Wondering what it's like to be an apprentice at The Affinity Group? We sat down with recent accounts apprenticeship graduate and winner of the Affinity 'Rising Star' Award, Cara Bright, to hear her apprenticeship story. You’ve been with us for about a year and a half now. Think back to two years ago - what were you up to and was doing an apprenticeship always the plan?  Two years ago, I was working at a restaurant part time and didn’t really have a solid plan for the future. I went through two rounds of uni applications, firstly for forensic science and then for astrophysics (so it was clear I had no idea what [...]

We are so proud and excited to announce that The Affinity Group has been ranked 97th in the prestigious Accountancy Age ‘Top 50+50 Accountancy Firms 2025’ list.  This recognition marks a major milestone for The Affinity Group, and is a testimony to the hard work, dedication and professionalism of our entire team. Placing within the top 100 firms in the UK is a real achievement, especially given the strength and calibre of the competition.  What this means for us  Validation of our growth and performance – the ranking is determined on our total UK fee income, which reflects the quality [...]

Here at The Affinity Group, we’re proud to announce our membership with the Dorset Chamber of Commerce, a move that reinforces our commitment to supporting local businesses and fostering economic growth across Dorset. This strategic step will allow us to expand our network of professional services, connect with local entrepreneurs, and contribute to Dorset and the surrounding counties’ thriving business community. Boosting Local Business Collaboration Being part of the Dorset Chamber will enable us to actively participate in Dorset’s business events, seminars, and community initiatives. This aligns perfectly alongside our goal to build strong local relationships, fostering business collaboration, and [...]

At The Affinity Group, we are proud to announce the arrival of our newest apprenticeship cohort (number four to be exact!). We’re so pleased that these talented individuals are beginning their professional journey with us, and we’re excited to support them as they develop their skills.  In this blog we’ll highlight what makes the Affinity Apprenticeships programme special, why apprenticeships are so important, and how our newest recruits will help shape the future of our business.  Why Apprenticeships at The Affinity Group Matter  Choosing an apprenticeship is more than just taking your first steps into the workplace, it’s a career [...]

On Wednesday November 13th, three of our brands made their way to London for the annual Contracting Awards ceremony, having all been nominated as finalists in their respective categories. However, one of our brands, Aardvark Accounting, achieved something even greater and took home the trophy as the winner of the ‘Best Contractor Accountancy (1,000 – 2,500) Clients’ category, for the second year in a row! The Awards These are the categories our brands were nominated for and the results for each: Aardvark Accounting – Best Contractor Accountancy (1,000 – 2,500 Clients) – Winner SG Accounting – Best Contractor Accountancy (1,000 [...]

Each year The Affinity Group’s social committee decide on a well deserving charity to support through the completion of a ‘bucket-list’ style challenge. So far, the team have completed the three peak’s challenge for McMillan Cancer Support, and a sky dive for Dorset Mind. So, as you can imagine, finding a challenge that tops jumping out of a plane and climbing the highest peaks in the UK was a challenge in itself! Bungee Jump The team seem to have a taste for jumping from great heights, so they decided to complete a bungee jump challenge (rather them then me!). [...]

The Affinity Group is excited to announce the acquisition of TaxSmart, a local firm that provides tax and accountancy services specifically tailored to both the small business sector and individuals. Previously owned by Adrian Bainton, TaxSmart’s clients will be taken care of within our Vantage Accounting brand. Sam Butler and Sophie Panks are now part of the Vantage Accounting family, and will remain at the newly rebranded Vantage Accounting office in Christchurch, so TaxSmart clients can rest assured knowing their accounts will remain in their trusted accountant’s hands. Paul Ankers, Director of Vantage said, “I am delighted to welcome everyone [...]

Curious about what it’s like to be an apprentice? We sat down with our newest Affinity Academy graduate, Finley Turner, who has recently completed his Level 3 Digital Marketing Apprenticeship to find out more about Affinity Apprenticeships. Why did you choose to do an apprenticeship? After deciding that my course was not the direction I wanted to continue going in during my first year of university, I looked for other options. Whilst I did consider other degrees or going into employment straight away, doing an apprenticeship made the most sense. With an apprenticeship, I was able to gain real work [...]

The Affinity Group is pleased and proud to announce the acquisition of BBS, a small business accountancy based in Ferndown, Dorset. Previously owned by Robin and Isabelle Coe, BBS clients will now be taken care of within our Vantage Accounting brand. A selection of the BBS staff are also now part of the Vantage Accounting family, having joined us in the Vantage HQ office in Ferndown. So BBS clients can rest assured, knowing that their accounts are staying in the same trusted hands as they were at BBS. Paul Ankers, Director of Vantage said, “I’m excited to work with the [...]

Last year The Affinity team took on the 3-Peaks Challenge and raised over £2,500 for a great cause. This year we set our sights even higher (15,000ft higher to be exact!), and aimed to raise £3,000 for a charity very close to our hearts, Dorset Mind. To achieve this, we doubled the number of people involved and took 12 of our bravest staff members to go skydiving with GoSkyDive. The jump was a soaring success, and every team member managed to not only jump (no pushing was required!), but also raise an incredible amount. Here’s what Ethan Speechley-Price, one of [...]