Start-Rite Shoes has appointed Jonathan Hudson as Head of Marketing. Jonathan will have responsibility for the planning and implementation of the brand’s marketing strategies.
Jonathan brings a wealth of experience in the family market and a deep specialism in digital marketing within consumer goods environments. Prior to working for Start-Rite, Jonathan was Head of Marketing at Hoseasons, where he was responsible for planning and implementing the digital and traditional marketing mix for the brand. Jonathan also boasts marketing experience at established brands such as Homebase, Shop Direct (Littlewoods and Very) and Time Group.
Jonathan Hudson, Head of Marketing, Start-Rite Shoes, said: “It’s a great time to be joining such an iconic brand – a new identity, new creative campaigns and an amazing product portfolio. I’m excited to show consumers what the brand really has to offer and help grow our marketing presence across digital and retail.”
Commenting on his appointment, Ian Watson, CEO, Start-Rite Shoes, said: “It’s great to have Jonathan on board. He brings with him extensive experience and will be instrumental in driving our brand forward and in executing our key consumer messages in line with our strategic direction.”
Jonathan joined Start-Rite Shoes on 11 June 2018 and will report into Chief Executive Ian Watson.
We were delighted to return to the event that has become the hub for the UK insurance sector, affectionately termed ‘BIBA Fever’, by our client and principle sponsor of BIBA 2018, Aviva.
BIBA 2018 sought to innovate, evolve and thrive, with this immersive event building upon the core conference and exhibition aspects toward a much wider offering. The Fringe extended knowledge, the innovation zone allowed access to emerging technologies and insider expertise within the insurance sector and Young Broker Day was dedicated to supporting the career development of insurance brokers of the future. With such an immersive and varied event, our build for Aviva needed to stand out as well as offer a flexible environment for meetings, networking and presentations.
Progressing from our build at BIBA 2017, the refined simplicity, economical practices and innovative approach resulted in a smooth installation process. The clean lines of the modern 5 x 4 metre tower were complimented by blue LED lighting and the iconic Aviva branding, displayed prominently on the double sided tower. A high-level fabric graphic system flown above the stand added further impact, drawing the eye from across the bustling venue. The custom-made lightboxes offered angular feature shapes with the tensioned fabric system making the installation of fresh new graphics economical and easy. Forming meeting areas within the expansive stand-space, these lightboxes also served as dividers, supporting the greater intimacy required in the meeting areas. The open-plan networking area utilised the expansive footprint of the stand and it was fantastic to see this space used so effectively by the Aviva team, becoming a conversational hub of the event, complete with barista service and an interactive ‘scrabble’-style graphic wall. The adaptability of this space was also a key feature on day two, with a mid-way furniture switch creating an intimate soft seating zone, perfect for the smaller events Aviva hosted. With the Aviva team sharing that BIBA 2018 was ‘the best one yet’, our aim was to support them as they continued to innovate, evolve and thrive…and we are proud to say we did!
Have you caught events fever? To see how we could help support you, get in touch today
The farmland market in England is getting tougher, despite average values rising over the first half of 2018, according to land and property specialists Strutt & Parker. “Average prices have been relatively stable over the past couple of years, but it’s important to acknowledge they only reflect the land which has sold and you also need to be looking at what isn’t selling, to give a true reflection of the market,” says Michael Fiddes, head of estate and farm agency. “Our figures show that over a third of the farms marketed in 2017 either remain available or have been withdrawn and these farms are obviously not factored into average prices. “There are still farms selling incredibly well, but overall it is getting tougher. The market remains incredibly polarised with location and farm type, rather than quality, remaining the key drivers of the price achieved. “Land is still achieving excellent prices in areas where there are tight supplies and where buyers are funding a purchase with money from outside of farming. However, in areas where farmer buyers dominate, prices can be lower.” The price paid for arable land in England over the past six months ranges from £6,800 to £15,000/acre. The proportion of farms being bought by buyers using capital made outside of farming is rising. These investors fall into three main categories: lifestyle buyers, individuals with rollover funds from the sale of development land or those looking for an asset with long-term capital growth. To most of these investors, location is key. Demand appears to be strongest for cereal farms, but over 40% of the dairy, mixed, residential farms and estates marketed last year remain available. Farm size also has an effect – only 15% of the larger farms (over 1,000 acres) marketed during 2017 are still available or have been withdrawn, compared with over 40% of 500-1,000 acre farms. Mr Fiddes says: “That we are in this position is not unexpected, and it is one that is likely to continue until there is greater certainty about the impact of policy changes on the agricultural sector. Until then, we will be dealing with a market which is much like the weather – full of extremes.” The Strutt & Parker Farmland Database shows supplies of land coming to the market remain tight, which will be helping to support prices. Less land was publicly marketed during the first half of 2018 than the equivalent period in 2016 and 2017. However, the trend for farms to be sold off market or privately continues. Strutt & Parker estimates that private sales currently account for 20-25% of the market. Regional outlook: “An interesting phenomenon in the East Anglian region is that large farms and estates are outperforming the rest of the market. It is the sale of the larger blocks of land and estates where we are seeing the fastest sales and at higher £/acre than smaller parcels. This is due to a combination of a limited supply and strong demand from both commercial farmers and buyers with rollover funds from development land sales or profits from company sales to invest. The price of smaller parcels of commercial farmland can be lower as they are attracting buyers solely focused on the levels of return achievable from farming that land.” Giles Allen, East of England region “The market for farms in the North of England has never been so polarised. Arable land is currently ranging from around £6,250/acre to £12,000/acre, with grassland farms selling for £4,000-8,000/acre. The very best properties are making record prices, but farms that require investment, or with no potential to generate additional income streams, are not. There continues to be a stock of properties on the market from 2017 which are yet to go under offer. However, we are starting to notice stronger interest from new non-farming investors and lifestyle buyers, who might be planning to diversify their property portfolios and include land and farms within them.” Will Parry, North region “We are seeing strong demand for land in north Warwickshire and west Leicestershire where there is significant interest from buyers who have funds as a result of the sale of development land and progressive farmers looking to expand their operations. Arable land is typically ranging from around £6,750/acre to £10,000/acre, although areas with an historic lack of supply can achieve premiums above that level.” Sam Holt, East Midlands region “We anticipate quite a bit of land coming to the market in the next few weeks, which is welcome as there is a real lack of supply in the south east. There are still good buyers out there, and ‘best in class’ farms are selling well. However, sales seem to be taking a long time to exchange. Whilst there are a variety of reasons for this, one common theme that we are seeing is onerous overage and clawback provisions being inserted into contracts which can slow progress.” Matthew Gibson, South East region “The sunshine appears to helping the market with both buyers and sellers becoming more active again. In the West Midlands, the market is being driven by farmers and landowners with significant windfalls from selling development land and as a result prices have generally picked up again in the past few months. Although there has been no significant change on the supply of land coming forward, we are starting to be invited to see people who are thinking of selling in the next year or two.” Matthew Sudlow, Central region “Buyers continue to be very discerning, so the best farms and estates are finding strong demand and achieving prices of £12,000/acre or possibly more. There is a shortage of large commercial arable farms available – only two have been marketed in the region so far this year – and good demand for small sporting estates. The farms that are more difficult to sell include smaller livestock units – and there are a lot available – many of them privately.” Charlie Evans, South West region Read the full Q2 Strutt & Market English estates and farmland review
bmi regional celebrates the anniversary of two of its most popular UK routes this week. The Aberdeen to Manchester and Aberdeen to Norwich service has carried more than one million passengers since the routes were established.
The first flight from Aberdeen to Norwich took off from Aberdeen Airport on March 31st 2003. A decade on, the regional airline now operates twice daily flights Monday to Friday and two at weekends. Now, 15 years on the Aberdeen to Manchester route continues to be integral to bmi regional’s UK schedule, providing direct links between the two cities, with up to 17 flights per week, using the Embraer 145 jet fleet. Both services have been extremely popular with both business and leisure travellers visiting the city whilst also providing seamless connections to key business centres across the world.
Cathal O’Connell chief executive of bmi regional, said: “Since the launch of the Aberdeen to Manchester and Norwich service, we have had consistently strong load factors, thanks to the continued support of our customers. “With frequent and convenient flight times for business trips and extended family breaks, the service has allowed people living in Aberdeen the opportunity to travel to a wide range of worldwide destinations from their local airport. Flights from Norwich to Aberdeen start from £140 one way including taxes. Flights are available to book now at www.bmiregional.com.
bmi regional operates over 450 flights a week throughout the UK and Europe and received the accolade of being the UK’s most punctual airline for the seventh year in a row. The airline’s extensive route network spans across Europe, with flights from the UK to Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden and Switzerland.
The company is committed to retaining the airline’s iconic brand values and high levels of service which include check-in up to 30 minutes prior to departure, a free 20kg hold baggage allowance and complimentary catering on board.
Energy bills don’t have to be overwhelming. Whether you’re struggling to pay, facing issues with your supplier, or looking for ways to make your home more energy-efficient, our expert energy advisers are here to help—completely free of charge. 🔹 We can support you with: ✅ Grants to help with energy debts ✅ Advice on keeping warm affordably ✅ Issues with your energy supplier ✅ Switching providers for better deals ✅ Smart meters and how they can help ✅ Energy efficiency measures, including the Great British Insulation Scheme 💡 Get the support you need and take control of your energy costs today. 📍 Contact us now. hashtag
Attleborough based multi-service
contractor Anglian, has increased the processing capacity within its waste
recycling division following investment in a new state-of-the-art shredder.
Supplied by Doyle Machinery,
the Arjes Titan 950 can shred a variety of materials including metal, wood,
plastics and commercial waste, to process each type for recycling. This
colossal 37 tonne shredder is designed to handle even the most demanding
applications, making it well suited to Anglian’s busy, large-scale waste
recycling operation which processes hundreds of tonnes of scrap metal and other
recyclable materials each year.
Investment in the Titan 950 is
set to pay dividends for Anglian as it also separates ferrous and non-ferrous
metals. This will increase the efficiency of the company’s metal segregation,
delivering more high-quality heavy melting steel (HMS 1&2) and valuable
metals such as copper, which are all sent off to be recycled.
The shredder is mobile too, thanks
to a crawler track system, allowing Anglian to manoeuvre the machinery around
its 10-acre waste processing facility to shred the waste which is stored in individual
bays.
Lee Storer, managing director
of Anglian, said: “We are delighted to take delivery of the new shredder which
will bolster the capabilities of our busy waste recycling division. Investment
in plant such as this ensures that Anglian maintains its position as the
region’s leading waste processing and metal recycling facility. Anglian is the
only company to shred scrap metal in Norfolk so we’re looking forward to really
putting the shredder through its paces, as we continue to increase the amount
of materials sent off for recycling and looping back into the circular
economy.”
To discuss your waste processing or recycling needs, get in touch with Anglian -www.angliandemo.co.uk
Norfolk Chambers of Commerce has written to Chancellor Rachel Reeves ahead of the 2025 Budget, urging the government to prioritise long-term growth over short-term cost-saving measures.
The letter, informed by extensive member engagement and our latest Quarterly Economic Survey (QES) data, paints a concerning picture of business confidence in Norfolk. Following the changes announced in the 2024 Budget, particularly the increase in employers’ National Insurance contributions, many Norfolk businesses are feeling the squeeze like never before.
Through direct member feedback, we’ve heard repeatedly that businesses are facing a perfect storm of challenges. From payroll costs that jumped 18% overnight for some hospitality firms, to family businesses in our vital agri-food sector grappling with changes to Agricultural and Business Property Relief, the message is clear: current policies are actively disincentivising the very growth the government says it wants to achieve.
But this letter isn’t just about the challenges, it’s about solutions. Our members have put forward practical, actionable recommendations across four key areas: taxation, infrastructure, skills, and support for growth. Whether it’s finally dualling the A47, overhauling the planning system, or simplifying access to business funding, Norfolk businesses know what they need to succeed.
This letter represents the collective voice of over 700 member businesses employing more than 80,000 people across Norfolk. Every piece of feedback, every conversation, and every data point from our Quarterly Economic Survey helps us make the case for Norfolk business at the highest levels of government.
If you have experiences or insights you’d like to share about how national policy is affecting your business, we want to hear from you. Together, we can continue to champion Norfolk as a region that’s critical to UK prosperity.
Get in touch with our team via hello@norfolkchambers.co.uk to share your story or join the conversation at our next member event.
Despite being around for over 30 years, Tours for Christians had no online presence so they got in touch with the team at Tudor Lodge Consultants to help drive enquiries online through SEO (search engine optimisation).
Our task was to position the company asChristian Tourexperts and although they are based in London, to be able to reach out to all Christian communities thorughout the UK. They particularly wanted to grow their exposure for Israel tours whichremains a very popular destination for Christians as it isthe birthplace of Jesus, has countless holy and significant sites anda huge degree of natural beauty and culture tooffer.
From tours to Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Galilee and beyond, there is so much that Tours for Christians are able to offer. Working with well-renowned names in the Christian Tour industry means that they are able to offer some of the finest tours of Israel for Christians to be found anywhere.
What We have Done
Tours for Christians approached us with only a limited service to Israel. However, looking to expand their reach and appeal in the Christian market has meant that we have created for them a range of content and made many changes and improvements to their site to ensure they are found for services to Christians to Israel and otherwise.
We have added bespoke content; full of information for the Christian community and easy to read guides about the historical sites and tours you can make – which will make the sitea resource in its own right. These landing pages will make it easy for users to find information about the area and lead to potential enquiries.We have also approached a number of travel and religious websites and blogs to write about the tours on offer and in doing so, we generatenatural and highly relevant linksto the website (which boosts therankings!)
As well as adding videos, we have addedmaps and images to their website. This has increased user friendliness and makes the site more engaging and also holidaymakers to plan their trips accordingly.
Increasing the visibilityof the website has been key for this project. Since the start of our work on the site, Tours for Christians have seen their search engine rankings fly up. Now found on the first 2 pages for a number of industry searches, they are improving with every day.
The New Anglia Growth Hub has become the first and only organisation in the country to have secured a coveted business adviser accreditation – the equivalent of a blue flag in this sector.
The Level 7 Diploma in Professional Business and Enterprise Support is the equivalent of a Master’s degree on the qualification and credit framework scale and it means business owners across the two counties can feel safe in the knowledge that the support they are receiving has been rigorously examined and is of the highest quality available.
The award is governed by the Small Firms Enterprise Development Initiative (SFEDI), which sets the standard for business support services and is the exemplar standard for the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
John Stenhouse who fronts the New Anglia Growth Hub, which is managed by Suffolk Chamber of Commerce, explained how the fact that every single one of his business advisers had achieved Level 7 “was clear proof not only of their nine months of study and dedication, but their total commitment to always providing the best approach to advising businesses.”
“The Growth Hub will continue to have a major influence in helping our growing businesses access the right kind of financial and practical support”.
Small Business Minister Anna Soubry said: “Small businesses are the beating heart of our economy and this government continues to build the right environment for them to thrive.
“Growth Hubs have already helped thousands of businesses and, with the full network up and running, every registered business in England can access the expertise they need to succeed. The New Anglia Growth Hub’s business adviser accreditation will help entrepreneurs boost their businesses and create more jobs for people in the local area.”
SFEDI Chief Executive Ruth Lowbridge added: “The New Anglia Growth Hub are an exemplar of best practise in enterprise support. SFEDI research shows that businesses that engage in support are more resilient and more than twice as likely to experience business growth. This cannot be achieved without a quality and consistent approach to learning and skills development.”
Chris Starkie, Managing Director of New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership, said: “The quantity of support offered by the New Anglia Growth Hub is there in black and white – over 20,000 hours of face to face advice to more than 5,000 businesses speaks for itself. This accreditation tells businesses in Norfolk and Suffolk they can also rely on the quality of support, and is testament to the hard work and dedication of the entire team.”
A free appointment can be booked with a local Growth Hub adviser by calling 0300 333 6536 or email: growthhub@newanglia.co.uk
There’s surely no better way to mark World Chocolate Day (Saturday 7th July) than launching two new exciting, premium chocolate bars? So that’s exactly what the clever people at artisan chocolate producer Gnaw Chocolate have done to celebrate any chocolate lovers’ favourite day of the year.
The new range of 72% cocoa dark chocolate bars are available now in two delicious flavours – Gnaw Toasted Coconut; a tropically inspired 72% dark bar with coconutty nibbles and Gnaw Raspberry Crisp; smooth-talking raspberry and chocolatey deliciousness. The premium bars retail at £2.99 RRP and will be a permanent addition to the company’s fun and quirky range.
Lovingly crafted by the Norfolk chocolate manufacturer, these indulgent bars not only taste incredible they are also suitable for an increasing number of consumers who have food intolerances or are making lifestyle choices around the type of food they eat. The new bars are both suitable for vegetarians and are also dairy-free. The Toasted Coconut bar is also great news for those who have gluten-sensitivity or have coeliac disease as it is gluten-free.
Matt Legon, Gnaw’s Founder says: “By keeping a close eye on the market, we developed the high cocoa, 72% range in response to a clear demand. We are pleased to be able to respond with two exciting new luxurious chocolate bars which not only taste incredible but are suitable for the growing numbers of people living with food intolerances. Our amazing new product development team couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate World Chocolate Day this Saturday than launching our latest creations for chocolate fans to enjoy, both here in the U.K. and around the world”.
Every single one of Gnaw’s artisan chocolates is carefully handcrafted in their Norwich kitchens with locally-sourced ingredients, natural flavours, and no added nasties; the very best of ingredients are all hand-mixed together with a big warm hug of Gnaw playful fun!
The team at Gnaw are a dedicated bunch, intently focussed on their next distinctive flavour-combination, breaking from conventional thinking to bring big smiles to the faces of their customers; their aim? To spread chocolatey joy to everyone.
To get your hands on the new 72% dark chocolate range, please visit www.gnawchocolate.co.uk
Keep up to date with all Gnaw’s chocolatey news by following them on social media: Facebook – Gnaw Chocolate Twitter – @gnawchocolate Instagram – @gnawchocolate
East Anglian Engineering company Pruce Newman are delighted to announce that for the next 12 months they will be supporting The Benjamin Foundation as their Charity of the Year, through a range of fundraising events and promotional activities between now and June 2019. Keith Dixon (Compliance Manager, left) and Alan Pruce (Operations Director, right) recently met with Chris Elliott of the Benjamin Foundation (centre) to launch the partnership and to plan activities for the coming 12 months.
The Benjamin Foundation was set up by Richard and Vanessa Draper in 1994 following the death of their son Benjamin in a motorcycle accident. Starting by providing rural youth services in North Norfolk, the charity has since grown to help around 2,000 people across Norfolk and Suffolk each year, providing them with hope, opportunity, stability and independence.
The charity offers a wide range of services, including:
Accommodation centres for homeless young people. These provide support and a safe place to live for vulnerable 16-25 year olds with no home, helping them get their lives back on track. They can also accommodate young people who may benefit more from living in a family home.
Support to strengthen family relationships by working with parents and children. The Benjamin Foundation works in more than 80 schools where they support children with their emotional wellbeing, and parents who need some extra help.
Help with every day issues such as finding affordable childcare, with their nurseries and pre- and after school clubs in North Walsham and Ditchingham. These help parents continue with their jobs, knowing their children are in safe hands.
Five retail stores, the profits from which go back into the charity. The Benjamin Foundation has furniture store branches in Holt, Dereham and Norwich, which sell donated furniture and white goods. Their Re-use shop in Ipswich sells a wide range of second-hand items, and Kidstore, in North Walsham, sells nearly new kids clothing, baby equipment and toys.
Pruce Newman, which fabricates and installs specialist industrial pipework and steelwork across the South and East of England, has a strong commitment to delivering positive change in the communities in which it works, and chose the Benjamin Foundation as its 2018-19 Charity of the Year from a wide range of potential charity partners suggested by its staff. Speaking about the selection, Alan Pruce commented:
“After completing a successful 12 months of fundraising for EACH, we have accepted the challenge of helping The Benjamin Foundation, and we are confident that we will be able to provide a similar level of fundraising and support for this worthwhile cause during the next year. The Benjamin Foundation provides much-needed services, operating in a similar geographical area to Pruce Newman, and we’re delighted that we can play our part by raising money and raising awareness for this local charity which is going from strength to strength.
“We’re already planning a packed calendar of events, to keep fundraising momentum high throughout the year, and our staff have already suggested some great ways in which they would like to support The Benjamin Foundation over the next 12 months. As well as participating in their Sleep Out, we’ll be announcing our own challenges – encouraging our staff, customers and suppliers to join in and raise as much as possible for the charity.”
Chris Elliott, Marketing & Fundraising Manager at The Benjamin Foundation, said:
“We are delighted to have the support of Pruce Newman for the coming year. Their support will allow us to continue to provide hope, opportunity, stability and independence to over 2,000 local people who need us each year.”
The Norwich Sleep Out, which builds awareness of the issue of homelessness in the region, is the Benjamin Foundation’s largest annual fundraising event. This year, the event takes place at Carrow Road, on the 15th November. Pruce Newman will be entering a team in the event, and will be publicising details of this, and other fundraising opportunities in the near future. If you’d like to donate, the Pruce Newman team have set up a Virgin Money Giving page – click here to visit the site.
More information about The Benjamin Foundation, and the support that they provide, can be found at benjaminfoundation.co.uk
🎉 Big news from the Smash Marketing team! Beks was recognised at the BNI Norfolk Awards Gala 2024/2025, winning the Director Consultant Award for the City Chapter. This award celebrates connection, collaboration, and helping businesses like yours grow through strong networks and shared success.
At Smash Marketing, it’s all about people, building relationships that make a real difference. So here’s to Beks, to the community, and to every business owner who shows up, supports others, and makes things happen.