Member News

Hotel Chocolat, Unit 242, The North Terrace, Chantry Place, Shopping Centre, Norwich, NR2 1SQ We are delighted to announce the relocation of our Norwich Store. This latest relocation, which opens on Tuesday 19^th July is part of Hotel Chocolat’s mission to make people happy, bringing you chocolate that is more exciting, more beautiful and – more importantly – made according to our mantra: ‘More Cacao, Less Sugar’. The relocation forms part of our ever-growing portfolio, which has over 150 locations across the UK, Channel Islands, Japan, and the US. Our co-founders Angus Thirlwell and Peter Harris built Hotel Chocolat on three unwavering pillars: authenticity, originality, and ethics. We are one of the few chocolate makers to grow our own cacao, on an eco-conscious cacao farm in the grounds of our Saint Lucian boutique hotel Rabot (yes, you can stay there too!) Here at Hotel Chocolat, we connect the world of sustainable cacao agriculture with the hedonism of top-quality chocolate. “This makes us unique in the UK and gives us an unrivalled understanding of what impacts the taste and experience of our chocolate, right from the growing tree through to our packaging, which we’re working to make 100% reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2022. More than just bean-to-bar, we call it ‘roots-to-wrapper’.” — Angus Thirlwell, CEO and Co-founder The Chocolate We’re obsessed with cacao. We make all our chocolate in accordance with our mantra, ‘More Cacao, Less Sugar’ for a deeper taste and chocolate that satisfies with less. Our house white chocolate contains 36% cacao – more than you’ll find in many milk chocolates – while our house milks are 40% and 50% and our house dark is 70%. The Selector Wall of Chocolate “The old fashioned ‘glass cabinet’ method of offering chocolate always struck me as a power imbalance between the chocolatier and the customer. So, in the first Hotel Chocolat, I designed a customer-powered alternative. You could take as long as you want, choosing from a massive chocolate library that was easy to navigate and clearly labelled. We called it our Selector Wall of Chocolate and it was an immediate hit.”- Angus Thirlwell, Co-founder What is a Selector? It’s a set of six individual chocolates or a single, fluid chocolate slab wrapped in a utilitarian, simple way – so all the investment can go into the quality of the ingredients. We chose the Selector Wall of Chocolate as a contemporary response to the traditional glass counter. Here you can linger for as long as you like, unhurried and in complete control, inspecting each option up close, learning about the recipe, cacao content and provenance of ingredients, before making a decision that you feel not just content with, but genuinely excited about. A decision that’s bespoke to you – or to someone you love. Gifting Individually trimmed with a seasonal red ribbon or presented together in a chic hamper or sleek concierge bag, give your gifts in style. Chosen by you and assembled by hand, your gifted items will be presented in a chic gift bag or box. We also have sleeves tailored to your special occasion and ribbon-tied bags to take away. Going straight from Hotel Chocolat to special event is utterly effortless. Drinks & Ices Let the door fall shut on the hustle and bustle of the outside world. Breathe in the heady scent of hot chocolate. You’ve stepped into your sanctuary: the cacao-fuelled pitstop that is the Drinks & Ices location at your Hotel Chocolat. Set down your shopping bags and sink into your seat, hands wrapped around a restorative drink, your choice of brownie, biscuit, granola, or savoury snack on the tabletop in front of you. Your Norwich Hotel Chocolat will also serve our cacao-infused Ice Cream of the Gods, which is exclusive to select locations. Made with Jersey milk and cream infused with Theobroma cacao nibs – direct translation ‘cacao, food of the gods’ – it’s no wonder it tastes so heavenly! Other Innovations Part of our fascination with cacao is with its untapped potential. Not only do we use the bean in our bold and inventive chocolate recipes, but we also use the delicate shells that wrap each bean, the lychee-like pulp from cacao pods and the nibs themselves in drinks, ice cream and more. Instead of letting those precious shells go to waste like so many other chocolatiers, we looked closer and found that they’re brimming with malty notes. They’re what infuses our award-winning Salted Caramel Vodka and Cocoa Gin. We’ve also married alcohol with the finished article, melting our chocolate straight into vodka and cream so it could sing through our Chocolat Velvetised Cream. Inspired by not only cacao but all the glorious flora that flourish on our Saint Lucia estate, we’ve also created the eponymous Rabot Beauty, a beauty range like no other: lip balms, body butters, body mists and beyond which capture the essence of our organic, eco-conscious paradise. Paul McCarthy, general manager at Chantry Place, comments: “This news is set to delight our chocolate-loving customers who will be able to drop in for a tempting treat and drink while shopping or meeting friends. This expansion is fantastic news for the Centre and for Norwich, with Hotel Chocolat investing in the city. We’re sure the smell of incredible hot chocolate will tempt many people through the doors. This is just the latest, and not the last, in exciting news for the Centre.” Welcome Offers The first 10 customers through the door will be treated to a £20 voucher to spend in-store.

Photo of Chloe Harrowven A dad whose baby daughter died after just six weeks is preparing for an epic fundraising walk along the North Norfolk Coastal Path. James Harrowven, from Norwich, is taking on the 83-mile trek from Hunstanton to Hopton to raise money for East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH). He will be joined by four friends and plans to camp along the way, hopefully completing the full length of the path in two days. James is supporting EACH as little Chloe, who had an extremely rare, genetic condition called Zellweger’s Syndrome, spent the final week of her life at The Nook, in Framingham Earl. She died on 13^th September 2021. The 32-year-old, who turns 33 on 17^th July, is embarking on his walk on 5^th August and will be joined by Nick Eagle, Sam Willis, Adam Willis and Jack Wenham. “It’s going to be a real challenge and the most I’ve walked so far is 20 miles,” said James. “Doing 83 in a couple of days is therefore going to be tough but I’m looking forward to it. It should be an experience! “Sam’s parents have walked the entire route, albeit over a much longer period of time, and that’s what gave us the idea. “We thought if we could do the whole thing in a couple of days it would be amazing. “I’ve been very pleased with the way the fundraising has gone so far, especially as my initial target was £1,000. “The amount continues going up and I’ve been truly blown away and humbled by people’s generosity. “We’re so grateful to everyone who has shown their support and donated for this incredible cause and now our target is £7,500 (£500 to fund a memory bench or tree for Chloe, to be located somewhere at The Nook, and £7,000 which is what it costs to run The Nook for a day). James says he wanted to give something back to EACH, as a way of saying thank you for the care Chloe received. He is also grateful for the support he and wife Michelle, 30, received at The Nook. “Chloe was born on 2^nd August and what happened in the next six weeks changed our lives forever,” said James. “She needed 100% ventilation and started having seizures. After a week on the neonatal intensive care ward, she was diagnosed with a rare genetic condition called Zellweger’s Syndrome. “The last diagnosed case in the hospital (Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital) was over ten years ago. “We quickly went from proud, excited new parents to new parents with a very ill, special needs child to then grieving the loss of our second child. “It was like nothing we could ever have imagined but we feel so fortunate that the final week of Chloe’s life was spent with the incredible team at EACH. “I admit I didn’t know much about the charity when we offered the chance to go to The Nook. “However, I can safely say that the support we received was amazing.” Zellweger’s Syndrome is a peroxisomal disorder involving the creation and function of peroxisomes, which are needed for the body to function properly. Peroxisomes are part of a cell impacting every system in the body, including breaking down fatty acids and producing lipids that are vital to the nervous system, digestion and the brain. James and Michelle were initially told their daughter could live for a year, although the majority do not make it past six months. “We didn’t know what the future held and were getting ready to go home from hospital,” said James. “Then we were given the option of stepdown care, at The Nook. “It was basically a way of bridging the gap between the hospital and home and felt like the right thing to do. “Alfie (who has just turned three) also got to meet his little sister during that time. “After a few days there we were preparing to go home when Chloe deteriorated. “Things went rapidly downhill but had that happened at home it would have been so much worse. “We were in the right place, in terms of help and support, and, in that respect, it was the best decision we made.” James says he and his wife will always be grateful to EACH. “We couldn’t have got through those last few days without having that support around us,” he said. “It was beyond anything we could ever have wished for. “Although Chloe didn’t make it home, we’re so happy she got to spend her final days with us both by her side and that’s why we’re so keen to raise funds and awareness for this incredible charity. “We want to do something to repay that help and kindness. “It took the weight off our shoulders and the care team were absolutely fantastic. “They couldn’t do enough for us. They gave us time and space, leaving us to come to terms with everything that was happening. “Equally, we knew they were right there if we needed them so we never felt alone. “They cooked us meals and looked after us, which meant the world and made such a difference. It was incredible and we want to show our thanks.” To sponsor James on his North Norfolk Coastal Path walk, head here.

Daredevil Ian Kenny conquered fears and pushed himself to the limit for a hat-trick of adrenaline-charged fundraisers. The Norwich dad climbed into the boxing ring, tackled a gruelling Tough Mudder obstacle course and faced a skydive to support East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH). His unique treble challenge led to him raising more than £1,000 and he recently handed over a giant cheque at EACH’s Norwich hospice, The Nook. Ian said: “I definitely saved the worst until last, as I hate heights and was particularly worried about the skydive. “However, the feeling was like nothing I can describe and, overall, I feel very proud to have completed my hat-trick of challenges. “I’m very thankful to my family, friends and colleagues who donated and supported me along the way. “It’s a great feeling to raise funds for such a worthy cause as EACH. “All charities are amazing and deserve full support but this one strikes a particular chord with me, because of all the great work it does helping families and caring for children and young people with life-threatening conditions.” Ian, 51, started by signing up for a charity boxing match and was trained by Jackson Williams at Tower Fitness Gym. The fight took place at Epic Studios, in Norwich, on 9th April. He pitted himself against friend and colleague Jason Barrett-Brown. “I took part in a charity boxing match for EACH back in March 2019,” said Ian. “After Covid, I wanted to get fit again and that’s when we hatched the idea of stepping into the ring together. “We’re of a similar height and build and both of us had won our only other previous fights, so it was really close. “I just edged it but there was very little in it and it felt different to my first fight. “On that occasion I was like a rabbit in headlights, but this time, although nervous, I enjoyed it more, soaked up the atmosphere and milked the crowd.” Ian’s Tough Mudder challenge followed a fortnight later, in Grantham, on 23^rd April. “I’d lost nearly a stone and a half training for my boxing match so thought, in terms of fitness and stamina, there was no better time for a challenge like that,” he said. “The 15k course was sapping and there were lots of obstacles along the way. It was good fun but my whole body was aching the following day.” Last up was the skydive, which took place in Beccles on 21^st May. Ian, a design manager for Lovell Homes, said: “I actually got the idea after reading about one on the EACH website. “My mum told me I must be mad because she knows I’ve got a fear of flying and hate heights. “It doesn’t stop me travelling and having holidays, but I’m certainly a nervous passenger. “However, I wanted to conquer my fears and now, having done it, I can safely say I’d do it again in a heartbeat. “I relished the challenge and it was amazing. The adrenaline rush was indescribable.” In a further show of support for EACH, Ian has also signed up to become a volunteer. He says he is happy to help with anything but hopes to lend a hand with things like ground maintenance and gardening at The Nook. Tim Jenkins, EACH community fundraiser for Norfolk, met Ian at The Nook. He said: “What an incredible achievement to complete not one, not two but three fundraising challenges for EACH. “Ian is the first to admit he has a fear of heights and flying so that makes his feat even more impressive and admirable. “Our sincere thanks go to him for his amazing efforts, which will go a long way towards helping us continue our vital work here in Norfolk and across East Anglia.”

Photo of Lee Strudwick and son Paul Kind-hearted Les Strudwick celebrated his 90^th birthday in style – by delivering a very special present to East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH). Mr Strudwick, from Downham Market, invited family and friends to a delicious Sunday lunch after becoming an nonagenarian – on the condition they donated at least £15. After totting up contributions, he was thrilled to raise £780 for EACH, which supports families and cares for children and young people with life-threatening conditions across Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and Cambridgeshire. Mr Strudwick, pictured with son Paul, turned 90 in December but was forced to delay his celebrations because of the Covid pandemic. His birthday meal was eventually held at The King’s Head, in Great Bircham, on 12^th June. “I was 90 last December and my son, Paul, was insistent such an important milestone be properly recognised,” he said. “However, the pandemic forced the postponement of that until June 12th. “With Paul so very kindly funding the lunch, I decided to stipulate that all guests should agree to donate at least £15 to EACH. “Some 44 individuals were kind enough to do so, with donations coming in from those who could and those who could not come. “Consequently, money was paid in at intervals during that time, with the final payment of £585 being made on 20^th June and the grand total being £780. “On the day, 24 of us, family and friends, sat down to a fine lunch, followed by an extremely enjoyable afternoon. “My dear friend and colleague Jenny Wood assisted me in the bucket collection and I was very gratified by the overall result. Donations ranged from £15 to £100. Quite amazing! “The day had a further benefit for me. At 90, and having been living alone for many years, I had begun to feel there were things I no longer had the stamina to carry out. I was happily proved wrong and it has been quite wonderful to realise that. “I was attracted to EACH because my late wife, Joan, and I used to support children’s charities, among others. From 2004, she was being cared for in a nursing home. She died in 2009. I will always miss her and loved her dearly. We were together for almost 50 years. “I felt that by supporting EACH, Joan would approve, the charity would benefit and I would explore new horizons. It proved to be the case and I have made many new friends, which has been a huge support for me.” Mr Strudwick has been a prolific fundraiser for EACH since 2008, when he became aware the charity was opening one of its shops in Downham Market. “I ventured in and asked Cheryl Burns, the soon-to-be shop manager, if she required volunteers,” he said. “The shop opened in November of that year, with me as one of the first volunteers, and I’m still there, every Saturday morning. “In 2009, I began fundraising by placing collecting boxes in various businesses, from Great Bircham to Ely. “There are about 30 in all and, since then, I’ve collected more than £11,000, including the sums raised for my 80th and 90th birthdays.”

Due to circumstances beyond our control, the date for our upcoming Community Benefit Fund meeting in Dereham has changed – it will now be held on: Thursday 28th July, 6-8pm Please arrive around 10 minutes early for a prompt start at 6pm. Location: Toftwood Social Club, Dereham, NR19 1AH This new link will take you to an event poster with the revised date. If you have circulated the event poster shared earlier in the week, we’d be grateful for your assistance in helping to share this updated version. Please feel free to forward this email to anyone that may be interested. You can also find information about our other Community Benefit Fund workshops on the Vattenfall website. Apologies for any inconvenience caused by this change of date. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact Will Sealey.

  Photo of Belinda Clarke, credit Agri-TechE Organisers have announced that the boss of Agri-TechE, Dr Belinda Clarke, winner of the prestigious Timothy Colman Prize in 2021, is to chair the Norfolk Farming Conference, taking place on Wednesday 30 November 2022, at Norfolk Showground. Dr Clarke takes over the role from Guy Smith, Deputy President NFU, who has been chairing the event for the last nine years. The conference, a key moment in Norfolk’s farming calendar, and attended by over 300 of Norfolk’s farmers and producers, is set to promote the topical themes of Trade – challenge and opportunities; farming carbon and the environment; and Water – flood mitigation and water resource use. Belinda Clarke says: “Guy Smith has played a major role in this vibrant conference for many years, so I am humbled by this invitation to take up the baton. There is a stimulating line-up of speakers for the conference and several farmer case-stories. After missing a year there will be lots to talk about and it is an excellent opportunity to meet up with old friends and open the doors to new faces.” Joining Dr Clarke will be a line-up of eminent speakers including Sir Dieter Helm, British economist and academic; Tom Bradshaw, Essex farmer and Deputy President NFU; Barney Kay, Agricultural Director at Pilgrim Foods; Andy Wood, CEO of the prestigious Suffolk brewer Adnams; and General The Lord Dannatt, former Chief of the General Staff and Chairman Norfolk Strategic Flooding Alliance. A focus on local farming case studies will explore biodiversity, rewilding, organic, and soil health projects in Norfolk and Suffolk from Ken Hill, Holkham and Shimpling Park Farm. Mark Nicholas, Managing Director of the Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association added “We are thrilled to present an exciting line-up of eminent speakers at the Norfolk Farming Conference to discuss the challenging issues of our time. The opportunity to learn and debate and to share best practice will keep Norfolk farmers at the forefront of competitiveness. Belinda Clarke, as Chair, will provide new energy to set the conditions for check and challenge.” The conference is sponsored and organised by AF Group, Birketts, Brown & Co, Lovewell Blake, NatWest, Norfolk County Council and the Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association. Tickets for the Norfolk Farming Conference, including lunch and refreshments, are £72 (inc VAT) per person and £40 (inc VAT) for students and can be purchased through the RNAA website. Photo of Lord Richard Dannatt.

A Greater Anglia train. Credit: Greater Anglia Train drivers’ union ASLEF has announced another strike date for its Greater Anglia members –Saturday 23 July. While talks will continue to try to resolve the strike, Greater Anglia is warning passengers of widespread disruption should the strike go ahead. This will be the third strike day by ASLEF’s Greater Anglia train drivers. During the last strike, on Saturday 2 July, the company could not run over 90 per cent of its services. Greater Anglia Managing Director Jamie Burles said: “We hope this dispute can be resolved and the strike action proposed for 23 July cancelled, but in the meantime we want to give our customers as much notice as possible that there will be disruption if the strike does go ahead. “We are making arrangements and drawing up timetables in case the action does take place, and we will keep our customers updated. “If there is a strike, our advice to customers will be to avoid travelling on our trains. With drivers on strike, we can only run minimal services and just on limited routes and between limited hours too for most of those routes. “We are aware that many customers will have plans to travel – it’s the first weekend of the school holidays and the weekend of the Latitude Festival. We’re genuinely sorry if this strike disrupts people’s plans.” On Saturday 2 July, there were no services between Cambridge and London Liverpool Street, nor on any branch lines or regional routes. There were severely reduced services between Norwich, Colchester, Southend Victoria and Stansted Airport and London Liverpool Street, with far fewer trains than usual. Full information including timetables, how to refund or change tickets and first and last train times will be available on the Greater Anglia website as soon as it becomes available.

Your website is constantly being judged.

It’s being judged in different ways by different people from visitors, browsers, shoppers, customers, not to mention Google and other search engines and even your competitors.

The one common goal they all look for, whether they know it or not, is high quality, helpful, engaging and valuable website copy.

With users spending an average of 5.59 seconds looking at a website’s written copy, the fact that good copy is often neglected or treated as an afterthought can be your biggest mistake.

Why write good, if not great copy for your website?

Let’s back track here, good isn’t quite GOOD enough, and here’s why you need to be writing GREAT copy for website.

Ask yourself, would you prefer to trust an elaborate website with low quality copy, or a simple site packed with engaging and informative copy that answers your questions and ticks your boxes?

We’re not saying ditch great website design, we love a beautifully designed website, but without engaging high quality website copy, the design can be wasted. Great copy and great design are a winning formula when it comes to user experience and the success of your website.

Your website is the ‘worlds’ shop window to your business and should also be your top salesperson. Even the best salesperson can’t sell with just an image, it needs to be backed up with words and in the case of your website, authentic and genuine copy.

This example from Gousto demonstrate this, with a sleek and simple design backed up with copy answering potential customer’s questions. Add to this mix, a reason why you should try Gousto plus a great offer to get you started, and they’ve ticked a lot of boxes.

The benefits of good copy

Investing in great copy for your website has virtually endless benefits and quite literally affects every aspect of your online business. It can even inspire customers to visit your bricks and mortar store if you have one, in addition to increased ecommerce sales.

Taking your copy to the next level can:

• Attract new visitors
• Connect with existing customers
• Respond to users’ questions
• Get visitors to spend more time on your site
• Increase website and brand trust
• Generate online sales
• Improve conversion rates
• Raise brand awareness
• Collect consumer feedback
• Improve your SEO
• Gain better search engine rankings
• Establish your authority
• Cultivate customer relationships

If you have a beautifully designed website or not, with poor content, users won’t stay. Creating great copy for your website will portray your business in a positive light and let you stand out from your competitors.

How to write great copy for your website

How exactly do you write great copy? It’s certainly not all about quantity, but more about quality and understanding your customers and knowing what they want.

The recipe for good website copy should include:

A consistent tone of voice

This ensures all your communications are on-brand, it’s ‘how’ it sounds when you say it. You should also use your customers language, give it personality, appropriate for your customers to connect and engage with them.

Harrys demonstrate they understand their customers’ problems when it comes to shaving and speak through their copy with a clear, straightforward tone of voice, which is consistent throughout their website.

Writing for users’ intent

It’s essential when creating content to always keep the user in mind, throughout the entire customer journey. This starts with what keywords visitors will be searching for, to answering their questions and solving a problem. Getting the balance of using sufficient detail to educate users, while not boring them is fundamental.

Provide value to visitors

A customer can interact with your brand 20 times before they actually purchase anything. That can be through social media, website copy, marketing, reviews etc and each one leaves an impression.

Good copy should provide value to visitors, for example, people read blog posts to get information, help or answers. Using blog posts to address the pain areas or questions that your audience want to know is a great use of copy.

This example from Candymail shows how a blog post was written on the subject of a question that many customers were asking. Not only does the blog answer the question, but it also resulted in the No. 1 spot on Google for the search term “How hot are Flamin’ Hot Cheetos?”

Using keywords for SEO

While the above example, demonstrates how good copy works for users and search engines, take a look at how Air BNB appears in a Google search. Their copy has all bases covered, from local holidays, UK places to stay and how to become a host.

Researching keywords for your content is essential before you begin crafting website copy. Making your copy work for you is paramount for both search engines to drive traffic to your website and users when they arrive on it.

Make your website copy scannable

People don’t read your content word for word, even the great content. They scan the page to pick out important words and phrases or at best skim through articles. Copy that has long sentences and big paragraphs will put people off straight away.

Furthermore, content looks twice as long on mobile, which means how you write makes even more of difference to those reading it. Here’s some top tips for scannable and easily readable content: –

• Structure content using different sections
• Use short paragraphs
• Make important words or sentences stand out
• Create catchy headings (including keywords)
• Subheadings help keep readers engaged
• Bullet lists stand out well
• Use images/graphics/video to break up content

Ensure your content is easy to scan by structuring it properly to help readers find the important bits quickly.

What can you add to great copy to make it work even harder? Add call to actions

A call to action tells the reader what they can do or need to do next. Through carefully created and engaging call to actions you’ve got the opportunity to convince visitors that your products or services can help them.

To do this, you add relevant links to copy, pointing to other pages within your website which are useful, relevant and persuasive. You need to be clear but specific and you can always add a certain amount of urgency to help drive the user to take action.

A call to action can be in different formats including; –

• Text hyperlink
• Anchor text link
• A button

Typical examples are of course ‘Buy Now’ or ‘Add to Cart’, although a call to action can be longer and really has endless possibilities.

An added bonus is that good internal linking will help search engines to understand your website better.

When should I write my copy?

That’ll be RIGHT NOW!

When it comes down to what the purpose of your website is and encouraging visitors to take action, we know that web copy is just as important as design. To get the highest possible conversion rates a website needs a combination of the two.

Copywriting is more than just writing, it’s about ideas and problem solving for both potential and existing customers.

If you can write good copy for your website, the rewards are huge. Customers will line up to visit your site, spend more time there, engage more and ultimately spend more!

With great copy comes trust and authority, it can build relationships and get people talking, sharing, and buying.

What does your website copy really say about your business?

See more website insights on our website.

Vattenfall have won a Contracts for Difference award for the Norfolk Boreas Offshore Wind Farm. Thanks to this allocation, Vattenfall and the region move one step closer to realising the Norfolk Zone – one of the world’s largest offshore wind zones. Wind farms in the Norfolk Zone, operated from a local port base, will deliver low cost, green electricity to homes and businesses across the UK for more than twenty five years, using innovative offshore wind technology and world-leading design including a coordinated grid connection. Turning Norfolk into a powerhouse of renewable energy, this first phase of development will see Norfolk Boreas preparing to power around 1.5 million UK homes and bring significant community and skills investment directly into East Anglia. Vattenfall is working with local companies, members of the East Wind Offshore Wind Cluster, and working with Local Authorities, Generate and EEEGr as well as with schools, colleges, and universities to help support new green jobs. The project will aim to use local contractors and skills ensuring that Norfolk and will benefit from the investment Vattenfall is planning to make. This sits alongside a community benefit fund, of up to £15m, to be used to support low carbon community projects across the region. Subject to a final investment decision, construction will begin next year. Norfolk Boreas is the first phase of Vattenfall’s Norfolk Offshore Wind Zone and comes ahead of the Norfolk Vanguard Offshore Wind Farm. Once complete, in the late twenty twenties, the Norfolk Zone will produce enough renewable electricity to power more than four million homes and will be one of the largest offshore wind zones in the world. The country’s route away from the current energy crisis lies in speeding up our shift to net zero. The UK government has set ambitious targets which send a clear signal that that we need to move away from imported fossil fuels to a future powered by low-cost renewables. Unlocking the UK’s potential for offshore wind now lies in setting out a clear plan to turbocharge delivery, including speeding up the development process. The next auction, CfD Allocation Round 5, will boost the UK’s offshore wind delivery even further and accelerate our path to a fossil-free future. You can read more here: https://bit.ly/NBOWCFD, and also learn more about current development plans and community engagement here: https://bit.ly/NorfolkZone.

Spirited fundraisers rallied together to complete an epic walking challenge and raise more than £40,000 for East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH). The charity’s Pier to Pier event was a 32-mile trek along the beautiful Norfolk Coastal Path. More than 160 people took part, starting in Cromer and wearily finishing several hours later in Great Yarmouth. EACH events fundraiser Hannah Forbester said: “It was a huge success and we were delighted to raise more than £40,000. “The support was fantastic and I loved seeing everyone rally together. “There was a real sense of camaraderie and so much encouragement along the way. “Prior to the walk, there had been lots of chatting in the event Facebook group. “There was a real sense of excitement and it was lovely for people to meet up and share the experience on the day. “The feedback after the event was very positive, too. “It’s a huge challenge, both mentally and physically, and, understandably, there were a few nerves. “However, everyone looked out for each other and the bigger groups buddied up with individuals and couples walking alone. “There was a strong team ethic and everyone was determined to help each other over the finish line.” It was a particularly special day for Marcus Amps-Woodward, who, along with older brother Daniel, had signed up in memory of best friend Rebekah Barber, who received care at EACH’s hospice in Milton, Cambridgeshire. She had a rare, gene-linked brain malformation called Lissencephaly and died in July 2016, aged 10. By coincidence, this year’s event took place on Marcus’s 16^th birthday – 25^th June. “Marcus, his family and friends did an amazing job and we surprised him with a birthday card and cakes at the finish,” added Hannah. “It was lovely to see them all enjoying the occasion together. “Among the other groups to take part were a team from the King’s Lynn parkrun. “They certainly enjoyed themselves and it was fantastic that so many people stayed together afterwards, feeling a real sense of achievement and soaking it all up.” The walk was organised with support from event management company Gladiator Events. “They were brilliant and ensured everything ran smoothly,” said Hannah. “It meant we could focus on what we needed to do. “We were also very grateful to the Cromer branch of Morrisons and the charity Rapid Relief. Both donated drinks and snacks for the rest stops. “Likewise Norfolk and Suffolk 4×4 Response (made up of volunteers who commit their own time and vehicles to assist the emergency services), for being on hand if we needed them.” A planning meeting has been planned for later this month to discuss next year’s EACH events, including Pier to Pier. EACH supports families and cares for children and young people with life-threatening conditions. It has three hospices, including The Nook, in Framingham Earl. Photo Credits – EACH

The Green Light Trust are running FREE EARTH woodland courses for those aged 16-35 who would like to improve their future prospects, build confidence and skills, overcome personal mental health issues and generally meet new people, enjoy nature, relax and have fun in the forest!    Our Young Futures programme works in a person-centred, holistic way, using nature to engage individuals in activities within our woodlands. Activities are arranged to suit everyone’s capabilities and interests; helping individuals overcome any barriers around learning, skills-building, personal development and accessing employment.  Our sessions are delivered 1 day per week (10am to 3pm) and activities will be facilitated by 2 of our experienced delivery staff.  We complete all risk assessments and organise transport for our participants too. ***   YOUNG FUTURES AT BLICKLING HALL  *** Blickling Hall– June/July (Thursdays) Blickling Hall – Sept/Oct (Mondays) Blickling Hall – Sept/Oct (Wednesdays)

• All new Lotus production vehicles from 2023 will be fully electric
• Lotus will be certified as a net-zero business through a commitment to become a SBTi (Science-Based Target initiative) organisation
• Lotus signs up to COP26 Zero Emissions Vehicle (ZEV) declaration

Lotus has launched ‘Driving Change’, its new Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Charter. Its four core commitments will pave the way for the car maker’s future success as a responsible global business. The four core commitments are:

• All new mainstream vehicles from Lotus from 2023 will be fully electric
• Lotus will be certified as a net-zero business through a commitment to become a SBTi (Science-Based Target initiative) organisation
• The global community of Lotus colleagues – US LOT – will be at heart of global sustainable growth, ensuring all those inside the business are ‘called to action’ on the ESG priorities
• Lotus is fully committed to inspiring the next generation through education and global communities’ outreach

Highlighting how Lotus will become the first established sports car maker in the world to have a fully electric product range, the charter is a key part of the Vision80 strategy which is guiding the transformation of Lotus, from a UK sports car company to a truly global performance car business and brand ahead of its 80^th anniversary in 2028. A strong ESG proposition promotes business efficiency, employee engagement and productivity, investment and asset optimisation. It also ensures Lotus is always aligned to its external regulatory commitments, driving innovation and competitiveness across all aspects of the business. Matt Windle, Managing Director, Lotus Cars, said: “Our new ESG Charter formalises many activities that we have been carrying out for a number of years. Lotus as a business has always been agile, efficient and impactful within the automotive industry. Now, more than ever, as we transform rapidly to become a global pioneer of electric performance vehicles, we recognise our responsibility to do so in ways that lead our industry in minimising its impact on the environment, benefitting society and the planet as a whole.” All new mainstream vehicles from Lotus from 2023 will be fully electric The first of the four core ESG commitments is through the Lotus product line-up; all future new mainstream vehicles from Lotus will be fully electric. It’s a move inspired by the Lotus Evija – the world’s most powerful production car – launched in 2019 as the first British electric hypercar. Customer deliveries begin later this year. The Evija was followed by the Emira sports car launched in 2021. It is not an EV but was designed using the same aerodynamic and efficiency principles, and is the last internal combustion engine-powered production car from Lotus. The Emira has also been designed and engineered to be more than 95% recoverable and more than 85% recyclable. The latest of Lotus’ new generation of cars is the Eletre, launched earlier this year. It marks the company’s transition to a full line-up of electric vehicles and seals the brand’s place in history as the world’s first established sports car maker to go fully electric. The Eletre is a bold new hyper-SUV and sees the iconic Lotus sports car DNA evolved for a new generation of customers. These new Lotus models will be joined by three more EVs in the next four years – a four-door sports sedan (the Type 133, which launches in 2023), a second SUV (Type 134, in 2025) and a lightweight next-generation sports car (Type 135, in 2026). Lotus is also supporting other businesses in their desire to move to an all-electric future. The company’s Lightweight Electric Vehicle Architecture (LEVA) is the innovative new technology underpinning the Type 135 for Lotus, and is also commercially available through Lotus Engineering, the consultancy division of the business. The passion that Lotus owners have for the brand is also part of the sustainability story. Since 1948, when the first Lotus car was born, more than 105,000 have been built and Lotus estimates up to 70% are still in use. Lotus will become a net zero company through a commitment to become a Science-Based Target initiative (SBTi) organisation The ESG Charter commits Lotus to become a SBTi organisation. Using an SBTi provides guidance and methods to companies to set science-based targets in line with the latest climate science. The ultimate goal for Lotus is for certification as a net-zero company. This will be achieved through sustainability in the design of its products and the way they are manufactured, and is well underway today. The Driving Change commitment includes significant reduction in carbon emissions throughout the business; substantial elimination of waste; driving efficient and sustainable use of resources in both operations and supply chains; and protecting and preserving natural environments. Much of this work is already in progress. For example, Lotus is a proud signatory of the COP26 zero emissions vehicle declaration, uses a REGO (Renewable Energy Guarantees of Origin) energy tariff to power all UK sites, has installed energy sensors to monitor and analyse energy consumption and a solar array is in development to provide up to 30% of the total requirement. In addition, all human waste from the site is recycled and used to support local agriculture. The global community of Lotus colleagues – US LOT – will be at heart of global sustainable growth, ensuring all those inside the business are ‘called to action’ on the ESG priorities Lotus is and always will be a ‘people business’, constantly recognising teams of colleagues around the world. The global community of Lotus colleagues – collectively known as US LOT – will be at heart of its sustainable growth. Priority is given to the health and well-being of the entire Lotus community – both inside (employees and business partners) and outside the business (customers and fans) and this is key to the success of the business as it grows. The Driving Change ESG Charter also ensures that diversity, equality and inclusion continue to be aligned to the core culture of respect; these are the fundamentals which have been passed down through the last 74 years, from when founders Colin and Hazel Chapman built the first Lotus car in 1948. Lotus is fully committed to inspiring the next generation through education and global communities’ outreach programmes To help inspire the next generation of Lotus colleagues, the business is leveraging its unique global appeal to stimulate the ambitions of young people, especially in the creative STEAM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Mathematics). Educational outreach programmes, including school visits to Lotus manufacturing facilities and the Lotus Learning Academy, have proved popular with local communities, and will continue and evolve. Linked to this is how the company recognises that the Lotus family thrives beyond its site boundaries. It is already working with its communities outside the core business to provide support and stability within its environments. To underpin the new ESG Charter, Lotus is adopting and aligning its strategy to external frameworks including the UN Global Compact. These frameworks follow recognised and accepted best practice for like-minded organisations. They include commitments to transparent, responsible and ethical business management with complete compliance to all legislation, yet allow Lotus as it grows to remain nimble so governance processes can expand and evolve. To see the video which accompanies the new ESG Charter, click here The new ‘Driving Change’ ESG Charter is part of the Vision80 business transformation of Lotus and is one of the five Lotus Strategic Projects (the others being EV Readiness, UK Facilities Transformation, High Performance and Brand Maximisation).