Ben Sallows FCA - Associate

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.  His importance to the practice was formally recognised when he became an associate in 2007.  Ben has recently moved back to the Hastings office where he is managing the payroll section, and is also the Practice Manager ensuring that the internal Ashdown Hurrey systems are running as smoothly as possible.

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.

Omar Ismail

Before joining the Ashdown Hurrey payroll section, Omar worked in industry on the payroll side and then with a local payroll bureau.  Omar brought his relevant experience with him which is much needed in this critically important service. 

Omar enjoys walking with his dog in the countryside and confesses to be a fan of British heavy metal music.  He would like to look the part by growing his hair long but unfortunately he says it is too curly!  He also enjoys horror films and a good kebab.

Teresa Hastings

Teresa is another staff member who started work unfeasibly young to enable her to clock up thirty-three years with Nationwide Building Society before another six years with a local Financial Adviser. Teresa then joined the payroll section and enjoys the new challenges the role presents and utilising her existing experience with Auto-Enrolment pension schemes.

Teresa enjoys Formula One motor racing (watching not driving!) and admits a massive obsession with dogs. She has recently taken on two retired racing greyhounds called Bruce and Bryan who keep her company when they are awake, which isn't often! Teresa enjoys watching films, with a preference for scary ones with blood, guts and entrails - clearly payroll is not quite exciting enough!

James Cornford-Hutchings

James’s history is in working for SMEs locally undertaking both payroll and bookkeeping roles.  He also worked for his local council in customer service and finance.  He gained wider experience through undertaking a variety of roles within each company he has worked for,  developing a wider knowledge of the business and encouraging an increased focus on the needs of the customer.

James has two rescue dogs from Spain called Juanita and Pandy, who arrived with their interesting names, and they ensure he gets plenty of walking exercise. He enjoys socialising with friends and likes to travel. James enjoys holidays, and when possible takes in a couple of European cities each year.

William Cooper

William joined the payroll team having previously worked as an accounts assistant for a recycling company which supplies materials for biomass energy.  Prior to that he worked for an insurance loss adjusting company clocking up five years with them as an administrator.

William enjoys cooking and baking, which will keep him popular with his work colleagues when he shares!

William enjoys travelling to Texas and Oklahoma to see his partner’s family where he relishes the amazing southern food, although he draws the line at biscuits and gravy or grits for breakfast!

Rachel Mitchell 

Rachel previously worked for a local independent financial advisor before joing the Ashdown Hurrey team. 

Outside of work, Rachel is married with three grown up daughters, one step-daughter, two grandsons and one step-granddaughter. When her family commitments are not occupying her time, Rachel enjoys travelling, most notably by narrowboat! Rachel's other hobbies include creating wedding bouquets, knitting and reading.

Julie Bean 

Julie worked for Barclays Bank and American Express before getting married and moving to London where she continued to work in various financial institutions, including J P Morgan in the bullion department and the foreign exchange trading floor. She went on to work in a local construction company doing their payroll before retiring to the seaside and settling in Bexhill. She then decided that she wanted to continue to work and was drawn back to payroll.

When not working Julie enjoys spoiling her grandchildren and socialising with friends. She enjoys holidays and has been lucky enough to travel widely. Walking is one of her pastimes, either along the coast or more rural.