We are extremely pleased to announce that we have renewed our sponsorship of the Norfolk Food and Drink awards 2015. The event, which promotes the fantastic work put in by our local food and drink manufacturers and retailers, will be held on Monday, 14th September at the Norfolk Showground.
As specialists in the hospitality, agricultural and manufacturing industries, we have many clients operating within the food and drink sectors, ranging from: pubs, restaurants, café’s, bars, farm shops and breweries. We felt that sponsorship of the awards was a fantastic way for us to show our support for both our clients and all those who are involved locally in the industry.
The nominations for the awards are now open and those wishing to enter have until Friday 3rd July to submit your entries. You can read more about the awards and the eligibility criteria here:https://www.norfolkfada.co.uk/
The Norfolk business community is continuing to support East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH) nook appeal to build a new purspose built children’s hospice in the heart of Norfolk with Sprowston Manor Marriott Hotel and Country Club being the latest company to sign up for the nook business network.
This new corporate scheme asks companies small, medium and large throughout Norfolk to commit to raising either £10,000, £15,000 or £25,000 over the duration of the appeal in return for a number of benefits and support that the charity will provide.
Following the nook appeal launch event at the Norfolk Showground in November, staff at Sprowston Manor unanimously voted to select the charity and in particular the appeal, by committing to fundraise to achieve a target of at least £10,000.
The team at Sprowston Manor have come up with a number of fantastic fundraising ideas and to kick things off have recently held “The Great Gatsby Charity Ball” which has raised a fantastic amount of at least £6,500.
Andrew Dickson, General Manager, Marriott Sprowston Manor Hotel & Country Club, Norwich said: “We are delighted to be supporting the (EACH) nook appeal in 2015. We will be hosting a number of fantastic events and our Hotel team have established a fundraising calendar for initiatives throughout 2015 to support this inspirational project.”
Gary Cook, the nook appeal corporate fundraiser, said: “We’re delighted Sprowston Manor Marriott Hotel and Country Club have decided to support our nook appeal and the hotel’s 100+ staff are committed to raising a significant amount of money to help make our vision of a new children’s hospice in heart of Norfolk a reality.
“To achieve our aims we need the backing and support of the whole of the Norfolk Community – individuals, community groups, schools and of course businesses, so this support from Marriott is fantastic and we look forward to working with them.”
Anyone who is interested in finding out more about the appeal or the nook business network should contact the Norfolk Fundraising Team on 01603 666767 or funding@each.org.uk and for more information about Sprowston Manor Marriott Hotel and Country Club visit www.marriott.co.uk
Simons Landscaping Ltd are the latest company to sign up for the nook business network scheme to raise funds to enable East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH) to build the nook, a new purpose-built children’s hospice in the heart of Norfolk.
The nook business network scheme asks for companies small, medium and large throughout Norfolk to commit to raising either £10,000, £15,000 or £25,000 over the term of the appeal. The firm is a perfect fit for EACH as it was established over 30 years ago and provides its landscaping services in Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridge; the same areas that EACH covers.
As well as raising significant funds for the charity, the company will also look to promote the appeal to its suppliers, customers and clients encouraging them to offer their support to this appeal.
Simon Cruickshank, Director, Simons Landscaping Ltd, said: “We’re a family run business who are the leading landscape gardeners in Norwich, Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire and we’re pleased to support the nook appeal. As parents ourselves, we can imagine how other families must feel when they need to rely on hospice care for their children. In going through such heart-breaking situations EACH gives families the best in worst possible situations, and we hope our support goes some way to helping those families.”
Gary Cook, the nook appeal corporate fundraiser, said: “It’s fantastic the team at Simons Landscaping want to help us achieve our financial target to enable us to make our vision of a new hospice for local life-threatened children and their families a reality.
“Simons Landscaping work is very much in the same community that EACH serves and it’s this community whether it is individuals, schools, community groups or in this case the business sector that will, by working together, help provide the funds for this much needed hospice.”
Anyone who is interested in finding out more about the appeal or the nook business network, should contact the Norfolk Fundraising Team on 01953 666767 or funding@each.org.uk or for more information on Simons Landscaping please visit www.simonslandscaping.co.uk
We thought you’d like to know that over the last few weeks we have picked up a few awards for arranging, negotiating and managing energy contracts for our clients.
Late last month we went to the National 2015 Energy Live Consultancy Awards (or TELCAs) in London. They are like the Oscars for energy consultants. The awards are judged anonymously by two independent panels, made up of energy professionals from the likes of Starbucks, Sainsbury’s & Tesco’s.
We are over the moon to have won…
– Most Trusted Consultancy – 2015 – Small Consultancy of the Year – 2015
Pictured above are the wonderful Sophie, James and Tina collecting an award from Andy Taylor, Npower (left) and the Editor of Energy Live News Sumit Bose (right). Just to put that in perspective there are about 500 energy consultants in the UK, 41 of them were in the final, 12 awards up for grabs and we picked up two, lovely stuff.
Also, Emily Groves (our founder & MD) entered the Institute of Directors Awards and won Young Director of the Year for the East of England. We hope that winning these awards go some way to demonstrate how good we are at what we do and if you are thinking about ways to cut costs or which consultant to use we hope you will consider us.
Aston Shaw, the fastest growing accountancy firm in East Anglia, has appointed two new directors to the firm’s board, in order to create a long-term structure that addresses the company’s ongoing expansion. The current directors of the firm, Mark Noakes and Dominic Shaw, are keen to promote senior positions from within and long-serving Client Managers Lee Stratton, 28 and Adam Hook, 34 will take a Directorship role within the business as of August 2015. The ethos at Aston Shaw has always been to accelerate the growth and experience of younger employees, going against the accepted industry trend and this is now being reflected from the top down.
Lee Stratton and Adam Hook joined Aston Shaw in 2005 and 2006 respectively and both qualified as Chartered Certified accountants in 2011. They both manage their own varied portfolio of clients, with Lee specialising in the construction industry and Adam the agricultural sector. Both directors will retain their current portfolio and will continue to have day to day interaction with their clients, alongside their new responsibilities.
Lee Stratton, Director, commented: “I’m extremely proud to be a director of the company. After 10 years and knowing Aston Shaw inside out, I felt ready to take on the new role and help Mark Noakes and Dominic Shaw drive the business forward onto bigger and better things. Adam and I are looking forward to continuing our work with our current client portfolios, and we are both excited to be a part of the key decision making process in the company”.
Adam Hook, Director, added: “Lee and I have been part of Aston Shaw for a very long time and we both feel the time is right to make the step up. The company has grown significantly in the last few years and the structure being put in place will mean we can help grow it even further, which is something I can’t wait to drive forward”.
Aston Shaw has gone from strength to strength since their merger with Morgan Woods in 2014, and their recent takeover of Roger Hopkins in 2015. Since 2014 the company’s staff numbers have grown by 50% and the number of clients has also grown by upwards of 15%.
Accountancy Age has recently published its Financial Power List 2015 with CEO of The TaxAssist Direct Group Ltd. Karl Sandall making it to number 50 in the movers and shakers of the finance world.
Karl finds himself in illustrious company with George Osborne taking the number 1 slot with other notable entrants following on, including heavyweights in the business, finance and entertainment world such as Margaret Hodge Chair of the Public Accounts Committee, Hollywood actor Ben Affleck and Lin Homer, Chief Executive, HM Revenue & Customs.
Accountancy Age is one of the leading resources for finance, business and accountancy news, features, advice and resources for accountants and other UK finance professionals.
Karl is listed alongside his Executive Management colleagues Sarah Robertson and Phil Sullivan and TaxAssist franchisees, who make up the UK’s largest network of small business specialist accountants. In 2014 a ground breaking Franchisee Assisted Management Buyout (FAMBO) took place with a tranche of franchisees breaking new ground in their ownership of the company. Franchisees currently own a 32% stake in the business, with the Directors of the company including Karl owning 53% and 15% by long-standing external business partners.
Karl comments “2014 was an exciting and trailblazing year for TaxAssist and proved how happy and satisfied our franchisees are in being part the success of our business. 2015 will be the year to cement our growing prominence in the accounting world. We will strive to continue to deliver excellent levels of support, training and leads to our network of franchisees and continue to build our brand name through our high street shop presence and highly successful and innovative social media campaigns. Whilst not taking our focus off the UK, we also have plans to expand the franchise in a controlled manner into selected markets in Canada, Australia, New Zealand and shortly the USA.”
Following a successful 2015 which saw Delta-Simons Environmental Consultants open four new regional offices in London, Manchester, Leeds and Dublin, we are now pleased to announce the strategic appointment of Richard Lawless as Unit Director within the company.
Richard is a senior consultant with over 18 years’ experience and a specialist in contaminated land, remediation and environmental due diligence. Richard will be responsible for leading the Delta-Simons Geoenvironmental Operations team in Manchester, Leeds and Durham, providing contaminated land, geotechnical and environmental due diligence services and support to a growing client base.
Damian Robinson, Executive Director, says “We are delighted with Richard’s appointment to the expanding team as he brings further skills to the company, affording me the opportunity to focus on growing our Environmental Planning team. He is a real asset and I personally look forward to working with him again, having previously worked together on a variety of projects.”
Norfolk based broker, Alan Boswell Group, has been named ‘Independent Insurance Broker of the Year’ at the annual Insurance Times Awards. The illustrious awards ceremony, hosted, this year, at the Battersea Evolution in London by David Walliams, are the leading national awards honouring excellence in the insurance sector.
Before presenting the award, Insurance Times Editor, Saxon East, said: “This Broker has that great quality of being completely customer obsessed. It is clearly committed to its community and staff and the business is defined by its independence.”
The company, which has offices in Norwich, Attleborough, Bury St. Edmunds and Peterborough, were appraised by the judging panel on their achievements in making their independent status work for them. Highlights were the company’s award-winning Landlord Insurance, market-leading policy for Broads boat owners and staff training & apprenticeship scheme. The Group’s performance has been reflected in its customer service score with clients awarding the company a 98% rating via third-party review site, Feefo.
Chris Gibbs, Managing Director of Alan Boswell Group, said: “We are absolutely delighted to be awarded the title of Independent Broker of the Year. The award is a testament to our staff who are dedicated and passionate about providing expert, friendly advice. Our Feefo reviews demonstrate that we are providing a level of service that clients need and appreciate.
“Building trust within our community, improving the knowledge of our staff, having the best products and providing exceptional customer service. These are the fundamentals of our business and we’re thrilled that the combination of all these factors has been recognised by our peers.”
The College of West Anglia’s King’s Lynn campus recently hosted its annual Technology Fair, welcoming a range of local employers to showcase career pathways and opportunities to students.
Industry leaders including the RAF, MigAnglia, MACE Group, Lovells, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Dodman Limited, joined the event, offering insights into apprenticeships, internships, and future career routes within the technology and construction sectors.
Students had the opportunity to speak directly with professionals, gaining valuable advice on the skills, qualifications, and experiences that are most in demand across the industry. Company representatives also shared what everyday life looks like in a range of technology-based careers.
The Technology Fair is a key part of CWA’s ongoing commitment to strengthening links between education and industry, ensuring that students are equipped for meaningful, future ready careers while continuing to support the growth of the local community and economy.
Martin Goodsen, Compliance Manager for Searles said: ‘It’s been great to be able to come to local college events like this one to promote our work experience and apprenticeship programmes. We find that we have an increasing aging workforce and that as much as it’s fantastic that our employees have stayed with us, we need to look to next generation too.’
Carriane Davis, Learning Development Facilitator at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital said: It’s been a fantastic event talking to students surrounding work experience and opportunities especially now that King’s Lynn is getting a new hospital. We have already been lucky enough to support some CWA T-Level students with industry placements and are looking forward to both strengthening our relationship with CWA and taking on more students.’
Nathan Pack, Operations Manager at Dodman Limited, said ‘Being present at college career fairs, allows us to connect directly with the next generation of talent. As apprenticeships are a key part of our workforce because they allow us to develop talent from the ground up. Events like today not only strengthen our reputation as an employer but with the educational organisation itself, as well as having an opportunity to showcase what we do and sell the career paths we offer to the future local workforce.’
Organiser and Technology Work Placement and Careers Co-Ordinator, Lyanne Clayton said: ‘A huge thank you to every employer who joined us at the Careers Fair. Your support makes a real difference! The fair is all about connecting students with real-world opportunities; helping them explore career paths, gain insights from industry professionals, and build networks that can lead to work placements and future employment. Your involvement gives our students confidence, inspiration, and a clearer vision for their next steps.’
Organiser and Construction Work Placement and Careers Co-Ordinator, Jayne Hicks said:
‘Yesterday’s career event was a fantastic opportunity for students to connect with employers and explore pathways and gain inspiration for their next steps. I would like to thank all the employers who made this day possible.’
Having already been named a ‘UK National Champion’ in this year’s prestigious European Business Awards, Norfolk based Norse Group is now aiming for the title of National ‘Public’ Champion and the subsequent international stage of the Awards.
As public voting opens for the first time, the company, nominated a ‘UK national Champion’ from the independently judged stage of the competition, has posted a video giving a powerful insight into the story of its business and its success online at https://www.businessawardseurope.com/vote/detail-new/united-kingdom/17652
Competing against other UK National Champions for the public vote, the company with the most votes will be named National ‘Public’ Champion for the UK on 7th March 2016.
The first phase of the online voting is open from 11 January to 26 February 2016.
Norse Group brings together facilities management specialist Norse Commercial Services, property consultancy NPS Group and care homes provider NorseCare, and was recently shown in an independent report to be boosting UK economy by £286 million a year, and has put £70 million back into the public purse.
Mike Britch, Norse Group Managing Director says: “With just over seven weeks for people to vote online for their favourite company, we are hoping that as many people as possible will watch our video and vote for us. The public vote means a great deal as it is our existing and potential clients, staff and stakeholders showing their approval of our success.”
“We are asking everyone wanting to support us to take time to watch our video, and cast their vote for us,” he added.
Adrian Tripp, CEO of the European Business Awards said: “Last year the public vote generated over 170,000 votes from across the world. It is a very important part of the Awards as it gives these entrepreneurial companies another way of showcasing their achievements.”
The European Business Awards was created to recognise and promote business success and support the development of a stronger business community throughout Europe.
CIS, an Acteon Company that installs conductors and piles for the oil and gas and nearshore marine construction industries, has been awarded the prestigious President’s Award for Occupational Health and Safety from the UK’s Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA).
The President’s Award recognises CIS for earning its 10th consecutive Gold Medal, which is awarded in honour of an organisation’s commitment to preventing accidents and ill health.
14 Years Without A Lost-time Incident
Since opening its doors in 2005, CIS has executed more than 1,500 pile and conductor installation operations for the nearshore marine, subsea, and oil and gas industries around the world. During that time, CIS has operated without a single accident or Lost Time Incident (LTI).
“Whether it’s driving piles for foundations in the nearshore marine construction market, installing pin piles for subsea marine contractors or conductors for oil and gas wells, we are extremely vigilant when it comes to safety,” said James Chadd, Managing Director CIS. “Our mission is to ensure that our industry has a bright and buoyant future. One of the ways we aim to achieve this is to ensure that it is safe. As we enter our 14th year of operation, this award is particularly meaningful because it also represents the fact that our dedication to safety has produced an outstanding performance history, without a single safety or Lost Time Incident. Our people are the driving force behind our health and safety management system, which is the foundation of this achievement. I am extremely thankful for their efforts, each and every day, to make health and safety a top priority.”
The RoSPA Awards criteria takes into consideration not only accident records, but the entrant’s overall health and safety management systems, recognising practices, such as strong leadership and workforce involvement. For CIS, this means that the company demonstrates outstanding commitment to protecting the health and safety of all employees and customers.
The whole team at Tudor Lodge Consultants is thrilled to announce that we are now working with Business Reviewed, the new way for businesses to discover and explore related services for their business.
Business Reviewed are changing the way in which business services and products are discovered and dealt with. Traditionally, to find business services like accountancy software, business bank accounts, merchant services for retail premises, businesses would undertake what was a very manual research process. Whilst comparison sites certainly exist for the likes of insurance and other consumer financial products, businesses are often left behind.
This is something that the team at Business Reviewed are working to change.
What We Are Doing
Crawling Factors – Working through the site, we are working to ensure that every page of the Business Reviewed website and all content on the site are crawled [read and understood] by search engines. This has entailed us working on the meta data, on page titles and image tags (alt-texts) to help search engines understand what is on the site and what it all means in the context of search engine rankings.
User-Friendly Factors – In this day and age, user experience and user intent are everything. Hence, it has been one of the priorities to ensure the site is geared up for users to understand the purpose of all of the content on the site and be led to a point of becoming a lead. The Business Reviewed website has taken the specific intent of business owners and decision makers into account throughout the design process.
Content and Information – One of the key factors in SEO is the content and its ability to be read and understood by both readers and search engines. There is a fine line to tread to ensure the content does not become too technical to satisfy search engines, nor too conversational to only satisfy users. Maintaining this fine balance will always be at the forefront of the Business Reviewed website