We’ve had a brilliant 2023 and we can’t wait to see what 2024 has in store (although we will be taking some time to recharge first, of course).

First of all we want to say a huge thank you to our brilliant clients and colleagues, who are the absolutely essential ingredients in the outstanding year we’ve had.
So as we sign off, we thought we’d look back on some of the standout highlights of the last 12 months. Don’t worry, it’s quite short. We really do need a break.

• We grew our team – almost every area of our business grew this year; from private client to broking and operations, we’ve loved seeing new colleagues join us to help us give our clients the service and cover they need. Our culture is really important to us and it’s been absolutely enriched by our new team members.

• We grew our business – as we work with more businesses and private individuals, we’re very pleased to say they often tell their friends about us. As well as continuing renewals from our expanding client base, we were fortunate enough to welcome new clients to the Blackford fold right across our business.

• We won an award – no-one likes a show-off, we know. But we were genuinely, truly, slap-our-thighs delighted to be named Best Newcomer at the British Insurance Awards in the summer (ah, remember summer?). We were beyond proud to have been recognised for our people-first, values-led approach and the ‘evident team spirit’ noted by the judges. Our mums still haven’t stopped talking about it.

• We’re living ‘Insurance for the good of everyone.’ – you might have read these words on our website; it’s our vision of how the insurance industry should contribute to a better world. We’re tackling this lofty ambition with small but meaningful steps like making sure that we support charities and good causes throughout the year. Our colleagues have a week each year for voluntary work, and we lent a hand at It’s Good 2 Give’s Ripple Retreat and Camphill School Aberdeen, as well as taking on a community litter clear-up and helping out at a Cancer Research shop in Aberdeen. This is something we’re really passionate about and we’re always looking for new ways to contribute in ways that count.

• We supported the arts – The Edinburgh International Festival and Edinburgh International Book Festival are two of the pillar events showcased in Scotland and appreciated globally each year, so we were incredibly proud to continue our partnerships with each of them this year. We really tried not to talk about insurance at the various events we attended, too. We want to be able to go back next year.

And that’s our 2023 wrapped! It’s always great to look back on what’s happened in the last year, but we’re really excited about the future. There are some fantastic opportunities on the horizon, and as we always say – we’re ready for anything.

Have a safe and peaceful Christmas and new year, from all of us at Blackford.