Our free business advice session runs between 1pm and 5pm across all 5 of our offices. We have offices in Norwich, Great Yarmouth, Dereham, Cambridge and Ipswich.
The session gives business owners a chance to come along and get some free advice on any business subject, with no commitment or need to sign up to anything.
To book, please email us atmarketing@astonshaw.co.uk.
Swarm Apprenticehsips and Norfolk Adult Education is holding an unmissable event for businesseslooking to take on an apprentice as well as for school/college leavers or uneployed individuals.
Our experienced staff, employers and current apprentices will be on hand to provide you with information and advice about the apprenticeships we offer. So why not come along to our Apprenticeship Day to find out more.
Please respond by Friday 6 March 2015 to learner.relations@norfolk.gov.uk or call 01603 306583
Commenting on the ONS labour market statistics for November, published today, BCC Head of Economics Suren Thiru said:
“The rise in the unemployment rate and redundancies is further evidence that the damage being done to the UK jobs market by the Coronavirus pandemic is intensifying.
“While there was a rise in the number of job vacancies, this is more likely to reflect a temporary bounce as the economy reopened before recent restrictions were reintroduced, rather than a meaningful upturn in demand for labour.
“The extension to the furlough scheme will safeguard a significant number of jobs in the near term. However, with firms facing another wave of severely diminished cashflow and revenue and with gaps in government support persisting, further substantial rises in unemployment remain likely in the coming months.
“Increased grant support for businesses impacted by restrictions is urgently needed to help businesses protect jobs, particularly given the delay to the job retention bonus. Closing the remaining gaps in government support, including for some self-employed and company directors must also be a key priority.”
Come and celebrate Christmas with us in the grand setting of OPEN’s Banking Hall
Dress in style for anevening that will include:
*Benoit Viellefon, French singer and guitarist, fronts two of the leading vintage dance music ensembles at work in Europe today, hand-picked from among the finest musical entertainers in Europe.
For more information or to book a table call Ann on 01603 252117
With only a few weeks to go until the United Kingdom transitions out of the EU, time is of the essence for businesses to prepare. The government has put in place new rules that organisations must adhere to on 01January 2021. This year has already been an incredible challenge for the majority of businesses due to the COVID pandemic, so it is understandable that strategising for Brexit may not have been your top priority.
However, with time fast slipping away, now is the time to act in order to prevent any further disruption to your operations. And the Norfolk Chambers of Commerce are on hand to help.
How we can support your Norfolk business through Brexit and beyond
The complexity of Brexit, from the regulation changes to the shifting EU exit dates, has made it a daunting concept. To alleviate any concerns, the Norfolk Chambers of Commerce have moved swiftly to implement a Brexit Hub on our website.
With social distancing measures in place impacting on the ability to hold face-to-face meetings and seminars, online information hubs have proven to be incredibly effective in providing business support. We saw great use of the Coronavirus Hub set up earlier this year, which can still be accessed.
The Brexit Hub is a resource-rich portal which includes:
Many of these resources are free for members and non-members, or are discounted for members. Click here to learn about the other benefits of becoming a member.
Going further to help ease the pressure on your business
In addition to the hub, we are delighted to announce that we have specialist Brexit advisers available to talk to. These advisers are qualified to manage Customs Declarations, making them a fantastic, easy to reach, point of contact for your business.
We do recommend phoning in sooner, rather than later, as this service has been incredibly popular. You can contact an adviser by calling 01603 625977.
By covering all angles, we hope to make this a stress-free process for your business. Especially as 2020 has been one of the most difficult years in the last few decades. Together we can be Brexit-ready.
The Kickstart Scheme is aimed at 16 to 24 year olds who may find it more challenging to access the world of work. The scheme provides 6 month placements, at 25 hours per week at minimum wage – although the employer can offer more hours and cover the additional cost. The total grant available from the scheme is £6,500, which pays for the wages and the on-costs such as NI etc.
In addition, there is a further £1,500 payable to the employers for them to provide wrap-around employability support – this can be either in-house or the employer can pay for the support to be delivered. Whichever way, you will need to be able to evidence what the support is and the impact/benefits to the employee. Norfolk Chambers is working with various training providers and others to offer a suite of support options to make it easier for the employers to provide the wrap-around employability support. At present all the support is based online, due to the current pandemic restrictions.
To qualify for a Kickstart placement – the business must be able to demonstrate that this role is additional. The placement is for 6 months, at the end of that period, you can either take that person on or replace them with another placement for a further 6 months.
The Kickstart Scheme requires employers to be able to offer a minimum of 30 placements which for the majority of Norfolk businesses will not be possible – therefore Norfolk Chambers has become a Gateway, and we will collate the 30 placements on behalf of a group of employers.
If your business wishes to take part in this scheme, you will need to advise how many placements and the type of placement. Apply for your placements now.
Once Norfolk Chambers have received the 30 completed applications, we will submit the cohort to the DWP and notify you of the submission day. The DWP are quoting up to 30 days for a response on the cohort applications.
If your application is successful, a grant funding agreement will be issued and you must return the signed funding agreement and provide a detailed job description for the position. Candidates via the DWP will then apply for the job placements and you can choose who to employ. Please note, you will only obtain funding if you appoint a young person that DWP have introduced.
For more information on what happens following the submission of the cohort to DWP – click here.
If you have any questions on the Kickstart Scheme, please contact:
Nova Fairbank nova.fairbank@norfolkchambers.co.uk
Charlotte Upcraft charlotte.upcraft@norfolkchambers.co.uk
Or call: 01603 625977
Our next Business Growth Club meeting is coming up shortly – 9th October in Hellesdon. An opportunity to meet local like minded business people, all looking to grow. As ever a pretty packed agenda based on what we’ve seen and heard over the last month – we start at 8 am and finish by 10. Free tea/coffee too! No need to book, just turn up and full details can be found here: https://businessgrowthclub.net/up-and-coming-events/
Following the Chambers’ Countdown to Change 75 days webinar on 16 October, the UK Cabinet Office has shared responses to the questions posed during the session with the Rt Hon Michael Gove MP, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office.
For more information on how Norfolk Chambers can help support your business through the transition on 01 January 2021, visit our Brexit Hub.
British Chambers of Commerce calls for evidence and clarity for businesses as government mulls post-December 2nd Coronavirus restrictions in England
The British Chambers of Commerce has called on the UK government to publish its approach to national Coronavirus restrictions in England without delay, providing firms with:
With the second national lockdown in England due to end on 2 December, the leading business organisation – which collectively represents over 70,000 firms of all sizes and sectors across the UK employing six million people – is concerned about the lack of clarity over what form restrictions will take after the current lockdown.
BCC has called for government to publish its plans with at least one week’s notice before restrictions are set to end on 2 December, allowing firms adequate time to prepare to re-open and trade afterwards.
The group is also pressing government to explain clearly why businesses in a number of sectors have been forced to close despite taking considerable steps at huge expense to comply with Covid-secure guidance, including leisure, non-essential retail and beauty.
It has submitted a Freedom of Information Request to the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy to determine what evidence base, if any, was used to inform government guidance on the closure of businesses in England from November 5. This clarity is essential for businesses and government to work together on steps that avoid the need for business closures in future.
The call follows the BCC’s challenge to the Prime Minister to meet five business tests to limit the impact of Coronavirus restrictions on businesses and jobs and take a long-term approach to tackling the pandemic.
BCC Director General Adam Marshall said:
“Nine months into the pandemic, business communities are still crying out for timely information and a clear strategy from government so that they can survive and rebuild.
“Delays and imprecision mean people lose their livelihoods. Firms are taking difficult decisions every day about their futures, and are tired of being left to rely on speculation and rumour. The government must urgently set out the exit plan for the end of national restrictions in England on 2nd December – and make it crystal-clear which businesses can operate, and under what conditions.
“Businesses have played their part by working hard and spending hundreds of millions of pounds to become Covid-secure, in line with official guidance. We must see the evidence for why many were forced to close again on 5th November, and absolute transparency on what may happen from 2nd December.
“Business communities – whether in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland – cannot take another year of rushed stop-start restrictions from governments while vaccines are rolled out. Broad-based workplace testing would help bridge the gap, maintaining employee confidence and helping as many businesses as possible remain open and trading at this crucial time.”
Join us for Digital Decoded
A free marketing seminar designed to help local businesses, brought to you by Archant in partnership with Active Fakenham.
Digital Decoded is a great opportunity for you to learn about the latest marketing techniques and get advice on different marketing strategies that can help grow your business.
Each session will include:
And much more…
Refreshments: 30 minutes before start of session
Presentation Duration: 1 hour
Secure your FREE place today!
Our open days offer you the chance to find out more about the innovative MBA Programme, look around our contemporary teaching facilities and meet current students, the MBA Programme Director and Course Leaders who will be there to answer your questions. We offer both Full-time and Executive Part-time MBA courses that fit around your career plan, starting in January 2016.
In addition to the core MBA modules our MBA students have the opportunity to study one of three subject areas where the University has established a world-class reputation: Brand Leadership, Strategic Carbon Management and Economics and Finance. Included within the elective choices, you can choose to explore how climate change and energy management are now at the core of building sustainable business in the 21st Century, or how brands are shaping our perceptions of what modern businesses represent – both as consumers and in an economic sense.
In partnership with the Institute of Food Research we are launching a Food Industry stream for the Executive Part-time MBA, starting in January 2016, looking at how issues such global supply chain management and consumer buying behaviour are shaping this critical sector.
“Completing the MBA has been a momentous fulfilling journey for me – it has allowed me to explore further business and management from an academic basis and put into practice my learning and understanding.” Sam Brown, Executive MBA Graduate
Norwich Business School offer a number of competitive scholarships for full and part time students.
Our MBA Open Evenings will be held in The Enterprise Centre at UEA – a new innovative business hub for Norfolk enterprise.
If you are interested in attending, please register your interest by emailing mbateam@uea.ac.uk or call 01603 591753.
Essential overnight resurfacing work on Railway Road in King’s Lynn, from Blackfriars Street to Wellesley Street, will start at 8pm on Friday 10 April.
The work is part of Norfolk County Council’s surfacing programme but to reduce overall disruption it is being tied in with current works in and around the bus station as part of the King’s Lynn Transport Interchange project. The resurfacing will include a section originally planned for next year so that we do not need to return to site and disrupt traffic again. To finish the work as quickly as possible and with the least amount of disruption, road closures will be used on five nights at the following times:
Friday 10 April and Saturday 11 April, 8pm to around 2.30am.
Monday 13 April, Tuesday 14 April and Wednesday 15 April, 8pm to around midnight.
No works are planned on the evening of Sunday 12 April.
Norfolk County Council have advised that although closing the road will mean major overnight diversions for drivers, it will reduce the time on site and avoid impact on daytime traffic. Signs will direct drivers around the closure and to reach side roads affected, including Waterloo Street, Portland Street, Wellesley Road, Norfolk Street, Old Sunway, Albion Street and Old Market Street.
Buses On the evenings Railway Road is closed no buses will use the bus station or Portland Street after 8pm. Instead, all buses will drop off and pick up at the layby outside the railway station on Blackfriars Road. Arrival and departure times are likely to be a few minutes later than normal.