News / Accounting
Charity sector specialist Bristol accounting firm acquired by national leader
An accountancy firm specialising in charities and social enterprises has been acquired by a national accountancy firm, increasing its combined portfolio.
Godfrey Wilson was founded in Bristol in 2005 by the husband-and-wife duo Alison Godfrey and Rob Wilson after identifying a gap in the sector for specialist and affordable accountancy services for charities and non-profit organisations.
Under their leadership, the firm grew into a leading specialist serving more than 600 charities, not-for-profit organisations and commercial clients.
After 20 years, the firm has been acquired by Gravita, marking its seventh strategic partnership as it expands its presence across the UK.
Rob Wilson, founding partner at Godfrey Wilson, said the acquisition would allow the firm to “scale the vision and offer our clients a more sophisticated service” – photo: Godfrey Wilson
All Godfrey Wilson staff have joined Gravita, giving clients access to a wider range of specialist services, including VAT and tax expertise, while maintaining the firm’s base in Bristol.
The combined portfolio of the two accountancy firms is expected to support more than 1,100 charities and not-for-profit organisations across the UK.
Godfrey Wilson has been ranked among the UK’s top three accountancy firms for charity expertise and overall service in the Civil Society Charity Finance Audit Survey for the past three years.
Rob Wilson, founding partner at Godfrey Wilson, said the acquisition would allow the firm to “scale the vision and offer our clients a more sophisticated service”.
He said: “This was underpinned by strong ethical and environmental values, and a commitment to champion charities at every opportunity.
“Joining Gravita allows us to scale that vision and offer our clients a more sophisticated service. This partnership adds vital breadth to our offering, introducing specialist VAT and tax services alongside our core audit and accountancy expertise.”
Lisa Mayhew, chief executive at Gravita, said the partnership would strengthen the firm’s presence in Bristol and its expertise in the not-for-profit sector.
She said: “Growth for us is about finding partners who share our culture and values. In Godfrey Wilson, we’ve found a team that is both technically brilliant and deeply embedded in the South West community.
The acquisition was supported by private equity investor Tenzing.
Main photo: Gravita
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