Abbie Fairhurst AATQB - Bookkeeper

Abbie started her career as a bookkeeper within a local construction company then swiftly moved on to Ashdown Hurrey, where she became AAT Level 3 qualified. Abbie enjoys walking with her family and wants to start going back to swimming at the local swimming club.

Alisa Winters - Secretary

Alisa joined Ashdown Hurrey in July 2020 as a full-time secretary in the Bexhill office.  She provides all round administerial support.  Alisa is keen to provide all visitors with a warm welcome.

Outside the office Alisa loves to cook, listening to music, reading and enjoys walking.

Barry Williams MAAT - Senior Bookkeeper

Barry joined Ashown Hurrey in March 2025. He has a plethora of varied experience that includes working for a local fabric business and a college.

He is an avid reader with a range of interests which include history, sci-fi, family research, writing and podcasting.

Ben Messetter ACA - Qualified Accountant

Ben started at Ashdown Hurrey in 2021, working one day a week for work experience before joining, full time, after a year. Outside of work, Ben likes to play football and goes to the gym, as well as watching his football team, Brighton, play whenever he is free.

Ben Sallows FCA - Senior Manager

Ben first came to Ashdown Hurrey on work experience during his school days and must have found something he liked, as he returned as a trainee and achieved his ACA qualification in 1998. After dealing with his own portfolio of clients for many years, Ben now has many roles within the firm. He ensures that the internal Ashdown Hurrey systems are running as smoothly as possible, and assists Mark and Gemma with their section. As a result of this he splits his time between the offices.

Outside work, Ben participates in various sports.  This is now mainly limited to running and fitness training, but he also plays stoolball during the summer.  As a regular participant in the Hastings Half Marathon, Ben is one of those who has taken the opportunity of using this as a way of raising funds for St Michael's Hospice.  He is also the treasurer and trustee of a local charity.

Callum Brand MAAT - Trainee Accountant

Callum joined the firm in September 2023 after completing his A-levels. Outside of the office Callum likes to stay active through running, playing football and cricket. He is also a passionate supporter of Manchester United.

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Charlotte Ham MAAT - Trainee Accountant

Charlotte joined the firm in 2021 after completing her 5 A-level equivalents in English, Maths, Chemistry, Human Biology and Biology while living in Western Australia. Outside of work Charlotte loves to travel and socialise.

Charlotte Jackson - Bookkeeper

Chris Barraclough BFP ACA - Qualified Accountant 

Like a number of his colleagues, Chris first got to know Ashdown Hurrey whilst undertaking a work experience placement - in his case while he was at Bexhill Sixth Form College. Having completed his A levels at college, he obtained a Business Economics and Finance degree from Loughborough University which included a year’s placement with a national charity in London.

Following university, Chris got experience in the FMCG industry (Fast Moving Consumer Goods) which will give a useful insight into business generally when working with clients and conducting audits.

Chris likes to go to the gym and attend music festivals. He has an interest in cooking, although he admits with varying degrees of success.

Daisy Histed - Trainee Accountant

Daisy joined the team in February 2025 after completing her A Levels in Business Studies, Psychology and Sociology. Outside of work Daisy loves spending time with friends and family, trying different restaurants and watching her favourite football team Tottenham Hotspur. She also enjoys going to the gym in the evenings after work.

Ellie McDonald MAAT - Trainee Accountant

Ellie joined the team in May 2022 after completing her A Levels in Mathematics, Economics, and Philosophy. Outside of work, Ellie enjoys keeping active and regularly goes to the gym having recently taken up Pilates. A keen reader, she also enjoys relaxing in the sunshine whenever the English weather allows - and looks forward to making the most of her annual leave to travel and unwind in sunnier destinations.

Ethan Rowsell MAAT - Trainee Accountant

Gemma Dilworth - Senior Bookkeeper

Gemma has been known to the firm for some time through her work as a client bookkeeper, using accounting software packages.  With more time available to her the practice was pleased to be able to recruit Gemma to the team in a part time role in this important area.

Gemma lives in Rye with her husband and daughter and she enjoys trips to the cinema and country walks with the family.  Gemma describes herself as a cat lover and is working on being a mad cat lady!  For exercise Gemma likes to get out for a weekly run and when time permits she loves knitting and needlework.

George Stokes MAAT - Trainee Accountant

Holly Crosby ACCA - Manager

Holly began her career as an accountant straight from college in 2015 before joining Ashdown Hurrey at the end of 2019 when she was already well underway with her ACCA studies.  Holly successfully completed her exams in March 2022 and become a member of ACCA.

Having worked away from the area, she is happy to do without the commute and sees the benefit of working with a larger practice with a bigger range of clients.

Holly is keen to get involved in most forms of exercise, including plenty of walking and boxing and uses her outgoing nature to organise events with colleagues as part of her role on the firm's social committee.

Jake Ashby – Trainee Accountant

Jake joined Ashdown Hurrey in September 2025 to begin building his career in accountancy and develop practical experience alongside his studies. He is working towards the goal of one day qualifying as a Chartered Accountant.

Jake Cuff MAAT - Trainee Accountant

Jamie-Lee Symes - Bookkeeper

Before Ashdown Hurrey Jamie-Lee worked as a Finance Assistant at a roofing company.

In her spare time Jamie-Lee enjoys reading, listening to music, and going to the cinema.

Jane Hilder - Senior Accounts Assistant

Jane has acted as a personal accounting assistant for more than twenty years when she worked at Williams and Co before the two firms merged. Jane tackles accounts production as well as running various payroll for clients. 

When away from the office, Jane plays netball in the Eastbourne and Hastings league, weekends are dominated by her granddaughter with any spare time available used for keeping fit by  walking or cycling.

Jasmine Najair - Bookkeeper

Jasmine is AAT Level 3 qualified and started at Ashdown Hurrey back in September 2023. 

Jasmine enjoys going to the gym, walking her dog and reading whenever she has any free time.

Jevic Sarmiento - Trainee Accountant

Julie Peters - Accounts Assistant

Julie first joined the practice many years ago to fill in a few hours weekly whilst her family was young, having previously worked in a bank.  As her family has grown older, her hours have increased and she is now a full time member of staff.

Julie is a cricket enthusiast, which is just as well because her three, now grown up, sons play for Crowhurst Park Cricket Club, who she enjoys to watch most weekends during the summer.  During the odd moments of personal private time, Julie enjoys cross-stitch, knitting and crochet.

Kate Brett - Senior Accounts Assistant

Kathryn Carter FCCA - Senior Manager

Katie Bennett BFP ACA - Senior Manager

Katie joined Ashdown Hurrey in 2014 and qualified as an ICAEW Chartered Accountant in October 2020.

Katie works closely with Stuart Rosling, whilst also developing her own client base.  She also oversees the HR requirements and training matters for the Hastings office, as well as organising social events with colleagues as part of her role on the firm’s social committee.

Outside of the office Katie likes to socialise with friends and keep fit - enjoying long walks and going to the gym.  She recently re-sparked an old childhood passion for performing arts, when she joined a local musical theatre group and has since performed in productions at The White Rock Theatre and The Stables Theatre.

Katie Bisson - Administrator Assistant

Katie started working at Ashdown Hurrey in February 2024 having previously worked as a Medical Secretary. Katie’s main role is in credit control but helps out with general administration tasks.

Outside of work Katie’s three children keep her busy running around after them.

Liz Furnell BFP ACA - Manager

Liz was another trainee who first came to Ashdown Hurrey as part of an internship opportunity whilst she was at college before going on to university to undertake an accounting degree course.  Liz achieved a first class honours degree as well as two prizes for high achievement in exams.

Outside work, Liz enjoys keeping fit, particularly through walking and swimming, and enjoys cooking for friends and family.

Louise Skilton MAAT - Bookkeeping Manager

Louise was well known to the firm through her work as a client bookkeeper for a mutual client. Her responsibilities now include bookkeeping support across a range of software packages, assisting in the preparation of VAT returns, and providing general advice to clients.

In her spare time Louise likes to go on walks (usually near the sea) with her family and socialising with friends and family.

Marc Ransom - Audit Senior

Marc rejoined Ashdown Hurrey after previously being employed with them for around 20 years. He predominately works with Simon Lawrence as part of the audit section within Ashdown Hurrey Auditors Limited. Away from the office Marc’s main focus is the macabre and slightly strange. That is not just reflective of his personality, he sells such items online and from a small shop in George Street within Hastings Old Town.

Mary Jins - Trainee Accountant

Mary joined Ashdown Hurrey in 2024 after completing her T Levels in Business Management and Administration. While studying, Mary worked as a receptionist where she developed her interest in finance. A careers fair at Bexhill College introduced her to Ashdown Hurrey, leading to a short work placement where she realised this was the right path. Outside of work, Mary loves music, singing, and spending time with family and friends. She also enjoy sitcoms and a good series — balancing numbers by day and screen time by night!

Max Winchester - Trainee Accountant

Max came to Ashdown Hurrey in July 2024, to gain valuable work experience whilst studying for his T Level qualification in Accountancy. This hands-on experience, and greater insight into the sector convinced Max to pursue his ambition to one day become a Chartered Accountant.

Outside of work Max enjoys running and attending music festivals with his friends.

Michael Hollebon - Trainee Accountant

Natalie Wordsworth FCCA - Senior Manager

Natasha Chambers FCCA - Senior Manager

Nathan Adamson BFP ACA - Manager

Having completed his A’ levels in Business Studies, Maths and Economics at Bexhill College, Nathan moved straight to Ashdown Hurrey with a view to following a training path to accountancy qualification where he became a Chartered accountant in 2023.

Nathan enjoys playing football with local team and spending time with friends, family and his pet Springer Spaniel.

Oliver Leonard - Administration & Accounts Support

Rachel Gatcum ACA - Qualified Accountant

After graduating from the University of Brighton with a degree in Business and Finance, Rachel joined the practice in September 2019 where she currently assists Carl Read and Sarah Playford with their portfolios of clients. Her duties include preparatory work across a range of taxes, mentoring more junior staff and providing general advice to clients. Rachel successfully completed her exams in September 2025 and became a member of ICAEW.

Outside of work Rachel spends her time on the golf course, heading to the theatre to watch musicals or having board game and movie nights with her friends.

Rhys Daniels MAAT - Trainee Accountant

Sarah Playford FCCA - Senior Manager

Sarah joined the firm in 2009, having become interested in accountancy when she started AAT training whilst working with another local business.  She completed her AAT qualification in 2010 and continued her studies to qualify as a Certified Accountant in 2014.

Having worked with Carl Read for many years, Sarah is now growing her own client base whilst supporting Rachel with her training and development.

Now a Mum of two, Sarah spends her time outside of work enjoying getting out and about with her family as well as helping her husband run the family business and renovating her home.

Simon Lawrence FCCA - Senior Manager

Simon qualified in 2000. He looks after a section of clients in addition to his role as a director of Ashdown Hurrey Auditors Ltd.

Simon lives in Battle and loves to get fully involved with the town’s activities, including working on committees for the Chamber of Commerce.  He enjoys the challenge of a long distance walk and has raised money for charities in this respect, even completing the Pevensey to Battle 1066 walk in full Saxon chainmail.  Simon is a keen cyclist, bell ringer and real ale enthusiast, with an interest in history, including that relating to his own family.

Simon Newstead - Secretary

Simon joined Ashdown Hurrey in June 2025 as a full-time secretary in the Hastings office, providing all-round administerial support.

He previously spent more than two decades working in the local and regional press, including 16 years on the Observer newspapers based in Hastings.

When not manning the reception desk, Simon enjoys being active in the great outdoors, particularly walking and running, and completed his first marathon in May 2025. Like a number of his colleagues, he enjoys watching football and is a big Norwich City fan, for his sins.

Stephen Chambers - Accounts Assistant

Stephen has a long-standing relationship with Ashdown Hurrey, having previously worked here and met his wife, who works in our Hastings office.

Stephen works as part of the Battle office on some of the firms largest clients in the bookkeeping department.

Outside of work Stephen’s young family keeps him busy. He also enjoys listening to a variety of different music and following various sports.

Sue Crouch ATT (Fellow) TEP - Personal Tax Manager

Sue runs the firm's Personal Tax Division and she has done so for many years.  Her clients value the friendly personal service she provides, where her genuine interest in the wellbeing of those concerned extends far beyond purely their financial needs.

Sue and her husband Chris are both animal lovers and enjoy spending time together and walking their dog.  They take great pleasure in their home and gardening.  Sue is a keen reader and supporter of the arts, she loves live music and is a frequent visitor to the De La Warr Pavilion.

Tom Curteis - Senior Accounts Assistant

Tony Bough - Consultant

Tony was senior partner in the local practice, Hamilton & Wilton, which merged with Ashdown Hurrey more than twenty years ago.  Having served his time as a partner, his many years of experience are now tapped into through his current role as a consultant, with the firm benefitting from his great knowledge on taxation of individuals and trusts.

A Chartered Accountant, Tony has been awarded Honorary Life Membership of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales.

Tony remains a keen golfer and his other interests include DIY, walking, gardening and photography.

Tracey Ridley - Secretary

Tracey originally joined the practice as a full-time secretary/receptionist and her role evolved over the years and she now once again provides secretarial support and reception duties at the Hastings office.

Outside work, Tracey remains family focused and enjoys spending time with family and friends.