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Advanced manufacturing Advanced and engineering manufacturing Tapping into the and potential engineering of the sector Big Interview
Conference and Exhibitions
James Dyson
Getting into the Christmas mood
THE THEMAGAZINE MAGAZINEOFOFNORFOLK NORFOLKCHAMBER CHAMBEROFOFCOMMERCE COMMERCEAND ANDINDUSTRY INDUSTRY NV06.indd 1
Norfolk Chamber of Commerce The Ultimate Business Network
SEPTEMBER SEPT OCT OCTOBER 2011 2011 5/9/11 13:33:53
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CONTENTS
Contents. 03 05 07
Chamber News
08 09
Business News
15
Talking of advanced manufacturing, our Big Interview features one of the most exciting inventors of the recent past – James Dyson – who we are proud to call a Norfolk man. Born in Cromer, James has revolutionised the vacuum cleaner industry and is an example of how, with sheer persistence, a dream can be realised.
International Trade
16 17
The Big Interview
21
Chamber Events
24 27 The Norfolk Chamber is passionate about helping to ensure that the region is able to compete commercially on the national and international stage. In this issue of Norfolk Voice we look at advanced manufacturing and engineering – the need to recognise and shout louder about the cutting edge technology that is developing here, the opportunities that exist to grow this area, and what we can do to ensure Norfolk has the skills base to keep innovating long term.
Welcome/Contents
31
Conference and Exhibitions
33
Business Support
36 37
Chamber Savings
41
Regional News
43
Policy
44
Chamber 5ives
44 45
24
Take a Break
47
New Members
49
Chamber News
50
The Last Word
We are delighted to welcome a new Chamber President from October, Davina Tanner, the general manager of Chapelfield. She is the subject of The Last Word, where we’ll find out what she does when she’s not running one of the UK’s top shopping destinations! A big thank you to those of you who send through news and ideas. A good flow of stories helps us to create a magazine that you want to read, plus it means you can tell your news to an audience of thousands. So keep it coming. Just send everything through to magazine@norfolkchamber.co.uk
31 Norfolk Voice is a Norfolk Chamber of Commerce publication. All editorial and general enquiries: info@norfolkchamber.co.uk
Norwich Office: Whiting Road,
FEATURE EDITORS John Dean & Francis Griss email:deangriss@btinternet.com
Norwich NR4 6DJ Tel: 01603 625977
E-BOOK www.distinctivepublishing.co.uk/publications
Fax: 01603 633032
Caroline Williams CEO Norfolk Chamber of Commerce
PRODUCTION & DESIGN Distinctive Publishing, 8th Floor, Aidan House, Sunderland Road, Gateshead NE8 3HU Tel: 0845 884 2384 www.distinctivepublishing.co.uk ADVERTISING Helen Longley, Business Development Manager, Distinctive Publishing, 8th Floor, Aidan House, Sunderland Road, Gateshead NE8 3HU Tel: 0845 884 2332 email: helen.longley@distinctivepublishing.co.uk
Norfolk Chamber of Commerce 9 Norwich Business Park,
15
Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering
DISCLAIMER Distinctive Publishing or Norfolk Voice cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies that may occur, individual products or services advertised or late entries. No part of this publication may be reproduced or scanned without prior written permission of the publishers and Norfolk Voice.
CHAMBER’S GOLD PATRONS
THE MAGAZINE OF NORFOLK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
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NORFOLK VOICE
It’s time to move on!
Growth masterclass for companies.
Barry Dennis President of Norfolk Chamber of Commerce
A first time grandfather and an Immediate Past President all in one year – I must be getting old! I’m certainly not feeling it, although I must confess that time seems to fly by these days. I can’t believe that my two year tenure as Chamber President is almost over. Where has that time gone? It’s been a thoroughly enjoyable couple of years. I’ve met some very impressive people, who are doing great things to grow Norfolk’s reputation in the world of business. I’ve particularly enjoyed meeting and, in some cases, working with new start-ups. There is no greater pleasure than seeing your germ of an idea coming to life and being successful. I still get a kick when I see magazines that I launched 20 years ago appearing on the UK top sellers’ lists. Looking back at my President’s speech two years ago, I highlighted two key objectives – skills and web technology. The skills objective was geared to businesses working with schools and colleges. Despite some serious schools spending cuts, both the Chamber and other membership organisations have developed great education links and organised some excellent activities. The latest scheme I am involved with is helping the Hewitt School in Norwich become a Studio School. Studio Schools are a new state school model for 14 to 19 year olds of all abilities. They will pioneer a bold new approach to learning, involving enterprise projects and real work. By real work, they mean students working in businesses as part of their weekly timetables. A number of local businesses have already expressed an interest in getting involved. It could prove to be a very successful way of spotting young talent. From a web point of view, things continue to move fast. I’m delighted that, as well as being active in the world of social media with the likes of Twitter, the Chamber has launched its Skill Up site (www.skillupnorfolk. co.uk). The one-stop shop for anyone with requirements for training is attracting hundreds of enquiries each month and the figure is growing. So it’s time, and a great delight, to hand over the President’s chain of office to Chapelfield boss Davina Tanner. I’m delighted that we both have one belief in common – to not only make our businesses commercially successful, but to also benefit our local communities. It’s ironic that we have both won Business In the Community Awards – Davina recently for her work in helping inmates from Norwich prison back into work, and me for a similar project with the homeless in the county while I was with Archant. Great minds obviously think alike and I wish Davina every success as your new President.
East of England companies planning for significant growth are being invited to a series of free high-growth coaching days in the region. Businesses can now register for masterclasses to be delivered by St John’s Innovation Centre in Cambridge as part of its ‘Coaching for High Growth’ programme. Coaching for High Growth offers local companies exclusive access to some of the UK’s top business coaches for one-to-one support, guidance and mentoring. The programme has supported businesses ranging from iPhone ‘App’ developers at Cambridge University’s Hauser Forum to a family-run chilli farm in rural East Anglia. Julie Horne, co-founder of Cambridge research consultancy Oakland Innovation Ltd and one of the coaches, said, “There is no instruction manual or magic formula for growing a business, but many companies face common opportunities and experience similar growing pains. Whether that is in exploiting new markets, managing complicated supply chains or developing workforce skills, a fresh set of eyes and a sounding board for growth plans can help overcome all sorts of barriers to success.” The next coaching programme begins with the masterclass on September 20, designed to help companies identify barriers to their own growth and develop an action plan. David Gill, Managing Director of St John’s Innovation Centre, said: “Coaching for High Growth is about helping businesses to find new and exciting opportunities to grow by working alongside some of the UK’s top business coaches.” Coaching for High Growth is open to businesses across the East of England that have been trading for at least one year. Eligible businesses will have a team of at least four but fewer than 250 staff, a turnover of between £100,000 and £10 million and the potential to achieve sales growth of 20 per cent or more per annum for a three year period. To find out more and enrol on the programme, visit www.stjohns.co.uk/coaching or call Janette Pallas on 01223 420252.
THE MAGAZINE OF NORFOLK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
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CHAMBER NEWS
Norfolk and Suffolk Chamber Boards get closer. Suffolk and Norfolk Chambers of Commerce have joined forces for a new project to champion business in the region. The Boards and Executives of Suffolk and Norfolk Chambers of Commerce came together in July at a meeting in Ipswich to plan out the next twelve months of working together to ensure the grass roots of business has its voice heard. “Economic growth and economic development are key to our region’s future,” said the President of Suffolk Chamber Dr Peter Funnell. “We have seen from the establishment of the New Anglia LEP that working across borders can bring new opportunities to businesses from both counties.” “We want to constructively influence the work of our partners in the LEP and by coming together in this way we will ensure the businesses we represent are heard loud and clear,” added Davina Tanner, the Vice President of Norfolk Chamber of Commerce. “This new strategic approach will ensure business and jobs are everyone’s priority.” The two Chambers, while continuing to champion both Suffolk and Norfolk, will join forces to lobby on fundamental issues such as skills, infrastructure and planning issues. “We share a great many things,” said John Dugmore, the Chief Executive of Suffolk Chamber. “The Energy Coast for example provides thousands of jobs and opportunities. By working together we
can ensure that both of our counties continue to lead the UK low carbon agenda. “In the current challenging economic environment we also want to continue doing all we can to bring new opportunities to our members to bring in new work. Working with our colleagues in Norfolk we can look towards extending the supply chain which we know is an important issue for businesses in both counties,” John added. “Working together makes good business sense,” said Caroline Williams, CEO Norfolk Chamber of Commerce. “We have already worked together on a number of key contracts for the benefit of both our business communities and the meeting of our two Boards in an important step forward.” The partnership working has been welcomed by the Chair of the New Anglia LEP, Andy Woods. “I am encouraged at the real leadership being shown by the Chambers in Suffolk and Norfolk,” said the CEO of Adnams based in Southwold. “New Anglia has always been about championing where we live and ensuring that business and investment is a top priority for our economy. “Both I and the Board of New Anglia look forward to working more and more with the Chambers, their members and other business representative groups to ensure the voice of industry is heard loud and clear.” he said. After GGS Photography
IT company expands.
The InTouch team with Chloe Smith
IT solutions provider InTouch Systems has expanded and moved to new premises, allowing the company to offer a broader range of services to Norfolk businesses, schools, rural organisations and communities. Since it started trading four years ago, InTouch Systems has increased its staff to 18 and turnover to £2 million. Now, the company has moved to new premises near Norwich Airport with the official opening performed by MP Chloe Smith. Steve Temple, of InTouch Systems, said: “As we are a local company working together with other organisations throughout the region, we fully understand the challenges of running a business in rural areas. This has led us to become involved in projects such as Rural Norfolk Broadband as well as the provision of satellite broadband in partnership with Avanti Communications.”
Board members of the Norfolk and Suffolk Chambers of Commerce
A significant advantage of the new site is the provision of wireless Broadband, via a newly built 30 metre high telescopic mast, which will provide faster, more reliable and consistent connections to a number of towns, villages and rural locations within Norfolk. The intention is to extend this service throughout the county.
Helping businesses to make efficient use of their IT Phone: 0845 331 2782 Mobile: 07802 270598 Email: richard@inter-logic.co.uk Web: www.inter-logic.co.uk Post: 24 Swanton Avenue, Dereham, NR19 2HJ
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CHAMBER NEWS
Optimistic East Anglians lead the way. Richard Proctor, Office Managing Partner for Grant Thornton East Anglia.
Social media –nagging doubts!. It is difficult not to notice that discussions about ‘social media’ are all over the traditional media channels, at networking events and wherever two business people gather together. Facebook, LinkdIn and Twitter are, after all, just tools and an extension of how we currently communicate with our friends and, increasingly, customers.
East Anglian businesses are amongst the most optimistic in the UK when it comes to investing for the future, according to a study.
CHAMBER DIGEST Fifty up Michael Muskett, the senior partner in East Anglia for PKF Accountants & business advisers, has reached 50 years in the accountancy business. He celebrated the milestone in Great Yarmouth, where his career started in 1961. Michael said: “PKF has developed from the original foundation of an office with ten staff on South Quay to where it is today and I’d like to see that success continue through my fellow partners and staff.”
Under way Work has begun on a new £1.3 million health centre for Aylsham. The centre, which is the third phase of work on the St Michael’s Care Complex, will provide a range of health and well-being services to people in the area. Situated close to the site of St Michael’s community hospital in the town, work on the centre is expected to take about 45 weeks, and it is anticipated that the building will be completed by around mid-2012. Graham Copsey, NHS Norfolk’s Assistant Director of Estates, said: “It has been a long time coming, but this is a significant milestone in the creation of the St Michael’s Care Complex.”
The national research conducted by financial and business advisers Grant Thornton suggested that 20.4% of the region’s medium to large businesses expect to increase their investment in new buildings over the next 12 months.
So why am I finding it so hard to get my head around how I should be using them effectively in my business? I do understand the basic technology and even how to use them because, after all, these tools are very simple to use. But what I am finding challenging is that there doesn’t seem to be any rule book I can follow to help me use them the right way for my business. I guess what I am really worried about is that after 120 years do I really want to be the one to damage the reputation of the Norfolk Chamber, or waste valuable resources by not understanding this new world of communication.
Grant Thornton’s latest International Business Report (IBR) was based on the second quarter of the year and ranks East Anglia as the second most optimistic region in the UK, behind Northern Ireland, where 21.4% of businesses planned to invest in new build. The least optimistic region was the South West, West and Wales, where just 10.8% of businesses had the same expectation.
I am repeatedly told by those comfortable with social media – don’t over think it, just play with it and find your way around. Now I am sure that this is all very true. So if there are no rules, why am I finding it so hard to feel comfortable with it? Don’t get me wrong, the Chamber has an active Facebook page for our events and a LinkedIn group for our members to debate with each other. As CEO, I have a Twitter account, which will become active – as soon as I have the time!
A further 38.9% of East Anglian firms expect to channel funds into new plant and machinery during the next year, second only to London (42.6%), while 22.2% of the region’s firms plan to invest in research and development, falling third behind Northern Ireland (23.8%) and London (22.5%).
‘Time’ is the reason many of my peers in business say they are either not using social media in their business, or why a junior of member of staff is responsible for it. Social media is not right for every business, but wouldn’t you feel more comfortable really understanding that it is not right rather than having that nagging feeling that you may be missing out on something? I certainly would.
Grant Thornton East Anglia’s Office Managing Partner, Richard Proctor, said: “It’s encouraging to see our region’s firms planning to invest for the future, suggesting a general optimism for the recovery of our economy over the next 12 months. “The results also indicate that firms are taking a more cautious approach to growth, looking to achieve this organically by strengthening existing operations, rather than taking more aggressive strategies.” The IBR’s regional findings contrast with the survey’s national results which showed businesses in the UK to be among the least optimistic in the world, suffering a 9% decrease in optimism over the past 12 months, and a 14% decrease since the first quarter of the year.
We are very lucky to have a vibrant digital creative sector in Norwich, made up of talented individuals who can help us. We have leading edge businesses within our community, who are using all the tools available to them to enhance their bottom line – and we can learn from this. Norfolk will soon have faster Broadband, thanks to Norfolk County Council recently securing a £15m funding pot. Norfolk Chamber is holding a Social Media Workshop at the Forum on 14 September, where a wide variety of experts will be on hand to help us better understand how to use this tool to move our businesses forward. I, for one, am looking forward to finding out all I can and being able to banish those nagging doubts for good!
Caroline Williams
CEO Norfolk Chamber of Commerce
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PAGE TITLEVOICE NORFOLK
Norwich businesswoman expands into Uganda. Norwich businesswoman Rachel Paul has expanded into Africa, offering the first accredited Management Coaching Qualification ever available in Uganda. Rachel, who runs business and professional development consultancy ConsultEast, has taken her ILM-accredited course to Kampala, in Uganda. The course ran earlier this year at the Muyenga Club with 14 participants from Ugandan and Dutch businesses operating in East and Central Africa. It proved so successful that Rachel, who has delivered training across the globe including to refugee co-operatives in Zambia, was invited back to run another coaching qualification for local business leaders in August. For Rachel, who was born to missionary parents in Southern Sudan, it is a dream come true. She said: “Having helped local businesses for many years I wanted to take this course to Africa where I felt it could boost performance and prosperity. It was also an opportunity for me to ‘go home’ to the country where I was born.” Rachel, who runs ConsultEast with husband John, added: “Despite its current difficulties, Uganda is full of enterprising people working hard to build up businesses to provide a better life for themselves and their families.
Rachel and John Paul (centre) in Uganda
Bringing the Italian touch to the heart of Norwich.
“The course helped successful and experienced Ugandan and Dutch business leaders see how a coaching approach could boost performance. For the younger and less experienced the course provided skills and confidence.” To deliver the course, ConsultEast worked with a Dutch-led, Uganda-based business, Mountbatten. The five-day programmes cover techniques such as Cognitive Behaviour and Solutions Focus coaching.
CHAMBER DIGEST Norwich Park and Ride Norfolk County Council is keen to involve city businesses in a new campaign to encourage more commuters to take advantage of the Norwich Park and Ride service. If you get involved and help promote the Park & Ride there are offers and incentives available for your staff, including discounts and free taster tickets. For more information, please contact the council at ptg@ norfolk.gov.uk or you can download a poster to display at www.norfolk.gov.uk/parkandride
The Carluccio’s team
Carluccio’s has opened in the heart of Norwich with a mixture of Italian dining and shopping.
Situated at the entrance of Norwich’s biggest shopping centre, Chapelfield, Carluccio’s offers an all-day restaurant, delicatessen and foodshop.
THE MAGAZINE OF NORFOLK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
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BUSINESS NEWS
Free photography can be snapped up at B2B.
Accountancy merger heralds new era. Chartered accountants Banham Graham are to merge with Lovewell Blake LLP in a move that will create an enlarged firm with prestigious new offices on Broadland Business Park, Norwich, in the autumn. Under the plans all five partners and 34 staff of Banham Graham will be joining Lovewell Blake. The current Banham Graham Gorleston team will continue to operate for the time being at their present location, working alongside Lovewell Blake’s team at their North Quay, Great Yarmouth office.
The Norfolk Chamber has teamed up with professional photographers GGS to offer free business portraits at the B2B2011 Autumn exhibition, which will be held on 20 October at Norwich City Football Club. Peter Griffin, of GGS, said: “We will set up a mini-studio at the event, where visitors can come and have a top quality business portrait taken of themselves, absolutely free. Professional photography is vital because it helps to improve business image and it can be used in a number of ways to make literature and websites look more professional, press releases more useable, or a LinkedIn page more interesting. It really gives a company a competitive edge.”
The GGS offer is for the B2B2011 Autumn exhibition only and subject to availability.
CHAMBER DIGEST Saving money Students earning extra cash through holiday jobs may not realise that they could be entitled to keep all their money and not pay tax, according to Michael Muskett, senior partner in East Anglia for PKF Accountants and business advisors. He said: “They can opt out of paying tax if they intend to return to education, work only in the holidays and if their total earnings for the year will be under £7,475.” To ensure their employers don’t deduct the tax at source, students need to fill in form P38(S), which they can download from www.hmrc.gov.uk/forms/ p38s.pdf
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“There is a great deal of respect between our two firms and I believe this is an excellent move for both,” says Douglas Young, managing partner of Lovewell Blake. “Banham Graham has historical links with our firm in that two of their partners, James Banham and Roy Jarrold, started their careers with us. In a way they are returning to the fold and we’re delighted that they have chosen to join us”. Murray Graham, managing partner of Banham Graham, states: “There is a great deal of overlap between the values of Banham Graham and Lovewell Blake. Bringing the two firms together will combine complementary skills, and will give all clients access to larger service teams and specialist expertise. The move will also free partners and senior colleagues to devote more time to working directly with clients.”
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NORFOLK VOICE
Review your resource use and reap the financial rewards. A regional business support programme that was set up to help SMEs improve their bottom line by cutting energy, water and material costs, is urging businesses to book a free site visit before the popular service comes to an end. Resource Efficiency East delivers specialist advice, guidance and support to businesses in the East of England through a series of free services designed to help improve resource efficiency and realise the cost benefits that result. The organisation was originally funded until March 2011, but was extended until the end of the year following impressive results. However, following a consistently high volume of requests for support the service is likely to conclude at the end of October based on current demand. The free support packages available to businesses include: The Business Resource Review is a fully funded resource review covering energy, water, materials and waste. The service is delivered by a specialist advisor who conducts a two to three hour site visit to help you understand how your business can use materials, water and energy more efficiently, and reduce waste. From the review findings, a bespoke report is created highlighting the key opportunities that will help reduce costs and improve resource efficiency and further support by telephone and email is offered for a period of three months to help you implement the recommendations. The Low Carbon Feasibility Support Service offers businesses up to 4 days of free
consultancy advice to provide a more detailed study and cost benefit assessment of a resource saving opportunity which requires capital investment. The service is also delivered by a resource efficiency advisor who will work with the business to appraise a range of possible technologies and solutions to a specific resource issue. They will conduct a cost benefit analysis on each solution and calculate pay back periods. The service will also help the business to identify available grants and loans that can help reduce the cost of the proposed investment. Resource Efficiency East has helped businesses investigate a range of different opportunities including the replacement of refrigeration equipment; process and waste heat recovery; wastewater recycling; and the recovery and the replacement of old or inefficient heating and cooling systems with low carbon and renewable energy solutions.
The EMS Club is a series of free workshops designed to help businesses who wish to implement an Environmental Management System (EMS). The programme will help participants to ensure compliance with relevant legislation, identify cost saving opportunities and meet the requirements of key customers. The EMS Club will benefit those smaller organisations for whom an EMS would help achieve positive change, but who don’t have the resources or knowledge to get started. The workshops are run by experienced professionals well versed in the subject and who have the ability to share this knowledge in a straightforward manner. To date, Resource Efficiency East has provided free support to over 1,000 small businesses, with total identified cost savings of over £6.1 million. These include Great Yarmouth Sports and Leisure Trust who identified savings of £37,000 per year and Certwood Ltd of Luton who are now able to make annual savings of over £16,000. Antony Gough, Programme Director for Resource Efficiency East said: “Businesses have been able to make significant cost savings after undertaking a free review with one of our advisors. However, due to high demand since we extended the programme, we only have funding left for 80 or so more reviews. So any business that would like some help to identify cost savings should contact us as soon as possible so they don’t miss out.” To find out more about the service, and to see if your business is eligible for free support and advice to help you save money, visit http:// www.resourceefficiencyeast.org.uk/supportservices.asp or call the team on 01733 294524.
THE MAGAZINE OF NORFOLK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
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NORFOLK VOICE
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NORFOLK VOICE
National minimum wage rates. As part of the review of National Minimum Wage Rates by the Low Pay Commission each year, the following proposed rates have been set down, to take effect from October 1:
n The main rate for workers aged 21 or over will rise from £5.93 to £6.08 per hour n The rate for workers aged 18 – 20 will rise from £4.92 to £4.98 n The rate for workers aged 16 – 17 will rise from £3.64 to £3.68
The Commission’s report suggested that some employers have coped with the increases in minimum wage rates by reducing hours, raising prices or even by accepting lower profits. It also indicates that employment levels have not been cut to any significant degree as a result of rises in National Minimum Wage rates. The reduced hours do not appear to have reduced weekly earnings nor have lower profits led to business closures. The level of compliance with National Minimum Wage requirements has been satisfactory according to the commission, although certain groups of workers appear more vulnerable than others in being denied their entitlement. This was found to be particularly true for those working in hotels as contract and agency cleaners. For further information on any aspect of the National Minimum Wage regulations, please contact Qdos on 01455 850000.
n For Apprentices under 19 or 19 and over and in their first year of their apprenticeship, the rate will rise from £2.50 to £2.60
Dismissals at the end of Maternity Leave cover. A provision exists within the Employment Rights Act 1996 which enables employers to terminate the fixed term contract of an employee who is employed solely to cover for the maternity leave of another employee. However, the recently reported case of Victoria and Albert Museum v. Durrant emphasises the need for such an arrangement to be communicated in unambiguous terms to leave no doubt on the employee’s part as to the circumstances in which the contract will come to an end. When, as in this case, the letter to the employer is ambiguous, the provisions of the Employment Rights Act will not be engaged and a finding of unfair dismissal could well result. In the case concerning the museum, the claimant had a lengthy period of service with the organisation. Following a period when he was ill, he did not return to his previous post but instead took up a number of temporary positions within the organisation. The last of these temporary positions was on a short fixed-term contract as a replacement for a permanent post holder who was on maternity leave. When that contract expired, there was no other work available for him and the claimant’s dismissal resulted. The Employment Tribunal found in his favour when he brought a claim for unfair dismissal because the communications which surrounded the employment arrangements were insufficient. For further advice on contractual terms and variation of contract, please contact Qdos on 01455 850000.
THE MAGAZINE OF NORFOLK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
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LEGISLATION
Sunbed regulations come into force. The Sunbeds (Regulation) Act has come into force in England and Wales. Its main purpose is to prevent the use of sunbeds on commercial business premises by children and young people under the age of 18. Those businesses include salons, gyms, sports and fitness clubs and hotels. The Act also makes it a requirement for users to wear protective eyewear and for sunbed operators to provide comprehensive information to all customers about the health risks associated with the use of the equipment. The Act is particularly important as the incidence of skin cancer is increasing; malignant melanoma is among the five most common cancers in 15-24 year olds in England and Wales. About 80% of melanomas are thought to be caused by exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light, either naturally from the sun or artificial. The Act imposes a duty on anyone who operates sunbed businesses to ensure that no person under the age of 18 years shall: n Use a sunbed n Be offered the use of a sunbed or n Be present in a restricted zone A restricted zone is the area wholly or partly enclosed and reserved for the use of the sunbed. This includes; changing cubicles, cabins or pods and in some circumstances, the whole changing area may be classed as a restricted zone. Exemptions include if the sunbed is used for the purposes of medical treatment under the supervision or direction of a registered medical practitioner. However, the sunbed must be provided by or in a healthcare establishment and only made available for the purpose of medical treatment. Although not included in the Act, a sunbed business should;
n Check the age of the user by checking a passport or driving licence and train and advise employees how to verify the age of users. n Have written procedures for employees when dealing with under 18s and train employees on keeping appropriate records including a written record on any incidents where an employee challenged a potential user regarding their age.
n Display prominent signs and notices that under 18s are not permitted to use sunbeds, particularly around the restricted zones. n Have a system of work to ensure under 18s have not entered a restricted zone. n Ensure that, if sunbed facilities are provided as part of a membership package that access to sunbeds are excluded from the membership.
Equality Act 2010 Codes of Practice. New codes of practice on employment, services and equal pay came into force in April. These codes of practice provide detailed explanations of the provisions of the Equality Act 2010. Examples include:
n A person has a disability if they possess a “physical or mental impairment which has a long term and substantial adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day to day activities�. Long term means the impairment has lasted or is likely to last for at least 12 months.
n A person will be protected if they have had a disability in the past, even if they no longer have that disability.
n A person who has a severe disfigurement is treated as having a disability for the purposes of the Act.
n Impairments that are unseen. For example, mental illness, diabetes and epilepsy may count as disabilities under the Act. n Cancer, HIV infection and multiple sclerosis are deemed as disabilities under the Act from the point of diagnosis. If employers have any questions in relation to disability related matters or the Codes in general, please contact Qdos on 01455 850000.
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Putting Your Business First Whether you’re a multi-national giant, an established SME or just starting out in business, a well trained workforce is proven to put you one step ahead.
Lowestoft College can help with its range of training options designed with businesses in mind: l l l l l
Apprenticeships Management development Supervisory and management courses Health and safety programmes Tailor-made training programmes
l l l l l
Bespoke team building activities in our environmental tank NVQs in the workplace Training needs analysis Higher Education through UCS A variety of industry specific short courses
Whatever the size and nature of your company, Business Development at Lowestoft College has the training to help you maximise your potential. To find out more about any of the courses or to talk to us about developing a personalised training plan for your company ring 01502 525158, email a.grand@lowestoft.ac.uk or visit www.lowestoft.ac.uk Lowestoft College, St Peter’s Street, Lowestoft, NR32 2NB
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INTERNATIONAL TRADE
News from the Export Expert… Tracey Howard, International Trade Director
There have been a number of exciting news stories recently, covering very promising export figures and statistics coming from the UK. Some of these state specifically how well the East of England has fared. In this edition, I thought it would be good to point out some of these stories to you.
Leading the way. Businesses in the East of England are outperforming every other part of the UK in exporting to the European Union, according to new international trade statistics released by HM Revenue & Customs. In the first quarter of 2011 exports to EU countries from the East of England rose by an extraordinary 34.9% - more than three times the UK increase of 11.4%. In the 12 months to March, companies from the East sold goods worth £14.82bn to the EU - just over a tenth of the UK's total trade.
If any of our members have some good news stories that they would like us to include in future editions, please email magazine@norfolkchamber.co.uk.
Overall, exports from the East of England were up by 28.5% in the quarter ending in March, compared with the UK increase of 17.4%.
For help and advice or any other matters relating to International Trade, you can contact Tracey direct on Tel. 01603 729711 or Email. tracey.howard@norfolkchamber.co.uk.
The figures also reveal that exports from the East of England to Eastern European countries which are outside the EU doubled in the year to March - up by 101% to £574m - and at double the pace of the UK overall, which saw growth of 47.8%.
Manufacturing supports weak economy. Positive growth for manufacturing, services and exports, coupled with weak domestic demand and a decline in business investment, have left the level of output from the UK economy back at the same level as in the third quarter (Q3) of 2010. This was the conclusion of the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) following the publication of the revised GDP figures for Q1 of 2011, which shows that the fall of 0.5% seen in Q4 last year has been reversed, leaving the level of output virtually unchanged. Chief Economist David Kern said: “While it is disappointing that Britain’s performance is still much weaker than that of our major European competitors, such as Germany and France, there are some positive features in these figures. Manufacturing (1.1%) and services (0.9%) have recorded solid growth.” There has also been a significant improvement in the UK’s international trading position, with exports growing and imports falling.
Liz Basing, UKTI's International Trade Director for the region, said: "This is a terrific success story: companies in the East of England are again proving themselves to be the very best of British and are spearheading the economic recovery and making a huge success in trading overseas. This increase reflects the 34% increase in demand our team of local International Trade Advisers have seen from companies researching new international markets. "But businesses in the East of England cannot rest on their laurels or be complacent. In today's ever-shrinking global market, no country and no part of the world should be beyond the reach of ambitious companies from our region.”
Queen recognises commitment to enterprise and innovation. The East of England’s most enterprising businesses were announced as this year’s winners of The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise 2011. Sixteen winners from the East of England have had the opportunity to meet Her Majesty The Queen and other members of the Royal Family: the ultimate recognition of their commitment to enterprise and innovation. We would like to congratulate Norfolk Chamber Member, HiBreeds International Ltd, who are proud winners of the 2011 Queens Award for International Trade for outstanding achievement. Awarded by Her Majesty The Queen on the recommendation of the Prime Minister, the award recognises Hi Breeds’ outstanding achievement and growth in export sales since 2007. The company has now sold in excess of 250 million eggs to Saudi Arabia and has achieved sales of more than £50 million since incorporation. For the last three years the company has been run and managed by Laura Chandler B.A Director. Laura says: “We are delighted to have been recognised by Her Majesty The Queen for the hard work by our small team in achieving year on year export growth. The food industry has become a global operation. As our business is export based, the effect of the last two years of monetary chaos upon exchange rates, bank rates and financial exposure have been extreme.”
First quarter of 2011 More firms exporting. According to the latest official figures, the total value of UK exports for the 12 months ending March 2011 was £273,081 million, an increase of £40,813 million (17.6%) compared to the 12 months ending March 2010.
“The outlook for the economy remains highly uncertain,” Mr Kern warned. “While we expect growth in the second quarter to remain in positive territory, the pace of expansion is likely to be slow.”
During the same period, the total value of exports for England rose by 16.5% to £196,355 million. Exports from Wales rose by 33.8% to £12,598 million, exports from Scotland rose by 4.8% to £15,494 million, and exports from Northern Ireland rose by 8.7% to £5,472 million.
He repeated the BCC’s usual request for the Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) to hold fire a little longer before it starts to raise interest rates.
Within England, the South East had the largest total value of exports at £43,255 million for the 12 months ending March 2011. The South West had the smallest total value of exports, at £11,468 million.
The North East region took the prize for the largest increase, up by nearly a third (29.5%) to £12,776 million. The number of exporters in the UK for the first quarter (Q1) of 2011, compared with the same quarter last year, increased by 1.4% to 48,168. Northern Ireland brought the numbers down with a decrease of 4.9% to 1280. All other regions and countries showed a positive increase in the number of exporters, ranging from 0.3% in the South East to 4.4% in the North East. By contrast, all regions or countries showed a decrease in the number of importers, ranging from a decrease of 2.3% in the East of England to a decrease of 12.7% in Northern Ireland.
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JAMES DYSON.
THE BI
The sense of innovation that drives James Dyson. Norfolk-born James Dyson is one of the best-known inventors in the world, driven on by a belief that everything can be done better. That philosophy, allied with a belief in individualism and strong determination, is what has driven his business career from its early days. In the late 1970s, he had the idea of using cyclonic separation to create a vacuum cleaner that would not lose suction as it picked up dirt. He had become frustrated with his Hoover Junior’s diminishing performance: dust kept clogging the bag and it lost suction. The idea of the cyclones came from the spray-finishing room’s air filter in his Ballbarrow factory, which was making a wheelbarrow with a new type of wheel. Partly supported by his wife’s salary as an art teacher, and after five years and many prototypes, Cromer-born James launched the ‘G-Force’ cleaner in 1983. However, no manufacturer or distributor would launch his product in the UK as it would disrupt the valuable
market for replacement cleaner-bags, so he launched it in Japan through catalogue sales. Dyson the company was founded in 1993 and the product now outsells those of some of the companies that rejected his idea, has become one of the most popular brands in the UK and is gaining popularity abroad. More inventions have followed. Looking back on his early career, James said: “I got into design in an unconventional way. I never started out wishing to be an inventor. I studied only arts subjects at school and slipped into the Royal College of Art through the back door. “I fiddled with wood, got into plastic and drifted into product design. Soon enough I dreamt of being the next Brunel. Convinced that engineering was no more than a state of mind, I began making the products I was designing and moonlighting as a professional maker of things.” Asked what was his first invention, he said: “It was a high speed landing craft. Jeremy Fry, owner of Rotok, employed me as a designer after leaving the Royal College of Art. He taught me to do things my own way, regardless of how ‘things should be done’. With this root principle, I developed The Sea Truck, a 40-knot, high speed, air lubricated hull conceived as a military assault craft. “For me, inspiration comes from frustration at something that doesn’t work. Get out and look
at things; when an idea comes grab it, write it down, and play with it until it works. Don’t sit and expect ideas to come, otherwise you’ll end up staring at the drawing board.” James believes that companies must constantly innovate, saying: “In 2001, Mike Rutter, Hoover’s boss, went on television to say that he wished he had bought my idea - so that Hoover could have put it on the shelf and left it there. Hoover failed to innovate; now 1 in 3 homes in the UK own a Dyson vacuum cleaner. Striking out and being bold is in our blood at Dyson. If you don’t invent, someone somewhere will come up with a better invention that rubbishes yours. “We’re risk adverse in Britain. I wish I had realised the power of commercialising an idea earlier and not wasted time with the large, slow multinationals who shun change. I was persistent and succeeded. To be successful you have to develop a product that works better and looks better than existing ones. “This type of investment is long term, high risk and not very British. In the longer view, it is not half so likely to prove hazardous to one’s financial health as simply following the herd. “The UK has an innate creativity, inventiveness and competitive spirit. The country’s long term performance depends on our ability to generate new ideas and bring them to market.” One of his current projects is encouraging the next generation of young innovators. He said: “Britain has a great reputation internationally; I want this to be maintained. From my perspective it is frustrating that we produce 22,000 engineering graduates for 37,000 positions. I’m trying to double the number of engineers at Dyson. It’s proving difficult to find people with the right skills and gung-ho spirit. “I started Dyson with four graduates straight out of the Royal College of Art. Quick thinking, creative and fresh, they had new ways of being creative. That’s why I support young inventors and designers through the James Dyson Foundation. “We’ve just launched the foundation in the United States and recently given a donation of £1 million to help UK engineering students struggling with debt. It is up to business, institutions and the Government to cooperate and provide a fertile bed for growth and inventiveness in Britain.”
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THE BIG INTERVIEW
BIG INTERVIEW By John Dean
deangriss@btinternet.com
If you don’t invent, someone somewhere will come up with a better invention that rubbishes yours
James Dyson Founder Dyson
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Boredom kills innovation and morale. A person’s mind is kind of like a muscle – just like any other muscle, it needs exercise. It is so important that you be challenged and pushed to perform. If there is a lack of challenge, it does not matter how motivated you may start out being, you will find that your motivation will wane and with it your ability and desire to be innovative. Your morale will slip to a low. Motivation needs to be bespoke, as what motivates one may not motivate that person’s team mate – so you need to be selective. Challenge, but don’t overwhelm, as this has the same effect as boredom, insofar as it will demotivate. It’s all about balance – and remember, the top performers in the business will always be hungry for new experiences.
By Chris Batten
www.chris-batten.com
Recognise others’ work This may come as a surprise, but (in a survey conducted for several employers in the US about their employees and what motivated them) there is a mismatch between what employers thought the main motivator was and what the employees said the main motivator actually was. The employers assumed that the numberone motivator would be money earned. In fact, this ranked only fifth in the survey, with the number-one being having work appreciated by managers! The rule is to recognise the work and show appreciation often and in public. At the same time, though, don’t oversell it – keep it simple. Don’t avoid telling people what you want more of, in terms of work or attitude. Oh, yes, and don’t forget the boss and other team members – they like recognition too!
employees) = LC (loyal clients) = BP (bigger profits)! That’s it, what more do I need to add?
True leaders let others perform, so they are all stars Some leaders forget to give space to their teams, so that they can perform; this is such a fundamental mistake to make and just decreases the effectiveness of the team and the morale of individuals. On top of that, the leader will start to lose any respect. Good leaders let their people perform; they lead the people; they don’t stifle them and take away their responsibilities. If you take away responsibilities or, worse, don’t give them in the first place, you will not create a team. You will not develop your leadership skills. You will simply create incompetence and ineffective teams and people.
Do the math, SE = LC = BP This is so simple and yet ignored by many businesses and people in them: SE (satisfied
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FOCUS ON RECRUITMENT
You’ll spot the difference. ADVERTISING FEATURE
polkadotfrog is a local independent recruitment agency with a difference. Norfolk companies come to us to support them with intelligent staffing solutions – and the sort of personalised service you’d normally associate with a consultancy. You don’t have time or money to waste when you need new recruits, so our focus is firmly on bringing you the right people for your role first time. By making sure we understand more about your business, its culture and its ethos before we start the candidate hunt, we can make a better judgement as to which candidates will fit your criteria. Understanding what you want to achieve from your recruitment process for the long term, not just the here and now, allows us to help with your retention of staff moving forward and, working with us as a partner, we are able to support you during the good and bad times offering you constant and impartial advice and support with all issues relating to staffing. Candidates, too, are treated in a different way here at polkadotfrog. In this respect we
work in a very traditional way, dealing with each as real people not just a CV. We meet every one of the candidates face-to face, before they come onto our books, gathering all relevant information and delving deep into what motivates each individual. Competencybased interviewing techniques, tailored to the individual, are used allowing the interviewer to delve a lot deeper then just surface level answers. We can also offer training on this valuable technique.
At the outset Lucy and Deb set out what they would do for us in finding the right person and they did just that with the whole process being handled efficiently. Once we decided which candidates to see interviews were organised within a few hours and the job was offered and accepted by the end of the day.
When you use an agency you need to feel confident that you are receiving comprehensive business value from conscientious individuals. With polkadotfrog you can rest assured you are receiving consultancy level service at agency rates.
After some very bad experiences of recruiting through agencies our company had decided that it would not use this type of recruitment as a policy. Having been introduced to Polkadotfrog I ventured to give their industry one last chance and I am pleased to say that they have established themselves a reputation for being hard working and dedicated to the staff they look to place.
Find out more about what makes us different at www.polkadotfrog.co.uk or call us on 01603 337003
Testimonials From the initial meeting to offering the job the process only took 3 weeks. Following the initial meeting it was apparent that Lucy and Deb had understood our requirements for the person to join the team and we were sent details of 6 quality candidates within 2 weeks following their screening interview process.
Thanks Lucy and Deb for what seemed like such an easy process to finding another member for our busy team.” Company Secretary
I would recommend their services to colleagues and hope that they too receive such a high standard of service. Director
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CHAMBER EVENTS
Better Business Finance Seminar. Sprowston Manor, Norwich 29 November 2011, 9:00am – 12:30pm Do you need help and advice about the banking services available to you? If so, a Better Business Finance event, delivered in partnership with Norfolk Chamber, may be for you. Better Business Finance representatives from the UK’s major banks: Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds, RBS, and Santander will be on hand to explain the support they can provide locally for small businesses and answer questions. There will be discussion and advice surgeries on: n Writing a perfect business plan n Bad How mentoring can help photography does nothing promote a business n toAvailable bank support for all types and sizes of businesses
A good business portrait gives credibility
n Sources of help and advice n Alternative funding routes n The price and availability of credit To book on to this event please send the following details to events@norfolkchamber.co.uk Name Job Title Organisation Event Location (Please note, once registered your details will be not be held or used for any further marketing purpose)
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B2B2011 Autumn – what better way to do business?!. Workshop wonders! If you want to improve your business knowledge and skills, then book onto one of the three, free workshops being held at B2B2011 Autumn:
12pm – How to Increase Your Profile Through Marketing & PR This workshop will be in the form of a panel featuring presentations from: n Barry Dennis, Business and Media Advisor (host) – a presentation about PR. n Shaun Lowthorpe, Business Editor at the EDP – how to increase profile through the EDP. n Steve Turton, MD of Turton Middleton – how to get your business noticed through marketing.
Our B2B2011 Autumn event will be held on 20 October at Norwich City Football Club. This twice-yearly show is Norfolk’s largest business-to-business exhibition, and is the perfect opportunity for businesses of all types and sizes to come together, meet like-minded people, promote themselves and find new products, ideas and solutions, as well as cost effective savings to give them a competitive advantage. B2B2011 Autumn is held on two floors at the football club, and includes seven business zones, nearly 90 stands as well as workshops and much more. The event is FREE to attend and open to all businesses. We like to ensure that all our B2B events are packed with things that will help you in business. At the Autumn event we have lined up three, free 40-minute workshops to help you improve your knowledge and skills (see right for details). There are also some fantastic show-only offers and giveaways at B2B2011 Autumn. Here’s just some of what’s on offer:
while cycling around the Olympic velodrome or sprinting on the Olympic track FREE. GGS – Professional photographers GGS are offering business portraits at the exhibition absolutely FREE - so you can improve your business image, PR, brochures and marketing. Offer subject to availability. Lloyds TSB Commercial – Any business switching to Lloyds TSB Commercial or opening a new business account as a result of the exhibition will receive an additional 3 months FREE banking. Norfolk County Council Adult Education Services– FREE online ITQ level 1 or level 2, depending on previous qualifications and experience. Price Bailey LLP – A FREE initial consultation to anyone wishing to discuss their financial requirements. Plus, a chance to win a bottle of champagne. We look forward to seeing you there on 20 October. Go to www.B2B11.co.uk for more information.
An interactive Q&A session will follow.
1.15pm – Starting and Growing a Small Business Justine Luckhurst, Business Manager, Natwest, will talk about what a new business has to think about in terms of banking; what’s involved in opening an account; what to do if you want to borrow money; how you can make and accept payments by credit card; financial protection (e.g. insurances and pensions); accessing your accountants on-line and much more. James Banham from accounts Lovewell Blake will also present on tax breaks and start-up strategies.
2.30pm – Social Media Top Tips Richard Wooliams, Archant Marketing Director and Laura Stringer, Archant Digital Marketing Executive, provide an overview of how Archant Life market their Lifestyle Magazine business through two of the biggest Social Networking websites: Facebook and Twitter. 5 –10% of their total online audience is sent through from these platforms.
Abate Pest Management Ltd – 25% off all new contracts when you switch pest control providers to Abate Pest Management Ltd.
The workshop will teach you some tips and tricks on how to build your Facebook and Twitter audience, including how to engage your fans, content ideas and how to write a successful post. Learn about e-mail marketing and how Social Media can be incorporated into an e-newsletter. Find out what resource is needed to maintain your social media presence. Enjoy a visual presentation led by members of the Archant Life Marketing Team.
Active Norfolk – On the interactive green screen, record your health or activity related 2012 pledge
Places are limited for these popular 40-minute workshops, so go to B2B11.co.uk to book.
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CHAMBER EVENTS
Diary Dates. SEPTEMBER 14 Social Media Workshop Half Day Conference WHEN? Wednesday, 14 Sept 8:15am – 1:00pm WHERE? The Forum, Norwich WHAT’S IT ABOUT? Find out how social media can strategically help your business. Hosted by Paul Hill, Archant Anglia Business Editor, and featuring a line-up of expert industry speakers. Information: www.norfokchamber.co.uk 15 HR Forum, Norwich: Tackling Poor Performance WHEN? Thursday, 15 Sept, 2:00pm – 5:00pm WHERE? Dunston Hall Hotel, Norwich WHAT’S IT ABOUT? Sponsored by Steeles Law. Are your employees up to the job? Do your managers know how to deal with capability issues properly? For more information: www.norfolkchamber.co.uk 21 Business Breakfast WHEN? Wednesday, 21 Sept, 7:45am – 9:30am WHERE? Imperial Hotel, Great Yarmouth WHAT’S IT ABOUT? John Murfitt, Managing Director of Norfolk Capacitors Ltd, will give a presentation on growing a manufacturing business in a recession. For more information: www.norfolkchamber.co.uk 22 North Norfolk Networking WHEN? Thursday, 22 Sept, 7:45am – 9:30am WHERE? Oddfellows Hall, Sheringham WHAT’S IT ABOUT? Series of networking events based in North Norfolk. To book: www.norfolkchamber.co.uk 26 Two LEPs - One Meeting - Your Business WHEN? Monday, 26 Sept, 5:00pm – 8:00pm WHERE? Best Western Knights Hill Hotel, King’s Lynn WHAT’S IT ABOUT? Representatives from both the Greater Cambridge Greater Peterborough LEP and the New Anglia LEP will be discussing what the LEPs can do for the business community in West Norfolk. Sponsored by Lloyds TSB Commercial Banking and Hayhow & Co Accountants. For more information: www.norfolkchamber.co.uk OCTOBER 6 Opportunities in….. The Middle East WHEN? Thursday, 6 October, 3.30pm – 6.00pm (followed by networking buffet) WHERE? To be confirmed WHAT’S IT ABOUT? Sponsored by UKT&I. Looking at business opportunities in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and United Arab Emirates. Further details to be announced. For more information: export@norfolkchamber.co.uk 13 Business Breakfast & AGM Norwich WHEN? Thursday, 13 October, 7:45am – 9:30am (followed by AGM at 9:45am) WHERE? Dunston Hall Hotel, Norwich
WHAT’S IS ABOUT? Sponsored by Steeles Law LLP. Further details to be announced. To book: www.norfolkchamber.co.uk 20 B2B11 Autumn WHEN? Thursday, 20 Oct, 11:00am – 5:00pm WHERE? Norwich City Football Club, Top of The Terrace & Norfolk Lounge WHAT’S IT ABOUT? Norfolks largest B2B event. To book: www.B2B11.co.uk 27 North Norfolk Networking WHEN? Thursday, 27 Oct, 7:45am – 9:30am WHERE? Fakenham Racecourse, Fakenham WHAT’S IT ABOUT? Series of networking events based in North Norfolk. Mix with like-minded individuals over a coffee before heading to the office. To book: www.norfolkchamber.co.uk NOVEMBER 3 Opportunities in….. The Far East WHEN? Thursday, 3 November, 3.30pm – 6.00pm (followed by networking buffet) WHERE? To be confirmed WHAT’S IT ABOUT? Sponsored by UKT&I. Looking at business opportunities in Thailand and Singapore. Further details to be announced. For more information visit: export@norfolkchamber.co.uk 10 Business Breakfast Great Yarmouth WHEN? Thursday, 10 Nov, 7:45am – 9.30am WHERE? Great Yarmouth Racecourse. WHAT’S IT ABOUT? Business breakfast with networking opportunities. Further details to be announced. To book: www.norfolkchamber.co.uk 15 North Norfolk Networking WHEN? Tuesday, 15 Nov, 7:45am – 9:30am WHERE? Feathers Hotel, Holt WHAT’S IT ABOUT? Series of networking events based in North Norfolk. To book: www.norfolkchamber.co.uk 16 HR Forum Norwich WHEN? Wednesday, 16 Nov, 2:00pm – 5:00pm WHERE? Dunston Hall Hotel, Norwich WHAT’S IT ABOUT? Targeted at leading HR professionals. Sponsor and presenter to be announced. To book: www.norfolkchamber.co.uk 17 Business Breakfast Norwich WHEN? Thursday, 17 Nov 7:45am – 9:30am WHERE? Norwich City Football Club WHAT’S IT ABOUT? Sponsored by Dingles Toyota, who will provide a brief talk on the future of cars and how they are powered in the UK. To book: www.norfolkchamber.co.uk
29 Better Business Finance WHEN? Tuesday, 29 November, 9:00am – 12:30pm WHERE? Sprowston Manor, Norwich WHAT’S IT ABOUT? The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has teamed up with the Better Business Finance scheme to launch a series of regional seminars on business access to finance. Throughout 2011, representatives from the UK’s major banks, including Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds, RBS and Santander, are taking part in the Regional Outreach Roadshow – a scheme which is run by the banks and the British Bankers Association (BBA). Further details at www.norfolkchamber.co.uk
DO NOT MISS THIS... Rt. Hon Dr. Vince Cable MP will be a keynote speaker at Norfolk Chamber’s first annual business conference ‘Unlocking Growth‘ to be held on 2 December 2011 at OPEN, Norwich, from 8.30am – 14.30pm. This first conference will concentrate on the opportunities currently facing Norfolk businesses to ‘unlock growth’ within their organisations. Hosted by Matthew Hudson, Business Reporter ITV Anglia, the line-up of speakers is still to be finalised, but currently includes David McNally, CEO Norwich City Football Club; Johnny Hustler, Managing Director Archant; Martyn Pellew, President British Chambers of Commerce; Adam Marshall, Director of Policy British Chambers of Commerce...and the list is growing. Go to www. norfolkchamber.co.uk for details and to book your place.
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Tapping into the potential of advanced manufacturing and e An initiative is under way to bring together the different aspects of Norfolk’s advanced manufacturing and engineering section to ensure it is better able to compete globally. The initiative is being run by the New Anglia Advanced Manufacturing & Engineering Sector Group for Norfolk and Suffolk businesses, known as NAAME. A recently established group, NAAME has already voted in two new Chairmen and Antony Howell and Tom Palmer have agreed that their first step is to consult with businesses and other relevant organisations. They have started by sending out a questionnaire that seeks to highlight key areas for focus, and those businesses and organisations that give feedback will be invited to a Consultation Workshop in late October at Hethel Engineering Centre, near Norwich. The aim of the workshop, the first in a series, is to better understand the key areas needing attention for the engineering/ manufacturing sector. The Hethel Engineering Centre is among those backing NAAME. It will provide co-ordination support and undertake the role of Automotive Lead for the New Anglia LEP (Local Enterprise Partnership), complementing its current role promoting and networking the Automotive Sector in the East of England at a European level. Also as part of efforts to strengthen the sector, small businesses in Norfolk are being asked to think about taking on an apprentice as part of a drive to cut unemployment and boost skills. Norfolk County Council is working with the Federation of Small Businesses which is leading a Regional Growth Fund application. It could see £5 million being available to help small businesses across five counties to create 2,000 new apprenticeship positions. The aim is to provide a £2,500 subsidy for each new apprenticeship position within eligible businesses, which is roughly equivalent to six months basic salary for an apprentice. A report issued earlier this year underlined the opportunities in the sector, but also said it was crucial to ensure that the new generation of employees were equipped with the right training, whether it be in traditional or more advanced skills. The report Engineering & Manufacturing in Norfolk was written by Andrew Wheeler, of Trainagain, working in conjunction with Shaping Norfolk's Future.
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COVER FEATURE
d engineering.
Continues page 26
Key to the achievements at Lotus has been the relationships between Lotus, the Skills Academy and staff at City College Norwich
Continues page 26
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From page 25
Despite the relative decline of manufacturing in the UK compared to other countries, manufacturing is still a vital part of the UK economy and manufacturing output has actually grown over the last 30 years, as has productivity.
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COVER FEATURE
The report states that: “Despite the relative decline of manufacturing in the UK compared to other countries, manufacturing is still a vital part of the UK economy and manufacturing output has actually grown over the last 30 years, as has productivity. Employment in the sector, however, has shrunk as the industry’s efficiency has improved. Norfolk needs to ensure that it is supporting its manufacturing and engineering sector by offering effective upskilling provision.” Andrew pointed out that there are 1,000 manufacturing companies in Norfolk, more than 900 of which operate in the engineering, transport, electronics, energy, food and life sciences sectors. That figure is estimated to provide 15% of the production capacity within the East’s six counties capacity and 2% of the UK’s. There are a number of specialist clusters, such as the Hethel Engineering Centre and the manufacturing areas around Norwich and Great Yarmouth and similar ones in the Thetford area and King’s Lynn. There is also a growing industry in renewables, including wind energy, biofuels, biomass, geothermal and hydrogen. The report also cited Lotus, which produces 2,500 cars a year, as a Norfolk success story when it came to providing the right skills training. Andrew said: “Key to the achievements at Lotus has been the relationships between Lotus, the Skills Academy and staff at City College Norwich. Together they prepared the ground for an in-house NVQ programme, delivered by Lotus trainers and assessors who had been trained by the College.” He says that similarly well targeted initiatives represent the way forward for the sector, adding: “On one level, we could say that there isn’t much to do. Skills shortage forecasts are unreliable and we know that employers would always prefer an over-supply of skilled labour to keep prices down and engender greater loyalty from their own workforce. Equally, skills gaps are generally short term so should never pose a serious problem for employers. “And yet on another level, it would be absurd to do nothing. The engineering/manufacturing sectors need all the support they can get and they willingly participate when given the opportunity. Global competition for engineered products and services is severe.” His report’s recommendations included developing a detailed picture of engineering skills in the county, focusing on the specialist facilities available in each of the colleges, developing a framework for engaging businesses in skills development and coming up with new ways to reward business achievements in training.
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Lenwade House, a country hotel and wedding venue is nestled in the heart of North Norfolk, conveniently situated 8 miles from Norwich City centre at the same time only 20 miles from the North Norfolk coastline. Lenwade House is set in mature woodlandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and landscaped riverside gardens. The picturesque front of the house and magnificent mature trees are an ideal backdrop for your special photographs and the large lawn to the rear of the property along with the river terrace overlooking the River Wensum. The light and airy Lenwade Suite can offer space for up to 100 delegates for meetings and events. The Lenwade Suite includes complimentary wireless internet access. l Breakfast
Meetings Rooms l Day Delegate Rates l 24 Hr Delegate Rates l Business Lunches l Team Building/Training l Corporate Functions l Staff Parties l Meetings
Create a lasting impression at an unforgettable venue
Additional services: & Presentation Equipment Hire l Outside Team Building Activities l Evening Entertainment and Functions l Car Hire and Delegate pick up l Conference and Events Manager available l AV
The Weston room in the Hostry building at Norwich Cathedral is an impressive and exciting venue in which to hold your function. It can accommodate up to 150 people or be tailored to suit smaller groups. Excellent catering facilities and full audio and visual equipment are also available. Full of natural light and overlooking the Cathedral Close, both the setting and the room itself are sure to create a lasting impression on your guests.
The Weston Room Arts & Conference Venue
For more information or to book: Call 01603 218321 Email hospitality@cathedral.org.uk
EXCLUSION ZONE
www.cathedral.org.uk
Unique venue | Conferences | Meetings | Seminars | Book Launches | Music recitals & Plays | Breakfast meetings | Evening Receptions
THE MAGAZINE OF NORFOLK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
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Conference and Exhibitions
Getting into the Christmas mood.
As the nights draw in, thoughts start turning to Winter – and that means the delights of the Christmas Party! A good Christmas party can do wonders for staff morale and in Norfolk the chance of finding the best venue for your needs is very high indeed. The area is blessed with excellent restaurants, hotels and other venues that can stage the best parties possible and whose staff are highly skilled in making sure than an event fits the people who will attend.
generate a good atmosphere, are the staff friendly? If so, you are away (and will, hopefully, have already booked the place well in advance). When organising company Christmas parties, there are a few things to bear in mind because the pitfalls are many and a poor Christmas ‘do’ can present all sorts of problems. Just as people remember a great party, they also remember a bad one and that can reflect poorly on an employer. Wise company managers and party organisers realise that the company Christmas party is all about generating goodwill, so they try to work out what would best suit their particular workforce.
Even in times of economic stricture many company bosses realise that there is much to be gained by spreading a little goodwill around the workforce.
Themed parties can work really well, but it might not be the greatest idea in the world to have a Seventies Christmas Night if most of your staff weren‘t even born then! So consider what will generate the most goodwill and what kind of event will appeal to most people.
So how do you know how to select the best venue? Well, it’s all down to first impressions – do you like the décor, does it look like it can
It is crucial to continue that mindset when selecting venues that make everyone feel welcome. Older staff members might not
appreciate a busy pub, younger ones might not want a restaurant whose clientele are normally on the older side. Put a bit of thought into making the right choice and if in doubt, seek advice from people working at the venue you have in mind to see how they can accommodate your concerns. Choosing the right menu is important. People like choice, so even though most guests will go for a traditional Christmas meal, it’s a good idea to make sure there is an alternative – and definitely a vegetarian option. Also, people like to be appreciated. Maybe your company has battled through tough economic times, maybe your staff have gone over and beyond what was expected of them to help the business survive. A good boss knows to acknowledge that at the company Christmas party. Maybe a tribute in a short speech or a thank you note on place settings would be a good idea. And, yes times have been tough, yes, budgets have been tight, but a cheap party looks cheap, so if you are determined to hold one, loosen the purse-strings a little – err on the side of generous and your staff will appreciate the gesture.
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Mangreen Trust: Orchard Rooms n
Well equipped Conference Facilities for hire.
n
Suitable for meetings/seminars of up to 60 people.
n
Rates per hour or per day. No VAT to pay!
n
Centrally located and easily accessible.
n
Three miles South of Norwich city centre.
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Free parking available on site.
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Set in a tranquil garden environment.
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Deeply supportive atmosphere that empowers your best work.
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Complemented by our own renowned catering services.
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Nourishing home prepared food sourced from our own garden, organic and local suppliers.
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Disabled access throughout. Special diets catered for.
Contact us Telephone: 01508 570444 Fax: 01508 578899 Email: trust@mangreen.co.uk Website: www.mangreen.co.uk Postal Address: Mangreen Trust, Mangreen Hall North, Mangreen, Swardeston, Norwich, Norfolk. NR14 8DD.
Mangreen Trust is a limited company and Registered Charity no : 297985.
THE MAGAZINE OF NORFOLK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
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Conference and Exhibitions
When going off site can reap dividends. As Winter approaches, hard-working teams can start to feel a little weary. For the best part of a year they have battled every challenge thrown at them and morale is starting to flag a little. How do you tackle the problem? Well, why not take them off site? Hold the next team meeting somewhere different? Why? Well, meeting in a new environment can spark creativity and revive enthusiasm. There are all sorts of options for companies seeking to try something different. Sometimes it‘s just a case of going to a local hotel for a meeting, maybe throwing in lunch. It is amazing how a change of scenery can work its magic on employees. Not only is it stimulating but it can make them feel wanted as well. For those seeking something a little more adventurous, there are plenty of companies that can help. You might, for instance, engage your team in role playing and improvisational theatre, exploring business scenarios in a different way. It‘s not just fun once folks have overcome their embarrassment; such an approach can also bring forth new ideas. Then there’s the idea of workshops where teams break away from conventional meeting formats and instead sit and kick ideas around. No agenda, no formal structure, just the chance to explore ideas. Again, such an approach can bring forward ideas that have lain dormant for a long time – and would have probably stayed that way if the employee had been staring at the wall in the office. Another option is team-building. OK, some employees may dread the idea of spending the day building a raft to ferry the managing director to the other side of the river, but behind the conventional image are sound principles. Getting teams to work together in challenging circumstances can strengthen their working relationships. Whatever option you go for, there are plenty of experienced and skilled companies out there who can provide the necessary support.
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BUSINESS SUPPORT
Finding the right support.
In challenging economic times, many companies explore new and innovative ways of getting the job done. For some of them, that can mean turning to outside business support, whether it be outsourcing sales calls and accounts or bringing in specialist HR and marketing firms. Done well, outsourcing allows companies to concentrate on what they do best, as well as saving money, becoming more flexible and managing growth more effectively. It also allows businesses to gain access to expertise and technologies. Increasingly, businesses have seen the sense in such an approach. There are plenty of established companies that can help and also, with the reduction of the public sector and cutbacks by many companies, the area is seeing the creation of new enterprises run by skilled practitioners who, having lost their jobs, are striking out on their own.
However, for all the arguments in favour of seeking outside support, making the right choices can be difficult, which is where a new Government-backed scheme comes into the equation. Backed by the banking industry, the mentoring scheme is offering support on a range of issues with advice coming from experienced business people. The scheme is the result of co-operation between the Government and the private sector, who realised that they needed to do more to guide businesses through often confusing and daunting processes. The initiative will offer support on a range of issues faced by businesses, from seeking finance to improving marketing and managing HR. Businesses can access the scheme through the website www.mentorsme.co.uk and Government ministers feel it can be of great use.
Business and Enterprise Minister Mark Prisk said: “From my own experiences running a small business I know how valuable insight can be from people who have done it all before. “Small business owners have repeatedly told us that the support they value most comes from other experienced business people. For the first time in the UK, there will be a single, cohesive network of mentoring provision. “Small firms are the lifeblood of our economy and we are determined to give them every opportunity to succeed and secure the longterm growth we need.” Of course, there are other ways of seeking the kind of support required, one of which is to take advantage of the many opportunities provided by being a member of the Chamber. Its specialists are experienced in helping businesses turn problems into solutions.
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Design, Supply and Install Photovoltaic Panels, MCS Approved Contractors Reduce your annual electricity bills and generate a profit, year after year tax free Government feed-in tariffs available as a reward for those who generate renewable electricity
Contact us for a free quotation Tel: 01603 898595 Fax: 01603 898133 Email: Info@angliasafety.co.uk www.angliasafety.co.uk Unit 1 Home Farm Holt Road Horsford Norwich NR10 3AG
THE MAGAZINE OF NORFOLK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
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Welcome to the new Lotus Driving Academy! Academy!. ADVERTISING FEATURE
Based directly at the Group Lotus headquarters in Hethel, Norfolk, we offer a fantastic range of tailormade corporate events to suit your specific needs. We appreciate the positive emotion that many people associate with Lotus, both as a company and an automobile icon, and therefore we are particularly proud to offer you the opportunity to become part of this hugely popular British legend. The famous Lotus test track and its adjacent facilities provide the ideal setting for your business event. Whether you are planning a team building exercise, rewarding your staff with a fun day out, looking for a platform for presenting and launching new products, or if your goal is to enhance your business relationships â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a track day with the Lotus Driving Academy constitutes a perfect backdrop for a day to remember. The base for your day at Lotus will be our newly refurbished clubhouse suite which overlooks the recently redeveloped test track that in years gone by has seen the likes of Jim Clark, Graham Hill and Ayrton Senna testing our legendary race cars on its surface. The FIA certified circuit is also the proving ground for all the new and exciting Lotus models that are due to be released over the years to come.
Our Chief Instructor, former Lotus Formula 1 driver Martin Donnelly, heads a team of professional instructors, and our fleet of cars features the iconic Lotus Elise and the multiple award-winning Evora S, which are ready and waiting for you and your guests to have a great day on track. Concentrate on your driving technique by tackling the technical South section of our track, or indulge in fast-speed driving on the long straights of the North part. You might also want to combine both sections of the track for your event, honing your skills as well as putting your foot to the floor, all under the supervision of your expert instructor. Possible add-ons for your track experience include Factory Tours, where you will get the chance to step into the epicenter of Lotus life and tour the Lotus Elise and Evora production lines, and Classic Team Lotus, where you can re-live the motor sport history of Lotus by seeing a fine collection of vintage race cars in their original workshop. It goes without saying that we are happy to provide all event amenities such as full catering, hospitality, presentation facilities, and much more. We are standing by to design an individual programme that suits your exact needs and helps you reach your business objectives. Our professional team will work with you all the way from your initial enquiry through to implementation and post-event debrief to ensure a unique, rewarding and successful experience.
The Lotus Driving Academy helped SITEK massively in further enhancing our strong relationships with our business associates. We will deďŹ nitely be back next year Simon Gill Managing Director, SITEK Engineering, Norwich
Contact us today for more information on (01953) 608547 or alternatively e-mail info@lotusdrivingacademy.com or visit us at www.lotusdrivingacademy.com
We look forward to welcoming you to Hethel soon!
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An essential service for your business – free to Norfolk Chamber of Commerce Members.
n Health & Safety Policy
Either to assist your current HR management or to become a dedicated outsource HR support, Qdos Employer Defence is the sound choice for businesses that like to concentrate on their core operation and leave the necessities of running a business to dedicated experts.
n Categorised guidance on employment law matters
Don’t just take our word for it - read what our clients say about us …
n Access to over 250 downloadable policies, procedures, documents, letters, templates and fact sheets
“Our business had access to Qdos’ services through being a member of the local Chamber which gave us access to hundreds of template documents and policies through the web and constant support from the advice line. We always found them to be excellent in their advice. We decided to upgrade to QED and are so pleased we did. It is well worth the investment in many ways. It means that we have no need to employ a HR person in house, as we have our own dedicated consultant who we can contact whenever necessary.
Specifically ChamberHR provides compliant:
Are your human resource policies up to date? Are your procedures compliant and legal? Do you sometimes feel that your employees know more about their employment rights than you? How do you deal with an employee who raises a grievance? As a Norfolk Chamber member, you have free access to these answers and more with ChamberHR. ChamberHR, provided by employment experts at Qdos Consulting, is a telephone-based advisory service, complemented by online guidance. It is designed to give employers practical human resource and employment law guidance with supporting documentation. The added benefit of Employment Indemnity Insurance is included (excess applies) giving additional peace of mind in the event of employment disputes.
n Contract of Employment n Employee Handbook
n Unlimited access to a 24 hour human resource telephone advisory service n Preferential rates for bespoke human resource and health & safety consultancy n The facility to build your own documents n Guidance videos Members access the ChamberHR website www. chamberhr.co.uk by username and password which is included in the membership pack.
Qdos Employer Defence (QED) For those who need additional ‘on-site’ support. While ChamberHR provides the information and guidance required for you to manage your HR requirements, many employers choose to upgrade to full outsource management in order to apply their time to their core business. QED provides an outsource management programme that is tailored to your business needs. n Bespoke employment contracts, policies and handbooks are designed and delivered n Dedicated named advisors are on hand to assist you when you call n Consultants will visit your premises for prescribed consultancy and training n The added benefit of Employment Indemnity Insurance included as part of the QED range of services removing any additional cost in the event of employment disputes with NO EXCESS.
“Qdos reviewed our procedures which flagged up the ‘holes’ and we are now working with our dedicated consultant to implement a course of action. We can rest assured that we are in the hands of experts and should you be undecided as to whether you should upgrade please feel free to contact us for a reference.” Ray Armstrong, MCS Control Systems Ltd “As a result of our experience I would not hesitate in recommending the Human Resource consultancy services of Qdos Consulting Limited. I have nothing but praise for their achievements well deserved kudos for Qdos! “Since outsourcing our Human Resource Management to Qdos Consulting, we have seen a significant turnaround in the effectiveness of our human resource function. We had tried other outsourcing arrangements for human resources, but found that they did not meet our needs. Qdos Consulting offered the widest ranges of services, including the widely acclaimed Chamber HR Service. In addition Qdos has provided a senior consultant to work directly with us. We have thus enjoyed the combined benefit of having available all the up-to-date professional expertise with the years of senior experience and insight of our consultant and this has helped us to achieve our plan. With the on-going on-site support of Qdos, the British Chambers of Commerce has been recognised as an Investor in People.” Ronan Quigley, Financial Director at the British Chambers of Commerce
Qdos Consulting – Your Trusted Advisor For more information telephone 01455 852028
THE MAGAZINE OF NORFOLK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
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CHAMBER SAVINGS
Commercial Savings For Your Company. As a member of the Norfolk Chamber of Commerce you are entitled to a number of Commercial Benefits including Healthcare Plans, HR Support, Purchasing Discounts and Insurance Coverage that will not only help you save on operational costs, but can also be passed on to the benefit of your employees. Negotiated at a national level and leveraging on the buying power of The British Chambers of Commerce Network of county chambers, service rates are free or at least comparable to those procured by large-scale corporations. Below is a summary of each offering. Contact 01603 625977 to find out more.
Chamber Legal
Chamber Health 1
Chamber Utility Auditing
FREE 24/7 Legal Helpline + Legal Expenses Insurance with up to £670,000 of indemnity, worth a minimum of £125 for the smallest business.
Chamber Optical & Dental Healthcare Plan from Westfield – provide your staff with healthcare from as little as £1.10 per week. Holistic treatments also included.
Free comprehensive review of your utility bills by approved specialists to make sure your business is getting the most competitive rates.
Chamber HR
Chamber Health 2
Chamber AA Fleet
FREE 24/7 HR Helpline + Online Resource with downloadable templates, policies and updates on employment law worth a minimum of £350 for the smallest business.
Chamber Private Healthcare Plan from AXA PPP Healthcare.
Save up to 61% on AA Fleet Membership for company vehicles with Chamber Fleet Assist.
Chamber Purchasing
Chamber Debt Recovery
Chamber Finance
The Norfolk Chamber of Commerce and AF Affinity have joined forces to give you access to Chamber Purchasing. Your business can now leverage on the buying might of Anglia Farmers through its subsidiary AF Affinity, enabling you to buy goods and services at very competitive prices.
Debt Recovery Service – Free initial letter and a small fixed fee if the debt is recovered. No charge if the debt is not recovered.
FREE business banking for one year for established business and 3 years’ free banking for start-ups with Natwest as a Chamber Member.
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FOCUS ON ENGINEERING
Precision Engineering Company looks to the stars stars. ADVERTISING FEATURE
Howarth Engineering is a family owned company of 30 years standing, managed by the second generation: Andrew and Mark Randall.
encouraging and developing younger members and apprentices. Many of our long-serving employees joined as trainees and have developed their skills with us”. Quality is key to Howarth who operate under the watchful eye of their in-house quality control department. They are particularly proud to have held the BS EN ISO 9002 accreditation for more than 15 years.
Norwich based Howarth have teamed up with local astronomy equipment supplier Altair Astro to design and manufacture a range of high quality imaging hardware for their range of telescopes. Howarth’s MD, Andrew Randall, explained “we were able to take the initial idea and manufacture parts that customers actually need, by taking notice of the comments left via the on-line user forum”, and added “this was rather ironic as another part of the business is involved in the supply of components for the jointing and installation of subsea fibre optic cabling which carries internet traffic worldwide”. Due to the expertise of the team at Howarth Engineering, their components are now being used from the bottom of the ocean to, well, the skies the limit! In fact, Howarth are the only company worldwide that manufacture the equipment required for jointing the fibre optics to make this happen. Training is very important and continuous training ensures the high levels of effectiveness are maintained. Particular pride is taken in recruiting and nurturing young staff as a future investment. “We place great emphasis on training” said Andrew, “with our skilled craftsmen
They have a well-equipped CNC and Manual Machine workshop enabling them to offer one off prototypes, small to large batch CNC turning and milling, right up to high volume lights out production on their two latest machines Star SV20 and SV32 9 axis CNC lathes. Working for a wide range of customers, quality and timely delivery are of the utmost importance.
Howarth Engineering Ltd is committed to satisfying customers by producing highprecision finished products, delivered on time and achieving measurable objectives through continually improving process management. If you have a project which you would like them to investigate or quote for, please contact Andrew for further information: Howarth Engineering Ltd Earl Road | Rackheath Industrial Estate | Rackheath | Norwich | Norfolk NR13 6NT T: +44(0)1603 721155 F: +44(0)1603 721648 E: andrew@howarthengineering.com
Diversity – A key part of our strategy Automotive: the manufacture of various internal components include gear knobs, handbrake sleeves and heater control knobs. Motorsport: rod ends, monitoring equipment and safety critical parts from a wide range of materials including titanium, inconel and various high performance plastics. Oil and Gas: drilling and well abandonment equipment. Telecoms: a wide range of parts for the jointing and laying of subsea fibre optics including mould tools, and bend limiting equipment, to protect the fibre optics from getting damaged during the laying operation.
THE MAGAZINE OF NORFOLK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
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Henderson Business Centre Meeting Rooms & Conference Facilities What Henderson has to offer: l Excellent location (adjacent to outer ring road) l Modern Eco friendly building l Parkland views l Ample free parking l Free broadband connectivity l Large LG 50â&#x20AC;? Plasma screen l Refreshments & Buffet on request
www.hendersonbusinesscentre.co.uk Please call Kim on 01603 251700 or email info@hendersonbusinesscentre.co.uk
www.bbkingz-it-solutions.com A forward thinking company... We offer a range of IT services including website hosting BBKingz IT Solutions Telephone: 01842 898434 Fax: 01842 898535 Mobile: 07872 491919 Email: hayden@bbkingz-it-solutions.com admin@bbkingz-it-solutions.com BBKingz UK Ltd. 85B Gorse Industrial Estate, Barnham, Thetford, Norfolk IP24 2PH
BB
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It pays to have a healthy workforce! Active people take 27% fewer days off sick, are more motivated and more productive! Active Norfolk’s Fit4Work project can design a bespoke fitness action plan for your business. Fit4Work is “hands on” on project that will provide healthy, fun activities that benefit your staff and your business. This could include sporting courses, one-off tasters, charity challenges and competitions. It’s free to get Fit4Work! It is open to any organisation in the county and there are no hidden costs. Make your business part of the action! To get involved go to:
www.activenorfolk.org/fit4work Or call 01603 731564 to find out more. Norfolk Chamber of Commerce
The Ultimate Business Network
The Forum Norwich
Thursday 6th October 2011 10am - 4pm
An open invitation for all local business with any professional cleaning-related issues.
l
Floorcare Machines
l
Chemicals
Visitors are invited to attend the ProClean Norwich exhibition at The Forum in Norwich, on Thursday 6th October from 10am - 4pm only.
l
Pressure Washers
l
Impregnated Wipes
Bringing the cleaning industry to the doorsteps of the people that matter; acting as a platform for education, innovation and discussion.
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Carpet cleaning
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Sanitisation systems
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Washroom
NICE Cleaning and Training Seminars in the Cube .
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Paper Disposables
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Sanitary Bins
l
Green Products
l
Window Cleaning
This event presents a rare opportunity to take your business needs to key providers and specialists and securing your all important audience.
Welcome to the cleaning community Free to visit - all you need is your business card Trade only visitors
www.tomorrowscleaning.com
For further information contact Gavin Nicholls on +44 (0) 1625 426054 or email gavin@opusbusinessmedia.co.uk
THE MAGAZINE OF NORFOLK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
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REGIONAL NEWS
Businesses ‘will miss out on Olympics cash’. East of England businesses could lose out on a share of £2.9 billion as a result of being illprepared to manage the risks and opportunities of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, according to Lloyds Banking Group. The bank canvassed the views of more than 100 businesses across the East of England and showed that 26 per cent believe London 2012 will boost their growth, and 79 per cent believe that Britain will benefit. However, the new study shows that many UK businesses aren’t ready to maximise this growth potential. With businesses questioned recognising an average possible growth opportunity of 1.55 per cent from London 2012, and with official figures showing annual SME turnover of £1,589 billion, the total potential turnover growth resulting from the Games nationally could be £24.63 billion. Despite this, the survey shows that 13 per cent of firms in the East of England expect to miss out financially because they will not be ready in time. Almost a fifth (18 per cent) of businesses admitted they could do more to develop a strategy to deal with the opportunities and potential impacts of the 2012 Games, and firms also agreed they might be able to take further steps to: n encourage staff to get involved (21 per cent) n investigate the local impact of the 2012 Games (15 per cent) n take advantage of the legacy impact of the 2012 Games (19 per cent) n make arrangements for staff cover (four per cent)
n target new markets (nine per cent) n put in place transport contingency plans (seven per cent) n seek out contract opportunities (eight per cent) n plan for increased demand for products and services (five per cent) n devise robust IT and security procedures (two per cent) When asked why they had not done more to prepare for London 2012, 62 per cent said they did not believe they had anything to gain, or that they did not see any benefits for their particular sector (50 per cent) or for the East of England (42 per cent). Neil Mahoney, regional director for Lloyds TSB Commercial in London and East, said: “London 2012 is an incredible opportunity for East of England businesses but it‘s all in the preparation. Those businesses that plan how they are going to manage the risks and opportunities stand the best chance of reaping rewards, while those that sit back are much more likely to miss out. “It is a big mistake to assume that if you’re not based in London and you’re not in a sector directly related to the event that you have nothing to prepare for.” To help businesses understand the various ways in which they can prepare, Lloyds Banking Group, the official banking and insurance partner to London 2012, has published a new guide, Games Time Ready, which is available free of charge to all businesses and can be downloaded at www.lloydsbankcorporatemarkets.com/london2012.
Honour for Norwich solicitor. Norwich solicitor Roger Holden has been appointed president of the Norfolk and Norwich Law Society. An aviation law specialist, Mr Holden is managing partner of long-established Norwich and North Norfolk-based Hansells Solicitors and Financial Advisers. Under his leadership, the practice has trebled in size to become one of the top 10 firms in East Anglia, with a UK-wide clientele. Mr Holden has taken on the Law Society presidency in a year which will witness momentous changes to the British legal system. He said: “Our profession has probably never seen such far-reaching changes in such a short space of time – new entrants to our markets, new business structures and new rules to govern us. “It is a very interesting time to take on the presidency. The Norfolk and Norwich Law Society will be watching developments closely and addressing issues as they arise.” Mr Holden succeeds Ross Strowger as president of the Norfolk and Norwich Law Society, which has represented Norfolk’s lawyers for decades. He said: “Very distinguished lawyers have held this office and I am honoured to be elected.”
Firm expands as it helps businesses cut energy bills.
COMPANY PROFILE Colin Grooms Solicitors For Solicitors in Norwich Always Trust Colin Grooms Solicitors
An energy contract management firm in Norfolk is celebrating a successful 18 months after achieving a turnover of £399,000 by helping businesses reduce their energy bills. Emily Groves set up Indigo Swan last year after identifying an opportunity to provide impartial advice and set new standards in an unregulated industry. The company tenders and manages commercial gas and electricity contracts to achieve cost-savings. Indigo Swan managed 123 million kWh of energy consumption in 2010 and achieved a turnover of £399,000 in its first year, with clients including Godfrey DIY and Haymarket Media Group. With energy prices reaching an all-time high and the Bank of England warning of further price rises, it has seen a 28% rise in new customers asking for help in the last three months.
n Divorce, Finances n Ancillary Relief n Adoption n Maintenance, Domestic Disputes Emily Groves, managing director, said: “I think our growth has been down to our approach. We are 100% independent which means the client’s interest is our top priority, not the suppliers and every client is allocated their own energy advisor. We also encourage feedback from our clients so we can continuously develop and streamline our service. We firmly believe ordinary is not exceptional and hope we can continue to help businesses across East Anglia make significant cost savings, despite the rising price increases.”
n Cohabitation Agreements n Pre/Post Nuptial Agreements n Civil Partnerships n Regulated by the SRA No 557102
For more information, please turn to page 48
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NORFOLK VOICE
Properties to let Industrial retail office Various locations in and around Norwich.
For more information please contact Jill Manthorpe or Jennifer King on 01603 213452 or visit our website
www.norwich.gov.uk
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THE MAGAZINE OF NORFOLK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
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POLICY
Enterprise zone given green light. Six areas of Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft have been given the green light by the government for an enterprise zone – paving the way for thousands of jobs to be created in some of the most deprived parts of the region and creating a boom in the energy sector. The zone will have simplified planning rules, tax breaks for new and expanding businesses and “super-fast” broadband links. It is hoped private firms will be tempted to set up or expand their existing operations. The bid, submitted by the New Anglia local enterprise partnership (LEP), aims to create up to 2,000 jobs and attract 80 businesses by 2015 and 13,500 jobs and 200 businesses over the 25-year lifetime of the zone. It is designed to capitalise on the area’s leading position in the energy sector. In a separate decision, West Norfolk will also benefit from a winning Greater Cambridge and Greater Peterborough local enterprise partnership bid for the Alconbury Airfield Zone near Huntington. Russell Leggett, Great Yarmouth Chamber Council President, said: The creation of an Enterprise Zone covering Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft is great news for both towns. It will add to the existing attractions for bringing or setting up businesses in the area especially, but not only, those connected with the energy, engineering and marine sectors where there are many developments taking place. Job opportunities for local people should be enhanced and aspirations, which have been reported as low locally, should be raised. Government recognition of the Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft offer is long overdue and this will be a tremendous boost to local business confidence.” Andy Wood, chairman of the New Anglia LEP, said the bid had been successful because the plan was “deliverable, credible and realistic” and it focused on an existing sector. He also said they were ready to start straight away. “The sites are ready to go now. There are minimal infratructure costs with them and we know there is growth in the energy sector. We know there are companies that are going to want to be based in the UK through offshore wind development. Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft are well-placed and it will give us a competitive advantage here rather than on the continent, whether in the Netherlands or other parts.” Any increase in business rates from an enterprise zone will be retained by the LEP to support wider economic development.
and Suffolk and underpin future jobs growth. We have been given this wonderful opportunity and now is the time to roll up our sleeves and demonstrate that it is the right decision.” The New Anglia LEP bid was developed by the public-private partnership the Norfolk and Suffolk Energy Alliance (NSEA). Brandon Lewis, MP for Great Yarmouth, said the enterprise zone would attract investment and put the east coast on the economic map. “That our bid was successful is a testament to a government that is interested in and understands and cares about our unique concerns rather than only thinking about the big urban cities.”
Mark Goodall, New Anglia LEP board member and area manager of international energy business Aker Solutions, said it was not only excellent news for Yarmouth and Lowestoft but for the whole area.
Barry Dennis, president of the Norfolk Chamber of Commerce, said: “Being ranked in the top five of all submissions shows what quality work the LEP is already achieving. There have been complaints in the past about lack of funding into our region. This is hopefully a sign that things are on the way up.”
He said: “EZ (enterprise zone) status will give a much needed boost to facilitating the further development of the energy supply chain in Norfolk
Derrick Murphy, leader of Norfolk County Council and a New Anglia LEP board member, said: “Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft have many things
that bind the two towns together, but in terms of future opportunities; the energy sector is the most significant. “There are over 500 businesses already involved in the energy sector located in the Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft areas, employing around 10,000 people directly and many more in the various supply chains. “This announcement furthers our ability to compete, as the business rate and planning benefits within the enterprise zone are an attractive proposition to bring more companies into the area, buoyed by our existing expertise base.” Steve Ames, Leader of Great Yarmouth Borough Council, said: “Enterprise zone status will give our ever increasing efforts to promote the energy offer in the Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft sub region an important boost – attracting new inward investment and jobs to this area, which will in turn provide significant economic opportunities for our existing energy supply chain and the local economy in general.” Copy courtesy of EDP24
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER JULY/AUGUST 2011
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NORFOLK VOICE
CHAMBER 5IVES
Chamber 5ives is the business!. Congratulations to Colin Grooms Solicitors, who have won the Chamber 5ives Summer Football league. Also, a big thank you to the other teams that took part (in final descending order) – Anglia Farmers, Grosvenor Casino, Birketts Solicitors, Coopers BMW and STM Polythene. As ever, the competition was hard, and cleanly, fought, and all the teams reported that the league enabled them to get fit, have fun outside the office and also get some exposure for their company through all the Chamber marketing channels. Colin Grooms, manager of his winning team, said: “Our Chamber 5ives team had never played together before and one member had never even been part of anything competitive, so moulding them into a team was a real
Colin Grooms and his team raise the Chamber 5ives cup
challenge. Their enthusiasm, natural skill and downright determination saw us win the League cup at our first attempt. “I am thrilled for my team and at the effort and team spirit shown throughout the 15 week season. In fact, they won with one game to spare! Like business, if we all pull together and pool our resources and expertise in these difficult times, with the same determination and effort, then we can succeed.”
Chamber and the Norfolk FA, and is open to Chamber members. Matches are played on Thursday evenings at 6.15pm at Norfolk County FA’s Football Development Centre, Bowthorpe Park, Cloverhill Road, Norwich NR5 9ED. For more information Email: jackb@norfolkchamber.co.uk.
Why not think about signing up a team of your own for future leagues? This professionally-run competition is a collaboration between the
THE MAGAZINE OF NORFOLK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
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TAKE A BREAK
Ridley Pinstripe. Quiet day at the offices of Barking Barking and Madd. Wednesday morning, still too much recovering to do after the weekend. The sepulchral atmosphere in the Stock Control Department was broken by the arrival of Moira, our Community Relationships Liaison Officer. Moira is a recent appointment. Her predecessor was sacked after an unfortunate incident when a visitor from the local pensioners’ club slipped and found himself trapped headfirst in a tool rack. He was lucky that one of the operators glanced up from Page 3 of The Sun and noticed his legs kicking wildly. Despite his rescue, his cap was ruined for ever.
Sudoku Issue 6
Visits were temporarily suspended before being finally abandoned altogether after a re-think of strategy by the board of directors and, more importantly, a suggestion by the magistrates during the HSE prosecution, a court case in which, incidentally, the chairman of the panel used the word ‘irresponsible scumbags’ twice. For the next few months, we did not much in the way of community liaison - another of the magistrates’ suggestions actually - but restarted it after the company’s next contribution to environmental protection was to accidentally allow a large quantity of midly toxic waste to leak from the storage tank onto the 18 allotments out the back of the plant. I say mildly toxic but 78 racing pigeons were among the victims. It was not all bad, however, because two of the allotment holders won prizes at the workingmen’s club annual show with leeks which were eleven feet long. Anyway, Moira was taken on and given the task of coming up with bright ideas to re-build relationships with the community. “And I have come up with an idea to do just that,” she announced dramatically on the morning in question, “A piece of art!” And so it was that a local artist was appointed all bedraggled sweater and long hair - to work with children from the local primary to design a piece of art for our main entrance, funded by £750,000 from some strange National Lottery scheme. Everyone crowded round on the day of the unveiling which was performed by the Mayor and attended by diginataries including the deputy managing director, the MD himself having been unable to leave his Carribean Paradise due to ‘other commitments’. Which
turned out to be an interview with two visiting British detectives concerning certain financial irregularities, a visit which ended up lasting sixmonths, oddly enough. “It gives me great pleasure,” said the mayor in a voice which suggested that it didn’t really but it was better than attending the WI luncheon club, “to unveil this monument to the great contribution which Barking Madd and Madd has made to the local community over recent years.” And with that he pulled the lever which lifted the great tarpaulin. Everyone looked in amazement at the large steel structure depicting a man in a flat cap holding a dead pigeon in his right hand and a huge leek in the left. Or, at least we hoped it was a great leek.
Solution Issue 5
“It represents,” said the artist, ‘the way your company has contributed to the allotments association.” The following day, another tragic toxic waste spillage from our site wiped out all life on all twenty three of the allotments, including eighty nine pigeons and a goat. No one knows how it happened.
Ridley SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011
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5/9/11 13:43:31
NEW MEMBERS
New Members. 3sun Ltd
FW Properties Ltd
Picasso HR Ltd
01493 446576
01603 903500
01473 890037
Energy
Property Development
Human Resources Consultants
3Sun Group specialises in delivering a comprehensive range of products and services to oil and gas, marine and renewable sectors both directly and via a network of global partners and agents.
FW Properties is a private property investor, developer and consultant focused on adding value to commercial and residential property.
HR Consultancy and Outsourcing. We act as the HR Department for small and medium sized companies, allowing businesses to focus on their core activities. We also provide a wide range of management training.
Carluccio’s 01603 622685 Restaurants Award winning Italian café, restaurant, delicatessen and foodshop.
Joy Gower Training 01603 712704
R P Consultancy Services
Training Providers/Services Courses in NLP, coaching and hypnotherapy for business and personal development. One to one business and personal coaching and therapy. Advanced communication skills.
Crafty Pixels Ltd
MGMT Media Ltd
01603 727778
01493 334855
Website Designers
Media
We are a highly creative digital design studio based in Norwich. We are passionate about design and about business and we believe with the right creative approach we can help you achieve great things online.
We know that looking for a job in Norfolk can be frustrating and The Jobseeker aims to take the pain out of job hunting. Our intelligent search and matching technology saves you the hassle of searching through thousands of jobs.
East Anglia Reserved Forces Cadets Association 01245 244800 Charities We are an enduring and essential pillar of support to the reserve forces and cadets, an independent body that represents their interests and promotes understanding between the armed forces and civil society.
07930 970649 Consultants (Business/Management) Business support including gaining accreditation to certified schemes; internal audits, business skills training, business systems, policies and procedures.
The Royal Oak Public House
Norfolk Broads Brewing Llp
01508 493734 Hotels Public House selling Real Ales as a speciality. ‘No Food’ functions including Beer Festivals held 3 times a year and Wine & Whisky evenings. CAMRA Pub of the Year 2007 for Norfolk and Norwich.
01493 701 818 Brewers The Fermoy and George families took over this independent family run brewery business in 2006 and have doubled production since taking over. Their focus is to ensure that Humpty Dumpty ales can be found at a wide range of pubs across East Anglia.
Event showcases engineering future growth. The regions’ engineering and manufacturing sector will once again be showcasing what it has to offer with the announcement of EFG (Engineering Future Growth), an event taking place at the Great Yarmouth Racecourse on Wednesday 16 November. EFG – which is supported by Crown Estates, EEEGr, FSB and Norfolk and Suffolk Chambers – will introduce the businesses of the sector from the Great Yarmouth and Waveney sub region
and the new LEP for Norfolk and Suffolk to the opportunities the energy industry presents to them in the next ten to fifteen years. Identifying key areas and building knowledge, EFG is a unique opportunity to build awareness and optimise the potential of businesses and the local economy.
manufacturing companies are vital to the local economy and this event will showcase what’s on offer.” For more information, email tze@managedperceptions.co.uk, telephone 0844 357 4590, or visit www.managedperceptions.co.uk
Norfolk Chamber CEO Caroline Williams, said: “Norfolk and Suffolk Chambers are delighted to support this event, because engineering and
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011
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Colin Grooms Solicitors Norfolk Family Law Specialists n Divorce, Finances
n Cohabitation Agreements
n Ancillary Relief
n Pre-Post Nuptial Agreements
n Adoption
n Civil Partnerships
n Maintenance, Domestic Disputes
n Regulated by the SRA No 557102
Like doctors, there are many types of specialised solicitors throughout Norwich. Divorce law is filed under the classification family or matrimonial law. We are specialists in divorce law. We are well aware of UK laws and how they can change. If you’re considering separation or a divorce, you’ll require the services of a solicitor in Norwich. Even if your case is simple and you’re organised, you will still need an initial consultation with a family law solicitor. Family law solicitors are qualified to give you expert legal advice regarding your specific situation. Specific details regarding finances and children can be discussed with a family law solicitor. It’s recommended that you trust the advice of your family law solicitor. If you want to save costs, there is no VAT payable on all bills raised in 2011 thus giving an immediate 20% saving plus, we will not be beaten on costs and have the benefit of expert advice tailored to your needs and at no inconvenience to you simply call 01603 913032 or email enquiries@cg-family-solicitors.co.uk to talk to a real Family Law Specialist. Or visit www.cg-family-solicitors.co.uk
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The Principal, Colin Grooms is a Family Law specialist with many years of experience in dealing with these sensitive matters. Colin qualified as a Solicitor in 1993 and worked for two large firms in Kent both with national reputations for excellence. Colin was Head of the Family Law Department and a Partner prior to moving to Norwich in 2003 where he joined a local firm of solicitors as Partner and Head of the Family Law Department. Colin’s wide experience in family law has enabled him to understand the emotive and sensitive issues that can surface at a time when his clients need direction and support and to properly deal with those issues with professionalism and expertise. Colin’s professional qualifications are second to none. He is an accredited Family Law Specialist with Resolution first for family law and is an accredited member of the Law Society Family Law Accreditation Scheme. He is also a Resolution trained Collaborative Lawyer.
5/9/11 13:43:40
CHAMBER NEWS
Charity challenge fund raising tops £100,000. Biking solicitor hits the road for new challenge. Fenland and West Norfolk law firm Fraser Dawbarns has strengthened its civil litigation team with the appointment of a new solicitor. Neil John joins the company having spent more than ten years with a firm in King’s Lynn, dealing with a wide range of litigation cases including personal injury claims, employment tribunal advice and consumer issues. A keen motorcyclist, he was one of the founders and management members of the Biker Legal Line, an advice service offered by the British Motorcyclists Federation for those involved in a bike accident or other bike-related disputes. Steve McGregor, head of Fraser Dawbarns’ litigation department, said “I’m delighted to welcome Neil to our expanding litigation team. His wide ranging experience of litigation practice and national reputation in the motorcycle community will further enhance our services.”
Richard Keeler (right) with 901 Troop Marine Candets, who received a £2000 grant.
A quiz night at Great Yarmouth has enabled the LB150 Challenge by chartered accountants Lovewell Blake LLP to break through £100,000 raised for local good causes. Sixty four people from the Yarmouth office and their friends took part in the quiz organised by personal assistant Julie Jones at the Furzedown Hotel, raising more than £300 for the challenge – the third year that she has organised such an evening. The five-year challenge to raise £150,000 was begun in 2008 to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Lovewell Blake. It has already made grants totalling £91,758 to 63 local charities and community groups. “We thought it would get harder to keep up the level of fund raising — but the opposite is proving true,” says Richard Keeler, manager at the Yarmouth office who is chairman of the
fund raising panel. “Enthusiasm to keep up the momentum is growing and we’ve plans to make this year the best so far.”
Fraser Dawbarns is one of the largest legal firms in Fenland and West Norfolk with 15 Partners and 100 staff. It has offices in Wisbech, Downham Market, King’s Lynn and March.
Activities planned for the rest of the year include a golf day at Rookery Park, Carlton Colville, a 40-mile sponsored cycle ride along the North Norfolk coast, a 10-mile sponsored walk into Norwich, and local office quiz and race nights. More than 25 per cent of staff continue to contribute through the Give As You Earn scheme, and there are ‘dress down’ days each month. The grants of up to £2000, administered through the Norfolk Community Foundation, are aimed at smaller, often little-known groups — many supporting the disadvantaged. To apply for a grant contact Norfolk Community Foundation on 01603 623958 or visit www.norfolkfoundation.com
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011
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NORFOLK VOICE
The last word. Name Davina Tanner Company Chapelfield Shopping Centre Job title General Manager BIOG: Davina Tanner has been General Manager of Chapelfield Shopping Centre since 2008, after a varied career. Davina describes herself as a ‘businesswoman first’; but her social conscience and sense of community responsibility has manifested itself in a variety of ways since she joined the Chapelfield team and moved to Norwich. The award-winning Chapelfield Custody and Community Project, in partnership with HMP Norwich, has led to Davina being recognised nationally for her work providing work experience and permanent job opportunities for serving prisoners. She is a member of Business in the Community’s Leadership Team, of the Employer’s Forum for Reducing Re-offending, and is regularly called upon to speak about the development of the project.
What did you want to be when you were young? I don’t really remember having a clear career ambition from a young age but I’ve always preferred working in customer-facing roles. I like people!
What could you not live without? Chocolate.
If you could build a house anywhere in the world where would it be? Antigua.
What makes you angry? People who insult my intelligence and those who are negative.
She is Chair of the regional Retail Skills Academy, working with City College Norwich to secure funding for the Academy which is providing huge opportunities for people seeking to develop careers in this sector. Davina is an active member of the Norwich City Centre Partnership and Chair of the citywide security network. She is in regular contact with major organisations in the city. “I am in a privileged position where I can seek the opinion, liaise with and comment on behalf of my colleagues; representing Norwich and Norfolk to a wider regional or national audience,” she says. “I am extremely proud that Chapelfield has cemented its role as a key part of the Norfolk business community and look forward to continuing and expanding this work.”
If you could invite any two people to dinner who would they be and why? Richard Branson, because he’s such an incredible entrepreneur and innovator. Also Bill Clinton; for all the controversy that surrounded his years as President, he’s now a respected and trustworthy statesman.
What is the best thing about Norfolk? Having access to an exciting city like Norwich whilst being so close to a stunning coastline.
If you only had £1 left in the whole world what would you spend it on? That brings me back to...chocolate!
What is in your opinion the greatest invention ever? The mobile phone. How did I ever live without one.
What is the most valuable lesson you have learnt in life? Don’t judge a book by its cover: everyone deserves a second chance and a helping hand.
If you could come back as an animal in your next life what would it be and why? A cat – independent and self-contained but also affectionate.
© Sascha Drenth
THE MAGAZINE OF NORFOLK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
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