CMI Management Qualifications with Distance Learning
Did you know that holding a professional Qualification can boost your earnings by an estimated £81,000 during your working lifetime?
CMI qualifications provide a progressive framework that enables you to develop and broaden your management skills. Each qualification leads on from the next, delivering professional learning that equips you with the skills, knowledge and confidence to take your career further.
Start a CMI Management Qualification today with us at TIPS for Good management and benefit from:
– Distance learning supported by a personal coach
– More cost effective than a classroom based course
– Recognised Qualifications
– fitting your learning around your work and home life
Business masterclasses and workshops are planned for February and March in Cromer and Fakenham, organised by business support organisation, Genix.
Alex Till, chief executive of Genix said, “Business owners their staff and the self-employed need to keep up to date with knowledge and information to ensure they prosper and that’s why we’re holding these effective and great value, masterclasses in North Norfolk.
“Our trainers are experts in their field and course titles include, Book Keeping and Financial Control for Business, The Essentials of Email Marketing and Understanding Balance Sheets and Profit & Loss.”
Holly Stibbon of marketing company, 101 Smart is the tutor for Genix’s email marketing course and aims to help delegates write effective emails which will be opened, read and actioned upon. The workshop is well suited to non-technical people who wish to improve their knowledge and get better results.
Genix’s masterclasses are subsidised and cost just £30 per person, per course, due to the support of the European Regional Development Fund.
Genix also works in partnership with eAlliance Learning Technology providing over 600 online, off-the-shelf e-learning courses, ideal for business owners and their staff.
For dates, content and to book Genix’s masterclasses go to www.genix.org.uk or telephone 0800 096 3013. For more details of its online training email genix@ea-learningtech.com.
We’re proud to announce that Swarm Training has been approved as a Level 1 Disability Confident employer. This marks an exciting step in our ongoing commitment to creating inclusive, supportive workplaces for everyone, regardless of their circumstances.
If you want to work, we want to help make that possible by removing barriers, fostering potential, and encouraging high performance. Inclusion isn’t just a policy for us, it’s central to our mission in apprenticeship training and embedded in everything we do.
Joining the Disability Confident programme enables us to keep learning and evolving with expert guidance in this field.
Every member of our team contributes to our culture of continuous improvement, not just through their own commitment to developing themselves professionally, but by supporting one another, our learners and our clients with empathy, understanding and the tools they need to succeed. That includes recognising neurodiversity, physical disabilities, and health conditions. It means embracing the impactful practices of flexible working, AI tools, specific hardware and software, or just enabling people to receive written communications in a different format.
That doesn’t mean we are happy to accept lower standards.On the contrary, our standards are high and we expect commitment, but we also know how much potential is unlocked through the right support which so often enables people to exceed even their own expectations. Disability Confident actually means we can enable someone to do higher quality work through making appropriate adjustments for genuine health conditions. It has such a positive effect on someone’s mental health, job satisfaction and drive when they see what they can do and not what they can’t do!
While our official Disability Confident status is new, our approach isn’t. We’ve long supported learners and clients in creating the right balance for their teams. This in turn has brought huge value to individuals and businesses. We believe in it because we have been privileged to see it happen so many times!
It doesn’t matter if you have 10 employees or 1000, with your team working remotely your business is more at risk.
Sadly, cyberattacks preying on Coronavirus fear seem to be spreading just as fast as the illness and with your staff working remotely you are more vulnerable. Scams being sent worldwide are offering cures, tax refunds, safety advice and asking for donations.
Now is the time to act because prevention is much easier than cure and you need to adapt now that working situations have changed.
SpamTitan, our email filtering service, has a market leading 99.99% Spam Catch Rate with a 0.003% false positive rate.
SpamTitan is normally £2.50 per mailbox per month. But, to help protect you in this turbulent time we’re offering SpamTitan to you for FREE for the first 3 months.
If you would like to discuss our advanced level of protection email us at quack@greenduck.co.uk or call us on 01284 700015.
Big C, Norfolk and Waveney’s cancer charity, has launched a new fundraising campaign due to many of the charity’s planned events being postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Big C’s ‘Challenge 40’ is calling for local people to raise money for the charity by exercising either at home or by using their ‘once a day’ exercise outside in line with government advice.
2020 is Big C’s 40th anniversary year, so from April 1st until May 31st the charity is asking local people who are able, to complete 40 minutes of exercise or activity, every day for forty days. This could be a run, cycle, walk, an exercise routine at home or some gardening.
Carole Slaughter, Head of Fundraising at Big C, said, “We are all living in uncertain and changing times and many of our spring and summer fundraising events have had to be postponed.
We have therefore launched a new fundraising initiative which reflects the current situation and we’re asking our army of amazing supporters to raise funds for us in a different way. This is important now, more than ever, for those with a cancer diagnosis already facing enormously challenging circumstances and now experiencing increased anxiety and worry due to coronavirus.
We also hope it might be a fun focus for people spending much more time than usual at home! We do however know that times are tough for many currently and therefore we are asking for a £10 donation, with the option of also enlisting the support of friends and family to raise a little more. Any amount will make a big difference to those locally affected by cancer.”
Carole Slaughter continues, “We’d urge everyone to take part and focus on keeping fit, while supporting Big C to continue providing vital care and support for those people affected by cancer during these challenging times.” Big C is committed to everyone’s safety and health during the Coronavirus outbreak. Please follow government guidelines around social distancing and specific advice if you are in a vulnerable group. Please only go out once a day to do your 40 minutes exercise.
For the latest government advice on coronavirus please visit www.gov.uk/coronavirus
To sign up for Big C’s Challenge 40, please visit https://fundraise.big-c.co.uk/event/challenge40-for-big-c/ to pledge your support and a £10 donation.
To learn more about the work Big C does to improve the lives of those affected by cancer in Norfolk and Waveney, please visit www.big-c.co.uk
Pure has launched a new website to provide an updated platform for both clients and candidates to interact with the professional recruitment specialists for the East of England.
Established in 2002, Pure has become established leaders and trusted advisors in the Accountancy, Executive, Financial Services, HR, IT, Marketing and Office markets. The new website has been designed to further enhance the services it provides by offering a quicker way to search for jobs from any device, and to showcase the added-value Pure can provide including psychometrics, skills testing, induction support and transition coaching.
The site features resources and expert advice blogs to help candidates at every stage of their career and to support the growth of the region’s businesses. The calendar section highlights the events held throughout the year to support the growth of the talent pipeline in the region and the development of local organisations. This includes Pure’s dedicated campaigns such as the Women’s Leadership Programme, Finance Leadership Programme and the Best Employers Eastern Region initiative.
Lynn Walters, director and co-founder of Pure, said: “We’re extremely proud to start the new year with our updated website. It’s an excellent window into what it’s like for both candidates and clients to work with us and highlights what differentiates Pure from other recruitment organisations. We’ve showcased our organisation’s values, which capture the very essence of the way we like to work, included case studies of some of the fantastic businesses we’ve supported and highlights how we are committed to contributing to the growth of our region and to making a difference to people’s lives.”
Norfolk and Waveney cancer charity, Big C, has launched a range of services designed to support those affected by cancer during the Coronavirus outbreak.
The charity will be providing support packs for local people affected by cancer in isolation due to Coronavirus. They will include home comfort items along with advice and signposting to Big C’s free telephone helpline and online Virtual Centre.
Director of Charitable Operations at Big C, Dr Melanie Pascale, said, “Those in our community affected by cancer are already facing challenging circumstances and are now experiencing added worry and anxiety due to the Coronavirus outbreak. In addition, some people with specific cancers who are considered to be extremely vulnerable are now being asked to take extra shielding measures. We want to do everything we can to help them at this time. Big C has been providing support in Norfolk for the past 40 years and we will continue to do so.”
Alongside the Support and Wellbeing packs, starting from Tuesday 24th March, Big C is launching a ‘live chat’ facility via their website, where local people affected by cancer will be able to access support from 11am to 3pm Monday to Friday.
Telephone counselling sessions and telephone appointments in partnership with the Citizens Advice Bureau will also be available. The Big C Virtual Centre will offer ‘Keep Moving’ physical activity and mental wellbeing videos, wellbeing and ‘checking in’ videos, interactive ‘Ask the Nurse’ support and video link to Big C support team members. An emergency delivery service is also available for those most in need to help with small amounts of shopping or delivering prescriptions.
Dr Melanie Pascale added, “I would like to thank our wonderful staff for their amazing efforts as a team to deliver this support and continue the care they are so passionate about.”
Anyone wishing to access support can call the Big C Support Team on 0800 092 7640. The line is open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm. All calls are free of charge.
Now the 31st January deadline for 2018-19 self-assessment tax return submissions has passed, TaxAssist Accountants can confirm it has filed more than 100,000 personal tax returns on behalf of its nationwide client base.
The network’s clients are a broad spectrum of businesses, as well as self-employed professionals, contractors and property landlords. All of whom lean on their accountants’ knowledge and expertise to organise their financial affairs, file their returns accurately and on time, and minimise the amount of tax owed.
As the UK has one of the most complex tax systems in the world, hard-working business owners often struggle for time to prepare even the most straightforward self-assessment tax return.
Furthermore, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is not obliged to advise the self-employed community on how to organise their financial affairs and minimise the tax they pay.
“Our nationwide network of 375 offices helps businesses, self-employed individuals and those with second incomes to accurately calculate and pay their tax liabilities on time.
“There are many benefits to being organised and arranging your self-assessment tax return well in advance of HMRC’s deadlines.
“First and foremost, you can start budgeting for your tax bill and manage your cashflow accordingly. However, for those who are due a tax refund, it can allow you to receive the money you are owed sooner rather than it sitting in HMRC’s bank account. “Our accountants encourage the UK’s business community to not delay the inevitable and avoid late filing penalties that become an unnecessary drain on business finances.”
What are the penalties for missing a self-assessment tax return deadline?
Those who miss the 31st January deadline for the online submission of self-assessment tax returns are hit with an automatic £100 late filing penalty, regardless of how much tax you have outstanding.
Taxpayers with tax returns overdue by more than three months will be hit with £10 daily penalties, which continue until they hit a £900 peak.
Should the tax return become more than six months late, a penalty of the higher of £300 or 5% of your tax due will be charged.
The same level of penalty is applied again if the return becomes more than 12 months late. All these penalties are in addition to one another and, as a result of this, the penalties for a late tax return could reach more than £1,600.
If you have missed the deadline to submit a 2018-19 self-assessment tax return and need help, it’s important to call us on 0800 787 0628 as soon as possible to minimise any penalties you may face.
Launched just a week ago, the Foundation’s Covid-19 Community Response Fund has received over 60 applications from local charities and grassroots community projects who together are forming a network of committed, compassionate people providing practical help and care for their neighbours. At a time when we must protect and care for those most vulnerable, this community action is vital to keep everyone safe and well in our communities. From delivering food and prescriptions, to tackling loneliness and isolation, Norfolk’s charitable groups are working hard across our county. Vital initiatives funded during the first week include:
suppporting volunteers to deliver food to people who are isolated and in the greatest need
purchasing emergency food supplies
protecting our most vulnerable children while schools are closed
helping with the cost of providing protective kit and travel expenses for the army of local volunteers
supporting charities and community groups who would typically deliver face-to-face services and are now needing to use IT or phones to maintain contact and support the people they help.
We need more funds to continue supporting people across Norfolk Thank you to everyone who has supported the appeal so far. However, we still need many more funds to ensure that we can support the most vulnerable during these unprecedented times. Donate today to help people in your local community. Anything that you can give will make a real difference. Supported by the National Emergencies Trust The National Emergencies Trust has also set up an emergency fund to help people in their communities through local Community Foundations, who are routing funds to where they are most needed. Patron HRH Prince William is urging individuals and businesses to donate, which will work alongside our local fundraising to meet the most pressing community needs. Find out more Many thanks for your support.
The People Kit, a new initiative designed to support local businesses, was officially launched on 26th January.
Jonathan Madden, owner of Joules Resource Management and one of the founder members of The People Kit explains more:
“The People Kit is a group of experts from different professions who’ve banded together to provide a kind of one-stop consultancy service for local businesses in Norfolk. The support we can provide ranges from HR and legal advice to web development, apprenticeships andbusiness growth.”
The People Kit naturally evolved after the founder members met through working together.They’ve put each other’s skills to the test in the past to add value to their own projects. They saw the opportunity to create a rather unique group, and The People Kit was born.
Jonathan continues:
“The beauty of The People Kit is that we all know we can absolutely rely on the quality of our colleague’s work and expertise. That means we have no hesitation in referring work to each other. When one of us has a client in business who needs one of the services The People Kit provides, we can save our client the time and hassle of trying to find someone trustworthy themselves.
“The individual members of the group came together through mutual respect for each other’s work. Together, we offer a strong proposition for local businesses. Clients come to us with a problem, project or product requirement and members of The People Kit work together or separately to come up with a solution. Our broad mix of skills and connections means, between us, we will know the right person for the job. The whole really is greater than the sum of its parts.”
The People Kit was officially launched at a drinks recepetion which was held at Platform 12 on St. Benedicts Street in Norwich. This gave local businesses the chance to meet the team and find out how it all works. The team have already helped a number of local businesses and look forward to helping many more in the future. Visit thepeoplekit.co.uk to find out more.
TaxAssist Accountants continues its impressive rate of growth.
Sunny Srai (Hampton), Sanjay Parekh (Wood Green) Gary Bugdale (Managing Director of TaxAssist Direct London Ltd), Jay Gosal (Coventry East) and Adnan Tahir (Glasgow) have all recently graduated from TaxAssist Accountants’ first Initial Training Course of 2020.
Having amassed nearly 20 years’ experience within Corporate Finance across various sectors, Sanjay Parekh realised he was confident in his abilities to generate financial success by running his own business. Having worked successfully as a financial consultant for the last five years, Sanjay was keen to change tack and use his wealth of experience to help small businesses. This triggered him to consider running his own accountancy practice via the franchising route.
“My ex-manager (now a franchisee) introduced me to TaxAssist. I did some research, signed up for the Discovery Day and my experience has been positive from that moment on,” explained Sanjay.
“I have found the network very transparent, truthful, supportive and nurturing. Having completed the training during the COVID-19 outbreak would have been even more daunting if I was not part of a reputable brand such as TaxAssist, which boasts a knowledgeable and diligent back-office support function – which is the backbone of franchisees’ success.
“I am excited to start trading, and I am confident I will ride the current wave and come out successful on the other side due to the brand backing me.”
Karl Sandall, Group Chief Executive Director, said: “It was a pleasure to train and socialise with our new fantastic group of franchisees and the team at our Support Centre are looking forward to helping them grow their practices.
“These are unprecedented times, but franchisees know they have the back-up and support of a dedicated team of over 60 staff at the Support Centre on hand to help, guide and advise them and their clients. They also know that their services are very much in demand, as small businesses look to their accountant as never before for help and guidance through the uncertain months ahead.”
If you are interested in joining the TaxAssist Accountants network, there are Discovery Days via video planned in the coming weeks. If you’d like to book onto a Discovery Day, please submit your CV and a completed application form which can be found here to franchiseenquiries@taxassist.co.uk
We are appealing for your support to help meet our target of raising £1 Million for the Hickling Broad Land Purchase Appeal by 31 March 2017
We are pleased to announce that we have raised £500,000 so far but time is short and we are asking for people to get involved and raise funds during our Community Fundraising Week. There are some fundraising ideas in the pack attached . Perhaps someone would be willing to act as a ‘champion for Hickling’ and organize an event that is fun, challenging or just plain silly! Or maybe you could have one of our donation boxes available for the week for staff and visitors to make a donation.
We’d like our big ‘Help Hickling’ fundraising day to be Friday 3 March and the more of us who fundraise on that day in particular the better!
We can supply poster templates, sponsorship forms and help with publicity. We’d like you to promote your event via social media or if you can provide us with the information as soon as possible, we can do this on your behalf. We will send out a press release in advance so we need to know what fundraising event you are planning. For further information, help and advice, please get in touch with Jacqui Rogers, Fundraising Officer on 01603 625540 or email jacquir@norfolkwildlifetrust.org.uk . We look forward to hearing from you with details and good luck with your fundraising event!