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Being brought up on a family farm in Wigtownshire, agriculture was a prominent part of my upbringing. From lambing ewes to bedding bullocks, there was always something going on to fill the weekends and school holidays.

Having an aptitude for numbers and problem solving at school, I was encouraged to undertake work experience at a local accountancy firm. This opportunity gave me a glimpse into the profession and made me realise that accountancy could be a future career path for me. I went on to study Accountancy and Finance at the University of Edinburgh and spent my third year abroad at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver.

I interned at accountancy practices during the summer breaks to put the theory I had learnt at university into practice. It was during this time that I realised that being an accountant for an agricultural client base would allow me to combine my intrinsic interest in farming with my academic skills.

I graduated in 2018 with a first class honours degree and later that year commenced my training contract with Geoghegans Chartered Accountants in Edinburgh. Balancing work and study proved testing, but I was up for the challenge. In 2021, amid a global pandemic, I reaped the rewards of my hard work when I qualified with the Institute of Chartered Accountants Scotland.

Post qualification, I continued preparing compliance and advisory work for a variety of clients across a range of industries, but I knew that it was only a matter of time before I would return to Dumfries and Galloway to further my career. Fast forward to Spring 2023, and I now reside in Wigtown with my partner, who farms a dairy and sheep unit in partnership with his family. Over the past few years, they have transitioned from a traditional suckler herd to a greenfield site robotic dairy, and it has been exciting to assist them in this journey.

When I returned to the region and was looking at prospective firms, David Allen best aligned with my interests and ambitions. The firm’s forward thinking and straight talking approach to accountancy really appealed to me, along with their expertise within the agricultural sector.

One of the fantastic things about the David Allen agricultural team is that we have our roots firmly in the farming community, which allows us to fully understand your business and provide meaningful advice that is easy to understand.
Since joining David Allen in May this year, the firm’s proactive and progressive approach has allowed me to hit the ground running. The technical training and support I have already received from the firm has enabled me to deliver quality services and practical advice to clients, allowing them to use their skills to grow their business.

In addition to accountancy, tax and payroll services, David Allen also offers IT solutions, financial services, and recovery solutions, ensuring that clients can have complete business support from expert advisers under one roof. This approach allows us to build meaningful relationships with our clients and better understand their business needs. We always look forward to meeting new businesses and would be delighted to discuss your needs with you over a phone call, video chat or a face to face meeting, at a time to suit you.