Member News

The first bus services to benefit from funding secured from the Department for Transport are in operation. The Coastliner 36 service, operated by Lynx, will continue to run its summer timetable throughout the winter months. This means that on Sundays and Public Holidays there will be an hourly service running from King’s Lynn to Fakenham along the coast – (instead of every 2 hours). There are also enhancements to the 35 service which runs from King’s Lynn to Hunstanton which means that buses will now run every 20 minutes on Sundays and Public Holidays (instead of every 30 minutes). These are the first in a number of service enhancements which are being funded by the £49.55 million funding which Norfolk County Council was successful in securing from the Department for Transport (DfT) to use on improving bus services across the County over the next three years. Approximately £12 million of the funding has been allocated to provide new or expanded bus routes and increase service frequencies on key routes, including more evening and weekend services. More new and improved routes across Norfolk will start early in the new year and will be announced soon. Cllr Martin Wilby, Cabinet Member for Highways, Infrastructure and Transport, said; “Securing this money is a major boost for travel across Norfolk and it’s great to see our plans for improved bus services coming to life so quickly thanks to this funding. More services and increased frequencies are key to enabling people to travel around the county by public transport and hope that increasing this key service in the West will benefit many people throughout the winter months.” Graham Smith, Commercial Manager at Lynx said; “The enhancement of frequency to our Sunday/Public Holiday buses between King’s Lynn, Hunstanton and along the Coast towards Wells-next-the-Sea will be welcome news to existing and new customers alike. Whilst services are generally quieter in the winter months there’s still demand for travel and this funding is invaluable in ensuring access to employment, shopping and leisure facilities.”   Bus Minister Richard Holden said; “People up and down the country deserve a clean, reliable and affordable public transport system. That is why we have provided Norfolk County Council with almost £50 million to boost its bus services. Supporting Lynx in running its Summer timetable also through the Winter is great for local passengers, who will now benefit from new routes and more frequent services to make the most of the fantastic work, business and leisure opportunities Norfolk has to offer.”

TRIGGER WARNING – this episode contains mentions of eating disorders, miscarriage, child-loss, suicide, and self-harm. If you’re a male business leader, this episode may be of particular interest. Our special guest is occupational health specialist Hilary Horton. Hilary has decades of personal and professional experience and insight into the complexities of women’s health. She chats to Mark about how managers and business owners need to educate themselves to better support their teams. Many modern businesses haven’t kept up with societal change, and women still face barriers in the workplace, particularly around maternity leave, depression, menopause, complex premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and even religious understanding. Hilary highlights the importance of empathy and education for leaders, particularly male ones, as businesses that tap into the power of women in the workplace and embrace and support them, are the ones who are often more successful. Hilary is a former military nurse, who learnt empathy and leadership in her very early years, as part of the ‘over-spill’ working class community in the West End of London. She made it to be Head Girl at school, and realised young that if you have a skill, it’s your duty to pass it on. After a spell of mental health issues during her broad and fascinating career working in prisons, hospitals and the military, and studying psychology, Hilary made it her life’s mission to advocate for better health support within the workplace. Mark also chats to Hilary openly about his own personal experiences being child-free and how this impacts his life at work, and they discuss what leaders can do to support employees going through grief and loss of all kinds, from miscarriage to divorce, to the loss of a pet or taking time off because of menopause symptoms, and why these factors need to be considered in appraisals and in the construction of policy and procedures, as people deliver their best at work when they feel supported; we are all human after all. Show notes Hilary’s business – Enspirita Hilary’s LinkedIn Chris Anthony on Impromptu Business Chat Books Tales of the Sea – Maggie Chiang Man’s Search For Meaning: The classic tribute to hope from the Holocaust – Viktor E. Frankl In Search of Mary Seacole: The Making of a Cultural Icon – Helen Rappaport You can also now watch us on YouTube! Click here GET IN TOUCH! Leave us a voice note here, we would love to hear your thoughts on today’s episode, and you might even feature in our next episode! You can also email us on podcasts@larking-gowen.co.uk Listen here! © Larking Gowen LLP

• Nearly a third of businesses in the region admit that the rising price of materials and products is one of their top concerns in the run-up to Christmas; supply chain disruption is also seen as a top challenge
• Despite significant pressures, East Anglia businesses are more optimistic about business prospects going into 2023, compared to this time last year.

Rising costs for recruiting the best talent, together with the price of products and materials in the build-up to Christmas, are the top concerns for East Anglia businesses in the coming weeks, according to the latest report from accountancy and business advisory firm BDO LLP. The bi-monthly Rethinking the Economy survey of 500 mid-market businesses has revealed that the rising cost of products and materials is causing the greatest concern for nearly a third of businesses in the region – with more than a quarter admitting that the demands of increased wages are adversely impacting on the cost of recruitment. The survey showed that 29% see supply chain disruption as one of their biggest challenges in the final few weeks of the year, together with the ongoing effects of Brexit (29%), such as increased customs legislation, supply chain problems, and immigration restrictions impacting access to labour. As businesses in the region face significant cost pressures and disruption to the delivery of products and services, many are taking proactive steps to address the latest challenges facing their business. According to the Rethinking the Economy survey, more than a quarter of East Anglia companies intend to pause international expansion plans, while a further 23% intend to seek investment to cover financial shortfalls. However, despite the challenges facing businesses in the final month of the year, an overwhelming number of East Anglia businesses surveyed (87%) stated that they feel more optimistic about business prospects going into 2023, compared to this time last year, marking a shift in sentiment since COVID-19 restrictions were lifted. Peter Harrup, Partner and Head of BDO LLP in East Anglia, commented: “Hearing businesses report that they are in a better place than this time last year is a positive, but there’s no doubt that trading conditions remain extremely challenging for many East Anglia businesses, following a period of sustained pressure over an extended period of time. “However, despite the concerns surrounding rising costs and supply chain disruption, there is a real resilience and determination amongst East Anglia businesses to ride out the economic storm thanks to a clear focus on growth.” The Rethinking the Economy survey showed that 68% of East Anglia businesses have changed their approach to raising funding in the last three to six months due to the economic climate, with more than a quarter admitting that they are seeking funding earlier than planned to support new product and service development. Harrup added: “This positive approach to funding and growth lays the perfect foundations for 2023. However, businesses in the region cannot do it alone. With rising costs set to be an enduring theme throughout next year, East Anglia businesses are calling for more targeted support to help drive growth in mid-market businesses – the engine of the UK’s economy.” According to the survey, 23% of regional businesses believe the Government should be working towards new trade agreements to create opportunities for market growth and exports, with a further 23% looking to the Government for new policy frameworks for recruitment and workforce upskilling. The aim of the frameworks is to tackle labour access issues, increase access to overseas workers, as well as help businesses access the skills they need. Image provided by BDO LLP

In what has been a landmark year already for me, I can now add qualified Judge with The Societies of Photographers to my list of things to be thankful for. Earlier in the year I qualified as a Fellow with The Society of International Commercial & Industrial Photographers with a specialism in creative product photography at the international convention in London. This coincided with it being 10 years since my diagnosis with MS, so it was even more meaningful for me. Having trained at their judging school and then working as a junior judge for about 15 months learning the ropes from experienced team members, my “judgement day” arrived. Head of judging Terrie Jones announced to me that I had passed my assessment and would now be a full member of the judging team. This is a group of some of the best photographers from around the world with specialisms in various genres of photography. The team judge qualifications, monthly competitions and the highly prestigious annual international 20×16 print competition at the Convention. So, I am honoured to be in their company, maintaining and furthering the standards in the photography industry. The training to become a Judge has had an impact on my day to day work too. I cast an even more critical eye over the work I produce for clients and keep striving to raise my standards still further. If you are unsure how successful your business’ images are then I can use my training to help you conduct an image audit. This is a good way to ascertain whether your images are doing their job and communicating as clearly as you might like. It has been a pleasure spending time recently helping to train local businesses to do their own photography in house where budgets would not have allowed hiring someone in. The Go Digital scheme has allowed them to raise their game and improve their marketing. They haven’t even had to spend a fortune on kit. As a consultant I can help them avoid unnecessary expenditure and find cheaper, just as effective ways to get the job done. I love seeing businesses thrive and enjoy working with local clients as well as national and international ones. The support and encouragement from other businesses in Norfolk has helped me to reach new heights. Networking doesn’t always need to be about finding new leads or a quick route to more work. Sometimes it is about learning from others who have had similar experiences and finding the right people to give you a positive mindset to succeed.  

Above: One of Greater Anglia’s new trains at Lowestoft Credit: Greater Anglia Attracting passengers back to East Anglia’s rural rail branch lines was the focus at Greater Anglia’s annual community rail conference held last week. Community Rail Partnerships, station adopters, local authorities and other organisations from across East Anglia came together with Greater Anglia representatives at the annual Community Rail Conference to discuss how to ensure a bright future for the region’s local rail branch lines. Nationally, rail passenger numbers are back up to 80-85% of pre-pandemic levels so the focus was on how to continue to attract passengers to use their local rail lines, building on the transformational benefits brought by Greater Anglia’s new trains. Discussions focused on how to help community rail lines recover beyond the pandemic; how to maximise the positive impact of the new trains; how community rail partnerships can help strengthen further their links with local communities, involving schools, colleges and local authorities to help bring about positive changes locally, and how to improve diversity and inclusion. The conference was attended by East Anglia’s six Community Rail Partnerships (CRPs), Station Adoption community volunteers, local authorities, Transport Focus, the Community Rail Network (which represents CRPs and promotes community rail at a national level) and the Department for Transport. Jonathan Denby, Greater Anglia’s Head of Corporate Affairs, said, “Community rail initiatives help to bring railways closer to the communities they serve, encouraging more people to take the train and supporting local communities by making it easier for residents to travel for work, learning, shopping or leisure and for visitors or tourists to get around with benefits for the local economy. “Most community rail lines saw significant growth in passenger numbers in recent years before the pandemic and our new, high quality, longer trains provide a fantastic opportunity to encourage more people to take the train. “We’ll continue to build on our strong track record of partnership working, which has seen community rail lines become more and more popular with customers, whilst train services and stations have become more integrated with local communities’ needs, with more frequent services, all year round, in place on most routes.” He added: “A huge thanks to all involved for making the conference such a positive, effective event with clear goals and a shared desire to ensure our local lines continue to thrive and maximise the impact of the exciting transformation delivered by the introduction of our new trains.” To date in Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and Cambridgeshire, partnership working has helped to boost tourism and local economies and improve health and well-being through the production of local area guides, guided walks, special event trains, volunteering initiatives, community art projects, wildlife initiatives, partnership initiatives to deliver service improvements and station upgrades and wider community involvement schemes.

Above: Greater Anglia’s Crown Point Depot Credit: Greater Anglia Greater Anglia’s Norwich Crown Point Depot is celebrating 40 years of servicing Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex’s trains. The depot, which employs over 100 staff, has seen many changes over the years, most recently undergoing an extensive redevelopment to accommodate Greater Anglia’s new train fleet. The work began in 2018, with Greater Anglia investing over £80 million in the project to transform the depot with better facilities to maintain and clean the company’s 58 new Stadler trains, as well as a new train washing facility, improved servicing equipment and the ability to store and dispense more fuel. The work included the installation of an £8.7 million new bogie drop facility – which allows engineers to repair, remove and replace components on the underneath of train carriages, such as the wheelsets and underframe equipment. New equipment transfer turntables and support offices were also added. Greater Anglia now operates the depot in partnership with Stadler, the manufacturer of the new fleet of trains. The landmark project ushered in a new era for the region’s railways and secured the depot’s future with train maintenance expertise staying in Norwich to continue the city’s long-standing crucial role in the delivery of the region’s train service. That presence is valuable to the local and regional economy, with benefits for Norwich and Norfolk both from having employees based at the depot and from the linked supply chain. Greater Anglia’s Managing Director, Jamie Burles, said, “The depot has been vital to ensuring we provide the best possible service to passengers across East Anglia since 1982 and will continue to play that crucial role well into the future. “The team there does a fantastic job day-in, day-out, and I would like to thank them for their dedication to providing a reliable and punctual train service for the region.” Crown Point Depot was officially opened on 27 October 1982, by the chairman of the British Railways Board, Peter Parker. It replaced Norwich engine shed and allowed InterCity trains that had been serviced at Great Yarmouth to move to a central location. It was electrified in 1985, along with the Great Eastern Main Line. As part of the privatisation of British Rail, in 1997, it was taken over by Anglia Railways. It has since passed with the East Anglia franchise to One Railway, National Express East Anglia and now Greater Anglia. New branding is due to be unveiled to mark the depot’s 40^th birthday and the completion of the redevelopment work. Video: Above: Crown Point Depot, Norwich Credit: Greater Anglia Above: Plaque at Crown Point Depot Above: An Open Day held at Crown Point Depot in the 1980s Above: Depot staff in 2014 with a train named ‘Crown Point’ Above: New walkways in the newly redeveloped depot. Credit: Greater Anglia

A campaign to recruit more charity shop volunteers has been hailed an “outstanding success” after inspiring more than 100 newcomers. East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH) launched its fortnight-long ‘Be the difference’ initiative on 10^th October to source extra help in its 44 stores. Posters were put on display and there was widespread local press coverage across the region, including features on existing volunteers. As a result, 104 new volunteers stepped forward and that tally consisted of 36 in Norfolk, 26 in North Essex, 20 in Suffolk, 16 in Cambridgeshire and six in EACH’s Royston shop, just across the Hertfordshire border. Hannah Milbourne, Volunteer Services and Development Manager, was thrilled with the outcome but stressed that extra help is always needed. “Our campaign was an outstanding success and we were delighted to welcome so many newcomers to the team,” she said. “Others are still coming forward, since we put these figures together, so it’s been a real victory. “As we said at the time, volunteers have an absolutely crucial role to play. “They make such a difference and, quite simply, we wouldn’t be able to run our shops – and therefore go on to provide the care that we do to families – without them.” Particular triumphs included 15 new volunteers offering to lend a hand in Dovercourt and ten in EACH’s shop in Felixstowe Road, Ipswich. Other individual successes included seven in Clacton, where EACH has a popular furniture showroom, and five apiece in Attleborough, Aylsham Road, in Norwich, Cherry Hinton Road, in Cambridge, Unthank Road, in Norwich, and Whittlesey. Four new volunteers came forward in Cromer and Wymondham, joining the family of more than 1,000 Retail volunteers across East Anglia. “While delighted with the campaign, as ever, we always need more help,” added Hannah. “We’d be very pleased to hear from anyone interested in joining our team and, while we’d obviously love people to offer a regular slot, just a morning or afternoon makes the world of difference, particularly during the festive season. “We have shops across the region, in the heart of the community, and there are various roles available, from serving customers to sorting and organising donations and listing eBay items. “The hours are completely flexible, to fit in with busy lives, and a friendly welcome is assured. “We’re often a bit thin on the ground at this time of year as people understandably have more commitments in the build-up to Christmas. “We’d love to hear from anyone interested in helping out, even if it’s just a short-term arrangement like students being home on their university holiday.” EACH, which supports families and cares for children and young people with life-threatening conditions, relies on voluntary donations for the majority of its income. This year alone it needs to raise £6.5 million from its Retail operation, which includes stores across the region in addition to a busy Retail Distribution Centre, in Thetford. On average, its shops take £100,000 per week which and the team recently celebrated a record-breaking week, taking £136,434. For more information, speak to a member of staff in-store or contact volunteer services on 01223 205183. Alternatively, email volunteerservices@each.org.uk There are other ways to support EACH, including helping its facilities, events, fundraising and administration teams, or being part of the charity’s Help at Home service. Image credits EACH

Above: Norwich station Credit: Greater Anglia Rail passengers can talk directly to Greater Anglia rail managers during a ‘Meet the manager’ feedback session at Norwich station. For passengers using the train operator’s services in and out of Norwich, the ‘Meet the Manager’ event will take place from 1600-1800 on Wednesday 7 December. The session is aimed at listening to customers’ feedback and comments to help continually improve the service. Martin Moran, Greater Anglia’s Commercial, Customer Service and Train Presentation Director, said, “It’s really important to us to hear from passengers about what matters to them and answer any questions they may have. “We are keen to listen and understand people’s experiences so that we can work to continually improve our service and meet customers’ expectations and needs.” The company will also hold a further Meet the Manager event at London Liverpool Street in January and virtual Meet the Manager events. Those who cannot make the events but would like to contribute their feedback can do so via Greater Anglia’s online survey at greateranglia.co.uk/survey

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. w: www.huxleyevents.com e: team@huxleyevents.com t: 01953 558104 Image credit – Martin James Photography

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.” You can find out more about MAD-HR at www.mad-hr.co.uk With offices in Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex, MAD-HR provides expert outsourced HR expertise, through adhoc, retained and strategic services. Image provided by MAD-HR

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. For more information about starting an apprenticeship, or if you are a company looking to take on an apprentice, visit www.apprenticeshipsnorfolk.org and to learn more about the Access to Apprenticeships grant, visit www.apprenticeshipsnorfolk.org/access-to-apprenticeships