A group of students spent the day at Duncan & Toplis in Grantham as part of a scheme to encourage more young people into accounting.

The eight participants attend local schools or are studying for an AAT (Association of Accounting Technicians) qualification and have applied to Duncan & Toplis for work experience.

This was the first Duncan & Toplis Student Assessment Day staged in support of the national Access Accountancy! initiative which was launched in April.

The ambitious social mobility scheme aims to provide opportunities for talented students from disadvantaged backgrounds across the country.

Duncan & Toplis is one of the 18 founding partners of Access Accountancy! who together have pledged to provide at least 3,750 work experience placements by 2019.

The scheme has the backing of the Chair of the Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission, the former Labour Health Secretary Alan Milburn.

“The day was originally designed to support Access Accountancy! but we also invited a number of students who had applied to us for work experience,” said Caroline Weaver, HR Officer at Duncan & Toplis.

“We hope it has encouraged the students to think about accountancy as a future career option.”

Students Jessica King and Katherine Ledger attend St George’s Academy in Sleaford, Lucy Fleming and Tom Lindsay study at the Priory LSST Academy in Lincoln, Hettie Mason attends Kesteven Grantham Girls’ School while Josh Haywood, Abbie Fisher and Megan Armitage are studying for AAT qualifications at local colleges.

Ian Phillips, Deputy Managing Director of Duncan & Toplis, said: “Accountancy is generally recognised as one of the professions needed to underpin our country’s future prosperity and growth.

“We are proud to be a founding partner in this initiative which will allow students to access a career in accountancy based on merit rather than background.”

Our photo shows from left to right (back row) Lucy Fleming, Josh Haywood, Abbie Fisher, (middle row) Tom Lindsay, Jessica King, Katherine Ledger, Hettie Mason, (front row) Megan Armitage and Ian Phillips

To find out more about the scheme visit www.accessaccountancy.org.

Notes to editors

• Duncan & Toplis was established in 1925 and has since grown into one of the largest independent firms of chartered accountants in the Midlands.
• The firm was named ICAEW East Midlands Medium Accountancy Firm of the Year in March 2014.
• Duncan & Toplis appears in the top 40 UK accountancy practices list published by Accountancy Age.
• The company has 10 offices throughout the East Midlands: in Grantham, Boston, Lincoln, Louth, Melton Mowbray, Newark, Skegness, Sleaford, Spalding and Stamford.
• Duncan & Toplis offers a wide range of services to small to large-sized family businesses, from accountancy, audit and tax to payroll, human resources and computer services.
• The business employs around 350 staff, of whom 85 are currently engaged in professional training.

For media information please contact
Jez Ashberry
Shooting Star PR
01522 528540
07780 735071
jez@weareshootingstar.co.uk
[Duncan92access]