Confidence is king Success comes from being confident; we need confidence to make decisions for the betterment of both our business and personal lives. We wouldn’t marry someone unless we’re confident we love and trust them; likewise, don’t go into business with someone unless you’re confident in their skill, commitment and honesty! James and Mark discuss the current lack of confidence in society that has followed lockdown, and the negative impact a lack of confidence can have. It can be catastrophic for businesses in particular, but there are ways in which we can reprogramme our brains to find the positives in any given situation and reframe our thinking. They look at the process of comparing our inner thoughts with other people’s external projections; how to influence and encourage; the nature vs nurture argument; and how understanding what confidence really is and how to achieve it will ultimately lead to success. For show notes, how to get in touch with the podcast team and to listen to the podcast, click below. Listen here!
Photo of the centenary clock at Swaffham GC. Kind-hearted golfers are getting in the swing and hoping to putt much-needed funds for a leading children’s hospice. Two special events are being planned at Swaffham Golf Club, including resident professional Nic Cains, assistant Ethan Roberts and members Kyle Edge and Tom Rudge taking on a marathon round of 100 holes on Monday, 4th July. A golf-themed family fun day is also being held and both events are in aid of East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH), which supports families and cares for children and young people with life-threatening conditions across Norfolk. Swaffham GC member Malcolm Tibble, who is on the club’s centenary committee, said: “Nic, Ethan, Kyle and Tom are teeing off at first light and will continue until the last putt is sunk. “It equates to five and a half rounds and members will be making way for them as they try to complete the 100 holes before nightfall. “Nic, our professional, suggested the challenge and hopefully between them they can raise as much as possible for EACH. “It’s a wonderful charity and one that everyone at the club is keen to support. “There’s no doubt it’s going to be a slog and playing 100 holes in one day is going to require a huge amount of fuel – in the golfers, not their buggy! – to keep going for about 15 hours. “Al Cairns, owner of Pedlars Hall Café, is providing breakfast baps mid-morning and sandwiches and cake in the afternoon – vital sources of energy which the guys will munch on the march. What a wonderful gesture.” Also sponsoring the event are Swaffham Carpet and Bedding Centre and AIR Accountancy Services. To sponsor the quartet and support EACH, head here. The family fun day is taking place at Swaffham Golf Club on Sunday, 10th July. There will be face painting for children, in addition to a chipping competition, crazy golf and a tombola, which includes the prize of lunch for four at Pedlars Hall Café. “What with this being our centenary year, we’re also hoping to encourage more young people to take up the sport so will be offering free taster sessions throughout the afternoon,” added Malcolm. “Hopefully it’ll prove another successful, tremendous day and we’ll have collection pots at the club, with all donations going to EACH.”
Photo of Mum Helen Sadler and Daughter Erin A major fundraiser inspired by Morrisons to support charities like East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH) has already hit £1 million. The supermarket giant is working with national charity Together for Short Lives, which supports the UK’s children’s hospices, including EACH, which cares for children and young people across Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and Cambridgeshire. It is part of a flagship three-year-partnership launched in February. The aim is to raise vital funds for children’s hospices across the country, including EACH’s services at The Nook, near Norwich, The Treehouse, in Ipswich, and at Milton, near Cambridge. The hope is to raise £10 million over the course of three years – and in just over four months the figure already proudly stands at over £1m. EACH Director of Fundraising Kevin Clements said: “We said from the beginning that this would be transformational and what an amazing start to Morrisons’ fundraising partnership, hitting £1m already. “It’s incredibly exciting to think of the difference this money will make, in terms of the care and support we offer children, young people and families across East Anglia. “It’s amazing news and we’re so very grateful to Morrisons. “Both staff and customers should be extremely proud of all they are doing, making a tangible difference to help so many.” The partnership is benefitting children like eight-year-old Erin Sadler, who has a number of complex, life-threatening health issues, including some that affect her heart, kidneys and liver. It means she requires care 24 hours a day, seven days a week and both Erin and mum Helen receive care and support from EACH. Helen said: “Hitting this milestone so quickly really is a fantastic achievement. “The care and support we receive makes such a difference to myself and Erin, just as it does so many other families across East Anglia. “We’re incredibly grateful to everyone who has contributed and played some part in this fundraising partnership. Keep up the amazing work!” EACH prides itself on its family-centred approach, caring not only for children and young people but also their parents, carers, brothers, sisters, grandparents and sometimes friends. They benefit from specialist nursing care, symptom management nursing, short breaks, wellbeing activities, therapies, care at end of life, bereavement support, counselling and volunteer services in the family home. Together for Short Lives CEO Andy Fletcher said: “The creativity and enthusiasm shown by Morrisons colleagues up and down the country during the first four months of our partnership has been amazing! “A huge thank you from Together for Short Lives to everyone who has worked so hard to reach the £1m milestone – it will make such a difference to families caring for a seriously ill child.” The partnership began with a ‘Butterfly Bonanza’, when staff and customers were encouraged to get involved and Together for Short Lives’ famous butterfly flew up and down the country in support of seriously ill children. Morrisons CEO David Potts added: “We’re pleased to have reached the £1m milestone for Together for Short Lives. “Our colleagues and customers are passionate about raising vital funds for local children’s hospices so they can provide seriously ill children and their families with opportunities to spend very highly valued time together.”
Photo of Griff Rhys Jones. Comedian Griff Rhys Jones has helped a leading children’s hospice scoop a coveted fundraising award thanks to its Happy Christmas Ipswich spectacular. East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH) was victorious during the Chartered Institute of Fundraising East Anglia Awards ceremony on Tuesday night. The category was Event/Campaign of the Year and EACH prevailed thanks to its hugely-successful Happy Christmas Ipswich 2 showstopper, staged in collaboration with Griff and held at The Regent Theatre last December. The charity, which supports families and cares for children and young people with life-threatening conditions, already knew it had been shortlisted and highly commended for the event, which raised a staggering £92,000. However, it was announced as the award winner during a virtual ceremony. Griff said: “Well, this is really Happy Christmas for EACH – and all its great work. The whole fundraising team is to be congratulated and so many people do so much. “Especially big thanks to all the artistes who visit ye olde Ippeswiche. Big names, big laffs and me. “Watch this space, though, because Happy Christmas Ipswich 3 is on its way. Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without it. Bigger and bouncier and even more fun. A Christmas present for a really important service – one East Anglia can be proud of.” EACH Events Manager Becky Redbond was delighted to receive the award. She said: “We’re absolutely thrilled to have won this very prestigious East Anglia Institute of Fundraising Award. “It’s fantastic and much-appreciated recognition for Happy Christmas Ipswich 2, which was such a resounding success last December. “We’re extremely thankful to Griff, who pulled out all the stops and is such a loyal and tireless supporter. “Thanks to him, this event was a major highlight of our fundraising year. He dipped into his book of celebrity contacts once again and did EACH proud. “Staff members and volunteers also pulled together and it truly was a team effort, starting with months of planning, followed by a huge reliance on so many people to make sure everything ran smoothly on the night. “It will live long in the memory and be remembered with huge fondness by everyone involved, as well as those fortunate enough to be there on the night.” Happy Christmas 2 was a fun-packed night of laughs, music and entertainment and followed the first event of its type, held in 2019. It featured household names including Eddie Izzard, Johnny Vegas, Stephen Fry and Clive Anderson, as well as music from West End star Ruthie Henshall. In addition, a series of fun clips of celebrities reading out their favourite cracker jokes was shown on the big screen before and during the show. Huge names including Ant and Dec, speaking from the set of I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here!, Graham Norton and David Walliams got in the spirit and responded to Griff’s request. Another highlight was a special film showed at the end of the first half, before cutting to a call-to-action donation page. It was about Erin Sadler, who has complex, life-threatening health conditions and receives care at The Treehouse, in Ipswich. The film featured a powerful interview with mum Helen and was well-received on the night, with one audience member donating £2,000. “Despite being one of the first major events of this nature since pre-Covid times, there was incredibly strong community and corporate engagement, tickets sold out within three days of a media launch and the event raised over £90,000,” added Becky. “Generating funds was the prime objective but the evening was also hugely successful in terms of raising awareness of the vital work we do. “Despite this success, we’re never content to rest on our laurels and the planning process is already well underway ahead of Happy Christmas Ipswich 3, in December.” Emily Carpenter, chair of the Chartered Institute of Fundraising East Anglia Awards committee, said EACH should be proud of its Happy Christmas Ipswich event. She said: “In one of the most competitive nomination categories, this event stood out to us as a brilliant example of cross-organisation collaboration. “It utilised networks and rallied a community together to surpass all expectations, both financial and in terms of awareness. “We were delighted to choose EACH as the winners of our Campaign/Event of the Year category for 2022.” In addition to The Treehouse, EACH has two other hospices – The Nook, just outside Norwich, and at Milton, near Cambridge. Photos from left to right – Clive Anderson, Ruthie Henshall and Johnny Vegas, Ruthie Henshall with Westdal and Hayward, Stephen Fry and The EACH volunteers.
Photo credit – Chantry Place Global lifestyle retailer Urban Outfitters is arriving in Norfolk next year when it opens at Chantry Place in Norwich. Spread across two floors in the former Carluccio’s unit on the upper ground floor overlooking Chantry Square, with additional space on the lower ground floor, the store will feature a well-curated mix of on-trend women’s and men’s clothes. Paul McCarthy, general manager at Chantry Place, said: “Urban Outfitters has consistently been voted as the number one brand that our customers want at the Centre and this is hugely significant for Chantry Place and for Norwich to have such a leading global clothing and lifestyle brand investing with us. Urban Outfitters will strengthen the offering for on-trend men’s and women’s clothing, and compliments many of our other brands including Zara, H&M, Schuh and House of Fraser. This is just the latest, and not the last, in new brands coming to Chantry Place soon.” Urban Outfitters is a lifestyle retailer dedicated to inspiring customers through a unique combination of product, creativity and cultural understanding. Founded in 1970 in a small space across the street from the University of Pennsylvania, Urban Outfitters now operates over 200 stores in the United States, Canada and Europe, offering experiential retail environments and a well-curated mix of on-trend women’s and men’s clothes, from dresses, denim and graphics to shoes, hats, and bags, as well as beauty, lingerie, swim and a collection of handpicked vintage clothing known as Urban Renewal. Urban Outfitters also stocks a UO Home collection and a Music & Tech collection. The new store at Chantry Place is over 10,000 sq ft. The only other Urban Outfitters in East Anglia is in Cambridge. Other recent additions to Chantry Place include Whistles, Phase Eight and Hobbs. For more information on Chantry Place, visit www.ChantryPlace.co.uk or follow chantryplacenorwich on social media.
The 12th Man Radio Show, which is dedicated to helping men talk openly about mental health, by making it part of our everyday conversation, has been renewed by Future Radio, following the show’s success. Suicide is the biggest killer of men under 45 and Norfolk has one of the highest suicide rates in the UK. The struggles many of us faced during the pandemic brought mental health into even sharper focus, prompting Future Radio and the 12th Man campaign to come together to produce a show dedicated to getting men talking about their mental health. The 12th Man is a bit like a football crowd – when a team is playing well and winning, the crowd is happy and creates a positive atmosphere. However, the team actually needs the 12th Man more when it’s struggling for form, and the 12th Man Radio Show helps people to support their friends, family and colleagues with their mental health. The 12th Man campaign provides Mental Health First Aid training to trades and interest groups, giving men the knowledge and confidence to talk about mental health and to use these skills to be the 12th Man at work and in their social lives. Since the 12th Man Radio Show first aired on Future Radio, it has broadcast almost 30 episodes and featured a range of guests talking about their own personal circumstances, what they do to improve their mental health and how they’ve contributed to the 12th Man’s aims of developing a community that is skilled and confident enough to talk. The show’s success has meant that men feel more empowered to talk openly about the pressures and challenges of life, knowing that they don’t have to face their issues alone. Nick Little – Co-founder of the 12th Man Campaign and host of the 12th Man Radio Show said: “We are delighted to be able to continue our association with Future Radio. The show will help us with our aim of increasing awareness of mental health among men in Norwich and Norfolk, and we hope to inspire listeners to learn that talking is a strength” Christopher Remer – Business Development Manager at Future Radio said: “The 12th Man Radio Show is a great asset to Future Radio. Since the launch of the show we have been very proud to be involved with the 12th Man campaign and to play a part in lowering the stigma surrounding men’s mental health. Our partnership with Nick and the campaign has gone a long way toward helping us fulfill Future Radio’s charitable objectives. Providing a resource to benefit those struggling with mental health issues is particularly important now, with increasing reports of the mental health crisis taking its toll on so many. For further information please contact Christopher Remer on 01603 250 056 or c.remer@futureradio.co.uk. Photo – Nick Little, Director and Co-founder of the 12th Man Campaign
A Greater Anglia train. Credit: Greater Anglia Greater Anglia is urging people to avoid travelling on its trains this Saturday, as the rail service is due to be severely disrupted due to a strike by train drivers. Timetables are now available for this weekend’s Greater Anglia services. Over 90 per cent of Greater Anglia’s trains will not run on Saturday 2 July as members of train drivers’ union ASLEF carry out a 24-hour strike on the Greater Anglia network. There will be no regional or branch line services on Saturday. Other services will be dramatically reduced. There will be no Greater Anglia trains between Cambridge North, Cambridge and London Liverpool Street, but Great Northern will be running its usual Saturday services between Cambridge and London Kings Cross. Where trains are running, there will be a severely reduced service. The Norwich-London Liverpool Street intercity service will be limited just to six trains in each direction across the whole day, with the last train back to Norwich at 21.30. The Colchester-London Liverpool Street and Stansted Express services will also have reduced hours and significantly fewer trains, with later start and earlier finish times than normal, with the last train back from London to Colchester at 22.30 and from London to Stansted Airport at 21.55. Trains between Southend Victoria and London Liverpool Street will run across the usual operating hours, but with far fewer trains than normal – just one train an hour – and the last train from London back to Southend at 00.50. There will be no rail replacement buses to replace trains not running because of the strikes. Sunday services will start later in the morning than usual as the 24-hour strike has a knock-on effect into the next day. Passengers should check before they travel. First train times for the majority of services will be from 07.00/07.30, with the service getting back to normal by early afternoon. Anyone who has pre-booked tickets to travel on strike days can change them, use them to travel on the day before or up to two days after their original travel date, 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. Passengers are recommended to plan their journey and book assistance in advance. People travelling to the Guns ‘N Roses concert at Tottenham Hotspur’s stadium will not be able to get to the stadium or back on Greater Anglia trains. Suggested alternatives include using the Victoria line on the Underground or using London Overground to get there. The strike will also affect people travelling to see Adele at Hyde Park on Saturday, who are also advised to make alternative arrangements. Services from other train operators in the region including c2c, GTR, Cross Country and EMR are due to run as planned on Saturday. Jamie Burles, Greater Anglia managing director, said: “Please avoid travelling on our trains this Saturday. Unfortunately, with our drivers on strike, it’s only possible to run a heavily reduced service and only on some routes. “We can’t replace all the trains not running due to the strike with rail replacement buses, so it will just be an extremely limited train service running on Saturday, so we strongly advise passengers to make alternative arrangements. “We are very sorry for the disruption this strike causes our customers. We know that many of our customers will have been looking forward to travelling on Saturday to see family and friends, for days out to the coast, for holidays and for the many concerts and sporting events in London. “Work is continuing at an industry level to try to resolve the dispute as soon as possible.” More information about how industrial action will affect rail journeys and how to apply for ticket changes or refunds are available on the Greater Anglia website. There will be no services running on the following routes on Saturday 2 July:
Between London Liverpool Street and Cambridge North
Between Norwich and Cambridge/Stansted Airport, Sheringham, Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth
Between Ipswich and Cambridge, Peterborough, Felixstowe and Lowestoft
Between Marks Tey and Sudbury
All other branch lines: Hertford East to Broxbourne, Braintree to Witham, Southminster to Wickford, Harwich Town to Manningtree, Clacton/Walton-on-the-Naze to Colchester, Colchester Town to Colchester, Meridian Water to Stratford.
A very limited and much reduced service – with fewer trains running and so fewer seats available – will run on the following routes:
Norwich to London Liverpool Street intercity service – six trains in each direction for the whole day, with first and last trains from Norwich to Liverpool Street at 07.00 and 19.00, and first and last trains from Liverpool Street to Norwich at 09.30 and 21.30.
Colchester to London Liverpool Street stopping service – one stopping train every two hours, plus six intercity services in each direction across the whole day with the first and last stopping services from Colchester to London Liverpool Street at 06.43 and 20.43 and from London Liverpool Street to Colchester at 08.30 and 22.30.
Southend Victoria to London Liverpool Street – one train an hour with first and last trains from Southend Victoria to London Liverpool Street at 04.00 and 23.00, and from London Liverpool Street to Southend Victoria at 05.36 and 00.50.
Stansted Express Stansted Airport to London Liverpool Street – one train an hour with first and last trains from Stansted Airport to London Liverpool Street at 05.22 and 21.42 and from London Liverpool Street to Stansted Airport at 04.10 and 21.55
Chantry Place has unveiled the dinosaurs that have stomped into the Centre this summer for GoGoDiscover 2022 as it hosts six large T.rex sculptures and 30 Breakasaurus T.rex sculptures from now until 10th September 2022. As well as the return of Afternoon Tea-Rex, the T.rex that Chantry Place has sponsored, and the amazing T-Wrecks, new dinosaurs for 2022 include Sirdavidsaurus Rex, T-RAFFE, The Golden King and Paintosaurus. Chantry Place is a presenting partner of GoGoDiscover 2022 and also plays host to 30 mini Breakasaurus T.rex as part of the GoGoDiscover Learning & Community Programme with packs found on the dining terrace, in House of Fraser and in Langleys window at the Centre. The large sculptures can be found on each floor of the Centre, as well as on Chantry Square. Paul McCarthy, General Manager at Chantry Place, comments: “The 2021 trail was incredible but this year it has got even bigger with more dinosaurs to discover in Norwich and new Steppe Mammoth sculptures scattered around Norfolk. The dinosaurs we have this year are truly outstanding and children will love spotting all the animals on the Sir David Attenborough inspired one, and one even has braille – the first time a sculpture has had it. Break are also going to be at Chantry Place on a few select dates throughout the summer too, and we hope that the trail and auction this year raises lots of money for the charity . The creativity and skill shown by the local schools and community groups who have decorated the smaller T.rex sculptures is really inspiring and the sculptures have really brightened up the Centre.” The GoGoDiscover charity sculpture trail is delivered by East Anglian based children’s charity Break, in partnership with Wild in Art. Each sculpture has been decorated by local and national artists and sponsored by businesses from across the region. While the trail is free, people who have enjoyed the sculptures can donate to Break via text or on the website, so that Break can continue to transform futures and change the lives of vulnerable children and young people across the region. For more information on Chantry Place, visit www.ChantryPlace.co.uk or follow chantryplacenorwich on social media.
SaxonAir Chief Executive Officer Alex Durand Photo credit: SaxonAir While the popular view of aviation, and especially business aviation, casts the industry as an environmental villain, the opposite is closer to the truth. SaxonAir’s quest to tackle the dual challenges of sustainability and resilience resulted in a recent Wild Weekend event, with local companies and organisations joining forces at Norwich Airport. Paul E Eden spoke with SaxonAir CEO Alex Durand to find out more. Alex Durand, CEO of Norwich, UK-based SaxonAir and Vice-Chair of the British Business and General Aviation Association, came to the industry through a route less travelled, starting out on the operations desk at London Oxford Airport and learning the business of aviation from there. A private pilot’s license and flying job followed before Alex’s interest refocussed on operations. He looks back fondly on those early days but admits to learning a few difficult lessons that left him momentarily disillusioned. That dampening of enthusiasm lasted little more than 24 hours though, a new opportunity seeing him immediately reverse his decision to leave the industry. A few years later, the CEO role at SaxonAir was offered and Alex was hooked. Today he brims with an infectious aviation enthusiasm. SaxonAir’s business jets and helicopters share ramp space with helicopters serving North Sea gas operations. Alex is as impassioned on the subject of sustainability as he is aviation, and the irony of those offshore helicopters is not lost on him. But he is also a realist, stressing the importance of doing well that which we can achieve now, rather than waiting only for the ultimate promise of tomorrow. To that extent, he and Wellbeing & Sustainability Manager Rebekah Hill are working hard to achieve and promote sustainable aviation through available technologies in the short-term, while continuing to run a successful business and preparing to embrace tomorrow’s solutions. Alex believes that a sustainable SaxonAir will also be resilient, so while his focus is partly on securing supplies of sustainable aviation fuel, ensuring emissions from flying activities and infrastructure are measured, managed and offset, and offering charging facilities for electric vehicles and aircraft, he also has an eye on the industrywide challenge of recruiting young people. Through these combined sustainability and resilience efforts, Alex quickly realised that SaxonAir was not alone in its quest among local companies and organisations. A significant result of that realisation, the company hosted a Wild Weekend event on 27/28 May, in collaboration with Explorers Against Extinction. Kicked off with a presentation from Explorers Against Extinction at a networking day on 27 May, the event explored the positive contribution of aviation to sustainability and the environment. It also included guest speakers from organisations including NEBOair, which is proving the viability of electric-aircraft passenger operations, and NUNCATS, an organisation pioneering electric aviation within remote communities and among sport flyers, while also promoting and providing opportunities for STEM engagement. Alongside these and other presentations, including a surprising talk from the Chet Vineyard on sustainable wine growing in Norfolk, the SaxonAir hangar hosted displays on sustainable airport infrastructure, an electric Pipistrel aircraft from NEBOair and an impressive array of electric cars from Porsche Centre Norwich. Alex believes the combined challenges of sustainability and resilience are ongoing and to that end, SaxonAir, NUNCATS and the Norwich International Aviation Academy are combining forces this summer to provide hands-on STEM learning, providing local youngsters with the opportunity to become involved in building the UK’s first electric lightplane. Challenges undoubtedly lay ahead, but Alex is optimistic. “I’m as excited as ever about coming in to work every day. It’s good to see change at SaxonAir, but also in the industry. Every day I see so much possibility and I enjoy challenges. The way to achieve the seemingly impossible is always to take the first step.”
If you are looking to create an e-commerce site, mobile-first design is something that in today’s digital world, is pretty much a non-negotiable.
The past decade has seen a complete reshape to not only how shoppers shop, but more so how they expect to shop. And with a growing population of mobile device users, the only way to push users through the purchasing tunnel is to grab their attention with strong and compelling user experiences.
The days when e-commerce sites were built with only desktop users in mind have long gone and the expectation of the modern m-commerce (mobile commerce) shopper means that as web designers, we need to understand that if the experience isn’t up to scratch, shoppers will simply shop elsewhere.
Unfortunately, a mobile friendly e-commerce site simply isn’t enough for today’s mobile shoppers. With the vast, and ever increasing, amount of e-commerce competition out there, users need to be inspired and excited by a site to encourage them through the sales funnel, before they begin browsing elsewhere.
You don’t have to go too far back when the majority of shoppers had hesitations about putting their bank details into their phone and making a purchase from their mobile device. For the early adopters, a laptop or computer was the more trusted and reliable device to make an online purchase from. But with over 5.32 billion mobile phone users in the world today, the adoption of mobile shopping has hugely grown in popularity, to a point where it is pretty much now the preferred device due to the ease of use and freedom to purchase anything, anywhere at any time.
In order for a website to be optimised for mobile use, it has to be responsive with no lagginess or awkward alignments – if it has these then it doesn’t leave a great first impression. The Diss Ironworks website is perfect to demonstrate an uncompromisable responsive site. Diss Ironworks are located in Diss and sell luxury homeware and appliances. With such a large selection of products, it is essential that they communicate clearly what they sell, they have achieved this with an easy navigation and a clear checkout link.
So, what can you do to make your mobile e-commerce experience unforgettable?
Firstly, website design. Both mobile and desktop should be tailored to the desired audience and relevant to your industry. But if you ensure that key calls to action stand out and easy navigation is implemented, you are on the right track to creating a strong mobile experience.
As an e-commerce business, optimising your website to fit in with the aims of your target audience is a sure way to raise conversions, put you one step ahead of your competition, and create a level of trust with users that you know what you’re doing. Putting across your unique selling points and incorporating a design that supports these is key to winning over your target audience.
At Nu Image, we are extremely passionate about websites, especially ones that are fully responsive to any device size. We are always looking for a new challenge, so if you don’t want to have to sacrifice a stunning website for mobile friendliness, we’re the right people for you.If you need a bespoke mobile friendly website for your e-commerce business then get in touch with us today on 01603 859007 to get started on the journey to e-commerce success.
Photo of Carol Gavriks A Norwich-based Account Manager is set to take a giant leap for a local charity, by plunging 13,000 feet out of a plane. Carol Gavriks, Account Manager at legal technology firm Tiger Eye, will be undertaking a sky dive next month to raise funds for the company’s charity of the year – Norfolk and Waveney Mind. The dive will take place on Friday 22nd July at Beccles Airfield. During the tandem skydive, Carol is set to reach speeds of over 120 miles per hour in this once in a lifetime thrill-seeking experience. On the dive, Carol commented: “A tandem skydive has been on my bucket list for many years, and when the opportunity came to fundraise for this vital cause while completing my lifelong dream, I snapped up the opportunity.” Norfolk and Waveney Mind was nominated as Tiger Eye’s charity of the year back in January. Whilst part of the Mind network, Norfolk and Waveney Mind are an independent charity who raise their own funds. The charity supports those within the community with their mental health and wellbeing from prevention support to crisis support, offering an extensive range of mental health services, along with associated training, advice, and information. On the chosen charity, Carol added: “I first became aware of this wonderful charity when I needed support after giving birth to my daughter and was struggling with my mental health. I was very grateful to have my family members, friends and other professionals supporting me during that time. It made me think how I could return the favour to support others now and encourage them to talk to professionals, or have access to a charity like Norfolk and Waveney Mind, the local mental health charity that believes no one should have to face a mental health problem alone!” To donate and support Carol in reaching her ambitious £1000 target, visit: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/carol-gavriks
● Leading blockchain development platform, Polygon, and UK based blockchain community ETHAnglia to partner with Norwich companies – Akcela, and Tech Educators – creating a new ‘Builders hub’ to build a powerhouse of blockchain innovation.
● The partnership will deliver a world-first Polygon-supplied coding boot camp to train over 200 developers to code using blockchain technology over the next 10 months, along with community and investment support.
Norwich, England, June 28, 2022 — Norwich based tech incubator, Akcela, and coding boot camp Tech Educators today announce a partnership with blockchain community ETHAnglia and tech giant and leading Ethereum scaling solution – Polygon – to deliver a world-first ‘builder hub’ which will lead a boot camp, running with a Polygon-designed program. This affirms ETHAnglia and Akcela’s ongoing aim to support the UK, starting with the East of England, to become a powerhouse of creative, use case-based engineers building with blockchain technology. The Akcela incubator, based in the centre of Norwich, has partnered with Polygon to provide facilities, workspace and a network of entrepreneurs and advisors to support the new bootcamp, which Norwich-based Tech Educators will run. Polygon – which recently raised $450m from an investment round led by Sequoia Capital India, valuing the ecosystem at $20bn – will support the partnership by helping to showcase the initiative on a global stage. As projects start to demonstrate traction, Polygon will also commit support through:
– access to world-class speakers and mentors,
– social and community-building events,
– welcome vouchers with a value of up to $40000
– grants for early-stage concepts, ranging from $5000 – $15000
– smart contract auditing,
– hosting packages
– providing introductions to scaling VC investment
Tech Educators, the coding boot camp based within the Akcela incubator, has been given access to the high-quality web3 coding boot camp program from Polygon, with the target of training over 200 developers to code using the technology over the next 10 months. These courses will be offered free of charge, both in-person and online. James Adams, Managing Director at Akcela and one of the founding team at ETHAnglia explained how this marks a significant step forward towards the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak’s vision on making the UK a ‘global cryptoasset hub’. “Furthering our relationship with Polygon in such a concise and action-orientated manner is a leap forward with our vision of developing the capability for blockchain, starting in Norwich, the East of England and then ultimately across the UK. We have all heard the vision of Rishi Sunak to make the UK a ‘global cryptoasset hub’ – if we are going to do that, we need the developers, the creatives and the entrepreneurs to build high-quality projects that solve real-world problems. We believe we have all the requirements with this partnership to accelerate education and community to deliver those very building blocks and the support structures to create the businesses that contribute to that vision.” Akcela and Tech Educators have both demonstrated strong capabilities in the blockchain space since launching in 2021. The Akcela incubator is home to a number of businesses working with blockchain technologies, some of which are already attracting investment from well-respected global investors such as Animoca. In addition, Tech Educators has already helped to grow two pre-launch businesses that started from the first EVM-based blockchain coding bootcamp.