People: Smith Cooper; Midlands Air Ambulance Charity

Natalie Pollard

Smith Cooper, the accountancy firm with offices across the Midlands, has made a number of promotions and hires.

Natalie Pollard is promoted to senior manager (tax advisory), Kimberley Wapplington steps up to senior manager (business recovery and insolvency), Ali Raynor to manager (audit), Anabelle Rowlinson to manager (accounts), Tara Adams to assistant manager (accounts), and Matthew Aston and Jonathan Dunn to assistant manager (audit).

These promotions follow recent external hires which include Adam Rollason into the tax advisory division, based in the firm’s Birmingham office, Harriet Pye-Watson, who joins the private client team and Dinesh Pancholi, who is a senior manager in the firm’s employment tax team.

David Nelson, Senior Partner, said: “These promotions are very well deserved, and I am confident that each individual will go on to enhance their skills and reputation to their own and our clients’ benefit.”

Geoff Woodford

Longstanding volunteer of Midlands Air Ambulance Charity, Geoff Woodford, has now retired from his daily support of the rapid response, pre-hospital emergency service after 30 dedicated years.

Octogenarian Woodford, from Rowley Regis in the West Midlands, started volunteering just three months after the charity was founded in May 1991, after a friend asked him to support the new service. His initial response was: “I know nothing about the air ambulance, but I’ll find out!”

On visiting the charity’s first portacabin office in Dudley, Woodford bumped into another friend, one of the service’s first employees, who asked a favour – to empty the first collection tin in Smethwick, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Woodford said: “From emptying fundraising collection tins, attending talks and cheque presentations, and manning the demonstration helicopter pod at events, I thoroughly enjoyed every minute I’ve spent with everyone at the air ambulance.

“As a park ranger in my professional life, I always had to tell people off. Get off the grass, dismount your bicycle, or pick up your litter! Volunteering for Midlands Air Ambulance Charity meant I could always say yes as children could clamber into the helicopter pod and play happily; it was great to see.”

In recognition of his service, Geoff was presented the Volunteer Award at the Midlands Air Ambulance Charity Recognition Awards and Charity Ball in 2013 and was also the winner of a Dudley Volunteer Award in 2015.

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