East Norfolk Sixth Form College will introduce a new BTEC Level 3 Engineering Course in September 2014. The introduction of the course is prompted by the growing needs of local economy. As we are very dedicated to providing the best educational opportunities to our students, improving services to the community and working with close partnership with local businesses we want to ensure our offer benefits young people and their future employers equally. This stakeholder meeting will offer a platform for dialogue, contribution and partnership about the units we should offer and areas of shortage. We ask that you recognise the value of having a say in the education provided to your prospective workforce by attending the meeting.
Book your place with Kasia Beblot by Friday 6 December Email:kbeblot@eastnorfolk.ac.uk or telephone 01493 662234
According to an academic study carried out by Dr Lisa Ackerley, the Hygiene Doctor, the main cause of germs at the desk and keyboard is poor personal hygiene, with nearly 50 per cent of office workers responding to her survey admitting they do not wash their hands after going to the toilet. Bacteria and viruses that people bring back from the washroom multiply on the hard work surfaces of the desk and chair and remain infectious for 24 hours. There are a staggering 21,000 germs per square inch on chairs, desks and keyboards. In fact, the average office desk harbours 10 million bacteria. That’s 100 times more germs than a kitchen table and 400 times more than the average toilet seat. Stats that are scary enough in themselves, but when you add the current ‘hot-desking’ culture to the mix, it becomes even more alarming.
Not washing their hands after going to the loo isn’t the only disgusting habits our colleagues have; a recent survey conducted by a global hygiene company, SCA, examined 1000 UK workers and their attitudes towards hygiene in the workplace. The results revealed that almost two-thirds of Brits wished their place of work was cleaner and more hygienic, with only one-quarter of workers rating it as very hygienic. The worst habits included:
Sneezing without using a tissue – 42%
Leaving dirty dishes in the kitchen or sink – 36%
Not washing hands after using the bathroom – 36%
People not flushing the loo – 33%
Messy desks covered in rubbish – 23%
Not emptying full bins – 18%
Eating at a desk – 14%
Leaving empty toilet tissue rolls in the washroom – 14%
People not disposing of sanitary protection products properly – 13%
Biting nails – 12%
Whilst education on hygiene could help to combat some of the problems, employing the services of a contract cleaning company is paramount to maintaining a healthy working environment. When you consider the loss of revenue a bout of norovirus could cause, the excellent ROI of handing over the responsibility of keeping your premises clean and germ-free becomes much clearer.
Reminding staff to flush the toilet and wash their hands with strategically placed signage, having a clear desk policy and providing employees with breakout areas to eat their snacks and lunch are all simple, yet proactive ways to tackle poor hygiene. Perhaps even a ‘tidiest team’ competition with a prize awarded monthly. Some habits are difficult to challenge, such as nail-biting and sneezing without a tissue, but could be mentioned in hygiene training sessions and damage limitation increased through a good cleaning regime.
Leaving dirty dishes in the kitchen or sink is often resolved through a washing-up rota, with a dash of peer pressure to ensure everyone takes their turn.
If you are looking to reduce hygiene related staff sickness absences and improve the cleanliness of your business premises, contact us for more details of our contract cleaning services and one-off deep cleans.
Branded and centrally supported Tax and Payroll insourced services are now on offer to franchisees providing an enhanced service, benefiting both franchisees and their clients.
Since joining the TaxAssist Accountants Board last year as Group Commercial Director, Daren Moore FCCA has been keen to develop centralised services to help support franchisees, offering huge benefits in terms of pricing as well as time efficiencies and marketability for franchisees.
“We already have a number of external partners providing payroll and tax consultancy services, but while our external partners provide a great quality service, they are generally aimed at larger clients and more complex situations,” explained Daren. “By using our collective experience in the small business market, we are able to tailor services to our typical clients.”
TaxAssist has built an in-house team of experts to deliver the TaxAssist branded services, generating economies of scale, which will be reflected in the pricing for these services helping franchisees increase their profitability.
And with payroll services being run through a leading cloud-based portal, insourced services can provide enhanced functionality for the franchisee, the client and their employee.
“We want to create as much flexibility as possible for the network and we hope that by introducing insourced services, we will help franchisees generate additional fees and free up valuable staff time that may be better used elsewhere,” added Daren.
These services don’t just benefit existing clients, tax and payroll services are also highly marketable services for franchisees.
“Our marketing plans will reflect the launch of our new insourced services, allowing us to target different types of clients and increase the number of existing businesses we can provide leads into for the network.
Looking ahead, TaxAssist will continue to develop insourcing plans and will look at other complimentary services that can be brought in house as we see huge benefits in these services and opportunity for all.”
If you would like to find out more about joining the TaxAssist Accountants network, please call 0800 018829 or visit www.taxassistfranchise.co.uk
There has been recent media coverage in relation to the use of faux furs and instances where it has been revealed that real fur is present. The Advertising Standards Authority have created some guidance for businesses where this may be an issue.
The UK’s largest network of small business accountants has relaunched its successful and innovative advertising campaign across a number of terrestrial and digital TV channels leading up to and during the height of the tax return season.
TaxAssist Accountants has heavily invested in a timely TV advertising campaign to raise brand awareness and drive new business as part of the national marketing package offered to its 200-stong franchise network.
James Mattam, Group Business Development Director, said: “Our ‘Get All Relaxed About Tax’ campaign was launched last year, resulting in a good uplift in enquiries and helping to push the TaxAssist brand on a local and national level.
“With more than 328 visible and accessible TaxAssist Accountants shops and offices across the UK, our accountancy network is ideally placed to service the increased demand from small businesses during the tax season and beyond, particularly as we head towards Making Tax Digital for VAT which comes into force in March.”
The TaxAssist Accountants franchise has been operating successfully for more than 24 years and has been a game changer for both the accounting industry and for small businesses in the way it ‘retails’ tax and advisory services through open and welcoming shops.
If you are interested in find out more about operating a practice under the TaxAssist Accountants brand name, please call 0800 0188297 or visit www.taxassistfranchise.co.uk We look forward to hearing from you.
Bernard Matthews, Britain’s No.1 turkey producer, is set to generate further growth in the cooked meats, fresh and frozen breaded poultry categories with the launch of a new marketing campaign that targets busy mums.
The new million pound campaign, which includes women’s magazines, national newspapers, outdoor, in-store and digital activity, started on the 7th October 2013 and will run nationwide.
Bernard Matthews remains one of the nation’s favourite food brands* and this new high impact creative gives the brand a strong visual identity, and aims to remind mums of the quality and versatility of Bernard Matthews products at meal times. It also features the new-look consumer branding, which was launched in August.
The new campaign will feature a range of illustrations making mum the hero, with the first execution featuring Bernard Matthews Turkey Breast Slices.
“Mum’s are continually telling us that the most satisfying thing at meal times is putting food down on the dinner table that their children will enjoy. We’re therefore committed to offering mums great value meal time products, that are tasty, easy and quick to serve and keep the whole family happy.” said Charlie Douglas, Brand Marketing Controller. “Our new ‘Champion of Mums’ creative highlights this with the line ‘Greatness without effort’ and shows mum as the hero at meal time. We’d encourage retailers to make the most of our biggest marketing investment in years.”
Figures just published show that more new businesses were established in Norfolk during 2018 than in any previous year – despite the challenges of political and economic uncertainty surrounding Brexit.
In terms of new companies, 4,542 were registered in the county compared to 4,399 in 2017 which represents an increase of 3.3%.
This brings the total number of registered companies in Norfolk to 37,466, up from 36,459 at the end of 2017, which equates to 2.8% growth.
The statistics come from the Inform Direct Review of UK Company Formations using data from Companies House and the Office for National Statistics.
Norwich formed the most new businesses (1,092), followed by King’s Lynn and West Norfolk (733) and Breckland (645).
John Korchak, Director of Operations at Inform Direct said: “These record high figures for new company formations in Norfolk show a very positive picture for business against a background of political and economic uncertainty. It is clear that the county continues to provide a supportive environment, both for new business ventures and existing enterprises.
“It is heartening to see entrepreneurs making their mark with increasing numbers of new businesses being formed. This picture is mirrored elsewhere in the UK, with a number of regions seeing more new formations in 2018 than at any time in their history and the UK as a whole achieving a new record total of registered companies.”
Across the UK as a whole, a record number of new companies were formed- 669,855 compared with 634,116 in 2017.
The number of registered companies in the UK also continued to grow, finishing the year with a total of 4,308,022.
To see a more detailed picture of company formations in Norfolk – including a full local breakdown, visit:
Inform Direct is a company secretarial and formation specialist. Its award-winning company secretarial and formations software currently supports more than 100,000 UK companies.
In our work here at ImportExportSupport, it’s clear that not every business knows that, in the event of no-deal with the EU on March 29th, for all movements into and out of the EU they will need to have an EORI number. They will also need to submit customs import and export entries. Here’s the ImportExportSupport guide to dealing with this issue.
1. Does this apply to my business ? If you trade with the EU, and we leave without a deal, you will need an EORI number. Without it, from 31st March, your goods will be stuck at port 2. What is an EORI number? Economic Operator Registration and Identification number, required by HMRC to allow you to: Trade goods into or out of the UK Apply to be authorised for customs simplifications 3. How do I get an EORI number? Apply online here4. What Information will I need? The information you’ll need to make the application depends on the structure of your organisation, but it’s not onerous. Details here5. Will it take ages? HMRC promise the application takes 10 minutes to fill in. You’ll get your EORI number by email within 3 working days. Our advice in a nutshell Don’t let your customers down by having their goods stuck at port, apply for your EORI number now. And find agents who can submit your customs entries before it’s too late. If your business depends on customers or suppliers trading with the EU, check they have an EORI number too. Please pass this information on to any colleagues in other businesses that may need the reminder. I regularly blog about important news and informatuion for import export professionals here
Have you decided that 2019 is the year to make a career change? Or simply to change the way in which you work? Professional recruitment specialists Pure explain how becoming a temp could open up doors into a new industry, help you to discover what you would really like to do or provide you with the variety, flexibility and work-life balance you are looking to achieve.
In an age of increasingly agile and flexible working, fixed term roles are becoming progressively popular among workers and more employers are looking to hire temporary talent into their organisations – at every level.
Working as a contract employee, freelancer or consultant can bring numerous benefits, whether you are looking for a career change, lifestyle change, or both.
Find the work you want to do
Working as a temp is a great way to explore a new industry, find out more about the different types of roles available and still earn an income. If you know you would like to make a career change but are not yet sure what you would like to do, then temping can give you a wealth of experience in different roles, industries and organisations to help you to narrow down what really interests and engages you. By experiencing different workplaces, you will also get to understand more about the type of company culture and workplace environment you most enjoy working in, helping you to make more informed decisions about future positions. At a senior level, working on a fixed term contract can give you the opportunity to offer your skills and experience to a particular project and gives you the freedom of choosing the work you want to do. Whatever level you are working at, you may even discover you are a great fit for a particular role, field, specialism or organisation you had not even heard of before!
Use or develop your practical skills and experience
Temp assignments also provide the opportunity to boost your CV with a wide range of new skills and experience, which could make all the difference when it comes to securing a permanent position in the future. By working across a variety of organisations, even if they are in the same industry, you will inevitably learn about a range of different systems, processes and software used, this knowledge will make you far more employable either as a permanent or fixed-term employee. For those looking to offer expert consultancy on a short-term basis, temporary fixed term assignments will help you to build up a portfolio of project examples to demonstrate where you have used your extensive experience and skills to provide specialist support.
Increased flexibility
Working on fixed term contracts can give you more control as to when you work and when you need time off, making it easier to balance work and home life. If you are looking to change career, then working as a temp could give you the flexibility to study for new qualifications while also working part-time or on fixed term assignments between projects. It can also be a great way to transition into retirement by taking on fixed term projects rather than working as a full-time employee and potentially choosing to apply your extensive experience to charitable organisations or to take on Non-Executive Director roles.
Pathway to a permanent job or regular assignments
Many temporary positions can lead to full time positions or regular fixed term assignments. It can be a great way to get a foot in the door and gives both the employee and the employer the chance to ‘test drive’ the relationship. Treat every temp role as having the potential to lead to a permanent job or an ongoing relationship and give your full effort to show your value and cultural fit. Let your employer know if you are enjoying working in the organisation and ask to be considered for any potential jobs or projects in the future.
Networking
By working across different organisations you will get to meet a lot of new people, building your network and increasing your chances of hearing about other temporary or permanent positions which may interest you. If you are seeking a full-time role, the company you are placed with may not have one available but they are likely to know about other openings within the industry and the organisations they collaborate with. If you prove to be reliable, enthusiastic and keen, the people you meet will become your advocates and recommend you to other employers.
Variety
You may even find that the variety and the different challenges and activities of working as a temp suits you. More and more people are choosing to work on a contract, freelance or consultancy basis and with many employers looking for excellent temps and contract workers at all levels, it could become something you consider long-term.
At Pure, we work with companies who are looking to take on temporary workers for all sorts of reasons, whether it is covering staff leave, planning extra resources during particularly busy periods, finding additional skill sets to assist with special projects or as an interim appointment until a permanent employee is recruited. We can match you and your experience to employers looking for temporary recruitment solutions at all levels, and we will support you every step of the way by managing the contracts and placements and ensuring you have access to all the entitlements a temp is eligible for. Contact Pure for more information about working as a temp and the potential opportunities available.
Cozens-Hardy LLP is pleased to announce that solicitor Claire Louise Williamson has joined its Residential Property department.
Brought up and educated in Norfolk, Claire Louise obtained her law degree from Keele University and later studied for her LPC at the University of the West of England. Having qualified in 2012, Claire Louise started her professional career in criminal law, but decided to revive her passion for conveyancing by joining the Cozens-Hardy team last month.
Commented Philippa Rudd, Principal and Head of Residential Property:
“We are delighted to welcome Claire Louise to the firm and to my department. As the largest conveyancing team in Norfolk, we take great pride in meeting and exceeding our clients’ expectations and I am confident that in Claire Louise we have found a solicitor capable to meeting our very exacting in house demands.”
Added Claire Louise:
“It’s a real pleasure to have joined the team here at Cozens-Hardy; everyone has been very welcoming and the high standards of professionalism and client care are as I expected.”
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For further information please contact: Clare Haylett ph: 07764 270570 and clare@clarehaylett.net
The Benjamin Foundation, a charity who supports over 2,500 young people, families and children in Norfolk and Suffolk each year, is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2019.
The charity is looking for volunteers to help make the events it has coming up as successful as possible.
Could you or your colleagues give your time, or perhaps use your allocated CSR (corporate social responsibility) policy hours, to help out at one of the following?
Winter Beer Festival Norwich
Norwich hosts the Great British Beer Festival Winter for its third and final year in 2019 and it takes place from Wednesday 19th to Saturday 23rd February at The Halls, St Andrews St, Norwich.
Could you help The Benjamin Foundation by volunteering at this event? If you would like to help their team with bucket collections, they would love to hear from you.
There will be a rota with shifts of 2.5 hours throughout the afternoon and evening and volunteers are able to take advantage of limited free beer after their shift.
King’s Lynn GEAR 10K
The Benjamin Foundation are looking for runners who would like to take up the challenge or volunteers to help out at the 2019 GEAR 10K event in King’s Lynn.
Each year thousands of runners take part in the Grand East Anglia Run (GEAR) 10K, attracted by a scenic route that features the pretty town centre, River Ouse pathway and The Walks. This year’s event takes place on Sunday 5th May 2019.
There are limited free charity spaces if you pledge to raise at least £150 for The Benjamin Foundation. A branded running vest is included. You will be supported with a cheer station and at the marquee in the Charity Village after the race.
The charity is also in urgent need of volunteers between 7:30am and 12 noon to help marshal their section of the race.
If you can help out with either of these events, or if you would like to register to volunteer at other events in 2019, please email events@benjaminfoundation.co.uk or telephone 01603 886932