Monthly Archives: August 2018

Our NSPCC Challenge: From London to Paris by bike

The NSPCC is fighting for change by standing up for children and demanding changes to the law that will better protect them from abuse.

To support that mission, we have been taking on a series of challenges to help fundraise for this important cause.

Man vs Lakes
Spot team TLA on the Man vs Lakes start line!
Man vs Lakes
Josh still smiling!
Man vs Lakes
Abel  feeling strong after emerging from the water

 

 

 

After completing the London marathon in April and Man vs Lakes in July (a 28-mile race through the Lake District complete with a 4200ft ascent), we’ve turned our attention to our next challenge.

London to Paris

On 7 September, team TLA and friends will be embarking on a 165-mile, three-day bike ride that will begin in London at the Marble Arch and conclude in Paris, at the Arc de Triomphe.

There will be a team of 14 people taking on the challenge all in aid of the NSPCC: Steve McCann from I AM Impact; Alban Treglohan and Chris Langley from PHD; Jess Douce and Jamie Kirk from JLR; and TLA’s Anton Hanley, Tom White, Ed Clark, Abel Paz, Neil Cosgrove, Ed Whelan, Michael Fitzsimmons, Stephen Pammenter and James McDowall.

Having cycled from London to Liverpool in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support in 2017, TLA’s head of talent acquisition Michael Fitzsimmons is relishing the upcoming ride:

“I’m absolutely buzzing for it and can’t wait to set off! This will be my second cycle challenge with TLA since joining last year and it’s great to be heading in to mainland Europe this time round.”

charity challenge
Michael and Neil enjoying the challenge!
charity challenge
Feeling the pain at the half-way mark
charity donation
A generous donation!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All 14 of the riders are busy preparing for the action, including Michael who is on the bike almost every day. “Training is going well, I’m trying to get out as much as possible to get that all important saddle time!”.

He added: “Working for a company like TLA provides me with these great challenges that I love to be a part of. I love the physical test, I get to know my colleagues better and importantly I help raise money for a great cause like the NSPCC”.

The NSPCC survives solely from support and donations from the general public. Without their existence, thousands of children living in the UK would continue to be subject to violence and abuse.

We will be so grateful for any donations you can give via our Virgin Money Giving Page to support our mission.

Bon voyage, Team TLA!

Check out our previous charity challenges!

Life at The Lead Agency: Meet Finance Assistant Joanna Walmsley

Finance assistant Joanna Walmsley joined The Lead Agency straight from sixth form three years ago and is on her way to becoming AAT qualified. Here, she tells us about her time at TLA so far.

What were your first impressions of The Lead Agency?

Really positive! When I started here everyone was so lovely and welcoming. The team made it really easy for me to fit in, despite how shy I was to begin with.

What lead you to this role?

I’d worked in a shop for a little while once I had finished school and was ready to move on, but I knew that University wasn’t the right option for me.

So, I decided to look into apprenticeships. I started at TLA doing a general apprenticeship in financing that required an industry work placement. Three years later, the company has given me the opportunity to sit my AAT exams and develop a career in finance. I will finish my current qualification in September, after which I hope to complete the final year to become AAT qualified (Association of Accounting Technicians).

What three words would you use to describe your role?

Challenging but interesting! It can be stressful at times, but I genuinely enjoy it.

What sort of responsibilities does your job involve?

I look after the cash-flows, invoicing, and many other day-to-day tasks. My role also includes other responsibilities such as looking after the payroll – basically keeping everyone happy by making sure they’re all paid on time!

How have you found balancing studying with your full-time position?

It’s hard at times when I have an exam coming up as I put a lot of pressure on myself to balance work and studying.

When I have an exam coming up, our financial controller Sam Reaney ensures that my day-to-day tasks include areas that I will be tested on in the exam. That’s really helpful as I can learn in the role and understand it before I even begin my online classroom time!

What would you say to others that are thinking about doing an apprenticeship like this one? Do you have any advice?

If it’s what you really want to do, go for it! It takes dedication, but it’s worth it.

Have you been able to take on more responsibilities and progress within the business? If so, what?

Yes, definitely. I’ve progressed a lot whilst working here. At school I was good at maths and thought I would do well working in finance, but when I started working here I knew literally nothing about finance or accounting.

Step-by-step, I’m handling more responsibilities and that means I’m always facing new challenges. I’ve learnt everything I know about finance by working here alongside Sam, and I’m really grateful for that. TLA invested in me as an 18-year-old and gave me a great opportunity. Since then, I have grown so much, both as a person and in the workplace.

What’s the culture like at TLA and within the team?

I love it! Everyone is welcoming, sociable, friendly and supportive too. It’s a lovely place to work.

I like how chilled out it can be, we all make sure that we get our work done but we laugh along the way and make sure to enjoy ourselves.

 

We’re hiring! To find out more about our career opportunities, visit our careers page.