Member News

Leading-edge innovation taking place in Norfolk and Suffolk was hailed as world leading by Science Minister George Freeman as a new space tech cluster was launched at the Connected Innovation Conference. Representatives from Innovate UK, the Satellite Applications Catapult, BT, UK Space Agency, Tech East and other organisations addressed the showcase event at Adastral Park near Ipswich to highlight the exceptional research and innovation activity across businesses, innovation hubs and research institutes. George Freeman, Minister of State at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, delivered the keynote address on a day when he personally visited Freeport East, Adastral Park, Norwich Research Park and Hethel Innovation. His visit was part of a tour to highlight the UK’s nationally significant innovation clusters. Read the full story here

Picture of Cllr Bills at the Beryl bike bay outside Hethersett Library The UK’s leading micro mobility provider, Beryl, and Norfolk County Council have expanded the bike, e-bike and e-scooter share scheme. The first new bay has been installed in Hethersett outside the library with three more due to be installed over the coming months. This makes the scheme accessible to thousands more people in the area and creates a fantastic sustainable transport link between Hethersett and Wymondham. . The extension of the scheme has been made possible thanks to funding from the Department for Transport E-cycle extension fund. It will take advantage of The Blue Pedalway, a cycle lane opened in July 2020 that connects Hethersett with Sprowston via Norwich city centre. It currently takes approximately 30 minutes to cycle 6.5 miles between the two locations. A 30 minute journey on a beryl pedal bike would cost just £1.50 or £3 on an e-bike or e-scooter when using a minute bundle. Councillor David Bills, Councillor for Humbleyard Division said: “I’m delighted to welcome the Beryl network to Hethersett. This will be a huge benefit to local residents with safe travel routes to neighbouring Wymondham as well as into Norwich. These bikes, e-bikes and e-scooters are a great option for those wanting to leave the car at home and travel more sustainably, which in turn will help to reduce congestion and improve air quality for all. ” Beryl CEO and co-founder, Phil Ellis, said: “We want to encourage even more people to take up sustainable transport and extending our Norwich scheme to Hethersett will help make it even more accessible. “Norwich has excellent cycling infrastructure and, with the warmer weather and longer days on the horizon, I’m confident that even more people will now be encouraged to try the multiple modes we have in Norwich. “By getting more people out of the car and onto two wheels we can not only contribute towards improving public health but also cutting congestion on the area’s roads and improving air quality.” Since its launch on Tuesday 17 March 2020, the scheme has amassed 900,000 journeys across nearly 2,700,000km – the equivalent of over 67 trips around the Earth. Figures show that the scheme is going from strength to strength, with the overall number of rides in the last year up by 39% compared to the scheme’s second year and 379% compared to the scheme’s first year. User feedback shows that, on average, 23.2% of journeys have replaced road transport journeys such as using or being a passenger in a car, van, taxi or motorbike. According to industry calculations, that has saved almost 570 tonnes of harmful CO2 emissions, the equivalent of almost 3329 flights between London and Edinburgh. The scheme now has a total of 118 bays across the Greater Norwich area including Wymondham, Hethersett and Drayton. You can hire a Beryl bike, e-bike or e-scooter through the Beryl app, available for free download on the App Store for iOS, and the Google Play Store for Android users. Image provided by Norfolk County Council

It was billed as the budget which was set to focus on ‘getting people working’. For days prior to yesterday’s official Budget statement by Chancellor Jeremy Hunt, pundits had talked about a symbolic theme of trying to encourage more people to stay in work, get others ‘back’ to employment, and to make those of us in the workplace, feel more rewarded for doing so. On the face of it, and particularly from an HR perspective, this could surely only be beneficial to all. Here at MAD-HR, we’ve been digging through the detail, and there are certainly some key points which we feel deserve great scrutiny, or at least ‘watch and wait’ by employers and people managers. Let’s start with childcare. An increase in free childcare, to cover one and two year-olds, is to come in to effect from NEXT April. This shows great intent and a far better understanding of the challenges facing parents. Increasingly, parents of working age have been saying how much pressure they feel under financially because of childcare provision – to the extent that some make the decision NOT to return to work. As an employer, you’ll want to be mindful that the April 2024 date is just a starting point, with a phasing of introductions. All children over nine months old will be included in this measure by September 2025. When thinking about which of your employees this becomes applicable for, note that it is in respect of any household where all adults work for more than 16 hours a week. Sitting alongside this announcement is the news that funding for wraparound care for school-aged children is also to be increased. This means by September 2026, parents will be able to drop their children at school between 8am and 6pm. Again, it’s a step which should hopefully make it far easier for your employees to fulfil their working day as they would wish to. Next, we turn to health. Poor health has long contributed in a significant way to the British economy. The Budget revealed intentions to expand the pilot of an occupational health study for small businesses. It will consult on boosting UK occupational health in a number of ways, while at the same time looking to introduce a WorkWell programme aligning employment and health support. Apprenticeships also featured as a topic of consideration and dissection for employers. The government has announced that a new idea of ‘Returnerships’ will come in, to aid over 50s in learning new skills and returning to work. This, alongside increasing the tax-free allowance people can save in their pension pot, may well be a helpful concept for improving the level of more mature workers staying in place or seeking roles with your business. In summary, we like to believe this week’s Budget brings you, the employer and leader, great opportunity, hope and confirmation of intention. Of course, what history tells us, is that the promising narrative is one thing – and now we must of course wait to see the delivery. If the Budget and its various issues have raised any thoughts for you around areas of your employment processes and management of staff, please do take the opportunity to reach out to our team. You can contact us by clicking here. For a summary of the key elements from the Spring Budget – see here. This text was originally written by MAD-HR Ltd. Copyright © 2023 MAD-HR Ltd. All rights reserved: https://www.mad-hr.co.uk/blog/spring-budget-blog-a-mad-hr-perspective Image provided by MAD-HR

As a female leader in business, I often find myself conflicted about how I want to reflect on International Women’s Day. Do I shout from the rooftops about the amazing female team-members who are now part of MAD-HR and make me grateful every day that I am following this professional path? Should I recount all the past experiences in which I have had to overcome discrimination or question the level of gender inequality in my career? Or should I say nothing of International Women’s Day – because, perhaps, I should not feel there is a ‘need’ for a single day to mark out the accomplishments of women. This text was originally written by MAD-HR Ltd. Copyright © 2023 MAD-HR Ltd. All rights reserved: https://www.mad-hr.co.uk/blog/is-centred-leadership-the-key-for-women-other-aspirational-leaders. This year, I’ve chosen to take the opportunity to share with you about Centred Leadership, because, whether you be male or female, I absolutely believe it tells us so much about who can achieve and succeed in the world. For those who haven’t stumbled across this great concept, I urge you to take a look at the findings of McKinsey and Company, and in particular, of the truly inspirational Joanna Barsh. Joanna took it upon herself to interview many successful women leaders, and to create a model of understanding for why it is that certain people are able to ‘thrive’ professionally, and to become even more effective leaders. Her model is a fascinating ‘coming together’ of five core elements, which, in her words, allow a leader to ‘become aware of the mindsets and beliefs that drive us… then practice skills which allow us to achieve that vision’. These five ‘pieces of the pie’, are as follows:

• Meaning – Finding and building from our purpose
• Framing – Facing adversity with self-awareness, and shifting and adapting our behaviour
• Connecting – Establishing trust and inspiring others to trust us more so we build community
• Engaging – Owning who we are and taking risks
• Managing Energy – Generating (and restoring) energy in self and others

I’m sure, like me, you can read those five key themes and see areas in which you have great strengths, and also, where you might need to work hard, every hour of every day, at maintaining your focus or resolve regardless of your gender. Some of us are great at knowing our purpose and building trust, but we lack the element of risk-taking and standing tall for what we believe to be the right move. Others might be brilliant at the chameleon-like approach of adapting behaviour in the face of adversity, but we’re not so good at building community. If there’s a takeaway from this interesting research, I think it’s that we must all remember that individual skills and strengths work exceptionally well for us in different circumstances of our professional lives, but, glued together, we are able to find the consistent leader within us. My team and I welcome working with both men and women who want to embrace their leadership roles and produce the best outcome for their business, so if you would like to discuss this more, please do get in touch with us at MAD-HR. This text was originally written by MAD-HR Ltd. Copyright © 2023 MAD-HR Ltd. All rights reserved: https://www.mad-hr.co.uk/blog/is-centred-leadership-the-key-for-women-other-aspirational-leaders Image provided by MAD-HR

Back in 2016, renowned entrepreneur and New York Times Best Seller, Kevin Kruse, published a blog that peaked Mark’s interest, and here we are seven years later, digging through the best bits of his article, ’15 Surprising Things Productive People Do Differently’. His points are still as relevant now as they were then. Kevin interviewed over 200 people who were considered highly productive, including billionaires, Olympians and straight-A students, and published his 15 secrets to productivity based on his findings. Success can’t happen without productivity, so Mark and Becky break down their favourite secrets from the article, and how they can be applied to our everyday lives. There’s so much good stuff in Kevin’s work, that this is the first of two episodes! Look out for part 2 coming soon… GET IN TOUCH! We would love to hear your thoughts on today’s episode, email us at podcasts@larking-gowen.co.uk. We would also love it if you could rate us 5 STARS on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, this really helps people find us! You can now watch us on YouTube! Click here Thank you to our sponsors Larking Gowen, Chartered Accountants and Business Advisors – check out their website to see how they could help your business www.larking-gowen.co.uk Show notes Read Kevin’s article, originally published by Forbes magazine here Book – 15 Secrets Successful People Know About Time Management Blog – 15 Secrets Successful People Know About Productivity Book – Eat That Frog!: Get More of the Important Things Done Today Listen here! © Larking Gowen LLP

Peter Harrup, Partner and Head of East Anglia at BDO LLP, said: “Businesses were hoping for a roadmap to reduce corporation tax rates. Instead, the Chancellor said that companies could offset 100% of investment in IT, equipment, plant, and machinery in the UK against taxable profits, stating that it’s the most generous capital allowance scheme of any advanced economy. That said, there are practical barriers as businesses still grapple with supply chain challenges. As a result, people may struggle to get hold of the kit they want to invest in. “All year round, businesses tell us that access to skills is their biggest challenge. Hopefully, new initiatives and incentives will open up a deeper talent pool by attracting returners and working parents back to work. Support with childcare costs will also be well received by business leaders as a way of helping employees with the cost-of-living crisis. As part of our bi-monthly survey of 500 mid-sized businesses, one-in-six East Anglia businesses stated that they have already been trying to plug this gap, by providing other workplace benefits such as support with childcare costs for employees.” Image provided by BDO LLP

Greater Anglia is installing LED lighting at six stations to help tackle its carbon footprint and reduce the impact on the environment. The new lighting, which has been installed on platforms, on concourses and in car parks, is more energy efficient and will make stations look and feel brighter and more pleasant. Old wiring has been replaced and new LED lighting installed at Trimley, Great Bentley and Brimsdown stations and at Brampton, Attleborough and Mistley station car parks. Since 2018, Greater Anglia has replaced lighting with LED lights at 110 stations across its network. Simone Bailey, Greater Anglia Asset Management Director, said: “We do all we can do reduce our impact on the environment and this is the latest scheme to tackle our carbon footprint. “We aim to install LED lighting at all of the stations we manage. This will help save energy, create a more pleasant atmosphere for our customers and improve safety and security.” Greater Anglia has been working to reduce its impact on the environment, reducing carbon emissions by over 25,000 tonnes over the last two years with a series of energy and carbon reduction measures. Other green initiatives include introducing new more energy-efficient trains, cutting waste, increasing recycling, working with partners and communities on projects to improve sustainability and biodiversity at stations, offering free water refill points at stations, installing electric car charging points, increasing recycling and creating more cycle parking spaces. The company has also installed wireless energy management systems at selected rail stations to ensure heating and lighting are used efficiently, and taken steps to reduce water consumption.

Choc it out! A children’s hospice is giving the public an opportunity to explore its stunning grounds during a day of Easter fun. East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH) is welcoming visitors to The Nook, in Framingham Earl, on Saturday, 1^st April. There will be arts and crafts and an egg hunt, plus a tombola, raffle and refreshments. The fun day, taking place between 10am and 2pm, is the first community event to be held at The Nook since it was opened by EACH Patron The Princess of Wales – then The Duchess of Cambridge – in November 2019. “It’s very exciting and we can’t wait to welcome the public to our beautiful hospice,” said EACH Community Fundraiser Ellie Miller, who has jointly organised the event with colleague Megan Kemp. “It hasn’t been possible until now, because of the pandemic, but is going to be a fun-filled day for the whole family. “Although the public won’t have access to the care floor, they’ll be able to see and enjoy our grounds and I’m sure they’ll be impressed. “The Nook is a stunning place and this is an opportunity to showcase it, as well as raising awareness and perhaps changing perceptions. “People may hear the word ‘hospice’ and conjure up images of a scary, depressing, hospital-like environment. “In reality, nothing could be further from the truth and this is a perfect way to highlight that, while having lots of Easter fun.” The public can come and go as they please and do not need to book tickets, although they can register their interest via a special Facebook page. The Easter arts and crafts will be free but the egg hunt, which will be taking place in the gardens and courtyard, costs £3. There will also be live music from Norwich-based steel pan band Spangle. The majority of the eggs have been kindly donated by NIQ Brandbank, Tesco, the Cambridge office of Ensors chartered accountants, Wolseley Plumbing and Heating and Nationwide Building Society, in St Stephens Street, Norwich. Image provided by EACH

Wingfield Consultants has been named a finalist for the StartUp Awards 2023. The StartUp Awards has been launched to recognise the booming startup scene across the UK which has accelerated since the 2019 pandemic. Over 800,000 new businesses were founded in the UK since 2021, a 4.3% increase from the year before. A record number of businesses applied to this year’s StartUp Awards, with 1,100 firms shortlisted across ten UK nations and regions. The contribution of these firms – all of which were started in the last three years – is significant, having created over 5,000 new jobs since they were established and generating annual sales of £584 million.

All proceeds going to Nelson’s Journey Where: FDC Bowthorpe When: 8th August 2023 – 10am OUR JOURNEY When Wensum Print were approached by Nelson’s Journey to become part of their NJ25 group – raising awareness and much needed funds for the charity; whilst celebrating their 25th year, we went away & had a brainstorm session. Creating a football tournament seemed the ultimate solution; with many of our staff being big football fans, playing at grassroot level, our existing partnership with The Norfolk County FA and numerous local clubs and associates and our work, which brings us together with businesses in every business sector. We are now proud to present a corporate football tournament which will be a celebration of the amazing work Nelson’s Journey produce and raise much needed funds to help them to continue doing so. We will also ensure that the event is a fun and enjoyable experience for all participants, professional with a trophy for the winning team. The event will be held at The FDC (Football Development Centre) in Norwich on Tuesday 8th August 2023. The venue offers high quality pitches and facilities, food and drink options and the event will also have fun games and competitions throughout – ideal for team building and networking. Spaces are limited, so if you would like to get involved please follow the instructions here. ABOUT THE CHARITY Bringing Back Smiles Since 1997, Nelson’s Journey has been supporting children and young people in Norfolk with their bereavement needs, helping to them to understand and cope with their feelings. The charity also supports professionals in the county who work with children, such as teachers and health workers, to help raise awareness of issues affecting bereaved children. Nelson’s Journey’s vision is that every bereaved child in Norfolk will look forward to a positive future, empowered to reach their full potential. Celebrating 25 Years In November 2022, Nelson’s Journey turned 25 years old and are celebrating in style. A group of 20 businesses are collectively raising £25,000 by October 2023 to fund a professionally trained Child Bereavement Support Worker. This post will support over 100 bereaved children in a year. Being part of this campaign will create a transformational impact for these children’s lives. FIND OUR MORE ABOUT NELSON’S JOURNEY

Howes Percival’s corporate, commercial, and banking (CCB) team completed over 150 deals with a combined value of £700 million in 2022.  

The rapidly growing team advises clients on significant and transformational acquisitions and disposals and the full range of contractual matters. It also provides a dedicated banking and finance service to banks, financial institutions, funds, and other lenders. 

The number of completed transactions in 2022 was a further increase on the firm’s record deal volumes in 2021 with levels of M&A, financing and restructuring activity remaining high.  

The growth was also driven by the ongoing investment in the Howes Percival CCB team, over the last three years. The team is now 60% larger than in 2019, as a result of a series of quality lateral hires including Chris White, Chloe Bristow and Deb Hay Davison (all formerly at Dentons), James Stephen (BDB Pitmans) Will Taylor (EMW) and Bradley Johnson (Machins) all joining in 2022. Tom Maksymiw also qualified into the team during the year. 

Andy Harris, partner, and head of Howes Percival’s CCB team, commented, “2022 was a record-breaking year again for Howes Percival’s CCB team and I’m incredibly proud of what we have delivered, both in terms of the volume of deals and the quality of the service the team has provided to clients. We hope we are increasingly seen as one of the go-to firms for corporate transactions in our key regions and we are getting more and more referrals across a wide range of sectors, as word spreads. 

“We have seen a really good flow of instructions from some of our key sectors such as Automotive (particularly motor dealer M&A), Development, Food and Beverage, Healthcare, Leisure & Tourism and Technology & Innovation with significant transactions in each of these areas.  We think these clients come to us not only because we are capable corporate, commercial and banking professionals, but also because of our relationship-driven approach, as well as our deep sector knowledge. 

“In addition to the lateral hires we are proud to have attracted, we continue to place great emphasis on recognising and promoting home-grown talent within the team, and offering a complete career path, from developing great trainees through to creating new partners. We’ve also expanded the firm’s services to clients. Paula Dumbill, who joined us from Browne Jacobson, established and has grown our dedicated Commercial team, while we also now have a dedicated Company Secretarial and Governance team headed by Chloe Bristow.” 

Andy Harris continued, “Of course, the ongoing situation in Ukraine, the cost-of-living crisis and the potential for recession in the UK are still major concerns this year, and we will all be keeping a close eye on things. As a general observation, transactions are taking longer to deliver, but the situation does vary by sector and we are still seeing plenty of activity and new opportunities.” 

For more information on Howes Percival’s corporate advisory services visit: https://www.howespercival.com/services/corporate/ 

Image provided by Howes Percival

A creative student is using his artistic flair to raise funds for the hospice that cared for him during childhood. Ben Everett, 20, has Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) – a genetic disorder characterised by progressive muscle degeneration – and was supported by East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH). Now an art student at City College Norwich, he plans to raise funds for EACH by selling artwork at the popular Café Bar Marzano, within The Forum. He has pieces on display and is donating 50% of sales to the charity, which supports families and cares for children and young people with life-threatening conditions across Norfolk and the rest of East Anglia. “EACH helped and gave me an opportunity to meet other people with different conditions,” said Ben, who lives with his mum in Costessey. “I’ve been a student at City College Norwich for five years and am currently working on a Creative Short Courses (Level Three) course. “I’ve been focusing on print and photography and using photography as a way to cope with my condition. “I have an exhibition at Café Bar Marzano, where my artwork has been on display since 5^th March, and want to donate 50% of sales to EACH.” Ben’s artwork will be on show until 9^th April. It features both acrylic and foil transfer prints, including one combined with a screen print, and is based on a photo he took at Norwich Cathedral. Thomas Hill, a Sessional Lecturer and Learning Support Assistant at City College Norwich, said: “The college has been amazing at supporting Ben. “I’ve been his tutor for nearly two years and he’s such an inspiration. “Despite being limited because of his condition, he’s persisted in wanting to create artwork and he’s always so happy, regardless of what he may be going through.” Anyone unable to get to the exhibition but keen to buy a piece of artwork can email Thomas via Thomas.Hill@ccn.ac.uk Images provided by EACH