Join us for the East Anglia Clean & Green Awards – the premier celebration of excellence
An unmissable opportunity to celebrate the incredible commitment and achievements across Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, and Essex, on 26th March at Kesgrave Hall Ipswich. The best in the sector will be in attendance, making it the perfect occasion to network, build new relationships, and strengthen existing ones.
Recognise excellence, and honour the outstanding contributions that are shaping the future of our industry. Connect with Leaders, engage with top professionals and innovators from across the region.
Celebrate together, share in a night of inspiration, collaboration, and community.
Start the evening in style, at the drinks reception with live music.
Enjoy a sumptuous three-course meal, paired with a selection of fine alcoholic beverages.
Following this, the Awards ceremony, hosted by our special guest, David Whiteley.
After, continue the celebrations with an after Party, and exclusive networking.
This is more than an awards night – it’s a unique experience to celebrate, connect, and elevate the sector together. Don’t miss out on what promises to be a night to remember.
Rex Ekaireb started his career as a chartered accountant in the 1970s after qualifying in London. Gaining his qualification and some initial experience in London ley Rex to ply his trade for a number of years. By 1982, he made the move into the diamond district of London, Hatton Garden. It was there that Ekaireb, with his brothers in law set up a jewellery business which after just a few years and by 1986, was sold to a large public company.
The larger company kept Rex on their board, such was his experience and knowledge in the area as well as the value he could bring to the company. As part of the larger company, Rex became one of the go to retail jewellers in the area, no small feat. Rex wisely advised large company to purchase other jewellers in the area who would form an otherwise very captive audience for the company.
Rex Ekaireb learned all of the initial governance he needed in the industry and left the public company to go into manufacturing of jewellery and by 1989 he had become one of the largest suppliers of wedding rings to the UK retail giant, Argos. Around 1992, Rex left the company and helped his own family build up their business, whose profits were then invested in London’s then fledgling buy to let market. They purchased properties throughout the Capital including in Hatton Garden, Knightsbridge and other sought after locations.
By 2006, Rex Ekaireb had fully left the jewellery industry and was wholly focused on the family property business which he worked tirelessly to strengthen and build up further.
Rex Ekaireb – Business to Charity
Having seen good success in jewellery and the property market, Ekaireb left business in the 2000s and then switched focuses to one of his passions in life; charity and helping those most in need.
He has spent many years and countless hours working with children and those most vulnerable throughout the UK, Europe and the world. He has worked with the likes of the British Red Cross and Great Ormond Street Hospital in London, for whom he donated hundreds of soft toys at a time of crisis for the hospital. Rex Ekaireb has also worked with the United Nations (UN), specifically helping political prisoners throughout Eastern Europe.
Rex’s strong view is that children with one or both parents missing from their lives, do not have the same opportunities in life as those that do. Therefore, by working to help secure the release of the parents, it is the children that will thrive and continue to succeed throughout their lives.
Rex Ekaireb is particularly proud of having not just having set up and then nurtured a very successful business and property portfolio, but having also been able to use his wealth and success over the years to help those less fortunate. Charity is something particularly close to Ekaireb’s heart and something that to this day, he continues to devote huge amounts of time and effort into.
Every month we look closely at the key principles we should be adopting if we want to grow our businesses. We will share practical tips and advice, focused on sales and marketing that we can all apply – none cost any money either. Plus the chance to support and share ideas with your local business community. Free to attend, with no need to book – just come and see for yourself.
If you want to know more, call Neil on 01603 443355 https://businessgrowthclub.net/up-and-coming-events/
Goodery. Organic goodness, delivered. Welcome to a new local home delivery service celebrating and supporting your favourite independent businesses in Norfolk and Norwich. In response to the impacts of Covid-19, our team came together to help deliver good stuff from good people, that’s good for the planet. That’s Goodery.
We’re starting with what people need right now: local fruit and veg boxes, plus everyday essentials, but we’ll look to extend this as we understand more about your needs. And we’ll be delivering direct to your door (whilst of course, using the latest recommended health and safety advice) – all with a focus on having a net-zero carbon footprint.
Our shared vision We want to create a new way of doing good business where people and the planet live together in harmony. We see a path to this future by deepening the connections between conscious consumers, local businesses, and clean energy. If everyone is supported, then everyone wins.
Our deliveries are powered by wind and solar energy, and rooted in a desire to help others. Everything we do is done with care for people and the planet.
We’d love you to have you onboard and get conversations going about how we can support you as customers, local independent businesses and individuals seeking meaningful work.
Take care and stay safe, whilst staying home. Let’s build something good together.
With love from the Goodery team x
Find out more at goodery.co.uk | Get in touch on social media, search @goodery_uk
Norfolk is considered the “breadbasket” of the UK with its favourable climate and fertile soils and here farming is a major industry.
Family farms, however, are complex beasts when it comes to separating the matrimonial property and finances on divorce because of their size and multiple different parts; buildings which might be owned or occupied by different family members; the existence of family trusts; and the business of the farm itself which, depending on its structure, could also be owned by a number of different people.
There could, therefore, be questions about the extent to which the farm or parts of it are matrimonial or non-matrimonial.
The buildings, land, business and stock (livestock and deadstock) will all need to be professionally valued. Consideration must also be given to the tax implications of transferring or selling the business, farm or any part of it.
Being positioned in the heart of Norfolk, Hatch Brenner is regularly consulted by farmers or the spouse or civil partner of the farmer in the context of a separation or divorce.
We work closely with accountants, valuers and our own trust experts to help you to untangle the complexities of the family farm in order to achieve a fair settlement in your divorce.
Branding is no longer about defining a slogan, name, design, symbol or image or combination of any or all of these elements; it is far more complex. Branding isn’t just about being selected by your target market over the competition. In the digital age, branding is more involved with subtly suggesting your business is a problem solver even though your potential client doesn’t consider he or she has a problem to be solved. There are many sub-headings and elements which, when meshed together, will enable you to form a clearly defined strategy to successfully deliver your brand to a waiting world.
Know Yourself
If you don’t know yourself, how can you project your identity through your brand? Creating a brand from the ground up, your personality and the way you interact with others will be part of the defining elements of the brand. Leadership, combined with a sense of purpose and an understanding of what your target market is searching for are powerful tools at your command.
You will be the central foundation of the business. Leading your business, invoking purpose in your team and crafting a vision for the future are the first steps to success.
Define Values
Branding really isn’t about your logo; it is about the message you promote. For example, if your business is female fashion for example, you’ll want to promote your clothing brand as one which cares for the environment. Showing transparency of supply lines, showing your products are not produced in sweatshops populated by exploited women and children is a positive image. Likewise, if you’re setting up a new casino slots in the UK business, emphasising that your business values clients’ security and protects their personal data. You may also want to project real concern for their welfare; gaming and gambling can become addictive, fun can turn to misery if left unchecked. Supporting clients and valuing them if they need your help is an essential, positive element of your particular branding strategy.
Create a High-Profile Event
If you want to help yourself to better your brand overall, then you need to try and create a high-profile event. Invite CEOs from other companies to join you and try and put something together. When you do, you will soon find that you are able to get way more visibility and that you can appeal to a much wider audience too. Regular events for brand promotion should be an integral element of your business strategy.
Use Great Images
A lot of businesses really are personal brands. This means that you are ultimately the face of your entire brand. The days of a boring headshot are long gone. If you want to really boost your business, then you need to use graphics and images which reflect your personality and that of the business. You will also need to style your online presence so that it stands out from the crowd. A picture paints a thousand words, but what use is a picture if the words do not mean anything?
Focus on Products and Services
Focus on delivering quality products and service; don’t compromise. Consumers do look at the price of what the goods or services for which they are searching. However, most people are savvy enough to know that a low price often means lower quality. Do not allow your brand to be associated with poor quality. You brand has to stand for all that is best. Lay these foundations and you’ll not only win over your target market, you’ll also win their loyalty. Loyalty is a valuable commodity in marketing and branding, but it is a two way street between customer and supplier. This may lead to trust issues. If you want to stop this then make sure that you do everything you can to monitor things across your physical products as well as your digital presence.
Age UK Norwich has launched a new, cloud-based telephone and mobile system in partnership with Dupliq, bringing smarter, more flexible communications to our charity. This major upgrade is already improving how we stay connected with our staff, volunteers, clients, and the wider community.
Every month, Age UK Norwich handles over 1,500 phone calls from older people, their families, and professionals seeking advice, support, and connection. These conversations are at the heart of what we do, so it is vital that we can respond quickly and securely.
As a proud local brand partner of Age UK, one of the UK’s leading charities for older people, clear and reliable communication underpins all our services, from advice lines and wellbeing checks to home visits and social clubs.
Dupliq’s modern system helps us meet these demands. A Dupliq representative shared “We’re proud to support Age UK Norwich with a communications system that’s cost-effective, secure, and built for the future. It enables staff to work smarter and stay connected – wherever they are.”
What’s New?
Cloud-Based Phone System: Staff can now make and receive calls from any location – using desk phones, laptops, or mobiles. This flexibility ensures that client calls are answered more quickly, even when teams are working remotely or out in the community.
Business Mobiles for Key Staff: Our outreach teams remain in touch while on the move, ensuring we can check in with clients, respond to urgent needs, and stay connected across Norwich.
Cost Savings: These savings are being redirected into frontline services allowing us to support more people, more often.
Increased Flexibility: Staff can transfer calls, join virtual meetings, and access voicemail and call data from anywhere. This helps us avoid missed connections and improves continuity of care for clients.
Secure and GDPR-Compliant: The system is fully compliant with data protection standards, keeping sensitive information safe and giving clients confidence in our service.
This upgrade is more than a technical change. It is a meaningful step forward in how we support people. With faster response times, fewer missed calls, and improved collaboration across teams, we are making it easier for older people to get the help they need, when they need it.
The new system is being introduced gradually throughout July, with Dupliq working hand-in-hand with our IT and operations teams to ensure a smooth transition with no disruption to our vital services.
At a time when charities are under increasing pressure to do more with less, this investment in smarter communications helps us stay effective, agile, and focused on what matters most -supporting older people in Norwich to live well, age well, and enjoy a better quality of later life.
If you would like to speak with one of our advisors or find out about the services we offer, please contact our customer service team on 01603 496 333. Or email on enquiries@ageuknorwich.org.uk
Do you know what should be included in a contract of employment for your employees? Or what the differences between open ended, fixed term or zero hours contracts really are?
Join Lovewell Blake’s HR consultants Gemma Chapman and Vicky Webber for a comprehensive guide to contracts of employment, topics to be covered include:
Many organisations are great at thinking strategically when it comes to their overall business but neglect to follow the same approach when it comes to Cyber Security, instead employing tactical “solutions” – or none at all.
This is a key reason why despite having made some investment in Cyber Security, organisations frequently suffer financial loss and/or reputational damage due to hacks, ransomware or other types of malware that somehow seem to circumvent the measures they have in place.
Over the last few years, technology, and our reliance on it to run our businesses has changed significantly and continues to do so fast. That brings enormous opportunities -but also new risks. As we rely more on technology, and particularly Data, so we suffer more if that data is unavailable or compromised. Compromise to the Confidentiality of data (think Personal Data under GDPR particularly) can lead to reputational damage as well as trouble from the ICO. There are many ways in which this can happen.
Our reliance on data and technology used to be less, and it used to be more straight forward to protect, before the advent of cloud-based file sharing, tablet and mobile phone access and BYOD (Bring Your Own Device).
Like many things, you can approach Security strategically, or tactically.
An effective Cyber Security strategy needs to:
Be based on the risks to your business
Focused on the Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability of Data and Systems
Consider People, Process and Technology
Consider ALL of the copies of data
Evolve, constantly
Include a plan to deal with incidents and breaches
The Cyber Security of many organisations is more tactical in nature, frequently based on technical solutions only. This leads to many gaps, which not only leave them vulnerable to ever evolving Cyber Threats, but also would likely fail the test of “appropriate” measures in the event of an investigation following a Personal Data Breach (if you’re not familiar with Article 32 of GDPR, check it out).
Common reasons for this include:
Belief that Cyber Security is just an “IT Problem” (Hint: It’s a BUSINESS problem)
IT Security that has grown “organically” over time rather than to a plan
Focus on Technical Solutions only (ignoring key things like policies and processes, user training and business continuity planning)
Lack of investment (Time, money, skills)
So, What Next?
If you haven’t started approaching your Cyber Security strategically yet, here’s a quick outline of steps:
Understand what data you have and where
Understand what, and who accesses it
Consider the threats (and weakest links)
Assess the risks and impacts to your business (and to Personal Data)
Plan to reduce, mitigate (or accept, where appropriate), the risk accordingly
Document those decisions
Implement the plan, record progress, and evolve
Whether you’re looking at Cyber Security because of GDPR or because your clients are asking more questions around how you secure data they share with you, or just because you’ve become more aware of the risks to your business, the important thing is to get started!
Start to assess where you are. If you need help just with that piece, an initial Cyber Security Assessment or audit can cover this for you.
Build a plan; start with simple steps and incorporate some quick wins to reduce your risks quickly. We’ll cover some common ones in another blog. Include an Incident and Breach response plan.
Doing something is better than doing nothing. Once you get started, you’ll start to build momentum, and all the time you’ll be gradually reducing your risk.
If you’re comfortable doing things yourselves, the NCSC and ICO (National Cyber Security Centre and Information Commissioners Office) websites are great places to start with some helpful content.
If not, why not book a 30 minute call with one of our Security Consultants to get some more detailed advice on next steps?
It is with great pleasure that we share details of the event we are hosting to celebrate the phenomenal achievements of some of our Langley alumni.
The ‘Adventure and Exploration‘ talk will take place at 18:15 – 19:15 on Monday 6th November at Langley Senior School (Loddon, NR14 6BJ), and will feature three incredible Icenians.
Entry is free but you must have a ticket, so sign up for yours today here.
The panel of speakers
Ian Couch is an Atlantic and Indian Oceans Rower, with six World Records to his name. He is the Head Safety Officer for the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge organised by Atlantic Campaigns. Ian and his father went to Langley School.
Luca Feser was part of Team HODL, who rowed across the Pacific Ocean in June 2023. They became the first ever male trio to complete the journey from Monterey, California to Hawaii and also, the fastest trio ever. Two of the three members of HODL are Langley alumni.
Julian Barnwell is a Diver and World Record Atlantic Rower. During the course of a number of years using specialist survey equipment, Julian and his brother discovered the Gloucester (1682) shipwreck off the Norfolk coast. He is a Governor at Langley School.
If there is a positive to be taken from the Covid-19 lockdown period, it is in the very real resourcefulness which many have shown. I have experienced this personally in my role as Head of Private Client at Hatch Brenner Solicitors in Norwich.
In line with the legal requirements of the long-standing Wills Act 1837, a will must be signed in person and witnessed to be legally valid … pandemic or not.
The Wills Act states that for your will to be legally valid, you must:
sign it in the presence of two witnesses who are both over 18.
have it signed by your two witnesses, in your presence.
Whilst initially many in the profession claimed this was too difficult to carry out in practice, in reality, many clients have adapted remarkably well and worked with us to devise innovative solutions to get around this legal hurdle during lockdown and within social distancing guidelines.
In one very memorable case, a client of mine had to throw the bundle of legal documents over her garden hedge to reach her neighbour who had agreed to be her witness. On noticing that the client still had a signature left to complete, the document bundle was duly thrown back over the hedge, and again for the third and fourth time. Needless to say, the documents were slightly ruffled when they arrived on my desk, but legal and valid all the same.
In less dramatic cases, I have driven to various parts of our fine county to witness signatures myself, either in gardens – front and back, or else in the garage or other available shelter in more inclement weather.
Clients will be waiting for me at their door – armed with their masks and gloves, and with individual pens for everyone to use, plus a table to ensure a two metre gap between the parties.
There have been plenty of laughs along the way, but also an opportunity to build relationships with our clients, and it is very satisfying to be able to move forwards with completing a will for someone during a time which has been worrying and uncertain for many.
It remains to be seen whether, in the future, the Wills Act may be reviewed and updated to allow for online or video-witnessed signatures. The government have confirmed there are currently no plans to do so, with the strict rules in place to protect the vulnerable against fraud or undue influence.
We remain willing to be flexible, adaptable and available for our clients … whatever it takes! In addition, our office is now reopen for client appointments – call 01603 660 811 to book in or you can email me at carolinebillings@hatchbrenner.co.uk.
