One week to go! In less than a week, the Mid Suffolk Business Exhibition kicks off – and we’re so excited to be part of it!
What to expect?
– Expert marketing insights
– Networking with top local businesses
– Fresh strategies to grow your brand
Where? Mid Suffolk Business Exhibition
When? 26th March 2025
Grab your tickets now!
If you’re attending, make sure to pop by and say hello – we’d love to meet you! Let’s talk all things marketing, growth, and smashing success together.
Entrepreneurs in the county are now able to realise their business dream, thanks to ‘Enterprise Norfolk’, an exciting new support project for business start-ups. The programmeoffers practical help and support to anyone wanting to start new businesses in the county.
Enterprise Norfolk is led by Norfolk County Council with an investment of £400K over 2 years, working with Norfolk’s district, borough and city council partners. The aim is to help local residents realise their business potential and to create 150 new sustainable businesses in each year.
Local councils will be delivering services to residents in their areas. Service and activities available will include: – enterprise awareness events, one-to-one support sessions, enterprise workshops and business surgeries and clubs.
Delivered at a local level, Enterprise Norfolk allows greater coverage and access to individuals living in rural areas. The money will address the ‘full enterprise journey’, with support for existing businesses in the county and well as new ones.
Liz Young from Dereham has previously been supported by Norfolk County Council when she was trying to start up her two businesses Sparrow’s Rest and Steaming ahead which are a respite care business and an ironing company respectively. She said: “Getting business advice and help from the county council was invaluable at the time when I was considering what to do and how I could turn my ideas into reality. It gave me the knowledge and confidence I needed to start out on my own and I haven’t looked back.
“The Enterprise Norfolk scheme is a fantastic idea and I would urge anyone who’s thinking about starting up a business to get in touch with the County Council as it certainly worked for me.”
While most people were making their mark in polling stations today (Thursday May 5, 2016), members of the claims department at Alan Boswell Group used the date to make a statement of their own.
They were launching the first in the company’s year of fund-raising events to raise more than £25,000 to benefit the county’s cancer patients, with a “beard-off”.
Mark Davenport, claims manager and Paul Cole, senior claims adviser, bid farewell to their beloved beards in gentlemen’s grooming barbershop Swagger and Jacks where the traditional method of cut throat shaving took about 75 minutes. Claims handler Anthony Lehman also had his head shaved at the St Benedict’s Street shop, with all tonsorial services donated by owner Mark Young.
For Mr Davenport, the loss of his distinctive carefully groomed beard is quite a talking point around the office. One sponsorship is conditional on his being clean shaven for at least six months; while at home, his 12 year old daughter is in for a surprise, when he returns home tonight …she has not seen his chin since she was two years’ old!
The idea for the event came from Anthony whose mum Elaine was diagnosed with breast cancer earlier this year. He saw a leaflet challenging men to shave off their hair and thought this would inspire his colleagues. Asked if his mum approved of the challenge, he said she loved fun and laughter so definitely. The family is awaiting the outcome of the early diagnosis, which comes months after her retirement from Leeway Women’s Refuge, and is optimistic for her recovery.
For Mr Cole, he is thinking winter might be a bit chilly!
Every one of the 220 employees across Boswells’ six Norfolk and Suffolk offices, has been challenged by the directors to raise at least £100 to support Big C, Norfolk’s cancer charity, who staff voted to be it’s charity of the year.
Marketing manager Lee Boswell said: “The company is a big supporter of Big C having sponsored both its ladies and gent’s golf days for the past 20 years.
“We’ll also look to raise funds though our annual 7-a-side corporate football tournament at Carrow Road, dress down days and other fund-raising challenges for the charity. This year it is slightly different. We will all be taking part. Each member of staff can chose his or her challenge and already the initiative has become a talking point in the office. The entire staff is linked by a team page on JustGiving which totals the efforts as we go and is stimulating ideas. This way we can all see how much we have made and how far off we are from the target.
“Some of the directors and staff will be participating in the Bullards Tour De Norfolk at the Norfolk showground in September, taking up the challenge of the new 35mile circuit whilst a couple of hardy souls are going the full distance and have pledged to ride 100 miles!” he said.
Recent research by leading independent insurance broker and financial planner Alan Boswell Group has found that fewer than 30% of over-50s in the UK understand key Inheritance Tax terminology.
The findings showed that only 27% of respondents were able to correctly identify that ‘nil-rate band’ referred to the threshold at which an estate became liable to inheritance tax and that this threshold is set at £325,000.
This is in addition to only 44% being aware that the current rate of IHT was 40%.
The data comes following a survey into public awareness of IHT, which was launched when the Government announced record IHT receipts of £5.2bn in the year to May 2017.
The Norwich-based company has growing concerns because increasing property prices are pushing many more estates over the £325,000 threshold (a figure that has been frozen since 2010, although UK house prices have increased by 33% on average in that time) incurring tax at a rate of 40% on sums that exceed the threshold.
Says John Whitehead, Managing Director at Alan Boswell Financial Planning: “Inheritance Tax is affecting more people than ever before, and it is concerning to find that the majority of over-50s, who will be most affected by the trend, are unaware of the key facts. As a result, they are likely to pass on less to their heirs than they were expecting.”
In addition, the research also found that only 30% were aware of Business Relief (also known as Business Property Relief), whereby an individual can invest in qualifying businesses and pass the shares on tax-free if they have been held for more than two years at the time of death. Of the respondents that had heard of it, only 31% were correct in stating that the IHT benefits only apply after two years.
John continues: “There is a real need for financial education, not just about the basics, but how families can pass on their estates in a tax-efficient way. Without an understanding of the terminology, it’s difficult to know how it affects you and your family. Although it’s a subject that may be difficult to discuss, there are professionals available to help you to understand your risks and how to minimise their impact.”
Tax treatment depends on your individual circumstances and may be subject to change in future.
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About the research
Alan Boswell Group anonymously surveyed 450 clients aged over 50, across both its personal insurance and financial planning databases in order to ascertain awareness of estate planning. The group’s clients are based across the UK.
Average house prices based on data from HM Land Registry, Registers of Scotland, Land and Property Services Northern Ireland and Office for National Statistics. House prices in March 2010 were £167,878, while average house prices in March 2018 were £224,000.
About Alan Boswell Group
Alan Boswell Group is a leading independent insurance broker and one of East Anglia’s largest independent financial planners. The company was established by CEO Alan Boswell in Norfolk in 1982 and has grown in size and financial strength ever since.
With 10 offices and more than 300 members of staff, Alan Boswell Group is ideally placed to ensure businesses and individuals receive expert advice whenever they need it.
As well as arranging both personal and commercial insurance, the group has an ever-evolving portfolio of added-value services, including underwriting, delegated claims handling, loss assessment, risk management, specialist equipment inspection and health and safety consultation.
Its financial planning teams can also provide ongoing advice and support on a range of employee benefits for businesses – while personal finance experts can give guidance on your savings and investments, retirement plans or market updates.
The team at E-Screen are running two exclusive Digital Signage Demo Weeks,taking place 20-24 October and 24-28 November and we would love for you to join us!
Come along to our Great Yarmouth showroom and experience next-level communication, collaboration and engagement.
Get hands-on with the latest:
Digital Signage Displays: Discover how stunning visuals can grab attention, share updates instantly and make a lasting impression on customers and visitors.
Interactive Touchscreens: Explore dynamic touchscreens that engage audiences, simplify communication and enhance experiences across any setting -from offices and events to hospitality and public spaces
Video Conferencing Solutions: Experience seamless hybrid meetings that connect teams anywhere, with crystal-clear audio and lifelike 4K visuals.
It’s the perfect chance to explore, ask questions, and find the right digital solution for your business – all in one place, no pressure, just great technology, great people and great coffee at the ready!
Visit Us: Unit 9, Brinell Way, Harfreys Industrial Estate, Great Yarmouth, NR31 0LU
Whether you want to wow customers, boost collaboration or power up your workspace, this is your chance to find the perfect digital solution for your business.
The countdown has begun to one of the county’s most anticipated annual events; the Norfolk Show Ball which takes place on June 22nd and is this year hosted by Norfolk cancer charity, Big C. The event will raise vital funds towards a new Big C Support and Information centre which will be located in central Norwich and provide support those in our community affected by cancer. The new facility will complement the charity’s three existing Big C centres at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, Great Yarmouth, King’s Lynn and the Gorleston hub at the Louise Hamilton centre. On the evening of the ball, the Norfolk Showground will be transformed into a nightspot of the glamourous and decadent 1920s jazz age, as the Big C team transports guests back to the opulent ‘Roaring Twenties’ for an evening to remember. Norfolk businesses have demonstrated their generosity in supporting the event. Norfolk financial planners, Loveday & Partners are headline sponsors for the ball, with medical device manufacturer, Bespak, on-board as gold sponsors. Grateful thanks also go to Interprint, Sonkai, EDP, TCT Security Services, Hoseasons, Solar Signs and Graphics, Heat Norfolk, Richardsons Kubota, Softley Events, Production Bureau and to the many Norfolk businesses and individuals that have donated prizes and items to support the evening.
Mark Loveday, Director said, “We are absolutely thrilled to partner local cancer charity Big C which provides an invaluable service to those affected by cancer across the region. Very few families in our community are untouched by this dreadful disease and we are delighted to support Big C in all they do to provide families with support and care at vital times.”
Dr Chris Bushby, Chief Executive at Big C says, “We never cease to be amazed by the generosity of our local corporate supporters and we are extremely grateful to Loveday & Partners, Bespak and our other sponsors for joining forces with us to help stage this year’s Norfolk Show Ball and the many other local businesses that are supporting the event. Because of them, we’ll be able to raise even more funds for a cause that sadly many of us can closely relate to. Big C is a local charity and every penny we raise benefits those in our community affected by cancer. It promises to be a great night.”
To learn more about the work Big C does to improve the lives of those affected by cancer in Norfolk and Waveney, please visit www.big-c.co.uk
Eliott Betts and Lili Huang, celebrated their first anniversary of their TaxAssist Accountants office on 70 Northgate Street, Bury St Edmunds, on Thursday, 14th June, with a party for the local business community.
Eliott and Lili set up TaxAssist Accountants in Bury St Edmunds in May 2017 and they have enjoyed steady growth in their first year of business.
“We have enjoyed a very successful first year and the response we have received from the local business community has been fantastic,” said Eliott. “With demand for our services continuing to grow, our shop is in a great location with high visibility making it convenient and accessible for small business owners in and around Bury St Edmunds.”
Lili added: “The opening event gave us an excellent opportunity to thank our clients, as well as meet other local businesses and our neighbours so they can see what TaxAssist Accountants can do for them, while enjoying a glass of fizz and bite to eat. St Edmundsbury Deputy Mayor, Councillor Patrick Chung, attended the opening ceremony and I’m pleased to say that everyone had a great time.”
Four Norfolk directors scooped highly commended prizes at The Institute of Director’s annual East of England Director of the Year Awards, held on Friday 15th June at The Jockey Club Rooms in Newmarket.
The awards celebrate the exemplary leaders who are doing great work across the East of England, rewarding individuals who display professionalism, diligence and creativity to inspire employees.
The Norfolk directors recognised were:
Ian Watson, Chief Executive Officer of Start-Rite (Norwich), won Highly Commended Innovation Director of the Year
Sarah West, Managing Director of Full Mix Marketing (Norwich), won New Director of the Year
Chris Cliffe, Director of CJC Procurement Limited (Norwich) won Highly Commended New Director of the Year
Andrew Brammer, Managing Director of PSS (Norfolk) won Global Director of the Year.
Ian, Sarah, Chris and Andrew were presented with their awards by Stephen Martin (IoD Director General) and David Sales (Chairman, IoD East of England).
Stephen Martin, this year’s guest of honour, is an authoritative voice of UK business in the media and engages with senior figures from across government, politics and Whitehall, to represent business interests. He commented: “Today has been a fantastic event celebrating the best in British business here in the East of England and it was amazing to see so many inspirational stories of directors and the great impact they have not just in their own company but in the communities in which they are operating. It was a very successful event with many worthy winners and I wish them all continued success in their businesses.”
David Sales, regional IoD Chairman for East of England and host of the awards commented: “Every year these awards get more competitive, meaning the judging process is ever more challenging and exciting! The East of England is home to many of the UK’s most innovative, vibrant and successful organisations – led by some of our best directors. This year’s winners are exceptional role models for our fabulous region.”
Simone Robinson, Head of Regional Relationships, IoD East of England commented on the winners: “All of the winners are singularly tenacious, driven, innovative and successful, and all of them share the desire to promote good governance, deliver strong and collaborative leadership, a consideration for corporate social responsibility, and a recognition of the role the team plays in the businesses achievements.”
Senior Training & Communications Manager at TaxAssist Accountants, Jo Nockels, has been chosen as one of the UK’s rising talents in the Accountancy Age 35 Under 35 ranking 2018.
Jo’s career has progressed from leaving high school to become an apprentice, to heading TaxAssist’s Training Academy as well as sharing her expertise in accounting and tax-related topics for national newspapers and radio stations.
Having gained her practice qualifications and experience at Larking Gowen in Holt, Jo joined TaxAssist Accountants’ Norwich Support Centre in 2010, initially to provide communications and PR support for its nationwide network of franchisees, which involves writing guides and articles for their clients.
Chartered Certified Accountant Jo, 34, said: “I thoroughly enjoy this aspect of my role, both in terms of researching and the creativity it allows, and because our guidance can make a real difference to the lives of small business owners. I regularly write for publications and websites, speak at national business events and I’ve done some live radio interviews, most recently on Badass Women’s Hour on talkRADIO.”
Her career diversified in 2013, after she won unbiased.co.uk’s Media Award for Professional Adviser of the Year and was given the challenge of managing TaxAssist Accountants Training Academy.
By identifying and delivering courses to meet the training needs of TaxAssist’s franchisees and staff, Jo has seen delegate numbers double.
“Because of the buying power of a nationwide network, I’ve been able to introduce the use of professional training providers,” explained Jo. “I work closely with them to tailor the content they deliver to ensure it’s really focused on our target market and the issues our network encounter every day. I’ve also refined the Academy’s systems, which has improved our data and we’re running vastly more webinars, which has been essential given that we’re training more than 1,300 people a year through the Academy. In 2016, we became an AAT-accredited training provider, which was a huge achievement for an employer.”
In 2014 Jo was promoted to Senior Manager and in 2016 was selected for the TaxAssist Accountants management development programme.
“I was really thrilled to have been included on the Accountancy Age 35 Under 35, not only as it provides an insight into the wealth of developing talent in the UK accountancy industry but also as it reflects how truly passionate I am about my job.
“My dad always said to me that if you enjoy your work, you’ll never work again and most days, I’m fortunate to say that’s how I feel. I have variety, I can be artistic and because I have such a diverse role, I get involved in lots of project work and I’m allowed the freedom to innovate and influence the direction of such a renowned organisation as TaxAssist Accountants.”
Potential franchisees can meet with Jo on Discovery Days; events which we regularly hold at our Support Centre in Norwich for those interested in finding out more about joining the TaxAssist Accountants network. To book your place, please call 0800 0188297.
The full Accountancy Age 35 under 35 can be seen at https://www.accountancyage.com/2018/05/30/35-under-35-2018-35-31-revealed/.
Thrill-seekers will once again have the opportunity to scale new heights for charity as East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH) offers fundraisers a rare opportunity to abseil down one of Norwich’s tallest buildings.
EACH has launched a charity abseil event which will see participants descend 150ft down the Norfolk Tower. It’s one of the city’s tallest buildings offering participants breath-taking views across the whole of Norwich.
The abseil is very kindly supported by MAHB landlords of the Norfolk Tower, who have again offered EACH the use of the building free of charge.
The event, once again being managed by the Norfolk Army Cadet Force, will take place at The Norfolk Tower, Surrey Street, Norwich on Sunday April 14 between 10am and 4pm. It costs £25 to register and participants are asked to raise a minimum of £100 in sponsorship. Only 60 places are available and are expected to be taken quickly so wewould urge anyone interested intaking partto sign up as soon as possible.
One of Larking Gowen’s core values, ‘Passion for our people’, is the driving force behind the Larking Gowen Leadership Development Programme, which saw participants graduate on Wednesday 20 June. The 18-month programme was designed by Partner and head of the Training Committee, Steven Rudd, working with an external coach, to move selected employees on to the next stages of their careers. He believes this people-centred approach has a direct impact on the business, in improving client service as well as recruitment and retention, where there is strong competition for the best candidates. “Our business thrives with well-trained, motivated and driven teams,” says Steven Rudd. “‘Passion for our people’ makes sure we achieve this in a balanced way. We focus on all aspects of wellbeing, and that includes identifying and growing the potential of our employees. I’d like to congratulate our thirteen participants for rising to the challenge of implementing new ways of thinking, and for their dedication. We look forward to seeing their careers develop with us.”
Ashley Smith, who started the course whilst a Manager and was appointed to Partner at the firm earlier this year, says the scheme has helped develop his confidence. “I see myself as a leader for the first time,” he says. “The knowledge I’ve gained supports my new role as partner and the strategic thinking I need, helping to shape the future of the firm. It’s easy to concentrate on technical training because that’s what we deliver on a day-to-day basis, but the chance to focus on personal and career development is a distinct advantage, which sets Larking Gowen apart.”
“Over the past 18 months we’ve gained the insight we need to become the leaders of the future. Through self-study, working with the external coach and an internal mentor, we were challenged to analyse our social interactions, to identify our strengths and areas to work on,” he explains.
“Most of us at Larking Gowen trained as accountants,” adds Steven Rudd. “This programme addresses the additional skills needed to run the business. It’s helped participants see opportunities, and to think differently to gain a competitive edge and make the firm a better place.”
Jon Woolston, Managing Partner, is delighted by the results he has seen. “The world, business and people expectations are changing faster now than ever. We need a management team that are not afraid to look forward and are able to help their clients and teams with the necessary skills to make sure our service continues to be relevant. The added confidence and knowledge this programme has delivered, sets the participants apart.”
As a full-service digital marketing Agency, you can trust us, when we say we know which way to go with your business’ digital marketing. Whilst we understand that there are many routes to take, whether it’s sticking with the paid, PPC and Paid Social, or taking a bit more of a longer journey into organic search and social, we can help you work out which is the best option for your business. As the saying goes, one shoe doesn’t fit all.
In this case, we’re going to be discussing the dream team which is SEO and Organic Social Media. As this match has been a real hit for one of our clients, Garden Room Designs who we have been working closely with for over a year now showcasing their orangery extension expertise and stunning building style to the top of the SERPs and Social. Their SEO and basic organic social media has seen some great results from, now it’s time to see how far we can progress them in their niche.
At this point, you might be thinking, well, organic social media and organic search aren’t as connected as paid social and paid search, so how does this work so well? But, that’s where we’re here to tell you that there’s still quite a correlation which you will discover if you give it a bit of TLC.
Social’s Effect on Search
When considering your social media strategy for a positive effect on search, it’s important to take into consideration the user or audience intent alongside the specific social media platform that you’re using. Depending on if you are using the O.G platforms, (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter/X) or the “newer” platforms such as Snapchat or TikTok, there are more advantageous ways to incorporate your organic social with SEO.
We all know some platforms are easier to drive organic traffic to than others. Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok are driven by more visual elements, so it can be harder to understand the impact it is having on organic search. This may be due to the correlation between links utilised by users and ways of directing traffic to websites embedded within the sites are more difficult than the other social media platforms.
However, when we look at Facebook and Twitter/X, these are the social media platforms that are more accustomed to driving traffic to the websites that have URLs included in the copy of the post itself. So that being said, it should come as no surprise when there are links associated with Facebook or Twitter/X posts that show up in search engine page results.
Search’s Effect on Social
You might all be thinking, does SEO actually impact Socials? Well, it does indeed have an effect on organic social media and the reach you receive. Think about it in a basic sense, the more a business takes care in implementing technical, off-page, and on-page SEO tactics on their website’s pages, the more they can expect to see increases in the site’s search traffic, sessions, and visibility to new session users and in turn, potential social icon clicks.
However, the biggest piece of the search engine and social marriage that sees it all come together is the usability of organic social media posts populating search engine results pages. As Twitter/X and other social media platforms rank highly on Google, more posts show up. Especially if there are social media posts with website links in them. This means there’s a greater possibility that users who are searching will end up on a website. We believe this is because social media posts, especially those with trending topics or high user intent, show up in the SERPs for those specific users.
Search and Social
So, not only will enhancing your social media help to gain engagement on social media platforms but, especially if there are posts that have interesting insights or researched data points, there is a higher likelihood that those posts will populate on the SERPs too. Nice!
For some expert advice on your business’ organic presence, or to discuss some of the other paid options out there, contact a member of our team today and we’ll talk you through some of the work we do for our lovely clients.