Earlier this year, Cherry Godfrey turned thirty and, fittingly, celebrated this milestone with a fantastic event on the Isle of Wight. This event was testament to our remarkable growth; from our beginnings as a finance brokage in Guernsey into a fully rounded financial services company in Guernsey, Jersey, Isle of Man and on the Isle of Wight. The recent launch of our mortgage and insurance business on the IOW marks the successful completion of our five-year plan, to offer all products, to all customers across our four jurisdictions.
Underpinning our thirty years of service is our firm belief in the uniqueness of our people and our services. Read on for some unique insights from Andrew Tapsell, Managing Director, and Sarah Alabie, newly appointed Insurance Director from the Isle of Wight team as they share details of the complete service offered by Cherry Godfrey for all Islanders and why it’s such an exciting new chapter for Cherry Godfrey on the IOW.
What’s happened in the last two years?
Andrew said “September marked the second anniversary of Cherry Godfrey, Isle of Wight’s authorisation by the FCA. For the past two years, we have set about getting to know everyone on the Island and letting you get to know us. Everyone has been so welcoming, and we really appreciate the support we have had for our finance business in the last few years. We hear all the time that our customers love the fact that we are a friendly team, that they can just pop in to see us face-to-face - which is something we are really proud of, as traditional values and customer service is what we are all about and it’s becoming harder and harder to find these days.”
What makes CG unique?
Cherry Godfrey has come a long way since David and Selena Cherry (née Godfrey) decided to open a finance brokerage in Guernsey. The business has enjoyed significant growth, whilst retaining family values and dedication to traditional customer service at its heart.
When asked what makes Cherry Godfrey so unique, Sarah said: “The family ethos and culture in general is excellent. I have never worked anywhere where you honestly feel like your opinion matters and you are heard from day one, regardless of your position. Our dedication to family values and a harmonious working atmosphere is fundamental to the service we offer our customers and neighbours on the islands”.
The Isle of Wight team all agree that it is the personal approach that separates Cherry Godfrey from the competition. Sarah continued “When you begin your conversation with a member of the Cherry Godfrey team, you have the comfort of knowing that you won’t be cast adrift in a sea of other call-centre enquiries, listening to on-hold music for ages. With Cherry Godfrey, the same person on the end of the phone is sat in the office at the end of the road, and unlike with a price-comparison website, we have the authority to give personal, expert advice. You can speak to Gavin, for example, on the phone, then make an appointment to come in and see him face-to-face to make sure your coverage is exactly what you need. It’s a full customer-service package and we hold your hand through the process.”
There's no one else that does what we do on the island.” Sarah said: “We are different because we offer excellent, trustworthy customer service from a local team that understands the island. We love what we do and the whole team is very proud to work for a company that not only offers a wide range of products, but that also genuinely cares about its customers and the communities it operates in.”
Your complete Island life
In just two short years, we have earned a reputation as a financial services company with a personal approach and traditional values at its heart and we’re now a well-established business within the local community. The support from local people and businesses is what has enabled us to expand our service and grow our presence on the Isle of Wight.
Andrew said “I grew up here. I started work here 30-odd years ago -the island has been very good for me. That's the bit that I really like about Cherry Godfrey, why I work here, and why I got involved. I'm so passionate about coming into work because it's just a godsend for the local economy as provides real options for the people and businesses living here.
“Where else can you take out a personal loan for a new car, insure that car, get a mortgage for a new home, and insure that home all in the same place? It’s what the banks used to do – all under one roof! Providing mortgages and insurance will make it so much easier to meet our customers’ needs, rather than sending them to a third party”.
"We also recently acquired NRM Financial Limited (Priory Mortgage Advice), a mortgage and life insurance brokerage! With a similar passion for going above and beyond in terms of customer service, they are perfectly aligned with our ethos and family values that we have stood by since our inception, and we are very pleased to welcome Nathan Maddocks, Stuart Kelly, and the rest of the team to Cherry Godfrey on the Isle of Wight. With the provision of mortgages and insurance on the Isle of Wight in addition to finance, we hope that you will continue to put your trust in us as a one-stop-shop for all aspects of your island life”.
So, what Insurance can Cherry Godfrey IOW Offer?
Sarah said “We are delighted to be able to help customers with a complete range of insurance products from motor, travel, and marine, to home and life insurance.”
“Our expansion on the island also means we can support the multiple wonderful businesses that make the Isle of Wight such a vibrant, thriving community, from shops and restaurants to offices and hotels with everything businesses insurance related from professional indemnity to property owners’ insurance. If you are not quite sure about the needs of your business or where you stand with your existing cover, we will be more than happy to chat things through and give our advice as to what we think you need and how we can help".
"Whether your needs are finance or insurance-related, personal, or commercial, we are passionate about providing Islanders with a much wider choice of products than are currently available, at competitive prices, and from an expert team with many years of experience – so many familiar faces, I’m sure. We always recommend people come in and see us so feel free to pop in and have a chat with the team to discuss your requirements".
Contact us today or pop in for coffee and a chat about how we can best support you.
