Testimonials
Here is a selection of testimonials we have received for our advisers. Thank you to our clients for your warm words!
Please note: due to client confidentiality, we have attributed the testimonials with the initial of their surname.
For John Ditchfield
“John has been my IFA for over eight years and has provided with me clear and sound advice over those years. He is extremely efficient and very easy to work with. His scrupulous character and ability to provide sound independent advice has led me to recommend him to other barristers and solicitors and they have been equally praiseworthy in the way he has managed and improved their pensions and investments.”
Mr S, Barrister, London
“I have known Barchester Green Investment and my principal contact there, John Ditchfield, since 2006. My pension provisions were consolidated and transferred to a SIPP allowing me more direct control over my pension provision. This was all undertaken by Barchester Green Investment and overseen by John.
“Investment advice from John is considered and thoughtful and is provided on commission, fee or a mix of the two. This flexibility suits my needs well.
“I have retained the direct management of my stocks and shares ISAs; however, I keep John updated on their performance and, where he sees gaps, or investment opportunities which I have not exploited he draws it to my attention.
“I value an open and transparent relationship with a trusted advisor – I am satisfied I have exactly that.
“I am pleased to introduce Barchester Green Investment and John, in particular, to others in need of professional investment advice.”
Mr L, Leeds
“When I first met John Ditchfield I was disillusioned with the quality of financial advice I received and had also decided to take a more ethical approach to investment and for the first time I felt as if someone took a genuine interest in my financial affairs. I wanted my financial position to be handled completely separately from my husbands, we are both higher rate tax payers and I wanted to be dealt with as an individual in my own right. I needed to increase the size of my pension although I wanted to build an investment portfolio also.
“Over the years John’s advice has guided me through a very turbulent market and currently my pension is worth more than it was before the recession. My other investments have also held up well and I have the satisfaction of knowing that this has been achieved whilst taking a generally ethical view of investment. Whenever we meet John has researched new investments for me to consider, all my investments can be viewed online so I can always check my position. I find John very approachable and feel he works hard for his clients to ensure their future.”
Mrs H, Oxshott
“I first contacted Barchester Green Investment in 2004 as I had a lump sum to invest and had very little idea about financial matters. It was very important to, me that any investment was done ethically so I was interested to see what was suggested. John came to see me and took details of my financial provisions for the future (very little!), the lump sum available, current funds and which areas I would be happy to invest in and which I definitely would not want to be involved in. He gave clear explanations about investing and was happy to go over matters I was not clear about. I found this very reassuring and helped to build my confidence in dealing with investment issues. I have been very pleased at the performance of my investments and I received clear reports about companies invested in which are interesting, and in cases supporting renewable energy sources (for example) its nice to know you have some small input. We meet once a year to catch up on my portfolio and make any adjustments that need to be made for the coming year. I have been very happy with the service I have received from Barchester Green Investment as a whole and from John Ditchfield in particular and I am very glad to continue to receive financial advice from him.”
Mrs P, Hull
For Vanessa Kelley
“Vanessa Kelly has been advising us on all financial matters, including my wife’s private pension, for 20 years. She has always been proactive, and has a full grasp of our ongoing situation, responding to market and budgetary changes. She visits us twice a year and is clearly up-to-date on changes. We trust her completely and cannot recommend her too highly.”
Dr & Mrs S, Cranbrook
“As a self employed person my earned income has been somewhat unpredictable through most of the eight years that Vanessa has been my IFA. Yet she has always been meticulous in basing her investment advice on a thorough review of my latest circumstances and both long and short-term predictions to my financial needs. She is never remotely “pushy”, constantly emphasising the need to retain sufficient funds in accessible bank and building society accounts to meet any emergencies. I would describe Vanessa as thoroughly professional, 100% reliable and with her heart very much in the right place.”
Ms W, Brighton
“We have trusted Vanessa with our finances for nearly 15 years now, she has seen us through marriage, children, house purchases, job changes … and we have always felt more secure knowing that she was looking after us, and also that she had our ethical interests at heart. It feels like we are talking to a like minded fellow human being who is honest and open. She also walks the walk, as she doesn’t own a car!”
Mr & Mrs B, Brighton
“Vanessa Kelley has been our friendly pensions advisor at Infinity Foods for the last 7 years. She is both knowledgeable and very helpful about all aspects of pensions investments and has helped us with our ethical pensions investment choices. We would happily recommend her to any company or individual looking to find a suitable ethically funded pension.”
Infinity Foods, Brighton
“Vanessa has great green credentials – she always arrives on foot – and gives great green advice. We are very pleased with the ethical savings and other general policies she has recommended for us and are impressed with Vanessa’s diligence – she’s always happy to research any points we raise.”
Ms S, Brighton
“It was so brilliant to meet someone who had a similar conscience to mine and who understood money. Vanessa is brilliant. She explains stuff when I don’t understand it. She doesn’t when I’m not really very interested. And tells me what to do when I forget to do it, as do her support staff – I’ve had a few reminders here and there!
“I feel blessed to have found in Vanessa a person that I really do trust.”
Ms K, East Sussex
For Bernard Lovesy
“About 25 years ago my husband and I saw an advertisement for Barchester Green Investment in an ecological magazine and decided to consult them about a small investment. We were visited by one of their senior consultants and were soon impressed by the friendly straightforward advice we were given and the ethical principles on which it was founded. We took their advice and made our investment, and, in the two decades since, we have received unfailingly trustworthy advice and detailed information about the progress of other investments made for us by Barchester. This has been given to us by annual visits to our home, and our confidence has grown that Barchester takes as much care with modest investments as with those from wealthier clients.
“In a very practical way our consultant acted like a personal friend when he gave me helpful guidance gratuitously to obtain probate after my husband’s death in 1999. His successor at Barchester Green Investment has continued in the same friendly and thorough way, helping me and my children set up a family trust fund. I set great value on the integrity and expertise of Barchester Green Investment and their staff.”
Mrs A, Lymington
“We have, since we were first introduced to Barchester Green Investment, always been appreciative of the help and advice we have received from Bernard Lovesy. We are confident that our funds are invested so as to meet out ethical concerns, as well as providing us with satisfactory returns.”
Mr & Mrs M, Eastbourne
“I have been associated with a senior member of the company since 1992. The English cricket team could learn from him what a “safe pair of hands” really means. He has never advised me wrongly and I would never change my financial adviser from Barchester Green Investment.”
Mr D, Bournemouth
“Very happy with the service provided by all staff at Barchester Green Investment – always good honest advice from Bernard explained in a way that is easily understood.”
Mr G, Salisbury
“We have always been very confident in the advice and management of our financial affairs that Mr Lovesy has offered to us and hope that he will continue to act as our financial adviser even though we anticipate a move to Cambridgeshire to be nearer our family in the near future.”
Mr & Mrs R, Fordingbridge
“Barchester’s wide ranging knowledge of ethical matters has given us peace of mind over 25 years. Later Mr Lovesy gave good advice when I moved into a retirement flat – much appreciated.”
“Barchester have advised us since the mid-1980’s into good ethical lines of investment; so for us a clear conscience. And Mr Lovesy’s kindly help in my latest home move (being widowed now) saw me through negotiations. Blessed be Barchester!”
Mrs C, Salisbury
For Tim Bradford
“I chose Barchester Green Investment because I wanted to invest only in ethical funds. What I didn’t realise was that I’d also chosen financial advisers whom I could trust entirely, who would answer any questions I had, quickly and completely, and who would also keep me informed.”
Mrs G, London
“Tim has been absolutely fantastic throughout the whole process (our very complicated house purchase). We’ve both been continually impressed by your responsiveness, dedication and sensitivity. Thanks so much for making this process so smooth and effortless.”
Mr & Mrs C, London
“Please find enclosed some vouchers as a token of our appreciation for the advice you have given us. You do great work … I wish there were more people in world like you and your colleagues at Barchester Green.”
Mr S, London
“The problems with the lease have been a concern but I feel very reassured by what you said and that it is something that can be dealt with. I know you have been working very hard with the solicitor to pull everything together for me and, as always, I am incredibly grateful for all you do. Most of which you quietly do without me even knowing about and I wanted to let you know how thankful I am for all your help.”
Ms B, Devon
For Jonathon Clark
“I’ve had fifteen years of a secure and ethical financial relationship (with Barchester Green Investment) while hardly being aware of it, and that’s the best sort!”
Dr P, Bedfordshire
“In the past, we have not had financial advisers who were not exclusively ethical but just looked for ethical investments according to our brief. This has meant that quite frequently investments that we were not happy with slipped through the net as part of larger bundles and the fact that they did not really believe in the importance of ethical investment has meant that the investments were not necessarily the best ones. With Barchester Green Investment, we know that the investments are truly ones we feel comfortable with and, over a very trying financial period, we are probably in as good a financial position as we could be.”
Mr & Mrs G, Colchester
“The most refreshing straightforward and helpful advice I have experienced. It’s hard to explain just how much more comfortable one feels using ethical and environmental funds. Jonathan is brilliant at demystifying financial planning.”
Ms E, Cambridge
“I am an 84-year-old pensioner who has been a client for almost ten years, and who from the outset was very much in need of guidance through the complexities of managing a very small pension income.
“Even though I must be a relatively modest investor, I have received much more than just skilful guidance to ethical investment from Jonathon Clark and his team.
“This might sound strange in a business endorsement, but I want to attest that I feel more than just a client. I feel more like a valued elderly relative in an extended family, given great reassurance and treated with patience, kindness and understanding throughout all my anxieties regarding the current economic situation.
“To sum up, I have been made to feel:
sheltered from the vagaries of the market
protected from the chill winds of recession
valued as a human being, not merely a client.”Mr B, London
“I provisionally contacted Barchester Green Investment having seen an article regarding the company and its ethical way of working in a magazine, some months prior to my retirement, to discuss how I should proceed. Mr J Clarke kindly came to visit me at my place of work early one morning where he took all relevant details and suggested when I eventually retired I should contact Barchester again to proceed in setting up an annuity and investment of savings.
“The annuity and investments have been duly completed, painlessly, and at all times we were given sound advice within what we considered to be our ethical boundaries for investing and much research went into obtaining the best annuity available at the time. We were kept fully informed throughout the process by Jonathan Clark and his team and we are fully satisfied with both our treatment and the final outcome and would have no reservation in recommending the services of Barchester Green Investment to anyone, particularly if they have ethical investment concerns.
“All contact and advice was both cordial and friendly – making what was a very serious, searching and finite decision as stress free as possible.”
Mr & Mrs W, Lymington
For Rupert Lovesy
“I have been using Barchester Green Investment for many years now. I have stuck with them because they have always met my needs. They have been patient, attentive and thorough. I have been assigned different advisors over the years and my current advisor is Rupert Lovesy who fits the excellent BGI FSA model well. Another, and I think important aspect is that they have kept up with changing market conditions not only in the investments that are available but also in the methods by which investments are made which is a great benefit to me as a client. Last but not least, I like the ethical investment side of it and the fine tuning of a client’s idea of ethics balanced against possible investment results.”
Mr C, Bristol
“Just to say that Rupert visited me today and was fantastic – he explained everything very clearly and I am totally assured about any concerns I had. He was really professional and clear about everything.”
Ms C, Bristol
“My retirement started in January 2010, I needed help with buying a pension annuity. Your firm was recommended to me by my son who works for an insurance company in the town.
“I made an appointment to see Rupert Lovesy, who reviewed my financial position and made several recommendations. He took care of my pension and investments, his dealings with my affairs have always been professional and his manner friendly and helpful.
“Later in the year when I needed to set up a trust, I contacted Rupert and he set the whole thing up with the minimum of fuss. I was very pleased with all the work that Rupert has undertaken on my behalf, he keeps me informed of developments and I feel he can be contacted should I need to.”
Mr C, Salisbury
“The service I have received from Rupert has been excellent. It has been very convenient because he has visited me at home. He took the time to fully evaluate all aspects of my financial situation and then went through his advice with me, answering any questions that I had.
“So far, I have been very happy with the advice that I have received and am especially pleased to know that my money is now invested in ethical funds.
“All my money transfers have gone smoothly and Barchester has always kept me up to date with their progress. Using Barchester has made looking after my finances much easier as they do all the hard work and form filling!”
Mrs L, Somerset
For Andrew Faulkner
“Thank you for your time and clarity in explaining the services Barchester could offer me. Your fees were much the same as the other fully-qualified financial advisors I have met. However, I particular like the ethical expertise you demonstrated so well, and hence I would like you to accept your fee proposal as detailed at our meeting.”
Mrs E, Salisbury
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