Member News

Today, Pure celebrates 20 years in the business. That’s 20 years of helping clients find people, helping people find jobs, and supporting organisations across the eastern region with their recruitment strategies. In 2002 Ian Walters, Gill Buchanan and Caroline Batchelor started a recruitment consultancy with a difference, from a tiny room in Cambridge. Despite only having a rudimentary IT system, dial-up internet and one fax machine, they had a clear mission – to help job seekers find their perfect positions, to build lasting relationships and to become the go-to recruiter for businesses in the east of England. They called this Pure. Not long after that they were joined by Lynn Walters and David Culley. Fast forward 20 years and we’re now the leading recruitment specialist in the eastern region. And our Pure family has grown to over 80 people across four offices. In our own words When asked about Pure, Ian said: ‘20 years ago we set out to build long-lasting valued relationships, as we believed that was the best thing we could do for our clients and for job seekers. And that’s as true today as it was then.’ David agreed: ‘I’m proud of how we’ve never lost sight of what makes us who we are. This business was founded on a desire to build long-term relationships, go the extra mile and serve our customers the best we can. We did it back then and we’re still doing it now.’ From Caroline: ‘For me, what makes Pure so special is getting the chance to work with such great people – both within the company itself, and with clients and job seekers. I’m also very proud of how we’ve stayed true to our values. We’ve never compromised on quality, not even during the pandemic when times were tough. This is reflected in the fact that we have so many loyal customers.’ Recruitment with a difference What makes Pure stand out is that we pride ourselves on recruiting with purpose. Our mission is as relevant today as it was 20 years ago – to connect talented people with the right opportunities, and to support the growth of organisations in our region. And when it comes to careers we go the extra mile, teaming up with experts across the region to offer development opportunities and programmes. All to help businesses and their people be the best they can be. What our clients and partners say Beverly Dickson has been with Pure as both a job seeker and client since the very beginning. ‘I’ve worked with Pure for 20 years and they’ve placed me in all my jobs in those years. Pure has also recruited all my people into my teams. I asked my team what they thought of Pure and they said they’re proactive, unique, reliable and enthusiastic. I look forward to the next 20 years – although I hope to retire before then!’ We regularly work with Fluent, a digital product development agency. In fact, our Cambridge office is next door to theirs, and we even share a wall. Wesley Cole, their operations director, said: ‘Working with Pure feels like we’re all part of the same team. For your 15th birthday we were asked for words to describe Pure. After some reflection, we’ve decided that our decision then still stands – even if it’s actually three words – “laughter through walls”.’ Jay Wright, Virgin Wine’s CEO and one of our clients, said: ‘It’s been a pleasure working with the Pure team. We were looking for a top-level candidate for a senior position of critical importance to our business, and I can’t speak highly enough about Pure’s approach. Everyone worked with precision, great communication and a sense of real collaboration.’ Pure in numbers In the past 20 years we’ve:

• helped find jobs for over 28,000 people
• worked with nearly 3,000 clients promoting more than 53,000 jobs
• raised over £170,000 for charity
• seen 12 marriages and around 45 babies born in our team.

For more media information please contact Judith Pugh on 01223 209886 or email judith.pugh@prs.uk.com. Image provided by Pure

Staff and volunteers from a popular charity shop donned fancy dress and travelled back in time for a weekend of nostalgia. The team from East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH) got in the spirit for the 1940s-themed event in Sheringham. In addition to wearing costumes from the war-time decade, they raised extra funds from a tasty cake sale and got involved in all aspects of the town’s celebrations, which took place on 17^th and 18^th September. EACH supports families and cares for children and young people with life-threatening conditions. It has three hospices, including The Nook, in Framingham Earl, and 44 retail outlets across the region, like the one in Station Road, Sheringham. Shop manager Naomi Munro said: “The whole weekend was a complete success. “We took £2,485 of donated sales over the two days and normally take that figure in a whole week during the colder months! “Our cake sale was also very popular and raised £140. “Volunteers and regular customers made the cakes and we had Victoria sponges, gingerbread biscuits, lemon cake and cupcakes. “We cleared out the shop to make space for the revellers and the 1940s enthusiasts were out in force, dancing in the street and in our shop. I’m already looking forward to next year’s event!” Sheringham’s 1940s spectacular was originally started by North Norfolk Railway and celebrations also take place in Weybourne and Holt. It is a fun nod back to the 1940s, remembering the music, dancing, fashions and classic vehicles of the era. Image credit EACH

Residents to the west of Norwich are being asked their views on a series of proposals to improve safety on Mayfly Way in Bowthorpe, a popular walking and cycling route, linking the Bowthorpe employment area with the city centre and beyond. Norfolk County Council and the Transport for Norwich (TfN) partnership are seeking to improve safety for those travelling through the area by bike or on foot by widening the existing shared use pavement to provide separate facilities for cycles and pedestrians across a 550m off road route which connects to the existing pedalway network. The proposals include a number of safety improvements to crossing facilities on Harpsfield, Chapel Break Road and Barnard Road, where a small section of double yellow lines would also be introduced to improve visibility around a new pedestrian and cycle crossing. Councillor Martin Wilby, Norfolk County Council’s cabinet member for highways, infrastructure and transport said: “All our Transforming Cities Programme is focused on improving sustainable transport connections between homes and areas of retail, employment and education. “We have already successfully delivered a similar scheme on Marriotts Way, which was the first in the country to be constructed through this central government fund and this latest proposal would also tie in with further improvements being developed for Dereham Road, which we hope to consult the public on later this year”. The proposed improvements on Mayfly Way would be funded through part of the £32m awarded to Greater Norwich through the Department for Transport’s Transforming Cities Fund. Councillor Mike Sands, representing Bowthorpe on the county council said: “I broadly support the proposals for Mayfly Way and have been working with local residents to bring about further improvements across the wider area.” Further information is available on the council’s website at www.norfolk.gov.uk/mayflyway where you can also take part in a brief online survey. The consultation is live until Wednesday 5 October and alternative formats can also be provided on request

This signals the start of a new era where the full strengths of our group can be accessed by all our local customers, demonstrating we truly are stronger together. Credo Asset Finance, based in Norwich with offices in both Norwich and Ipswich, is building on more than two decades as one of the most successful and trusted financial services providers in their region and are proud to be a part of the STAR Asset Finance family of experts. The group-wide rebrand reflects a closer alignment of the group’s businesses and new specialist divisions – ready to serve UK SMEs better than ever. In a challenging time for many small businesses, STAR Asset Finance Group are confident they’re building a group that serves their financing needs better than many other independent asset finance providers. STAR Asset Finance Group have a bold ambition to be the most recommended asset finance provider in the UK and believe they can achieve this by offering more to customers, without taking away what they have come to expect – great personal and local service. Stronger together This re-brand across all group businesses, inspired by the new leadership team of Jim Higginbotham (CEO) and Paul Slapa (Commercial Director), reflects a closer alignment and even greater collaboration within the group, with more shared resources, expertise and investment in improved back-room systems. They have also created new specialist divisions – STAR Stocking and STAR Professions – backed up by expert hires and a new STAR Loans product providing unsecured ‘own-book’ lending with greater decision speed and flexibility. National business benefits with a local touch The result is a nationwide group able to offer more financial options, more choice, more flexibility and more value to their customers. And because they still operate through local businesses, they are able to retain the local touch and understanding that their customers expect and value so much. A model that’s working for UK SMEs This year, the group will exceed a landmark of £1.5 Billion of funding since the group formed in 2015, supporting over 100,000 UK SMEs. Their 2022 funding growth is already currently double the market rate. “The STAR Asset Finance Group has always been a great collection of local businesses, but this latest brand refresh signals the start of a new era where the full strengths of the group can be accessed by all our local customers, demonstrating we truly are stronger together. “I’m really excited about driving the STAR Asset Finance Group forward into its next chapter of growth. We have a great team, fantastic customers and a world of opportunity.” Jim Higginbotham, CEO STAR Asset Finance Group Photo credit: Credo

Law firm Howes Percival has recorded a 12% increase in turnover since the start of 2020, with profits per equity partner also up 12% over the same period, according to its latest annual results. 

The firm has seen turnover increase from £23.4m before the pandemic, to £26.3m this year and market share increase in Norwich and its other UK offices. 

The last 12 months have also seen Howes Percival invest in a nationwide expansion programme, with close to 100 new recruits appointed in that period.   

Howes Percival has had an office in Norwich for over 30 years and the team of more than 100 staff provide the full range of corporate and private client services to the city and the wider region. 

Norwich partner Tessa Haskey said, “We are absolutely delighted with the way the firm has performed over the last couple of years. Like everyone, we experienced the shock waves when the pandemic struck, but we were able to adapt quickly to the new ways of working to support our staff and clients.  As a result, we’ve have seen strong growth in core areas such as corporate and commercial, property, litigation, employment law and private client services. 

“Our people have been at the heart of everything that has happened in the last couple of years and our focus was very much on ensuring that everyone was supported, valued and rewarded during such a challenging period.  Together we developed improved ways of working and supporting each other that continue today, with more flexible working, more family-friendly working practices and health and well-being benefits. Our bonus scheme applies to all employees and recognises the contribution that everyone has made.”  

For more information on Howes Percival visit: https://www.howespercival.com/ 

Photo credit: Howes Percival

Greater Anglia is advising rail passengers, including football fans and people travelling to work and school or college, to avoid travelling by train on Saturday 1 and Wednesday 5 October as national rail strikes are set to cause widespread disruption. People travelling to the London Marathon on Sunday 2 October will also be affected, as the 24-hour strikes have a knock-on effect the following day, with first trains affected and no services before 7/7.30am. Rail unions ASLEF and RMT have rescheduled strikes postponed due to the death of Her Majesty The Queen, to next month. Members of the train drivers’ union ASLEF are striking on Saturday 1 and Wednesday 5 October. They will be joined by RMT union members, including Greater Anglia’s conductors, train cleaners and station staff and Network Rail’s signallers and maintenance teams, in their national rail strike on Saturday 1 October. As a result, Greater Anglia services will be severely disrupted, with the company only able to run a fraction of its services – and no services at all between Cambridge and London Liverpool Street or on regional or branch lines. A heavily reduced service will run between London Liverpool Street and Norwich, Colchester, Southend Victoria and on the Stansted Express service between Stansted Airport and London Liverpool Street. On Saturday 1 October, services will only operate from 7.30am and with all last trains setting off before the end of the working day and final whistle in most cases in order to be at their final destination by 6.30pm. All of East Anglia’s top football teams – Norwich, Ipswich Town, Cambridge United, Peterborough United and Colchester United – have fixtures on Saturday 1 October, as do Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham and Arsenal. Fans are strongly advised to make alternative arrangements, as are students travelling to school or college and people commuting to work, because Greater Anglia is only able to run a heavily reduced service. On Saturday 1 October, due to engineering work there is a rail replacement bus service between Colchester and Ingatestone connecting with the heavily reduced train service. There will be no rail replacement buses to replace trains not running due to the strike. Jamie Burles, Greater Anglia managing director said: “We are very sorry that once again our customers will be disrupted by strikes, which this time will affect football fans and some people from our region competing in the London Marathon, as well as school or college students, commuters and business travellers. “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 in an effort to avert the strike.” Anyone who has pre-booked tickets to travel on 1 or 5 October 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. Greater Anglia is currently finalising details of the strike day timetables and will publish them on its website when are they are ready, which is expected to be early next week. Further information is available from greateranglia.co.uk/strikes which will be updated as details are finalised. Other train companies affected by strikes on both days are Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry Trains, LNER, East Midlands Railway, c2c, GWR, Northern Trains, Southeastern, Transpennine Express, Avanti West Coast and West Midlands Trains, Hull Trains and London Overground. Network Rail, Southwestern and GTR – which includes Great Northern, Thameslink and the Heathrow Express – and will be affected by strikes on Saturday 1 October. Photo credit: Greater Anglia

A record number of students have joined the professional accountancy training programme at leading East Anglian firm, Larking Gowen. The 41 students include school leavers, university graduates and placement students, who will be working across the firm’s offices in Norfolk, Suffolk and north Essex. They will be working towards a variety of accountancy, taxation and other specialist qualifications. Julie Grimmer, Managing Partner at Larking Gowen, said: “I would like to extend a warm welcome to our latest intake of trainees. It’s refreshing to see so many talented young people coming forward to take their first steps in what should be a very rewarding career.” Julie, who joined the firm as a trainee herself, said the training programmes are not just about passing exams. “Our employment proposition is a commitment to career-long training and development, offering a wide range of experience in the business. They’ll be supported and mentored by experienced professionals who’ll be looking out for them every step of the way.” She continued, “As with my own personal journey through the business, we want our current crop of trainees to go on to build lifelong careers at Larking Gowen.” Photo credit: Larking Gowen LLP

“One in five of the children we support receives care because of these special gifts” – Free Wills Month is a golden opportunity to support EACH The public are being encouraged to think about the future by leaving a “special gift” that benefits children and young people receiving vital hospice care. Free Wills Month takes place in October and gives people over the age of 18 an opportunity to have their Will written or updated for ‘free’. In return, they are encouraged to make a donation or leave a gift to a charity like East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH). EACH Individual Giving Manager Amy Cudmore said: “This special month is an opportunity to start a very important conversation and ensure the public are aware they can leave a gift in their Will. “After taking care of family and friends, it’s an opportunity to help us continue our work supporting children and their families for generations to come. “One in five of the children we support receives care because of these gifts and we’re asking supporters to consider having their Will written. “Leaving something, no matter how big or small, really will make a huge difference in terms of helping us continue our vital work across East Anglia. “It’s an incredible, very personal way to help give more children and young people the opportunity to receive our tailored, high-quality specialist services.” EACH, which supports families and cares for children and young people with life-threatening conditions, is directing supporters to a free online Will writing service called Farewill. It provides an opportunity for people to write their Will online, at no cost, in return for making a donation to EACH. For more information about leaving a gift in your Will, head here. Alternatively, email supportercare@each.org.uk or call 01223 800807. EACH has three hospices – The Nook, near Norwich, The Treehouse, in Ipswich, and Milton, near Cambridge. Photo credit: EACH

Profit hunter Freddie Bennett talks about comfort zones, rejecting the corporate grind and how to dream, disrupt and deliver! Freddie’s baaaack! Series 2 of Leadership & Life Chat kicks off with a former guest, professional adventurer and profit hunter, Freddie Bennett! Freddie first joined James and Mark back in early 2021 on Impromptu Business Chat, chatting about how he uses the lessons he’s learnt in life to advise and inspire businesses on how to motivate their teams and embrace change. Since then, Freddie has had some major life changes, including packing up and moving his family to New Zealand, so the team invited him back to find out why, and talk about his new book and career change – tapping into customer bases to discover new lines of profit. Freddie has worked with some of the biggest companies in the world and conquered some mammoth personal demons along the way, having left the corporate grind behind him. He speaks passionately about choosing your battles, whether we really need to smash our comfort zones, his own theory on the relativity of time, and how we should all be more aware of our own waypoints! He also discusses how we should embrace the seasons of change in our lives and businesses, and how we can reject hustle culture. Listen here! 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 also 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 © Larking Gowen LLP Photo credit: Larking Gowen LLP

Chantry Place has announced the return of student night, which will take place on Thursday 6th October 2022 from 5pm-8pm. Big names signed-up to take part in the event include H&M, Schuh, Apple, Wagamama, The Real Greek, Levi’s, Lisa Angel and many more with discounts of up to 50 per cent on the night exclusively for students. The Centre is also providing entertainment, including a DJ, photobooth and chill-out zone with beanbags and games. The first 200 students through the doors who head to the lower ground floor to find the Chantry Place marketing team, who will be based opposite Boots on the night, will also be able to get their hands on a goody bag. Plus, there will be a competition exclusively for students attending on the night to win £300 plus Apple AirPods!* Other highlights include free samples from Lush, a chance to win on the spin to win wheel in Schuh, Lisa Angel will have goody bags for the first 50 customers, Bubble CiTea will give out special scratch cards and Wagamama will offer samples. Paul McCarthy, general manager at Chantry Place, said: “45 retailers are currently confirmed to take part in the event and all students are welcome to enjoy our late night shopping event. Chantry Place offers so much for students and we can’t wait to welcome current students along to see what we have to offer and enjoy the night, as well as new freshers to see the exciting retail mix and food offering that we and Norwich offers.” To discover the full list of retailers taking part, click here. For more information about Chantry Place, please visit www.ChantryPlace.co.uk or follow their social media @chantryplacenorwich *The winner must have a valid student ID to claim the prize. If unable to provide proof, the competition will be redrawn and given to someone with a valid student ID. All offers and discounts are correct at time of writing but may be changed or withdrawn by the retailer.

The Captain & Crew at Fawcett HQ are simply delighted to announce that Captain Fawcett has been shortlisted for the British Chambers of Commerce Awards as ‘The Global Player’ for 2022. This most prestigious recognition comes due to the King’s Lynn based company’s nomination from the Norfolk Chambers of Commerce. 80% of Captain Fawcett’s ‘First Class Gentleman’s Grooming Requisites’ are exported worldwide into over 48 countries and the company has been relentless in expanding its already significant horizon to secure new markets, such as USA, China & India, despite the ongoing European export difficulties posed by Brexit. Captain Fawcett founder Richie Finney says “All at Fawcett HQ are chuffed to bits with this most prestigious recognition from the Norfolk Chambers of Commerce and as such shall be found celebrating with a cup of Rosie Lee & a slice of Victoria Sponge! The Norfolk Chamber of Commerce is of huge value to Norfolk business of all sizes. From advising sole traders and start-ups to providing international trade support for companies exploring global markets, they are an outstanding source of support and expertise. In addition to offering superb networking opportunities and sharing business acumen, the Norfolk Chamber gives a voice to local and regional issues at a national level. I suggest any serious business considers joining their local Chamber of Commerce, thereby playing a part enhancing economic growth in their region and helping influence decisions made both locally and in Westminster. Meanwhile, well done to all the other highly regarded nominations. Huzzah!”

This December we invite you to join us on one of the most glamourous nights of the year as we play host to a Christmas Night at the Theatre. Our magical festive package includes;

• Arrival Champagne Cocktail
• Red Carpet Arrival with one complimentary group photo
• A delicious festive Three Course Menu
• A bottle of wine & water on each table
• Table Decorations
• Disco, Dancefloor & much more

Therefore if you work for one of our corporate organisations, and are looking to organise a night for family or friends, why not book a table with us! We would be thrilled to welcome you through our festive doors. Tickets are priced at £50 per person Tables are available to be booked between 8 and 10 people Tables are available exclusively to organisations signed up to the Norwich Theatre Corporate Community (Sponsors, Associate Sponsors, Members) For more information or to book a table please call 01603 598556 or email corporate@norwichtheatre.org