When the first Alice House Hospice Golf Day to take place at Hartlepool Golf Club gets underway next month, a locally based financial adviser will be proud of what has been achieved.
Harrison Smith, who fronts a Hartlepool office for Corbridge’s wealth management company Emerald Associates, has been keen to do more work in the community since establishing a base in his hometown.
Harrison is looking to deliver financial health sessions in the workplace for employers and head into classrooms to offer the next generation advice – and he was keen to support local charity Alice House Hospice.
Alice House Golf Day will take place at Hartlepool Golf Club on Friday, March 22 and is already on track to be a sell-out – with sponsorship opportunities still available.
Harrison Smith, Financial Adviser, Emerald Associates said: “When I first met up with Greg Hildreth from Alice House the golf day was an idea that we spoke about – and it’s gone from there. It’s the perfect combination really because so many of the club’s captains over the years have chosen Alice House as their chosen charity.
“The golf day should be a fantastic occasion and what’s exciting is that we have seen already that the support is there for this to come back again and again. That would be amazing. I can’t wait for the event to come around and I’m excited at the prospect of seeing golfers head out on to the course and battle it out for the right to win the Alice House Golf Day.”
Harrison moved into his own office at Hartlepool’s HartlePower Community Interest Company (CIC)’s Greenbank, Stranton, Business Centre last summer. He represents Emerald Associates, who are based in Northumberland.
The 27-year-old, who studied for the Chartered Institute of Insurance Diploma in Regulated Financial Planning, has expert support from an established company boasting 160 years of experience – and the green and white colours of Emerald Associates’ branding is prominent. Harrison is keen to pass on that vast expertise to the people in his hometown.
“I love Hartlepool,” said Harrison, a graduate of Francis Marion University in South Carolina, USA. “Apart from the four years I had in America, I have always been here. I decided I wanted to be back here because it is home, I didn’t see myself anywhere else.
“After returning from playing football at university and some third division standard football in Alabama out there, I got back and was an area manager with a nationwide supermarket chain but didn’t want to stay in retail. I didn’t feel I was helping people.
“I joined Emerald as a relatively new adviser in January 2021 and I’m now self-employed associated with a practice with huge knowledge of the industry. I have wanted to do more in our Hartlepool community and it has already been great to link with fantastic organisations such as HartlePower and Alice House Hospice.”
Harrison believes there is a greater need in the area to help others understand more about their financial situations. He will generally provide a no obligation consultation to hear what an individual or a business would like to achieve in an informal fashion.
Harrison said: “I want to provide financial advice and make it available to everyone – whether that is personal or corporate clients, there is always something you can do.
“A big part of financial planning is giving yourself time, don’t think about it five years away from retirement for example. The earlier you do it; the more attainable people’s goals are. I want to help.”
To contact Harrison check out his adviser hub linktr.ee/harrisonsmithea [linktr.ee]