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About WD&A

We are a friendly and happy team of financial advisers and support staff, with over 200 years of collective experience in financial services. Whilst we are highly-qualified in our profession, our clients really value the calm, pragmatic and plain-talking approach we take. There is no need for complicated terminology. Our job is to translate the complexity into simplicity.

Quality, Experience & Trust
30 years experiece badge 100 entrusted employees

Founded in 1992 by William Dixon, the company has grown from strength to strength and successfully navigated clients through the peaks and troughs of the world of finance. We are small enough to keep a very personal relationship with the people we work with, but large enough to offer stability and consistency. We are proud to have been entrusted with over £100m of people’s money and we respect that no matter how large or small their net-worth is, their money is very important to them. We are part of The Openwork Partnership, one of the largest networks of financial advisers in the country. We are proudly one of the partnership’s largest partners in the South West and have recently been selected along with only three other firms to join their growth initiative, which is testament to our client outcomes, direction and vision.

Our people

Our people tend to join us and stay with us for a very long time. We have a really flexible working culture here at WD&A and enjoy a close, friendly atmosphere amongst our colleagues. Our financial advisers, management team and support staff come from a variety of backgrounds and we are able to match our clients with the most suitable adviser for their needs.. We are a growing team too, with high ambitions.

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Will Dixon

Director & Financial Planning Consultant




Will is the founder of the business and is a fully qualified Financial Planning Consultant, advising on a broad range of areas including regulated pensions, investments and small business advice. Will deals with both individual clients and small businesses and has extensive experience over the last 30 years since he set the business up. Will is a family man and keen runner. You may find him running up a mountain in his spare time!

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Rob Edney

Director & Financial Planning Consultant




Rob is a fully qualified Financial Planning Consultant with over 25 years experience in the industry. Rob tends to specialise in advising clients on their Pension & Investment requirements, which range from simple investments to more complex inheritance tax planning. Rob has a wealth of experience in consolidating pension plans and advising clients on how best to draw their income in retirement using detailed technology and analysis tools. Rob has also helped many clients in reducing their tax liability through investing in tax efficient wrappers. Rob is an avid golfer, with a handicap that is the envy of many of his peers!

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Adam Cockerham

Director & Chartered Financial Planner




Adam is a Chartered Financial Planner and prides himself in providing a very down to earth and honest approach to client’s financial needs. Adam is a Financial Adviser based in Bath, Bradford on Avon and the surrounding areas. Adam specialises in investment and retirement planning, inheritance tax planning and tax efficient planning and structures. Adam became a junior shareholder and director of the company in April 2021. You can learn more about him here Adam likes to spend his spare time with his wife and two young children, whilst also enjoying his food and wine!

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Helen Foster

Director & Mortgage/Protection Adviser




Helen brings a wealth of experience to WD&A, having worked as the Practice Manager for the past 12 years. After having her daughter in 2014, Helen decided to obtain the industry qualifications to progress her role into a Financial Adviser and now helps clients obtain mortgages as well as advises on protection policies. Helen also works on the firm’s bigger projects and manages the administration department of the business and ensures clients are continually receiving a high level of service. Helen is now enjoying her now home which her and her husband built from scratch. Having done this before, they are now quite the experts!

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Cath Coughlan

Chartered Financial Planner




Cath joined us in January 2012 as a fully qualified Chartered Financial Planner. Cath has many years experience in the Financial Services industry. Cath started out her career training and developing other financial advisers and has a wealth of experience. She has an analytical mind and is detail-orientated. Cath has recently become a Fellow of the Personal Finance Society which is one of the highest accolades available for financial advisers. If Cath isn’t looking at financial data, you can find her on the tennis court!

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Joshua Harding-Wyatt

Chartered Financial Planner




Josh is very passionate about financial education and enjoys helping clients put plans in place to achieve their financial goals and aspirations. He specialises on a wide range of financial areas including; Retirement Planning & Pension, Savings & Investments, Mortgages inc Residential and Buy to Lets and Personal and business protection.

Josh has worked in the Financial Services industry for over 12 years gaining valuable industry knowledge and is Chartered Status.

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Clare Bamford

Personal Assistant




Clare joined us in 2014, initially on a part-time maternity cover basis but decided to stay. Clare’s wealth of experience as a Senior Project Manager over the past 10 years means that she is used to keeping projects to schedule and communicating with a range of clients. Clare works alongside Will, managing his projects and liaising with his clients to ensure that projects are kept on track and any problems that arise are dealt with quickly and efficiently.

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Rachel Collier

Personal Assistant




Rachel has worked in Financial Services for 12 years, more recently working with Nolan Phillips Financial since 2016 until it became part of William Dixon and Associates Ltd. Rachel works closely with Adam and alongside the other advisers, ensuring the smooth running and processing of their business. Rachel also works alongside Helen with completing projects for the business.

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Michelle Heaford

Personal Assistant




Michelle joined the company in November 2019 working part time as a Personal Assistant for Rob Edney. Michelle has worked closely alongside Helen who has provided her training and knowledge of the role. Michelle has over 30 years of administration experience, her first role being within Corporate Taxation and last role Account Managing within a manufacturing business.

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Daniel Gratton

Financial Planner




Dan is a Qualified Financial Planner who prides himself on presenting advice in an easily understandable way, ensuring that jargon is kept to a minimum and that client needs are met in the most suitable and timely fashion. Dan specialises in retirement and investment planning and additionally provides a full mortgage and protection service. Dan likes to spend time with his family and friends and is an avid gym goer and tennis player. In his down time he can be found trying out new restaurants and enjoying a good glass of wine!

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Cole Gunning

Financial Planner




Cole is a qualified Financial Planner, achieved through the London Institute of banking and finance. The most important thing to him is making sure our clients receive an exceptional service, while working together to achieve your financial goals. Cole loves a challenge, which is probably due to having three children, two of which are one year old twins! When Cole isn’t helping our clients (and his children allow him some free time) you will likely find him watching films, playing guitar or tending to his vast collection of memorabilia.

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Sam Bowrey

Financial Planning Consultant




Sam’s planning focuses on promoting financial mindfulness amongst his clients. He likes to ensure that his clients have an opportunity to answer the questions that are most important to them, so that financial plans can be built that align with their specific needs and objectives. He has extensive experience across a wide range of matters including; detailed cashflow planning, savings & investments, pensions, and inheritance tax planning. Sam is a keen golfer, who is trying (badly) to put together a respectable handicap.

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Mandy McCarthy

Personal Assistant




Mandy has recently joined the team to work part-time supporting the Operations Director with projects and also the Adviser team with supporting their clients needs. Having worked within the Education sector for the past ten years, now that her three children are a little older, she has decided to join the private sector, drawing on her previous experience of project management. Mandy is a keen baker and spends most of her spare time in the garden, accompanied by her two dogs and seven chickens!

We are part of The Openwork Partnership

The Openwork Partnership is one of UK’s largest and longest-established financial advice and investment companies.

Through many changes and challenges we have been a constant presence for over 45 years. We have served over two generations of clients and together seen a lot of change

Every firm is individual and distinct, yet we share values and standards with each other - for the benefit of our clients. As a Partnership we work together to:

  • Make sure we work to the highest standards of compliance and regulation.
  • Fully research the financial products available and work with product providers to secure the best solutions for our clients.
  • Access correct training and professional development.
  • Sustain quality standards in the advice we give our clients.

Giving back

We’re proud to support the Openwork Foundation registered charity (number 1184592).

Their mission will always be to make a positive difference to vulnerable children and adults; from new-born babies to those in later life. The Foundation provides grants to registered charities, helping those most in need in our communities.

Over £20.5m has been donated since 1981, thanks to the generosity of the businesses and members of the Openwork Group, supporting hundreds of thousands of vulnerable people in the UK and overseas.

Find out more about The Openwork Foundation.