Commenting on the GDP and trade statistics for November 2018, published by the ONS today, Mike Spicer, Director of Research and Economics at the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), said:
“Despite a small improvement in GDP growth between October and November, the underlying three-month measure showed an economy that was slowing after what had been a stronger performance in the previous quarter. This is reinforced by the results of our own Quarterly Economic Survey, which found that the UK economy was stuck in a weak holding pattern at the end of 2018.
“The trade deficit narrowed slightly in the month but has widened considerably over the year. These are testing times for many exporters who are feeling the pressure of Brexit uncertainty and broader global issues in the trading environment. Businesses continue to report concern over exchange rates and pressure on prices from the rising cost of materials.
“As the clock ticks ever closer to March, businesses are becoming increasingly frustrated and looking to Westminster for clarity and precision on the future terms of trade. Firms need to know what customs procedures they will face with their nearest neighbour and other important partners in just over ten weeks.”
Location: Carrowbreck House, 300 Drayton High Road, Norwich, NR6 5BJ.
With over a billion users active across the globe you can not ignore Facebook. Over 50% of the U.K population has a Facebook account! A country with a population
of approx 65million. If your target market is on facebook and your business is not, you’re missing out! Nothing comes close to competing with Facebook in terms of it’s user base and Businesses like yours can benefit from knowing how to optimise it.
This course is for you if you are a SME, Business Development Manager, Sales manager, Marketing Manager, whichever industry you’re in, and you are keen to utilise Facebook for your business to drive traffic and get results.
Duration: Half-day course (9.30am – 12.30pm)
Equipment: No equipment is necessary for you to bring to the course. Pens and note paper will be available.
Lunch provided:Light refreshmentswill be provided. If you are also attending the LinkedIn course in the afternoon a sandwich lunch with crisps, cakes and fruit will be provided.
Course Content How to maximise your business page Building your brand on Facebook Why visual rocks Marketing the Facebook way Driving traffic to your website with Facebook The power of cross promotions and advertising Why engagement keeps Facebook happy
In any business, document retention can be a challenge. Knowing which documents to keep and for how long can be particularly difficult as there are various time frames for different types of record.
As there are legal requirements for document retention in the UK, overcoming these challenges and staying on top of the amount of data and number of documents being produced is a must. A document retention policy can help you to do this. But what should it include?
Various speakers from UEA, BAS, Cefas and SAHFOS Zicer building / ENV Laboratory
Have you ever wondered what causes plankton blooms so large they can be seen from space; how marine life copes with the turbulent, low visibility underwater world we dive in? Or, how ocean currents are monitored by underwater gliders?
This fascinating two-dayinteractive oceanographycourse at UEA, created by divers who are also professional oceanographers, is open to anyone with an interest in the marine environment.
Join us at Sprowston Manor Hotel, Golf & Country Club for a day filled with wedding inspiration and planning. Meet with a variety of vendors offering everything you need for your special day, from flowers to decorations. Explore your beautiful grounds and envision your dream wedding coming to life.
If your business submits Intrastat reports or uses the UK Trade Info site, we’re highlighting changes that may affect you.
Action this week
Users of UKTradeInfo may know that the site relaunches on Monday 19 October – that’s next Monday. We want to highlight that data you have saved to the site won’t be migrated to the new site, so export and save all the tables you’ll need in the future. The IT team behind the relaunch are warning of some bugs in the new site, so expect that from Monday the new site may not be 100% reliable and plan accordingly.
Action from 1 January 2021
For businesses who currently make Intrastat reports, it’s important to know you must continue to submit Intrastat reports after January 1 2021, as well as submitting import and export customs declarations for goods crossing the EU border. For more on this subject, on the HMRC site there’s a useful FAQ document on Intrastat declaration requirements for 2021, including the reports required for trade through NI. Intrastat FAQ here
I regularly post on the IES blog where there’s lots more relevant to the import export business. IES Blog
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is clearly still a vital tactic for businesses, more so than any other activity such as social, email and PPC.
What isn’t clear is how businesses like yours can do successful SEO.
Our free SEO Takeaway workshop will provide you with up to date information and tactics you can use to improve your SEO. This 1 hour session will include:
How does Google rank websites? What content do your users want? 12 SEO tactics you can take away
This free 1 hour session is for anyone involved in website management and needs to improve traffic and performance.
Where?Henderson Business Centre,51 Ivy Road, Norwich, NR5 8BF
They’ve done it again! We’ve been awarded Highly Rated by Autotrader for the 4th year in a row!
🏆2024 🏆2023 🏆2022 🏆2021
Thank you for the incredible level of customer service and unrivalled professionalism you provide to all our customers – you really are the dream team!⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐
Alpha 7 showcased its racing prowess at the 4th round of the Caterham Graduates Racing Series held at Cadwell Park, Lincolnshire. Fielding five cars, three in the 150 class and two in the 135 class, the team navigated the weekend’s unpredictable weather conditions with skill and determination.
Arriving on Thursday afternoon, the team faced persistent drizzle and the ever-present threat of rain. These challenging circumstances provided valuable opportunities to fine-tune wet setups and master slippery driving lines during Friday’s testing. The mixed weather conditions proved to be a formidable test of driver adaptability and strategy.
Qualifying was particularly demanding due to the triple-header format, requiring drivers to post three fastest laps to determine their starting positions for each race. The cloudy, damp, and drizzling conditions made this task even more challenging. Choosing between a wet or a dry car set up was a constant gamble! In the 150 class, Jamie Ellwood emerged as the top qualifier for Alpha 7, securing P3, P3, and P9 for the weekend’s races.
The weekend’s three races in the 150 class were marked by thrilling battles and changing weather. In Race 1, Jamie Ellwood engaged in an epic duel with Harry Senior, ultimately emerging victorious. Thomas Horton narrowly missed the podium, finishing in 4th place. Race 2 saw another intense battle at the front, with Thomas Horton improving to finish 3rd, while Jamie Ellwood secured 5th place. Race 3 brought further excitement as Jamie Ellwood surged from P9 to P5 in mixed weather conditions. Unfortunately, Thomas Horton had to retire after his A-frame broke, despite a strong start. Ellwood’s fastest lap of the weekend set a new club record, underscoring his impressive performance. After many races, Thomas Horton finally won best-presented car in the 150 class, sponsored by ‘Luxbox’, based in Fakenham.
In the highly competitive 135 class, Amanda Anderson and Mark Barrett represented Alpha 7 among a field of 28 cars. Mark Barrett consistently demonstrated his skill with remarkable starts, gaining an average of seven places on the first lap and finishing P21, P17, and P17 across the three races. Amanda Anderson, starting from P12 for each race, faced her own set of challenges. After a spin at Hall Bends relegated her to P20 in Race 1, she recovered to achieve P14 in Race 2 and capped off the weekend with a top-10 finish after a dramatic last-lap battle.
Alpha 7’s success at Cadwell Park highlights not only their competitive spirit but also their commitment to nurturing talent and fostering a passion for motorsport. If you’re inspired by the excitement of competitive racing, Alpha 7 offers comprehensive driver development programmes tailored to transform novices into skilled racers. Whether you need professional car management or wish to hire a top-performing Caterham, Alpha 7 is dedicated to helping you achieve your racing dreams.
Ready to take the first step toward your racing ambitions? Contact Alpha 7 today to learn how we can support you in hitting the track with confidence and skill.
Location: Carrowbreck House, 300 Drayton High Road, Norwich, NR6 5BJ.
This accredited qualification has been designed for delivery to any learner working or preparing to work in a customer service role or where using the telephone is a part of their role. The qualification covers the principles of customer service including how to meet customer expectations, the importance of appropriate behaviour and communication techniques as well as ways to deal with problem customers.
Equipment: No equipment is necessary for you to bring to the course. Pens and note paper will be available.
Lunch provided: For full day training courses a lunch with sandwich or salad, crisps and cake or fruit will be provided. Refreshments will be available throughout the duration of this course.
Course Content Principles of customer service. Understand how customer needs and expectations are formed. Know the interpersonal skills and appropriate behaviour required in the customer service environment. Understand the principles of responding to customers’ problems or complaints.
Subject to passing a 30 question multiple choice exam paper delegates will gain the Highfield Awarding Body for Compliance Level 2 Award in Customer Service.
You will be given a HABC Customer Service manual to take away and keep after the course for future reference.
“Spending time in the pool can help reduce pain, increase flexibility and mobility, stimulate senses and improve balance” – shop customers are being asked to donate 25p to help fund hydrotherapy sessions for the next 12 months
Customers at leading charity shops across the region have the chance to club together and help fund hydrotherapy sessions for families receiving care from East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH).
The new Help Hydrotherapy Happen campaign is being rolled out in EACH’s 48 shops across Cambridgeshire, Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk.
When paying at the till, customers will have the option to donate an extra 25p and the target is to raise £9,000 – enough to fund a hydrotherapy session every week for the next 12 months.
Ian Nicolson, EACH’s Director of Retail, said: “We’re calling on all our customers to help raise just £23 a week in every shop from 5th August to 29th September.
“If just one in four customers donates 25p we’ll raise over £9,000 during the campaign and that would help pay for a hydro session every week for the next year!
“Of course, there’s no obligation to donate and customers certainly don’t have to give anything extra when they pay for their items.
“However, just 25p would help us greatly, when added together with money raised across the region.
“It’s an exciting campaign that will undoubtedly make a tangible difference to the children and families receiving our care and support.”
EACH has hydrotherapy pools at each of its hospices – at Milton, near Cambridge, The Nook, near Norwich, and The Treehouse, in Ipswich.
They are warmer than recreational pools and allow families to take a dip together in a private, safe and supportive environment.
“From a child’s perspective, spending time in the pool can help reduce pain, increase flexibility and mobility, stimulate senses and improve balance,” added Ian.
“It’s a wonderful way to enable special memories for families.”
EACH Physical Therapies Technician Lauren Wright hopes customers give generously and says hydrotherapy has become a real passion.
“It’s incredible and has such benefits for the children, for so many different reasons,” she said.
“We’ve got a young girl who lost the ability to walk on land. However, when she gets in the pool, she’s able to take steps in the water, which is huge for her.
“Then we’ve got slightly older children who aren’t able to have much physical contact with their parents, because they’re in wheelchairs and their movement is so restrictive.
“When we’re able to get them in the pool, they’re able to hug their parents, which is very emotional and so important for families.
“It’s an amazing thing to witness and experience and I consider myself very lucky to come in and do this as my job. It’s a real passion of mine.”
In this episode ‘IT’s ONLY HAIR’, we are talking about BODY IMAGE & ALOPECIA. Alopecia is an umbrella term for conditions characterised by hair loss. Alopecia areata, an autoimmune disease, is one of the more common types of alopecia. Not all of them are related to an unusual immune system response, though. Some types of alopecia are related to genetic, lifestyle, or environmental factors, as well as psychological conditions that lead to hair pulling.
Treatments for many types of alopecia are the same and may involve oral medications and topical therapies. For some alopecia types, behavioural changes are needed to reverse hair loss.
Stigmatising attitudes of laypersons toward patients with alopecia exist across a multitude of social and professional scenarios. The prevalence and magnitude of this stigma varies by alopecia severity. Characteristics of the affected individuals appear to be associated with whether alopecia is recognised as a medical condition, and when it is, alopecia-related stigma may decrease.
Stigma is associated with impaired quality of life and research shows that as perceived severity of alopecia increased, as did the stigma towards those that have it with elements such as social distancing, stereotyping as “sick … unattractive” and whether alopecia is believed to be a medical condition thus reducing stigma, or one of cosmetic.
In this powerful podcast. Sam Knight shares her story of having alopecia from a young age, in the hope to dispel some of the myths and acknowledge the negative impact individuals can and have had on her due to her alopecia.
