Meet The Team

Steve passed his final examinations to become a Chartered Accountant when only 22. He joined us from Price Waterhouse in 1986 and became a partner in 1991. Following our incorporation he became a director.

He has been in charge of our Hartlepool office for over 30 years and our Darlington office for over 10 years.

Steve deals with all types of businesses and has particular experience of:

• Larger businesses including those requiring audit;
• Not-for-profit organisations including those requiring independent examination or audit;
• Agricultural businesses;
• Medical practices.

Away from work, he is married to Julia, has 2 adult children, Sarah and James and 2 Old English Sheepdogs. His interests include distance running, music (classical piano to pop) and Sunderland Football Club.

Sarah is the Director in Charge of our Northallerton office. She qualified from Wye College, University of London with an Honours Degree in Agricultural Economics.

Sarah then spent twelve years with Price Waterhouse Coopers in both Hull and Newcastle specialising in their Small Business and Landed Estates Departments.

Sarah joined King Hope in 2002 and acts as a general practitioner specialising in all aspects of accountancy and taxation matters for owned managed businesses, Charities and individuals.

Liz attained a BSc (Hons) in Biological Sciences from Leicester University and qualified as a Chartered Accountant at our Northallerton office before moving to our Darlington office in 1990 where she was appointed Manager in 2011.

She has gained experience of a wide variety of small and medium sized businesses, providing accounts, tax and other advice and support as required.

Liz is married with two children and enjoys hill walking with family and friends, badminton and reading.

Brian was born and educated in Hartlepool and began his accountancy career in 1986 after successfully passing a one year Foundation Course at Teesside Polytechnic.

He joined King Hope in 1992 and since then has become fully conversant with a vast array of accounting systems, both manual and computerised.

He qualified as a member of Association of Chartered Certified Accountants in 1997, subsequently becoming a Fellow of the Association in 2002.

Brian therefore has 23 years experience in the preparation of accounts for both corporate and unincorporated clients including pension schemes and charities, and has specialist experience of clients requiring an audit. In 2019, Brian was appointed Manager of our Hartlepool office.

Joanne trained as a Chartered Accountant in Harrogate after graduating from Sheffield Hallam University with an Honours Degree in Urban and Regional Geography. Since qualifying in 2003, Joanne has worked in the Public Sector Audit regime, gained industry experience in a large international company as well as more recently in a national and local accountancy practice.

Joanne joined King Hope in 2022 and acts as a general practitioner bringing a wealth of experience with her to assist in accountancy and taxation matters for individuals and owner managed businesses.

Linda joined King Hope in 1985 and is a qualified accounting and taxation technician. She deals with a wide range of clients from sole traders to companies, charities, and businesses in the agricultural sector. Her main areas of expertise are in audit and accounts preparation but she also specialises in personal tax issues.

Linda was born and educated in Northallerton, is married with three children and enjoys keep fit.

Claire joined King Hope in 2005 after graduating from York University with a degree in Mathematics. She completed her accountancy training during her first few years with King Hope. Claire supports the Director at Northallerton in managing her client portfolio focusing particularly on farming businesses having grown up on a mixed arable and livestock farm.

Outside of work Claire is involved in her local Church and enjoys baking and gardening in her spare time.

Sarah joined King Hope in 2015. In 2018 she qualified as a Chartered Accountant having been short-listed for a Presidents award.

Sarah prepares accounts and tax returns for all types of client, especially those in Agriculture.

Prior to joining King Hope, Sarah held the Winifred Christie scholarship at the Royal Academy of Music, where she studied classical piano performance. Sarah has performed as a soloist at many prestigious venues across the UK, including the Royal Albert Hall which was broadcast on Classic FM.

Outside of work, Sarah still enjoys music and sings in a choir, likes running with her family and spending time with her families’ two Old English sheepdogs.