We are delighted to welcome a new senior member to our team as we continue to grow our leisure, tourism, food and drink expertise.
With over 15 years’ of PR and marketing experience, Angi Davies joins Reflection PR as a Senior Account Manager to deliver results-driven campaigns for clients.
Joining the agency from Robinsons Motor Group, Angi’s brand portfolio includes Volkswagen, Audi, Adnams Brewery, The Royal Norfolk Show and The RSPB.
Angi says: “I’m looking forward to working with a wide variety of clients and helping to develop the business further.”
Suzy Pettican, Managing Director of Reflection PR, is pleased to welcome Angi back to the team.
“Angi first worked with me in my spare bedroom four years ago, so I’m delighted to welcome her back at an exciting time for the business.”
Find out a little more about Angihere. And hopefully you will meet her soon.
Two teams from Pure Resourcing Solutions (Pure) are set to get extremely wet and muddy this Sunday (20 March) as they tackle ‘Only the Brave’, an extreme obstacle course race in aid of the East Anglian Air Ambulance.
Eighteen runners from Pure’s Norwich, Ipswich and Cambridge offices will be racing across a vast area of land, usually used for farming and military training, at Elveden, near Thetford. But this isn’t an ordinary charity fun run as the teams will face at least 20 different obstacles throughout the course, including having to scale 7ft walls, landing in a pool of mud on the other side.
Becky Wilson, Managing Consultant HR recruitment at the Norwich office, is the captain of the team taking on the Intrepid, five-mile race and Scott Woodrow, Associate Director at the Ipswich office, is the captain of the team facing the Fearless, ten-mile race.
Pure wanted to support the event as the East Anglian Air Ambulance is a client of the professional recruitment agency, although Becky admits they are also wondering if they must be a bit mad to have willingly agreed to take part.
Becky said: “We’re trying not to think about it too much in case we change our minds! But even if we do get exceptionally wet, cold and muddy for a couple of hours, it will be worth it to have been able to raise money for such a fantastic cause.”
The East Anglian Air Ambulance has cited the charity’s pilots, doctors, patients and families as the inspiration behind organising this fundraising event. The air ambulance flies 365 days a year, taking highly skilled medical teams to people who have been unfortunate enough to be involved in accidents or medical emergencies in Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire. The crews need to be brave, and overcome physical and emotional obstacles every single day.
Becky added: “I recently visited the air ambulance and heard the team talk first-hand about their experiences, and how the service is completely reliant on fundraising, really makes you think. We go about our day-to-day lives, but everything pales into insignificance compared to what they have to deal with every day. The money we raise will help to make all the difference.”
Sponsorship from the event will help to keep the East Anglian Air Ambulance in the sky, as the charity needs to raise £10.2m this year to keep flying. To date the Pure team has already raised over £700 and are aiming to reach at least £900.
Led by Directors, Ian Walters and Lynn Walters, several members of the team are from the Ipswich office. This latest fundraising mission will also be part of the #IpswichBig10 anniversary campaign. Team members at the Ipswich team have pledged to take part in, or organise, ten different events to raise money for local charities to mark the ten-year anniversary of the Ipswich office.
For more media information please contact Dawn Humphreys or Amy Larman at FOUR agency on 01603 627294 or email dawn@fouragency.co.uk or amy@fouragency.uk
Notes to editors:
About Pure Resourcing Solutions
Formed in 2002 from a single office in Cambridge, Pure Resourcing Solutions are now the professional recruitment specialists in the East of England; with offices in Cambridge, Norwich, Ipswich and Chelmsford.
Pure specialises in Accountancy, Financial Services, IT, Human Resources, Marketing and Office Support recruitment solutions at all levels, including board level appointments through its specialist Executive division.
Next week Peter from Human Capital Department will be jetting off to Qatar and Dubai. “It sounds like a holiday but it’s really not” said Peter.
The purpose of his visit is to meet potential clients of Human Capital Department’s HR Consultancy and Training Serivces.
In particular Peter is working with companies looking to improve and streamline their leadership development programmes.
“Companies across the GCC region are feeling the effect of low oil price on revenue and profits and implemeting cost reduction strategies. At the same time they do not want to cut back on investement in national talent as this represents the future for the region – we can help in re-focussing existing talent mangement strategies and re-design of management and leadership programmes”.
It is a short trip but should prove productive as Peter lived and worked in the region for eight years and so has many contacts there and will be also be speaking at the Qatar HR Forum on the 23rd March. .
A vacancy exists for the role of Business Support Administrator for Realise Futures Careers Solutions. The prime purpose of this role will be to offer administrative assistance to the RFCS team. You will need to ensure that tasks are completed within a timely manner and to the levels of RFCS and the challenging demands on the National Careers Service contract.
This is a varied and complex role that requires excellent communication skills and the ability to liaise with peers and senior managers.
In amongst the doom and gloom, we must recognise some wins this year. Interest rates fell by a very welcome 1%, making the cost of borrowing easier for many businesses. We’ve also seen a steady number of new trade agreements and some warming of relations with our biggest trading partner, the EU. Most recently, the UK rejoining the Erasmus scheme is something the Chamber network had campaigned for. Another win for the Chambers network was the compromise the government made on day 1 employment rights.
Locally, work finally began on the Thickthorn A11/A47 junction, alongside the A47 dualling and completion of the long awaited A140 Long Stratton Bypass – bottlenecks which have plagued the movement of people and goods for years, constraining our economic growth potential.
2025 was also the year we gave members a complimentary co-working space in Norwich city centre. Our membership grew, we invested more in services to our members, and we delivered over 100 events in every corner of the county. Connecting, supporting and giving voice to every business in Norfolk.
Frosty Forecast
But, 2026 is going to be a tricky one for fiscal policy. The Bank of England predict much slower interest rate cuts next year, and their consensus seems to be that the closer we get to the 2% inflation target, the harder it will get to achieve. Meanwhile, businesses will start to feel some of the impact of the 2025 budget – ‘making tax digital’, business rates re-evaluation and new multipliers for retail and hospitality, dividend tax increase and APR/BPR property relief…all changes that will impact businesses to varying degrees.
In other policy news, the Employment Rights Bill now has ‘royal assent’ (i.e. it’s now law.) This means our network’s campaigning now needs to switch focus to the ‘secondary legislation’ to ensure the concerns and needs of businesses are properly considered as the minute detail is ironed out.
Closer to home, Norfolk and Suffolk’s Devolution deal has been postponed until 2028. This means we have to wait another two years to see the benefit of more localised decision making and funding.
Regardless of the turbulence, we will continue to fight the corner of Norfolk business in 2026, investing more time and resource into putting your voice to local decision-makers, MPs and central government.
Sleigh-ing it in 2026
Despite these challenges, 2026 is a year to celebrate. Norfolk Chambers was founded back in 1896. It was the year of the first cinema screening, the first X-ray, the founding of the Dow Jones and the first ever ‘wireless’ communication. 2026 is our 130th Anniversary. We’ll be celebrating 130 years of bringing business together throughout the year so keep your eyes peeled.
This legacy of 130 years will be a running theme through our flagship events programme. From February’s Big Debate to the Future Careers Expo in March, and the Business Zone at the Royal Norfolk Show in June to our 29th Annual B2B Exhibition in October…all of which can be booked now so you don’t miss out!
We will also be asking our business community what support they need for the future and taking a forensic look at our membership model to ensure it keeps adding real value to you.
That’s all to come, so for now from everyone at Norfolk Chambers of Commerce, we wish you a restful break over Christmas and New Year and a prosperous 2026 – we’ll be with you every step of the way.
Banham Zoo is celebrating a historic milestone as four maned wolf pups were born in January 2025 – the first maned wolf birth at the zoo in 20 years.
This exciting event makes Banham Zoo one of only a handful of UK zoos to have successfully bred this Near Threatened species as part of a vital conservation programme.
The pups were born to first-time parents Enya and Thiago, and all four are thriving under their mother’s care. Now one month old, they are beginning to explore their surroundings while being closely monitored by our expert zookeepers to ensure their healthy development.
A Crucial Conservation Achievement
Maned wolves are classified as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List due to habitat loss, road collisions and human/wildlife conflict across South America. This successful birth represents a significant step forward in the conservation of the species, strengthening the European Breeding Programme (EEP) in which Banham Zoo proudly participates.Only three UK zoos have successfully bred maned wolves in the past year.
This birth highlights Banham Zoo’s ongoing commitment to conservation, animal welfare, and species survival.
Maned wolf pups typically remain with their mother for up to a year, learning crucial survival skills before gaining independence – making this an important period for their development.
We are also proud to acknowledge the support of Towergate Insurance, whose generous sponsorship of the maned wolves will allow us to make critical improvements to the habitat, enhancing the care and well-being of these magnificent animals. It also supports our continued involvement in vital breeding programmes, ensuring the long-term survival of this rare species.
“We’re delighted to sponsor the habitat of the maned wolf pups and congratulate Banham Zoo on their breeding success of this near threatened species. It’s fantastic to see such an achievement happen in East Anglia, a region that we’re deeply proud to operate in. As a regional insurance broker, we take great pride in the achievements of the local communities and look forward to watching the pups grow in their wonderful habitat that we’re thrilled to support.”
Kirsty Wainwright-Noble, Towergate Insurance.
“The birth of four maned wolf pups is an incredible milestone for both Banham Zoo and the conservation of this unique species. It is the first maned wolf birth here in 20 years, making it a significant achievement – not just for our team but for the wider efforts to safeguard the species. Formally listed as near threatened in 2015, in recent years, the populations have decreased rapidly, and it’s believed they are at threat of extinction.
With only three UK zoos having successfully bred maned wolves in the last year, moments like this truly highlight the vital role zoos play in protecting and preserving endangered wildlife for future generations. The pups are already out and visible, and wecan’t wait for our guests to share in the joy of seeing them. We hope that births like this will inspire the next generation of zookeepers and conservationists.”
Deborah Harris, Animal Manger at Banham Zoo
Watch the Pups & Support Conservation
Banham Zoo is releasing exclusive footage to mark this incredible occasion, offering the public a first glimpse at these rare and special pups.
We invite visitors to come and witness this landmark conservation success and learn more about how Banham Zoo is working to protect endangered species like the maned wolf.
MOA are proud to have been involved with Break charity andthe GoGoDragons! project for the last 18 months. Working with this small charity with a big heart has been an emotional journey. We have touched many lives and given young people a better start in life as a result. We produced this short video as one of our dragons headed towards the auction from it’s home. The Artist John Stokes, a Shakespearean Actor who has performed at the Maddermarket theatre many times, an accomplished graphic artist and all round gentleman says farewell to GoGoMadder in his own style.
Avendra Narayan CPA has become the first Australian TaxAssist Accountants franchisee. Avendra, who has over 45 years’ experience in accounting, business and finance has opened a shop in the Liverpool district of Sydney, New South Wales.
Joining Australia’s newest network of accountants, and becoming its first franchisee held no fear for Avendra, who was attracted to the shop concept and business development initiatives offered by TaxAssist. “Many people will ask what makes TaxAssist so different?” said Avendra. “Really, it boils down to offering a more comprehensive, all round service, specifically for small businesses – if you like – a ‘one-stop-shop’.”
All TaxAssist shops are based in accessible, convenient locations. Avendra continues “The look and feel of the shops are completely different from traditional accounting practices. We know clients will appreciate our open, welcoming look and we want clients to enjoy coming through the door. Gone are the days of feeling inhibited by a trip to your accountant. The shop certainly seems to be working too, in the first two weeks of opening, I signed 14 clients, the majority of which were walk-in clients!”
The Liverpool shop joins the Forster, Woolgoolga and Taree branches, which opened in January and are operated by Master Franchisees Terry Murphy and Celeste Godwin.
TaxAssist is looking to grow its network by joining forces with other accountants. If you are interested in finding out more, please visit the Australian franchisee recruitment website www.taxassistfranchise.com.au.
TaxAssist has over 280 practices in the UK and over 20 in the Republic of Ireland.
Campaign is aleading magazine in the advertising industry that often features work from the biggest London brands and agencies. Every year,they publish a ‘School Report’ that ranks agencies according to billings,based on datafrom Nielson.
2016 is the first time that JMS has been featuredin the published list and is the only company based inEast Anglia, with the exception of creative production houseFall Off The Wallin Hertfordshire. It can often be challenging for a rural media company to compete with others from large media hubs, such as London, Manchester and Birmingham, but 2015 was a busy year for JMS that involvedworking with big names in cruising, toysand services.
The company is thrilled to berecognised amongst the top players in the industry and looks forward to helping more brands grow this year through TV advertising, which continues to be the most effective advertising medium and is constantly evolving to become more targeted and more accessible for smaller brands.
If you would like to know more about TV or radio advertising, visit the JMS Group website or call 01603 811855.
David Paulson, Senior Manager for UK and International Recruitment, and James Mattam, Senior Business Development Manager at TaxAssist Accountants, are back from a successful trip to Australia, where they delivered training, looked for future shop sites and attended the Sydney Franchising and Business Opportunities Expo with TaxAssist Master franchisees Terry Murphy and Celeste Godwin.
Terry and Celeste are business partners who have been running their own practices across New South Wales and Queensland for over 10 years and are TaxAssist’s first Australian Master Franchisees. They have so far rebranded three of their existing premises in Forster, Woolgoolga and Taree into TaxAssist offices, and have taken on their first franchisee, Avendra Narayan, who has opened a shop in the Liverpool district of Sydney, New South Wales.
David comments, “Terry and Celeste have done a fantastic job so far in promoting the TaxAssist brand in Australia. Myself and James have enjoyed seeing how far things have come already, and offering advice and guidance on further development. The potential for both master franchisees and franchisees is huge in Australia, which has a buoyant small business market which is largely untapped. The franchise exhibition, at which we had a stand, was very well attended and we were inundated with enquiries, so we are hopeful that we should see more franchisees joining us soon.”
Banham Zoo is delighted to share some heart-warming festive news with the announcement of two newly hatched African black-footed penguin chicks, a joyful milestone for this endangered species.
Earlier this summer, in June, Banham Zoo proudly welcomed a group of African black-footed penguins from Hertfordshire Zoo, adding to our already established colony of African black-footed penguins as part of the international breeding programme dedicated to safeguarding the future of the species. We are thrilled to report that the penguins have settled in exceptionally well and are already playing a valuable role in conservation efforts.
Maneno and Jozini have successfully hatched chicks: Pumpkin, born on 31st October, and Spice, who followed shortly after on 3rd November. Keepers report that both chicks, along with their attentive parents, are doing extremely well.
With African Black-footed penguin populations continuing to decline and fewer than 10,000 breeding pairs remaining worldwide, every successful hatching represents a vital step forward. Alongside its breeding efforts, Banham Zoo is proud to support the vital conservation work of SANCCOB (the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds), whose teams work tirelessly in South Africa to rescue, rehabilitate and release African penguins affected by oil spills, climate change and food shortages.
Sophie Imhof, Team Leader of the Bird team at Banham Zoo said,
‘We couldn’t be happier to welcome Pumpkin and Spice, especially at such a magical time of year. Seeing Maneno and Jozini settle in so quickly and successfully raise two healthy chicks has been wonderful for the whole team. With African black-footed penguins under so much pressure in the wild, every new chick really does matter and these two are a lovely reminder of why conservation work like this is so important.’
To celebrate the arrival of Pumpkin and Spice, Banham Zoo has launched new penguin adoption packs, offering supporters a meaningful way to help protect this endangered species. Adopters will be able to follow the penguins’ story as they grow, while directly supporting conservation efforts both at the zoo and in the wild, making it a truly special gift this Christmas.
Just to note – As a precautionary measure due to current bird flu restrictions, visitors are not able to enter the penguin habitat at this time. However, there are several designated viewing areas around the habitat, offering guests the opportunity to catch a glimpse of the penguins and observe the family from a safe distance.