HTFT’s James Read is much more than a brilliant tutor – and here’s why…
When James Read logs into his live online AAT sessions students see a dedicated tutor with expert knowledge and a genuine interest in them doing well. What they perhaps don’t know about are the many miles he’s driven into a war zone!
We often think of our tutors as existing solely within the confines of their specialisms, experts in the latest accounting standards, tax rules and exam skills who appear on our screens and vanish afterwards. James reminds us this couldn’t be further from the truth.
Having worked for HTFT Partnership since 2023, James has built a reputation for going above and beyond. Not only do his students achieve excellent results, he makes sure they feel supported. He’s the tutor who notices when you’re struggling before you’ve even asked for help.
But after class James doesn’t always pack away his computer and go home. Instead, you may well find he’s planning his next humanitarian trip to Ukraine, organising collections of medical supplies, co-ordinating volunteer drivers, and yes, personally delivering evacuation vehicles such as 4x4s and vans to the front line.
It all started when the war began in 2022 and people in his village asked if he would set up a collection point at his home. It quickly grew and James became part of a local support group, initially delivering donated aid to women and children refugees evacuated to Poland, living in cold warehouses and disused schools. What they saw and heard there inspired them to do more.
James is part of a group that take vehicles from the UK to be used to evacuate injured soldiers from the front line and the elderly from villages under threat. Sadly, these vehicles have a very limited lifespan, but it’s hugely rewarding: the last van they delivered rescued 30 people before being destroyed. The group are all volunteers who finance the trips themselves, though donations from locals helps with fuel and channel crossings. James also gives talks and arranges fundraising events. It takes up far too much time and after each trip they vow it will be their last, but what they see drives them on to one more.
On one trip to Sokal, James and his team were taken to a meeting place and treated to lunch. The people were so delighted they had come, not only to bring aid but to show support. As it turned out, their presence was almost as important as the aid itself.
Although conversations flowed using hand gestures and laughter, nobody had much idea as to what was being said. They then loaded a minibus with wheelchairs and medical equipment and headed to a hospital in Lviv for amputee soldiers returning from the frontline. The drive highlighted the devastation in the country, which on reflection never fails to remind us how incredibly lucky we are to live where we do.
The accountancy profession has always been about more than debits and credits, and James is a great example of that. So next time you’re in a live session remember your tutor isn’t just someone who teaches accountancy. They have other interests, care about the world we live in, and some are prepared to do something about it.
That’s the kind of accountant the profession needs.
