This month our interview is with Gillian Messer, Tax Manager at our Gosforth office, who gives us an insight into her role, interests and coping with working life in 2021.
About Gillian’s role
What does your role entail?
My job largely involves preparing self-assessment tax forms and assisting people with all manner of personal tax queries.
What do you look forward to most when you start work each day?
I really enjoy speaking to clients and helping them to understand the tax process. Being able to explain something a lot of people find quite complicated, and them understanding, is really quite rewarding.
How have the events of the last 18 months changed your way of working?
I did spend a lot of my time working from home at the beginning of Covid and home schooling my children, which was challenging at times. I am pleased to be back in the office now and getting back to a new normality.
Outside of work
When you’re not working, what do you enjoy doing?
I really enjoy reading and keeping fit. Both help me relax and exercise helps me to feel better and cope with the stresses of modern life. I love a good police murder mystery book and would happily read for hours if I had the time.
What are your top tips for a relaxing day?
A walk with my family is always nice. Nothing beats a good walk around somewhere like Herrington Park or along Seaham beach, followed by a trip to Lickety Splits ice cream parlour of course!
Favourites
What is your favourite song and what do you like about it?
I don’t really do favourites. I like a wide range of music with everything from Motown to dance and everything in between. I am currently really enjoying Oliva Rodrigo’s new album Sour.
And your favourite food?
Anything and everything, although you can’t beat a nice cup of coffee and slice of cake from my local tearoom.
And finally…
If you could travel anywhere tomorrow, where would you go and why?
I would love to go to New York at Christmas time. It’s a place that is most definitely on my bucket list and it looks so festive and inviting at Christmas time in particular.
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