Does your business have production capability and capacity to produce PPE during COVID-19?
Do you have existing PPE stock which could be used by frontline staff?
Please complete New Anglia LEP’s simple contact form with details of your stock / production capability. For any more information, please email supply.chain@newanglia.co.uk.
Norfolk Chamber members are part of the fantastic response to pledge support for the Great Eastern Rail campaign. Over 500 pledges have been received since its launch on 25th July, representing an important milestone.
Norfolk business have joined with rail passengers and businesses across the region, calling on Government for greater investment in the Norwich to London rail line. In addition to pledging their support Norfolk Chamber members have also been making their reasons heard loud and clear
Caroline Williams CEO Norfolk Chamber of Commerce said: ” Improved rail infrastructure is key to enable Norfolk’s businesses to continue to drive the local economy forward. Norfolk Chamber members are passionate about their businesses and are joining the campaign to show how much they care. We would encourage all Norfolk businesses and their staff to click on the link and pledge their support. We are calling for a faster more reliable train service Norwich to London in 90 minutes, more seats and carriages and significant investment to upgrade the track.”
Mark Pendlington, chairman of New Anglia LEP and co-chairman of the Great Eastern Main Line Rail Taskforce, said: “500 pledges of support is a significant milestone in the campaign. This figure continues to rise and we’re delighted that so many people have signed up for the campaign in such a short space of time. However, we urge as many people as possible – rail users, business people and all those who want a better rail service across Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk to join the campaign now, by signing up on through the New Anglia website. The Great Eastern Main Line is fundamental to the region’s future growth. Let’s make our voice heard loud and clear to influence Government and get the rail service the three counties need and deserve.
It will take only a few seconds, so the Norfolk Chamber encourages all its members and the wider business community to click on the link and pledge their support. It is all about timing and the time is NOW for this final push to show Government our passion and get the service we need and deserve. www.newanglia.co.uk/gerailcampaign
Results from the latest BCC Coronavirus Business Impact Tracker reveal that the vast majority of businesses surveyed have furloughed a proportion of their workforce, and are awaiting funds from the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme as payday approaches for many.
The leading business organisation’s weekly tracker poll, which serves as a barometer of the pandemic’s impact on businesses and the effectiveness of government support measures, received 678 responses and is the largest independent survey of its kind in the UK. The fourth tranche of polling was conducted from 15-17 April.
Businesses furloughing employees
Results from the fourth weekly tracker show a steady increase in the proportion of respondents furloughing staff in anticipation of the Job Retention Scheme going live on Monday 20 April. This week, the tracker indicates that 71% of firms have furloughed a proportion of their staff, up from 66% last week.
30% said they have furloughed between 75% – 100% of their workforce.
28% have furloughed no staff.
Business continue to face a cash crisis, with 59% of firms reporting that they have three months cash in reserve or less. With payday approaching for many firms, the government’s Job Retention Scheme, which began accepting applications this week, has only a short time to get much-needed cash to firms facing urgent financial difficulties.
Initial reports suggest that the online application portal is meeting business demand, and attention will now shift to whether payments reach businesses as planned within 6 working days of making an application.
Commenting on the results, BCC Director General Dr Adam Marshall said:
“With around 140,000 claims made on the very first day, this is a crunch week for businesses relying on the Job Retention Scheme to pay their staff. Our research suggests that over 70% of businesses will be using the furlough scheme in some form, so it’s absolutely crucial that it delivers.
“HMRC’s capacity to deal with the demand from business has been encouraging so far – and their staff working under immense pressure to get it up and running deserve our recognition and thanks.
“It is now critical that payments from the furlough scheme reach businesses as smoothly and as quickly as possible in order to protect jobs and livelihoods.
“Ministers will also need to consider keeping the scheme in place for longer, to help businesses transition as the lockdown is eased and the economy moves gradually toward a new normal.”
Pilling Park Community Centre are running family sessions on Saturday 18th January to encourage STEM careers. Children will be building and programming Lego Mindstorms vehicles with their families to encourage them to consider Science Technology Engineering and Mathmatics careers.
They are looking for STEM professionals to talk about pathways and the diversity of careers. If you’d like to be involved please contact Neil Noble – neil.noble@smallpeicetrust.org.uk
The Bobby Moore Fund’s Football Shirt Friday runs throughout April (Bowel Cancer Awareness Month) and culminates on 26th April, when we ask people to wear their football shirt and donate £5 to help us fund pioneering bowel cancer research. The campaign raises ~£150,000 annually.
We are aware that wearing a football shirt into the office can be an issue for some organisations, so have designed a bespoke fundraising pack for 2019 with simple fundraising ideas as an alternative form of participation. These can either take place on one day in April or throughout Bowel Cancer Awareness Month.
Please get in touch for more information gill.burgess@cancer.org.uk
We are delighted to have Kevin Holland joining us for a morning workshop, Kevin is the MD and teacher of renewable energy and lectures as a STEM ambassador, in schools, Universities and colleges as has a Monthly column on the Rise of Renewables in the Lynn News. Kevin has devoted the last 10 years into making King’s Lynn the greenest Town in England.
Kevin is regarded as an industry leader in his field and well known for his forthright views on why solar and modern renewable technology are the future.
The Solar Shed was set up in 2008 and has been trading solely in solar and battery tech for 14 years. Suppliers of solar energy systems, battery technology and electric car charging with thousands of clients in East Anglia.
@thesolarshed on Twitter is ranked in the top 350 social media accounts worldwide in the field of energy and climate change.
Book your place and join us, as Kevin answers your questions, and shares his renewable, inspirational journey.
Commenting on the latest UK Finance update on the number of firms successfully accessing CBILS, the British Chambers of Commerce’s Head of Economics Suren Thiru said:
“The increase in companies accessing CBILS is encouraging progress. However, the number of applications processed and approved will need to be increased significantly in what is a crunch week for firms urgently trying to access financial support.
“Our Coronavirus Business Impact Tracker tells us that a concerningly high number of businesses are still finding accessing the scheme too complex and too lengthy. The government and financial institutions must continue to work together to identify practical steps to improve the workings of the CBILS scheme to ensure that cash gets to the frontline as quickly as possible.”
Also commenting on the UK Finance update, Nova Fairbank, Head of Policy for Norfolk Chambers of Commerce said:
“Whilst we welcome the increased take up of the scheme, we are aware of many Norfolk businesses still trying to access the funding and that many are still awaiting lending decisions. Businesses need access to funds now and the need for easier access and quick lending decisions is vital.”
Course Title; Level 3 Award in Training – Principles and Practice
Aim; This is the benchmark trainer skills qualification for all trainers, it is ideal for first-time trainers who need to understand the basics of training skills and practice or those looking to refine their techniques.
Objectives; *Identify training needs and set appropriate aims and objectives.
*Understand and deploy appropriate training and learning approaches
*Be able to comprehensively plan your training
*Understand how to deliver inclusive sessions that engage, motivate and inspire learners
*Understand the use of different assessment methods and the need for record keeping
Organisation
Duration; 3 day programme
Date; 5th, 6th & 13th August
Exam/Assessment; Delegates are required to deliver a 30 minute “micro-teaching” session (which must be part of a wider programme) to the rest of the group, provide feedback to four other delegates and complete a self evaluation.
Cost; £435 plus VAT includes notes, refreshments, lunch, the assessment & certification fees
Awarding Body; Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH)
Tutor; Richard Mills and Sarah Daniels
Differentiation; At least level 2 or equivalent in English, ICT skills would be advantageous.
Audience; Anyone who wants to deliver training professionally
Feedback; “I just wanted to say thanks for the course, I’ve spent 37 years trying to overcome my abject fear of standing up in front of people, and I’ve been on countless courses which have helped, but not cured the problem, yet in 3 days you managed to solve it completely!” Rachel Jarman, Hautbois
For more information on this course click here
The UK government has launched an employer referral portal allowing employers to refer essential workers for testing who are self-isolating either because they or member(s) of their household have Coronavirus symptoms. Take a look at the details and share with your members. Please note this is for England only – separate guidance has been issued in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Who can be tested?
The priority is on testing patients to inform their clinical diagnosis. In addition, testing is now being done for:
This means essential workers can find out whether they have the virus, and can be helped to return to work if they test negative. Testing is most effective within 3 days of symptoms developing. See the full list of essential workers
Who can guess whether Brexit has happened by now, but we need to concentrate on what we can influence and national politics probably isn’t one of them!
We will explore key sales and marketing principles that you can immediately use in your business, and these most definitely make a difference.
We will have a focus on pricing, which is so important for all of us, but in fact, is never easy to work out.
Good fun, interactive but with no elevator pitches, and the chance to mingle with your fellow small business owners from the area. Free to attend too, with no need to book, just pop along on the 17th! https://businessgrowthclub.net/up-and-coming-events/At a recent meeting of the Greater Cambridge Greater Peterborough (GCGP) LEP and business organisations, including Norfolk Chamber of Commerce, the discussions centred around the Growth Deal announcement. The GCGP had secured £21.4 million of funding for infrastructure projects such as the improvements of Junction 20 on the A47, to the north east of Peterborough, and various schemes that will bring forward business and enterprise in the regions covered by the GCGP LEP. Funding was also allocated for an extension to the Agri-tech funding scheme and the Growth Hub.
Graeme Nix, the Chair of GCGP LEP also took the opportunity to confirm that Neil Darwin from Opportunity Peterborough has been seconded to the GCGP LEP for one year with a remit to promote enterprise and skills, via the Growth Hub.
Nova Fairbank, Norfolk Chamber of Commerce said: “It is really good to be able to join with the other business organisations, working in partnership with the GCGP LEP to improve economic growth in our region. However we were disappointed that no West Norfolk schemes were succesful in the first round of the Growth Deal and we look forward to continued involvement with the GCGP LEP to try to ensure that funding for West Norfolk projects are successful in the next round.”