Mark and Anisa are always on hand and ever-helpful for questions both big and small. Fee structures have always been made clear and tailored to us as much as possible. We are delighted to be making use of PM+M!”
Stefan Kaminski – Director (The Christian Heritage Centre at Stonyhurst)
“From the very beginning, PM+M showed genuine interest in our organisation. Mark and Anisa are always accessible for any questions and queries, and we feel that they are genuine partners and advisers rather than just typical accountants. The scope of services with PM+M have grown as our relationship develops; less headaches, less hassle and far more dependable than our previous solutions. It makes good business sense partnering with PM+M.”
Michael Jackson, Business Manager (Theodore House)
About our client
The Christian Heritage Centre at Stonyhurst is a charitable organisation working to promote engagement with the Christian Faith. They aim to provide opportunities for theological study, Christian leadership formation, and religious retreat.
The charity is based on the Stonyhurst estate where it has renovated the Old Mill into a modern, residential facility: Theodore House. This is now operated by its subsidiary company, which also makes the facilities available to third parties on a commercial basis.
As both companies increased their activities, their need for a robust accounting system, accurate record-keeping and timely reporting became greater. As existing users of Xero, an industry-leading cloud accounting platform, they needed advisers who could rise to the challenge and continue in partnership.
How PM+M helped
The charity developed an initial relationship with Ceri Dixon, who specialises in advising charities with their specific needs. They had lost confidence in the financial information being produced; important for presentation to the trustees and function of the organisation. The charity and its subsidiary were already using Xero, and therefore required advisers with the right expertise to able to restore their confidence, as well as to support them for the future.
Mark Sharples and Anisa Rigby from PM+M’s dedicated Cloud Accounting team were introduced to optimise the system and provide an outsourcing service. Although functional, Xero was not being utilised to its full potential, and the information being recorded potentially unreliable. As part of a team of dedicated and qualified advisers, who are a Xero Platinum Champion Partner, Mark and Anisa were able to put in place many improvements to the system, including the introduction of Dext – another cloud-based software designed to capture data from invoices and receipts to reduce manual entry and human error in the accounting function.
Utilising the many benefits of cloud-based software, including multiple-user access to real-time information, Anisa leads our outsourcing service for the client, working with the charity’s director and the trading company’s manager to maintain records and report to the trustees. Mark and Ceri then use the information to provide high-quality compliance and advisory services to ensure both organisations have the information and tools to continue to grow in their mission. As software developments arise and new regulations are introduced, PM+M strives to continue improving to work with the char in finding new solutions and opportunities.
The outcome
- Improved confidence in financial informationAccounting records can be relied on to make informed decisions and plan for the future, achieved through collaboration with the client and application of expertise
- Optimisation of cloud-based softwareXero is used to its greatest potential and in the best way for the client through the expertise of our Cloud Accounting team, being able to collaborate with third-party software, automate processes and improve reporting capabilities to meet both statutory and management demands
- Collaborative service from dedicated expertsExcellent service and advice is provided through collaboration of our specialist teams, ensuring the client can rely on us for all of their needs with an all-under-one roof approach
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