Bookings for this event have now closed. Join us at our first West Norfolk Business Breakfast of 2019! Enjoy a morning of networking over breakfast with businesses not just from the West Norfolk area, but across the region! Catch up with existing contacts and make new ones as you take part in our networking ice breakers, designed to help break down the barriers of networking and get to know local businesses in a different way. Our guest speaker for the morning will be Richard Finney, Owner of Captain Fawcett. Richard will be reflecting on how he started Captain Fawcett, a now global brand based in King’s Lynn, as well as how he has stayed true to his brand. About Richard: Having left home & school at the age of 15. Richie went on, as a mature student (in truth the least mature at the college.. ) to gain a degree in Film & TV. A further 25 years was spent working as a sound technician on Movies such as Chaplin, Memphis Belle, and Billy Elliot; and TV productions including Poirot, London’s Burning & Waking the Dead. Having for a number of years manufactured his own Moustache Wax in a Baked Bean Tin in his Norfolk based kitchen his long suffering wife Christine Greenwood, an Emmy award winning Hair & Make Up artist, took some of his home made patent pomade on to set…. and so the legend was born.
One month on from the General Election, the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) today (Monday) publishes a post-election survey of over 2,400 companies, which shows that while businesses have a range of views on their preferred objectives for the UK in Brexit negotiations, there is almost no support to conclude UK-EU talks without a trade deal.
Asked to consider which option came closest to their view about what the UK’s Brexit negotiation objectives should be, the survey – carried out just after the election – showed:
34% said remain in the Single Market and Customs Union
28% said a comprehensive Free Trade Agreement and a customs agreement (the government’s pre-election objectives, set at the Prime Minister’s Lancaster House speech)
13% said remain in Customs Union only (no hard borders or tariffs, but limited scope to negotiate trade agreements with third countries)
11% said remain in the Single Market only (accept EU regulations and rules in return for full access to market)
2% said leave the Single Market and Customs Union, and rely on WTO rules for trade (leave without a trade deal with the EU)
Respondents were also asked about a transition period, and which of the following options they believe is best for their business:
46% said ‘a transition period of three years’
22% said ‘a transition period of longer than three years’
17% said ‘no transition period’
Chris Sargisson, Chief Executive of Norfolk Chamber said:
“The results make it clear that there are a range of business views on what the UK should be seeking in a final deal with the EU, but there is near-universal consensus that a deep and comprehensive agreement is needed. ‘No deal’ isn’t seen as a viable option. Businesses in Norfolk and across the UK want a pragmatic settlement on the practical, real-world issues that affect their operations, not arbitrary political red lines.
“By more than three to one, businesses want a transition period on the way to a final agreement with the EU. This is critical to prevent Norfolk firms facing the prospect of repeated, costly adjustments to new trading conditions. If companies have to change their business model once in 2019 and again several years thereafter, the competitiveness and investment potential of our firms will be undermined.
“Getting transition arrangements on the negotiations agenda as quickly as possible would give our businesses – many of whom are considering big investment decisions now – the confidence to press ahead.”
British Chambers of Commerce’s Anne-Marie Martin is joined by Kevin McCole and Rohit Singh from the UK India Business Council (UKIBC) for an outline and discussion about some of the policies the Indian government has set out during the Coronavirus outbreak including:
the common issues businesses face in India;
the new business support service UKIBC has launched to help mitigate risk; and
the impact on continued business and trade with the UK.
Our speakers include:
Kevin McCole – Managing Director, UKIBC
Rohit Singh – Director, UKIBC
Anne-Marie Martin – Director Global Business Network, BCC
About Kevin McCole
Kevin joined the UK India Business Council in December 2008 and has a range of responsibilities as Managing Director of the company: coordinating the work of the team across the UK and Indian offices; directly leading the Membership, Consultancy, and Policy and Research teams.He also manages relationships with the Department for International Trade and directs the UKIBC’s engagement with Government bodies across the UK and India, including the UK’s Devolved Administrations, English cities, and the Indian States. Kevin has directed major projects, including developing strategies to generate more trade and investment between India and Greater Manchester, the Leeds City Region, and the Sheffield City Region.Kevin joined the UK India Business Council after 19 years in the UK’s Diplomatic Service, where he served in The Netherlands, Malta, Romania, India, and various London postings. In India, Kevin spent three years at the British Deputy High Commission in Kolkata helping UK businesses win contracts and find partners in Eastern India and assisting Indian companies expand into the UK.
About Rohit Singh
Rohit is working as Director at the UK India Business Council, and lead on strategic business consultancy and implementation engagements. He has practical knowledge and experience in consulting sales and advising senior management of mid to large size organisations in India market entry strategies, business planning and implementation. Before UKIBC, Rohit was working as an Associate Vice President at a Management Consulting firm Tecnova, primarily focused on advising the companies of the US and European origin in developing their India entry strategy, expansion planning, business setup and implementation. Earlier he has also served in automobile majors Maruti Suzuki and Hero Honda Motors in their Supply Chain and Global Sourcing department. Rohit holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering and is an alumnus of XLRI, Jamshedpur and Columbia Business School, New York.
On the back of the positive economic news last week of 0.8 growth – exporters are again in the news with Chamber member Rackheath based packaging manufacturer Redpack is looking to expand into Poland to exploit the potential of its growing food sector after taking a trip to check out the potential.
Find out about new markets is a good way to grow a business and if travelling is not an option the Chamber is running a series of events in Norfolk covering countries such as Brazil in November, Qatar, Russia, South Africa and Vietnam over the coming months. These are free to attend and open to all businesses.
The Chambers new International Trade Group also meets for the first time this month to debate issues affecting exporters.
Find out more about the Teacher Training opportunities available – teaching in the Secondary age range (11-18 years).
Subjects offered include: English, Geography, History, Mathematics, Modern Foreign Languages, Physical Education, Religious Education, Science (Biology, Chemistry, Physics).
The PGCE and School Direct routes are offered in partnership withsecondary schools in Norfolk and Suffolk.
We welcome all enquiries – from those making a tentative initial enquiry to those who have already made their decision and are on the verge of making their application.
Professional recruitment specialists Pure, in collaboration with Barclays Eagle Labs, Tech East, and the Institute of Directors, hosted an inaugural Tech Leaders event in Norwich.
Held at Open, the event attracted a mix of current and aspiring leaders from businesses across the Cambridge Norwich Tech Corridor. The aim was to provide additional leadership development support for the people behind the fast-growing, innovative tech businesses which are significantly fuelling the Eastern region’s economy.
Ruben Davis, Senior Technology Recruitment Consultant at Pure, explained: “Independent research suggests the Tech Corridor could bring an additional £2.75bn to our regional economy by 2031 and create 26,000 more new jobs. To ensure this happens, one of the core aims of the Tech Corridor team is to ‘show the world that we have the people, companies and culture to match any of the leading tech clusters’. Leadership development, people strategy and company culture are all things we are extremely passionate about here at Pure and this is where we felt we could add real value and support.”
“We know that anything culture and people related needs to be driven from the top and by company leaders. We want to help those who have progressed into leadership roles, and the people who become Executives through founding their own companies, to understand the part they can play and the difference it can make. Even the most established and experienced leaders are facing a fast-moving industry, an even faster changing world of work and extreme competition for top tech talent. We know from our own work in supporting with technology recruitment that access to the right skills is the number one challenge facing tech businesses today. Organisations in our region need to be in the best possible position to be able to compete for and retain top talent, which again comes down to leadership, culture and employer brand. While there are already lots of excellent tech industry networking events in our region, we felt there was a need for a forum specially focused on leadership development and support.”
Pure worked in strategic partnership with Barclays Eagle Labs, Tech East, and the Institute of Directors to organise and host the inaugural Tech Leaders event on 26 September. Guest speakers included leadership expert Mark Williams who delivered an engaging presentation on ‘Leadership that gets results’ and James Duez, Co-founder and CEO of Rainbird Technologies who shared his journey and experience of being a technology leader.
Ruben added: “Our aim was to create a forum where current and aspiring tech industry leaders could take time out to concentrate on their own professional development, to network with each other, and to explore the softer skills of leadership and its impact on culture and employee engagement. I hope everyone took a lot away from the event and we have already been in touch to ask for feedback and ideas for future sessions. For us, this marks the start of an exciting journey to build the best Technology Leadership network in the Eastern region.”
The first Tech Leaders event was jointly hosted by Pure, Barclays Eagle Labs, Tech East and the Institute of Directors. For more information and to be kept informed of future events sign up here.
NatWest, supported by Norfolk Chamber are pleased to welcome Michael Cameron to answer your questions about the Government’s upcoming Making Tax Digital (MTD) programme, starting in April 2019. Michael Cameron is a stakeholder from HMRC’s Making Tax Digital for Business team and will be our expert speaker on the day. Michael will provide an overview of the MTD programme together with specific technical information such as how to navigate the sign up process for the new Agent Services Account, which can be a little complex. There will also be time allocation for Q&A to enable everyone to receive clarity around their specific issues. Attendees will also have the opportunity to hear from Andy King at Freeagent who are one of the small number of HMRC approved accounting software providers for MTD tax returns. Agenda 08:00 Registration & Refreshments 08:30 Michael Cameron – Making Tax Digital 09:15 Andrew King – MTD Approved software 09:45 Q&A 10:30 Close & Feedback forms Whilst we feel this topic is beneficial to business owners, the views expressed are not intended to be and should not be viewed as individual advice or as a recommendation by NatWest or any third party. You should seek independent advice in respect of issues that are of concern to you. To the maximum extent permitted by law we expressly disclaim all representations, warranties, or assurance of any kind, expressed or implied, that are made to the accuracy or completeness of the information contained in this presentation and do not accept any obligation to update or correct any information contained herein. During the event photographs may be taken on behalf of the host with a view to posting on social media to promote services offered to customers. If you do not wish to be included in the photographs please notify us. For the avoidance of doubt NatWest does not produce the materials for all presentations. This disclaimer applies equally to any materials or presentations produced by a third party.
One of Norfolk Chamber’s key priorities is helping to bridge the gap between business and education. Our Young Chamber programme is designed to help create stronger business engagement with schools and support the raising of young people’s aspirations and soft skills. There are many schools across Norfolk, who already do some great work achieving these goals, but how do you find them and what recognition do those schools receive for their hard work?
The new Young Chamber Enterprise Recognition Award is an award recognising and celebrating education establishments in Norfolk that are committed to improving the employability skills of young people in our region.
Bearers of this award will have evidenced a clear understanding of the local business needs and will be working to equip students with the necessary skills as well as creating opportunities for students to engage with local organisations. An education establishment with the Gold Tick award has shown the most commitment to student employability outcomes and has gone above and beyond in delivering a culture of enterprise.
The awards are free to enter and aim to provide a platform to not only to recognise the work already happening within education, but to create a springboard for new relationships between businesses and education.
The Enterprise Recognition Award scheme was devised and created by the Young Chamber Board, who worked in collaboration with stakeholders from both the business community and the education establishments. The Young Chamber Board members include: KakeCo, Aviva, and Norse Group.
Commenting on the new award initiative,Kieran Miles, Founder of KakeCo and Chair of the Young Chamber Board said:
“The Young Chamber is a fantastic opportunity to begin the breakdown of barriers between business and education. A lot of great work is being done on both sides, but we must bring these together for the success of our future workforce. By recognising the work already being done by education leaders in the county and local businesses rolling up their sleeves, we hope that the Enterprise Recognition Award will act as an invaluable tool in the region to celebrate, reward and support the development of these successes.”
Dr Simon Fox, Principal of Flegg High School said:
“We are delighted to be involved in the School Enterprise Recognition Award, and very proud to be one of the first institutions to participate in the scheme. The ability to receive recognition for all the excellent work we do to inspire young people into the world of work is a fantastic opportunity.
“The framework gives us the chance to test our own systems and provision and make sure we are doing everything we can to provide first-rate experiences for young people. It also acknowledges the strong links we have with local businesses, and let’s other organisations know we are proactive and keen to make connections, network and collaborate.”
Claire Holmes, Group HR Director at NPS Group said:
“As businesses we are proud to shout about the work we undertake with local schools within our community. We’re often asked to talk about what we do and the how we benefit local schools. I’ve heard the question time and time again ‘what are schools doing to work with local business?’ or ‘are schools doing enough?’
“In many cases, yes, they are, but where’s the forum for them to showcase this, to celebrate what they do, their innovations and to demonstrate where they excel in working with local business in the interests of their students? That is the backdrop against which we decided to develop and launch this accreditation. Many schools can be very proud of what they do, this gives the opportunity for all of the community to celebrate and share in that pride.”
Glyndwr Thomas, Finance Manager at Aviva UK said:
“I’m passionate about recognising people for the skills they have and making sure they have the chance to use them. Bridging the gap between education and business by creating opportunities to work together and collaborate is a big challenge; so we should recognise and reward the efforts being made by education establishments. With their excellent network of contacts, the Norfolk Chamber of Commerce is very well placed to help make the connection between education and business.”
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 the responses of over 7,700 businesses in Q2 2017, the results for both sectors indicate that the UK economy grew at a subdued rate in the second quarter of 2017.
The Norfolk services sector, a key driver of economic growth, saw indicators of domestic activity, employment and investment continue to weaken slightly in the quarter. Consumer-facing industries such as retail outlets and hotels reported weaker growth rates compared to B2B businesses in the quarter.
The survey shows Norfolk export sales and orders in the manufacturing sector falling from the previous quarter. Whilst services sector exports remained a mixed picture, with export sales increasing marginally but export orders falling by 4 points.
The balance of Norfolk firms expecting prices to rise has decreased across both sectors, but the percentage of firms reporting concern over raw material costs and pay settlements has risen.
The findings indicate that while confidence in future turnover decreased, the effect could be short-term, as confidence in overall profitability improved. Both sectors showed an increase of investment in training.
Key Norfolk findings in the Q2 2017 survey:
Overall, the figures for both sectors indicate static growth
The percentage balance of manufacturing firms expecting the price of their goods to increase over the next three months has fallen slightly from the near-historic-highs reported in the previous quarter (from +55 to +33), and fell in services from +39 to +29
However, manufacturers report continued pressure from the price of raw materials, with +82 reporting this as the cause of price increases (up from +68). Pressure from pay settlements also rose in both, rising from +20 to +27 in manufacturing and +21 to +49 in services
In the manufacturing sector, the balance of firms reporting increasing domestic sales rose slightly from +9 to +12, as did domestic orders from +6 to +10. The balance reporting export sales fell from +17 to +11 and export orders fell from +20 to +7
In services, the balance of firms reporting increasing domestic sales remained static and domestic orders fell from +13 to +8. The balance reporting increasing export sales rose from +6 to +13 but export orders fell from +4 to 0
The percentage of businesses in the manufacturing sector attempting to recruit fell somewhat but remain relatively high at 68%. Whilst the service sector increase slightly to 65% (up from 60%). Of those, the percentage of firms facing recruitment difficulties dropped but remains high in both sectors at 63% (down from 83%) in manufacturing and 67% in services (down from 81%)
Confidence across the board dipped in the second quarter. The balance of manufacturers confident that turnover would improve over the next 12 months fell from +35 to +23, and the balance for services from +42 to +31. The balance of manufacturing firms confident that profitability would increase remained static but in services rose slightly from +19 to +21
However, the balance of firms in both sectors reporting improved cashflow remains at historical lows, with manufacturing continuing to fall into negative territory from +2 to -15, whilst in services it rose from -6 to 0.
Commenting on the results, Chris Sargisson, Chief Executive of Norfolk Chamber said:
“The latest survey results, which reflect the outlook of companies in all sectors and locations across Norfolk, indicate that for many businesses growth is static at best, and at worst, beginning to slow.
“It’s time for the economy to be put back at the heart of the agenda, with a focus on creating the best possible environment for business growth all across the county. Government must play its part by tackling the issues that hold businesses back, including labour shortages, weaknesses in our physical and digital infrastructure, and high upfront costs which dampen investment intentions and firms’ growth potential. Any talk of higher business taxes to pay for politically-motivated spending must be quashed swiftly, to avoid undermining business confidence further.
“The subdued growth picture also underlines the importance of getting as much clarity on the Brexit transition as possible, as quickly as possible over the coming months.”
Nova Fairbank, Public Affairs Manager for Norfolk Chamber, said:
“The latest survey indicates that Norfolk’s economic activity remains subdued in the second quarter of 2017.
“The services sector activity stuttered a little with a number of the key balances weakening this quarter. Consumer-focused industries were the worst performers – further evidence that rising inflation is dampening their activity. Norfolk’s manufacturing results saw a definite slow-down and the longer-term trends suggests that the manufacturing sector’s contribution to overall growth will not be enough to offset weaknesses elsewhere.
“Rising inflation remains the key challenge for the Norfolk economy this year. Consumer prices are likely to keep rising in the coming months as the recent sizeable increases in the cost of raw materials, pay settlements and other overheads filter through supply chains.”
We challenge you to make as much money as possible for East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH) with a budget of £50! You can invest your crisp £50 note in any legal and safe fundraising activities over this 12 week period to generate the highest possible return for EACH.
Get your thinking caps on to come up with some creative and different money-making events and activities, use the opportunity to build team spirit in your own organisation whilst promoting a healthy competition with other groups who’ve taken up the Challenge and, most importantly, have fun!
So…what are you waiting for?
Phone EACH’s Norfolk Fundraising Team on 01953 666767 and sign up now to accept our challenge and help provide vital care and support to local children and young people with life-threatening conditions and their families.
Across nearly all districts of Norfolk, levels of unemployment fell in June. Overall, the claimant count for Norfolk stood at 7,960, which was a drop of 320 claimants from the previous month. Norfolk is currently ranked 13th in a table of local authorities in the East and south East.
Every district except Broadland recorded a fall in their claimant count rate. Norwich recorded the largest fall in claimant numbers with a drop of 5.7%. King’s Lynn and West Norfolk saw a 2.8% decrease – a better result than the previous month. From a Great Yarmouth perspective, it continued a worrying trend from the previous month with a lack of a strong downward trend in claimant numbers. Their claimant count stands at 2,895 from a total of 2,960 last month.
Ordinarily it is expected that the Great Yarmouth claimant count falls drastically in the summer months, given the local job market’s seasonal pattern. Some on this anomaly can probably be assigned to the shift to full implementation of the Universal Credit, however a continuing trend would be a greater concern.