Lovewell Blake Financial Planning Limited is committed to helping you plan for the financial and emotional impact of retirement on yourself and your family.
We are running four informal workshops at our Norwich office covering a range of topics to help you plan for retirement, as well as a seminar in Bury St Edmunds to provide further useful and informative guidance on how to effectively manage the impact of retirement. This is the final workshop in the series.
So the Prime Minister is seeking to capitalise on her high standing in the polls to gain a personal mandate to carry out her programme for government by calling an election on the 8th June. From the perspective of business, the economic logic is decidedly unclear. There are sure to be some voices in business who believe that an ample political mandate could strengthen the PM’s position in the forthcoming Brexit negotiations, and allow her to undertake a bolder domestic reform programme. However, I am willing to bet that there will be those in the Norfolk business community who will see an election as a new source of distraction and uncertainty. Nearly two months of election fever means less attention will be paid to the domestic economic agenda and the detailed preparations for Brexit, as ministers campaign, Whitehall goes into Purdah lock-down, and politicians down tools on legislation in order to canvass on doorsteps.
At best, six weeks of vital preparation time will be lost; at worst, post-election ministerial changes could make the period of transition much longer. Question marks also now hang over a range of unfinished consultations, reviews and projects – some of which may not survive post-election. The media frenzy surrounding the election are likely to affect the spirits of business, as well. In survey after survey since the referendum vote, the British Chambers of Commerce have been reporting solid levels of overall business confidence. However, further volatility in sterling, which nose-dived prior to the PM’s announcement and then soared thereafter, will be a big factor as firms weigh up their business models, and plans to invest or recruit. Two key questions will be on the minds of many businesses over the coming days – questions which Mrs May, and indeed the leaders of the other political parties, will need to address. First, what does the election mean for the terms and path of Brexit? Norfolk businesses will want more clarity, and to know exactly where each main party stands on the key threats and opportunities that lie ahead. They’ll also want assurances that the tone of the campaign doesn’t undermine the eventual winner’s ability to work with their European opposite numbers on the best possible Brexit deal. Second, what happens to the domestic business agenda? For the vast majority of companies in the business community I speak to, Brexit feels far off – whereas the high up-front cost of doing business, poor mobile and broadband, the inability to recruit successfully for vacancies or inadequate transport infrastructure are what matters.
Although many businesses say they are growing more used to political uncertainty, having navigated the 2015 General Election and the 2016 EU referendum before being presented with General Election 2017. Yet they are watching carefully – and will rightly demand answers on the big economic questions from all parties over the coming weeks.
It is an important time to get the Norfolk business voice heard loud and clear so please do support the Norfolk Chamber over the coming weeks and months as we put your opinions in front of Ministers and local political candidates.
Join us on Sunday 14th December 12pm till 5pm outside in our heated marquees for this years Redwell Christmas Market. We have over 15 stalls selling Crafts, Art, Cakes and lots more! We will have Mulled Wine, Sausage rolls and Mince pies served from the bar.
Giant Yorkie Roast co. will be serving there stunning roasts in the taproom during the day so make sure to book a table.
If you would like to get involved drop an email to Jake – Taproom@redwellbrewing.co.uk
Despite growing up and spending the vast majority of my life living in Norwich, I haven’t really been to the seaside town of Great Yarmouth that many times, despite it being only 20 miles away. I certainly never imagined finding work there. I’ve visited Yarmouth for business three times since Christmas this year, secured one piece of business with a local company and now it’s looking like Naked Element could be securing some more. I’ve been fascinated by engineering since a young age. From the differential which helped drive the Lego car I had as a child, to internal combustion engines, power stations and large ships and planes, I like to know how things, big and small, work. When I was younger I even wrote to the BBC’s Playschool programme to find out how their clock worked and received a photo and a full explanation in response (I wish I still had them now). So when a Norfolk Chamber breakfast offered the opportunity to hear from a senior member of Seajacks, who own and run some of the most advanced off-shore equipment in the world, I was very excited. I enjoy the breakfasts and networking at the chamber anyway, the big machines were a real bonus! After the customary speed networking, which is a great way to mix up the room and help you meet people, and the breakfast itself, John Vingoe, Operations Manager at Seajacks, told us about their largest vessel, the Scylla, and how it would be used to help build the East Anglia One windfarm off the coast of Great Yarmouth between July and October of 2018. The Scylla is a Gusto MSC NG14000X multipurpose jack-up which is home to 130 crew, has a massive deck area of 5000m2, can operate in waters down to a depth of 65m and does up to 12 knots. It’s a beast and will be used to install concrete jackets for the wind farm. But what’s really great about Seajacks is their commitment to source locally and where they can, they do! There are, of course, some specialist equipment and skills which are not available locally. The East Anglia One wind farm operation will be based out of a port in the Netherlands and although equipment and labour is available in the Netherlands, Seajacks will be flying over its people and supplies from the local area, even though there is a modest extra cost. The slowdown in the oil and gas industry and its effect, especially on employment in Great Yarmouth, is widely known. Seajacks weathered the storm in a unique way by redistributing its crew around different vessels. John described to us how usually a ship’s company is hired and released as needed on a per vessel basis. This was Caroline Williams, CEO of Norfolk Chamber’s, last Great Yarmouth breakfast before she moves on to pastures new after 17 years. I’d like to thank Caroline personally for the help, advice, support and friendly engagement she has given me over the last few years since Naked Element has been a Chamber member. I wish Caroline every success in the future and look forward to bumping into her, as I am sure I will! Networking takes time. It’s not unusual to come away from a Chamber event having started to build some excellent relationships, but without much more than a warm lead. From this Great Yarmouth Chamber breakfast I came away with two solid leads and another demonstrating future potential. A morning well spent!
When equipping an office with new commercial blinds, functionality is one of the most important factors. Particularly vibrant colours are unlikely to be suitable, but it will depend on your office and the environment you’re trying to create. In the majority of cases though, neutral colour schemes and timeless corporate colours are a safe bet.
Points you should be considering:
Are you decorating for a single company or for a floor which will be host to several businesses?
Are you looking for privacy?
How long do you want the blinds to last?
Have you got any guidelines on style or colour?
Do they need to fit with an existing colour scheme?
There might be more things to consider as well, but consider these a starting point.
First things first: which commercial blinds will be best for the space. Functionality and the kind of blinds you choose tend to go hand in hand. Typically an office space will use vertical blinds or a roller blind.
Unlike the sorts of blinds you might be purchasing for use in the home, blinds in offices primarily need to keep light out effectively. Glare can affect how well your employees are able to work on a day to day basis. Reflections and an ability to properly see the screen are all part of it. Even if your staff don’t regularly use computer screens, they will still run in to trouble if they’re having to compete with bright sunshine on a regular basis.
Most commercial blinds will need offer a degree of privacy. The amount needed will often depend how visible the office is. For example, you might need more privacy in a ground floor space than you would from a third floor open plan office.
Blinds can also be used in between offices to offer more privacy. Glass walls look stylish but mean your meeting rooms can be quite visible. A simplehorizontal blindsare ideal, as they can be adjusted and folded away when they aren’t needed.
For complete privacy and to block out light effectively, roller blinds are often a wise choice.
Vertical blinds are particularly common in offices. These work well because you are able to adjust the amount of light let into a room while allowing airflow through the panels. Often these are made of a slightly thinner fabric so that the effect is to dampen the light rather than block it out altogether. The soft and natural light will make for a more pleasant work environment than using harsh fluorescent lighting to compensate for the lack of natural light. Offices which are either over or under illuminated can even contribute to eye strain.
Hygiene is also an important factor in a workplace environment. Commercial blinds often have antibacterial and antifungal properties which keep them looking fresh and new for longer. A more hygienic workplace will lead to lower staff illnesses and a higher rate of productivity in the long run.
Norwich Sunblinds offer a wide range of commercial blinds, which can be made to reflect your corporate identity if desired. To get started, contact us to book an appoint for free measuring. Our fitting service is also free, so the price for the blinds themselves is the only cost you’ll need to pay.
You can visit our Showrooms in Norwich or Attleborough, phone 01603 334035 or book an appointment online for a free consultation at your home or office.
Join us in Great Yarmouth for our popular Coastal Co.nnect. Agenda 08:00 – Event Start and Networking 09:00 – Welcome by Norfolk Chambers of Commerce 09:30 – Networking 10:00 – Event Close
Who is it for? Anyone is welcome at this event, and it is open to both members and non-members. Refreshments We will be providing a selection of coffee/tea/water and squash. Please inform us of any dietary requirements upon booking. Cancellation policy If you have booked tickets for this event and can no longer attend, please notify us at hello@norfolkchambers.co.uk.
Join us for our Open Morning on Friday 20th March & experience in person how we make every moment matter for our pupils.
Visitors will enjoy a pupil-led tour of our fifteen acre site, view our outstanding facilities & meet with key staff ahead of enjoying some delicious homemade refreshments.
Well hold on to your seats folks because a general election scheduled for 8 June 2017 could totally change the direction Britain will now go once Britain exits the European Union (EU).
Last year Britain voted to leave the EU. However the Prime Minister, Theresa May has now announced that a ‘snap general election’ will be held which could put one of the other political parties in charge of Britain’s exit from the EU. Having said that it could also be the case that the Conservative Party stand to gain a much stronger position in the polls and the bargaining table in Brussels.
It’s too early at this stage to predict how this could affect employment law in the UK. If Labour were to gain the majority vote we could see employment law being heavily influenced by Europe, despite the fact that European judgements will no longer have effect on employment law in the UK after Britain exits the EU.
Watch this space!
In the meantime, if you have any issues regarding employment law and HR please contact the free 24/7 Qdos Consulting HR advice line (members only): 01455 852037
Commenting ahead of the Prime Minister’s speech in the West Midlands, in which he will announce a ‘New Deal for Britain’, BCC Director General Adam Marshall said:
“The infrastructure delivery plans announced by the Prime Minister are welcome, but they must take shape on the ground swiftly to give a real confidence boost to businesses and communities.
“The government must go even further over the coming days to rekindle business and consumer confidence, as part of a wider roadmap to economic recovery. This is a critical moment, and business communities need this government to be bolder than any previous government has ever been.
“In his first inaugural speech, Franklin Delano Roosevelt said, ‘We must act, and act quickly’. The same holds true in Britain today.”
Please arrive 15 minutes before the session starts at 8.30am.
Venue:Norfolk Chamber of Commerce, 9 Norwich Business Park, Whiting Road, Norwich, NR4 6DJ In this session (Be Better at Creative Marketing) Carole Osborne, Osbornenash will be your host.You will learn: In this session, Carole Osborne of Osbornenash will give you her top tips on how to be innovative and push your marketing that bit further.How can you be creative with your marketing while remaining consistent to transmit the right message to your customers? Sometimes there is a need to think differently; to adapt your current marketing strategy or to have a complete re think…This session will cover the thinking, tools and processes that can help shape an effective creative marketing plan. “I enjoyed the workshop aspect. Brilliant presentation and presenter and a good use of case studies.” – Lucy Wright, First Eastern Counties Buses Ltd. “It was great hearing from someone who puts these techniques into action everyday” -Sammy Willetts,Learning Resources Ltd. About Carole: Carole has worked in the communications industry for over 18 years, starting her career as a YT Placement in production and working her way up until she headed up her own department at a leading regional advertising agency. During that time she has delivered strategic planning, offline and online marketing solutions and project management for a range of regional and national clients including NORCAS, Barclays, Aviva, and Josef Seibel Shoes. In addition Carole is also a qualified fundraiser. Follow Osbornenash:@osbornenashSupported by:
This session forms part of The Chamber Sessions. The Chamber Sessions are open to Chamber Members only. They are free to attend but booking is required. Places limited to one per company per session and each company will have an opportunity to book on tothreesessions per series.nash will give you her top tips on how to be innovative and push your marketing that bit further.
Bookings for this session are now closed. For availablity please call 01603 625977.
Today [Wednesday 26 April] is known as Administrative Professionals Day, so everyone at Pure would like to give a big shout out to all the fantastic office support workers across the East of England.
We’ve placed hundreds of people in office support roles across the region, and helped numerous organisations find the high-calibre administration employees they need to keep the business running smoothly. Not to mention the fantastic team of administrators we have here at Pure!
We know these positions are integral to the success of an organisation and that those who hold them are often the unsung heroes of many businesses. For organisations looking to expand their administration team we do more than just fill positions. We offer support and advice to both clients and candidates throughout the whole recruitment process. Our temporary recruitment team is also able to offer the highest quality temps, filling vacancies quickly and efficiently.
Office support roles are extremely diverse and, despite misconceptions, provide excellent career opportunities. Our dedicated office support recruitment team covers roles including: Executive Assistants, PA, office management, administration, customer service and secretarial positions.
If you’re looking for your next career move within the field of business administration, get in touch with us today. We don’t just place people in jobs, we also offer advice on your career path and options for development.
For more information on the support we can provide contact your local Pure office or click here to see the current office support roles we are recruiting for.