03/09/2025
This week I have been in Bristol and this evening I made a trip to the Clifton Suspension Bridge, looking out over the Avon Gorge, I can’t help but think about the story behind it.
Back in 1754, a Bristol merchant left £1,000 in his will with one dream: one day, this money would build a bridge here.
Decades later, a 24-year-old engineer named Isambard Kingdom Brunel turned that dream into reality. He designed a bridge so strong that when the 1896 earthquake hit Bristol, it passed the ultimate “Stress Test” and stood firm. More than 150 years on, it’s still here.
And it makes me realise - this is what good financial planning should do too:
• Start small, like £1,000 left to grow.
• Have a clear design for the long term.
• Be robust enough to withstand life’s unexpected shocks.
Brunel didn’t just build a bridge. He built a legacy.
With the right plan, so can you!
The value of your investment can go down as well as up. You could get back less than you invested.
Frankie Gray is a financial adviser for Parallel Wealth Management Group Limited who are an Appointed Representative of and represent only St. James's Place Wealth Management plc (which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority).
SJP Approved xx/xx/###x