Page 68 • The HERALD • 29th October 2026 v THE HERALD - SUPPORTING LOCAL BUSINESS v ASK A PROFESSIONAL LJM Bookkeeping Services I provide a range of accounting and business services to individuals, partnerships, charities and small businesses. I am licenced through the Institute of Certified Bookkeepers for the following services. Bookkeeping, Computerised Accounting Software, Final Year End Accounts, Payroll Management, CIS, VAT, Self Assessment Tax for Individuals and Construction Industry Scheme, Statutory Accounts for Small Businesses including Corporation Tax and related submissions, Holiday cover can also be provided for, hourly rates charged. Please contact Lynda McIntyre Email: ljmbookkeepingservices@gmail.com Telephone: 07774 790543 BRYANT & CO Chartered Accountants & Business Advisers We provide a wide range of accounting and business services to individuals, partnerships and limited companies. We specialise in working with family owned businesses, providing guidance and advice as appropriate. Our services include: • Annual Accounts • Bookkeeping • VAT • Payroll and CIS • Personal and Corporate Tax Returns • Management Accounts • Business Advice • We also provide training on the use of Sage and Quickbooks, and the implementation of computerised and manual accounting systems. • Meetings can be arranged to suit your needs, including evenings and weekends if more convenient to you. • The initial meeting is free of charge, regardless of the length of time, as we believe it is important to develop a good working relationship from the outset. • All fees are agreed in advance of any work being undertaken. Please call Peter or Lisa on 023 8089 4982 to arrange a meeting to discuss your business needs. You can also contact Peter on 07976 808969, or email us at info@bryantandcompany.co.uk Have a look at our website www.bryantandcompany.co.uk for a fuller understanding of our business. Charities Warned To Up Their Game On Cyber Security For Donors Advice from Azets Charities in Hampshire need to seriously up their game on cyber security to avoid customer data being hacked by criminals, warns Siobhan Holmes, a specialist in not-for-pro t organisations such as charities. “Encryption alone is not enough - strong identity, access management and robust policies are equally vital,” says Siobhan. Siobhan is a partner at accountancy and business advisory rm Azets, which has o ces locally in Southampton (Chandler’s Ford), Portsmouth and Havant. She provided the stark reminder a er a customer relationship management (CRM) platform used by more than 1,000 charities through a single technology provider was breached. Siobhan said: “The hack highlights just how dependent the fundraising sector has become on shared technology providers. For hackers, many charities have an ‘Achilles’ heel’ when it comes to IT, shooting their virtual arrows through thin firewalls to wreak havoc. Charities do need to significantly strengthen their cyber security to avoid customer data being stolen and used to commit financial fraud such as taking out credit cards or loans in the names of donors. Let’s be clear – registered charities in the UK in 24/25 had a total income of £102 billion, with millions of customers on databases, so the sector represents a soft target with the prospect of rich customer data pickings; the reputational damage this could cause is immeasurable. Micro and small charities make up around 75% of the charity sector, with incomes of less than £10,000 and up to £100,000 respectively. The risk prompt an important question which is not just ‘how secure are we?’ but ‘how secure are the suppliers and platforms we rely on?’ With cyber attacks continuing to affect organisations across the sector, cyber resilience must be viewed as a fundamental part of governance, risk management and safeguarding public trust. Protecting beneficiaries, donors and sensitive data is no longer solely the responsibility of IT teams – it’s the responsibility of people in charge of the charity which includes the trustees who perhaps are out of their depth when it comes to IT. Cyber security should not only be a key item on the risk register, but it should also be a standing item for Board meetings to ensure strong governance and challenge by the trustees.” One of the lessons from the breach was that a single and access controls”. An AWS access key is a security credential to verify who you are and whether you have permission to get under the bonnet of the computer programme. Siobhan said: “Although the data was encrypted at rest, the attacker used valid credentials to access and download information in a readable form. Encryption alone is not enough. Strong identity and access management are equally vital. If major corporate brands such as Jaguar Land Rover and M&S can be hit, so can charities. Charities with CRMs need to urgently review cyber security and seek professional advice – it is not something that can be scrimped on.” ere are nearly 171,400-plus registered charities in the UK, according to latest sector gures, with 1.7m employees, 6.5m volunteers and more than 921,000 trustees. Earlier this year Siobhan also urged charities and not-for-pro t organisations to ensure their procedures and records are watertight in light of new and intensi ed compliance activity by HMRC. Siobhan Holmes compromised AWS access key was enough to enable the attack, “demonstrating the critical importance of credential management of being in the crosshairs of cyber thieves is therefore even higher because many charities simply cannot afford to make their CRMs as impregnable as they can be.” Charities use a CRM portal, either in-house or through a technology provider, to collect donations online, sell event tickets, manage memberships and email updates to customers. Siobhan added: “For trustees, executives and finance leaders, the major CRM breach must
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTIyNzI=