Matthew Portess (FCCA)
Managing Director
Meet Matthew
Matthew started Appleleaf back in 2017 with a simple idea that accounting should be about helping people, not just ticking boxes.
After nearly three decades in the profession (yes, he’s been doing this a while), he’d seen the same frustrations crop up again and again. Clients weren’t getting the personal service they deserved. So he decided to do something about it.
Matthew’s a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (FCCA), which is the proper qualification you want your accountant to have. He specialises in tax planning for construction, property, and engineering businesses, and works with high-net-worth individuals who need strategic advice, not just someone to file their accounts.
His greatest achievement? Saving a client nearly £3 million in capital gains tax. That’s the kind of thing that makes the job worthwhile.
Why he does what he does
Ask Matthew what he enjoys most about his work, and he’ll tell you it’s helping clients through the tricky stuff. Whether it’s navigating financial difficulties, planning for growth, or getting a new business off the ground properly, he’s seen it all and knows how to help.
He’s also responsible for the day-to-day running of Appleleaf, which means meeting new clients, finding ways to make the business more efficient, and making sure the team delivers the service clients deserve.
Life outside the office
When he’s not working, you’ll find Matthew in the Lake District with his family. He’s also an avid Lego collector, though he keeps the sets in their boxes rather than building them (much to his son’s disappointment).
His dream job as a child may have been to become a policeman, but these days, he’s happy leading his team, helping his clients and growing Appleleaf.
Cara-Jayne Portess
Business and Marketing Manager
Meet Cara
In an office of accountants, bookkeepers and tax specialists, Cara is our resident marketer. After completing her degree in Business Studies and Marketing, she worked in marketing for many years, cutting her teeth in PR and communications roles across different organisations, including advertising agencies, the local newspaper, and the council.
She’d been supporting Matthew since day one of Appleleaf whilst working full time, but in 2020, she made the decision to work for Appleleaf full time so she could properly focus on helping the business grow and develop. Her impact on the business has seen it grow and gain exposure and awareness.
Apart from what she has achieved with Appleleaf, Cara’s greatest work achievement has been organising an event in Westminster with a high-profile guest list. It was hard work and pressured, but it went as planned (apart from a colleague’s broken shoe), and it was a huge achievement to look back on. They even got a tour around Westminster at the end of the day, which was amazing.
What she does at Appleleaf
Cara’s role covers a range of different things – HR and looking after all the staff, marketing and promoting the business, customer service, creating client newsletters, and all the operational aspects of managing a business. This means the rest of the team can concentrate on their roles and working with clients.
She also supports Matthew with the development of the business, and she can give a different view and perspective as the only non-accountant in the business!
The best thing about working at Appleleaf? The team. Everyone works hard but also has a laugh, cares about each other, and helps each other out when needed.
Life outside the office
When she’s not working, Cara loves being outdoors – walking, running, hiking, and gardening. She also enjoys socialising with friends (who she’s been friends with since she was young), eating out when she can, and having fun outdoors with her family.
Cara also had an amazing horse for over 20 years, and they must have ridden miles and miles together during that time. No surprise, then, that as a child she dreamed of being a vet.
Accounts team
Stephanie Cornford (FCCA)
Meet Stephanie
Stephanie’s been in accountancy since she left school at 16, which means she’s seen pretty much everything the profession can throw at you.
She started with an apprenticeship as a trainee auditor at North East Lincolnshire Council, then moved into practice accountancy when a college friend tipped her off about an opening at a local firm.
It was one of those right-place-right-time moments that set her on the path she’s still on today.
Her greatest achievement? Sticking it out through ten years of home and college study to gain her AAT and ACCA qualifications. That takes serious dedication.
What she does at Appleleaf
Stephanie’s been with Appleleaf since the very beginning, joining shortly after Matthew founded the business in 2017. She’s been part of the journey from start-up to where we are now, and she’s looking forward to whatever comes next.
These days, she oversees workflow planning across the firm, making sure deadlines are met and clients get what they need when they need it. She reviews work prepared by the team, handles the larger company and management accounts, and meets with clients to talk through their year-end figures.
She works with all sorts of clients – individuals, sole traders, limited companies, and group companies. If there’s a problem, Stephanie’s good at finding a solution that works from both a compliance and practical perspective.
Life outside the office
When she’s not at work, Stephanie spends as much time as possible with her little boy (before he grows up too fast).
She’s also the sort of person who always has a project on the go at home. Pinterest finds, new paint colours – her husband apparently dreads hearing about her latest idea.
Her childhood dream, according to her mother, was to be a spy for MI5. While she didn’t end up in espionage, accountancy isn’t that different – it’s all about investigating the numbers, uncovering what’s really going on, and solving the puzzle.
Matthew Clarkson (MAAT)
Semi-Senior Accountant
Meet Matthew
Matthew got into accountancy through the Kaplan Scholarship Scheme while he was doing his A-Levels. He was offered an apprenticeship at a local accountancy firm off the back of it, and nearly eight years later, he’s still in the profession and clearly found his calling.
What he does at Appleleaf
Matthew mainly prepares year-end statutory accounts, corporation tax returns, and personal tax returns. He also supports senior colleagues and the wider team when they need an extra pair of hands.
He works with small to medium-sized limited companies and their directors, as well as self-employed individuals and partnerships across a variety of industries.
What he enjoys most about his job is being able to help people. Whether it’s clients or colleagues, if he can make someone’s day easier, he’s happy. He takes pride in the work he does, transitioning client bookkeeping into year-end accounts files for clients as seamlessly as possible. It means he can help clients with past, present, and future data all in one go, which makes life a lot easier for everyone.
Matthew loves being part of a local firm that genuinely cares about its clients and community, both on a working and personal level.
Life outside the office
When he’s not working, Matthew spends time with his wife. They love going to theme parks or concerts. He’s also into sport, particularly football, tennis, and snooker. He was a football referee for nearly a decade, reaching the level of semi-professional assistant referee. He also holds certificates in teaching, gym instructing, and personal training.
Stuart Lofas
Semi-Senior Accountant
Meet Stuart
Stuart’s been in accountancy for over 20 years, which all started because of not-so-great GCSE results. He signed up at Grimsby College for an office/admin-based NVQ, got offered an interview at a local accounts practice, was taken on, and decades later, he’s still in the industry. Sometimes things were just meant to happen!
What he does at Appleleaf
Stuart’s role mainly involves preparing accounts and taxation work for clients ranging from tax return only clients, sole traders, and partnerships, all the way up to limited companies.
Stuart loves taking a set of records from scratch and seeing them right through to how they end up at the end. The other thing he enjoys is that no job is the same – working on a variety of different clients keeps things interesting.
Having worked mainly on accounts and tax for most of his career, those are his strongest areas.
The best thing about working at Appleleaf is being part of a small, close-knit team with friendly colleagues who are always on hand to help each other out when needed. The supply of cakes and biscuits helps everyone along the way too!
Life outside the office
Out of work, Stuart spends a lot of time watching sport, particularly following Grimsby Town FC. He’s had a season ticket for over 30 years and tries to get to around 10 to 12 away games per season as well. Other than that, he’s spending time with friends and family.
Here’s something people might not know – Stuart owns shares in a racehorse.
When he’s not watching sport, he enjoys old comedies on TV. A particular favourite is Only Fools and Horses, which, no matter how many times he watches it, never fails to make him laugh.
Georgina (George) Durrant (AAT)
Accounts Assistant
Meet Georgina
Georgina’s route into accountancy wasn’t a straight line. After completing her degree in Social Policy and Crime, she quickly realised she didn’t want to follow that path into work. So she took stock, thought about what she’d always been good at, and landed on numbers.
Maths had been her favourite subject at school, so accountancy made sense. She did some work experience to test the theory, liked what she found, and secured her first role at a local accountancy practice shortly after. The rest, as they say, is history.
In that time, she’s achieved her level 3 AAT qualification – something she’s proud of, and a foundation she plans to build on as she continues to develop her career.
What she does at Appleleaf
Georgina works within the accounts department, working alongside the team to take the information received from clients and turn it into properly prepared accounts.
She works primarily with limited companies, and has a particular soft spot for hospitality clients – she finds them the most relatable and enjoys getting to grips with how those businesses work.
What she loves most about the job is its clarity. The numbers either balance or they don’t. For Georgina, that’s not a source of stress – it’s a source of satisfaction. There’s something deeply rewarding about work where you always know when you’ve got it right.
Life outside the office
Outside of work, Georgina enjoys spending time with friends and family, and is currently busy putting her stamp on a new home – which, as anyone who’s been through it knows, is basically a full-time job in itself.
As a child, Georgina had her sights set on a career in air traffic control. She may have swapped the runway for the balance sheet, but the attention to detail required is very much the same.
Virtual Finance Office and bookkeeping
Emma Hutchinson (MAAT)
Meet Emma
Emma’s been working in finance for over 20 years, starting out at Nationwide when she was 18. She worked in various finance roles there before moving up north and deciding to get her AAT qualification, which she counts as her greatest work achievement.
What she does at Appleleaf
Emma handles bookkeeping for all sorts of clients – limited companies, partnerships, and sole traders, whether they’re large operations or smaller businesses.
On a daily basis, she’s uploading purchase invoices to software, reconciling bank accounts, and chasing down any missing information from clients to make year-end accounts run smoothly for the team. She also helps clients with software queries and trains both new and existing clients on how to use their accounting systems properly.
The thing she enjoys most about her job is working with clients and speaking with different people every day, as well as the fantastic team at Appleleaf. Everyone supports each other, which makes a real difference. Emma’s also the one answering the phone and the door in the office, so she’s usually the first friendly face you’ll meet.
When she’s not working, Emma’s either running, walking her dog, or spending time with family and friends. Her favourite holiday destination is Borneo – she’s been twice and would love to take her son there one day.
Here’s something people might not know about Emma: she’s a proper petrol head and used to do drag racing. So it’s perhaps not surprising that her childhood dream job was to become an Army engineer. She clearly likes a bit of speed and adventure.
Katherine (Kat) Day (MAAT)
Bookkeeper
Meet Kat
Katherine’s path into accountancy began at university, where she studied Business Management and discovered a real affinity for the accountancy modules. After graduating, she turned that interest into action, landing an apprenticeship at a local firm and completing her AAT qualification.
That was in August 2021, and nearly five years later, she’s found exactly where she belongs. After working across a few different sectors, including payroll, she counts finding the role she genuinely enjoys as her greatest professional achievement. For Katherine, that’s not something to take for granted.
What she does at Appleleaf
As a bookkeeper, Kat helps businesses stay on top of their numbers without the stress. That means keeping daily transactions accurate, making sure bills are paid, and ensuring records are audit-ready – so business owners can get on with running their business, confident that everything is in safe hands.
She works with all sorts of clients, from sole traders to larger limited companies across a wide range of industries. Her particular area of interest is VAT returns, and if you hand her a set of records that have arrived in a bit of a muddle, she’ll have them sorted out and neatly organised in no time. That’s the part of the job she enjoys most.
The best thing about working at Appleleaf for Kat is the people, and she enjoys working in a friendly, people-first atmosphere, which makes it more than just a workplace.
Life outside the office
When she’s not at work, Kat keeps herself busy – running, going to the gym, reading, and horse riding. She has run the Manchester Marathon and is considering an ultra-marathon in the future. No half measures here.
Her favourite holiday destination is Texas, specifically for Buc-ee’s – a gas station of truly legendary proportions where you can apparently buy almost anything bearing a beaver’s face. She’s adamant she needs to go back.
Growing up, Kat had her sights set on becoming a dentist, inspired by a family friend who always seemed to have the flashiest cars. The glamour was appealing. The squeamishness was not. As it turns out, keeping the books balanced is just as satisfying, and significantly less hands-on.
Payroll
Elle Howden
Meet Elle
Elle’s route into payroll was a bit unexpected. She’d just finished her degree in Fashion Communication at Nottingham Trent University and was working in bars when a friend reached out about a trainee graduate job as a Payroll Processor. She took the plunge and never looked back.
That was just over six years ago (October 2025 marked her six-year payroll anniversary), and in that time, she’s progressed from Trainee Payroll Administrator to Assistant Team Lead and now Payroll Manager at Appleleaf.
She’s proud of the skills and relationships she’s built during her time in the industry, and the extra responsibility has allowed her to develop even further while continuing to deliver accurate and reliable payrolls for clients.
What she does at Appleleaf
As Payroll Manager, Elle makes sure clients’ payroll runs smoothly and accurately every time. She handles everything from PAYE and auto enrolment to statutory payments, HMRC submissions, and year-end reporting – every detail gets her care and precision.
She also supports clients with onboarding new employees, processing leavers, and answering any payroll queries along the way. Her goal is to make payroll simple, compliant, and stress-free so clients can focus on growing their business whilst knowing their staff are paid correctly and on time.
Behind the numbers, Elle enjoys working with and creating relationships with our lovely clients whilst ensuring their payroll runs smoothly and staff are paid correctly and on time every payday. Payroll is a mission-critical task, and Elle is the woman for the job!
Life outside the office
When she’s not working, Elle enjoys photography and exploring new places. Her favourite holiday destination is Italy.
As a child, Elle wanted to be an astronaut. She might not have made it to space, but she’s certainly reached new heights in the payroll world.
Administration and compliance
Beth Cross
Meet Beth
Like a lot of people, Beth actually ‘fell’ into accountancy whilst exploring new career paths – and she hasn’t looked back since.
She began her journey in 2022 in a solely administrative role, then moved into finance as an Accounts Assistant Apprentice, which has been super exciting for learning and growing in this area. One of her proudest achievements so far is starting her AAT Apprenticeship in September 2025 – a huge step in developing her skills.
Before accountancy, Beth earned her NVQ in Pharmacy and spent five years as a Care Services Partner, running a department at just 21 years old and dispensing medications for care homes in the local area. Not many people know that about her.
What she does at Appleleaf
In her role, Beth supports the whole team with bookkeeping and general admin tasks that help keep operations running smoothly behind the scenes – from helping with bookkeeping to keeping the office organised, as well as studying for her qualification.
She specialises in AML compliance and managing company administration, as well as the never-ending Companies House updates. Another specialist area is client onboarding – she makes sure every client is brought on seamlessly with no headaches, so everything runs like clockwork from day one.
Beth works with a mix of clients, from sole traders to limited companies, helping them get started, stay compliant, and feel confident through smooth onboarding and AML checks.
Her role is a mix of numbers, organisation, and creativity. She loves connecting with people and networking, and you’ll more than likely see her pop up on LinkedIn.
Life outside the office
Outside of work, Beth regularly attends CrossFit several times a week to keep fit, so you’ll probably see her throwing around a barbell.
At weekends, she loves to treat herself to a Starbucks (Iced White Mocha, if anyone’s wondering).
She loves an abroad sunshine holiday (who doesn’t!). Her most recent visit was to Salou, where she explored PortAventura theme park. It was a perfect mix of relaxation and fun.
Her childhood dream job was to be a princess. These days, she might not wear a crown, but she does rule over the realm of admin and makes sure everything at Appleleaf runs like a well-organised kingdom.
We'd love to talk
If you are frustrated by your current accountant, or are looking to appoint an accountant or bookkeeper for the first time, the first step is an informal chat.
We get to find out a bit about your business and what you need, and you get a feel if we are the right fit for you. It’s all about chemistry.
Give us a call on 01472 287387 or complete the form and we will give you a call back.
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