Creative Sponge has appointed a new Creative Director and Client Services Director in a reorganisation of its leadership team.
Agency founder Alex Tosh will again lead the agency on a day-to-day basis backed by Patrick Hennings and Martin Betts.
Patrick will take responsibility for Sponge’s Studio team and its output as Creative Director, while Martin will take overall responsibility of client relationships and oversee their projects as Client Services Director.
Joining the agency in 2017 as Art Director, Patrick has a wealth of experience working on branding and digital projects across multiple industry verticals.
He graduated from Colchester School of Art and has previously worked for one of the country’s leading property marketing agencies, undertaking projects for major residential housing developers.
Martin joined Sponge in September 2018 as Senior Account Manager before becoming the agency’s New Business Manager.
He spent 20 years working in journalism, publishing, and communications, before moving into agency-side marketing roles.
Alex, who launched Creative Sponge in 2004, said: “I’m excited to appoint Patrick and Martin as Creative Director and Client Services Director and help give the agency a fresh perspective and approach.
“They and I share a vision that will see us concentrate on the agency’s great pedigree and strength for developing powerful branding, exciting advertising campaigns, and engaging digital projects.
“We’ve seen a noticeable recent upturn in interest from existing and new clients regarding new projects, so making these key appointments, as well as adding another designer to our Studio team in the coming weeks, means we can look forward to the future in confidence.”
We are specialists in business and individual wellbeing. We provide onsite consultancy, training and development, counselling and employee assistance.
Courses in mental health and wellbeing are available throughout the year.
Our training is delivered by qualified trainers and experts in mental health.
All courses take place at Sale Road in Norwich, and include refreshments and lunch.
All our courses are one-day courses, run from 09.30 until 15.30 and include a certificate for each attendee. Our one-day courses cost £115 per candidate.
For full descriptions of training course content and information about who should attend, see our website www.norwichmind.org.uk
If you want us to run a group training session at our site or at yours, get in touch for preferential rates.
Aims to provide delegates with the required level of training, skills and knowledge in First Aid, and comply with the requirements of the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981.
Suitable For
Successful delegates will be awarded a certificate of competence accredited by Qualsafe Awards who are recognised by Ofqual. It is valid for three years.
Course Venue
Open courses are held regularly at our training venues in Norwich, Norfolk and Cambridge, Cambridgeshire. Alternatively, courses can be arranged at your own site anywhere in the UK (subject to suitability).
Syllabus
Introduction to first aid
Incident management and safety
The unconscious patient
Major illness: diabetes, heart attack, stroke
Fractures and dislocations
Head Injuries
Eye Injuries
Simple record keeping & first aid equipment
The legal framework for first and in the workplace
Basic life support
Use of AED
Control of bleeding and shock
Major Illness: epilepsy, allergic reactions
Burns and scolds
Poisons and harmful substances
Basic casualty handling
Knowledge and skills assessments
“Good course with refreshing content. Great value for money.”
“The use of video clips really helped. The course was a good pace and the content was made interesting. It’s the most enjoyable First Aid course I have attended in 20 years.”
In today’s hyper-connected world, supply chains are the lifeblood of global commerce. Many businesses rely on an extended network of suppliers to deliver products, systems, and services to enable them to deliver their product to their customers. The intricate nature of these networks creates a vast attack surface for cybercriminals to exploit however, and the consequences can be devastating. Imagine a domino effect, where a security breach at one supplier ripples through your entire network disrupting operations, exposing sensitive data, and eroding customer trust. The potential impact this could have on your organisation is immense.
What is supply chain management?
Supply chain management involves overseeing the entire production process from start to finish, including the delivery of the final product to the consumer. From a cybersecurity perspective, supply chain management focuses on ensuring the safety of the interconnected network of organisations, processes, and technologies involved in bringing a product from conception to delivery.
In recent years there has been a significant increase in the number of cyber-attacks as a result of vulnerabilities within the supply chain. These attacks have targeted third party software providers, website builders, third party data stores, and hardware providers. The 2023 Cybersecurity Breaches Survey found that only 13% of businesses review the risks posed by their immediate suppliers.
Securing the supply chain
It is vital to understand the cybersecurity threats within your supply chain before implementing security measures.
Why might someone attack your supply chain? (Financial gain, disruption, espionage)
Who are the likely attackers? (Cybercriminals, competitors, state actors)
Where are the exploitable weak points in your supply chain?
What would happen if these vulnerabilities were exploited? (Financial loss, reputational damage, operational disruption)
Once you have identified the critical aspects of your organisation that require the most protection, establish a repeatable and measurable approach for assessing the cybersecurity of your suppliers.
Pinpoint the data, systems, and processes most crucial to your business.
Create tiered security profiles for supplier based on the potential impact they could have on your assets, defining increasing security requirements for each tier.
Decide how to assess your suppliers using a combination of techniques including surveys, interviews, site visits and independent audits.
Develop strategies for managing non-compliant suppliers, including continued assessments and remediation plans.
Implement standardised contract clauses addressing cybersecurity expectations and potential scenarios.
It is important to note that a single assessment will not be enough to guarantee your cyber security standards are being met. Regular monitoring of your supplier’s cyber resilience will help you identify any gaps and work with your suppliers to address them before they are exploited and become an issue.
Continuous Improvement
Evaluate your framework and its components on a regular basis and adjust the process accordingly so that it provides the correct level of risk/reward for your organisation. Once the initial assurance of your supply chain is complete , it is important to understand that the risks to your business are constantly evolving. Stay informed about new threats and use the knowledge gained to update your supply chain’s cybersecurity measures.
Securing the supply chain is a crucial task that requires a collective effort from everyone involved. Collaborate with your vendors, share threat intelligence, and participate in industry forums to stay ahead of the curve. Adhering to established industry standards like ISO 27001 can provide you with invaluable guidance and demonstrate your commitment to security.
Cybersecurity is not a destination but an ongoing journey. It is crucial to continually evaluate your practices, adapt to evolving threats, and invest in ongoing training and awareness programs. By prioritising supply chain security, you can build your resilience and safeguard your business against any potential cybersecurity threats.
Would you like to know how to use Twitter effectively for your business and gain ideas for content?
Make sure you and your business is up to speed by attending our nextinteractive, half-day Twitter workshop onThursday 24th Septemberand discover how Twitter canboostyour profile in 2015.
Designed for a maximum of five people, the morning will bepacked full of usefultipsfor increasing your audience andcreatingengaging content.
With the training tailoredfor the businesses attending, there will be lots ofopportunitiesto shareideasand test out Twitter for yourself – leaving you ready and raring to go!
What will our workshop cover?
Getting started: How to use Twitter – practical tips and the ‘lingo!’
Creating your brand personality.
Join in with the conversation. But with who?
What do I post? Lots of handy content suggestions.
How your competitors are using Twitter.
Top tips to get the most from this tool.
Five ways to build your following.
Twitter etiquette: Do’s and Don’ts.
And of course we will supply mandatory tea, coffee and biscuits!
We’vehad some great feedback from past delegates.
“The interaction around the table is relaxed and it’s a friendly environment,”Barnham Broom.
“Really enjoyed feedback on current practice and research into competitors,”R A Brown.
“Friendly. Learnt lots,”The Cottage Hair and Beauty Salon.
Our next half-day workshop is being held onThursday September 24th 2015.
Arrive:09:15am for training to take place between 09:30am – 12:30pm.
Where: Suite 3, The Old Church, St Matthews Road, Norwich, NR1 1SP.
Location: Carrowbreck House, 7 Carrowbreck Road, Norwich, NR6 5FA. Are you struggling with Linkedin? Not quite sure what the fuss is about? Wondering whether you should spend even more time on yet another networking platform? It’s ok, you’re one of many, you may even be one of the many who set up an account but then didn’t go back to it. Linkedin is a business tool which helps you to do even more business. Having just hit 200million users, 1 million groups, 40 million visits a week and a total of 5.3billion searches during 2012, you can’t ignore it. Did you know that half of the users on Linkedin are the main decision makers? Did you know that Linkedin drives the most customers for B2B organisations – even more than Blogs? Tapping properly into Linkedin will enable you to drive valuable customers to your website. Tapping properly into Linkedin will position yourself as a leader in your niche and gain you new clients. Stop missing out on opportunities now! This course is for you if you are a SME, Business Development Manager, Sales manager, Marketing Manager, whichever industry you’re in, and you are keen to utilise LinkedIn for your business to drive traffic and get results. Duration: Half-day course (9.30am – 12.30pm) Equipment: No equipment is necessary for you to bring to the course. Pens and note paper will be available. Lunch provided: Light refreshments will be provided. Lunch only provided on full-day courses. Course Content: How to achieve maximum exposure and connect with main decision makers The power of groups and company pages How LinkedIn works with or without a budget How LinkedIn is the perfect marketing tool & discover the ways to use it in your business Course price: From £38.50 – £49.50 For more details or any enquiries, please do contact us on 01603 788950, or email carrowbreck@broadland.gov.uk
This half day course is for all employees in the Food and Hospitality sector and is aimed at any current holders of the Level 2 Award in Food Safety to refresh & update their knowledge on the subject.
*Take personal responsibility for food safety procedures *Keep themselves clean and hygienic *Receive and store food safely * Prepare, cook and hold food safely *Assessing and evaluating the learning
The subjects covered are:
1. Food safety hazards; what can harm the consumer? 2. Safe food storage; food handling & cross contamination 3. Temperature control; refrigeration and chilling 4. Cooking, hot holding and reheating 5. Cleaning and disinfection 6. Pest control 7. Food premises and equipment 8. Legislation
Prerequisites: None-just enthusiasm (but basic spoken English/ literacy does help)
Duration: Half day training programme (09:00-13:00)
Cost: £55 +VAT includes examination fees.
Course Tutor: Course Tutors: Sarah Daniels & Richard Mills are both Chartered Environmental Health Practitioners, having spent over 25 years each in the profession.
The RedCat Partnership has been providing food safety training & consultancy in Norfolk, East Anglia & nationally for over 20 years.
Our MHFA ArmedForces Communitycourse is split up into 4 manageable chunks. These are:
What is mental health, andwhymhfa for armed forces community?
Suicide and depression
Psychosis
Anxiety and post traumatic stress disorder
In each sectionyou willlearn how to:
Spot the early signs of a mental health problem
Feel confident helping someone experiencing a mental health problem
Provide help on a first aid basis
Help prevent someone from hurting themselves or others
Help stop a mental illness from getting worse
Help someone recover faster
Guide someone towards the right support
Reduce the stigma of mental health problems
These topics have been specifically tailored to the armed forces community and their culture.
How will I learn?
The MHFA for the Armed Forces Community courseusually takes place over2 full days.
The sessions will be a mix of presentation, group discussions and group work activities.Our instructors provide a very safe learning environment and are trained to support you throughout the whole course. If you don’t feel comfortable joining in certain bits, then don’t, we won’t make you do something you aren’t comfortable with.
You’ll receive a MHFAArmed Forces Communitymanual that you can take away with you at the end of the courseandalso an attendance certificate from MHFA England to say you are now Armed Forces Community Mental Health First Aider.
Who canattendthe course?
Places on the MHFA for the Armed Forces Community courses areonly open to specific groups of people.Places are restricted to members of the following target groups:
Veterans
Serving personnel
Family member of Serving or ex-Service personnel
Health and Social Care working with the Armed Forces Community
Charitable organisation working with the Armed Forces Community
Location: Carrowbreck House, 7 Carrowbreck Road, Norwich, NR6 5FA This course is designed for users to enable them to become competent database-developers. As a result of this course, users can expect to be able to design and create tables to store their data and to specify what data is appropriate, as well as choosing how each table should be linked to the others in the database. As well as the basics, it will look in more depth at relationships, and focus on more advanced queries, allowing the user to create a more complete business or personal database. Additionally, they will have learnt how to extract the required data using a combination of queries and filtering. We will also look at Access Forms and Reports to enable users to print, read and enter their data in a user-friendly format. Delegates should have sufficient Windows experience beforehand and by the end of the course you will be more comfortable in designing and implementing a finished relational database. Duration: One-day course (9:30am – 4:00pm approximately) Equipment: No equipment is necessary for you to bring to the course. Pens and note paper will be available. Lunch provided: For full day training courses a lunch with sandwich or salad, crisps and cake or fruit will be provided. Refreshments will be available throughout the duration of this course. Course Content Introduction to database concepts Tables Forms Querying data Relationships overviews Creating reports Course price: From £77.00 – £99.00 For more details or any enquiries, please do contact us on 01603 788950, or email carrowbreck@broadland.gov.uk
The B2B Exhibition returns on Thursday 14 October and is Norfolk’s largest business-to-business exhibition. Free to attend and attracting hundreds of businesses on the day, B2B is a highlight on the Norfolk events calendar.
The Co.mmunicate hub is the place where businesses can talk one-to-one with business specialists to help grow their business. Experts from a range of specialisms will be available for 15-minute slots throughout the day (more information on who and how to book coming soon). The hub is part of Norfolk Chambers of Commerce’s Knowledge Hour, which encourages businesses to allow employees to take 1 hour a week for learning and development.
Matthew Downing, Partner and Head of Corporate and Commercial at Spire Solicitors LLP, said: “Norfolk Chambers does a great job of supporting local businesses throughout the year and this event will be an excellent opportunity for the local business community to finally see each other again after such a long time apart. We are proud to be sponsors of the Co.mmunicate Hub, which incorporates Knowledge Hour and Norfolk Knowledge Hub, and we look forward to seeing you all at our stand on the day.”
For exhibitors and visitors, the event gives the opportunity to meet new potential clients, catch up with existing contacts and have a presence at this prestigious event.
Alongside the Co.mmunicate hub, you can also meet a plethora of businesses in the exhibition, take part in speed networking sessions throughout the day, go to a free workshop or seminar, relax in the Proudly Norfolk food hub and join us for the B2B after party (ticketed event).
Free tickets to the exhibition are now available so that you can gain fast-track entry on the day. Register here: www.norfolkchamber.co.uk/b2b
Join us this month on our IOSH Managing Safely course and bring great health and safety practices to your business. Aimed at supervisors and managers, the three-day course will give you the confidence to manage health and safety in your workplace. Our experienced advisers will deliver a course that is relevant to all industries, focusing on the core principles of risk management.
Topics covered include:
Introducing managing safely
Understanding your responsibilities
Identifying hazards
Assessing risks
Controlling risks
Investigating accidents and incidents
Measuring performance.
On completion, you will receive an accredited IOSH Managing Safely certificate, an internationally recognised qualification that shows your staff and customers that your business is committed to good health and safety practices. Our next IOSH Managing Safely course is running on the 26th to 28th November at our Norwich office. The course fee is £450.00+VAT. Parking, lunch, refreshments, course materials and certificates are all included. Call our risk management team on 01603 967900 or email them at RiskManagement@alanboswell.com to book your place.