Member News

Click on the pdf below to read Walking With the Wounded’s Impact Report 2022

Chantry Place Norwich is one of the sponsors of the Norwich Science Festival 2023 and its free family-friendly Extraordinary Extinct™ Dinosaur Trail, created by Dodo and Dinosaur, has now arrived at Chantry Place. From now until Saturday 18^th February, families can hunt dinosaurs at Chantry Place and celebrate the Earth’s Extraordinary Extinct™ creatures. The self-led dinosaur-themed poster trail around the Centre will enable families to go on a dinosaur hunt to discover some fascinating facts and be in with a chance of winning a £100 H&M voucher and goodies from Dodo and Dinosaur. Free trail maps can be picked up at Langleys in Chantry Place and at The Forum, Norwich. Plus, there will also be some fun dinosaur characters for families to meet on Chantry Square at Chantry Place on Saturday 11^th February. Paul McCarthy, general manager at Chantry Place, said: “Norwich Science Festival is always a fun-filled and educational event for families in Norwich and this dinosaur trail, created by Norfolk-based business Dodo and Dinosaur, looks fantastic and we know families will love spotting all the creatures in some of our retailers windows, before collecting a sticker at Langleys for all their hard work. Plus, there will also be some fun dinosaur characters for families to meet on Chantry Square on Saturday 11^th February and, from 11th to 18^th February, we have arcade style games at the Museum of Plastic, highlighting the importance of recycling and the impact that plastic has on our planet.” Rowan Whiteside, Marketing & Communications Manager at The Forum says: “We’re delighted to be bringing a piece of Norwich Science Festival to the Chantry Place with the Extraordinary Extinct™ Dinosaur Trail. We can’t wait for families to enjoy this free family activity, where little ones can learn more about dinosaurs and explore Chantry Place too! This trail is just one of the brilliant events taking place as part of the festival, and we hope to see the successful dino hunters take part in lots more science activities around the city and county across this February half term.” Jennifer Watson, lead designer and co-owner of Dodo and Dinosaur, said: “We were delighted to have been asked by Norwich Science Festival and Chantry Place to design an exciting new family trail. Not only were we keen to include some more unusual creatures, which even the most avid dinosaur fan might not have heard of, but the trail also features a surprising local fossil species found in the heart of Norwich! Families can then enjoy taking the dinosaurs home with our book ‘An A-Z of Extraordinary Extinct Creatures’ and trumps-style card game, available from Langleys. As a popular topic for both Key Stage 1 and 2, we hope that this fun and free activity will encourage more families to venture from city to coast and explore some of our wonderful local fossil beaches too.” – All events at Chantry Place are free and do not need to be booked. For more science activities, events, and inspiration, Norwich Science Festival will be taking place from Saturday 11- Saturday 18 February, with a range of events taking place across the city, including The Forum. For more information on Chantry Place, visit www.ChantryPlace.co.uk or follow chantryplacenorwich on social media.

A record 97% of taxpayers in the UK filed their 2021-22 self-assessment tax returns ahead of the 31st January deadline, but an estimated 600,000 still missed the deadline, earning instant £100 late filing penalties. Of the 12,060,872 self-assessment tax returns due for the 2021-22 financial year, 11,733,465 were filed on time. Of those, 3,275 were filed on Christmas Day, with the peak hour on 31st January being 4-5pm, when 68,462 returns were received by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). The deadline for filing paper tax returns was 31st October, but 10,965,993 taxpayers chose to complete their forms electronically, representing 96.2% of all tax returns filed, by the January cut-off date. Andy Gibbs, Head of Group Technical at TaxAssist Accountants, said: “If you have missed the deadline to submit a 2021-22 self-assessment tax return, it’s vital that you contact your accountant or HMRC as soon as you can. “They will be able to work out if you have a legitimate reason for failing to meet your self-assessment obligations on time. “If you don’t have a reasonable excuse an accountant can work with you to prepare your tax return as soon as possible to avoid accumulating further late filing penalties. “It may be that you are not required to file a tax return, meaning your accountant can help you cancel any filing requirements.” Self-assessment tax returns in figures • 12,060,872 self-assessment tax returns due for 2021-22 • HMRC estimates 600,000 taxpayers missed the deadline • 11,733,465 (97.3%) returns received by 31st January, including expected returns, unsolicited returns and late registrations • 10,965,993 returns were filed online (96.2% of returns expected, following adjustments) • 385,296 paper tax returns were filed (3.4% of returns expected, following adjustments)

Come along to the GRIDSERVE Electric Forecourt in Norwich between 7th and 14th of February and experience some GRIDSERVE TLC. Test drive a range of the latest electric cars and if you place an order with us between 7th  February 2023 – 16th of March 2023,  you’ll be entered into a prize draw to win a spa break at Retreat east in Suffolk* Book an Electric Car Test Drive | GRIDSERVE | GRIDSERVE

About Help to Grow: Management Register your interest today here: https://t.co/fDkDO1kXcS to join the next cohort of this exciting programme, which begins on 6^th February. Help to Grow: Management is an applied course supporting managers and leaders of small and medium sized businesses (SMEs). Learn new skills, boost your profits and improve business performance, resilience, and long-term growth. The programme is accredited by the Small Business Charter, with funding support from HM Government. The curriculum will support you to build your capabilities in leadership, innovation, digital adoption, employee engagement, marketing, responsible business, and financial management. You will receive one-to-one support from a business mentor, and by the end of the course you will have developed a tailored growth action plan to help release the full potential of your organisation. The 12-week programme is 90% funded, meaning the fee payable by participants is £750.  Help to Grow: Management has been designed to fit alongside full-time work commitments. You can find our more via our web pages here: https://t.co/GmHlMIYq1D and register yourself for the course directly via this link: https://smallbusinesscharter.org/h2gmcourse/uea-ee-cohort-2/. Future-proof your business by signing up for Help to Grow today. A flyer and promotional graphic are also attached and there is a useful and insightful animation, which can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Osal_dcNyo.’ “The help to grow course has been a great opportunity to network with other businesses, whilst learning from enthusiastic leading academics. Throughout the course I have had the opportunity to hear how other businesses have overcome challenges faced when growing, and had feedback on our own growth plan from both other businesses, and the tutors. The course has also been a good insight to what studying at the UEA full time is like. This has been particularly useful for me as I am due start the executive MBA in September. I highly recommend anyone thinking about taking the course to go for it. It will be an investment well made.” Jordon King, Head of Business Development, Delta Fire Ltd.

Does your company need help finding staff? Are you struggling to recruit Temporary/Permanent workers? Contract Personnel would love the opportunity to work with fellow Norfolk Chamber members – to offer expert recruitment solutions. Specialising in the Driving, Industrial, Commercial and Engineering sectors, Contract Personnel are one of the longest standing independent recruitment agencies in East Anglia. They have offices in both Norwich and Thetford and are working with a wide selection of companies across Norfolk and Suffolk. Established in 1989, Contract Personnel can help improve your company branding, provide guidance on in-demand skills, help tailor your job adverts, reach hard to find candidates and share in-depth knowledge. The teams are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The Contract Personnel Job Bus can also be regularly seen across the area, with seating and interview facilities on board. The recruitment agency are also regional partners of Norwich City Football Club and are ready to help your company today. For recruitment that works for you -think Contract Personnel. Call 01603 764044 or email enquiries@cpl.uk.com to speak with a member of the team.

A Greater Anglia train. Credit: Greater Anglia Rail passengers in East Anglia are being reminded about industrial action which will affect Greater Anglia services on some days next week. Passengers are advised to avoid travelling with Greater Anglia, and to check before they do travel, if they do need to make a rail journey, on 1 and 3 February, when strike action will affect train services. Members of the train drivers’ union ASLEF and train drivers who are members of the RMT union, who work for Greater Anglia are striking on Wednesday 1 and Friday 3 February. Greater Anglia services will be severely disrupted, with the company only able to run a fraction of its services and no services at all running on regional or branch lines. The only services running will be a much-reduced service for limited hours between Norwich and London Liverpool Street, Colchester and London, Southend Victoria and London, Cambridge and London and Stansted Airport and London. The company is therefore advising people to avoid travelling on its trains on strike days, as services will be severely disrupted. Revised timetables are now available on Greater Anglia’s website, along with first and last train times, with the service planned to operate as follows on the strike days:

• Significantly reduced train service between Norwich and London Liverpool Street; Colchester and London Liverpool Street; Cambridge and London Liverpool Street; and between Southend Victoria and London Liverpool Street
• Limited Stansted Express services between Stansted Airport and London Liverpool Street
• Trains that do run are expected to start from 7.30am onwards, operating only to an hourly frequency, with all last trains then completing their journeys earlier than usual
• No services running on other lines, including on regional/branch lines

There will be no rail replacement buses to replace trains not running due to the strike. First services on Thursday 2 and Saturday 4 February will also start later than usual due to the strikes and Greater Anglia advises that its network won’t be back to normal full service on 2 and 4 February until the early afternoon. Other train operators are also affected by the strike action. Jamie Burles, Greater Anglia managing director said: “We are very sorry that once again our customers will be disrupted by strikes. We’re only able to run a fraction of our usual services, so our advice again is to avoid using our trains on strike days. The rail industry is working hard to resolve these disputes and talks will continue with ASLEF and RMT to reach an agreement.” Anyone who has pre-booked tickets to travel on strike days can change them, use them to travel on either the day before or up to two days later, or apply for a refund by going back to their original retailer. Passenger assistance will be available as usual for all trains which are running. Anyone requiring assistance who cannot avoid travelling by train on strike days should plan their journey and book assistance in advance if possible. Further information is available from greateranglia.co.uk/strikes Other train companies affected by strikes on all days are Avanti West Coast, Chiltern Railways, Cross Country Trains, East Midlands Railway, Great Western Railway, GTR (including Gatwick Express, Great Northern, Southern and Thameslink), LNER, Northern Trains, Southeastern, South Western Railway, TransPennine Express and West Midlands Trains.

Don’t let the gloomy winter days get you down! Head out and about for £2 and save money when you travel there by Bus Whether you travel for your weekly shop, daily commute, time with friends or seeing new places Any single bus fare will cost a maximum of £2 until the end of March. With fuel prices still high, and cost of living ever increasing, many are still reconsidering their travel options, and we are urging you to try the bus. A simple switch to one or two journeys by bus is not only better for the environment but better for your pocket too. If you travel from Dereham, Watton, Hingham, Wymondham, Stalham, Wroxham into Norwich, you will pay just £2*. Simply pay the driver for your journey as you board the bus Travel more often, buy a bundle of 10 single tickets on our Konectbus app. If you’re not sure if this flat fare is right for your journey, compare some of our other ticketing options available to you here The £2 Bus Fare Cap Grant runs from Sunday 1st January until Friday 31st March and is supported by the HM Government’s Help for Households scheme. which is designed to support families and help spread the costs of living by offering affordable travel options. This offer is valid on the following bus routes across our network. Konectbus  1, 11, 11B, 11C, 12, 17, 21, 21A, 3, 3A, 4, 40A, 41A, 5B, 6, 8, 81, 84, X3, X41, X6. These routes are exempt and normal fares will apply Konectbus 4A, 6A, 11A, 14, 20, 20A, 31, 32, 53C, 111, 117, 121. Norwich Park and Ride 501 & 502

• 2022 was another standout year for BDO M&A activity in East Anglia and the Midlands, as the firm led on more than 50 deals across the regions
• Nationally, BDO LLP advised on 362 deals in 2022 with a total value of £31.2 billion
• Factset has ranked BDO, globally and in the UK, as number one for deals by volume in 2022, with BDO also taking top spot for financial due diligence in the Mergermarket accounting league tables.

Accountancy and business advisory firm, BDO LLP, advised on in excess of 50 deals in 2022 across East Anglia and the Midlands. Among these deals, a significant proportion of transactions involved private equity, with cross-border deals also featuring strongly. Deals spanned a range of sectors, including consumer, technology, manufacturing, financial services, transport and logistics, healthcare and life sciences, as well as automotive and support services. John Gethen, Corporate Finance Director, M&A, said: “When you consider the economic headwinds that have been blowing strongly against businesses in 2022, the regional deals market over the last 12 months has been extraordinarily resilient. “Deals are still getting done across all sectors, particularly those where long-term macro-economic and social tailwinds are supporting long-term growth. Specifically, deal volumes in manufacturing, TMT and healthcare remain strong, as the adoption of technology continues at pace.” Highlights of transactions in East Anglia and the Midlands include: advising on the acquisition of Norwich-based Lifeline 24 by Appello; acting for Ipswich-based Woodward Markwell Insurance Brokers on its sale to insurance broking giants GRP; advising on the sale of Dorsey Construction Material to Röko; acting as reporting accountant on one of only a handful of IPOs in the region in 2022 – the AIM listing of Aurrigo International plc; advising on the sale of LTC Trading Holdings Limited and its subsidiary Lodge Tyre Company to Halfords Group plc; as we well as acting for Nottingham-based Albumedix Limited on its sale to Sartorius Stedim Biotech GmbH. Vinny Patel, Partner, Transaction Services, commented: “Consistently, we see fantastic management teams in great businesses, and business owners who have faced the most enormous struggles in recent years, who have taken everything in their stride and thrived. When you also consider the quality of businesses we have in the region, then there are so many reasons to be optimistic for 2023. “The good news is that many corporates continue to see M&A as a core part of their growth strategy and investors have abundant capital. M&A drivers remain strong, as acquirers pursue cost efficiencies, digital transformation, green transition, new technologies, new growth markets and scaling up to become more competitive. As valuations have also softened from the giddy days of 2021, companies and investors understand there will be opportunities to seize.” Nationally, BDO advised on 362 deals in 2022 with a total value of £31.2 billion. Among these deals, transactions involving private equity accounted for two thirds of deals completed, with BDO outperforming the global M&A market. Factset has ranked BDO, globally and in the UK, as number one for deals by volume in 2022, with BDO also taking top spot for financial due diligence in the Merger Market accounting league tables.  

Pictured: Peter Aldous, MP for Waveney, addresses attendees at the East of England Energy Group’s House of Commons Reception on 25th January 2023. Photo credit: East of England Energy Group (EEEGR) “There is nowhere like the East of England – we’ve got it all” – region rallies at Westminster to champion collaboration between industry and government 25th January 2023: The region’s energy sector headed to London to join the East of England Energy Group (EEEGR)’s hotly anticipated House of Commons Reception at the Terrace Pavilion. In addition to key players representing major developers in the region (including ScottishPower Renewables, Sizewell C, Ørsted, Vattenfall, Equinor, and the National Grid), several Members of Parliament attended the event, including Chloe Smith, MP for Norwich North, and Brandon Lewis, MP for Great Yarmouth. Peter Aldous, MP for Waveney, opened the reception stating, “there is nowhere like the East of England for doing energy, and being in the forefront of the drive towards zero carbon. We’ve got it all.” Mr Aldous went on to discuss the successes of the region in the last few years, including the Sizewell C project, offshore wind developments, the exciting prospect of hydrogen, and the unique opportunity the Bacton Gas Terminal presents: “The East of England can be a global exemplar of how to do zero carbon.” The MP also highlighted challenges facing the region, urging government to look at how valuable time lost during the planning process can be mitigated and made a plea to local communities to “work together” with industry to elevate the region as a “global leader”. Mr Aldous concluded with a clear message: “Partnership working is vital. We need to be coming together and working via a clear policy framework.” Following the MP’s speech, Gillian Noble, Managing Director Offshore Development and Operations at ScottishPower Renewables (SPR), took to the podium to discuss what their East Anglia Hub project would do for not only the region but also the UK: “It will generate enough renewable electricity for up to 2.5 million homes, creating over 7,000 jobs. From now until 2030, SPR will invest £6 billion across the region.” Tom McGarry, Head of Regional External Affairs and Development for EDF’s Sizewell C (SZC) project followed, and heralded 2022 as a year of, “progress, achievement, and acceleration” for Britain’s new nuclear power station. Mr McGarry discussed the initiatives being put in place to reduce the impact of the core construction on the local community. This included the placement of apprenticeships from Suffolk into roles at Hinkley Point C in anticipation of targeting 1,500 apprenticeships for the SZC project. With over £10 million worth of contracts already committed to East of England companies – £2 million in Suffolk alone – he echoed his peers’ earlier calls for collaboration with EEEGR and government to elevate the East of England as an “international example that will deliver a just transition to a cleaner and better future for all”. Luke Bridgman, Senior EPC Project Director at Ørsted: “The East of England is an exciting place for Ørsted. It’s home to our Hornsea 3 project and will become the world’s single biggest offshore wind farm when finished in 2027. With a capacity of 2.8 GW, it will power up to 2.3 million UK homes. Hornsea 3 will contribute significantly to Ørsted’s 30 GW by 2020 vision, and government’s ambition of having 50 GW of offshore wind installed by 2030 as part of the British Security Strategy.” Rob Anderson, Project Director for Vattenfall’s Norfolk Vanguard and Boreas Offshore Wind Farms: “The good news is, [the Norfolk Offshore Wind Zone is] all based in East Anglia. That’s over 10 GW of power that’s right there. It will bring lots of opportunities across the region, and we are engaging early with young people across the region as well as engaging actively through EEEGR and East Wind. […] There are head winds – we’ve seen cost increases, increased interest rates, and volatile supply chains. These need to be addressed early.” Matei Negrescu, Vice President for Renewables at Equinor: “The East of England is where it all started for us in the offshore wind industry. It’s here that we developed our first wind farm, Sheringham Shoal, in 2011, followed by Dudgeon in 2017. Great Yarmouth is the home of our O&M base. […] We look to continue to collaborate with the Department for Business, Energy, and Industry, OFGEM, and more to futureproof the UK to deliver net zero targets.” Chris Bennett, Director for UK Regulation at National Grid: “We recognise the critical role we play in facilitating the transition to a cleaner, greener, and more affordable energy system. […] The move to renewables has never been more important, and the East of England is the heart of that. […] We shouldn’t underestimate the scale of the task ahead of us […] This will take all of us working together, and we are keen to work with everyone to support delivery of clean, affordable, and sustainable energy transition.” Attendees also heard from David Dukes from GENERATE and Jenny Morgan from Seaway7 throughout the event. Overall, the event had a running theme of the East of England being a hub for investment, skills, apprenticeships, and benefits to the supply chain. The impact of projects will be huge. The East of England is a unique place, with the opportunity to become the energy exemplar of the UK, and EEEGR is spearheading work with developers, operators, the supply chain, and government to champion this within the region. Pictured: Full house: attendees at the East of England Energy Group’s House of Commons Reception on 25th January 2023. Photo credit: East of England Energy Group (EEEGR)

The TaxAssist Group, whose headquarters have been based in Norwich for 28 years, has launched a financial services company to extend its range of services beyond accounting, payroll and tax. The company, which won the Business of the Year at the Norfolk Business Awards in 2020, has introduced TaxAssist Financial Services to offer clients independent, qualified and bespoke advice on mortgages, personal protection and business protection. The services will expand next month to include wealth planning and pensions advice. TaxAssist Financial Services was launched to complement the accounting, payroll, bookkeeping and tax services already being delivered by TaxAssist Accountants, a nationwide network of accountants across the UK. The financial services operation is delivered by a team of qualified financial advisers based at TaxAssist’s Norwich based Support Centre on the Broadland Business Park. Headed up by Managing Director, Matthew Tyerman DipPFS. Matthew says: “TaxAssist Financial Services helps clients with all aspects of financial planning from cradle to grave, taking into account individual circumstances and any business a client may operate.  We have a full suite of services enabling us to help clients buy their home or buy-to-let investment, help them financially protect their business and their loved ones in the event of illness or death and to build wealth for a happy stress-free retirement, all with the ultimate goal of leaving as much as possible to future generations through careful tax planning and inheritance tax solutions, in conjunction with our inhouse expert tax consulting team.” As an independent broker, the Financial Services team have full access to the market to provide clients with the right financial solution for their situation. As a collective, their dedicated team of expert advisers have over 100 years of experience in supporting clients with their financial needs. Daren Moore, TaxAssist Group’s Chief Executive Officer commented, “Extending the TaxAssist portfolio offers enormous potential for growth and has enabled us to recruit talented staff locally, to deliver these new services. With such a significant history in the local area, we are delighted that our team of financial advisers are based at our support centre, with technology enabling them to provide financial advice to clients across the UK.” Local TaxAssist Accountant Jeremy Gilks, who has a high street shop in Ber Street, Norwich said: “We are very excited to be able to extend our tax and accountancy services to now support our clients with their financial affairs, all under the TaxAssist brand. Our clients can walk into the shop and gain advice for their personal or business circumstances all under one roof. It also gives us the ability to grow our business, whilst continuing our focus on delivering friendly, local, and expert advice that can be trusted.” To find out more about TaxAssist Financial Services, please visit https://www.taxassistfinancialservices.co.uk Image Credit: Tax Assist

A Greater Anglia train. Credit: Greater Anglia Train operator, Greater Anglia, is launching special Winter ‘Hare Fares’ from just £10 return for a limited time. The new ‘Hare Fares’ offer passengers off-peak returns across the Greater Anglia network with three zones and three simple return prices: £10, £15 and £20, with children travelling for just £2 return each. There is no limit on the number of tickets, but they must be booked between 24 January and 12 February for travel between 24 January and 26 March. Customers are advised not to travel on 1 and 3 February, as services are due to be affected by industrial action. Example Hare Fare ticket prices: £10 return: Cambridge to London, Chelmsford to London, Norwich to Cambridge £15 return: Chelmsford to Ipswich, Colchester to London, Southend to Colchester £20 return: Chelmsford to Norwich, Norwich to London, Shenfield to Norwich Martin Moran, Greater Anglia’s Commercial and  Customer Services Director, said: “Travelling by train is cheaper than you think, and our new bargain Hare Fares mean people can travel for less. “Our region has so much to offer and whether it’s a trip to the city or coast, shopping or sightseeing, we’re giving people more money to spend on having a great time by helping them save money on their train fare. “Hare Fares can be purchased throughout half term too, so families can enjoy great days out. Greater Anglia has a range of great value fares and up to four children can travel for just £2 each way with any adult.” Hare Fares are available as standard off-peak day return tickets only and can only be booked online exclusively at greateranglia.co.uk or via the Greater Anglia app, where customers can purchase tickets without booking fees. Hare Fares are not valid on journeys wholly within the Oyster zone. Standard refund rules apply. Greater Anglia also offers a range of Advance fares that offer customers savings of between 60-70% on the standard walk up prices, plus 2FOR1 on entry to many top attractions in London and East Anglia. The train operator also has a range of great value fares which are available all year round, including GroupSave for people travelling in a group of three or more, a special London evening out fare for those staying overnight in the capital and a Club 50 discount for those aged 50 over. For the best value fares, passengers should book in advance and the earlier customers book, the more they can save.