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National Apprenticeship Week 2017
Naked Marketing was honoured to be involved in the 10th National Apprenticeship Week this March by volunteering to take part in mock interviews at Develop.
The purpose of the week is to encourage more people to choose apprenticeships as a fast-track to a great career. We sent Jodie along to interview students for a graphic design role which required a highly motivated individual with creative flair, good computer skills and a strong knowledge of the industry standard design software.
Jodie interviewed five students in total with 95% of them finding the process very useful and half of them said they would strongly consider an apprenticeship as their preferred progression following education. That sounds like great feedback in our eyes! Jodie comments: “We all know job interviews can be incredibly scary, especially to those yet to step into the world of employment. To be able to help the students learn and gain the skills required was a great privileged.”
Ellis, one of the students taking part commented: “I felt nervous going into the interview, but once I got into the interview and starting talking to Jodie it became more easier to be myself and to come out of my shell. The experience was great and I really enjoyed It. Overall, the interview has given me an insight into what an interview is like and has helped me for when I will have an interview for a job one day.”
Develop is a not-for-profit organisation which delivers a comprehensive range of education and training programmes across the Eastern region for young people from ages 14-19.
Delia’s Catering Promote Mothers Day Via BBA Digital Media
We love to welcome back clients. <a s Resturant or Top Of The Terrace.
Sprucing up Radiant Kitchens
We are thrilled to announce that we are now working in association with Vaccoda Design with Radiant Kitchens, based in Enfield in North London; providing a multitude of different kitchens, designs and improvements to homes across London. Radiant Kitchens approached us through their development team as they needed search engine optimisation (SEO) work for their website.
In the past few months they have required a degree of work to ensure their site is found for potential clients and customers making relevant searches online. With a set budget in place for the coming months, Radiant Kitchens have been seeking a way to make their money go further and with a strong SEO strategy in place have already seen a number of improvements to their website, leading to increases in site traffic.
With their website using the very search engine-friendly WordPress content management system (CMS), it has been a seamless, getting their website up to speed and ensuring that Google and other search engines are able to better crawl their site.
Initially embarking upon cleaning up their existing site and making sure that the current offerings in their site are as SEO-friendly as possible, we have seen improvements to their site speed, internal link structure and have improved the user experience and user journeys for their website.
From the outset, we ensured that all pages on their site, including product pages, landing pages and their homepage and about us pages were ordered and organised to guide users through a journey; leading them to the point of contact or sale. This was achieved by making the offerings and information on site pages clearer and more prominent. By ensuring that contact information is appropriately placed and easily seen and making sure the focus of each page is clear, users are more inclined to enquire about their products and offerings.
We have cleaned up all of the meta data on the Radiant Kitchens website to make sure than all meta keywords are removed (as they are part of very outdated SEO practices) and that all meta titles and descriptions are fully optimised; taking target keywords into account and adhering to the strict character limits of search engines, whilst getting the brand’s message across to customers and prospective clients alike. By making sure all of their meta data is optimised has meant that their position and visibility as well as message have been greatly improved across search engines.
We have also applied alt-texts to all of the images on the Radiant Kitchens website. This ensures that Google and other search engines can ‘read’ the images and rank the pages appropriately. In addition it has allowed the site to see images of products ranked on Google Image Search, providing increased visibility.
We are in the process of implementing a comprehensive content strategy for Radiant Kitchens, to provide bespoke pages of content around each of their services, their areas covered and their range of products and we look forward to furthering our progress and our ongoing relationship with the team at Radiant Kitchens.
Rostrons Accountants creates “We Can”, to support women in the region to achieve at the highest level in business.
When Sabah Meddings, former EDP Business features writer, researched the top 100 EDP businesses, she found that as few as 74 of the 526 board members were female and a startling 57 firms had male only boards. The benefits of having female representation on boards have been widely discussed and interestingly none of the FTSE 100 companies have male only boards. For Norfolk to keep pace with the rest of the country and respond to the growth opportunities in our region, we need to create opportunities for women at the highest level.
The concept of “We Can” emerged after talking with women in leadership roles in the region and reading about the EDP research. At Rostrons, we were becoming increasingly aware of the absence of a female forum at a top level to share ideas and experiences and to provide a support for future female talent in Norfolk.
Led by 3 female directors, at Rostrons we feel both privileged to have the opportunity to work at a senior level and motivated and responsible for supporting other women achieve their career ambitions. Historically some senior women have been criticised for “pulling up the drawbridge” once they have made it themselves. We believe that if you nurture and support your region, ultimately you and your business will develop and grow too.
Looking to our professional contacts and client base as a start point, we assembled a group of successful women to see if there was an appetite to create a forum or group and identify what we might all wish to gain from it. Our plans and thoughts were deliberately embryonic. We wanted the future steps to be shaped by those who joined us.
Our first meeting took place in November and as a group of 12, we represented some of the region’s top professional services firms and pressure groups. We quickly realised that as well as identifying a need for action, we had also linked up with a group of women similarly as motivated and excited about doing something to make a difference. At that initial meeting we agreed that to make a change, we needed to be action orientated and there were two key areas where we should focus on first:
· Creating a network to advertise and gain support for women to achieve target board positions in Norfolk
· Harnessing the wealth of skills within our group to offer an unparalleled mentoring opportunity for aspiring women.
Since then we have grown our support base as other high profile women in the region have become involved and our next steps are to organise a working session to translate ideas into action.
Alan Boswell Group Charitable Trust reaches £3 million in donations since 2019
The Alan Boswell Group Charitable Trust (ABGCT) is proud to announce the achievement of a major milestone: over £3 million donated to charitable causes since its inception in 2019.
Alan Boswell Group has always looked to support as many good causes as possible. For over 30 years they had maintained a ‘Charity of the Year’ before setting up the Trust in 2019, with the aim of distributing a percentage of company profits to local charitable causes.
The Trust supports causes in the communities in which the company operates across Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, and Lincolnshire. Over the past six years, it has supported more than 450 charities and community organisations, funding projects that support the arts, community sports and leisure, nature conservation, health and medical care, animal welfare, and vulnerable communities.
Employees are encouraged to actively participate in the charitable initiatives. Staff members can recommend charities that would benefit from funding, organise individual fundraising events that are match-funded, and get involved directly by becoming part of the Trust committee.
“Reaching £3 million in donations is a testament to the generosity of our people and the strength of our partnerships with local charities,” said Alan Boswell, Executive Chairman of Alan Boswell Group. “It’s important to invest in our communities, and we’re pleased that the Trust has been able to make a positive impact.”
“We’re forever grateful for the support of the Alan Boswell Group Charitable Trust.” said a representative from Mind Over Cancer. “As a small charity trying to fill a much-needed area of support, we rely heavily on the support of organisations like Alan Boswell Group.”
Norwich’s MIGSOLV enables tech firm to launch high-performance 2-hour disaster recovery service
Norwich’s MIGSOLV enables tech firm to launch high-performance 2-hour disaster recovery service
Tech company Core DataCloud is today launching a high-performance cloud-based data backup and disaster recovery service run from the ultra-secure Norwich data centre operated by Norfolk Chamber Gold Patron MIGSOLV.
The new service is aimed at mid-market companies. It provides competitively-priced data backup and high-performance disaster recovery – enabling customers to get their systems fully up and running within two hours. It is based on specialised hardware from Nimble Storage.
Core DataCloud has already had IT systems within MIGSOLV’s Gatehouse data centre in Norwich for two years. The company is now extending its presence within the Gatehouse to deliver the new service.
Sharad Saggar, Core DataCloud’s CEO, explains: “Launching this service is a major step forward for us – enabling us to offer value for money backup and extremely fast, effective disaster recovery.”
Saggar continues: “Every organisation should know exactly how and where its data is being stored. Simply hoping it’s safe somewhere ‘in the cloud’ isn’t good enough, as a cloud service is only as reliable as the hardware and data centre that support it. We’ve selected Nimble’s hardware as the most flexible, scalable and cost-effective platform. And MIGSOLV’s data centre was an obvious choice as one of the most secure in the country, outside London and backed by an agile, customer-friendly team”.
David Manning, Managing Director of MIGSOLV, comments: “We’re proud that our data centre and bandwidth services are playing their part in enabling Core DataCloud to launch its new services. The company is already a valued customer and it’s a great testament to our relationship that it’s expanding its footprint within our facility to support this new development.”
Core DataCloud is an ISO 27001-accredited managed IT services provider which was founded in 1998. It specialises in providing UK and European organisations with backup, disaster recovery and cloud storage services. For more, see www.coredatacloud.com.
MIGSOLV provides IT colocation from its ultra-secure Gatehouse data centre in Norwich. It provides flexible rack space to public bodies and companies from small organisations to large enterprises, backed by an IT migration service and comprehensive, round-the-clock support. See www.migsolv.com.
Nimble Storage, with revenues exceeding $300 million, was founded in 2008 and is headquartered in California. It has more than 10,000 customers in over 50 countries and more than 1,000 employees. The company says its storage systems allow its customers to access data 10 times faster and protect five times more apps than competitor systems. See www.nimblestorage.com.
For more media information, interviews or images, please contact: Tariq Khwaja from TK Associates on: tariq.khwaja@tk-associates.com T: 01932 224 212
Apprenticeships at CWA
If you have chosen your career and want to start work right away, completing your training and qualification whilst in employment, an apprenticeship is for you.
Retail Cyberattacks Are a Wake-Up Call for UK Businesses
Cyberattacks on high-street retailers Marks & Spencer and Co-op have sent a clear message to UK businesses: no organisation is too large – or too established – to fall victim to cybercrime. As threats grow more complex, investing in cyber security management is now essential to protect business continuity and reputation.
At Netmatters, we provide expert cyber security management services to businesses across Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and the wider UK. Our services include comprehensive cyber security assessment services, advanced penetration testing, and incident response planning to help organisations stay ahead of emerging risks.
We also offer free external vulnerability testing – a valuable first step for identifying potential weaknesses in your publicly accessible systems.
M&S and Co-op Hit by Major Attacks
Over the Easter weekend, Marks & Spencer experienced a serious cyber breach that disrupted its online operations for weeks. Customer names, contact details, and order histories were exposed – causing not only financial losses but reputational damage and shaken customer trust.
Co-op faced similar disruption through a supply chain attack that brought deliveries to a standstill, leading to empty shelves and operational setbacks expected to last for weeks.
These incidents are part of a growing trend. The UK Government’s Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2025 revealed that 43% of businesses – over 600,000 companies – reported a cyber breach or attack in the past 12 months. SME’s specifically lose around £3.5 billion a year to cyber attacks. Phishing remains the most common threat, but ransomware and supply chain attacks like these are increasingly damaging.
What This Means for Your Business
Larger retailers might have the resources to recover, but for smaller organisations, a similar attack could be catastrophic. Without regular cyber security assessment services or penetration testing, many businesses won’t detect vulnerabilities until after it’s too late.
At Netmatters, we offer businesses a free external vulnerability scan. This is a security assessment performed from outside a network to identify potential weaknesses in its publicly accessible systems and services. It simulates attacks from a remote attacker, looking for vulnerabilities in things like web applications, open ports, and exposed services.
This gives you an easy, no-cost way to gain insight into your risk exposure.
Real-World Results: Theatre Royal Norwich
Netmatters recently helped Theatre Royal Norwich, one of the UK’s leading regional theatres, strengthen their cybersecurity posture after they recognised vulnerabilities in their IT infrastructure.
Through a comprehensive audit and implementation of advanced security measures – including cyber security penetration testing and endpoint protection – we helped them:
- Identify and close critical security gaps
- Minimise operational risk
- Build a sustainable, long-term cyber defence strategy
This transformation gave Theatre Royal peace of mind and allowed them to focus on delivering excellent experiences without fear of cyber disruption.
It’s a clear example of how effective cyber security management can protect even the most public-facing organisations.
The Cost of Inaction Is Too High
Cybersecurity should not be treated as a one-off investment or a checkbox for compliance. It must form part of your long-term strategy for resilience. The financial and reputational cost of a breach far outweighs the cost of prevention.
Netmatters is here to help you stay secure with tailored solutions, whether you’re a retail giant or a growing SME. With locations in Norfolk and Cambridgeshire, we offer local expertise backed by national experience.
Start with a free external vulnerability test – and take the first step towards securing your business.
Don’t wait to become the next headline.
Visit our Cyber Security page or contact us today to learn how Netmatters can help protect your business from the growing threat of cyberattacks.
MIGSOLV joins PSTG to offer full tech package to local businesses
Norwich data centre firm MIGSOLV joins PSTG to offer full tech package to local businesses
Norwich-based data centre operator MIGSOLV – a Norfolk Chamber Gold Patron – has struck a partnership with IT company PSTG to offer a full packaged technology service to local businesses. This includes data centre ‘colocation’, IT system design, computer hardware and support.
MIGSOLV provides IT colocation services from its ultra-secure Gatehouse facility in Norwich – the only major data centre in the Norfolk/Suffolk area. The company provides flexible rack space for public bodies and companies across all sectors securely to site their IT systems. It also provides a service to help customers move into The Gatehouse and comprehensive, round-the-clock support.
Professional Services Technology Group (PSTG) is a provider of computer hardware which provides a comprehensive set of associated services from initial systems design through to support. It operates across many sectors – with particular expertise in health, finance and hospitality – working with vendors including HP, EMC, IBM, Cisco, Dell and Microsoft.
The new partnership enables PSTG to offer its customers a highly secure data centre in the East of England, while it enables MIGSOLV to offer hardware and associated consultancy services. It also enables the two companies to bid jointly for requirements for a full packaged service.
David Manning, Managing Director of MIGSOLV, explains: “The partnership makes great business sense for us, PSTG and our collective customers. We’re now able to call on PSTG’s expertise in computer hardware and related services for clients who want the convenience of an integrated package. We’ve already had customers ask if we can provide a service of this kind. Our relationship with PSTG now makes this possible.”
Colin Woods, Business Development Manager at PSTG, comments: “We need to be able to offer our customers the best data centre services on the market. Our strategy is to team up with independent operators rather than the big players, as we believe that will give our customers better flexibility, value and customer care. MIGSOLV fits the bill perfectly. We’re extremely impressed by the professionalism and security of its Norwich data centre, and I know we’ll work well together to deliver what our customers need.”
For more on MIGSOLV, people should visit www.migsolv.com, call 020 3600 1000 or email enquiries@migsolv.com. For more on PSTG, they should visit https://pstg.co.uk or call 0208 303 7622.
For more media information & images, please contact:
Tariq Khwaja from TK Associates on:
tariq.khwaja@tk-associates.com
01932 224 212
Naked Element Is Expanding!
We here at Naked Element are very pleased to announce that Emma Gooderham is our new Commercial Director. Having previously supported other software companies to grow and develop through marketing strategies, sales plans and identifying potential new clients, she is the ideal person to guide Naked Element in our own growth. As a Fellow of the Institute of Directors, as well as one of only a handful of Chartered Directors in the county, she is well placed to add her expertise to our Norwich-based tech company. After consulting for us back in 2015 it was clear that Emma and Naked Element were a good fit, as she loves what we do and how we do it! “Naked Element develops software to solve business problems through a variety of innovative ways – automating business processes, developing applications that talk to each other, share information and monitor performance. They even create new digital products and services” Emma explains “But it’s also the way in which Naked Element works that makes them different. Using an agile approach to development projects, working closely with clients to demonstrate software and get feedback regularly throughout the project, they can adapt as they progress. It really is a client-centred approach and these are the reasons I love Naked Element and am so pleased to join!” Having worked with every type of company from start-ups to big financial businesses, Emma will use her years of experience and business acumen to identify and really engage with prospective clients, as well as develop a long term strategy for growth. If you have a software project on your ‘to do’ list for 2017, why not contact Emma directly? Email her at emma.gooderham@nakedelement.co.uk Call her on +44 (0) 1603 383458, or +44 (0) 7900 603703 Or you can just connect with her on LinkedIn and she will get in touch with you!
New Website for Hiltfields.
We’ve designed a tasty new website for Hiltfields, a high quality food products manufacturer. Our brief was to redesign the website to promote their range of food expertise more effectively and increase online enquiries.
The client is very satisfied with the results, especially with lots of new website enquiries. You can see the brand new site at www.hiltfields.com
Bigfork
Intelligent Website Design
01603 513 080