Meet The Team
Working Alongside You.
Our trusted Accountants and Business Advisors are highly qualified and have a wealth of knowledge and expertise to advise you and help you grow your business.
We provide positive results by taking care and responsibility to show clients they can rely on us to meet their expectations.
We’re a friendly bunch and are always happy to speak to you about any financial business worries that are keeping you awake at night, so don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Our Team
Richard Holt
Senior Manager
Richard has recently joined the firm as Senior Manager.
He is a qualified Chartered Accountant with the ICAEW with a background in accounts, management accounts and tax.
Richard manages and runs the practice and enjoys working with clients to help them achieve their goals. Working closely with his clients, he gets to know them and meets them on a regular basis to advise on the best strategies to grow their business and mitigate tax.
Richard’s specialism lies in cloud software with a specific interest in accounting processes and systems. He also has a wealth of experience in looking after a portfolio of owner managed businesses in a wide range of industry sectors.
In his spare time Richard enjoys walking in the Lake District with his wife and dog. He also loves live music and attending gigs and festivals. He is an avid football fan and has a season ticket for Manchester United.
Lee Sugden
Director
Lee is a Director of the firm and qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 2011.
With a broad knowledge of management accounting and business advisory services, Lee has extensive knowledge of owner managed businesses, working closely with his clients to understand their goals and ambitions.
He sees himself as a Business Adviser not just an Accountant. Lee’s expertise lies in producing management information for clients as well as strategic tax planning and access to raising finance.
Lee is specifically interested in the development of systems and processes and has led the firm in the growth of the Outsourcing Team. His passion lies in developing the culture of the firm, ensuring that client service is at the heart of everything we do.
In his spare time, Lee enjoys spending time with his family. He is a huge fan of football and has a season ticket for Manchester United.
Peter Alvarez
Tax Director
As Tax Director, Peter oversees the Tax Department ensuring that all tax queries are dealt with in a professional manner.
Peter is a qualified Chartered Accountant and a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW). He has also completed both the ATT and AAT qualifications.
With years of experience in dealing with all different areas of taxation, Peter specialises in personal and corporate tax and advises clients regarding their tax planning, Inheritance Tax Planning (IHT), buying and selling a business, rental property, share schemes, trusts, Research and Development (R&D) and pension schemes.
Being investigated by HMRC can cause business owners a great deal of stress and worry – Peter has extensive experience of dealing with tax investigations, from VAT inspections to full business investigations.
Offering a bespoke Tax Advisory service to both businesses and individuals, Peter and his team work closely with clients, ensuring they receive a good service to help maximise their tax reliefs and achieve their objectives.
Peter is married with a young son. In his spare time he enjoys spending time with his family and is a keen golfer.
Diane Mills
Accountant & Client Account Manager
Qualified by experience after being in the accountancy field for over thirty years and dealing with a diverse range of clients, Diane has gained deep knowledge and understanding of how to help her clients run their business more efficiently to achieve growth and success.
With a focus on good customer service and client care, Diane prepares accounts and management accounts for her clients and enjoys building up business relationships so that clients know they can come to her with any queries.
Diane also gets involved with bookkeeping using Xero cloud accounting software and advises clients on transforming to digital processes to streamline their business.
With extensive knowledge of using bookkeeping and accounting software, Diane is also part qualified AAT and has an Advanced Diploma in Xero Accounting.
When she is not advising clients, Diane loves holidays and travel as well as socialising with family and friends.
She enjoys spending quality time with her teenage daughter, going to the gym, swimming and walking her dog, Daisy.
Andrea Parr
Senior Client Account Manager
Andrea is a Senior Client Account Manager and Xero Champion.
She has been with the firm since August 2015, after spending ten years as a finance manager in industry.
Andrea primarily deals with various high-profile clients providing accounting services, reconciling and running their client accounts and management accounts. She also prepares year end accounts for limited companies, LLPs and sole traders and prepares VAT returns.
With her experience in both practice and industry, Andrea believes she has a unique advantage when helping clients create and manage their accounting functions. As a problem solver, she advises clients on how to produce better results for their business.
Xero Certified and a Diploma in Advanced Xero Accounting, Andrea is a huge fan of the time saving efficiencies of digital and cloud-based technology and particularly enjoys advising clients on digital transformation to help grow their business.
Andrea is MAAT qualified and will soon be FMAAT qualified, demonstrating her commitment and dedication.
She is also a qualified bookkeeper after completing a bookkeeping course with the AAT.
In her spare time, Andrea loves spending quality time with her family whether that be in the great outdoors, eating out or going to music gigs.
Kendal Blackburn
Tax & Practice Manager
Kendal is a Tax Manager, Accounts Assistant and Practice Manager.
She started as an apprentice and, after working at the firm for eleven years, Kendal has a wealth of experience in all aspects of accounting.
On a day to day basis, she prepares partnership and limited company tax returns, prepares year end accounts for sole traders, partnerships, limited companies and LLPs. Kendal also gets involved with processing payrolls and preparing VAT returns.
Kendal’s passion is to put her clients first and provide them with a great service, as she wants them to succeed in their business ventures. She has a good relationship with her clients as the majority have been with the practice for a long time.
FMAAT qualified, and having completed an AAT Bookkeeping course, Kendal is well equipped to advise her clients on any financial issues they have. In addition, she is Xero Certified and has completed a Business Skills course at college.
Kendal is looking to kickstart her studies in the New Year with her ambition to become Chartered in tax and accounts.
In her spare time, Kendal likes to get involved with DIY, going to the gym and spending time with her beloved dog, Reggie.
Christine McCarthy
Payroll MAnager & Accounts Assistant
Christine has been with Huddart for nine years and has a wealth of experience in processing payrolls for clients, ensuring they are accurate and on time. She is passionate about helping clients and will endeavour to answer their queries as quickly as possible.
Working as part of a team, Christine is responsible for processing weekly and monthly payrolls, setting up pensions, CIS monthly returns, quarterly VAT returns, P11d submissions and bookkeeping using Xero software.
When she’s not processing payrolls, Christine loves socialising with family and friends, going to the theatre and holidays.
Charles Lucas
CONSULTANT
Charles and Tom Bathgate acquired Huddart in 2011 and since that date they acquired four further local firms.
In April 2022 the practice merged with Horsfield & Smith Chartered Accountants based in Bury. Whilst Tom retired at the time of the merger, Charles continues as a consultant although he is gradually reducing his working week.
Charles qualified as a Chartered Accountant in January 1976 and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW).
Previously a Partner at Kidsons and Beever & Struthers, he then jointly set up a corporate finance business with Tom Bathgate, Charles has considerable experience of a wide range of businesses and private clients.
With a client base of family businesses, entertainers and personalities, he specialises in dealing with people and trying to help them understand their finance position, future and problems.
When he’s not helping clients, Charles enjoys travelling, watching Bolton Wanderers and spending time with family.
