Finance Team

I am a chartered accountant with over 26 years post qualification experience. My career began in practice – preparing accounts for pig farmers and progressed through audit then into industry. I was a Finance Manager at Group Lotus for 9 years covering the wide spectrum of finance roles including taxation, manufacturing, engineering and central services. I have worked for commercial organisations as well as charities, including being Finance Director for an independent school for 5 years. My skills help focus teams to rationalise processes to achieve efficiencies and streamline systems – all the while ensuring accuracy of information.

I commenced my career within Accountancy Practice, initially as a trainee accountant progressing all the way to become a fully qualified Certified Accountant. Since qualifying, over 20 years ago, I have worked in a wide range of companies within industries such as financial services, insurance, housing, and a motor dealership. I joined The AF Group in 2019 and during my time here I have overseen some difficult yet rewarding challenges and myself and the AF Finance team continue to strive to provide a professional and efficient service to our members, suppliers, and colleagues alike.

I have recently moved to the Purchase Ledger team from the Invoicing Team at AF where I worked for the last 4 years. My experience in Purchase Ledger comes from working in large and small businesses both in South Africa and England.

I have been with AF for just over 7 years now having previously worked in a call centre for 10 years being very customer service focussed.

My experience in all aspects of accounts comes from working in the AF accounts team for over the last 13 years and my previous employment in a manufacturing industry & healthcare provider.

Have worked in a clerical/office environment for over 40 years ranging from assisting in production of management accounts to ledger reconciliations and purchase ledger administrator at AF for almost 8 years. The companies I have worked for have ranged from poultry, motor trade, building, jewellery resulting in a wide range of experience.

I started working for AF in 2007 as part of the Building Materials team. As my history is mostly accounts work within the building Industry, AF and I decided my skills were better utilised in Invoicing. I started in the Standard Billing Team, quickly moving to Team Leader followed by a move to Manager of Sales and Purchase Ledger, to Invoicing and Ledger Manager and Now my main focus is Utility Billing. Systems have moved on a lot since I joined which has helped improve the quality of service we provide.

I started my Career as a Hairdresser, then marrying Ray, introducing my two boys, Chris, and Scott into the world, which lead to my 15 years in childcare obtaining my degree within my role as Nursery Manager. A change of career was needed and I found myself sitting at a desk rather than sitting on the floor.

I enjoy eating out and exploring our amazing county, although I can’t wait to explore some very hot countries again. I have a beautiful Granddaughter Sophia and a Grandson due to arrive end of January.

I started off working in the Insurance industry but after 6 years I decided it was time for a change to which I joined the AF Invoicing Team in 2016 and have never looked back. I began splitting my time between Standard and Electronic Billing using Esker but since returning from Maternity Leave, I have worked mostly on XML’s for Electronic Billing. In my past time I enjoy beach walks with my family, eating out and catching up with friends.

Having worked in many different industries over my working life, as well as working at The AF Group for more than 10 years I bring a wealth of experience job role and department.

From university, I worked in retail and made my way up to leadership role. This led me to apply for a payroll position at AF in 2017 but was offered a role in invoicing instead. I found that I really enjoyed this & when Harrier (our new order system) was introduced, became a superuser to help test the system. In 2019 I became Team Leader for the invoicing team and handling queries. I am the ‘go to’ for questions the team has and, if you asked, they would tell you I have a pretty good memory for most things, including the obscure ‘one-off’s’!

I have a keen interest in history, which ties in nicely with my love of all things mid-century including clothes, music, and cars. I enjoy spending time with my family & attending gigs & weekenders.

Upon leaving school I spent 8 years with Aviva known then as Norwich Union providing customer services and that then leading on to dealing with accounts. I went to India for 4 weeks to train staff when the jobs went overseas. I then got made redundant and a friend recommended Anglia Farmers now AF group – I started briefly in invoicing before applying for a completely different role for me in the Arable inputs department in chemicals where I was for 8 years before moving back to invoicing where I felt the role was better suited to me.

I have been working in administrative roles in various companies since 2007 with a small break in 2017 to go back into fire safety for a few months. I also have keen interest in safety have served on Health & Safety committees in three companies that I have worked for including the AF Group, having previously attended an IOSH course in 2015 with a previous employer and a refresher earlier this year with AF. At one of my previous employers, I was also a Fire Marshal pulling on my background in the fire safety industry, which is something that still interests me.

This together with over 20 years’ Credit Control experience gives me a firm yet empathetic approach to what can at times be difficult conversations.  I am a firm believer in working with our Members and forging longstanding relationships to continuously provide an efficient service.

In my spare time I enjoy shopping (a girl can NEVER have too many clothes), gardening, reading, and walking my big soppy bulldog.

On leaving school, far too many years ago, I somehow managed to begin a career in the construction industry as an estimator, more by luck than judgement, where I worked on elements of several large and prestigious projects, mostly in and around London, together with smaller local projects for almost 3 decades.  At the end of the noughties, I left the construction industry to try my hand at obtaining planning approval for small scale wind turbine projects, but when the wind was taken out of the turbine blades, I joined The AF Group Ltd, initially in the energy team and renewables, then moving across to the invoicing team, returning to my original rapport with numbers.

Along with my creative problem-solving mind and positive attitude, I bring to AF Affinity my previous experience in accounts and knowledge of the farming industry, from being a member of The Norfolk Federation Young Farmers for over 14 years. I am currently studying my ACCA to academically grow with the business.

I have been working at AF for over thirty years within accounts. During that time I have seen lots of changes which has benefited the whole company.

Being an active member of the girl guiding movement and belonging to our local theatre group are my two hobbies which I thoroughly enjoy and being with my lovely family as much as I can.

I joined AF in 2006. Having spent 10 years in the invoicing team I then moved to the Sales Ledger Team.  I have a varied background from being a Beauty Therapist, to working in retail management and 6 years in member services within a well-known horse sanctuary. All these roles were customer/member focused and the skills I developed in them are still useful in my role today. I work closely with our Members, my colleagues, and our suppliers to resolve Members’ queries. An important part of this role is obtaining and processing credit notes from our suppliers which is extremely satisfying.

I have been part of the AF accounts team for almost 9 years. I joined AF as Purchase Ledger Administrator before moving into an Assistant Accountant role.