Centre-Stage to Mud, Sweat and Tears: a Month of Fun and Fundraising at ICS
Welcome
Autumn is often the time to settle back into routines, tackle that to-do list, and get planning for the festive season and beyond, which we’ve been doing thanks to great networking and future planning at our local Chamber of Commerce. Having been getting muddy, scared and invigorated with some physical and performing challenges for some amazing charities, we might be back to our desks with a few cuts and bruises, but lots of enthusiasm! Read on to share our adventures, escapades, awards bids and new members to the ICS team. Whatever you’ve been up to, we hope your autumn has started with a bang, not a whimper!
Office News
Before you read the following exploits, be reassured we did spend plenty of time on the “day job”, too! Megan led the troops across the country to Birmingham, London and Manchester, enjoying meeting and supporting our partners, recruiters, clients and Umbrella employees. We love face-to-face, so if you’d like a meet-up with your dedicated support team, just get in touch.
We always enjoy welcoming new team members to ICS Accounting, so welcome to Shannen, joining our payroll department, and Alex, joining us as an AAT Level 2 Apprentice, on a career path to working in our city centre practice, TRW Accountants. Both have made a positive impact, settling in well to the ICS “family” (reading on, they might start to realise what they’ve let themselves in for…)
John and Helen attended the Bank of England North West Economic Update held by Lancaster and Morecambe Chamber of Commerce, providing timely insights for the last quarter of 2026 and planning 2027 strategy.
Jeans for Genes
Who could resist swapping formal office wear for denim, in a fantastic cause? Jamie-Alice co-ordinated our participation in annual ‘Jeans for Genes’ day. From fashion-forward to classic double-denim, we rocked an assortment of ‘looks’, and raised £100 for the great work this charity does supporting children and families affected by genetic conditions.
Alison Takes to the Stage
It’s likely everyone reading this will have been touched by cancer; personally or those you know and love. The same at ICS, our own songstress, sales manager Alison, took to the stage for a cause very close to her heart. Singing as part of Business Beats Cancer Yorkshire’s first-ever talent show, ‘Yorkshire Takes to the Stage’, she not only wowed the crowd, but raised over £1,000 for Cancer Research UK- an amazing achievement! As her heartbeat returns to normal, the total raised so far is over £19,000- helping make a real difference to beating cancer for good.
Race Across Lancashire
Inspired by the hit TV show Race Across the World, accounts assistant Penelope and her friend Ellen took part in ‘Race Across Lancashire’: a two-day adventure navigating across Lancashire using only public transport, problem-solving skills and sheer determination. They did it to raise vital funds for ‘Lancashire Women’, who offer a range of services and support to women, particularly in vulnerable or harmful situations. Competing to reach checkpoints, with tasks along the way, it’s the thought of surviving for two days with no phones or internet that made us go cold! A fantastic achievement!
Born Survivor:
A huge well done to our intrepid A-team: Maree, Penelope, Tina, Fiona, Jody, Alison, Simon and Jen, who took on the Born Survivor Obstacle Course (yes, that’s the same Penelope who’d barely got her breath back from racing across Lancashire, and songstress Alison, proving her head’s not been turned by showbiz!)
In the pouring rain, the team tackled a gruelling course of military obstacles: crawling under barbed wire and through muddy, rocky puddles, heaving each other over 12-foot barriers, even submerged in a river. Emerging with “just” cuts, bruises (and a suspected broken thumb), they raised an amazing £960 for our amazing local St John’s Hospice, who offer incredible care, support and dignity to those going through cancer, and their families. That’s £960 so far…can we get it to £1,000?
Holidays
If that’s made you tired just reading, many of the team managed some well-deserved R&R, including Colin sandwiching a bit of work in between two Spanish golfing holidays, and Megan getting cultural in Barcelona and wowed by the Northern Lights in Norway (her tip is swapping one longer holiday for 2 weekends away)
Reaching for the Heights
Congratulations to Deb Murphy, Chris Bryce and all the team at FCSA (the UK Freelancer & Contractor Services Association), crowned Industry Supplier of the Year at the 2026 Recruiter Awards. Huge recognition of their 18 years’ rigorous standard-setting for the umbrella and contractor services sector, we’re very proud of our FCSA accreditation at ICS Accounting and the invaluable reassurance it gives our clients. https://www.fcsa.org.uk/directory-of-members/
We’re getting out our best outfits, as ICS Accounting has reached the final in three categories at the upcoming Contracting Awards 2026. Can we can walk away with an award for the 3rd year in a row? Whatever happens, our amazing team, clients, partners, contractors and umbrella employees always come first!
Best wishes,
Your ICS Accounting Team
