Norfolk Voice 40 by Distinctive Media Group Ltd

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Caroline Williams of Norfolk Chamber has the Last Word

Our Big Interview with Ian Watson, CEO of Start-rite Shoes

What Brexit must deliver for business

Plus... Member News / International / Policy / Events THE MAGAZINE OF NORFOLK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

MAYJUNE 2017

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CONTENTS

Welcome! Another bumper filled magazine to keep you updated as to what is going on in the Norfolk business world. Do make sure you also check out our new website. With uncertain times ahead it is essential that the Norfolk business voice is heard loud and clear locally, regionally and nationally. I was personally disappointed that the Devolution deal was not accepted as I feel Norfolk could lose momentum moving a number of areas forward. However, as businesses we are used to set backs and need to get back in there, making things happen. Norfolk County Council and New Anglia LEPs’ Economic Strategies are currently being developed and it is essential that business set the agenda. The Chamber is running a number of economic round tables across Norfolk so please make yourself available or send in your thoughts as to what you business needs to be even more successful Page 15. The Chamber will continue to be a conduit of information concerning Brexit to help you to make the right decisions for your organisation. Check out our feature on Page 6/7.

MEMBER NEWS

Take care and be proud of being a Norfolk business!

CHAMBER POLICY

INTERNATIONAL TRADE

THE BIG INTERVIEW

CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

CYBER SECURITY

MEMBER NEWS

CORPORATE HOSPITALITY

NEW MEMBERS

We need to protect our businesses as Cyber Crime continues to be a major challenge. Unfortunately ignoring it will not make it go away so the Chamber will be ensuring you have the key information you need, and will be holding a must attend event in May Page 51. As you may know this will be my last column. I am leaving the Chamber to pursue new exciting avenues including running my own business. It has been an honour and a privilege to serve you as Chief Executive through many highs and lows and hope that our paths will cross again. I also have the LAST WORD page 54 which doesn’t often happen!

CHAMBER NEWS

WEEK IN THE LIFE OF

COVER FEATURE

BUSINESS SUPPORT

CHAMBER FEATURE

MEMBERSHIP

CHAMBER EVENTS

THE LAST WORD

CHAMBER’S GOLD PATRONS

Norfolk Voice is a Norfolk Chamber of Commerce publication.

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NORFOLK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

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FEATURE EDITORS

Caroline Williams CEO Norfolk Chamber of Commerce

MAY/JUNE 2017

John Dean & Francis Griss email:deangriss@btinternet.com DISCLAIMER: Distinctive Publishing or Norfolk Chamber 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 Chamber.

NORFOLK VOICE • THE MAGAZINE OF NORFOLK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

A challenge and opportunity for Norfolk. With the triggering of Article 50 we have now started the process of leaving the European Union. Every day appears to bring a new headline with respect to the negotiations and some very interesting commentary from a wide range of social and political experts. It is going to be increasingly difficult during this period for businesses to filter what is fact or fiction, and even harder to try and plan to deal with the immediate way we all now seem to react to economic and political news. Clearly businesses are concerned about labour restrictions, export/import tariffs and general changes in legislation and employment law. Norfolk Chamber and the British Chambers of Commerce will continually be lobbying central government to protect businesses interests throughout the next two years and we will aim to keep our members regularly updated in a non fictional way on the likely outcome of the negotiations.

If we put Brexit to one side which I know is difficult as there is very little else being reported on, even Donald Trump latest tweet seems to take second place. The UK economy seems to be performing fairly well, with recently updated growth forecast being issued for the remainder of this year. It is therefore important that we don’t forget to keep focussed on the day to day running of our member businesses. A recent major issue which is facing nearly all businesses with a connection to the internet is cyber crime. The Chamber is currently running a number of initiatives to inform its members how to protect against cyber crime, this edition of Norfolk Voice outlines how important this issue is and give recommendations on how to protect your business. With Norfolk being the last part of the UK to be connected to mainland Europe, it would be great if we could as a County maintain excellent trading relations with our neighbours.

Jonathan Cage

President, Norfolk Chamber of Commerce

The 1896 Club.

Members enjoy a night of beauty. In March over 30 members attended our first John Lewis VIP Beauty Evening. The members arrived and were greeted with a glass of Cava, and enjoyed a fun networking icebreaker to find their famous partner and time to network. Guests went to the beauty counters to enjoy a bit of pampering and latest offers. Some of the treatments included GHD demonstrations, Liz Earle hand massages and Chanel makeup lessons. Benugo’s restaurant provided more Cava and cake throughout the evening and John Lewis provided goody bags for members to take home. Our next after hours event is our cocktail evening on Thursday 15th June for more information visit norfolkchamber.co.uk/events

Chris Sargisson

Norfolk Chamber appoints new Chief Executive. The Norfolk Chamber Board is delighted to appoint successful Norfolk entrepreneur Chris Sargisson as the new Chief Executive to succeed Caroline Williams, who is stepping down after 17 years in the role. Chris Sargisson will head Norfolk’s premier business membership organisation starting in June. He strikes the right balance of proven business experience and successful entrepreneurial behaviour.

To learn about any upcoming events, please visit: norfolkchamber.co.uk/events

NORFOLK VOICE • THE MAGAZINE OF NORFOLK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

Chris, who was educated in Norwich worked in the 1990’s shaping Norwich Union Direct before leaving to set up and launch its4me plc one of the UK’s most successful online car insurance brokers and major Norwich employer. Chris also created House Revolution one of the UK’s first online estate agencies, alongside running his own businesses consultancy practice which has helped organisations of all sizes across the UK.

Business leaders in Norfolk joined together for Norfolk Chamber’s The 1896 Club. This is a new forum for senior key influencers with over 50 employees to discuss and share experiences and opinions on a quarterly basis. Over 30 leaders attended the exclusive gathering in March hosted by Chamber President Jonathan Cage, Managing Director, Create Consulting. The guest speaker was Adam Marshall, Director General at British Chambers of Commerce who talked about the challenges and opportunities for businesses across the next year with a lively debate. The next event will be on Tuesday 11 June 2017. This event is invite only to managing director or CEO level with a membership rate of 50+ employees. To check if your business qualifies or if you would like to upgrade your membership please contact Jason Williams, Business Manager on 01603 729704 or email jason.williams@ norfolkchamber.co.uk

Norfolk Chamber of Commerce

MAY/JUNE 2017

Showcasing the best that Norfolk has to offer.

ChamberNews

of the Year, Scientifica, have won the special honour of opening the Exchange as a prize. Next year’s winners will have the same chance to do so, a rare opportunity for a private business. Companies can enter nine categories, covering exports, small business, people development, technology, high-growth, customer service, partnerships with the education sector, social media, and health and wellbeing. To enter online, go to chamberawards.co.uk Businesses from across the UK are invited to compete in the fourteenth annual Chamber Business Awards – hosted by the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC).

The full list of categories this year is:

The prestigious competition is one of the showpiece events in the business calendar, recognising and promoting the best of British business through a series of regional heats, culminating in a Gala Awards Dinner, which will take place at the Brewery, London on 30 November.

n Small Business of the Year

Entries are now open and will run until Friday 30 June. This year’s Awards are being launched at the London Stock Exchange, where last year’s winner of Business

n High Growth Business of the Year n Education and Business Partnership n Export Business of the Year n Commitment to People Development n Best use of Technology n Excellence in Customer Service n Health and Wellbeing n Best use of Social Media

“There are lots of great stories coming from Norfolk businesses that I hear on a regular basis, so this is a great opportunity for our members to be recognised at a regional and national level. I would encourage all our members to look at submitting an entry.” Jason Williams, Business Manager at the Norfolk Chamber of Commerce.

Events Team assemble.

HR Forum – Pay discrimination in the workplace. On Wednesday 22nd March Norfolk Chamber held a thought provoking HR Forum at Holiday Inn that examined pay discrimination in the workplace. Over 25 members attended the topical session that was delivered by expert speakers, Nicola Butterworth and Graham Irons from Howes Percival. Nicola provided a varied employment law update, explaining a range of issues from changes to statutory payments to the ‘gig economy’, followed by a review of recent landmark cases. Graham then went on to explain new legislation coming in to effect in April 2017 that will require larger businesses to produce reports on the pay gaps between men and women in their organisations. Our next HR Forum will be held on 13th September. You can find more details about the event and book your place by visiting norfolkchamber.co.uk/events

We have three new starters Joe, Jenny and Naomi in the Norfolk Chamber Events Team, who bring a wealth of experience and energy to the organisation. The Events Team run over 100 high quality events and training courses throughout the year, with events that cater for every person and business.

For a full list of events visit: norfolkchamber. co.uk/events

Whether you are looking for training, networking, briefings on topical issues or want to raise your business profile through exhibiting or sponsoring, we have an event for you. We hope you get to meet them at a future event soon, to find out what is coming up visit norfolkchamber.co.uk/events

MAY/JUNE 2017

Events Team are (l-r); Joe Fitzgerald, Events & Marketing Coordinator Jenny Bond, Events Assistant, Philippa Bindley, Events Manager and Naomi Holmes, Events Coordinator

Norfolk Chamber of Commerce

NORFOLK VOICE • THE MAGAZINE OF NORFOLK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

What Brexit must deliver for business. It’s almost a year since the UK voted to leave the European Union and Article 50 has finally been triggered. Now that Brexit negotiations are set to begin, businesses across Norfolk and the UK and their trading partners in Europe want answers to practical questions. A down to earth and sensible dialogue on the real-world issues, rather than verbal volleys between London and Brussels, would give Norfolk firms greater confidence over the next two years.

Gordon Chetwood

Huw Sayer

Peter Brown

Director, Business Writers, Norwich

Managing Director, Jack Richards & Son, Fakenham

“Pasta Foods has seen an upward path since the UK’s Brexit vote. Most of our pasta competitors are European businesses supplying into the UK, so the devaluation of the pound makes us more competitive to UK customers, in spite of the fact that we have faced rising costs, as we buy raw materials from Europe.

“Surprisingly, the Brexit vote has been good for our business so far but longer term uncertainties remain. Several of our European clients have already asked us to write marketing material emphasising their continued access to the EU single market and a panEuropean supply chain.

“We are very concerned about being able to fill vacancies, we have already seen some eastern European colleagues return home (since the fall in the value of the pound), and we now expect that trend to continue whilst there remains uncertainty about their status in the UK.”

“In our snack business, we export snacks across the world to over 40 countries and we have seen very good sales growth in spite of raw material cost inflation and we anticipate that this will continue into the future.”

“We have also been writing case studies for inward investment agency clients, showing how they can advise and support UK companies looking to future proof their business by establishing a base in the EU. The main threat we see is to our UK manufacturing and financial services clients, who may find themselves trading under WTO rules if the UK government does not secure a negotiated settlement.”

Managing Director, Pasta Foods, Great Yarmouth

NORFOLK VOICE • THE MAGAZINE OF NORFOLK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

MAY/JUNE 2017

CoverFeature

Sean Clark

Director, Clark St James, Norwich “Clients in the financial industry, based around stock investment, have severely cut their advertising spend as uncertainty is delaying potential investors from making any significant investment decisions. Travel and tourism advertising spend is up within the “staycation” market as the exchange rate makes it more beneficial to holiday in the UK.”

Paul McCarthy

Alex Durand

“Consumer spend has been remarkably resilient since the referendum especially in the run up to and just beyond Christmas. Since then spend slowed a little before coming back again in the last couple of weeks, all of which demonstrates the inherent challenge in retailing – competition is always fierce and there will always be other uses for people’s discretionary time and disposable earnings. So provided that businesses excel at what they are best at, focus on their customers and support their people to give their best then they are more likely to come out on the right side, whatever happens in a post-Brexit world.”

Brexit has shown no signs of affecting our business yet, but as the majority of our flight operations are international, and particularly to, from and around Europe, it has the potential to significantly damage our business . Our view is that we need to prepare ourselves both for the good or the bad – there may be new opportunities created, or we may have to dramatically change our business. Either way, our approach needs to be the same: we have less than two years to make our business as efficient and dynamic as possible.”

General Manager, Intu Chapelfield, Norwich

Chief Executive Officer, SaxonAir Charter Ltd

Key Chamber Asks. We have outlined five key asks that Norfolk Chamber, in consultation with its members, would like to see as part of the Brexit negotiations: 1. Business Voice: The Government appear to be making incorrect assumptions in some areas – there is a need to ensure that businesses have a clear input into negotiations, to explain the potential impact of Government decisions. 2. Labour: Existing EU workers should have the right to stay in the UK. Going forward, there should be a bureaucratic-free system for seasonal workers and key staff. A simplified system which will help key Norfolk sectors such as tourism, food producers and agriculture continue to grow. 3. International Trade: Tariffs need to be kept to a minimum, with simplified customs procedures to make exporting as easy as possible. To grow our export capacity, swift trade agreements

MAY/JUNE 2017

with countries should be reached and trade missions should be expanded. 4. Standards: Product standards should be aligned and recognised by the EU, to ensure that Norfolk products remain competitive. 5. Funding: UK funding levels for business and people development need to be maintained in Norfolk to the levels that were formally funded from the EU. “Norfolk’s business voice needs to be loud and clear over the coming months. If any business has particular concerns or worries, do pass them on to us. The British Chambers of Commerce, our Westminster office, is meeting with Ministers and senior civil servants daily and need to know how you feel.”

NORFOLK VOICE • THE MAGAZINE OF NORFOLK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

Grants of up to £5,000 to support small businesses. Norfolk Community Foundation is currently helping to deliver a grants scheme for local businesses wanting to grow.

The growth is being attributed to the launch of several new routes in 2016 including the return of yearround sunshine flights to Malaga and Alicante last Easter, the first in almost ten years.

Up to £5,000 per grant is available for existing organisations based in Norwich, Broadland or South Norfolk, with at least 12 months trading accounts and employing up to 10 people.

You can find out more, including how to apply here: norfolkfoundation.com/funds/norwich-4-newenterprise.

Norfolk textile firm expands into tourism sector with Otter’s Mead. privileged to share all of the delights this beautiful region has to offer with tourists.” The development will be completed in two phases, with just five holiday homes initially being made available, each benefiting from a generous 60 x 82 landscaped plot. “Otter’s Mead provides luxury rural living, set within an established 4 acre meadow with carefully designed landscaping that offers tranquillity and total privacy,” describes Holley, who already runs St Andrew’s Barn, a highly regarded holiday rental property located near Swaffham, Norfolk. A unique outdoor natural swimming pond will sit at the centre of Otter’s Mead, providing an attractive amenity to residents, and also to locals through a limited release membership scheme.

The Mead Group, which operates the clothing manufacturer Cotton World, is establishing a new luxury holiday park in Beetley, Norfolk. Due to open in early 2018, Otter’s Mead is being developed in partnership with Omar Park and Leisure Homes based in Brandon, Suffolk and market leading rental company Hoseasons. Managing Director Gary M. Holley points to the rise in demand for high quality tourism offerings in East Anglia, commenting: “demand is outstripping supply and we see a great opportunity in this sector.” He continues, “I’ve lived in Norfolk all my life and feel

Norwich Airport is celebrating a 10% increase in passenger numbers, passing the half a million mark for the first time since 2008. Figures just released by the CAA show that Norwich handled 506,007 passengers in 2016, up 43,343 on the year before, an increase of 10%.

Norwich 4 New Enterprise (N4NE) grants programme is a scheme that has the support of a number of local organisations who make up the decision making panel including Aviva, Mills & Reeve, Norfolk County Council and Norwich City Council.

The panel would like to see evidence of 50% match funding towards the total cost. The funding must be used to support business growth, which will either create at least one new job or demonstrate that the business has growth potential within 12 months.

Norwich Airport posts 10% passenger increase.

In the second phase of development, Otter’s Mead plans to expand to a total of twenty four holiday homes, which will be made available for rental and for sale, along with additional amenities to include a children’s play area and a shop as part of the reception. Otter’s Mead is also offering a “Buy to Rent” scheme. “Buying a holiday home to rent represents a high yielding, stress free and tax efficient investment proposition,” explains Holley. “We’re offering buyers a guaranteed annual return of 8% for the first 3 years (subject to T&Cs) along with an introductory 30% discount on the leasehold with no ground rent, cleaning or maintenance fees.”

The flights were made possible by a partnership between Exeterbased airline Flybe and Regional & City Airports (RCA), the airport management division of Rigby Group PLC, which owns Norwich Airport and Exeter Airport. The addition of winter ski flights to Chambery, a year-round service to Exeter and holiday flights to Gran Canaria and Cyprus have also played their part. Norwich Airport managing director Richard Pace said: “We’ve had a great year and every month saw passenger growth of between 4% and 19%.”

New website for Hiltfields by Bigfork. Bigfork designed a tasty new website for Hiltfields, a high quality food products manufacturer. Their brief was to redesign the website to promote their range of food expertise more effectively and increase online enquiries. You can see the new site at hiltfields.com

Discounted healthcare plans for your employees. Visit norfolkchamber.co.uk for details. Norfolk Chamber of Commerce

For information ottersmead.com

NORFOLK VOICE • THE MAGAZINE OF NORFOLK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

MAY/JUNE 2017

MemberNews Luxembourg’s ‘digital fortress’ EBRC picks MIGSOLV as UK partner to offer post-Brexit security.

Colby Court Joins Hillington Square. Luxembourg-based EBRC, a specialist in managing highly sensitive information, has chosen data centre operator - and Norfolk Chamber Gold Patron - MIGSOLV as its UK partner. The move provides EBRC’s clients with a broader choice of international facilities and a UK data centre presence to address the potential data transfer challenges of Brexit. Located in the geographical heart of Europe, EBRC (European Business Reliance Centre) provides data

Alexander Duwaerts, International Client Development Director at EBRC, explains: “Our partnership with MIGSOLV is a core part of our ambitious growth plans. We want to offer a wider portfolio of highly secure data centres in addition to our own in Luxembourg.”

Freebridge Community Housing welcomed David Orr, the Chief Executive of the National Housing Federation to Hillington Square to celebrate the finish of the third phase of the regeneration project, namely Colby Court.

David Manning, Managing Director of MIGSOLV, said: “EBRC is one of Europe’s most highly-reputed data centre operators – particularly in the data-critical sector of financial services. We’re well-matched in the emphasis both our companies place on the highest levels of security and customer service.”

The completion of Colby Court is the latest milestone in the regeneration project, following the completion of Millfleet Court and Valentine Place, and sees work on 158 of the original 320 homes now completed.

centre, cybersecurity, cloud and managed services to 280 clients from 40 countries.

Johnston Logistics UK announces partnership. Vincarta was started in December 2015 by Matthew Stibbe and Mirela Mart as a blog, taking wine lovers on a journey of discovery as they completed their WSET diplomas.

Freebridge Chief Executive Tony Hall said: “As an organisation we are tremendously proud of the work that we have completed at Hillington Square and the positive effect that the regeneration has had on the communities in and around the area.”

Together, they work to inform, educate, enlighten and excite their readers about high quality wines to help them understand what they like and why they like it. In order to expand their offering, Vincarta have decided to begin selling a personally curated range of high quality wines from the small wineries they have visited, offering an alternative to supermarkets and wine merchants. Johnston Logistics UK (JLUK) were able to work with Vincarta to produce a bespoke logistical solution to meet their new business model.

Rob McIndoe, Finance Director at Johnston Logistics UK, said: “Vincarta is a perfect example of how we are able to apply our knowledge and resources to support a new business as they establish themselves. We are looking forward to seeing their business grow and us expanding with them”

Be part of Norfolk’s premier business network - join today norfolkchamber.co.uk

MAY/JUNE 2017

Mr Orr was given the opportunity to take a look the work happening at Hillington Square, and took time out to meet some of the tenants who had recently moved into their new homes in Colby Court. He was also shown the work that has just begun on Phase 4 of the project, which should see a further 44 homes finished in early 2018.

David Orr “Regeneration is about taking places like Hillington Square, where people were thrilled to live when they were first built, and making changes so that people are thrilled to live here once again.”

Norfolk Chamber of Commerce

NORFOLK VOICE • THE MAGAZINE OF NORFOLK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

MemberNews

Flagship brings Gasway on board.

Independence Matters wins Most Supportive Employer at Norfolk Care Awards.

Flagship Group, a housing provider in the East of England, is an evolving company with a stronger focus towards growing its profitable activity; investing it back into the business to deliver the best service for its customers. Part of this renewed focus includes the recent commercial acquisition of Gasway Services Ltd, a well-established, family run business based in Norwich. The acquisition is the first of its kind for Flagship, marking a new phase in commercial growth as it is an opportunity to widen their repairs and maintenance offering. Deputy CEO at Flagship and Gasway Board Chair Helen Walsham said: “This is an exciting opportunity for us as Gasway are a great company. They are an excellent example of a truly local business as the same family has been running it for more than 30 years. The acquisition has been a positive move involving a two-way exchange of skills and expertise.

“Gasway has grown significantly winning lots of contracts both locally and across the country. Our focus will be on ensuring there is no change for their staff and customers as we look to bring our gas work in-house creating savings for Flagship.”

Gasway, which employs 150 staff, are leading specialists within the gas appliances and boilers market, operating across East Anglia as well as in London operating under the Gasway brand in the HA and LA sector, and as GBS in the commercial sector. Managing Director Liam Betts explains the reason for the decision: “We had reached a stage where we needed more external investment to grow our business to the next level. We were looking for an appropriate investor and Flagship came along, so it was certainly a case of good timing. “There were also a number of factors why we felt Flagship were a good organisation to go into business with – their positive reputation; geographically, as their business covers the East of England; and culturally we are very similar. “The partnership is going well, and although it’s a case of “business as usual” for us, we hope with their support to continue to be profitable and expand our offering in East Anglia and London.”

Installation of largest ‘behind the meter’ solar PV in Norfolk. RenEnergy has started construction of a 1.9MW solar Photo Voltaic (PV) plant at the Briar Chemicals site in Norwich, UK. The PV array will provide low carbon energy into the Briar Chemicals facility. The development will be built on a site adjacent to the plant, utilising otherwise undeveloped land to generate enough energy to power the equivalent of 400 houses, and offset 860 tonnes of CO2 annually. The solar array will be installed at no capital cost to Briar Chemicals; rather it will be owned and maintained by RenEnergy and its partners, selling the energy produced to the site at a discount to the market rate. Over the 25-year life of the project, the discount will amount to significant operational savings, helping Briar Chemicals remain competitive and sustainable in a global market, whilst complimenting the operation of the existing Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plant. Tim Green, Executive Director and Site Manager said: “This is an exciting project; it will allow us to use

power generated from the sun and use it within our manufacturing processes.” Damian Baker, MD of RenEnergy said: “We have been working with Briar for over nine months to deliver this project. The system had to be designed to ensure it met the high standards demanded in this engineering sector and is a real testament to all involved.”

Great networking opportunities at our breakfasts, informal evening events and business exhibitions. Visit norfolkchamber.co.uk/events to book.

NORFOLK VOICE • THE MAGAZINE OF NORFOLK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

The achievements of two young people have helped Independence Matters to win Most Supportive Employer for student placement at the 2017 Norfolk Care Awards. Independence Matters Community Hub in Great Yarmouth provides day care for people with learning disabilities and takes great pride in supporting young people to build a career in social care through apprenticeships. The award, presented at a gala event at Sprowston Manor, is a fitting tribute to the work put in by the Hub’s staff to support and nurture school leavers in the Yarmouth area. Anna Bowyer, service manager at the Hub, said: “We work hard to provide apprentices with a supportive, nurturing environment that will help them develop the skills and confidence needed in a carebased role. Alice Overton came to our service whilst doing her Health & Social Care Diploma and we were able to offer her mentoring and coaching through an apprenticeship, culminating in her receiving an outstanding student award from Great Yarmouth College.” Alice is now a fully operational member of staff, demonstrating how an apprenticeship can be a great way for young people to get into work, and Anna’s team has started the process again with another school leaver, Mason Colman. Sarah Stock, Independence Matters managing director, said: “We are all very proud of the team at Great Yarmouth Community Hub for their leadership and wonderful support of apprentices.”

Norfolk Chamber of Commerce

MAY/JUNE 2017

Advertising

Advice and answers: Health & Safety. Alan Boswell Risk Management’s Gavin Dearsley answers your commonly asked questions about health and safety in the workplace Q. Am I doing enough to keep my employees safe? A. There are several points to consider when answering this question. If you’re carrying out regular risk assessments on processes that could cause harm; you’re talking to your team about issues that may affect their health and safety; you’re adopting control measures to help keep your workers safe and you’re communicating these to the workforce, the answer is probably ‘yes’. By asking employees to carry out potentially hazardous work without listening to their concerns

“Encourage honest and open reporting throughout the business.” MAY/JUNE 2017

and then working with them to make practices safer – or by not completing appropriate risk assessments – you’re likely to be putting their health and safety at risk. Dangers could be posed by the machinery and equipment they use, the environment in which they work, or the processes and substances to which they are exposed. Q. What can I do to make sure incidents are dealt with quickly and correctly? A. As we go through life we learn from our experiences. It’s no different in the workplace. When an accident happens, it may well be that nothing could have prevented it. However, if you dig a little deeper, you might discover the cause and be able to take action to stop it happening again. As such, be sure to fully investigate, record and report accidents in the workplace. Encourage honest and open reporting throughout the business to ensure lessons are learned and improvements are made. Don’t let your business suffer from a workplace accident that could have been avoided through a strong reporting culture and positive approach to change. Worse still, don’t let your business suffer from

an accident that has happened before but, because no one was hurt at the time, nothing was done to stop it happening again. Q. Does my business comply with the Health & Safety at Work Act? A. Health and safety management systems must be considered and arrangements put in place. By law, such arrangements must be recorded in writing if you employ five or more people. Remember that this applies to the number of employees at your busiest time of the year, particularly if you operate seasonal rotas. For instance, if you employ four people for eight months of the year, but seven over the summer, you must have your health and safety practices in writing. To make sure you’re compliant, it’s important to audit your current arrangements. This will help you understand what’s going well and where you need to improve. If you’re not sure of anything, I’d recommend referring to the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) website (www.hse.gov.uk). It has lots of free advice and guidance to help you get on the right track. Of course, because health and safety can seem complex and

time-consuming, you may choose to engage the services of a third-party adviser. If you adopt this approach, check that whoever you appoint is suitably qualified. A good way to establish this is to ensure they’re a Chartered Member of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (CMIOSH), who are governed by a code of practice and must maintain the knowledge and understanding of health and safety law and practice through Continuing Professional Development (CPD). We’ll be able to assess and advise on the best course of action, so you meet your legal requirements.

Got more questions? For advice on health and safety, call Alan Boswell Risk Management on 01603 967900 or visit www.alanboswell.com/risk. All our risk management advisers are CMIOSH and we’re happy to assess and advise on the best course of action, so you meet your legal requirements.

NORFOLK VOICE • THE MAGAZINE OF NORFOLK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

MemberNews

Pruce Newman Pipework working to a higher standard.

Norse apprentice wins top college award. A Norse Commercial Services apprentice has won a top award in the College of West Anglia’s Apprenticeship Awards 2017. Abbie Tuddenham, currently working to complete her advanced IT apprenticeship and fulfilling a full-time role with the IT Application and Project Services team at Norse Commercial Services, came away with the prestigious IT Apprentice of the Year Award, the top accolade for the IT category. More than 1200 apprentices across 800 companies were eligible to be nominated across 18 categories,

highlighting the competition Abi faced in achieving her nomination and subsequent award. No newcomer to awards, Abbie was runner-up to the Apprentice of the Year at the Pride of Norse Awards 2015, and went on to deservedly receive the top Norse apprenticeship award, Norse Apprentice of the Year in 2016. Abbie has been with Norse since October 2014, having previously completed her studies in Animal Welfare at Easton & Otley College.

GGS design exhibition stand for Crufts sponsor. Norwich based Exhibition Stand Designers 'GGS' were delighted when their client, Watton-based Natures Menu announced that they had negotiated a sponsorship deal with Crufts, resulting in a 100 sq meters of exhibition stand space! The GGS team produced and installed an inviting open design, accessible on all 4 sides featuring a dominating central structure which housed a large number of integrated display freezers along with shelving for non frozen product and a store room. For maximum brand visibility a 6 meter diameter circular banner frame was suspended from the venue ceiling. GGS help a number of Norfolk's top companies to exhibit at all major UK and European venues.

NORFOLK VOICE • THE MAGAZINE OF NORFOLK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

Wymondham-based mechanical engineering contractor Pruce Newman was recently awarded three new accreditations by leading compliance organisation DNV-GL to reflect the high standards of Quality, Safety and Environmental management within the business. Pruce Newman, who specialise in industrial pipework fabrication and installation across the South and East of England, have been awarded certification to the following standards: n ISO 9001:2015 – for Quality Management Systems n ISO 14001:2015 – for Environmental Management Systems n OHSAS 18001 – for Health and Safety Management Systems The standards for Quality and Environmental Management have recently been updated, with a much greater emphasis on how companies are able to meet customer expectations, how they demonstrate engagement at all levels of the business and a focus on risk-based thinking which enables improvements in efficiency.

Have you got a good news story to share? Chamber members can publish on our website for free!

Norfolk Chamber of Commerce

MAY/JUNE 2017

CMY

Increase the skills of your workforce with apprenticeships matched to the needs of your business

Introducing CWA’s new Director of Employer Engagement The College of West Anglia (CWA) is proud to introduce its new Director of Employer Engagement, Shaun Hindle. Shaun joins CWA from Solihull College, and brings with him over 18 years of experience in the training sector. “I am excited to be at the College of West Anglia at this crucial time for apprenticeships, following the recent Ofsted inspection, where apprenticeships at CWA were graded 'outstanding'. A skilled team is vital to every business, and I am eager to work with you, our local employers, to ensure we offer relevant, up-to-date training that is the perfect match for your business.” “Not only can apprenticeships help you take on tomorrow with new staff members, helping with succession planning and an ageing workforce, but they can also up-skill and develop your existing staff members. We are fully equipped to offer new apprenticeship standards, including those up to degree level, to help ensure your business can thrive and grow.” Shaun has a wealth of experience of developing training initiatives that meet the needs of businesses, having worked with leading organisations such as Jaguar Land Rover, Monarch, Amadeus (part of NEC group), Rolls Royce and Numatic. He has also sat on a variety of national Chamber of Commerce groups at director level, with a focus on skills, and has had first-hand experience of running a business, as an operations director. For more information, visit cwa.ac.uk/apprenticeships or call 01553 815600

Quarterly Economic Survey Q1 2017 Norfolk Results Manufacturing Norfolkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s manufacturers were much more pessimistic this quarter. More manufacturers reported decreasing UK and export orders and sales. The majority of balances for Q1 showed a loss of confidence and many expressed caution in these uncertain economic times.

Reduced investment in plant & machinery

Reduced export orders 22% to 20%

47% to 15%

Those working at full capacity increased 32% to 51%

No expectations to increase prices over next 3 months 55% to 55%

14 Services Norfolk's service sector are definitely being more cautious in the first quarter of 2017. With economic uncertainty translating into reduced home and export sales and orders.

Reduced home orders

Still intending to invest in plant and machinery 3% to 7%

20% to 13% Confidence in profitability reduced slightly

Expect to raise prices in the next 3 months

20% to 19%

230 Responses

32% to 39%

22% Manufacturing 78% Services

NORFOLK VOICE â&#x20AC;˘ THE MAGAZINE OF NORFOLK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

MAY/JUNE 2017

ChamberPolicy

Chamber conference shows power of Chamber network to Westminster. A delegation from Norfolk Chamber were in attendance at the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) Annual Conference at the QEII centre in London.

important information and feedback from Chamber members was in providing input into the Industrial Strategy. “There is no substitute for talking to people, the diversity of connection, challenge and opportunities means everything to those who make policy.”

Following an opening speech by Francis Martin, the President of the British Chambers, a video montage from the Chief Executives from across the regional Chambers was shown. It outlined the differences being made locally and helped to articulate how the work Chamber do locally is collectively contributing to the national economic picture. Unsurprisingly, Brexit was a re-occurring theme throughout the conference agenda, with the questions from the UK press and media coming in thick and fast amongst the questions from the business audience.

businesses driving prosperity through the process of Brexit. And that those businesses felt that an ambitious domestic agenda mattered equally as much as any Brexit deal.

Director General of the BCC, Adam Marshall outlined how he saw an army of civic minded

Greg Clark, Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, reiterated how

Chamber hears of exciting future for Norwich Airport.

Norwich Airport hosted the recent Norwich Chamber Council meeting and took the opportunity to outline some of their plans for the future. Richard Pace, Managing Director for Norwich Airport noted some of the key areas of success from the past year: the airport had catered for 524,000 passengers; 40,000 aircraft movements; had 25 direct flight destinations; and provided approximately 1,000 people with employment on site – 260 being directly employed by Norwich Airport. Mr Pace gave an overview of their 30 year Masterplan, which

MAY/JUNE 2017

is currently being drafted. This will include: upgrades to airport infrastructure; increases in passenger growth; and more holiday destinations; as well as their aspirations to take advantage of the completion of the NDR. There will be an opportunity to review the Norwich Airport Masterplan when it goes out for consultation later in the year. The Norwich Chamber Council meeting was chaired by the newly appointed Chair, Paul McCarthy, General Manager of Intu Chapelfield.

The highlight speech of the conference came from Boris Johnson, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs. He opened with analogies about pineapples and closed with exporting haggis and pineapple jam! His point being that the UK needed to reclaim globalisation. Historically the UK is the most global of all the developed economies, with the links and friends being created over centuries of being a globally trading nation. On the subject of the UK in relation to the EU, Mr Johnson said “the UK is the flying buttress supporting the cathedral – UK trade has raised everyone’s standards and there remains opportunities within the EU.” He went on to say that “the UK should think global to be a safer, more successful and prosperous Great Britain.”

What does a business vision for Norfolk look like? Norfolk Chamber aims to ensure that there is a ‘business friendly’ local environment in which our members can operate and prosper. Our four key themes are: Revolution in Technology; Improving Infrastructure; Bridging the Skills Gap; and Economic Trends – all themes aim to support the needs of our members and help them grow. We are currently working in partnership with the local authorities and the New Anglia LEP to review and update the overall Economic Strategy for Norfolk. It is essential that the updated Strategy is business focussed and is designed to make the most of the opportunities in our region. To make this strategy robust, we want to hear from small, medium and large businesses about what they need to grow their businesses. Norfolk Chamber are holding a series of roundtable discussions to capture business opinions and needs which will be fed back into the Economic Strategy:

Roundtable Events will be held on the below dates: Norwich Friday, 09 June 2017, 4pm – 6pm Great Yarmouth Monday, 12 June 2017, 4pm – 6pm King’s Lynn Monday, 19 June 2017, 4pm - 6pm

The Roundtable events are free to attend. To book your free place, visit: norfolkchamber.co.uk/events

Norfolk Chamber of Commerce

NORFOLK VOICE • THE MAGAZINE OF NORFOLK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

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Consolidation is the key to improving productivity. The world is changing, we are all expected to keep track of a whole lot more information than ever before. Note that I didn’t say memorise. Instead of remember all the information necessary to do our jobs and keep our lives on track, we leave it to apps and systems to do the remembering for us. All we have to do is remember where we put which piece of information.

As we all know from the hours we spend throughout our lives searching for our keys, this isn’t the easiest thing in the world. To make this even more difficult for ourselves, we tend to silo information in different places, because some new tool or app or gadget is really good at storing the one type of data, but can’t store another, so then we have to get another app. There are so many tools out there, just waiting to help us organise one aspect of our lives, that we are always in danger of becoming overwhelmed by them.

When you boil it down, we all forget to do things from time to time, but now we are forcing ourselves to have to hunt in more and more places to figure out exact what it is we’re supposed to be doing. And then we wonder why productivity—that business buzzword—is falling.

The solution to this, in my mind, is simple: consolidation. Instead of having all your tasks divided up between your flashy, trendy apps, find a product that will allow you to keep the majority of your business data in one central location. Don’t get me wrong, you’ll never find a system that will do everything, but by finding something that will store 80% of your data and 90% of your processes, you’ll end up with a much more organised and streamlined team. For example, we use OpenCRM to manage just about every single thing that our business does: sales process, project management, technical support, HR, marketing campaigns, etc. But there are things that it doesn’t do: it’s not a phone system, it isn’t an internal chat

NORFOLK VOICE • THE MAGAZINE OF NORFOLK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

product, and you can’t screenshare directly from it.

system and email, having three places sounds like a win to me.

That’s not really a problem though, because it covers about 80% of our business processes. I then spent about six years finding a product to manage all of our communications and screensharing, bringing us to around 90% of my team’s daily activity being covered by two systems.

Yes our world is more complex now and yes this means that we all have to be masters of a variety of tools, but there’s no reason to make our lives more difficult by siloing information into half a dozen systems.

The other 10% of our tasks are managed in dedicated products that are individual to their job role, i.e. accounting software, programs for writing code, etc. But even so, the specificity of these systems mean that most people only have between three and four places to look for the information they need. This means that, if one of our developers needs to find a piece of information about one of their projects, they’ve really only got two possible places to look: our CRM system and our internal messaging app. If it isn’t there, they know that it has to be in the code itself. When you think that this information could instead be split across specialised task, project, contact, or document management tools, in addition to an internal messaging

To talk to a member of the OpenCRM team about how CRM software can benefit your brand, just call 01748 473000 or visit the website: www.opencrm.co.uk.

Graham Anderson, is the CEO and founder of OpenCRM, one of the UK’s leading customer relationship management systems

MAY/JUNE 2017

BusinessSupport

Organic growth driving investment, revenue and employment in Norfolk.

Norse Commercial Services is one of Norwich’s success stories, helping to drive the local economy through investment, revenue generation and employment opportunities through its policy of organic growth. Ten years ago, Norse Commercial Services provided employment for around 1,000 people in and around Norwich. Today, having continued to deliver impressive, sustainable industryleading growth which is amongst the most impressive in the region, that figure is over 3,000. The company employs almost 10,000 people across the UK. Norse, whose headquarters is still in Norwich, is now a £190m, UK-wide major player in facilities management, contract services and local authority partnerships, bringing vital income and local supplier expenditure to the area. Having delivered an additional £20m of sales in 2016/17, Norse is now an established name across the country, thanks to a proven MAY/JUNE 2017

reputation for cost efficiency, value and innovative service delivery. Today the group operates 15 joint venture company subsidiaries with local authority partners, and returned around £90m to public funds over last 5 year. Within Norfolk, Norse boasts a number of prestigious clients including the Norwich Research Park, University of East Anglia, Archant, and Norfolk County and Norwich City Councils, as well as numerous small and medium sized private sector organisations that are part of the local business infrastructure. Managing Director Dean Wetteland puts the company’s impressive results down to its focus on organic growth rather than acquisition. “We have concentrated on building

on our proven business model, developing partnerships with local authorities around the country. This is far more profitable and stable than the higher-risk acquisition approach to growth. Organic expansion has also delivered high client retention, meaning that the growth is sustainable and employment is secure. We don’t rule out acquisitions in the future, but for now the organic route is the core strategy.” The ethos certainly seems to work as Norse is set for another record year in 2017/18. The company’s impressive growth, a quadrupling of turnover in the last 10 years, has led to significant increases in employment opportunities in Norse’s Norwich head office, as well as in its numerous operating

divisions and joint venture partnerships around the country. Wetteland says that Norfolk is a great place to do business and that Norse is well-known as a major ‘force for good’ in the local economy. “Norse provides secure jobs and millions of pounds’ worth of business for local companies through our supply chain and staff wages.,” he says. “We also play an active role in the local Chamber of Commerce and business initiatives and in adding social value in terms of support for a wide range of local communities and individuals. Norse continues to be fully committed to Norwich as its head office base, and to being very much a part of the local area’s future.” ncsgrp.co.uk

NORFOLK VOICE • THE MAGAZINE OF NORFOLK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

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Simplification of VAT?! During the 2016 Autumn Statement, the Government announced that it would ask the Office of Tax Simplification (OTS) to conduct a review of the UK VAT system to see if the 45 year old VAT system could be simplified. In February, the OTS published its interim report, which identified eight areas it intends to look at in more detail:

The report makes a call for further evidence, inviting stakeholders such as businesses and tax professionals to contribute towards the next stage of the review – the aim of the OTS is to produce a final report containing recommendations for simplification in time for this year’s Autumn Budget.

Daniel May, VAT Assistant Manager

1. Lowering the VAT registration threshold 2. VAT rates – are there too many? 3. Partial exemption, option to tax and capital goods scheme – considered to be the most complicated areas of VAT 4. VAT Accounting Schemes 5. VAT Administration 6. HMRC rulings 7. Making Tax Digital (MTD)

It’s interesting to note that some areas of VAT have been excluded from the review because they are likely to be impacted by Brexit negotiations. One of these areas is that of financial services. That said, with Brexit on the horizon, it is difficult to envisage any significant changes taking place in the short term – UK VAT legislation remains bound by EU laws for now. Regardless, the results of the OTS review could hugely influence the post-Brexit VAT landscape. Watch this space!

8. Sector specific issues

If you have any queries with regards to this, please contact me at daniel.may@larking-gowen.co.uk or call 01603 624181. This article is designed for the information of readers. Whilst every effort is made to ensure accuracy, information contained in this article may not be comprehensive and recipients should not act upon it without seeking professional advice. Larking Gowen is registered to carry out audit work in the UK and Ireland by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. Regulated for a range of investment business activities by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. ©Larking Gowen.

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Formerly Anglian Archives Plc Norwich • info@oasisgroup.com • 0144 076 0190 www.OASISGroup.com | LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook YouTube | Vimeo

NORFOLK VOICE • THE MAGAZINE OF NORFOLK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

MAY/JUNE 2017

BusinessSupport

Personal Injuries Compensation. What a change to the Discount Rate means for you In February 2017 the Lord Chancellor, Liz Truss, made an important announcement in respect of the Discount Rate, which is used to calculate the amount of compensation to be paid to seriously injured individuals. As settlement of a personal injury is designed to provide financial indemnity over a number of years, the amount allocated towards loss of earnings and future cost of care can be high. As a result, an allowance is made by the courts to reflect the fact that the claimant will be able to invest the award and earn interest on that investment. The settlement is therefore ‘discounted’ by the amount of interest the claimant can expect to earn over time. The Discount Rate has changed from 2.5% to -0.75%. This means that, rather than any lump sum award being discounted to allow for a 2.5% investment return, the indemnity settlement will be increased. For example, an award made to a 27 year old female with a serious life-changing injury will move from £6.5m under the old Discount Rate to approximately £14m under the new one. The rate change is causing such a financial impact on insurers it is impossible for them

to absorb the cost, and as a result many are already applying price increases. An individual or company with a policy which covers bodily injury, including Motor, Public/Products Liability and Employers’ Liability are likely to witness a premium increase at their next renewal. The change highlights the importance of working with a broker whose clients’ needs are paramount. At Hugh J Boswell, we are committed to ensuring our clients receive the

most appropriate insurance programme to suit their business. Our independence gives us access to a wide panel of insurance partners to ensure the cover is always competitively priced. If you would like more information on anything raised in this article, please contact Hugh J Boswell on 01603 626155. www.hughjboswell.co.uk

A chartered insurance broker with values

Independence • Trust • Customer Commitment Professionalism • Innovation

0576 Chamber Ad 2016 V0_2.indd 1 MAY/JUNE 2017

08/12/2016 17:55 NORFOLK VOICE • THE MAGAZINE OF NORFOLK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

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East Coast College is coming!

Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft colleges are coming together to form East Coast College. From 18th April East Coast College will launch its new identity and welcome its existing students and staff back from the Easter break under a new name. A series of celebratory, launch events is scheduled from April until July so the college can present its new vision and plans for the future and how, by pulling together the “best of both”, the new college will serve its communities, employers and most importantly its students.

technical and professional training and links to employers and university, ECC really is focused on turning ‘your passion into your profession’. By studying or training with ECC you can be reassured that you are most likely to gain employment and develop a successful career.”

“This is a really exciting time to be part of something new” said Stuart Rimmer CEO and Principal. “The college prides itself on its ability to better equip students for university or an apprenticeship and ultimately successful professions: through the development of soft skills, character and attitude, combined with top quality

ECC is a partner college of the University of Suffolk, offering degrees and HNDs to local adults wishing to develop or start a new career. And for those returning to education, the college has a host of Access courses that provide the allimportant spring board and study skills to start a degree.

NORFOLK VOICE • THE MAGAZINE OF NORFOLK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

The college has developed professional and technical faculties aligned to strategic growth areas for the region and its reputation locally is particularly strong for apprenticeship provision and study at all levels. But rather uniquely, at the heart of everything it does, the college’s Happy Balance Programme is centred on developing wellbeing and provides individuals with the tools to ensure they develop their social, physical and mental health. Stuart firmly believes that wellbeing is the key to success: “healthy, happy individuals make

healthy, happy neighbours, relatives and employees. They ensure the sustainability and growth of our local economy and underpin regional growth, so as well as focusing on student progression, education and training we will nurture our students to become the responsible, resilient adults that our region and communities need.”

MAY/JUNE 2017

GET READY!

are merging to become

Be the first to join our exciting new college in September... ...go on to University (yes our BTECs are worth 3 A levels!) or a Higher Apprenticeship...

Have fun, explore your interests, find your passion...

...turn your talents and interests into a well-paid career.

FROM

PASSION TOPROFESSION

Contact us today to book an appointment, meet your tutor and explore your interests. Telephone: 0800 854 695 Email:myfuture@eastcoast.ac.uk Web: www.eastcoast.ac.uk

YOUR PASSPORT TO INTERNATIONAL TRADING Whether you’re looking to start exporting goods, or you’re already trading overseas, talk to the Norfolk Chamber International Trade Team. We can help you with:

Documentation

Letters of Credit

Fully qualiﬁed staff providing a high quality, reliable and efficient service for all your export documentation. Online e-zCert within 1 hour of submission.

Through our associates we off er a comprehensive and cost-effective letter of credit service – either a full or checking service – to ensure all documents are in order before being presented to the bank.

ATA Carnet ‘passport for goods’ An international customs document that permits duty/tax-free temporary import of goods or samples for up to one year into speciﬁ c countries. Especially useful if attending trade fairs.

Translation and Interpreting Qualiﬁed translators to communicate efficiently and effectively with your overseas clients. From an introductory letter to a product manual all documents translated swiftly and accurately.

Links to Global Network We have direct access to Chambers of Commerce and Business Centres in 41 high-growth countries who can help your business explore a speciﬁc market with market research, help ﬁnd the right contacts and facilitate meetings.

Other Services Let us help you save money on your international payments. Competitive Chamber Credit Insurance can protect your business when exploring and expanding into new markets.

C LK O RF

To ﬁnd out more visit:

norfolkchamber.co.uk/export Or contact us on 01603 729 712 or export@norfolkchamber.co.uk

HAMBER MEMBER

A wide range of accredited training courses covering all aspects of international trade. Ideal for improving the skills and competence of all staff involved in exporting and/ or importing goods.

Training Courses

RFO

LK CHAMBER

E MB

InternationalTrade

Meet the International Trade Team.

Norfolk Chamber’s International Department offer a number of services to both member and non-member exporters. These include our popular translation service, letters of credit Service, ATA carnets, documentation and training. Many businesses speak to our International Team regularly, so we thought we would introduce them to you.

On a day-to-day basis it is my responsibility to ensure that all documentation submitted through our Chamber is correct and complies with the rules set in place by the UK Government and HM Customs & Excise.

As the International Trade Manager, I oversee the department and ensure everything is running smoothly and we keep high standards of service. Within the Department we ensure that any documentation submitted is handled efficiently and in a timely manner. This enables our clients to have confidence that their documentation needs are being dealt with and they can then concentrate on all the other important aspects of their export businesses. As well as managing the department, I am also responsible for HR and Accreditations within the Chamber.

Julie Austin

International Trade Manager

I don’t just ‘play with a stamp’ all day though – I get to speak with clients and deal with a variety of queries on a daily basis. I am also responsible for updating the website with export news, organising translations, overseeing the Chamber’s International training courses and producing Carnets, alongside other administrative duties, which include making sure Formal Undertakings are up to date.

Darcy Bayfield

International Trade Assistant

Commenting on Brexit and the potential changes to International Trade documentation, Julie Austin said:

“With the triggering of Article 50, Brexit negotiations will now begin. Norfolk Chamber has already called for international trade tariffs need to be kept to a minimum, with simplified customs procedures to make exporting as easy as possible. To grow our export capacity, swift trade agreements with countries should be reached and trade missions should be expanded. In the meantime, we are here to help all our clients with their documentation and international trade needs and we will ensure that we keep you up to date as changes happen.” For more information on any of these services please take a look at our website www.norfolkchamber.co.uk/international, or contact us on 01603 729715 or email export@norfolkchamber.co.uk.

Norfolk Chamber of Commerce

We are always there to help you!

MAY/JUNE 2017

NORFOLK VOICE • THE MAGAZINE OF NORFOLK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

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I only have to change one small feature to get round a patent... ip21’s Chairman Bill Jones debunks a common myth and gives some tips on how to contain your patent lawyer’s charges design of roller as one of the features of their patented machine. The first company replaced those rollers with a different design of roller, and sold their own machines in defiance of the patent. Job done, you might think. Not so. The court held that they still infringed the patent indirectly – and indirect infringement is just as much a contravention of the patent as direct infringement (both are specifically and separately provided for in patent law). Bill Jones

The myth in the headline to this article (and it is a myth) has cost a good many people a great deal of money over the years. Yet people persist in repeating it. They have no idea how patents are put together and what their legal effect can be. Patents cover industrial products and processes but they are legal documents, drafted very carefully indeed by extremely skilled specialist lawyers. They are deliberately worded so as not to restrict their coverage only to that which they describe and illustrate. And anyone changing just one, or two, features of a patented idea runs the very real risk of being told – ultimately by a Court – that he hasn’t, in fact, got round the patent at all. There’s a long list of decided cases that bears this out. In 2011, for example, a company making potato peeling machinery was faced with a rival’s patent which to all intents and purposes specified a particular

Don’t risk it – take advice on each occasion from a specialist qualified patent lawyer.

“Okay – but i’ve heard patent lawyers are expensive; how do i try to contain their bills?” All law firms sell skilled experienced qualified time by the hour in theory. They want to charge only the amount the job entails timewise and they put an hourly rate on that. In practice, in today’s world, most of us are willing to quote a capped price (ex VAT of course) net of any necessary disbursements that have to be paid out on a client’s behalf in completing a given piece of work. Tip number 1 – be willing to meet your lawyer (ideally) or at least give him a full and interactive briefing by email and/or phone conversation, so that he or she can get a grip on the broad nature of what you need at this moment – then ask for at least a range of likely cost before you are willing to give the go-ahead.

“The myth in the headline to this article (and it is a myth) has cost a good many people a great deal of money over the years. Yet people persist in repeating it. They have no idea how patents are put together and what their legal effect can be.” NORFOLK VOICE • THE MAGAZINE OF NORFOLK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

Tip number 2 – don’t shop around! No lawyer wants to risk progressively losing the whole of the firm’s business by wilfully over-quoting. We all want work; but we want to do it well, not to feel we are being forced to give first class service for third rate prices. And we want more work from you after this first job. We are likely to make that first price as competitive as we can do given the resource we need to employ to service it, Tip number 3 - please understand – and make sure your lawyer understands that you appreciate this – that almost all legal work is done in stages. A quoted estimated per-stage price is one thing and you are entitled to expect it. A start-to finish fixed price is pretty well an

impossibility in specialist legal work; and anyone who does offer you that, for all but the most straightforward short-term jobs, might well be forced to skimp the work in consequence. Tip number 4 - when the job’s done, if you enjoyed the service you were given, please say so! We are all human, and whilst each of us wants to make enough money from our profession to make the years of study and experience literally pay off in the end, we like to think we are appreciated. Contact Richard Jones MBA, Business Relationship Manager for ip21 Limited, or the author himself (williamjones@ip21.com) to take up anything arising from this article.

A specialist Intellectual Property company that moves with the times At ip21 we pride ourselves on offering a full range of IP services, as well as IP advice and support tailored to the commercial benefit of our clients.

• Patents • Trademarks • Licensing • Design Rights • Litigation • IP Strategy • IP Valuation • IP Budgeting

Intellectual Property Specialists Offices in Norwich, London, Chelmsford and Bury St Edmunds Tel: +44 (0) 1603 457008 Email: info@ip21.co.uk www.ip21.co.uk

MAY/JUNE 2017

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Exciting future beckons fo

When you work for a company with such a long history, you always have to be very aware and very respectful of the past but you also have to make sure that the product is relevant today.

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or historic shoe company. Few businesses can point to a history as long and successful as that enjoyed by Norwich children’s shoe company Start-rite Shoes, which can trace its beginnings back to a small shop behind the city’s market in the late 18th Century. In fact, the company’s history dates back to 1792 with the birth of the modern shoemaking industry in Norwich through James Smith, a leather worker based in a small shop behind the city’s market. James was the first shoemaker in the country to offer an alternative to bespoke footwear that few could afford by offering ready-made, off-the-peg footwear to a wider audience. In the 19th Century, his grandson Charles Winter became the first shoemaker in the UK to use the newly-invented sewing machine in the manufacture of footwear. Following the Great War, James Southall, Charles’ grandson by marriage, opened a new factory on the outskirts of Norwich. Southalls, as it was then known, began to produce footwear for children which had a different shape to that made for adults, allowing room for growth. The name ‘Start-rite’ itself was first used in the early 1920s by Quant & Son, a shoe retailer in Bury St Edmunds before being purchased by Southalls for exclusive use in 1921. The decades that followed saw the company bring to market a whole range of iconic children’s footwear, some of which secured Royal Warrants. In all, Royal children have been fitted with more than 1,500 pairs of Start-rite shoes. Today, the business is led by Ian Watson, the first Chief Executive Officer to have been appointed from outside the family. Ian came to Start-rite Shoes in February 2016 with a comprehensive knowledge of global markets and a passion to improve profit and grow the company in today’s changing retail environment. Previously, Ian held the position of European Managing Director at Britax Childcare, where he devised and implemented new strategies for the market-leading business, improving profitability by more than 80 per cent. His career started in 1989 in marketing and management for the specialty chemicals and industrial tools industries.

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by celebrating its 225th anniversary with the transformation of its headquarters in Norwich. The new-look offices will provide an open plan workspace for its 76 employees, to encourage collaborative working across teams which will, in turn, support bright ideas. Ian believes that the refurbishment of the company’s headquarters will help staff continue to develop the ideas for which they are famous.

Start-rite Spring/Summer 2017 Speaking of his role as CEO of Startrite Shoes, Ian said: “The family wanted someone who came from a background of consumer brands and brought a different skillset and different ideas. “Start-rite is a worldwide specialist in children’s fitted footwear, and as the first non-family member to run the business, I was attracted by the opportunity to develop and build on the success of the historic brand, making it more relevant for today’s consumer. “When you work for a company with such a long history, you always have to be very aware and very respectful of the past but you also have to make sure that the product is relevant today. You can’t be offering the same shoes that you did twenty or thirty years ago and so we are continually striving to innovate our product offering to meet consumer demand. “Start-rite is a well-established name but that is not enough and we can’t depend on reputation alone. We have to make sure that the brand is still relevant. The world is changing. It’s not just about designing shoes that will last but also about making sure that the shoes we design are fashionable.” In spite of his entrepreneurial flair and dynamic approach to business, Ian has realistic expectations of its growth potential in the current economic climate: “2017 will be

a challenging year, with expected single digit growth. With so much uncertainty it will be a bumpy ride but we have a clear strategic plan to focus on. “One key challenge for us as primarily a wholesale brand is the demise of Britain’s high street. It is important that children’s shoes are fitted properly, so we will continue to support the shoe industry and invest into our relationships with high street retailers whilst continuing to driving footfall to stores. “We are a premium brand with a premium product offering. We are heavily investing in our brand and product development. This will ensure we continue to offer value for money and drive consumer demand for our products over the next 12 months.

He said: “My past experience has shown me that the building has a fundamental impact on employee productivity. Our redesign will enable cross-functional working and will help us to attract and retain the most talented employees. “We are investing heavily in our brand and as a design-centric business, our office environment must support us to work smarter and sharper to ensure we are an organisation that is fit for the future. “People spend more time at work than anywhere else and we want this to be a dynamic place to work, a cool place to be. “The project will result in an inclusive and dynamic office environment that will enable collaborative working across teams, with improved staff satisfaction, motivation and morale.” An exciting future really does beckon for Start-rite Shoes in Norwich.

“We have many opportunities as a business - from growth in specific product categories, through to new channels of distribution that we don’t currently serve today. We will continue to market the brand and become more targeted in our approach. An example of this is our Warrior shoes - our toughest ever school shoes - which we haven’t previously marketed to the right level.” And it doesn’t end there. Ian is busy writing the next chapter for the eighth-generation family business

Start-rite office entrance visual

NORFOLK VOICE • THE MAGAZINE OF NORFOLK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

How the new data protection regulations will affect your business. On 25 May 2018, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) comes into effect. It may sound a dry development but the impact on business will be significant. The GDPR is a regulation by which the European Parliament, the European Council and the European

Commission intend to strengthen data protection for individuals within the European Union. Companies breaching it are liable for huge fines. We asked some local experts for their take on the legislation.

Why you must be prepared. 1. Pick your project team - the work needed to ensure compliance with the GDPR is onerous, time-consuming and requires knowledge of every part of the business so try not to put all the responsibility on one person. Ideally your project team should include representatives from marketing, HR, customer services and IT.

By Kitty Rosser

Associate Intellectual Property, Birketts LLP With increasing media coverage driven by the threat of €20 million fines, awareness that there is change on the horizon is growing yet many organisations remain unsure of what they should actually be doing to prepare for the impending changes. For many businesses, the GDPR has become something of an elephant in the room. In light of recent confirmation that the GDPR will apply in the UK regardless of Brexit, the following action plan is designed to assist those who want to know what practical steps they should take to prepare for the GDPR.

2. Audit your data – to achieve compliance you need to know what data you hold, where it comes from, what you do with it, where you keep it, who you share it with and what happens to it when it is no longer needed. 3. Update your fair processing notices – whether you refer to them as FPNs, privacy policies, data protection statements or something else entirely, the information that you give to individuals when you collect their data will need to be updated to meet the new information standards in the GDPR. 4. Review your consent mechanisms – under the GDPR you must meet a higher standard of consent and record how and when consent was obtained, all of which will require some updating to your current systems. Think about whether you actually need to get consent for a particular processing activity at all; remember that there

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are plenty of other legal grounds for processing such as contractual necessity and legitimate interests which you may be better off relying on instead. 5. Streamline your SAR process - the GDPR reduces the time for providing a response to a Subject Access Request from 40 days to one month and abolishes the £10 fee. 6. Don’t forget the new rights individuals have new rights under the GDPR, specifically the right to be forgotten and the right to data portability. You will need to ensure you understand what these rights involve and how you will comply with them. 7. Record your processing - from May 2018 you will no longer have to register with the ICO but you must keep a written record of your processing activities, security measures and data retention practices instead. 8. Review your contracts – if you appoint someone to undertake data processing on your behalf (e.g. outsourcing payroll) you will need to have written contracts in place containing certain prescribed clauses. Don’t overlook the international data transfer requirements if your data processor

is based, or uses servers located, outside of the EEA. 9. Appoint a Data Protection Officer – for many organisations this will be a mandatory requirement under the GDPR. 10. Update your breach procedures – from May 2018 mandatory breach reporting will begin - most breaches must be notified to the ICO within 72 hours and you must keep a full internal breach register. 11. Be designed to comply – the GDPR introduces the concept of data protection by design. You need to ensure you are familiar with the concept and understand what it means for your business in practice. 12. Train your staff – staff awareness is absolutely crucial to compliance. Different staff members will require different training depending upon their role and responsibilities but all staff will require some basic awareness trainingt. If you would like full details of the changes introduced by the GDPR please email kitty-rosser@birketts. co.uk to a request a copy of our free GDPR Compliance Guide. Details of Birketts’ data protection training can be found at birketts.co.uk/ services-for-business/trainingshapingexcellence.aspx. MAY/JUNE 2017

ChamberFeature

Why businesses must take the Regulations seriously.

Understanding the psychology of cyber security.

Businesses need also to be aware that the regulations have an expanded territorial scope. Non-EU businesses will be subject to the Regulation if they offer goods or services to persons within the EU and many non-EU businesses that were not clearly required to comply with the Directive will be required to comply with the Regulation when it comes in.

By David Higgins

of Norfolk-based security experts 4IT Sec Meeting the requirements of the new legislation will have a massive impact on any business which holds any form of personal data, be that electronically or on paper records. There will be two major impacts on businesses, one of which is the increased enforcement powers. Currently, the maximum fine which can be levied by the UK ICO is £500,000. The new regulation significantly increases the maximum fine to €20 million or to 4% of annual worldwide turnover – whichever is greater. The national data protection supervisory authorities are expected to co-ordinate the supervisory and enforcement powers across the member states and this will lead to a more pronounced impact and risk for business.

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The most important thing to do is analyse all the data you have in electronic form, including any form of backups, where that data is held, where it came from, why you hold it still, who owns it, who you share it with You will end up with three blocks: n Business critical data (vital to the ongoing operations of the business)

We assign risk to those assets that are physical such as your house, car or business and for good reason, but the majority of us overlook what is now the most vulnerable and exposing aspect of our lives.

By Paul Maskall

Cyber Security Advisor, Norfolk and Suffolk Constabularies Fundamentally, we as a society do not assign nor perceive the appropriate level of risk in regards to our devices, technology and our very public digital footprint.

We don’t see how our online presence has far more exposure to the outside world, than your house or car will ever have. The reason for this is because cybercrime and online fraud is not tangible and, therefore, we do not always understand fully the ramifications or the causality of this type of crime. Due to the language that is used in relation to tech and this intangibility, we see this as a ‘computer issue’ but when 90% of cybercrime and fraud happens when the human factor slips up, how can it be?

n Redundant, Obsolete and Trivial data (minimise this data) n Dark Data (unsure what it is – may contain high risk noncompliant data leading to critical and unseen business risk – analyse it as soon as possible) Use Government-grade encryption to secure all your data, introduce strong authentication and access controls and ensure business continuity planning and procedures with constant testing. It is also a good idea to train staff on new procedures and requirements.

This is why cybercrime and fraud is a lot more about our own awareness and psychology than it is the computer you are sitting in front of. That is why businesses need to focus more on adopting information security culture, where their policy and staff training reflects their security. NORFOLK VOICE • THE MAGAZINE OF NORFOLK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

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World-class cyber security right here in Norfolk. With talk of world-wide-webs, clouds and cyber space, the online world can seem like another planet. However, one Norfolk business is ensuring data from across the globe is secured right here in the East of England.

Tucked away on a trading estate, with its three metre fence, CCTV and 24/7 security guards, you David Manning could be mistaken for thinking The Gatehouse data centre in Norwich is home to crisp bank notes or precious jewels. However, it houses something potentially much more valuable for local and international businesses.

Norfolk Perfect for Data Storage “We’re very proud to be the only purpose-built digital data centre in Norfolk and Suffolk” says David Manning, Managing Director of MIGSOLV, the owners of The Gatehouse data centre. “It’s very important to our customers that

they know where their data is stored and what safer place could there be than the East of England!” Originally purpose-built by Norwich Union, MIGSOLV bought The Gatehouse in 2010. They invested £12 million on renovations to turn it into a highly resilient, world-class facility. It now provides the highest level of security available in the UK, including the Payment Card Industry Data Security (PCI-DSS) Standard. It is also reviewed and endorsed by the National Counter Terrorism Security Office. “Norwich is the perfect location for a data centre. It’s a modern city, now well connected to the rest of the UK with excellent communication links. Unlike London, it’s not on a flood plan or likely to be targeted by terrorism” adds David. “Here in Norfolk we have some flourishing sectors, creating important

innovations and working with global partners. They need somewhere local, ultra-secure and costeffective to store their data”. The data centre houses computer servers which hold business’s digital data, such as websites, software, financial accounts and customer details. Inside, the pristine floors, security doors, cooling ducts and rows of securely partitioned computer cabinets look more like something from a spy movie. “The biggest physical threat to business’s online presence, is a loss of power or connectivity” states David. “That’s why we have an industrial electricity supply, a room full of backup batteries and three huge generators, one just a backup itself”. The data centre also boasts communication links from over 250 providers, giving clients a huge choice. This includes reserved

or ‘redundant’ lines for use in emergencies.

Changing Cyber Security As almost every business now holds digital data, the demand for safe and secure storage has risen fast. Whilst cyber security concerns are often focused on online attacks from hacking or viruses, the greatest risk for many businesses comes from the physical security of their hardware. Most small and medium businesses store data in their own computer servers, housed in their own offices. The risk of fire, flood, theft, vandalism or building damage can all prevent business as normal. The cost to businesses of losing physical access to their data can be catastrophic. MIGSOLV’s clients range from international brands like Kettle Foods Ltd, to local businesses like 52 Degrees and Mayday IT. Within The Gatehouse, regional businesses share space alongside FTSE100 companies, whilst benefitting from the same level of security. Often thought to be an issue only concerning larger businesses, MIGSOLV is increasingly being approached by concerned smaller businesses keen to make their data security one less issue to worry about.

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MAY/JUNE 2017

CyberSecurity

MIGSOLV being based in Norwich, businesses always know who is managing their data. Many small and medium businesses are turning to data centres simply to reduce costs. Computer servers can take up valuable office space and be expensive to run.

“After 15 years in the industry, I’ve definitely seen a change” says David. “Businesses of every shape and size, from one-man-bands to global corporations, now need the same level of security. With so much data to store it’s often a case of

It’s very important to our customers that they know where their data is stored and what safer place could there be than the East of England! MAY/JUNE 2017

freeing up office space and reducing energy bills too”.

Colocation or Cloud? Most of the space within The Gatehouse is used for ‘Colocation’ where businesses house their own servers and IT hardware within the facility. They then benefit from 24/7 access and technical support, more efficient cooling, fire suppression, standby power generators and additional communication connections. This ensures their server is always on and accessible, whatever happens. MIGSOLV will soon be offering a range of ‘Cloud’ based services where customers can store and access data and software from anywhere with a simple internet connection. For many businesses, this eradicates the expense of buying, running and maintaining their own server. However, with

“We reduce energy use and pass that saving on” says David. “Our state of the art cooling system is very advanced and makes sure the technology runs at the optimum temperature to extend its life and minimise energy use. This helps lower customers’ energy bills whilst protecting their IT investment”

Disaster Recovery Earlier this year, MIGSOLV was chosen by the Luxembourg based European Business Resilience Centre (EBRC), to become its UK data storage partner. In an ever more unpredictable world, business resilience has become a hot topic as the threat of BREXIT, global events, terrorism and extreme weather causes businesses to look at how they would cope. Many industries are now under regulatory pressure to ‘beef-up’ their data security. “We hold a lot of data for other IT providers from the UK and overseas. It’s great to put Norfolk on the international map for offering such a well-respected and leading service” adds David.

Norfolk Businesses the Target As they win more international business, the future continues to look bright for MIGSOLV. However, David explains it’s the East of England that is their focus. “We’re concentrating on serving more businesses right here in Norfolk, Suffolk and East Cambridgeshire. Too few people know there is an international facility right here in our region and it could be saving them money” With the new A11 ‘Tech Corridor’ and the growing number of digitalcreative businesses in Norwich, MIGSOLV continue to develop a range of simple and flexible lowcost agreements which help local businesses adapt to their changing needs. MIGSOLV are also Gold Patrons of Norfolk Chamber of Commerce. “Our data centre allows many businesses throughout our region to securely store their data and focus on what they do best. It makes great sense for us to play a key role in an organisation which really supports local businesses”, concludes David. www.migsolv.com

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Your Data: Safe & Secure Right on Your Doorstep Store your business’s digital data in Norfolk’s world-class data centre Running out of space for your data or server? We deliver the safest & most cost-effective solutions, guaranteed

Already using a data centre? We’ll house your IT locally & more securely, for less

Call now to see how we can help & you can save

01603 510323 enquiries@migsolv.com www.migsolv.com

CyberSecurity

Being aware of your risks but doing nothing about them – that’s criminal! Risk can be overwhelming if you run a business. Risk posed by fraudsters, threats from cyber criminals, increasing regulatory requirements and dangers posed by poorly managed financial systems or from inadequate dayto-day processes, they can all be bewildering. Add into the mix the increasing sophistication and knowledge of IT to support business activities then ask what has your business done to maintain risk knowledge and capability to keep pace with emerging threats?

is something that every business needs to take seriously but it is not something to be scared about. Yes, clearly there are a number of risks to consider but by taking a few simple steps, the level of danger can be dramatically reduced whilst adding real value to the bottom line. I have spent a career doing just that.” Alan is recognised as an expert in operational risk management, implementing effective governance and developing controls to mitigate and manage potential interruptions to business operations.

Businesses cannot be expected to be an expert in this field as they have the business to run but doing nothing is not an option. This is why it makes sense to call in expert help from Alan Stenhouse, whose business AST Risk Consultancy & Training Services Ltd draws on expertise developed over a long career advising companies in the financial sector.

His specialisms include:

As an accomplished Senior Risk Management professional, Alan has extensive experience and said: “Risk

[if !supportLists]§ [endif]Advising on the management and security of records, data and assets

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[if !supportLists]§ [endif]Helping senior managers to understand the risks to their business and accept where improvements are required [if !supportLists]§ [endif]Delivering training to instil a culture of risk awareness thereby ensuring measures implemented are sustained and embedded

[if !supportLists]§ [endif]Chairing Gold-level Crisis and Incident Management meetings and overseeing continuity planning, testing and recovery strategies. [if !supportLists]§ [endif]A proven track record in building, leading and motivating teams to achieve greater performance, skills in mentoring and coaching and acting as an advocate for professional development. Alan’s knowledge has been built up over a career in financial services developing and leading risk functions within Banks. His work has included helping to increase risk awareness during a period of expansion, creating Risk Management strategies and delivering awareness training to senior management. He also spent time as a manager in charge of fraud prevention, responsible for the identification, analysis and mitigation of fraud across a retail product range. Alan led the analysis of credit card application fraud and introduced

measures to strengthen vetting and security checks. As a result, monthly losses were reduced by 50% per month. His company covers a wide range of areas ranging from the delivery of training to develop Risk Management capability and business culture; risk evaluation, assessment and control; secure Information Management including Cyber, preventing fraud and ensuring business continuity in the event of disruption. He said: “In more than 30 years in financial services, I have seen that actively managing risks can add real value to the business. I have seen risk managed almost to gold standard, with dedicated resources and budget in place, but businesses at large don’t necessarily have this capability and that is where my business can assist.” Alan can be contacted at Web: www.astriskconsultancy.com  E mail: as@astriskconsultancy.com  Tel: 07969-050393

NORFOLK VOICE • THE MAGAZINE OF NORFOLK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

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Delivering for a forward-looking city. Who can you call when you’re too busy to leave the shop? Valentine’s Day is a hectic time for station florist Nicole. Outspoken performed the city deliveries while the florists were making bouquets. Working in partnership ensured everyone received their flowers at the time they wanted on the busiest day of the year: making people happy was the real achievement! “We started with two cargo bikes and have added electric power and largecapacity, eye-catching tricycles,” says Richard. The trikes can carry 200kg in a 1.4 metre cube box similar to a small van. “I’m really pleased that we have many of the same team of couriers as when we started. They are very experienced and know their rounds well.” Richard attributes this to employing his couriers, providing training and paying the UK Living Wage.

TNT, the international carrier, has switched two rounds in Norwich from lorries to Outspoken’s cargo bikes - improving air quality and saving money. The bikes are delivering over 10,000kg of parcels a month for TNT Express alone, with more to come.

The final stage in the delivery chain - the last mile - is expensive. That’s as true for Norfolk’s businesses as it is for multi-nationals. A single drop to Outspoken’s depot for final delivery could save a business the time and trouble of city traffic. Which is why Outspoken sums up its service as Last Mile Made Easy.

“We exist to make deliveries easier for local businesses, and to help out when they’re busy.” Richard Jennings, owner of Outspoken Delivery Norwich.

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CorporateSocialResponsibilty

How social responsibility opens doors to opportunity. The dapper young man in the middle of the photograph is Tom Shingfield. Tom is a legend in NANSA and now making a name for himself with John Lewis. He is pictured with new team mates Gill Smith and Lizzie Grant as he starts his merchandiser and window dresser placement in their prestigious Norwich store. Tom is there thanks to his natural talent, hard work and personal ambition, alongside John Lewis’s heartfelt commitment to social corporate responsibility and NANSA’s Train and Trade service. Train and Trade service manager Leon Smith said “The support of Norfolk businesses, big and small, makes all the difference in helping people with disabilities achieve their life ambitions. NANSA can do a lot to help but it’s employers who can really make it happen. Tom’s placement is testimony to what can be achieved, and how good it can be for all involved.”

Tom Shingfield with Gill Smith and Lizzie Grant being welcomed on board at John Lewis’s Norwich store For more details about NANSA and its Train and Trade service, contact Leon Smith at leonsmith@nansa. org.uk, or call 01603 414109, or visit www.nansa.org.uk

“The support of Norfolk businesses, big and small, makes all the difference in helping people with disabilities achieve their life ambitions.”

Schemes that allow business to make a difference. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is an increasingly important part of business life as companies seek to make an impact on their communities beyond the simple bottom line. From helping to raise money for good causes to promoting sound health, companies are playing their part in improving people’s lives. Methods of applying CSR include: n Environmental efforts: Businesses regardless of size have a large carbon footprint and taking steps to reduce the footprint is good for the company and society as a whole n Philanthropy: Businesses also practice social responsibility by donating to national and local charities n Ethical employment practices: By treating employees fairly and ethically, companies can demonstrate their corporate social responsibility n Volunteering: Attending volunteer events and encouraging staff to volunteer, including

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giving them paid leave to do everything from tree planting to office work for charities, says a lot about a company’s commitment to the area in which they operate.

There is another benefit which is harder to measure. Recent research has indicated that people who volunteer, or support communities in other ways, feel better about themselves.

All these measures benefit society and that in itself is justification enough for supporting them but there are also benefits for the company taking part, one of which is the boost they provide to reputation.

For a company encouraging its staff to support good causes there can only be a knock-on effect; happier employees make for more productive employees.

A company seen to be doing a lot to benefit their local communities can only go up in people’s estimation.

All in all, Corporate Social Responsibility has much to recommend it for businesses of all types and sizes.

NORFOLK VOICE • THE MAGAZINE OF NORFOLK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

Advertising

Richard Powell OBE

Preserving the Past Documenting the Present Inspiring the Future In 1974 a small group from the advertising industry set about preserving the heritage of the UK advertising industry for an exhibition.

From this the History of Advertising Trust was founded in 1976 and registered as a charity in 1978 and has grown into the world’s biggest archive of UK advertising which we see today. Most of the materials at the History of Advertising Trust have been deposited by clients into our care. These are complemented by rescued and donated archives in the permanent collection. We also hold a variety of collections including advertising agency archives and personal collections of those who worked as commercial artists or in the industry. Along with being the archivists for some of the UK’s big brands which include Heinz, Hovis, Vimto and Butlin’s we also hold the archives for many of the top 30 agencies including Ogilvy & Mather, JWT, adam&eveDDB and Y&R London. Within one agency archive we hold the original handwritten meeting notes when the premise of Mr Kipling was invented (that’s right Mr Kipling is made up!). We also hold television commercials dating back to the 1920s up until the present day. Our mission is to promote learning and creative excellence by preserving and celebrating the advertising heritage of the UK We welcome independent researchers and group visits of up to 20 people. For further information please see our group visits page www.hatads.org.uk/learning/study-visits.aspx on our website or contact Sue Staunton on 01508 548623 or email on sue@hatads.org.uk

Catton Park. An historic landscape on the northern outskirts of Norwich. Located in a quiet suburb in North Norwich Catton Park is a 70acre country park that is open 24 hours a day 365 days a year to all residents and visitors of Old Catton. With its wild flower meadow, woodland and wood sculptures Catton Park provides visitors with a range of opportunities for relaxation and recreation through a variety of landscapes and wildlife habitats throughout the Park. Catton Park Trust Ltd are responsible for the management of Catton Park and relies on grants and donations to maintain the area for the benefit of its’ visitors. The Trust envisages the Park as a place of quiet enjoyment for all the community and aims to encourage all age groups to the Park through various family events. Open air theatre and live music, pop-up cinemas, family fun day and Christmas Fayre are all on the programme of events for 2017 aiming to encourage families to enjoy Catton Park. The Trust encourages and promotes local businesses through the management of the Park and events and recognises the key role local business play within the community. At Catton Park we believe that an opportunity to participate in outdoor educational activities enhances the learning experience of all children. From Hayman Lodge Educational Building and by using the knowledge of our experienced Warden, schools are invited to create a teacher-led educational day tailored to the school’s and National Curriculum requirements. The Park offers educational opportunities for pond dipping, bug hunting, teambuilding and orienteering and many more. Contact Sarah Vincent on 01603 423880 or email office@cattonpark.com to find out more.

Helping to build a better Norfolk through business. With so many charities and community groups across Norfolk, how can you ensure that your organisation’s giving makes the biggest impact for both the community and your business? Norfolk Community Foundation connects businesses with communities and allows your organisation to make life changing grants to local groups and charities. Every business is different and we have developed a range of ways to engage with your community, whether you have a structured corporate responsibility programme or less formal charitable objectives. We offer: n Philanthropy advice - support with deciding where to focus your charitable giving n Grant making - identifying community projects and themes to match your social objectives n Impact reporting - case studies and monitoring to show the difference your business makes n Communications - PR support to maximise publicity around your corporate philanthropy n Employee engagement - setting up a staff decision making panel, linking you to volunteering and invitations to NCF events n CSR guidance – how to structure your giving, making the most of staff time, money and skills Depending on the size of your business and the amount you can give, you can: n Join the Norfolk Future Fund n Join The Norfolk 100 n Set up a Corporate Fund n Select us as ‘Charity of the Year’ Contact Graham Tuttle on 01603 623958 to find out how we can help your business to make an impact at a local level. www.norfolkfoundation.com info@norfolkfoundation.com

NORFOLK VOICE • THE MAGAZINE OF NORFOLK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

MAY/JUNE 2017

CorporateSocialResponsibilty

Social, leisure and learning for people with disabilities. BUILD is a Norfolk based, independent registered charity providing social, leisure and learning opportunities for people with disabilities. Established in Norwich in 1967, we offer over 200 separate opportunities each year providing over 9,000 individual engagements through a small, mainly part time staff team and the support of around 100 volunteers. We believe that people with a disability should be able to access the same kind of social life that most of us take for granted, and as such we offer a range of opportunities from outdoor and indoor sports, to country walks, an allotment and cottage garden, as well as a weekly social club, a popular Sunday lunch club, visits to museums and art galleries, historic buildings, as well as local and national theatre shows. In addition our Skills for Life programme helps people to learn skills that promote independent living and options for employment. We also provide a nightclub experience, live music nights, and sports tasters. The BUILD Charity is reliant on grants from charitable trusts, donations from individuals and community fundraising activities. People using the services pay their own entrance fees, and transport costs, with the full support costs being funded centrally, without which, activities would not happen. You can engage with us as a volunteer, on the front line or in a back office function, or a commercial partner or investor – either way we would love to have a conversation to explore mutual benefits. Call 01603 618029 Web www.buildcharity.co.uk Facebook www.facebook.com/theBUILDcharity/ Twitter @BUILDCharity

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Understanding the We are Norfolk Scouts. impact of domestic abuse on your business. Providing skills for life for nearly 6,500 young people, we are the county’s biggest mixed youth organisation. We change lives by offering 6 to 25-yearolds fun and challenging activities, unique experiences, adventure and the chance to help others so that we make a positive impact in communities. We’re not just for boys, we have been open to girls since 1991, and now nearly 30% of our membership is female. Scouts help young people reach their full potential. Scouts develop skills including teamwork, time management, leadership, initiative, planning, communication, self-motivation, cultural awareness and commitment. We help young people to get jobs, save lives and even change the world. This would not be possible without our fantastic adults, who support in a wide range of roles, from working directly with young people, to managing Groups, to being a charity Trustee. We help volunteers get the most out of their experiences by providing opportunities for training, adventure, fun and friendship. In fact, the number of adults volunteering here in Norfolk is higher than any point in our history, at just over 2,600. However despite our record numbers of adults, we have also seen a massive increase in demand from young people, which means that we always welcome more volunteers. Business people make great volunteers as you bring management, technical, leadership and governance skills that help us to grow into more communities. Do you think you or your team can help Scouting by volunteering? Get in touch 01603 502246 or join@norfolkscouts.org.uk

Leeway is a Norfolk based charity established in 1974 and set up the third refuge or ‘safe house’ in the UK. We support adults, children and young people suffering from domestic abuse in the Norfolk and Waveney area. Domestic abuse accounts for 1/5 of all violent crime in the UK and 10% of the workforce of the United Kingdom are affected by domestic abuse. The cost of this to businesses and the economy is estimated to be £1.9 billion a year. At Leeway we believe that businesses have a moral and ethical duty to provide employees with support, so that domestic abuse is more widely recognised and those experiencing domestic abuse get the support and help they need to make informed decisions about their lives.

Our Training Our high quality training will support you to understand and respond effectively to domestic abuse and stalking in the workplace. Delivered by our expert training team, we provide a range of cost effective training, tailored to meet your needs, including: • Awareness training for staff, managers and HR professionals • Meeting the duty of care to keep employees physically and emotionally safe at work • Responding to stalking in the workplace • Developing domestic abuse and stalking policies and procedures • Use for CPD training hours As part of your commitment to CSR, Leeway would really appreciate your sponsorship for our fundraising and events For more information please email admin@ leewaynwa.org.uk or telephone 0300 561 0077

NORFOLK VOICE • THE MAGAZINE OF NORFOLK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

Give your new business a boost Norfolk Chamber membership can help you in the early stages and beyond

Join the Norfolk Chamber today from £8.25/month We can help you:

Meet new customers

Tap into training

Find free legal advice

Make countywide connections. We host over 70 networking events each year from business breakfasts to after-hours gettogethers for our 900+ business members.

Our members share knowledge and expertise with each other through regular free Chamber sessions. Topics cover: social media, marketing, sales, management, and much more.

Our unlimited 24/7 legal & tax advice lines are an invaluable service to help save you money in the long run. Plus, get free legal expenses insurance worth £670,000.

Raise your proﬁle with ours

Receive helpful HR Resources

Develop International Trade

Our website attracts over 8,000 visitors each month. Find an immediate audience and promote your business for free on our website, social media channels and magazine.

No dedicated HR department? ChamberHR includes a 24/7 advice line and a comprehensive database of documents, policies, and letter templates – free for members. Or attend our expert HR Forums.

Our dedicated international team offers advice on trade, logistics, and country documentation requirements. And members enjoy 50% off export services.

To ﬁnd out more and join online visit:

www.norfolkchamber.co.uk Or contact us on 01603 729704 or membership@norfolkchamber.co.uk

Inﬂuence key policy makers As a member you have the opportunity to join with other like-minded businesses to influence policy makers and ensure that the business voice is heard loud and clear at a local, regional and national level.

MemberNews

More than 50 jobs saved at Frank Dale Foods. Frank Dale Foods Limited based in Bunwell, South Norfolk passed into liquidation on Tuesday 28 February, bringing to an end more than 20 years of trading. Andrew McTear of Norwich based business rescue and insolvency specialists was appointed liquidator. In the run up to liquidation, Chamber member McTear Williams & Wood advertised the business and assets for sale as a going concern. Andrew said: “One offer stood above the others and I am delighted we were able to conclude a sale of the business and assets on 1 March 2017 to Finedale Foods Limited that should secure future employment for most of the 57-strong work force. “ Edward Miles, owner and CEO of the newly formed Finedale Foods Limited said: “ Buying the business and assets out of liquidation made sense and I am delighted to be the successful bidder with support from Angel Investors, the LEP and the local Council who all worked quickly to support the bid.”

Fundraising group nominated for National award. The work of a fundraising group in Norfolk has been nominated for a national award which highlights pioneering approaches to charitable giving.

Two new engineering surveyors, Gary Murphy and Terry Hammond, and a risk management administrator, Shannon Waters, join risk management advisers John Neil and Gavin Dearsley, to provide a comprehensive suite of services.

The expansion follows the group’s acquisition of Cambridge-based S-Tech Insurance Services Ltd in November last year, bringing the company’s total headcount to in excess of 300 people than they might be able to do individually. Since it was set up the Fund has raised around £80,000 which has enabled 18 local community projects to happen.

Is your school interested in making more links with local businesses? Join our Young Chamber membership from just £350 + VAT

MAY/JUNE 2017

The move brings three new faces to the group and enhances the range of business insurance services available to clients, helping them to comply with the law and avoid disruption to their business.

Group MD Chris Gibbs said: “We’re always looking to enhance the range of services available to our clients. As such, the expansion of our Risk Management business to include engineering inspection was a natural move.”

Its work has been nominated for the Trailblazer Award at the Beacon Awards which includes the likes of Dame Vivienne Westwood, British triathletes, the Brownlee brothers and former England rugby captain, Lawrence Dallaglio OBE amongst those shortlisted in a range of categories.

Each member of the Norfolk Future Fund contributes just £25 per month and this makes a bigger impact collectively

East-Anglia-based Alan Boswell Group has reported further expansion, following the launch of its new business, Alan Boswell Risk Management.

Risk Management Adviser John Neil said: “Our services are already proving popular and we are currently in the process of recruiting a third risk management adviser to meet with demand.”

The Norfolk Future Fund, which was set up by the Norfolk Community Foundation in 2014, aims to bring a younger generation of donors closer to their communities to encourage charitable giving and to support local charities.

The awards recognise exceptional philanthropists and the work they are doing to inspire others and create opportunities for ideas and information to be exchanged.

Broking group enhances service offering.

Norfolk Chamber of Commerce

NORFOLK VOICE • THE MAGAZINE OF NORFOLK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

Advertising

When being hospitable pays off. In an age that seems increasingly reliant on technology, corporate entertainment remains a key business tool. The main reason is that it helps companies to maintain personal relationships with their clients. In a fast-moving age dominated by the Internet, texting and Cloud Computing, the personal touch remains highly valued because it is often when client and customer are together, and relaxed, that business is done, that relationships are forged and deals struck. Creating that kind of environment takes many forms. For many companies, it often revolves around sporting events, a trip to the races, a day at the cricket or perhaps a meal followed by watching a football match. However, there are other options for the more adventurous, daytrips, teambuilding events, extreme sports challenges, or for the more cultural, events such as trips to the theatre or to take in a show.

They may be diverse events in nature but the key to them all is that they represent time spent away from the office and a sense that the company staging the corporate hospitality truly values those whom it has invited, that their presence is seen as important.

Those companies that are prepared to invest in corporate entertainment do so if they can see something to be gained from showing clients and staff alike that there is life after work. And that can pay dividends.

The Green Room Cranmer – Norfolk Luxury Retreat. Simple, relaxing, inspiring. The Green Room at Cranmer is part of a versatile venue that can meet many different needs and is ideal for bespoke corporate seminars, confidential client meetings and residential training events. The venue spaces include the Green Room meeting room, The Norfolk Breakout Room, 8 luxury self-catering cottages, indoor heated swimming pool, 2 tennis courts & extensive grounds, surrounded by privately owned farmland. The converted farm buildings are arranged in a traditional Victorian Dairy farm layout with communal courtyards, and outdoor seating areas.

The Green Room is available for meetings of 12-36 delegates depending upon required seating layout. The self-catering properties can accommodate from 12 - 36 guests for corporate home stays. The Green Room is available for daily hire for away days or as part of a residential package for a private corporate retreat. The self-contained meeting room is wheelchair accessible, has 2 w.c’s and a small galley kitchen. Catering can be arranged and there is also a selfcatered option. The meeting room is supplied with flexible modular furniture, 60” wall mounted tv screen, AV system, flip chart & free WIFI and LAN internet connection. There is plenty of free off road parking.

NORFOLK VOICE • THE MAGAZINE OF NORFOLK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

Cranmer is located within 30 miles of Norwich and King’s Lynn, and just a stone’s throw from Holkham and the fabulous North Norfolk Heritage coast. The privately owned Norfolk retreat has great eco-credentials and a Green Business Scheme Gold award. Contact Lynne Johnson 01328 823135 info@cranmer-green-room.co.uk www.norfolk-luxury-cottages.co.uk

MAY/JUNE 2017

CorporateHospitality

Sprowston Manor Marriott Hotel & Country Club – an idyllic countryside location for your stay...

41 With tall oak trees lining the imposing drive to the stately manor house, Sprowston Manor Marriott Hotel & Country Club exudes a historic charm combined with modern touches. The grounds are sheltered by ancient oak trees and are the perfect place to sit and relax with friends or family on your weekend away. Showcasing an idyllic countryside location, luxury guest accommodation and a host of top-quality amenities, Sprowston Manor Marriott Hotel & Country Club provides a stylish backdrop for travellers . Housed in a stately 16th-century English manor, the selection of rooms and suites offer a rare combination of historic elegance and contemporary comfort; all hotel rooms boast a variety of helpful amenities, while

many feature sensational views of our immaculately landscaped grounds. Perfect your swing with world-class golf at the signature country club championship course, or enjoy exquisite global cuisine at 1559 Restaurant & Lounge Bar – where you can also sample themed nights during the week or a traditional roast at the weekend. If you fancy a pamper then treat yourself at the hotel spa – La Fontana – there is an impressive range of treatments including soothing massages and invigorating body scrubs and facials. Or just simply cool off after a busy day in Norwich in the sparkling indoor pool. Those looking to host an impactful event, meeting or wedding in the Norwich area need look no further; the hotel features an elegantly appointed marquee venue, experienced planning and catering teams and much more. The impressive 11 meeting room venues combine 9,784 square feet of event space and meeting attendees can sample service from one of the

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top hotel locations in Norwich for their event. All meeting rooms are furnished with high-speed Internet access and the latest technology so you can stay in touch with your delegates throughout their stay. Packages include room hire and coffee breaks with a buffet lunch too. Explore sophistication beyond compare at Sprowston Manor Marriott Hotel & Country Club.

Check out their special offers, packages and more online now at marriott.com or call for more info. There are also special deals for groups and golfers. Sprowston Manor Marriott Hotel & Country Club, Wroxham Road, Norwich, Norfolk NR7 8RP 01603 410871 www.marriott.com

NORFOLK VOICE • THE MAGAZINE OF NORFOLK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

Advertising

Hold your event at the Green Britain Centre. The Green Britain Centre is a venue unlike any other. We host a wide range of meetings, events and conferences at our spacious eco-building – so whether you’re looking for a meeting room for two or a venue for two hundred, we’ve got it covered. At the Green Britain Centre, our mission is to educate and empower people to help create a Green Britain. We’re based in a landmark timber-framed building in the heart of Norfolk, conveniently located on the outskirts of Swaffham – you can’t miss us, there’s a 100m windmill in our back garden! The Green Britain Centre is ideal for hosting a variety of events, including meetings and conferences, training and team building days, product launches, AGMs – we can even arrange film screenings for you in our cinema.

We have a number of spacious, fresh rooms in a range of sizes – so whatever your event, we’ve got something that’ll suit your requirements. Before your event, we’ll get your room set up and ready. Our rooms contain all the equipment you need to ensure your day goes smoothly – projection screens, AV equipment and stationery. Free Wi-Fi is also available for all organisers and delegates. We have free parking at the Centre, or for those who don’t drive, it’s easy to get here on the X1 bus. The Centre is fully accessible, with disabled facilities and lifts to all floors. We have several rooms which lead to a large balcony area, and overlook the gardens and windmill. Our windmill was the first in the world open to the public to climb, allowing you to experience wind energy up close. Last year, it generated around 3.1 million units of electricity – enough to power around a quarter of the homes in Swaffham. In 2016, around 8,000 people made the 300 step journey to the viewing platform at the top, designed by famous architect Sir Norman Foster, to see the fantastic views. We offer full catering, including a hot seasonal buffet. Our café has

NORFOLK VOICE • THE MAGAZINE OF NORFOLK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

recently switched from vegetarian to completely plant-based, and is more popular than ever. We serve a range of dishes made using local ingredients, often grown on site in our organic vegetable garden. If you’d rather have something lighter, we also have a full refreshment menu with plenty of light bites and sweet snacks. And we can arrange to serve your food whenever you like during the day.

visitors, hosted more events and served more food than ever before. We held over 600 fantastic events and conferences, which were attended by 13,000 delegates. To find out more or to book your event, give us a call on 01760 726 100 or visit www.greenbritaincentre.co.uk.

And of course, our friendly staff will be on hand throughout your event to assist with any requirements and make sure the day goes smoothly. 2016 was our most successful year on record – we welcomed more

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CorporateHospitality Exhibition stand design and build plus portable display solutions from GGS. Exhibitions and Trade shows offer a unique opportunity for companies to meet potential and existing customers within a controlled environment, enabling them to see and experience your product or service, and most importantly, meet the people behind the brand. Having determined that exhibiting will complement your marketing strategy, and researched which events to attend, you will want to view floor plans and reserve either a Shell Scheme or Space Only stand - the choice normally being determined by budget. Shell Scheme packages have a height limit of 2.5 metres and coming complete with walls, carpet and lighting they are a great option for both the first time exhibitor and those wishing to set up their own portable or modular display equipment. Space Only stands, however, will really increase your profile as they can reach up to 4 metres high, towering over the smaller Shell Schemes. Normally designed and installed by a stand contractor such as GGS, design visuals are produced following a briefing meeting taking all of a client’s requirements into consideration. Stands can then be custom made and either hired or purchased depending on budgets. The current trend of giant fabric printing gives stand designers the scope to create stunning backgrounds without joins, whilst the improved LED backlit graphic technology has continued to improve with literally ‘brilliant’ results. Duncan Smith Director GGS Norwich

Celebrate at

Helping Norfolk Companies to Exhibit

A stunning setting for any award night, fundraising event or gala ball, located in an exclusive venue in the centre of Norwich. OPEN is one of the most exciting and versatile function venues in the region, offering flexible layouts for a diverse range of events. Run by the OPEN Youth Trust, the venue offers businesses, organisations and individuals a unique opportunity to hold their meetings, conferences and events whilst helping to fund positive activities aimed at vulnerable young people living in Norfolk.

OPEN, 20 Bank Plain, Norwich, Norfolk, NR2 4SF t 01603 252117 e conference@opennorwich.org.uk w opennorwich.org.uk Follow us on twitter @OPENNorwich Facebook @opennorwich

MAY/JUNE 2017

NORFOLK VOICE • THE MAGAZINE OF NORFOLK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

Advertising

Congham Hall – blue sky thinking in a relaxing space. Congham Hall lends itself to some blue sky thinking, with acres of parkland to wander or ponder the mind! It is a retreat which companies have used, over many years, to meet, entertain and sometimes relax. A recent refurbishment has breathed new life into the meeting room which seats 18 around a boardroom table and is situated in a quiet corner of the

house with double aspect windows looking out over the gardens and parkland. For larger meetings, conferences or presentations we have the restaurant which a light and airy room with full length French windows and panoramic views over the lawns to the trees and parkland beyond.

Congham offers secure complimentary parking for up to 70 cars, free WiFi access, and all conference rooms are located on the ground floor with natural daylight. Our chefs use only the finest seasonal produce, sourced locally where possible to create genuinely imaginative dishes. An extensive wine list is available on ipad, which

includes some rare and vintage bottles to thoroughly complement your meal. Why not make use of the vast lawns and organise a team building event. We have recently hosted clay pigeon shooting, archery, duck herding, segways racing and a bird of prey display.

Business matters at Congham Hall

Set in 30 acres of beautiful parkland and gardens, and situated on the edge of the Sandringham Estate just 20 minutes from the North Norfolk beaches, this Georgian manor house is the perfect retreat for a private meeting or conference. It boasts a newly built spa with a stunning 12 metre pool, a thermal suite which includes a sauna, steam room and bio sauna, outdoor hot tub overlooking the grounds, experience showers and foot baths. There is also a tennis court, croquet lawn and putting green in the orchard. congham_hall

Congham Hall Spa Hotel

Congham Hall, Grimston, King’s Lynn, Norfolk PE32 1AH T 01485 600250 E info@conghamhallhotel.co.uk

www.conghamhallhotel.co.uk

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MAY/JUNE 2017

CorporateHospitality

Escape from Teambuilding Tedium. Ever attended a teambuilding event so exciting, so captivating and such amazing fun that you want to go back AND take your family or friends along to experience it too? No? Then you’ve never played a live escape game. Everyone loves a puzzle, and playing an escape game with workmates is not only guaranteed fun, but also delivers a low-cost, high-impact and very memorable team development experience. History Mystery escape games are based on the real stories of people and places, played in the historic locations where those stories actually happened. Racing against the clock, you can solve a gruesome Victorian murder in the city’s original gaol cells, or romp through hundreds of years of Norwich’s rich history, finding clues and solving puzzles as you go. Open every day, including evenings, History Mystery provides a range of options for teambuilding and recruitment assessment for up to 30 participants. Escape games are increasingly used for teambuilding, where everybody

can successfully participate and have fun. Whether you are a thinker or a doer, a leader or a follower, the unique environment of escape games provides an equal playing field where team members discover their strengths and realise their own contribution. Alasdair Willett, History Mystery Managing Director says, “The effect of escape games on teams is amazing, we see it

every time without fail. No matter what attitude team members have going in, everyone always comes out feeling energised, having discovered something about themselves, their team and how to enjoy working together.” historymysteryescape.com 01603 327515

History Mystery

Whether your purpose is a leisure break, a special celebration or business, you can be assured of a warm welcome at Park Farm Hotel. Despite our rural location standing in 200 acres of unspoiled Norfolk countryside, the fine city of Norwich is only a few miles away. • Conferences Suites that can accommodate 2 to 120 • Specialist wedding venue • 53 stylish bedrooms

• Newly refurbished Seasons Restaurant • Fully equipped leisure club and spa facilities

• Afternoon tea served daily • Variety of catering options available • Ample free parking

Telephone: +44 (0)1603 810264

Email: enq@parkfarm-hotel.co.uk

web: www.parkfarm-hotel.co.uk

MAY/JUNE 2017

NORFOLK VOICE • THE MAGAZINE OF NORFOLK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

CorporateHospitality

Advertising

Events agency launches in style.

Church Street Events is a boutique events agency based just outside Norwich in the market town of Wymondham.

Nichola Pergande

The brainchild of Nichola Pergande, Church Street Events is the result of a long-cherished ambition to have her own business — and in her first 18 months of trading, she has already notched up some notable successes.

Church Street Events draws on Nichola’s expertise and experience gained over 20 years as a business-to-business marketing professional and corporate planner, running more than 100 national and international events. All of which means that Church Street Events offers a complete suite of services including consultancy, strategic planning, full eventmanagement and venue sourcing for projects of any size in Norfolk, London, the rest of the UK and abroad. The company also gives clients access to Nichola’s extensive ‘little black book’, cultivated over many years, which includes tried-and-tested suppliers, essential to delivering best-in-class events and best value for money.

“While my brand is well known in London, it’s new on the Norfolk and Norwich scene, so I’ve worked hard to convince clients to hire us rather than larger, more established businesses. In 2017, I’m hoping to grow my client base in both Norwich’s insurance, legal and tech sectors as well as in London.” Nichola said: “We’re passionate about events as a strategic marketing tool for building brand equity, connecting with clients and prospects and engaging with staff.”

Nichola also won the PR, Marketing and Events mandate with her business partner, Valerie Weisenreder, for Surrey-based tech company ROC Group.

Looking back over the past 18 months, Nichola has plenty to celebrate. As well as winning the marketing business for award-winning Norfolk restaurant Kindreds, Church Street Events also won a key London-based client, the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation (IICF UK), in a tendering process that saw strong competition from well-known events agencies.

01953 542107 nichola@churchstreetevents.co.uk www.churchstreetevents.co.uk @ChurchStEvents church-street-events

2016 12 Norfolk Chamber of Commerce.qxp_Layout 1 20/12/2016 10:26 Page 1

FLEXIBLE & COMPETITIVE BUSINESS SPACES

Bring out the best in your team... Ufford Park Woodbridge

Convenient location • Meeting facilities for 2 to 200 • Free internet, Comfortable restaurants • Spacious well equipped bedrooms Leisure club • Our own traditional pub • Ample free parking

Knights Hill Hotel & Spa King’s Lynn, Norfolk PE30 3HQ Telephone: 01553 675 566 Email: conference@knightshill.co.uk Hotels also at: Le Strange Arms Hotel, Old Hunstanton, Norfolk PE36 6JJ Orton Hall Hotel & Spa, Peterborough, Cambs PE2 7DN

www.knightshill.co.uk

NORFOLK VOICE • THE MAGAZINE OF NORFOLK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

Whether you need space to allow the creativity to flow, or simply time out with the team, why not escape to Ufford Park? We offer everything you need from a stapler to a plasma, right through to a bespoke menu just for you. Ideally located just 2 minutes from the A12, free parking, complimentary Wi-Fi, and outside space for an extensive list of team building activities.

t 0844 477 6491 (local rate) w www.uffordpark.co.uk Yarmouth Road | Woodbridge | Suffolk | IP12 1QW

MAY/JUNE 2017

We create great. Branding • Design • Digital • Strategy

creativesponge.co.uk 01603 622766

Diary Dates. Networking Events Norwich Business Breakfast Where: Caistor Hall, Norwich When: Thursday 25 May, 07:30 – 09:30 Join us for a morning of business networking over a delicious breakfast. Make new contacts and catch up with existing ones. This breakfast also includes a presentation on how to use videos for your business by Charlie Gauvain from Eye Film. Members only event.

South Norfolk Business Breakfast

Where: Applewood Hall, Banham When: Wednesday 7 June, 08:00 – 10:00 Join Norfolk Chamber for our first business breakfast in South Norfolk. Make new contacts or catch up with existing ones as you network over a delicious breakfast. This morning event is perfect for businesses looking to broaden their network contacts. Not a member of Norfolk Chamber? This event is open to all businesses.

Cocktails and Canapes Where: BOND No.28 Tombland, Norwich When: Thursday 15 June, 17:30 – 20:00

Join us for an evening of Cocktails and Canapes, providing the perfect backdrop to make new connections. The evening will include a glass of prosecco on arrival, nibbles and a cocktail masterclass where guests will get a crash course in making (and sampling!) a range of delicious cocktails. Members only event.

Great Yarmouth Business Breakfast Where: Royal Assembly Rooms, Great Yarmouth When: Thursday 22 June, 07:30 – 09:30 Join us for a morning of business networking over a delicious breakfast. Make new contacts and catch up with existing ones. This breakfast event is perfect for businesses looking to broaden their network contacts. Members only event.

Norwich Business Breakfast Where: Sprowston Manor, Norwich When: Tuesday 6 July, 07:30 - 09:30 Join us for a morning of business networking over a delicious breakfast. Join us to hear from an interesting speaker, take part in our popular networking activities and make new business contacts. Members only event.

Great Yarmouth Business Breakfast Where: Royal Assembly Rooms, Great Yarmouth When: Thursday 7 September, 07:30-09:30 Join us for a morning of business networking over a delicious breakfast. Make new contacts and catch up with existing ones. This event is perfect for businesses looking to broaden their network contacts. Members only event.

West Norfolk Business Breakfast Where: Knights Hill, King’s Lynn When: Friday 29 September, 08:00 – 10:00 Join us for a morning of business networking over a delicious breakfast. Make new contacts and catch up with existing ones. This event is perfect for businesses looking to broaden their network contacts. Members only event.

Special Events Cyber Security Where: The Space, Norwich When: Thursday 18 May, 09:00 – 12:30 New event for our members based around Cyber Security to inform you of how your business can stay safe in the modern age of technology. The agenda will look to bring speakers from a range of businesses and backgrounds, including live demonstrations, to inform you of how your business can stay safe in the modern age of technology. For more information see page 51.

For more information, to see a full list of events, or to book visit: norfolkchamber.co.uk/events

NORFOLK VOICE • THE MAGAZINE OF NORFOLK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

HR Forum Where: Holiday Inn, Ipswich Road, Norwich When: Wednesday 13 September, 14:00 -17:00 Join the Norfolk Chamber for an afternoon of accessing specialist knowledge essential for any HR professional or business owner. Open to all businesses.

Talking Technology Where: The Space, Norwich When: Wednesday 20 September, 08:30 - 14:00 Talking tech is back for a seventh year! Join us for an interactive digital and technology conference, featuring presentations, workshops and seminars all geared towards building upon the digital skills of Norfolk’s business community and showcasing the community’s technical successes. To find out more about the event, see page 51.

B2B Exhibition Where: Norwich City Football Club When: Thursday 12 October, 10:00 – 16:00 The B2B Exhibition is back for 2017 following our most successful event in October 2016, hosting over 100 exhibitors and over 750 attendees. We want to continue building on this success in 2017. You can book your stand today to be at the regions premier business to business exhibition. For more information see page 49.

Norfolk Chamber of Commerce

MAY/JUNE 2017

MemberNews ChamberEvents Book by 26 May to receive a £50 discount

Join us for B2B 2017.

Date: Thursday 12 Oct 2017

It’s your chance to exhibit at the region’s premier business to business exhibition. Building on its continued success year on year, this unmissable event brings together the finest business minds in Norfolk and beyond for a day of unique networking opportunities, training and meetings of businesses large and small. By booking your exhibition space you can be part of the biggest and most successful business event in the region’s commercial calendar.

With over 100 exhibitor stands across two floors, B2B 2017 is shaping up to be a fantastic show that gives you unique access to hundreds of key business contacts. New for this year: There are a range of exciting new sponsorship opportunities to help gain maximum exposure for your business. norfolkchamber.co.uk/b2b

Time: 10:00 to 16:00 Venue: Norwich City Football Club All welcome

Norfolk Chamber of Commerce

n For further information please refer to the brochure included in this edition.

MAY/JUNE 2017

NORFOLK VOICE • THE MAGAZINE OF NORFOLK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

Expert, affordable courses and free training. Business Training Chamber Training offers a wide range of training solutions to help you unlock the potential of your workforce and boost your business performance.

Training Course

Presenter

Date

Time

Members Price

Non member Price

Social Media for Business

Jonathan White

10/05/2017

13:30 – 16:30

£125+VAT

£150+VAT

Finance for non-financial managers

Julian Hammond

12/05/2017

09:00 – 12:30

£125+VAT

£150+VAT

How to write engaging web and print copy

Huw Sayer

16/05/2017

09:00 – 12:30

£125+VAT

£150+VAT

Building rapport with clients

Ermine Amies

06/06/2017

09:00 – 12:30

£125+VAT

£150+VAT

Public Relations

Suzy Pettican

10/05/2017

09:00 – 12:30

£125+VAT

£150+VAT

Make your LinkedIn Profile work for you

Sean Clark

29/06/2017

13:00 – 16:30

£125+VAT

£150+VAT

Time Management

Ian Hacon

04/07/2017

09:00 – 12:30

£125+VAT

£150+VAT

International Export Training Delivered by experienced trainers, these courses are specifically designed for staff involved in exporting and/ or importing cargo to and from the UK. Most international courses are accredited. Training Course

Presenter

Date

Time

Members Price

Non member Price

Letters of credit/ Methods of payment

Sue Wright

14/06/2017

09:00 – 16:30

£248+VAT

£310+VAT

e-zCert Workshop

Julie Austin

28/06/2017

09:00 – 12:30

£35+VAT

£50+VAT

Understanding Exporting

John Robinson

05/07/2017

09:00 – 16:30

£248+VAT

£310+VAT

Export Documentation

John Robinson

06/09/2017

09:00 – 16:30

£248+VAT

£310+VAT

Customs Procedures and Documentation

John Robinson

07/09/2017

09:00 – 12:30

£168+VAT

£210+VAT

Preference Rules of Origin

John Robinson

07/09/2017

13:00 – 16:30

£168+VAT

£210+VAT

Surviving a Customs Audit

John Robinson

29/09/2017

13:00 – 16:30

£160+VAT

£200+VAT

To book your place on a training course visit norfolkchamber.co.uk/training

NORFOLK VOICE • THE MAGAZINE OF NORFOLK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

Norfolk Chamber of Commerce

MAY/JUNE 2017

MemberNews ChamberEvents

Talking Tech. The Norfolk Chamber Digital & Tech event, Talking Tech, returns for the seventh year running on Wednesday 20th September at The Space, Norwich. According to government research ‘there is a positive link between digital skill levels and turnover growth’ and businesses may therefore be ‘missing an opportunity to deliver better, more efficient service to their customer’. As part of our continued commitment to business, Norfolk Chamber are delivering an interactive conference with a programme of keynote speakers and workshops exploring how we can develop and support digital skills within businesses to improve productivity and increase revenue.

Some Industry leaders making waves in the tech/ digital industry and speaking at the event include the founders of Prison Voicemail, Dean Withey from Ubisend, Tim Robinson from Tech East, as well as Immersive VR and The User Story with more speakers to follow. Come along to learn from real life case studies and get practical advice to take your business forward.

Date: Wed 20 Sept 2017 Time: 08:30 – 13:00 Venue: The Space, Norwich For full information visit norfolkchamber.co.uk/ events Norfolk Chamber of Commerce

If you are interested in the event and would like to find out more, please visit our website norfolkchamber.co.uk/events.

Date: Thu 18 May 2017 Time: 9.00 – 12.30 The Space, Roundtree Way, Norwich, NR7 8SQ For more event information visit norfolkchamber.co.uk/ events

Keep Your Business Safe and Avoid a €20m Fine. This May Norfolk Chamber is launching a new event for Norfolk businesses based on cyber security.

£25 + vat for members £30 + vat for non-members

On 25 May 2018 new European regulations will come into effect that will impact on all businesses, from SME’s to corporate giants across the country. This morning conference will set to outline these changes, and explain

Norfolk Chamber of Commerce

MAY/JUNE 2017

how your business could be fined €20m fine if your data is hacked ...and how to avoid it. Other topics include: n Trends in Cyber Security n Where does Data Protection fit in? n The GDPR n Inside threats n Social Media

n The Internet of Things n Preventing Cyber Attacks The agenda features expert speakers, live demonstrations, and tips to help your business stay safe with the increasing threat of cyber attacks and data protection breaches. Go to norfolkchamber.co.uk/events to book your place.

Interested in exhibiting at the Cyber Security Conference? Exhibition stands are charged at £75 + vat for Norfolk Chamber members and includes your attendance fee to the conference. Visit the Norfolk Chamber website to find out more.

NORFOLK VOICE • THE MAGAZINE OF NORFOLK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

NewMembers Affinity Network Solutions Limited 01953 202 003 www.affinitynetworks.co.uk IT Infrastructure

ALL is FLUX 01603 381 883 www.ALLisFLUX.co Video/Television Production

Betatex ltd 01328 830 375 Hotels

Coleman Opticians (Great Yarmouth Limited) 01493 843 937 www.colemanopticians.co.uk Occupational Health Services

Copperleaf Consulting 07979 600 332 www.copperleafconsulting. co.uk Consultants (Business/ Management)

EasylifeIT 01603 562 996 www.easylifeit.com Information Communication Technology (ICT)

Freightforce Distribution Ltd 01603 630 011 www.freightforce.co.uk Transport (Haulage)

Gary Haddon 01508 520 223 www.garyhaddon.co.uk Computer Software

Greg Rowe Ltd 01603 559 259 www.gregrowe.com Agricultural (Goods/Services)

HR GO (Norwich) Ltd 01603 763 500 www.hrgo.co.uk Recruitment

Just Another Label Ltd 1953 681 200 Audio Visual Service

La Ronde Wright Ltd 01603 662 952 www.larondewright.co.uk Town Planning

Namaste Village 01603 466 466 www.namasteindiannorwich. com Restaurants

Norfolk Dinosaur Park Ltd 01953 715 308 www.dinosauradventure. co.uk Leisure & Tourism

Omex Environmental Ltd 01553 770 092 www.omex.co.uk Manufacturing (General)

Oval Tubes (UK) Limited 01603 271 339 www.ovaltubes.co.uk Manufacturing (General)

Paper Convertec Ltd 01953 202 000 www.paperconvertec.com Manufacturing (General)

Scoots Hire 01362 799 976 www.scoots-hire.com Transport

Scope 07436 564 644 www.scope.org.uk Charities

SJ Ashworth Consulting 07876 352 134 Public Relations

Solace End of Life Support 01553 777320 www.endoflifesupport.org.uk Charities

Spicule LTD 05603 641316 www.spicule.co.uk IT Services

Spire Solicitors LLP 01603677077 www.spiresolicitors.co.uk Solicitors

Vivid Seagull 07469 930712 www.vividseagull.co.uk Marketing

NORFOLK VOICE â&#x20AC;¢ THE MAGAZINE OF NORFOLK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

MAY/JUNE 2017

Weekinthelifeof Jack Edwards, Membership Communications Co-ordinator, Norfolk Chamber of Commerce Monday

Wednesday

First things first, I need a coffee. Milk and two sugars, thank you very much! My weekend consisted of inevitably watching Norwich City lose to someone we certainly shouldn’t have, and playing for my very own Sunday League football team. My legs ache, and our resident Ipswich fan, Jake Burns (Membership Advisor), is taking the mickey! I have a busy day ahead, so I start by rifling through my emails, and publishing any new member articles that have been submitted on our website over the weekend. At 9am we have a quick weekly staff meeting to catch-up on what everybody has been up to in the previous week, and what they have coming up this week.

Tuesday Today I’m off to London for the B2B Marketing Expo at the ExCel London. I’m looking forward to learning plenty about marketing strategy, marketing techniques and much more!

Your new business could be here for as little as £8.25 a month.

Norfolk Chamber of Commerce

The Engaging People Company 07834 578 872 Consultants (Business/ Management)

MAY/JUNE 2017

This morning my excel skills are being brought to the forefront; I’m compiling a number of reports from our CRM system and applying a couple of formulas to work out our member engagement.

Thursday Team building! Today the whole team are off for a day of fun, lunch and bonding. We’re starting at Quasar, I mean, what better way to get to know people than firing lasers at them, hey? We then head to The Library for a spot of lunch, before finishing the day with some puzzle solving at History Mystery.

Friday I and the management team are meeting this afternoon to discuss the next edition of the Norfolk Voice; making suggestions for who we could approach for our three main features, and discuss what each team will contribute for the magazine.

I finish the week by putting together our weekly newsletter, checking my emails and ensuring my diary is all up to date for the following week.

Jack Edwards

Membership Communications Co-ordinator

Norfolk property search consultancy expands with appointment.

MemberNews

Jamieson Property Search, Norfolk’s leading independent property search consultancy, has appointed Samantha Dunn to assist clients in Norwich and the surrounding areas. Jamieson Property Search is owned and run by Jamie Jamieson and has been securing properties on behalf of its clients since 2010. The consultancy acquires private residences, second homes and properties for rental or investment throughout Norfolk. Jamie said: “My business is based on trust, discretion and, often, anonymity. I have been looking for the right individual to help me progress the business for some time; I believe Samantha embodies the ethos of Jamieson Property Search and greatly look forward to working with her.” Samantha relocated to Norfolk with her family from Lincolnshire three years ago. A former Circulation Director for the Nottingham Evening Post, she has set up and run her own Cookery School and worked as a freelance Marketing and PR consultant.

Samantha Dunn

NORFOLK VOICE • THE MAGAZINE OF NORFOLK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

LastWord Name: Caroline Williams Position: Entrepreneur and Former Chief Executive Company: Norfolk Chamber of Commerce Caroline Williams joined Norfolk Chamber as CEO in 2000 having moved to Norfolk in 1982. She worked as an NY International Buyer before moving into manufacturing at Jentique Furniture in Derham. A 5 year period followed working for Business Link, and then a Director of the Training Enterprise Company before taking over as Chamber CEO for 17 years.

Why leave the Chamber now? Although achieving my initial aims about 7 years ago, there was always a gap somewhere which I felt I needed to sort out. Norfolk Chamber is now in good shape to be taken forward, so it’s time to move on. What have been your proudest moments?

Lessons Learnt

n Turning the Chamber around from a ‘broken’ organisation to a financially sound, innovative, business with a great team and offering great services to its members

n Stay hungry for knowledge – it’s fun and your business deserves the best

n Getting senior Ministers to answer my calls – even if they do not always do what I ask! n Dualling of A11, new trains and changing young people’s lives n Being awarded the 2016 EDP Business Outstanding Achievement award and of course my MBE for Services to the Business Community

n Employ good people you trust. Don’t be afraid to let the wrong people go – it took me a while to learn that one! n Find and work with a good executive coach – it worked wonders for me n The business voice can be very influential please use your voice n Norfolk is made of great leaders - be more visible

Last Word: It’s been fun - au revoir!

NORFOLK VOICE • THE MAGAZINE OF NORFOLK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

MAY/JUNE 2017

“An established fleet player” The award-winning Tucson SUV is good-looking, practical and cost-efficient and comes with a whole host of safety features. We take a closer look… Available in two and four-wheel drive versions, the Tucson can tackle motorways and mud with equal panache, and, with two petrol engines and four diesel options in the range, it has one of the widest powertrain choices in its class. Prices start at just £19,705. The efficient 1.7 litre diesel Blue Drive engine with six-speed gear box is both economical and eco-friendly; the engine emits only 119g/km of carbon dioxide; great news for company car drivers. For further efficiency, the new powertrain also comes with the Integrated Stop & Go (ISG) system as standard.

Tucson is the most impressive product the company has yet launched into the UK fleet sector. Good looking, practical and cost-efficient, it clearly ticks all the boxes for fleet drivers.” The BusinessCar Awards are unique. Rather than being decided by a panel of experts, the BusinessCar Award winners are chosen by the people relying on them to help efficiently run their businesses on a daily basis; the magazine’s readers.

Safe and sound:

The Tucson was also recognised as the ‘Best Mainstream Small 4x4’ in BusinessCar’s annual awards last year, with the Tucson’s design, costefficiency and practicality securing the top spot for Hyundai.

The Tucson is one of the safest vehicles in its segment and received the maximum five-star Euro NCAP safety rating. It benefits from a solid body structure featuring 51% of ultra-high strength steel for improved impact resistance and a host of innovative passive and active safety features such as SUV Autonomous Emergency Braking with pedestrian recognition that stops the car automatically if a crash is predicted. It also includes Blind Spot Detection, Rear Cross Traffic Alert which scans a 180-degree area behind the vehicle, and Lane Keeping Assist System to name a few.

Paul Barker, editor at BusinessCar, said: “Hyundai’s continued upward progress means it is now an established fleet player, and the new

In addition, all Hyundai passenger cars come with Hyundai’s industryleading, five-year unlimited mileage warranty.

Award-winning:

Hyundai Tucson 1.7CRDi Blue Drive StopStart 2WD 6 speed – Monthly prices start from £221* From Top speed: 109 mph; Acceleration (0-62): 13.7 seconds; Economy: Urban, 52.3 (5.4); Extra urban, 67.3 (4.2) mpg; Combined, 61.7 (4.6) mpg. Vehicle tax band: 160. Emissions: 119 g/km

Contact Nolan Cook for an informal discussion, a bespoke quotation or to arrange a 24-hour test drive in the Tucson: Dingles Hyundai. Delft Way, Norwich. 01603 480077.

Good-looking, practical, safe and cost-efficient. ‘Best Mainstream Small 4x4’ – BusinessCar Awards

Tucson 1.7 CRDi Blue Drive

£ 221

per month*

£ 1,591

initial rental*

*Business users only. 36 month agreement.

Dingles Hyundai - Norwich

Delft Way, Norwich, NR6 6BB 01603 480077 www.dingles.co.uk/hyundai

Fuel consumption in MPG (l/100km) for All-New Tucson range: Urban 35.3 (8.0) - 52.3 (5.4), Extra Urban 50.4 (5.6) - 67.3 (4.2), Combined 43.5 (6.5) - 61.7 (4.6), CO2 Emissions 170 - 119g/km. These official EU test figures are to be used as a guide for comparative purposes and may not reflect all driving results.

*Business users only. 36-month Contract Hire agreement. Advance rental of £1,591.20. Indicative Benefit in Kind Tax £90.23. Excess mileage, initial rate 7.5 pence per mile. For a full quotation, please contact Dingles Hyundai. Hyundai Finance, RH2 9AQ. ^5 Year Warranty terms and exclusions apply. 5 Year Warranty terms and exclusions apply. Please see www.hyundai.co.uk or ask your local dealer. Dingles Hyundai are a credit broker (not a lender) for the purposes of this financial promotion and can introduce you to a limited number of carefully selected finance providers and may receive a commission from them for the introduction.

Organic growth driving investment, revenue and employment in Norfolk. Norse Commercial Services is one of Norwich’s success stories, helping to drive the local economy through investment, revenue generation and employment opportunities through its policy of organic growth. Ten years ago, Norse Commercial Services provided employment for around 1,000 people in and around Norwich. Today, having continued to deliver impressive, sustainable industryleading growth which is amongst the most impressive in the region, that figure is over 3,000. The company employs almost 10,000 people across the UK. Norse, whose headquarters is still in Norwich, is now a £190m, UKwide major player in facilities management, contract services and local authority partnerships, bringing vital income and local supplier expenditure to the area. Having delivered an additional £20m of sales in 2016/17, Norse is now an established name across the country, thanks to a proven reputation for cost efficiency, value and innovative service delivery. Today the

t 01603 894100 e info@ncsgrp.co.uk w www.ncsgrp.co.uk

group operates 15 joint venture company subsidiaries with local authority partners, and returned around £90m to public funds over the last 5 years. Within Norfolk, Norse boasts a number of prestigious clients including the Norwich Research Park, University of East Anglia, Archant, and Norfolk County and Norwich City Councils, as well as numerous small and medium sized private sector organisations that are part of the local business infrastructure. Managing Director Dean Wetteland puts the company’s impressive results down to its focus on organic growth rather than acquisition. “We have concentrated on building on our proven business model, developing partnerships with local authorities around the country. This is far more profitable and stable than the higher-risk acquisition approach to growth. Organic expansion has also delivered high client retention, meaning that the growth is sustainable and employment is secure. We don’t rule out acquisitions in the future, but for now the organic route is the core strategy.” The ethos certainly seems to work as Norse is set for another record year in 2017/18. The company’s impressive growth, a quadrupling of turnover in the last 10 years, has led to significant increases in employment opportunities in Norse’s Norwich head office, as well as in its numerous operating divisions and joint venture partnerships around the country. Wetteland says that Norfolk is a great place to do business and that Norse is well-known as a major ‘force for good’ in the local economy. “Norse provides secure jobs and millions of pounds’ worth of business for local companies through our supply chain and staff wages.,” he says. “We also play an active role in the local Chamber of Commerce and business initiatives and in adding social value in terms of support for a wide range of local communities and individuals. Norse continues to be fully committed to Norwich as its head office base, and to being very much a part of the local area’s future.”