Channel 4 is looking for businesses to take part in a new series aimed at helping small, independent, consumer-facing businesses improve profits and build a stronger customer base.
Do you run an independent consumer-facing business that is struggling to survive or expand? Channel 4 are keen to hear from all types of businesses, from independent tour operators to electronic shops, car dealerships to spas; motorway service stations to holiday parks and tourist sites. Whatever your business, if you’re struggling to make it a success we’d like to hear from you!
As part of this programme the successful applicant will receive advice and guidance from one of the UK’s Leading consumer-facing business experts to help you give customers great value-for-money and increase your profits.
The successful applicants will receive advice and guidance from one of the UK’s leading business experts. For more information, click here.
Ever wondered why the top growing Norfolk businesses are members of the Norfolk Chamber of Commerce? Interested in finding out?
Come along to our free informal ‘Meet the Chamber’ event which is a great way to meet the team and learn about how the Chamber can help your business be even more successful.
Whether you are looking for new sales leads, opportunities to promote your business, networking opportunities or to understand how our services can save you money this is a great event to find out. There will be no pressure to sign up on the night but we will waive the joining fee and give a voucher for a free networking event to anyone who does so.
If you are a non member who wants to know more about the benefits of membership, this is the event for you.
Venue: The Library Restaurant, 4A Guildhall Hill, Norwich, NR2 1JH
Free to attend!
Alternatively, if you can’t make this date, we will be holding a follow-up ‘Meet the Chamber’ on Tuesday 28th August – 4.00pm – 5.30pm at the Norfolk Chamber, 9 Norwich Business Park, Whiting Road, Norwich, NR4 6DJ. This is specifically designed for those who are unable to attend on Thursday 23rd August.
Simply email your chosen date, company name and the delegate names and we will book a place for you. You will receive a confirmation email once your place has been booked.
The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Western Australia (CCI) works with the West Australian Corporate Acquisition Register (WACAR) to facilitate foreign business investment in Western Australia.
Strong economic credentials and a stable business environment have made Western Australia increasingly attractive to foreign investors. Foreign companies are looking for exposure to the mining and resources sector in Western Australia to take advantage of the general economic prosperity of the State.
WACAR works for and on behalf of purchasers to identify suitable acquisition targets, negotiate the transaction and locally manage the transaction process.
Further information can be provided by Keith Seed, Manager of International Trade Services, Tel: +618 9365 7637 or keith.seed@cciwa.com
Targeting the Australian market? Australia offers opportunities for new overseas suppliers because it depends on a wide range of imported industrial and consumer products. The market is also very open to overseas suppliers – there are no import quotas and most import duties are 5 per cent (general rate), and zero for eligible developing countries.
Take a look at a guidecovering the Australian market, which outlines the key factors that must be considered by potential overseas suppliers if they are to take advantage of the opportunities in this competitive market.
Thanks to advances in technology, we can now get up to the minute news on the move, order our shopping and bank online, or video-call friends and family overseas.
So it is perhaps no surprise that the way we manage our healthcare is also changing as technology develops.
According to research commissioned by Best Doctors people are increasingly turning to the internet for health related information, with 89 per cent of survey respondents saying they would go-online following diagnosis by their doctor.
Another study, which surveyed consumers and healthcare executives in the US, found that one in three people were using social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter for health related issues.
Keith Pollard, Managing Director of Intuition Communication, said that social media had altered the ‘patient-provider dynamic’: “The web has changed the power of patient voice, the involvement of patients in decision making and their treatment.”
So while we can ‘like’ our friends’ status updates and photographs on Facebook, increasing numbers are also locating and commenting on health services and treatments via the web, thanks to online social forums where people discuss everything from dentistry to diabetes.
Chamber Primary Health Plan provider Westfield Health recognises the importance of providing its policyholders with easy and immediate access to information and services.
The Chamber Plan, which is available to all members of Norfolk Chamber of Commerce, provides money back towards the cost of everyday healthcare such as dental treatment, eye care, physiotherapy and diagnostic consultations, as well as providing fast access to scanning facilities and counselling services.
Employees can manage their account online by logging into the My Westfield area of Westfield Health’s website. They are able to view and amend their personal details, check benefit balances and view their claims history.
Additionally, Westfield offers a Text Messaging Service and iPhone app, where employees can check their benefit balances.
The Chamber Plan also includes an online Personal Health Risk Assessment, which gives employees an easy to understand and visual representation of their current health status.
Based on the unique Q-Score™ system, the assessment helps employees to understand how their lifestyle impacts on their health, as well as to identify steps they can take to improve their health and wellbeing and track their progress along the way.
Derived from the aggregated and anonymised results of employees’ Health Risk Assessments, a Company Health Report enables employers to identify any prevailing health risks affecting their workforce.
Westfield has also enhanced its existing GP telephone consultation service DoctorLine by introducing new webcam consultation service. The online facility will enable employees to see and speak to a qualified UK GP during normal surgery hours, while giving doctors the opportunity to use visual aids and diagrams to clarify the advice they give.
For more information about the Chamber Plan, visit www.westfieldhealth.com/chamber or call 0845 602 1629, available 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday.
William Hague last week announced a review of the balance of the EU’s competences (the power to act in particular areas conferred on it by the EU Treaties).
The review will look at the EU’s competences, how they are used, and what that means for Britain and our national interest.
Make it in Great Britain is an exhibition on show at the Science Museum in London, celebrating the importance and success of British manufacturing. From food and drink to pharmaceuticals; from creative industries to construction, the exhibition will feature some of the most exciting Great British innovations happening today.
The FREE exhibition will feature some of the most exciting great British innovations of today, firmly dispelling the myth that Britain ‘doesn’t make anything anymore’.
At the exhibition you get to see these ideas up close and understand how they will impact our lives. You’ll also learn about some of the amazing career opportunities these industries have to offer and with their interactive displays, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
Why not go along and be inspired by British manufacturing between 24 July and 9 September. Click here for more information.
Despite the current economic crisis, the EU and its Member States have once again been confirmed as the largest providers of Aid for Trade in the world.
In fact, the EU accounted for around a third of total worldwide Aid for Trade in 2010, maintaining the record amount registered the year before and totalling some €10.7 billion in committed funding.
Aid for Trade helps developing countries to develop trade strategies, build trade-related infrastructure and improve their productive capacity in order to encourage growth and reduce poverty.
Activities supported by the EU include helping countries to build their capacity to trade through training and technical co-operation measures such as supporting national trade priorities, adjusting legislation on trade, and providing technical assistance for studies on trade-related subjects.
Sub-Saharan Africa continues to be the main beneficiary of EU Aid for Trade.
Development Commissioner Andris Piebalgs said: “Increasing and improving trade opportunities is part of the solution towards inclusive and sustainable growth of developing countries. Indeed, no country has ever lifted itself out of poverty without trade, at regional and international level.”
Earlier this year, the European Commission adopted a range of proposals to make trade and development instruments work hand-in-hand to help reduce poverty across the world.
It proposed a number of ways to improve the effectiveness of EU trade and development policy, including reforming the Union’s preferential trade schemes to focus more on the poorest countries and stepping up negotiations on free trade agreements (FTAs) with developing country partners.
Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht said: “The EU provides more trade-related development assistance than the rest of the world put together. This underlines our unwavering commitment to support developing countries’ integration into the global economy.”
With the new President at odds with the military council and parliament being suspended by the country’s Supreme Constitutional Court, outside observers could be forgiven for thinking that trade is low on Egypt’s list of current concerns.
However, the country clearly cannot afford its political upheavals to stand in the way of moves to facilitate and secure its international trade, and plans have been announced for Egypt to join the TIR Convention “in the very near future”.
The International Road Transport Union (IRU) has reported that major public and private stakeholders have met recently to discuss a concrete action plan aimed at speeding up the efforts needed to join the Convention.
The meeting was attended by the country’s Customs Commissioner as well as representatives from the import and export control authority and from the transport industry.
They unanimously agreed on the vital need for Egypt to join, as soon as possible, the major UN trade and road transport facilitation and security instruments, including the Harmonisation and TIR Conventions, to further develop the country’s international trade and to enable it to become a logistic hub for the region.
Adhesion to the TIR Convention would be particularly timely for Egypt, the IRU has pointed out, given the recent launch of regular ferry lines allowing RO-RO (roll-on, roll-off) transports from Turkey to Egyptian ports.
TIR stands for Transports Internationaux Routiers (International Road Transport) and is an international harmonised system of Customs control intended to facilitate trade and transport whilst effectively protecting the revenue of each country through which goods are carried.
The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) have published its latest report on regulation, which was featured exclusively in the Telegraph. For the second time, the BCC undertook an extensive study into the progress made by the government to improve the architecture through which new regulatory proposals pass, and thus reduce the burdens placed on companies.
The BCC analysed the transparency and efficiency of the regulatory process and whether the burden of red tape has successfully been decreased. Regulation affects businesses in all aspects of their day-to-day activities and BCC will be working hard in the coming months to ensure that businesses are not burdened with unnecessary or poorly designed legislation.
The weather stayed dry and warm for the Chamber’s Summer Social held at Costessey Park Golf Club on July 12, allowing attendees to have a delicious BBQ, enjoy a glass of Pimms on the patio and make full use of the excellent golfing facilities.
There were a number of different networking activities on offer throughout the evening, including a tutored wine tasting, hosted by Brian Sullivan of HarperWells who brought three ‘cheeky’ wines to taste from his exquisite collection. There was also a putting competition, won by Active Norfolk’s George Webster and a ‘Beat the Pro’ competition, where delegates competed against Costessey’s Junior Pro as to who could get nearest to the green on the first hole, won by Adam Beeney of Sprowston Manor.
Three 60 Second Spotlight speakers also managed to profile their company against the clock, with attendees hearing about The Forum Trust, I Want More Sales and Winsor Bishop.
The relaxed and informal atmosphere of the Summer Social provided the perfect environment for business networking and making great connections, but don’t just take our word for it:
@NorfolkAmy “Great event tonight, the combo of golf, wine and networking worked surprisingly well!”
Lambda_Alex “Had a great evening at the #ChamberSummerSocial. Definitely enjoyed the @HarperWells wine-tasting”
Photos of the highlights from the event can be found on the Norfolk Chamber’s Facebook & Google Plus pages.
Our next evening social networking event isLook the Business:Fashion, Beauty & Business the John Lewis Way – Get you and your business ‘bang on trend’ by hearing the story of John Lewis’ success from their Operations Manager, Lesley George. Plus a skincare and make-up demo and fashion workshop showcasing business dress trends for men and women, plus the opportunity to network and do business in a relaxed atmosphere. For full details click here.