Age UK Norwich, in collaboration with Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NNUH) and Creative Sponge, has been awarded Highly Commended at the HSJ Patient Safety Awards 2025 for their innovative falls prevention training video.
The resource was developed with patients who had directly experienced a fall and received care in hospital. Their lived experiences shaped the content, ensuring it is both authentic and impactful. The video is now being used as a training tool for staff as well as an awareness resource for the wider community, helping to highlight the importance of preventing falls and supporting people to remain safe and independent.
The HSJ Patient Safety Awards celebrate outstanding contributions to patient safety across the UK, recognising projects that make a measurable difference to healthcare outcomes.
Megan Durrant, Communications and Marketing Lead at Age UK Norwich, said: “We are absolutely delighted to receive this recognition. This project really demonstrates the power of collaboration — bringing together patient voices, hospital expertise, and creative storytelling to create something that has a real and lasting impact. To be acknowledged on a national stage is testament to the strength of partnership working and the importance of putting lived experience at the heart of training and awareness.”
The NNUH team expressed their excitement and pride at receiving the accolade on the night, highlighting how the award reflects the dedication of staff and patients who contributed to the project.
The collaboration between Age UK Norwich, NNUH, and Creative Sponge showcases how community organisations, healthcare providers, and creative partners can come together to produce innovative resources that improve understanding and ultimately support better patient safety.
“We’re incredibly proud the video has received a Highly Commended award at the HSJ Patient Safety Awards. This recognition is a testament to great creative, excellent storytelling, and a real collaborative partnership between Age UK Norwich, NNUH and ourselves that we hope will help to drive real, positive change,”Martin Betts, Client Services Director, Creative Sponge.
Importantly, this project also highlights the role of innovation in falls prevention. By testing new ways to reach and support people, we can find more effective solutions, spread awareness more widely, and ensure that older people and those at risk feel empowered to stay active, safe, and independent.
Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/a0iHqjhO_fQ
A huge congratulations to our Chief Executive, Caroline Williams for being awarded a MBE in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours List for services to the Norfolk business community.
The chief executive of Norfolk’s chamber of commerce for almost 17 years has been made a Member of the British Empire. Mother-of-two Caroline Williams, who lives in Salhouse, said she was “thrilled and humbled” to receive the accolade. The 64-year-old joined the chamber in 2000, having previously worked as an international buyer and an account manager in Dereham.
At that time, she said the organisation had been “limping along” and was in a poor state financially. But over the following years, Mrs Williams, assisted by fellow members, transformed the chamber into a strong and sustainable position.
“I think one of the biggest achievements is that Norfolk’s business community is now visible in Westminster,” she said. “It understands that it can make a difference, and the chamber has worked as a good facilitator between the Government and the business community.”
The title is a among a string of accolades Mrs William has picked up this year. As well as becoming a qualified yoga teacher, she also received the EDP Outstanding Business Award. She will be stepping down from her role in April to focus on training business leaders across the county.
Read more about Norfolk Heroes recognised in the EDP here
On 18 September Norfolk Businesses joined us at John Lewis for a relaxed evening of networking with an interactive technology element.
Delegates heard from Richard Marks Head of Branch at John Lewis on how the recent innovations in technology have helped them to develop as a company and constantly look at how they are working.
It was then onto the main part of the event; Sony were the first to stand up and they talked about the recent developments in technology, in particular there new Sony Z2 tablet which can survive under water up to 1.5m of water for 30 minutes and the attendees got to have a go with some of their latest innovations.
Google then talked to the delegates about how their Google Apps can be used across your company and customised specifically to each businesses needs. Delegates had the opportunity to edit one document all at the same time using one of Google most recent tablets.
The event finished with a prize draw with some great gifts, including a brand new Sony Z2 tablet. There was a great buzz with delegates getting to try out our sponor, customised’s lighting display and tweeting throughout. See some of the tweets below
To view more photo’s from this event visit our Facebook or Google+ page.
Our next After Hours event is our Super Bowl Challenge on 29 January at Hollywood Bowl. To book your place or for more details click here.
Local cancer charity, Big C, has announced it will be hosting ‘Remember in December’ an evening of reflection, readings and carols to be held at Norwich Cathedral on December 7th, to which all local people are invited.
This special event is an opportunity for everyone to come together and reflect on the past year and perhaps remember loved ones who poorly, or who are no longer with us. The occasion will also offer the chance for Big C to say thank you to everyone who has supported the cancer charity over the past few years, especially with the ‘Nearer to Home’ Appeal, which has enabled the building of a new Cancer Support Centre on Dereham Road. Tributes will also be made to the charity’s amazing supporters, staff and volunteers who work so hard across the organisation to help local people affected by cancer.
Dr Chris Bushby, CEO of Big C said “We are really looking forward to welcoming everyone to this special event in this majestic and peaceful setting. The occasion will provide a moment for reflection during the festive period, which is important to so many of us. There’s no need to book, just turn up on the evening and enjoy a service of well-known readings, carols and festive music in the beautiful surroundings of Norwich Cathedral.
“Whether you’ve had a recent bereavement, or are remembering loved ones at Christmas-time, you’ve been helped by Big C, are a supporter of the charity, or you would like to come along and be part of the evening as part of the local community, you are warmly invited to attend.”
Join the Chambers and Smash Marketing for an insightful and practical talk on ‘How to Drive Traffic to Your Website’. This engaging session will cover effective strategies and techniques to attract more visitors to your website, including SEO best practices, content marketing tips, social media promotion, and more.
Whether you’re a business owner, marketer, or website administrator, you’ll gain valuable insights to boost your online presence and increase audience engagement.
Agenda
8am: Welcome from the Chambers
8.15am – 9.00am: Networking over bacon sandwiches
9.00am – 9.20am: Presentation from speaker
9.20am – 9.30am: Q&A
9.30am – 10am: Further networking until event close
Dietry Requirements
Please let us know if you have any dietry requirements.
Cancellation policy
If you have booked tickets for this event and can no longer attend, please notify us at hello@norfolkchambers.co.uk
The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) today (Thursday) publishes its Quarterly Economic Survey – the UK’s largest and most authoritative private sector business survey. Based on 7,250 responses from companies in Q4 2016, the results show the uptick in Q3 in the manufacturing sector has been sustained in the final quarter, and more service sector firms were expecting growth than they were just after the EU referendum.
Overall, the findings suggest growth in Norfolk will continue in 2017, albeit at a more modest pace.
The survey results show that having slowed in Q3 2016, growth in Norfolk’s domestic sales and orders rose considerably in the service sector for Q4, although they have not bounced back to the levels last seen in 2013. The fall in Sterling looks like it is benefitting some manufacturers, with export sales and orders continuing the rise started in the last quarter. Manufacturing exporters started 2016 in negative territory, with export order balances at -8% but they finish 2016 in a very positive position, with an export order balance at +22%.
The survey also indicates that manufacturer’s confidence in future turnover and profitability has continued to increase throughout the year. Balances for hiring expectations and investment in plant and machinery also rose this quarter, again highlighting growing confidence for Norfolk’s manufacturing firms.
Norfolk’s service sector have not been as confident through 2016. They started the year with a negative balance for export sales (-3% in Q1) and the negative balances lingered throughout the year, dropping further to -12% in Q3, but finished stronger in Q4 with a positive balance at +11%. Turnover and profitability for the Norfolk Service sector also finished positively with turnover at +35% and profitability at +20%. Both of these balances are at lower levels that they were in Q1 2016 (+55% and +41% respectively).
However, the survey found that firms in both sectors, particularly in manufacturing, are facing pressure to raise prices, principally as a result of the cost of raw materials and other overheads.
Commenting on the results, Caroline Williams, Chief Executive of Norfolk Chamber of Commerce said:
“As we start 2017, Norfolk businesses are continuing to trade through uncertainty, and are looking to seize opportunities as they arise. The QES findings suggest that business communities across Norfolk and the rest of the UK remain resilient, and many firms are expecting continued growth in the months ahead.
“Inflation has emerged in our survey as a rising concern for many businesses. Both manufacturing and services firms say they are under pressure, particularly from the rising costs, which are squeezing margins and may weaken future investment. “It is therefore vitally important that our local Councillors, together with our MPs, work hard on our behalf to bring investment into our County to help improve the business environment in order to encourage business growth.”
Key Norfolk findings in the Q4 2016 survey:
Overall, the figures for both sectors indicate continued expansion, but at a lower level for the services sector than before the EU referendum
There was a considerable rise in the balance of firms in both sectors expecting the prices of their goods and services to increase over the next three months, with the balance for manufacturers rising from +29% to +55%. This is the highest on record in the manufacturing sector, and the highest since Q2 2011 for manufacturing firms. This pressure is predominately as a result of an increase in raw material prices following the post-referendum devaluation of Sterling
In the manufacturing sector, the balance of firms reporting improved export sales remained broadly steady, slightly increasing from +13% in Q3 2016, to +18%. The balance for export orders is +22%, a rise from +13% in the previous quarter. Both balances have shown a marked increase from the same quarter last year, where they both languished in negative territory (orders at -3% and sales at -8%)
Domestically, the balance of manufacturers reporting increased sales rose from +7% to +24%, and those reporting increased advance orders rose by 10 points to +10%. The balance for services firms rebounded slightly, after falling considerably in the last quarter. Domestic sales were up from +10% to +24% and orders rose from +0% to +20%.
The percentage of manufacturing firms reporting recruitment difficulties decreased from +86% to +78%. Whilst the service sector recruitment difficulties increased from +55% to +68%.
In the last three months, the balance of service sector firms hiring more staff rose from +9% to +19%, although manufacturing firms reported only say a slight increased from +32% to +34%.
Having dipped in the last quarter, the manufacturing sector are reporting higher balances of firms investing in plant and machinery, with an increasing balance from +13% in Q3 to +27% this quarter.
More firms in both sectors are reporting confidence that their turnover will increase. The balance of manufacturers rose from +39% to +63%, while services increased from +28% to +35%. While confidence in profitability also rose from +13% to +52%, it rose from +6% to +20% in the services sector.
Commenting on the National results, Suren Thiru, Head of Economics at the BCC, said:
“Having slowed significantly in the previous quarter, the UK services sector has rebounded, although it’s not yet back to levels seen at the start of the year. Nonetheless, the service sector is likely to have been the key driver of growth in the quarter.
“Manufacturers, particularly those that export, continue to report positive indicators. However, while some firms will be benefitting from the depreciation in the value of the pound, there is currently little evidence that it is providing a material boost to overall export growth. The UK’s manufacturing base continues to struggle with long-term structural issues, with businesses continuing to report considerable recruitment difficulties. The government must work to address the skills gap, while also ensuring that businesses have access to the workers they need from overseas.
“There is further evidence that rising prices will be a key challenge to the outlook for the UK economy over the next year, with the significant rise in the cost of raw materials increasing the pressure on firms to raise prices in the coming months. While growth is likely to have remained on trend in the quarter, the UK’s growth prospects in the near-term are expected to be more subdued, weighed down by rising inflation and the uncertainty surrounding Brexit.”
Bookings for this event are now closed. For availability, please phone 01603 625977 and press option 3 to be put through to the events team.
John Lewis Norwich is hosting an exclusive, free to attend, Christmas shopping evening for Chamber of Commerce members and their guests on Thursday 4th December. A special drinks reception will be held in the Place to Eat restaurant between 5.30-7pm, the shop will then remain open until 9pm – so plenty of time to do some Christmas shopping!
On the night there will be special activities and promotions to help you get into a festive mood, plus the stores gift guru’s will be on hand to assist you with your Christmas gift buying. Here’s a taster of what John Lewis have planned for the evening.
From 5.30-7pm complimentary festive drinks and nibbles in the Place to Eat restaurant on the second floor, accompanied by live music.
Free parking in the John Lewis car park when entering after 5pm
Between 10am and 4pm on the lower ground floor by Frasers and HMV, visitors can enjoy appearances, interactions and photos with Darth Vader, Chewbacca and droids. Visitors will also be able to make a voluntary donation to Break, making life better for young people in and around care.
Embracing the iconic tagline, “May the Force be With You”, Star Wars Day has become a tradition for many fans worldwide on 4th May.
Paul McCarthy, general manager at Chantry Place, comments: “We’re excited to welcome NORCON, Norwich Droids and many iconic characters from Star Wars to Chantry Place to raise funds for Break. Visitors are also welcome to dress up and we know how popular this event will be. Visitors will be able to take their own photos with characters and enjoy watching the droids entertain visitors.”
Ron Auker, a crew supervisor at NORCON, said: “We’re really excited about coming to Chantry Place to help raise money for such a fantastic cause and celebrate Star Wars Day with everyone. May the force be with you.”
NORCON is a Norfolk TV, film and comic convention which will return to the Norfolk Showground Arena on 28th and 29th September 2024. Tickets are on sale now at www.nor-con.co.uk
For more information on Chantry Place, visit www.chantryplace.co.uk or follow chantryplacenorwich on social media.
Q3 UK GDP growth revised up and latest QES points to solid growth in Q4.
Higher inflation and uncertainty over Brexit likely to weigh on UK’s growth prospects.
US Federal Reserve raises interest rates and further rises are likely in the coming months.
UK growth was revised upwards with a recorded growth of 0.6% against an estimate of 0.5%. The upwards revision was driven by stronger business and financial services output. The latest Quarterly Economic Survey showed that both the manufacturing sector and the service sector increased. There results suggest that the UK economy grew in line with historic trends.
UK inflation continues to rise, with prices of clothing and motor fuels being the main contributors to this rise. The outlook for UK growth remains weak, with continued uncertainty over Brexit weighing down future growth prospects.
The US Federal Reserve raised interest rates by 0.25 percentage points to a target range of 0.5% and 0.75%. This is the first increase since December 2015. Further rises in US interest rates are expected in the coming months which will place further downward pressure on the value of Sterling.
On a crisp January morning, delegates from across the county joined the Norfolk Chamber at the Sea Life Centre for a Great Yarmouth Business Breakfast on Sales Success in 2014
Delegates got the networking off to a great start with a cup of coffee and an ice breaker to warm them up on a winter morning. They then got to take part in a prize draw to win a signed copy of Terrines & Verrines by celebrity Chef Franck Pontais & the winner was Mark Ellaway from Bigfork Ltd. Our key note speaker Elliot Symonds, Sales Manager at Jarrold Training, then delivered a fantastic presentation, providing delegates with top tips to close the deal. Following this, delegates got another chance for some more networking with a safari move and a chance for them to try out what they learnt.
Elliot started his presentation off by setting the scene of what Jarrold Training do and who they are. He then went on to outline the 7 key closing techniques that someone can use, focusing on the Duke of Wellington (or if you’re American the Abraham Lincoln) closing technique. He finished his presentation talking about the 7 Safari animals including the shark & the whale. This lead perfectly onto the safari networking where the delegates got to move to another table and try the Duke of Wellington technique on each other.
The event ended with the delegates being able to go on a tour of the Sea Life Centre and get hands on with the creatures of the deep blue sea. Our next Great Yarmouth Business Breakfast is scheduled for the 3 April 2014 to book or for more informationclick here. Some of the tweets from yesterday’s event are below
