FreeClix were delighted to be able to contribute to the Olympic Torch Relay through the County, by providing wireless internet feeds to run the large screen televising the route outside The Forum in Norwich
The Leathes Prior Insolvency Department recently represented a local Insolvency Practitioner in his response to a second appeal to the Court of Appeal, made by a former bankrupt. The appeal was in relation to a claim the former bankrupt had brought against the Insolvency Practitioner who was once the bankrupt’s Trustee in Bankruptcy.
Lord Justice Laws and Mr Justice Mann held in our client’s favour, refusing permission to appeal.
The case addressed matters such as:
• The appropriate test to be applied to an application by a bankrupt under Section 304 Insolvency Act 1986; • Issues relating to limitation on an application pursuant to Section 304 Insolvency Act 1986; • The manner in which a claim would be conducted by a bankrupt being an appropriate consideration in an application under Section 304 Insolvency Act 1986; • The way in which Ladd v Marshall [1954] 1 WLR 1489 is applied in relation to adducing fresh evidence on appeal.
Zing Insights have had their contract renewed for the second consecutive year with BBC Haymarket Exhibitions who organise the award winning BBC Gardeners’ World Live and BBC Good Food Shows. Zing conducted visitor research onsite at each of the consumer events using iPad research pods achieving, on average, sample sizes 50% larger than other research suppliers, a significantly more representative sample than online surveying and as an added extra, a sales & marketing database of over 2,000 individuals to use for future marketing activity.
The Zing team has over 40 years of experience in research and commercial insights which they use to design surveys that are intuitive and engaging, so it’s no surprise that sample sizes increased significantly. On average, Zing achieved sample sizes in excess of 50% larger than the previous years’ suppliers, increasing statistical confidence and ensuring a higher degree of confidence in the results generated. This is especially important when testing creative, marcoms and new concepts – where there are high levels of investment and you need confidence in your business decisions.
The Zing onsite research team is trained to approach all passers-by to participate, meaning that the research sample is completely random and unbiased – a more representative sample compared to the overall audience – an important consideration for accurate business insights. The typical online survey sample is biased towards advocates and opponents, missing the all important middle ground (click here for more info on the inherent bias of online research).
As an added extra, we spent a few hours each day before the research started collecting contact details of almost 2,000 visitors. We particularly targeted walkup visitors where the organizers did not have direct contact details; those who bought their ticket on the day or were visiting in a group where another member of the group had purchased the ticket – to help support the organisers future marketing activity amongst these groups.
Marilyn Jarman, Head of Marketing at Haymarket Exhibitions said “Zing Insights have delivered some fantastic research for our shows this year and we have been delighted with their approach, professionalism and experience. Lisa and her team grasped our brief perfectly and delivered valuable feedback to shape the future of our shows. We look forward to continue working with them.”
Zing Director, Lisa Holt said “We’re thrilled that Haymarket Exhibitions have committed to a longer-term relationship with Zing, our business is built on strong client relationships that deliver repeat business and recommendation as a result of our exceptional quality, strategic business insights and great value for money.”
For more information on how Zing could support your business growth and development, call the team on 0844 800 9588.
✨ Pop‑Up in the Hub – Next Thursday!
Erika from Howden Insurance will be in the Hub next Thursday to offer support with all your business insurance needs.
Whether you’re looking for guidance, reviewing your current cover, or simply have questions, feel free to stop by for expert, friendly advice.
Clean Energy Consultancy is pleased to have been a working partner with Norfolk County Council’s outdoor learning programme. The programme obtained funding from the Energy Saving Trust (LEAF) which has enabled it to work with Holt Hall to develop it into a centre of excellence for environmental technologies and training opportunities with a focus on young people. Clean Energy conducted a renewables evaluation considering solar photovoltaics, liquid biofuels, combined heat and power and a ground source heat pump which was followed up by an on-site training session with students from Norwich City College. Upon completion of the project a presentation was made to the community of Holt outlining the benefits of renewables considering carbon and energy savings. For information on the project visit https://sites.google.com/a/norfolkadvisory.com/leaf/home
Jeanette Wheeler, head of employment in the Norwich office of leading East of England law firm Birketts LLP, has been appointed as the President of the Norfolk and Norwich Law Society. She succeeds Roger Holden who has held the position for the past two years.
The Norfolk and Norwich Law Society (NNLS) is the representative body for solicitors in the Norfolk and Norwich area. It was first incorporated in 1892 and is the local branch of the national Law Society based in Chancery Lane in London which represents the solicitor’s profession throughout England and Wales. Traditionally the Law Society has provided training and support for solicitors and acted as a sounding board for law reform. It no longer has a regulatory function. This is provided by the Solicitors Regulatory Authority.
Jeanette commented on her appointment; “I am pleased to be given the opportunity to take on the mantle of President of the Norfolk and Norwich Law Society. However I recognise that my appointment comes at a time when solicitors nationally and locally have never faced such serious challenges to the profession’s future. People don’t appreciate that recession, the introduction of ‘alternative business structures’ and the imposition of a range of controversial Government policy initiatives adds up to the perfect storm in the legal world and threatens the future ability of many legal professionals in Norfolk to provide quality advice and the high standards of service which the public and businesses demand and have traditionally received. We risk being commoditised and de-professionalised and there is a growing reputational deficit which we need to address. I hope I can make a difference during my tenure as president.
“The lawyers I have worked with over the years are genuine, hard working and committed to obtaining the best outcomes for their clients and providing access to justice. The public needs to take more careful note of some of the reforms being pushed through by Government and how these will affect the way in which they in the future will be able to seek legal redress or assistance. Unrepresented litigants face an uphill struggle and I would urge people not to misjudge the lawyers as the bad guys. To mitigate against some of these changes locally the NNLS will be supporting the UEA with its proposal to set up a new Law Clinic. ”
“I urge all of my fellow legal professionals in Norfolk and Norwich to support the NNLS over the next few years. “
Business Club Networking Evening Thursday 16th of May 8pm @ Bar 11
Champagne & canapé reception, complete with a guest speaker too. Plus Saville Row suit designers, Grover of London will be on hand ready to create bespoke outfit for you! Don’t forget to bring your business cards because there will be a chance to win; exclusive Bar 11 member’s card, a champagne table for yourself and 5 guests for an evening, plus we will be giving you the chance to include your company logo on all our advertisement for a month. This is a free event and is by invitation only. If you would like to attend please just RSVP to Katie@Bar11.co.uk
Microsoft Office 365 is the natural cloud based progression for PC based Microsoft Office applications. The current MS Office product provides customers with a powerful set of tools that supports the entire spectrum of productivity scenarios, from the most basic to the more advanced. More and more businesses are choosing Microsoft Office 365 over Google Apps. The reason? Simple really, they can’t afford to compromise, and with Office 365, they don’t have to. They get the familiarity of MS Office, the capabilities they need, plus a cloud service they can trust.
I’ve recently been involved in setting up a local business with MS Office 365. The business, a property and development consultancy require the powerful toolset provided by MS Office with the flexibility of working on the fly when away from the office, which in their line of work, is a regular occurrence.
Using a single sign on function, I was able to install and configure Office 365 with ease providing the customer with the following,
• A unified shared document library via an online SharePoint Team Site – providing simultaneous document collaboration
• Instant communications capability through Lync (including chat, desktop sharing and document transfer)
• SharePoint file synchronization between computers, mobile devices and the cloud via SharePoint WorkSpace (2010) and most recently SkyDrive Pro (after recent upgrade to Office 2013)
• Outlook collaboration – Shared Contacts, Calendars and Tasks
As with all cloud based solutions, security of information will always be at the forefront for any business. MS Office 365 transfers data across the internet using the highest encryption methods in the industry, which, alongside their proactive monitoring of the Office 365 platform, monitors, records and investigates any attempted intrusions or suspicious activities.
Office 365 is maintained and patched regularly to protect its customers from existing and emerging security threats, which provides much needed reassurance that valuable confidential company data isn’t compromised.
One of the most common methods used to breach security is through email. Office 365 takes care of this by scanning all emails for malware, viruses and spam mail to quarantine malicious programs and junk mail in real time.
Another feature of Office 365 I like is the ability to customize the retention schedule for company emails. This feature provides a flexible and robust function to archive messages which may need to be retained for legal compliance or otherwise.
How about document retention? Documents stored within SharePoint are protected against accidental deletion by the virtual recycle bin feature, meaning any documents deleted in error can be restored within 31 days with the click of button!
In terms of reliability, Office 365 is second to none. MS offers a 99.9% uptime guarantee for Office 365 which coupled with an online accessible service health dashboard gives system administrators peace of mind that their systems will be available when they need them. This dashboard also details any planned maintenance or fixes to the 365 system.
We at Breakwater IT have been using Office 365 extensively in our day to day roles and I personally have been really impressed with the functionality it provides. I would definitely recommend it to other clients as an extension to their current MS Office installation. Every client is different and there are many solutions and migration paths available why not give us a call and find out what we and Microsoft Office 365 can do for you.
Call Kelly Hemingway or Mark Poole on 01603 709300.
Dying Matters Awareness Week is taking place between 13-19 May. This yearly campaign seeks to raise awareness of end of life issues. Angela Ireland, a Chartered Legal Executive in Steeles Law’s wills, probate and tax team, considers these issues.
Steeles Law is one of 30,000 members of the national Dying Matters Coalition, all of whom have an interest in supporting the changing knowledge, attitudes and behaviours towards dying, death and bereavement.
Set up by the National Council for Palliative Care in 2009, the Dying Matters Coalition aims to encourage people to talk openly about their own end of life issues with friends, family and loved ones in order to make “a good death” possible for the 500,000 people who die in England each year.
Research for Dying Matters has found that many people have specific wishes about their end of life care or what they would like to happen to them after their death, but a reluctance to discuss these issues makes it much less likely that these will be met. For example, an astonishing two-thirds of adults in the UK do not have a Will, generally because it is something we “put off” doing until another day. Within a Will, you can ensure that your money and property pass to those family members, friends and charities of your choice. Otherwise, if you do not make a Will, your estate passes according to the intestacy rules, a complex set of legal rules providing for your nearest blood relatives – not necessarily those who you would wish to provide for!
At Steeles Law, we encourage all of our clients to make a Will including their funeral wishes, as well as prepare Lasting Powers of Attorney and Advance Decisions. Having these documents in place can help your loved ones in what can be some of the most difficult and emotional times of their lives.
A Lasting Power of Attorney is a legal document allowing you to appoint someone you trust to make decisions on your behalf in respect of your property and financial affairs, and also health and welfare decisions, should you become mentally incapable of dealing with your own affairs. By an Advance Decision you can specifically record what life-sustaining treatments you do not wish to receive if you become unable to communicate these wishes yourself.
By talking about Wills, Lasting Powers of Attorneys and Advance Decisions and making these important documents you can help your family and friends now with difficult decisions they may be faced with in the future.
To speak to one of our specialist members of the wills, probate and tax team please contact us.
Our latest article in our popular website design series is out. “The Bigfork Guide to Competitive Website Analysis” tells you why you need to analyse your competitors websites and how to do it. If you want to see our past articles please let us know.
Bigfork Ltd – we make websites stand out
Tel:01603 513080
Email: dine@bigfork.co.uk
A new strategic collaboration between two Norfolk companies will see families across Norfolk benefit from clearer, more joined-up legal and financial advice – particularly at times of stress, vulnerability and major life change.
The partnership between Lucas & Wyllys solicitors and Brancaster House Financial Planning will see families across Norfolk benefit from clearer, more joined-up legal and financial advice – particularly at times of stress, vulnerability and major life change.
As part of the collaboration, Brancaster House Financial Planning is launching a dedicated Deputyship financial advice service, working alongside Lucas & Wyllys to support families where an individual does not have a Power of Attorney in place and no longer has the capacity to make sound financial decisions.
Lucas & Wyllys regularly advise families on Court of Protection and deputyship applications where an individual has lost mental capacity. Under the new arrangement, Lucas & Wyllys will instruct Brancaster House Financial Planning to provide specialist, regulated financial advice in these cases.
The Deputyship service is designed to support families and appointed deputies by:
Shane Julian, Managing Director of Brancaster House Financial Planning, said:
“Where no Power of Attorney exists, families are often faced with urgent and complex financial decisions at an already emotional time. Our new Deputyship service allows us to work closely with Lucas & Wyllys to provide clear, regulated financial advice that supports families and deputies to act confidently and in the individual’s best interests.”
By aligning legal expertise with independent financial planning, the collaboration ensures that families receive joined-up support throughout the Court of Protection process, rather than having to coordinate advisers themselves.
Amy Church, Managing Partner at Lucas & Wyllys, added:
“In deputyship matters, clarity and coordination are essential. This collaboration allows us to ensure families have access to trusted financial planning support when no Power of Attorney is in place, helping protect the individual and providing reassurance to those acting on their behalf.”
As awareness of Powers of Attorney grows, there remains a significant number of families who only seek advice after capacity has already been lost. The new Deputyship service reflects increasing demand for integrated legal and financial expertise in these situations.
Through this strategic collaboration, Lucas & Wyllys and Brancaster House Financial Planning aim to improve outcomes for families by delivering structured, ethical and fully regulated support when it is most needed.
High-performing teams aren’t born, they’re built. Our work with organisations shows that teams thrive when they’re supported by four key pillars: Purpose, Belonging, Safety and Accountability. These pillars aren’t buzzwords; they’re the foundation of teams that can adapt, innovate, and deliver results consistently.
Teams face pressures every day: change, workload, conflicting priorities, and the small frustrations that quietly chip away at energy and focus. High-performing teams don’t happen by accident – they’re created within an environment that’s intentional, thoughtful, and supported by these four pillars.
Think of them as your team’s framework. Purpose gives direction. Belonging builds trust and connection. Safety allows people to speak up, take risks, and innovate. Accountability keeps everyone on track and driving results.
Over the next few weeks, we’ll be unpacking each pillar in detail: what it really means, how it shows up in your team, and practical ways to bring it to life.
Want to know how well your teams are performing and how they could improve? Drop us a message or find out more on our website www.blueherontraining.com