IAgSA Council Members

Tracey Nicholls, Chairman

Tracey is a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Certified Accountants and has worked as an accountant focussing primarily on farming and rural businesses throughout her career.  Tracey is Director of Farming at Peters Elworthy & Moore, based in Cambridge.  She has almost 20 years experience in the field and throughout all of that time has been a staunch supporter of the Institute, joining Council in 2000. This is her second year as Chairman.

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Tim Cartwright, Vice Chairman and Hon Treasurer

Tim is the Accounts Manager for Ray Gasson & Associates, Farm Business Consultants, based in Hook Norton, Oxon. He manages the day to day and year end accounts procedures for over 40 clients as well as the busy office. Many of you will know Tim from his previous employment as a Software Support/Trainer for HN/Farmplan specialising in Accounts, Payroll and Property program training and support.  Tim was brought up on the family farm in Lincolnshire and has always worked in jobs connected with agriculture, and specifically accounts for the last 14 years.  Based in Leamington Spa, Tim completed his AAT qualifications in 2005, and has served on Council for 3 years as Treasurer, having been an IAgSA member for over 28 years! Having been involved with the Institute for so long he is very keen to see it grow in membership and recognition within the industry.

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Billie Johnson, Vice Chairman and Membership Development

Billie Johnson is the Council member responsible for Government liaison, and she has been invaluable to the Institute due to her attendance at the RPA Stakeholder meetings.  She is a member of the Association of Accounting Technicians and has been a member of IAgSA since 1986.  Billie is a partner in Ellam Oxtoby & Peck; a farm business consultancy and accountancy practice operating on the outskirts of Oxford and near Tiverton in Devon.

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Joyce Crackles

Joyce is a farmer’s daughter and started her working life in a bank but, after marrying a farmer and having children, she retrained at her local agricultural college, before starting off as a self-employed farm secretary in 1995, at the age of 34. Very soon afterwards she joined IAgSA.  She is also involved with both the Cumbria and Lancashire branches. Joyce has now served on the Council of Management for six years, having previously served as Chair.

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Ros Foreman

Ros is a Partner of BCM Bays Curry McCowen, Rural Asset Management based in Hampshire but also working in Wiltshire, Dorset, Oxford and Sussex. They are responsible for 150 clients on aspects of management, book-keeping and general land agency matters.  Ros has worked in the industry for over 20 years, and has been co-opted onto Council having put herself forward following the 2009 conference in Lancaster.

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Sue Gillbard

At the age of 36, Sue decided that she didn’t want to simply feed calves and bed stock for the rest of her life and so she signed up for a business course at Duchy College at Callington. She set up her business once this was completed and soon had a client base of 46 farmers.  She now completes 70 Single Farm Payments forms each year and she does the book-keeping for 11 businesses. Sue was co-opted onto Council in March 2009, having put herself forward following the 2009 conference in Lancaster.

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Jacky Hardman

Jacky started her own business in 1988 and joined IAgSA over 15 years ago.  As a firm believer in improving business skills, she enrolled at Cannington College and later Seale-Hayne, whilst bringing up her two sons.  She covers a broad spectrum of faming businesses in West Somerset, with a particular interest in finding alternative income streams and has herself diversified into some consultancy in this area.  Jacky joined Council in 2008 and has recently been working with RABI to help farmers in desperate need of support.

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Rebecca Hill 

Rebecca has been working as a self-employed farm secretary in Wiltshire for over 20 years.  She looks after about ten different farms and small businesses varying in size from 200 acres to 4,500 acres.  Rebecca is responsible for our CPD scheme.

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Karen Kendall

I studied at Duchy College, Cornwall in Rural Business Administration and Farm Management and became a self-employed farm secretary in 1997 working with a wide range of farming and rural businesses. I provide a wide range of services including book-keeping, subsidy claims and management records. My particular interest is in business planning and improving business performance. I farm in partnership with my husband and mother-law.

We have a 750 acre dairy, beef and arable farm. The farm has also converted barns for office lets which I manage. In conjunction with Duchy College I deliver farm secretarial training in Cornwall - in the past 2 ½ years over 60 students have completed the Rural Business Administration course. I am enthusiastic about the need for training and mentoring of new entrants to the profession.

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Jerilynn Kinnett

In 1999 Jeri studied at Lackam College of Agriculture as a Farm Secretary.  She became a Student Member of IAgSA whilst at college but only became an active member in November 2005 when she became self-employed.  She gained her AAT qualification in 2006 and is currently Gloucester IAgSA Branch Treasurer.  Whilst horses remain on the back burner for now, her hobbies include the gym & clay pigeon shooting

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Cathy Meredith

In 1999 Cathy became Projects Co-ordinator at Holme Lacy College working on rural projects and is currently working as Co-ordinator for Herefordshire Rural Hub. The Rural Hub provides support and sign posting for rural businesses in the Herefordshire area and is part of the wider Rural Hubs-West Midlands network. Cathy is responsible for Training.

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Jim Harrison, co-opted Farmer 

Jim has been a senior partner for over 50 years in a family farming partnership which grew from 12 cows and 100 acres to 1,040 cows and 2,000 acres. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Agricultural Management, of the Royal Agricultural Societies, an honary Nuffield Scholar, secretary to the Dairy Study Group and a Mentor for the Prince's Trust. In 2002 Jim was presented with the RABDF Princess Anne Award for services to Dairy Farming and in 2004 was a recipient of the Plunkett Foundation Plaque, Milk Group Award, for the most outstanding contribution from a Farmer member.

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Charlotte O'Kane, Company Secretary

Charlotte joined IAgSA in 1988, and has been the first point of contact for all of our members at our office in Stoneleigh. Charlotte is the lynch pin that keeps us all together and on track!

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The council is also supported by other co-opted members who give us vital links to outside bodies such as the NFU, the colleges, DEFRA and Natural England. We are very grateful for their support and guidance which is vital if we are to have a full picture of our industry.