Henry Cockerton of chartered surveyors “Cockertons” in Holt, has joined Brown&Co as a partner from 1st July 2017. Henry, together with Tim Nicholson will join the existing team of Tom Cator and Vicky Coleman in a combined office in the heart of Holt. Over the past few years Cockertons has become the foremost independent firm of Chartered Surveyors and Property Consultants in north Norfolk. Henry Cockerton commented “As this area continues to grow into one of the region’s most important and sought-after destinations for land and property we feel the support and backing of a firm of Brown & Co’s stature and reputation will enable us to continue to provide the best service to our existing clients and expand together as one of the region’s largest firms of Independent Chartered Surveyors and Property Consultants”.
Charles Whitaker, Managing Partner of Brown&Co said “We are delighted to bring Tim and Henry into the Brown&Co business and to welcome Henry as a young and highly regarded professional to the partnership. The acquisition of the Cockertons practice and merger of our existing Holt residential office with Henry’s business will create growth for us collectively in Holt and a strong, multi-disciplinary professional practice in the heart of the region.” Henry Cockerton added “In this part of the world the names Brown & Co and Cockertons have been synonymous with expert advice and unrivalled knowledge in the field of land and property advice for decades and Tim and I are delighted to be moving forward together.”
We have just launched our new ecommerce website design and build service to help companies take advantage of the massive growth in online shopping. The new platform allows bespoke design and has a very long shopping list of ecommerce features to allow our clients to have highly effective and usable shopping sites.
Bigfork can also provide digital marketing services to help increase profitable traffic to your online shop through SEO, email marketing, social media and PPC campaigns.
To see the new platform in action take a look round at our snappy demo site at www.krocodile-photo.co.uk
You can also download our ecommerce pack below which has full details. To see more examples check out our ecommerce portfolio.
Bigfork are a digital marketing agency that gets results.
The Brown&Co Summer property auction took place on Thursday 22nd June at The Assembly Rooms in Norwich.
In a packed auction room, there was plenty of bidding and garages, cottages, properties in need of renovation, land and larger properties all sold very well. Fifteen of the 16 lots were sold at auction, with the other lot selling immediately afterwards and in many cases the results were well in excess of the guide prices and reserves set. There were many highlights and the wide variety of property in all price ranges demonstrates activity across the board and that despite difficulties in the country, the market is buoyant in the region with plenty of demand from buyers. A key highlight of the sale was a four bedroom house in Stratford Crescent, Cringleford which sold for £100,000 over the reserve and amenity land with potential in Newton St Faith also exceeded expectations.
“We now look forward to our autumn sale with a spring in our step and as always, hope to be able to help colleagues with any suitable properties” said auctioneer Peter Hornor from the Norwich office. “Do please contact either myself or Trevor Blythe or anyone in the Norwich office if you want to know more about how auctions can work for you”, he added.
The next auction will be held at The Assembly Rooms in Norwich on Thursday 28th September 2017.
In close collaboration with the design and development teams at Vaccoda Design, we are glad to announce that we are working on Radiant Kitchen’s website. Radiant Kitchens are a North London kitchen showroom and experts in fitting a wide range of kitchens and relevant installations, based in Enfield. Mixing high quality kitchens and excellent customer service, they have built up a loyal and admirable customer base across not just North London, but Greater London as a whole.
We were approached by Radiant Kitchens as they were not seeing much online exposure and therefore business. they have a WordPress supported website that looks and feels sleek and easy. However, they found themselves increasingly on the fringes of the kitchen industry. A very competitive area, Radiant Kitchens’ approach has been to look at the targeting of local searches and pushing specific products that they offer.
An advantage that the team at Radiant Kitchens have is that unlike many other companies with websites, theirs is not in a dire position and rather than having previously undertaken black-hat Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), negatively impacting their online presence, they have simply not ever undergone any significant SEO work until working with us.
What we Have Done So Far
Since starting a few months ago with Radiant Kitchens and the teams at Vaccoda Design we have implemented and upgraded a number of SEO aspects that needed attention. This has included optimising their meta titles, meta descriptions and alt-texts. Having had their meta data cleaned up for the benefit of search engines, Radiant Kitchens’ website is easier for Google and others to crawl [read] and rank. Furthermore, as a website with a large visual element to what they do; selling and showcasing kitchens and related products Google Image Search is crucial to what they do. By optimising and updating all of their website’s alt-text tags, their visual elements are now available on Google Image results.
We have also undertaken a link strategy of two elements. Initially, we removed all spammy links from their backlink profile to ensure all referring links are clean and Google and SEO-friendly. This has included removing them from several spammy directories and link-farms. By cleaning up their backlink profile, the site is afforded a higher level of credibility and is deemed as ‘genuine’ and ‘reliable,’ having only undertaken white hat, clean SEO.
We have also embarked on a structured content strategy. This includes ensuring their main services and products, such as Siemens Kitchen Appliances have their own dedicated pages of content-rich information and SEO-friendly practices. Furthermore, additional services and supplementary products for kitchens such as hot taps and others are important. This has entailed extensive keyword research to understand user data and keyword volumes to inform our overall targeting.
The Results
Radiant Kitchens are still in the early stages of their SEO campaign and much of the ‘big’ results are yet to manifest as Google crawls and re-ranks the site accordingly. However, Radiant Kitchens have already found themselves pushed up to the first position on Google for ‘Kitchens in Enfield,’ allowing them to capture their local area.
We look forward to continuing the work with radiant Kitchens together with the teams at Vaccoda Design.
Local recruitment specialists The Recruiting Office have unveiled improved branding as they embark on an exciting new strategy to continue their growth.
The refresh of their brand marks the start of their new marketing strategy to target local businesses. “We already attract many high-calibre candidates” says Neil Scarborough, Managing Director. “We simply want to reach more businesses and help them fill their roles with staff that last”.
The Recruiting Office approached a number of local marketing agencies. “Full Mix Marketing gave us the greatest confidence” says Neil. “Rather than recommending we change everything, they explained how we could improve our existing marketing to get stronger results”.
The evolution of The Recruiting Office’s brand and strapline signal a stronger emphasis on what they deliver best. “Having many long-term clients, we simply focus on doing a great job” adds Neil. “Our new brand demonstrates our professionalism and shows we understand what clients value most. Full Mix Marketing have helped us realise our five-stage vetting process goes further than our competitors and is something we need to shout about”.
Established in 2013, The Recruiting Office specialise in finding permanent and temporary staff for office, transport and manufacturing roles. With over 30 years combined experience, they’ve developed a reputation for being the go-to recruitment partner for many local businesses.
Over the coming months, Full Mix Marketing will be helping The Recruiting Office to deliver a comprehensive strategy of digital and offline marketing. “Like many professional and B2B businesses, The Recruiting Office know who their target customers are” says Sarah West, Managing Director of Full Mix Marketing. “Our role is to help them deliver the most cost-effective marketing to reach and convert them”.
Full Mix Marketing provide all the marketing businesses need to grow, including marketing plans and strategies, branding, full digital and social media marketing, as well as direct marketing campaigns and advertising.
The Recruiting Office discovered Full Mix Marketing through a Chamber event. “Yet again being members of Norfolk Chamber has been very positive for both of us” says Sarah. “It remains a strong part of the marketing mix we recommend our B2B clients”.
We are thrilled to reveal the shortlist for the Social Economy Awards 2025, a celebration of the people and organisations driving forward social change, innovation, and impact across the UK.
The Awards form part of the Social Economy Drive 2025 (17th – 21st November), a week-long programme of events showcasing the strength, creativity, and diversity of our social economy. From grassroots enterprises to sector leaders, this year’s finalists represent the very best of a movement that continues to transform communities and improve lives.
The winners will be revealed at a Black Tie Gala Dinner on:
📍 Anchor Point, Birmingham 📅 Thursday 20th November 2025 ⏰ From 6:00 PM
As part of Social Economy Drive 2025, the Social Economy Showcase Conference & Expo will bring together social enterprises, co-operatives, charities, funders, and supporters from across the UK.
It’s a unique opportunity to:
Promote your organisation by booking a stand
Network with peers, investors, and policy makers
Discover innovation and best practice shaping the future of the sector
Whether you are a finalist, a supporter, or simply passionate about the social economy, the Showcase is the place to connect, collaborate, and celebrate.
Viewers locally are being urged to treat their re-cycling with love, thanks to TV and radio commercials created by the JMS Group. Norfolk Waste Partnership sought a creative way to explain that contaminated recycled waste is, ultimately, un-recyclable.
“It would have been easy to come up with something earnest and serious” said Senior Copywriter Tim Mountford, “but as most of us now understand the value of recycling, we thought the message might be more memorable if we delivered it with a smile”.
The result is a simple animation accompanied by a Barry White-style melody, which is also at the heart of the radio campaign, conceived and produced at JMS’ Hethersett studios, urging viewers to ‘clean it, dry it, leave it loose’ and to ‘show some l.o.v.e’ to the people who sort it.
Sky viewers will see the commercial this Autumn.
For your next commercial or online video contact Francesca de Lacey on 01603 811855.
Local recruitment specialists The Recruiting Office have unveiled improved branding as they embark on an exciting new strategy to continue their growth.
The refresh of their brand marks the start of their new marketing strategy to target local businesses. “We already attract many high-calibre candidates” says Neil Scarborough, Managing Director. “We simply want to reach more businesses and help them fill their roles with staff that last”.
The Recruiting Office approached a number of local marketing agencies. “Full Mix Marketing gave us the greatest confidence” says Neil. “Rather than recommending we change everything, they explained how we could improve our existing marketing to get stronger results”.
The evolution of The Recruiting Office’s brand and strapline signal a stronger emphasis on what they deliver best. “Having many long-term clients, we simply focus on doing a great job” adds Neil. “Our new brand demonstrates our professionalism and shows we understand what clients value most. Full Mix Marketing have helped us realise our five-stage vetting process goes further than our competitors and is something we need to shout about”.
Established in 2013, The Recruiting Office specialise in finding permanent and temporary staff for office, transport and manufacturing roles. With over 30 years combined experience, they’ve developed a reputation for being the go-to recruitment partner for many local businesses.
Over the coming months, Full Mix Marketing will be helping The Recruiting Office to deliver a comprehensive strategy of digital and offline marketing. “Like many professional and B2B businesses, The Recruiting Office know who their target customers are” says Sarah West, Managing Director of Full Mix Marketing. “Our role is to help them deliver the most cost-effective marketing to reach and convert them”.
Full Mix Marketing provide all the marketing businesses need to grow, including marketing plans and strategies, branding, full digital and social media marketing, as well as direct marketing campaigns and advertising.
The Recruiting Office discovered Full Mix Marketing through a Chamber event. “Yet again being members of Norfolk Chamber has been very positive for both of us” says Sarah. “It remains a strong part of the marketing mix we recommend our B2B clients”.
Freebridge Community Housing are delighted to announce that two new directors have joined their management team.
Alex Dixon has come on board as Director of Assets and Development, whilst Birgit Lenton has joined as Director of Corporate Services and Culture.
Alex has a strong background in management and development and joins Freebridge from Bromford Housing Group in the West Midlands, where he was Director of New Homes. Alex has experience working within a team that have used innovative approaches to housing and brings that expertise to Freebridge.
Birgit has a wealth of experience in leadership and business management at a senior level. She has previously worked for the Constructions Industry Training Board in Bircham Newton, and in her new role of Director of Corporate Services and Culture will be overseeing Human Resources, Communications & Engagement and Governance.
Alex Dixon, Director of Assets and Development, said: “I am delighted to join Freebridge and looking forward to helping the team develop an increasing supply of new homes and ensuring our existing homes continue to provide great accommodation for our customers.”
Birgit Lenton, Director of Corporate Services and Culture, said: “I am pleased to have joined Freebridge Community Housing and have been overwhelmed by the warm welcome that I have received from everybody.
“I look forward to building on the good work of the past 10 years to help the organisation and its people become the best they can be, serving the people within West Norfolk.”
Tony Hall, Freebridge Chief Executive, said: “We are delighted to welcome Alex and Birgit on board to further strengthen our management team. With their experience, knowledge and expertise they will make great additions to the organisation, and we look forward to working with them to continue developing homes and creating opportunities for people within West Norfolk.”
It has been a busy fortnight for Great Yarmouth-based PR and marketing agency TMS Media.
The company has just launched a major new website for a county-wide employment project and picked up three new sites for other organisations. Its busy web department is currently working on 20 new websites and database projects, including two for international clients.On Monday, TMS learned that it had won a competitive bid to project manage a major energy conference and exhibition for the next two years.
“It’s an exciting time for us,” said managing director Steve Scott. “Norwich has long been seen as the region’s creative centre, and there are some great companies there, but we’re showing that with competitive pricing, quality work and fast turn-round we can offer a real alternative in Great Yarmouth.
“The influx of work, including lots of PR for clients, has enabled us to take on two new members of staff, including a fourth journalist and a photographer who is also a film maker. The 13 talented people TMS employs are a key factor in the company’s recent successes.
“While we are winning work with bigger clients, we are also continuing to see enquiries from small companies and start-ups keen to tap into those talents.”
TMS built a website for Norfolk Community College, which helps over-25s who have been out of work for a long time to find employment. Soon after the website’s launch TMS was commissioned to create sites for a boatbuilder, a mobility supplies company and a membership organisation.
Among other projects the company is working on are a complex vendor portal for a Scandinavian client and an online mapping system for supply chain companies operating in the offshore wind industry in the UK, Netherlands, Germany, Denmark and Belgium.
Hard on the heels of being commissioned to design and build a new website for the East of England Energy Group, TMS won a competitive tender to project manage the organisation’s annual Southern North Sea conference and exhibition for the next two years. Planning for the next event at the Norfolk Showground on March 14th and 15th 2018 began this week.
We are delighted to announce that we are working with Bomb Petite, an exciting fashion label based in Shoreditch. The company was founded in 2014 by Jenny Liu, originally from North America who saw a gap in the market to offer designer clothing for women under 5’4″. Bomb Petite has become the first official company in the UK to offer designer dresses, wedding gowns and fashion for petite women. Although there are other companies like ASOS and BooHoo that sell these clothes, there is no website or business that every specialised in it, until now.
What Work Are We Doing For Them?
Search Engine Optimisation
Getting companies higher up Google is of course our speciality. We are specifically targetting keywords relating to petite fashion, clothing and dresses. We have started by doing a big clean up of the website, which currently consists of over 500 pages. We have checked each one to ensure that all meta-titles, descriptions and headings are well optimised for search engines. Now we are using the content creatively with the homepage and products pages for specific clothing and hundreds of useful guides to target long tail keywords such as ‘clothes to make you look taller’ and ‘clothes for petite people.’
We are working hard to generate natural and clean links to the website through a PR strategy. Being in the fashion and startup environment makes the site receptive to startup magazines, websites and fashion blogs – so it is a case of leveraging the strong ones to get the right kind of links to benefit SEO. In addition, we are looking at speeding up the site to maximise user engagement and conversions.
User Experience
For any eCommerce website, the role of user experience (UX) is key. Since people are keen to browse through different dresses, products and pages, we need to review how users look at the site and the best ways to make them convert into customers. We aim to run some sufficient tests across desktop and mobile over the next few weeks, focusing on the size of images, colour of buttons, the use of a promotion and newsletter offers. Our main goal is to convert more customers, lower bounce rates and maximise time on the website. All of these factors will help the website grow as a brand and this in turn will help SEO.
The company was founded in 2014 with an initial budget of just $850. Bomb Petite will be looking for additional investment later this year.
Gordon Secker is taking a fortnight off work as auditor with PKF Accountants and business advisers for a once-in-a-lifetime chance to get involved in the Olympic games.
The Lowestoft man has been selected for the team of Olympic volunteers and will help organise travel for more than 25,000 journalists – even though it has meant giving up tickets to see a couple of the actual events.
“It wasn’t an easy decision but it’s something different; something I have never done before and will never do again and rather than watching I will be playing an active part and savouring the atmosphere across the Olympic Park,” he said.
It means a significant few weeks for the 38-year-old senior business adviser who has also just completed 10 years service with PKF in Great Yarmouth.
More than 12 hours training has prepared him for the Olympic role where he will join a team ensuring smooth passage for broadcasters and writers using a shuttle bus system to various Olympic events. He’ll work 13 eight-hour shifts and get to keep his official uniform as a souvenir.
PHOTO: Bubbly moment for Gordon Secker (left) as he marks 10 years at PKF and prepares for his Olympic role. Bob Hawkins, PKF partner, hands over the Champagne.