We are delighted to announce that we have been selected as a finalist at the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) Awards 2022.
The CSJ Awards are national and high profile, recognising charities that are innovative in tackling poverty and exclusion in Britain. They exist to ensure that the voices of those working to address these issues are given access to decision makers in Westminster.
As an organisation, we are delighted to be recognised for the outstanding work we do in supporting vulnerable young people through vocational training. We raise their self-esteem and confidence, whilst enabling them to gain trade related qualifications, employment opportunities and a much improved quality of life as well as being accepted in the community.
We are very grateful for this opportunity and the positive outcomes it will bring.
Seeing the iconic Jacobean mansion of Blickling Hall bathed in light while you enjoy a slice of Blickling wood-fired pizza on the main drive is a treat which for many has become a family tradition.
This year, that quintessential Norfolk estate – the first complete estate ever to be cared for by the National Trust – will once again be celebrating the festive season with two very special and unique experiences, each aimed at creating lasting memories.
During the day, the beautifully decorated hall will open its doors to reveal rooms packed full of decorations, lovingly created by staff and volunteers. Nutcrackers, an estate children’s party, cocktails in the South Drawing Room and an Ice Ball all help to create a fantastical experience for visitors.
Property Curator, Megan Dennis and her team are excited to share it with visitors.
“Christmas in the hall at Blickling is so special. This year we are celebrating the magic moments of Christmas – all the special family traditions and games. We welcome visitors to explore the house, decorate a tree, help the cooks prepare for Christmas Day and take a whirl on the dancefloor. The beautiful decorations created by our talented volunteers really make the hall a unique place to visit at this time of year. Their passion and enthusiasm for Blickling shines through in every room.”
An army of florists, gardeners, crafters and artists have all contributed, under the guidance and direction of Jo Pipe, Blickling’s House and Collections Officer.
“We have created a 1930s fantastical adventure for our visitors to explore. Meet people from the past and create your own special memories in this beautiful place.”
In the evening, the house doors close and it is the turn of Blickling’s gardens to take centre stage.
Transformed into a riot of colour and illuminations, with little ‘wow’ moments tucked around every corner; an accessible, level route will help all visitors enjoy an after-dark festive adventure in one of Norfolk’s most special places.
For Experience and Visitor programme Manager, Sebastian Billing, it’s his favourite time of year.
“I’ve known Blickling all my life and for my family, it’s always been a playground for the senses. Our Garden of Lights event transforms the outside spaces – once the sun goes down, it feels like every inch is painted with imagination. Seeing visitors of all ages laughing and making memories in a place that means so much to the local community, shows us that the essential fundraising we do as a charity can look and feel pretty magical.”
Blickling’s festive celebrations kick off on Monday 28 November and run through to Sunday 18 December 2022.
The House is open daily from 11-2pm, tickets are free for National Trust members, no booking necessary.
The Garden of Lights event takes place daily between 4-8pm, all tickets must be pre-booked. Weekend tickets have almost sold out, but there are still tickets available to visit Monday – Friday. Bring the kids for a memorable after-school adventure, or visit after work for a fun evening out with colleagues or friends.
Business leaders from across the region were given some valuable insights into how to achieve the best possible performance by football international and Premier League star, Paul McVeigh.
Paul, who had a 16-year career as a professional footballer with Tottenham Hotspur, Norwich City and Northern Ireland, was speaking at the Larking Gowen Autumn Business Breakfast, at Milsoms Kesgrave Hall, near Ipswich, on 22 November 2022.
His experience of competing with and against some of the best players in the world, and being the first Premier League footballer to qualify with a Master’s Degree in Psychology, formed the basis of his presentation into how to achieve the right mindset to boost performance.
“In the four corner model of performance, you have technical, physical, psychological and social. The most important is psychological. The question you have to ask is: How much of your day are you dedicating to improving this?” he said.
“People are busy working throughout life. It’s just a case of being clear on what you are working towards every day, every month, every year. Normally, you are told what your goals are professionally, but nobody tells you what your goals are for yourself,” he said.
Since his retirement from professional football, besides becoming a thought leader in performance psychology, Paul has become an established radio and TV broadcaster and has published a book, ‘The Stupid Footballer is Dead’.
Graham Mummery, Audit Partner with Larking Gowen’s Corporate team, said: “We’re very grateful to Paul for a fascinating insight into the world of elite performance, and how lessons can be learned from sporting achievement at this level that apply to all aspects of life.”
We’re thrilled to announce that we’ve been awarded the Investors in People’s (IIP) UK Employer of the Year Gold award (50–249 employees).
Why did we win?
This award recognises our employee engagement strategy as truly special. It’s something that’s very close to our hearts – our leadership team have worked hard on it to make sure that, as the business grows, we remain true to our values.
Our approach helps us focus on the wellbeing of our people, how we hire and retain them, how we communicate, and our reward and recognition structure. And we’re so pleased to be recognised for it – especially as we celebrate 20 years of Pure in 2023.
What the award means to us
Caroline Batchelor, Director, said: ‘I’m so proud that we’ve won an IIP Gold award. Our people are so important to us. Without them, we wouldn’t be able to do what we do. We work hard to maintain and develop our positive culture. I just want to say thank you to everyone at Pure. This is all about you – you’re what makes Pure a great place to work!’
Ben Farrow, Operations Director, said: ‘Creating an engaged culture is an ongoing process and continually evolves. Achieving our IIP Gold accreditation earlier this year was an opportunity to hear how we’re doing. And winning this award is the cherry on top. We’ll continue to focus on sharing ideas, giving everyone a voice and building on our values to make sure Pure remains a great place to work. This award recognises what we’ve achieved so far and our commitment to investing in our people.’
Executive Director Lynn Walters said: ‘On behalf of the whole team, I’m so proud to have won this award. We have a brilliant team of people who care passionately about doing the right thing for jobseekers, clients and each other, as well as the communities we’re part of. At Pure, our culture is the top priority – it guides how we work every day. And we’re fortunate to work with some fantastic organisations across the eastern region who we share experiences with, something which helps keep us fresh and continually evolving. We’re looking forward to celebrating this award with the whole team.’
CEO, Ian Walters summed things up: ‘As a team, we’ve always valued helping people above recognition. But I still feel really proud and honoured that Pure has won this prestigious IIP award.’
Collecting our award
David, Caroline and Ben went to collect our trophy at the awards evening in London on Tuesday 15 November. It was great to see so many other inspirational organisations at the event, all of which are doing great things to #MakeWorkBetter. But only a few get to take home one of the sought-after trophies. And this year we were very proud to be one of them. ‘It was a fab night and a brilliant result for us all,’ said David. ‘I’m so proud of our organisation, our culture and, most importantly, all our people.’
Paul Devoy, CEO, Investors in People, said “The Investors in People Awards 2022 marks a new chapter for us. We came together again after three years in our biggest celebration of exemplary leaders and organisations who have transformed themselves into a force of good despite the challenges. I am proud of every organisation that entered this year, demonstrating the value in making work better and setting an example for other organisations to do the same.”
Our thanks
This award and our gold accreditation recognise our commitment to creating a great workplace. We’d like to thank Investors in People and the judges who made it happen. But most importantly, we’d like to thank the people who make Pure such a great place to work.
Greater Anglia is reminding passengers that there is a rail strike this Saturday – and advising them that a further eight strike dates have been announced for December and January.
Train drivers’ union ASLEF is striking this Saturday 26 November, with Greater Anglia only running trains between London Liverpool Street and Norwich, Colchester and Southend Victoria and on the Stansted Express service.
There will be no trains on any other routes – including between Cambridge and London Liverpool Street.
The company is advising people to avoid travelling on Greater Anglia trains on Saturday and to check before they travel on Sunday morning as the 24-hour strike will cause first trains on Sunday to start later than usual.
The RMT union has announced strikes on Tuesday 13, Wednesday 14, Friday 16 and Saturday 17 and Tuesday 3, Wednesday 4, Friday 6 and Saturday 7 January, which will severely impact Greater Anglia services and lead to a very reduced service.
Jamie Burles, Greater Anglia managing director said: “We are very sorry that our customers are once again disrupted by strikes and we are having to advise people to avoid travelling on our trains.
“We know how much people were looking forward to a Christmas without the Covid restrictions of the last two years and now they are having to plan around strikes.
“As a rail industry we are keen to get this dispute settled and talks will continue with the unions to do everything possible to reach an agreement.”
Services this Saturday
First trains will start later than usual and last trains will finish earlier than usual this Saturday.
First and last train times to London Liverpool Street from Colchester will be 08.13 and 20.13; from Norwich 08.00 and 19.00; and from Southend Victoria 08.13 and 22.00.
In the other direction, first and last trains from Liverpool Street to Colchester will be 10.00 and 22.00; to Norwich 10.30 and 21.30; and to Southend Victoria 09.47 and 23.45.
Stansted Express service first and last train times will be: from Stansted Airport to Liverpool Street 05.15 and 23.42 and from Liverpool Street to Stansted Airport 04.10 and 23.25.
Anyone who has booked a ticket to travel on Saturday 26 November will be able to travel either the day before or up to up to and including Tuesday 29 November instead, or they can contact their retailer for a refund or to change the date.
Trains not running due to the strike will not be replaced by buses.
RMT strikes
RMT members due to strike in December and January include Greater Anglia station, catering, revenue protection, train cleaning and conductor teams, along with Network Rail signallers and maintenance staff.
Greater Anglia is currently working on timetables but it is likely that only services between London Liverpool Street and Norwich, Colchester, Southend Victoria and Cambridge, along with the Stansted Express will run, with first trains from 07.30 and all journeys complete by 18.30.
An overtime ban by the RMT from Sunday 18 December to Monday 2 January could also affect services. Passengers are advised to check before they travel between these dates.
More details, including timetables and refund information, will be available on greateranglia.co.uk/strikes as they are finalised.
We are hoping to bring some festive magic and spread some Christmas cheer with our latest charity fundraising idea.
The team at Contract Personnel are aiming to raise funds to help provide presents, essential items and festive gifts for the children’s wards at some of our local hospitals across Norfolk & Suffolk.
At a time where some children and their families face spending time in hospital over the Christmas period, we are raising funds for hospitals including the Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital, James Paget University Hospital, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn and West Suffolk Hospital.
After speaking with some of the hospitals, the funds will be spent on presents for the children, along with essential items for the wards – including cot mobiles, gift sets for the older children, sensory toys, arts and crafts sets and much more!
We will then donate the prizes in our Christmas JOB BUS, which will be decorated with Christmas lights and feature Father Christmas!
Anything you can donate to our cause will be greatly appreciated. We will be sure to feature your company across our social media channels and website – along with inclusion in our PR articles.
And if you just wish to donate as an individual, we will really appreciate your kindness this Christmas!
In order to select their chosen charity of the year, several charities are presented to the Swans (employees) who are then asked to anonymously vote for the one they would like to support for that year. The charities presented are those that have shown an interest in working together or have approached them for our support.
For the past 5 years Indigo Swan have supported Norfolk and Waveney Mind. It’s a charity they hold close to their hearts, which is why they are excited to reveal that tjhey will be supporting them for another year. It was a very close vote (the closest yet), so they have decided to support the runner up next year.
James commented: “We all have mental health, but poor mental health is something that all of us will come in contact with at some stage during our lives – whether that’s someone you know, a friend, a family member or even yourself. At Indigo Swan we’re passionate about being upfront, honest and open about challenges facing people with poor mental health. We want to continue to help with raising awareness and support all of the Swans within every aspect of their wellbeing.”
An award-winning East Anglian HR firm is celebrating the close of an exceptional year for growth, with an expanded Norfolk-based team of consultants.
MAD-HR, which was launched in 2014 by entrepreneur Carole Burman, has grown rapidly over the last eight years and won numerous awards for its customer service and its innovative approach to HR delivery through tech.
It was also shortlisted in the most recent EDP Norfolk Business Awards, and collected the Customer Excellence Award at the most recent Suffolk Business Awards.
This month, it has bolstered its team of Norfolk-based HR experts, and is now made up of a trio of specialists with a breadth of sector experience.
Victoria Smith, Robyn Littlefair and Jemma Caplin are are highly skilled HR experts and have a primary focus in serving businesses across the county of Norfolk, delivering HR advice and supporting matters associated with recruitment, retention, employment law, employee wellbeing and HR strategy.
The latest trio brings the MAD-HR total staff count to 12, with other team members based in Suffolk and Essex. Further expansion is on the horizon for the business in terms of additional headcount and geography.
“I am so delighted to have another three excellent HR specialists onboard as part of the MAD-HR offering in Norfolk,” said Carole, who jointly leads the business with co-director Charlotte Bate.
“We have seen a growth in the demand for our Make a Difference brand of HR in the county as many businesses are looking to scale. By continually investing in our team we are able our high levels of customer service from our team will be maintained.”
She added: “Collectively, our team has many decades of experience across the HR sector and each consultant is passionate about helping business owners and Directors ensure that they achieve their goals by delivering expert-led support on all employee, performance & development issues. We help clients achieve more, faster, and more efficiently
“Victoria, Robyn and Jemma are a great asset, and I know they already actively making a difference to many business leaders in the Norfolk area.”
More and more people are electing to take up an apprenticeship in Norfolk. The results for 2021/22 have seen an increase in the number of people who start an apprenticeship, figures which had been in decline since 2016. Many employers who are new to apprenticeships are unaware that apprenticeships are not just for school leavers aged under 19, and that there are also apprenticeships opportunities for all ages, including for existing employees who may be looking at upskilling current staff.
Across England, new apprenticeship starts were up by 8.6% compared with 2020/21, whilst in Norfolk new starts were up by 17.7%, demonstrating the impact of work which organisations in Norfolk are doing in helping to buck the wider trend.
One of the areas with the largest increase compared with the same period last year was in Information and Communication Technology apprenticeships, which saw a 90% increase of people taking up an apprenticeship compared to 2020/21.
Cllr Graham Plant, cabinet member for growing the economy, said: “Being or hiring an apprentice can be so rewarding for both parties – it’s a great way to expand your business while also passing knowledge on. There are so many different types of apprenticeship to explore, from agriculture to the arts, and engineering to tourism. These qualifications are offered at different levels: intermediate, advanced, and higher, so there is bound to be something for everyone on offer.
“Apprenticeships aren’t just for young people, with almost half of apprentices this year being over the age of 25. Not only does it help the individuals on the course, but it helps to expand the Norfolk economy by creating jobs and enabling companies to grow to meet the demand of the future.”
Apprenticeships Norfolk, a free and impartial service run by Norfolk County Council, offers a wide range of support for both apprentices and companies looking to take on an apprentice, including information and guidance, as well as financial support. The Access to Apprenticeships grant, which is funded through the European Regional Development Fund, offers businesses up to £500 to enable them to overcome barriers to hiring an apprentice. The grant can be used for a variety of things, such as providing travel expenses, or the technology required by an apprentice to complete their studies, or for purchasing specialist equipment which would be needed, but can present a barrier to companies thinking of hiring an apprentice.
One company who was awarded the grant was BH Trees, a tree surgery company based in Norwich. They hired a female apprentice in a typically male dominated industry, which presented a challenge for them as a lot of standard safety equipment is designed for men. This equipment would be ill-fitting, and she would have had to share it, but the Access to Apprenticeships grant enabled the company to purchase equipment specifically designed for females.
Ben Hogben, from BH Trees, said: “We used the Access to Apprenticeship grant to purchase a tree climbing harness designed for arborists and for the female shape. I found the application for Access to Apprenticeships grant very straightforward – it was a single sheet to complete.
“I would urge other businesses to take advantage of the grant, it’s available to fund a huge range of equipment. It’s certainly made a difference to our business, and it’s certainly made a difference to our apprentice.”
Apprenticeships Norfolk has been running the #MadeInNorfolk campaign, aimed at encouraging businesses to take on an apprentice or to upskill an existing staff member using an apprenticeship. The campaigns success was recently recognised at the regional Chartered Institute of Public Relations awards, winning both the Best Low Budget campaign and the Best Public Sector campaign categories. The campaign was also highly commended at the national Annual Apprenticeship Conference awards.
The female driver event at Stratford Academy. Credit: Greater Anglia
The train simulator. Credit: Greater Anglia
Train operator Greater Anglia has held a special event to encourage more women to become train drivers.
Almost 40 women who currently work for the operator in a variety of roles including ticket office staff, conductors and train cleaners attended the bespoke event at Stratford Academy on 18 November.
The group found out about life in the depot, tried their hand at driving a train on the simulator, and took part in a Q&A session with nine of Greater Anglia’s current female drivers. They also learned about the recruitment process and assessments.
Across the railway, 16% of roles are currently filled by women, a figure which the industry is working to increase.
Earlier this year, Greater Anglia held two female driver events on International Women’s Day.
Katy Bucknell, Greater Anglia HR Director, said: “Our female driver event is very popular, and we have seen a 67% increase in applications as a result. Every year we are seeing more and more women applying for train driver roles and this event was a great opportunity for people to find out more about what the job entails.
“Currently 7% of Greater Anglia’s train drivers are female, which has increased from 5% over the last couple of years. We really want to boost this number and attract more women to the industry.
“Some of our female drivers have been here for decades, but we are always looking to recruit more women. We want women to know that being a train driver is a great career choice – the railway is a great place to work and offers several benefits.”
Greater Anglia is working to progress a sex and gender network group following the development of an initial women in rail forum which delivered a range of different development sessions for all employees.
This included inspirational women in leadership discussions, developmental webinars on imposter syndrome, emotional intelligence, building personal brand and menopause awareness, all of which continue to run throughout the year.
With the past few years of not only Christmas Parties but all company events being “cancelled” or switched to online, December 2022 is going to be “the time” for companies to bring their employees together.
Did you know happy workers are 13% more productive? Research by Oxford University’s Saïd Business School, in collaboration with British multinational telecoms firm BT, found a conclusive link between happiness and productivity!
Even if a company only cares about their bottom line that is surely enough to motivate leaders to look after their staff. With Oxford University facts and figures aside, there has been a surge in businesses and those running them wanting to support their staff from a multitude of perspectives, with happiness and wellbeing a huge trend over the last few years.
Working with businesses of all sizes and hearing very similar stories all the time, we’ve created a list of the top reasons why people should be bringing their teams together this Autumn and Wintertime.
Encouraging team bonding and feeling part of something. There’s no doubt about it, hosting an amazing event for your team or company will enhance team morale and help create a sense of unity. Even now, whether it’s remote working or geographical location, there are businesses with staff who have never met face to face. Whilst technology has helped people bond from a distance, many believe stronger relationships can only be formed in a physical environment, whether body language or a clink of a glass play a part, or just people’s ability to relax in conversation.
This also strongly ties into staff wellbeing, supporting personal relationships as well as helping combat loneliness and isolation. I’m sure many people can recall times they met people at events that they “clicked” with and formed relationships with beyond.
Celebrate successes and hard work. Rewarding staff and letting them know you’re proud of their achievements can be a hugely powerful and motivating tool. Whether this is individual awards for outstanding members of the team, or just a “thank you” party to reward staff. Rewarding staff leads to higher employee engagement, can support staff retention and also creates a more rounded working environment. Demonstrations of this (for example social posts or online articles) can also help with future recruitment, many people want to work for companies doing “more”.
Break the Ice. We’re not talking awkward circles and introducing ourselves, that would be painful, but we always recommend points of interest, activities or entertainment going on at events, especially if the group aren’t familiar with each other in person. This not only gives guests something to begin talking about at the event but also if it’s something completely unique, something they will talk about after the event too!
If the above isn’t enough to convince you that your business should be organising events for the team in 2022, then try speaking with the team to gain their feedback on what they would like to do, or if they’d like to be together, you may just be surprised.
PS Did you also know that these are tax exempt? Speak to your accountant to find out more about the specifics, but you can spend up to £150 per person.
For help from organising your whole Christmas event, conference, meeting, team building activities, exhibition to just some quirky activities, speak to the Huxley team.
Grants to support innovation projects and plans for growth are available to businesses in Norfolk and Suffolk via New Anglia Growth Hub.
The Growth Through Innovation Fund offers grants of between £1,000 and £25,000 to help invest in innovation, research, and development and these can cover
up to 50% of the total eligible costs for your project.
Companies from a wide range of sectors have already benefitted from this fund and you can find out more here
Businesses can also apply for funding of between £1,000 and £25,000 from the Small Grant Scheme. These grants usually cover up to 20% of your total project costs and you can find out how to apply here.
For more information about the free, impartial business support available from the Growth Hub, call 0300 333 6536 or email info@newangliagrowthhub.co.uk
