20 years of Just Audit
- The Just Audit team
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
Team celebrations July 2026
“So much has changed in twenty years – the technology and pace mainly – but what has stayed the same is the importance of connections, relationships and consistency”Rachel Davis, MD and founder of Just Audit
In July 2026, the Just Audit team, now almost 20-strong, gathered together in Derbyshire to celebrate the successful, independent audit model that has supported accountancy firms and their clients for 20 years. The team spent 3 days together, each traveling from home offices from across the UK, to share knowledge, attend training sessions and workshops and enjoy some downtime as a team.
“We have worked from home offices since we began” explained Associate Director, David Fletcher. “As we undertake audits across the UK it has always made the most sense for our team to be based up and down the country, making us agile and efficient. It also supports our approach of having the same staff on every audit, adding depth and understanding with every contact. However, getting together in person is a real high point for us all.”
The three team days included a mix of technical training and soft-skills workshops combined to create interesting and thought-provoking learning across the whole team.
A fascinating IT workshop covered AI within the context of audit, with sustainability being a key focus – understanding how to use AI with minimal impact on the environment. Using AI securely and responsibly was also an important focus.
Skill sessions on “Personal Organisation and Time Management” and “Managing Productive Relationships” were led by Bob Malloney (an ex-KPMG colleague of Rachel’s) who covered a lot of ground challenging ways of working for maximum effectiveness – from having a clear office environment to time discipline and learning how to avoid distractions.
“Guidance for audits of small and medium entities” was presented by Jez Williams of Apex. He covered guidance on Practice Note 28 and our approach to audit planning. Finally we discussed the ethics training film “Crossing the Line” produced by ICAEW which provided lots of food for thought and debate.
Away from the classroom, the Just Audit team took advantage of the beautiful weather and stunning Peak District with a good walk in Dovedale, taking in fresh air and the famous stepping stones. A cookery session at New Farm Catering in Hanbury, in the spirit of MasterChef, provided another opportunity for a collective experience. Split into 4 groups, everyone learned how to cook a variety of delicious street food which was judged by the cookery school before it was eaten together afterwards – very civilised!
A team dinner was held at Callow Hall with an outdoor, private dining, barbecue experience. Rachel and David entertained everyone by reflecting on the past 20 years, complete with anecdotes and legendary tales, a ‘state of the nation’ about where Just Audit is right now – and a look to the future. They presented in the style of history teachers, complete with all the props - the evening was a great success.
A most valuable 3 days was had by everyone - with plenty of time devoted to learning and knowledge sharing but with the opportunity for the team to be together in person. Once the formal 3 days had ended, those staying longer and living locally enjoyed working together in the available meeting room, which proved to be a great way to regroup after a busy few days.
Comments