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About Us
John Gardner / Roger Brown / Andrew Worthington
The practice still includes founder partners John Gardner and Roger Brown, now joined by Andrew Worthington. John and Roger had each been in practice in Cheltenham on their own account and combined forces on 1 September 1993. Andrew joined them on 1 September 2004.
They would describe themselves as the original general practitioners, although the bulk of their clients are drawn from small to medium sized businesses.
A quick look at the backgrounds of the partners shows that they are complementary, covering a wide field of commerce and practice.
Their many areas of similarity, however, cover not only their business outlook – a client centred one – but also some physical traits. In particular they find themselves “follically challenged” and needing to wear glasses.
Roger Brown was born more years ago than he cares to remember, but will admit to starting his accounting training in the same year that the Beatles had their first Number One hit. He went straight from school into articles (the ancient name for training contracts) with Reads & Co, a long established City of London firm, since merged into Grant Thornton.
After qualification he joined a newly formed Lloyd’s Broking House which during the eighteen years he was with them went from a payroll of fourteen to one of three hundred, by then spread over six continents and a listing on the London Stock Exchange. His own position went from assistant accountant to Director and Company Secretary and it was here that Roger added his Chartered Insurance qualification to that of Chartered Accountant
In this capacity he brought the company’s admin to Cheltenham, along with his wife and daughters and, like so many before him, he has found himself unable to leave the town. His own practice started in 1986 and was merged with that of John Gardner in 1993.
John Gardner was born four years later than Roger in Bristol. He was educated at Colston Boys’ School where his passion for rugby was born and nurtured.
When he left school he had a short spell with the Inland Revenue which taught him which side of the fence he did not wish to work. He left for Leicester University and gained an Honours Degree in Economics three years later. He then took articles with Josolyne Layton-Bennett in Birmingham and after qualification, expanded his experience with Binder Hamlyn in Doncaster and Clark Whitehill in Cheltenham.
He has always worked in practice, liking the wide variety of businesses working in the profession. He set up his own practice in 1990 and joined forces with Roger in 1993. John has lived in Prestbury, a village just outside Cheltenham, with his wife and family since 1985.
Andrew Worthington was born in the middle of the last century and lived his formative years in the Oxford area. Having left school in Abingdon, he attended Kingston College Surrey reading one of the early years’ Institute’s Foundation courses.
Qualifying with Wenn Townsend in Oxford, he then established the firm’s Cheltenham office which he eventually acquired in 1991.
Following the merger with Clark Whitehill in 1995 with which firm he was a partner for over six years, Andrew was a consultant in the Cirencester area for two years prior to joining Gardner Brown in September 2004.
Andrew is a genuine specialist General Practitioner having worked in that field throughout his career, building up experience working with small and medium sized businesses of all persuasions. His specialisms, however extend into other areas, particularly the Charities sector where he has established a considerable reputation.
Andrew and his wife have lived locally in Winchcombe since 1978, although their two children are now both based in London.
