Client Testimonials

Josephine Vaughan

Josephine Vaughan cheerfully admits to knowing nothing about stocks and shares, but when it comes to money matters, she certainly knows what she does want: the ability to help her family financially and investment advisers who treat her as an individual. That’s exactly what she’s found with Birchwood Investment Management.

Her introduction to the world of investment management came in 1996, when her husband David, a senior manager at United Biscuits, died suddenly. David had worked for the company since 1962 – long service that had earned him the nickname “the father of the house” – which meant that while Josephine was coming to terms with the tragedy, she also faced making significant financial decisions relating to substantial death in service benefits.

Josephine, from Maidenhead, Berkshire, explains: “I received a lump sum and half David’s pension entitlement. United Biscuits’ HR people arranged for someone from an investment management company to visit me and they went through everything with me and my daughter.

“We sorted out what I wanted initially – I needed a car and I wanted to take the grandchildren on holiday – and what would be left for investment. I left everything else up to the adviser and signed on the dotted line.”

Josephine was initially happy with the arrangement but after her initial adviser left the company, she became increasingly unhappy with the customer service she was receiving. She said: “If I rang up, whether because I wanted some cash or just to query something, I got the impression that they didn’t want to know. I felt they were more interested in corporate business than in me as an individual.”

In November 2003, Josephine decided she wanted to change her financial adviser and contacted United Biscuits’ pension team, who recommended that she approach Birchwood. She said: “When Trevor Simms came to see me, we went over my arrangements and he proposed shifting things around to get more benefit, all of which made sense to me.”

Josephine has particular praise for Birchwood’s Becky Haslam, whom she describes as “absolutely brilliant”. Becky assisted Josephine early in 2008, when she wanted to release some capital to help her daughter and her husband buy new cars, while minimising capital gains tax liability. The arrangements were made quickly and efficiently and Josephine received the money within a couple of weeks.

She has no regrets about switching to Birchwood and is now planning to seek their advice on inheritance tax issues. She sums up: “I don’t know stocks from shares, but I do know that I want whoever advises me to recognise that I am a person. With Birchwood, I know they are more interested in me, and I am more important to them, than I was with my previous adviser. Not only that, they do what they say on the tin!”