Co.Next

July Co.next Lunch & Learn with Harry Harris, Business Coach and Mentor

Are you ready to level up on active listening, creative thinking, and collaboration? Join us this July for an energising Co.next workshop led by Action Spark’s Harry Harris – a proven expert in sparking connection and creativity at work.

What to expect:

• Interactive, real-world exercises designed to sharpen communication skills and bring immediate impact

• Practical tools & techniques to help you listen deeply, express clearly, and think outside the box

• Engaging, collaborative challenges that forge stronger team bonds — ideal whether you’re flying solo or coming with a colleague

• Boosted confidence and fresh insights you’ll be able to put into action the moment you’re back at your desk

Walk away with:

• A toolkit of communication and creative skills you can apply straight away

• Renewed confidence in your ability to connect and contribute

• A more collaborative mindset — and new connections along the way!

Looking to supercharge your career while making a real difference? 

 Join us for an inspiring Co.next talk with Voluntary Norfolk’s Nicky Stanton, who will share how volunteering can open doors, build valuable skills, and enhance your professional growth.

 Whether you’re early in your career, considering a change, or want to expand your network, this Co.next workshop will show you how giving back can give you an edge in today’s job market.

 Learn how volunteering can:

✅ Develop leadership and problem-solving skills
✅ Expand your professional network
✅ Strengthen your CV and interview impact
✅ Boost confidence and personal fulfilment

 Don’t miss this opportunity to gain fresh insights and practical advice from someone who has experienced the career-transforming power of volunteering firsthand.

 About our Presenter

Nicky Stainton

As someone who got into her chosen career, arts management, through volunteering and has worked alongside volunteers in many different contexts Nicky is a passionate advocate of the benefits of volunteering.

She firmly believes that if volunteering isn’t of mutual benefit to both organisation and volunteer, then it won’t endure. But that benefit takes many guises – making connections, gaining insights and increasing empathy, developing skills, knowledge and confidence, feeling a part of the community, having a greater sense of self-worth, making things happen,  learning humility, having fun.

Since starting as an assistant at the Norfolk & Norwich Festival Nicky has helped set up and lead arts charities (including Norwich Arts Centre, Creative Arts East and The Company of Imagination) and social enterprise Waveney & Blyth Arts, as well as acting as a trustee, board member and school governor. She now focuses on developing and promoting volunteering across Norfolk for Voluntary Norfolk, itself a charity that engages with many volunteers.

Networking, Norfolk style – whether you’re a total beginner or a seasoned pro, our 2hr summer session offers you the chance to meet new friends, soak up the evening sun, and give back—all while unwinding on the beautiful Norfolk Broads. What could be better? 

QUICK INFO 

• Paddleboard and life vest provided
• Instructor-led session with Katie (our qualified paddleboarding instructor)
• Full safety briefing and paddleboarding intro before heading out
• Katie will be with the group throughout the entire session
• No previous paddleboarding experience needed — beginners welcome
• Wear comfortable clothes you don’t mind getting wet
• Bring a towel, dry clothes, and a water bottle

Keeler Recruitment

Keeler Recruitment founder, Mark Keeler came up with the idea of Paddleboard networking after lockdown, and wanted to share his love of the sport and networking with more businesses.

Keeler are specialists in Accountancy and Finance Recruitment across East Anglia. Although newly established, they have decades of experience in recruitment, finance and business.

Alongside their experience and capability, they offer simplicity to our clients with our fixed-fee and staged payments innovations. They also offer onboarding services for board-level appointments, making their service truly unique as well as cost-effective.

Their aim, through developing value-adding and long-term relationships with our clients and supplying access to leading candidates, is to be one of the country’s leading accounting and finance recruiting businesses.

All proceeds for the event go to Break Charity.  

Break makes life better for children and young people on the edge of care, in care and leaving care.

We give children, young people and families the time and support they need to achieve their full potential.

Whether that’s through therapeutic services, respite breaks, providing a resilient home or support with parenting, we are committed to supporting them through whatever life has in store.

Alexandra Hemen is a High Growth Business Advisor in the New Anglia Growth Hub. As part of the economic development team at Norfolk County Council, Alexandra is truly passionate about Norfolk business landscape and supporting all businesses reach their potential.

Alexandra has built a career as a passionate leader of retail operations and strategy. In her most recent role as Head of Retail for Adnams PLC, her remit was to deliver growth and excellent customer service. Passionate about operational efficiency and digitisation, the areas of expertise include retail, operational productivity, marketing strategy and FMCG market. 

Academically, Alexandra is a proud alumni of the UEA Business school, achieving a Masters Business Administration in 2022. As a chartered manager and an economist by trade, she has a true love for East Anglia, with a keen interest in poverty alleviation and sustainable economic development. Alexandra is also a trustee on the Norfolk Museums Development Foundation.

We have two sessions available for Alexandra on Monday February 24th.

Please complete this form ahead of your session.  

Alexandra Hemen is a High Growth Business Advisor in the New Anglia Growth Hub. As part of the economic development team at Norfolk County Council, Alexandra is truly passionate about Norfolk business landscape and supporting all businesses reach their potential.

Alexandra has built a career as a passionate leader of retail operations and strategy. In her most recent role as Head of Retail for Adnams PLC, her remit was to deliver growth and excellent customer service. Passionate about operational efficiency and digitisation, the areas of expertise include retail, operational productivity, marketing strategy and FMCG market. 

Academically, Alexandra is a proud alumni of the UEA Business school, achieving a Masters Business Administration in 2022. As a chartered manager and an economist by trade, she has a true love for East Anglia, with a keen interest in poverty alleviation and sustainable economic development. Alexandra is also a trustee on the Norfolk Museums Development Foundation.

We have two sessions available for Alexandra on Monday February 24th.

Please complete this form ahead of your session.  

“Effective leadership at all levels is the differential in the most successful organisations. Good leaders can inspire, drive, co-ordinate, engage, empower and enthuse their followers to great things. The followers become the leaders and the cycle continues. It stands to reason then that the impact of poor leadership on organisations is dramatic and costly.”

Alex set up Blue Heron Training in May 2023 to act as an advocate for genuine leadership and positive workplace cultures. Being a leader and manager is a wonderful opportunity to add real value to peoples lives – but it’s not easy. Statistics show that culture led organisations driven by a clear and ethical purpose are 125% more productive and drive 73% more engagement. Purposeful leadership underpinned with strong human principles are central to developing a positive culture that works for you and your people. It is our firm belief that if we can approach every different situation with the right intention, the humility required to always be learning and growing and a set of core skills, every workplace manager can be a success. We set up Blue Heron to help make this happen.

At Blue Heron we know the importance of enjoying life, so we bring you a humanistic approach to people management. We love working with people and we don’t pretend to be something we are not; we are genuine, humble, curious and kind and these characteristics are at the heart of everything we do.
That, to us, means building trust and respect, it means being an advocate for you to get what you want, and it means creating a real partnership. We love what we do and we are here to help.

Specialties

✅ Working with Business Leaders and HR Managers to help drive culture change

✅ Working to help leaders and managers be more people oriented

✅ Working with accidental managers to give them the tools to be the best manager they can be.

We have two sessions available on Monday February 24th.

Please complete this form ahead of your session.  

“Effective leadership at all levels is the differential in the most successful organisations. Good leaders can inspire, drive, co-ordinate, engage, empower and enthuse their followers to great things. The followers become the leaders and the cycle continues. It stands to reason then that the impact of poor leadership on organisations is dramatic and costly.”

Alex set up Blue Heron Training in May 2023 to act as an advocate for genuine leadership and positive workplace cultures. Being a leader and manager is a wonderful opportunity to add real value to peoples lives – but it’s not easy. Statistics show that culture led organisations driven by a clear and ethical purpose are 125% more productive and drive 73% more engagement. Purposeful leadership underpinned with strong human principles are central to developing a positive culture that works for you and your people. It is our firm belief that if we can approach every different situation with the right intention, the humility required to always be learning and growing and a set of core skills, every workplace manager can be a success. We set up Blue Heron to help make this happen.

At Blue Heron we know the importance of enjoying life, so we bring you a humanistic approach to people management. We love working with people and we don’t pretend to be something we are not; we are genuine, humble, curious and kind and these characteristics are at the heart of everything we do.
That, to us, means building trust and respect, it means being an advocate for you to get what you want, and it means creating a real partnership. We love what we do and we are here to help.

Specialties

✅ Working with Business Leaders and HR Managers to help drive culture change

✅ Working to help leaders and managers be more people oriented

✅ Working with accidental managers to give them the tools to be the best manager they can be.

We have two sessions available on Monday February 24th.

Please complete this form ahead of your session.  

A step-by-step guide on how to set up and send regular newsletters to your customers.

 You likely receive newsletters from various brands each week, but have you ever wondered why they send them? Simply put – they work. Newsletters are a powerful tool for building customer loyalty, increasing brand awareness, keeping your business top-of-mind, and encouraging repeat purchases or bookings. They also help in cross-selling and upselling products or services.

 This workshop is designed for anyone looking to learn how to set up an effective newsletter. You’ll discover how to define your goals, organise your mailing list, create compelling content, design templates, choose the best sending schedule, and measure success to maximise the benefits.

About our Presenter

Lauren is the Founder and Managing Director of Welly*. Welly* is a leading content marketing agency helping brands drive results and connect with audiences through impactful content. 

Rejection is one of the greatest barriers to success. Whether you’re pitching your business, negotiating deals, or pursuing personal goals. This workshop transforms rejection into a tool for growth and resilience, helping you break free from patterns of fear and self-doubt that may be holding you back.

In this interactive session, you’ll explore:

• What is Rejection Therapy?: Understanding the concept and why desensitising yourself to rejection can be a gamechanger for your confidence and decision making.
• The Psychology of Rejection, Learned Helplessness, and Money Blocks: Discover how repeated setbacks can lead to self-limiting beliefs, creating mental barriers to success, particularly around money. Learn how rejection ties into scarcity mindsets and how to overcome these blocks.
• Practical Techniques to Seek Rejection: Actionable methods to embrace discomfort, take risks, and grow through challenge based exercises.
• Building Resilience in Business and Beyond: Master reframing, detachment, and other resilience-building tools to turn rejection into opportunity.
• Group Challenges and Sharing: Take part in activities and discussions to practice skills and share experiences.

You’ll leave this workshop equipped with strategies to face rejection, reframe setbacks, and identify and dismantle beliefs that may be sabotaging your financial and personal growth.

About our Presenter

Stacy Bradley is a Social Entrepreneur with a passion for personal development and psychology. Her commitment to growth has led to incredible opportunities over the years, but she has also recognised moments where a fear of rejection may have led to missed opportunities.

In early 2024, Stacy made a commitment to embrace rejection therapy. A practice that has challenged her to push past her limits and unapologetically ask for what she truly wants in life, and business. Beyond the surprising successes of her requests, rejection therapy has reshaped Stacy’s outlook, strengthened her confidence, and unlocked a new belief in her own abilities.   Now, Stacy is excited to share her journey and tools with you, helping you live more boldly, face rejection fearlessly, and unlock your true potential.

Lauren Yaxley, Founder of Welly, a content marketing agency in Norwich. 

After graduating from one of the UK’s top business schools, the University of Bath, Lauren moved to London where she honed her marketing expertise through roles at the Home Office and blue-chip companies. In 2012, she returned to her home county and joined a leading full-service marketing agency in Norwich.

She then pursued a career as a freelance copywriter which quickly grew into a thriving business. In early 2024, she rebranded from LY Copywriting to Welly* which has become a leading content marketing agency in Norfolk collaborating with clients across the UK and worldwide

Lauren and the team at Welly* have a passion for creating content that resonates and delivers results, Lauren leads Welly* in helping brands stand out, drive traffic, and connect with their audiences.

From SEO-driven website copy and engaging social media content calendars to captivating product descriptions and blog content that inspires, Lauren and her team consistently deliver work that brands and agencies love. Lauren’s commitment to straightforward, impactful communication has made Welly* a trusted partner for businesses seeking content that drives results and builds lasting relationships.

Lauren is passionate about advocating for working parents and has built a successful business whilst raising her two children and shares more about the juggles in her journey here.

Mentor session topics: 

* How to go from freelancer to business owner

* Building a business whilst juggling the demands of having a young family 

A video link will be given to you the week leading up to your session directly from the mentor.

Lauren Yaxley, Founder of Welly, a content marketing agency in Norwich.

After graduating from one of the UK’s top business schools, the University of Bath, Lauren moved to London where she honed her marketing expertise through roles at the Home Office and blue-chip companies. In 2012, she returned to her home county and joined a leading full-service marketing agency in Norwich.

She then pursued a career as a freelance copywriter which quickly grew into a thriving business. In early 2024, she rebranded from LY Copywriting to Welly* which has become a leading content marketing agency in Norfolk collaborating with clients across the UK and worldwide

Lauren and the team at Welly* have a passion for creating content that resonates and delivers results, Lauren leads Welly* in helping brands stand out, drive traffic, and connect with their audiences.

From SEO-driven website copy and engaging social media content calendars to captivating product descriptions and blog content that inspires, Lauren and her team consistently deliver work that brands and agencies love. Lauren’s commitment to straightforward, impactful communication has made Welly* a trusted partner for businesses seeking content that drives results and builds lasting relationships.

Lauren is passionate about advocating for working parents and has built a successful business whilst raising her two children and shares more about the juggles in her journey here.

Mentor session topics: 

* How to go from freelancer to business owner

* Building a business whilst juggling the demands of having a young family 

A video link will be given to you the week leading up to your session directly from the mentor.

Lauren Yaxley, Founder of Welly, a content marketing agency in Norwich.

After graduating from one of the UK’s top business schools, the University of Bath, Lauren moved to London where she honed her marketing expertise through roles at the Home Office and blue-chip companies. In 2012, she returned to her home county and joined a leading full-service marketing agency in Norwich.

She then pursued a career as a freelance copywriter which quickly grew into a thriving business. In early 2024, she rebranded from LY Copywriting to Welly* which has become a leading content marketing agency in Norfolk collaborating with clients across the UK and worldwide

Lauren and the team at Welly* have a passion for creating content that resonates and delivers results, Lauren leads Welly* in helping brands stand out, drive traffic, and connect with their audiences.

From SEO-driven website copy and engaging social media content calendars to captivating product descriptions and blog content that inspires, Lauren and her team consistently deliver work that brands and agencies love. Lauren’s commitment to straightforward, impactful communication has made Welly* a trusted partner for businesses seeking content that drives results and builds lasting relationships.

Lauren is passionate about advocating for working parents and has built a successful business whilst raising her two children and shares more about the juggles in her journey here.

Mentor session topics: 

* How to go from freelancer to business owner

* Building a business whilst juggling the demands of having a young family 

A video link will be given to you the week leading up to your session directly from the mentor.