You are cordially invited to the RNAA Harvest Festival Service at Norwich Cathedral
Sunday 1st October at 15:30
Tea, Coffee and Cake will be served following the service
This event is run jointly by the Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association, the Norfolk Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs and Norwich Cathedral. Everyone is welcome. Please share the service details with your colleagues, friends and family and invite them to also join us for this beautiful service and to give thanks for the many blessings that have been bestowed upon each of us and the farming community.
In the beautiful county of Norfolk, known for agriculture and food production, we are delighted to work with a host of agricultural partners to bring you this traditional harvest service.
The 2023 Harvest Service will include participation from:
Representatives from YANA, RABI and FCN will also be in attendance should you like to know more about the vital work they do in Norfolk. The collection taken at the end of the service will be split between the three charities above.
In support of Nourishing Norfolk food donations can be brought to the service and dropped off at the Mobile Food bus which will be parked outside the cathedral.
Over the past year, at Norfolk Chamber we have been encouraged by the Government’s rhetoric on growth and frequent speeches about helping businesses expand. But ministers are in danger of breaking these promises. There is still a lack of measures out there to help companies emerge from recession. Repeated commitments to deregulation, more financial support, and help for firms looking to hire, have failed to translate into real change for businesses.
Getting the economy back on track should be the number one priority and ministers should be doing everything possible to squeeze every drop of potential growth from companies across the country including here in Norfolk. Over the past quarter, business surveys including those which include feedback from Norfolk companies within the British chamber of Commerce QES, have shown a more positive picture than many of the economic indicators suggest. Our members tell us they don’t identify with such pessimistic statistics and are cautiously optimistic. These are the people who are out in the real world, working hard every day to run their businesses and, in turn, drive the recovery. Whether this remains the case, though, relies on two things.
Firstly a government that is willing to meaningfully engage with business, become truly enterprise-friendly and set forward a bold plan for growth. Secondly, we need businesses that are willing to take advantage of opportunties in a period of uncertainty.
The first depends on the Government delivering on those measures it has repeated again and again: improving access to finance, creating robust infrastructure such as energy and transport networks, cutting red tape, and making it easier for firms to take on staff.
Reforms to planning rules promised in Westminster must make it out to the real world so businesses can expand their premises. We know that reducing the deficit is crucial to sustaining a recovery, but prioritising some of these measures will free up business to grow.
If the Government makes good on these promises and improves the environment in which companies operate, it can create confidence among our businesses and growth will follow. If it chooses not to listen, the economy will continue to bump along the bottom rather than return to growth.
In the meantime, businesses are busting a gut in an uncertain environment. And they will have to continue to do so. The economy has been on a roller-coaster ride over the past few years. But that hasn’t deterred many firms from finding new markets to export to, hiring a new member of staff, or taking a new product to market.
Businesses now have to accept uncertainty will remain for some time. By acknowledging that, the economy is likely to continue to fluctuate over the coming year and by understanding the implications of this, businesses can be confident and thrive regardless.
Instead of worrying about changeable economic conditions, as businesses we need to accept uncertainty as the new norm, and with this knowledge, be confident to invest, grow and create more jobs.
There is no doubt that it is tough doing business during these challenging economic times. However for an increasing number of people it is the right time to make a life change and start their own business. Statistically it is proven that new business who seek and take independent advice are more likely to be successful including joining your local Chamber or entering into competitions like the Local Business Accelerator (LBA).
Norfolk Chamber has put together a package aimed at start up businesses. https://www.norfolkchamber.co.uk/join-the-chamber. In addition to free legal and HR helplines and legal insurance worth over £670,000 and free banking, a start up can use the face to face networking events and as important these days the use of the Chamber’s online ‘PR machine’ through our community website and social media activity. Since April over 30 start up businesses have joined the Chamber with six signed up so far this month and more in the pipeline.
Publicity is key to any start up business and there currently is a great opportunity for Norfolk new businesses up to 5 years old to enter the Local Business Accelerators (LBA) competition supported by Archant as one of 500 local papers who have joined forces with Dragon’s Den’s Deborah Meaden. The winner has the chance to win a free ad campaign in their local paper plus mentoring support from local business leaders and free Norfolk Chamber of Commerce membership for a year. If the winner is already a Chamber member we will give them their next year’s membership f.o.c.
The most promising businesses will go forward to the national stage of the competition to win a year’s mentoring from Deborah Meaden and a local advertising campaign devised by a top London creative ad agency. Last year’s national winner was Ilkly Brewery in Yorkshire who have seen their order double as a result of mentoring support from Deborah Meaden and free LBA ad campaign in its local paper.Last year’s regional winner was Norwich-based Indigo Swan who received mentoring support as well as attending the prestigious final event in London.
Business can enter online by logging on to www.accelerateme.co.uk and filling in the application form. The closing date for entries is Friday, November 16. More details https://tinyurl.com/9fsorfv If you are a business under 5 years old you have nothing to lose and a great deal to gain by entering the competition.
Whatever size business you are please check out our events programme. Our B2B Business Exhibition next week 18 October has a range of key speakers and workshops as well as over 60 exhibitor stands and is free to attend https://tinyurl.com/cp5tgth. If you are based in Great Yarmouth our ‘Pitchng for Business’ event delivered with enterpriseGY on 14 November and also free to attend gives you the opportunity to attend a choice of six workshops and network over lunch with some of Norfolk’s top buyers. https://tinyurl.com/8hf4rsz
Join us this November for an evening of quizzing, fun-filled trivia and tongue-in-cheek entertainment in aid of Ormiston Families!
Our latest Quiz Night will be held at Three Wise Monkeys in central Ipswich, hosted by the hilarious Jack Jenkins from Potters Resort.
Teams of two to six will tuck into a sharing platter during riveting rounds of trivia in healthy competition. There will also be raffles and games taking place on the night – so bring extra cash if you want a chance to go home with some goodies!
Team spaces are just £12.50pp, including your sharing platter, and doors will open at 6:30pm for a 7pm quiz start.
To book your team’s place in what promises to be an enjoyable evening of fun and fundraising, use our booking form below!
Aircraft Pull | TEST YOUR LIMITS & BEAT THE STOPWATCH
Join us for an adrenaline-pumping event Fundraising Event at the Klyne Aviation Centre Hangar2 in Norwich Airport, Norwich, NR6 6JT on Sun Nov 26 2023 at 10:00:00 GMT. Brace yourself for an unforgettable experience that will push you to your limits! (subject to operational demands)
Are you ready to test your strength and endurance? Gather your team and prepare for the ultimate challenge – pulling a 50-ton AIRCRAFT! This thrilling event will put your physical abilities to the test as you compete against other teams to see who can pull the aircraft the fastest.
Raise money for a National Air Ambulance Charity!
Feel the rush of adrenaline as you face the extreme task of pulling an aircraft and working together to conquer the course. Stay focused and make sure you are the fastest team!
Whether you’re a fitness enthusiast, thrill-seeker, or simply looking for a unique experience, the Aircraft Pull delivers excitement and fun. So gather your friends, family, or colleagues and get ready for an action-packed day filled with challenges, teamwork, and lots of laughter.
Don’t miss out on this epic event! Grab your spot now and prepare to push your limits like never before. Remember, it’s not just about the competition, but also about creating unforgettable memories that will last a lifetime.
You need a minimum of 10 people per team but if you have less than 10 we will put together any smaller teams together to meet the required size. We will provide the fundraising material and resources for you to share across your social platforms. Hot food and beverages will be available to purchase from the Liberator Lounge!
For SAAA: £100 Company Entrance Fee [ £10 per person ] + a soft target of £100 minimum fundraising amount per person!
Every pound you raise will go towards funding our missions dedicated to helping the NHS and British Nationals abroad!
I want to bring some balance into the message/media mix. I would also like to offer some words of advice for start-up enterprises based on my own business experience.
Social media has transformed the way that we communicate, as individuals sharing with friends and as businesses building a customer base through trust and recommendation. Little wonder that so much blog space is filled with ‘route to market’ advice. But, hang on a minute, what is it that we are sending on the chosen route? Content of course.
Communications Technology and Data Management are specialist fields that have changed forever the way that advertising agencies and their related services work. An over-emphasis on media channels however can confuse and overshadow the keystone of your marketing activities – content of course.
There are only two things that we can see on a website, facebook page, brochure or tablet of stone: words and images. It’s the content that sells, not the delivery system.
Now, don’t get me wrong – it’s vital that we get our messages to our target audience through channels which will maximise the ROI. We content creators must shape our copy style and structure to suit the intended platform. An integrated approach twixt message and media is clearly essential, but, putting media before message is like sourcing transport before the goods are ordered.
Whatever your business, whether you offer products or services, think hard about your target customers and your competitors. What sets you apart and will make you the chosen one? Define your USP and you have found your core message. This is particularly true for start-up enterprises. You need to sell yourself from the get-go. Don’t let anyone persuade you that advertising is a waste of money. Only bad advertising is. Good content is your best salesman and he should always return more than he costs.
You’re an expert in your business but don’t hesitate to talk to experts who know how and where to sell your offer. Beware of advice that confuses and jargon that is used for cool effect. And beware the myth-makers…
Myth 1: “Advertising is dead.” Good advice from those who believe Elvis is alive.
Myth 2: “The medium is the message.” Wrong – no message, no medium. But this from Marshall McLuhan who famously was paid a handsome fee by General Motors only to tell them that automobiles were a thing of the past.
If you are a start-up business wanting to get your story read, (and why would you not?) my advice is to make sure it’s worth reading. Stating the obvious, yes, but attention spans are short in the digital age. You need content that says exactly what you do, (so many fail to do this with absolute clarity) and tells your reader what’s in it for them. Your target customers are not interested in you, only in what you can do for them!
Never talk down to your audience. As advertising guru David Ogilvy said, “The consumer isn’t a moron; she is your wife.” Using the right tone of voice to address your target customers and to be relevant to the chosen medium is critical.
When your prospects become customers do everything and more to keep them. If content is King in the marketing realm, customer service is Queen. You have done the hard work to win a customer – don’t lose her through shoddy after-sales service. Positive word-of-mouth is good news but in an age of universal critics the reverse can do untold damage. Negative comments on sites like TripAdvisor demonstrate this point perfectly.
Writing styles and language usage are continually being re-shaped in the rapidly changing world of communications. Social media and website structure can impose tight disciplines on the copywriter. Without discipline however, copy can lose focus, and the reader’s attention. Effective content is concise and targeted. Above all it involves the reader emotionally and calls him to action.
From a very different genre, Ernest Hemingway showed us in his shortest of short stories how much could be said with minimal content: “For sale: baby shoes, never worn.” Six brief words that conjure up a wealth of imagery in the reader’s mind.
Finally, when you’ve said what you want to say, stop! .
Moving your business from a passion to profit and ongoing growth is not always easy. That’s why it’s so important you have a game plan to turn your top goals into reality. and would you believe it to create that game plan all you need is the answer ro six, key questions?
We’ve all experienced it – that feeling of dread as the ‘to do’ list gets longer and time ticking by at an alarming rate. It can feel as though there just aren’t enough hours in the day to get everything done. And, in today’s difficult climate when budgets are tighter than ever before, it’s easy for this feeling to become a daily occurrence.
But worrying constantly is a symptom of stress – a condition that while many of us choose to accept as a ‘normal’ part of working life, can take a major toll on your health and wellbeing.*
Stress can affect your appetite, cause you to smoke or drink more and lead to physical problems such as headaches and dizziness, breathlessness and muscle pain.
Sufferers may lose their temper more easily and find it difficult to concentrate – bad news for employers who need a productive and happy workforce now more than ever.
And long term stress can cause a range of serious health complications including depression and insomnia, high blood pressure and heart disease.
Just this year, figures released by the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) revealed that hospital admissions for stress had risen by seven per cent in just one year in England, soaring to 6,370 in May 2012 compared to 5,960 the year before.**
So, what can be done to help ease the pressure?
The findings of a study carried out by wellness solutions provider Vielife suggest that improving your diet could have a positive impact.***
The research found that working adults who have a poor diet are more likely to suffer from stress, low productivity and low job satisfaction. Those with good nutrition achieved a six per cent higher job satisfaction score, as well as a 15 per cent higher mood score.
Additionally, almost 40 per cent of people with a low nutrition score had high stress levels and 50 per cent more sickness absence than those with good nutrition – the equivalent of an extra 576 days off for every 1,000 people employed.****
Exercise can also play a part in alleviating stress according to Dr Cary Cooper, an occupational health expert at the University of Lancaster.*****
“To deal with stress effectively, you need to feel robust and you need to feel strong mentally. Exercise does that,” he said.
In addition to lifestyle changes, talking therapies such as counselling and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) are widely renowned for helping people suffering from stress, anxiety or depression to deal with negative thoughts and feelings and make positive changes.
Westfield Health’s Chamber Primary Health Plan, which is available to all members of Norfolk Chamber of Commerce, offers employees a full confidential counselling service, which includes a 24 hour counselling and advice line, as well as up to six face to face counselling sessions or cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) sessions.
The Government’s ‘No Health Without Mental Health’ strategy emphasises the importance of talking therapies such as counselling and CBT in helping treat stress, anxiety and depression.
For more information about the Chamber Plan, visit www.westfieldhealth.com/chamber or call 0845 602 1629, available 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday.
Spend the morning learning and having fun at this Sales Geek Workshop!
DO YOU WANT FRIES WITH THAT? covers the art of Up-Selling, Cross-Selling, and Bundle-Selling.
Gather useful tools and takeaways whilst networking with your peers and business prospects.
Practice some techniques in the workshop format tapping into the latest thinking, theories, and methodologies surrounding sales, leadership, and business ownership.
Ask questions about real-life scenarios and have experts provide insight and feedback that attendees can apply directly to their business.
Our Sales Geek mission is to “change the way the world perceives sales”.
Join the Sales Geek tribe and attend on 11th October 2023.
GRIDSERVE offers free electric vehicle test drives after this event at the forecourt for anyone wishing to try one out. Test Drive an Electric Car at | GRIDSERVE
The latest British Chamber of Commerce survey results which include Norfolk Chamber members, indicate that exports are growing but at a slower pace. The government must do more to help businesses realise their exporting potential.
In conjunction with DHL, BCC publishes a report every three months based on the responses of over 1,500 exporters to a survey on their trading conditions. The results of the survey show that exporters are facing a challenging time. Although the key indicators are all still in positive territory, which shows a welcome expansion, the results nevertheless point to weakening activity for exporting firms, with sales and orders balances down on the quarter. This downward movement for exports, domestic performance and weakening employment expectations indicate that exporters are operating in a difficult environment of continuing global uncertainties.
The significant increase in cash flow concerns for services is particularly disappointing; earlier this year other BCC research showed that the sensitivity of export performance to cash flow and access to working capital and unfortunately the situation hasn’t seem to have improved. Despite these challenges, exporters do remain confident about increasing turnover and profitability over the next 12 months. Confidence remains firmly in positive territory for manufacturing and services exporters, with balances improving on the quarter. Other bright spots include falling cost pressures, improved domestic balances for manufacturing exporters and receding concerns about exchange rates. The fall in concerns about exchange rates is a slight mystery considering the recent strength of the pound. But this could be explained by a number of factors such as a delayed reaction by firms as they hedge against upward movements.
There is great potential for Norfolk businesses in the exporting market but they do need further assistance from the government. In the report we call on the government to ensure there is swift and easy access to the new funding package announced to expand the Tradeshow Access Programme and to empower the Business Bank to originate loans and lend directly to businesses.
If you are an exporter or looking at the potential of international trade do review the export zone on our website
The majority of people know about Twitter but unless they use it, most are unsure how it works. There are many people who sign up to Twitter because everybody is on it and they feel they should be but again don’t understand how it works. We’re here to tell you it is simple, easy and very powerful in the right hands. Whereas Facebook is only really suitable for businesses who want to reach the consumer, Twitter should be used by all businesses big or small. That is until the next big thing arrives and we all have to start again.
The key to Twitter’s success is its simplicity. No fancy graphics, no adverts, no images, no waffle, just 140 characters of lingual simplicity. Really there are images, links and other content on Twitter but they are contained within the 140 character limit and if you want to view them you choose to click through. That is the beauty, you are not bombarded with the normal social media rubbish and you choose what you view and what you don’t.
Let’s go over a few little Twitter facts*.
Twitter has over 225 million users and around 50 million of them log in every day.
On average 190 million tweets are sent per day.
Around 40% of users don’t tweet but instead use Twitter to gather news and information on the things they are interested in.
More than half of the people on Twitter use it on a mobile device.
Twitter is growing by around half a million users per day on average.
So you can see why Twitter is a big deal and we believe it is the most important social platform to be on.
Now you know why Twitter is worth being on, let’s go over the basics of general usage. Let’s assume you’ve set up an account (easy to do straight from the www.twitter.com homepage) and you’ve gone through the step-by-step Twitter guide that greets you. First you need to fill out all empty information fields on your profile (found under Settings). A short Bio, Location and Web Address being the most important parts. You can, if you want to, change the colour of your profile page (also found under Settings) to match your company profile or upload an image for the background. Then you need to upload an image, this needs to be something that represents you are your company well. For businesses I would always suggest you use your logo and it is best to use a square image as that is how it will be displayed when you tweet.
Now you’re up and running and you are ready to tweet. Don’t worry about followers just yet, you need to get a few basic tweets on there to show you are a real tweeter and not a spammer. Write 3 or 4 to get going, maybe a welcome post and then something about your business and so on. Something friendly about your company and an introduction to your business is fine to start with but remember this is a social network so try to avoid sales talk. This way your profile page will have something on it and look credible.
There are many ways of gaining followers but for the sake of this article we’ll keep it simple. The quickest way to get followers is to follower other people. Not just anyone but people who may be interested in following you. Find someone who is like you or in your field and follow their followers. The more you follow the more will follow you back but don’t go overboard here as you run the risk of becoming an ‘agressive follower’ in the eyes of Twitter. From there you can use good content to get your numbers up. Another simple way to get yourself known on Twitter is to engage with people. Find someone similar to you and spark up a conversation or respond to one of their tweets. Their followers will see what you have been talking about and may choose to follow you.
Now you’re getting the hang of Twitter and how it works we can look at what you actually put in your updates. Links to new products, services, courses, blog posts, newsletters etc. are always going to be good for driving traffic back to your website, but you also need to post things that are going to keep peoples interest in you. You don’t always have to stay on topic but try not to stray too far. Talking about Pancake Day is fine but try not to post anything that could alienate your readers. Also if you come across anyone who has posted something interesting and you want to pass it on to your followers then you can retweet it with a simple click of the mouse.
Hashtags (#) are a must use tool. Let’s say you are tweeting about Norfolk and you want to link to all the other tweets about the same thing . To do this you simply add at the end of your tweet #Norfolk (Remember not to add spaces between words). Remember you only have 140 characters so choose your words carefully. This will then group your tweet with all other tweets featuring your chosen hashtag.
Now you are ready to go and take Twitter by storm.
*These facts were believed to be accurate when the article was originally written in February 2012.
Looking to supercharge your career while making a real difference?
Join us for an inspiring Co.next talk with Voluntary Norfolk’s Nicky Stanton, who will share how volunteering can open doors, build valuable skills, and enhance your professional growth.
Whether you’re early in your career, considering a change, or want to expand your network, this Co.next workshop will show you how giving back can give you an edge in today’s job market.
Learn how volunteering can:
✅ Develop leadership and problem-solving skills ✅ Expand your professional network ✅ Strengthen your CV and interview impact ✅ Boost confidence and personal fulfilment
Don’t miss this opportunity to gain fresh insights and practical advice from someone who has experienced the career-transforming power of volunteering firsthand.
As someone who got into her chosen career, arts management, through volunteering and has worked alongside volunteers in many different contexts Nicky is a passionate advocate of the benefits of volunteering.
She firmly believes that if volunteering isn’t of mutual benefit to both organisation and volunteer, then it won’t endure. But that benefit takes many guises – making connections, gaining insights and increasing empathy, developing skills, knowledge and confidence, feeling a part of the community, having a greater sense of self-worth, making things happen, learning humility, having fun.
Since starting as an assistant at the Norfolk & Norwich Festival Nicky has helped set up and lead arts charities (including Norwich Arts Centre, Creative Arts East and The Company of Imagination) and social enterprise Waveney & Blyth Arts, as well as acting as a trustee, board member and school governor. She now focuses on developing and promoting volunteering across Norfolk for Voluntary Norfolk, itself a charity that engages with many volunteers.