We can now reveal the opening date for the arrival of high-end brands Hobbs, Whistles and Phase Eight when luxury fashion retailer group TFG London brings them to Chantry Place.The contemporary and luxury womenswear brands will open on the upper ground floor at Chantry Place on Thursday 21st April at midday.To celebrate the opening, shoppers will be treated to a choice of gifts on any transaction over £150 while stocks last. Spread across two levels, the store will also feature a styling suite and visitors will be able to shop effortlessly stylish wardrobe solutions for work, weekends and special occasions. Original article – https://chantryplace.co.uk/date-announced-for-opening-of-phase-eight-whistles-and-hobbs-at-chantry-place/
Global roll-out of sculptural and artistic new retail environment continues
“As we evolve and expand our product range, we are enhancing the Lotus customer experience” – Geoff Dowding, Executive Director, Sales and Aftersales
More Lotus Centres will adopt new visual identity in coming months
The ongoing transformation of the Lotus global retail network continues apace, with showrooms worldwide now upgrading to the brand’s new visual identity. The UK, North America and mainland Europe now have sites fully installed with the new look, and more will follow in the coming months. The first Lotus showroom to integrate the new retail identity opened in the Kingdom of Bahrain last autumn. Sculptural and artistic in its execution, it draws directly on the company’s design and engineering prowess, capturing the energy of the brand as it transforms from a UK sports car company to a global performance car business and brand. In the UK, the first showroom to be completed is Lotus Exeter (above), a solus site operated by Hendy Group. It’s at Marsh Barton, the largest retail park in the south-west and the city’s main destination for automotive retail customers. In the USA, Lotus Dallas (top) is operated by Earth Motorcars, the leader in the luxury and exotic car market in the Dallas-Fort Worth area of Texas. The business is a key participant in a local monthly auto show, an event which draws thousands of car enthusiasts who are learning about the exciting future of Lotus. In Europe, the teams at the first two showrooms to feature the new retail identity celebrated by staging events to introduce their customers to the Lotus Emira. In Brussels, Belgium (above), an all-new Lotus showroom has been delivered by the highly respected Sterckx-Desmet automotive group. In Italy, Lotus Turin (below), is a long-standing partner of the brand which has invested in the new retail identity to improve the experience for customers. Geoff Dowding, Executive Director, Sales and Aftersales, Lotus, commented: “As we evolve and expand our product range, we are enhancing the Lotus customer experience. The physical transformation of our retailers and retail agencies worldwide, coupled with the launch of our digital e-commerce platform, is a key element of that process.”
Howes Percival’s corporate, commercial, and banking (CCB) team has seen a strong start to the year, completing 37 deals with a combined value of just over £299.5 million in Q1. The large volume of completed deals at the start of 2022 is a result of ongoing high levels of M&A, financing and restructuring activity, and the strength and depth of expertise of the Howes Percival team. Recent strategic, senior hires have bolstered and expanded the leading law firm’s services to clients. Howes Percival’s rapidly growing CCB practice advises clients on significant and transformational acquisitions and disposals and the full range of contractual matters. It also provides a dedicated banking and finance service to banks, financial institutions, funds, and other lenders. Since the beginning of the year, the team have advised on a substantial pipeline of transactions for owner-managed businesses, including:
Advising on the management buyout of independent bicycle retailer, Pedal Revolution,
Advising Stuga Machinery on its sale to Stürtz Group,
Advising on the management buyout of Blue Alligator Company,
Advising Bright Star Financial Limited on a share buyback of Omni Equity Partners LLC’s shares,
Advising the shareholders of Cave and Sons Investments on a partial sale to Macintyre Hudson.
Andy Harris, partner, and head of Howes Percival’s CCB team, commented, “We’ve had an incredibly strong start to 2022. We’re reaping the rewards of a concerted focus on recruitment into the team and increasing our capacity. We’ve been able to promote some really good people, alongside bringing in top lawyers, who have decided to develop their career with us. Our growing reputation has enabled us to attract talent from much larger law firms – specialists who are known experts in their field – and our clients have reacted very positively to their arrival. We’ve been able to add a further seven hires since the summer, building on the 50% growth we’ve had in the team since 2019. “The sheer variety of the transactions has been very interesting – we’ve seen a lot of activity across all of our sector specialisms, with deals ranging in value from £50,000 to over £100 million, and the depth and balance we now have at all levels in the team means we can always provide a cost-effective solution, whatever the deal size.” Recent high-profile recruits include senior partner and head of commercial, Paula Dumbill, from Browne Jacobson, and corporate and venture capital specialist, Tom Redman from Dentons. Andy Harris continued, “The war in the Ukraine and spiralling energy costs are giving everyone pause for thought, and we will all have to see how things are the other side of the summer, and the effects on consumers who will have less spare cash. But at the moment our pipeline remains strong, and the after-effects of the pandemic are continuing to fuel activity. The increased reliance on technology over the past two years is here to stay as the demand for innovation and automation continues. Similarly, while supply challenges are impacting manufacturers at the various points in the automotive supply chain, a lot of our motor dealer clients had a very good 2021, with pent up demand for new cars. With our focus spread across different sectors we often see a tapering off in activity in some areas, offset by an increase in others. The healthcare sector is one that is proving resilient to most economic curveballs.” Howes Percival is ranked in the ‘UK’s 100 Best Large Companies to Work For 2021’ and in the top 5 Best Law Firms in the country to work for.1. For more information on Howes Percival’s corporate advisory services visit: https://www.howespercival.com/services/corporate/
Peerless Plastics & Coatings Ltd. are pleased to announce that as of the end of March they have acquired RS Coatings Ltd. Peerless Plastics & Coatings, a manufacturer of protective hard coatings for plastics (including anti-microbial & anti-fog coatings), based in Thetford (UK), offer flexible, bespoke, protective hard coating solutions to all its customers the world over. Offering a complete chain solution from design, research & development, supply, to full production processes. It prides itself in the ability to tailor it’s processes to individual company and market requirements and has done for over 30 years. As well as offering a range of hard coatings for plastic substrates, Peerless also offer:
Large format digital printing
Large format screen printing
Tampo printing
High precision plastic and wood machining & fabrication
Spray painting facilities
Design, research & development
Assembly services
RS Coatings Ltd. is an innovative British company specialising in the application of coating solutions for the protection and decoration of plastic and metallic components. It originated in 1999 offering the spraying of conductive coatings as a preferred shielding solution for manufacturers of electronic products. Additional operations and processes have subsequently been developed, including aesthetic applications for product enhancement, hard-coat and scratch resistant lacquers, pad & digital printing, CNC machining, plastic injection moulding and secondary operations. RS Coatings comprehensive facilities include:
Spray-painting for conductive and cosmetic applications
Automated hard-coat plant
Design and manufacture of distinct and reliable paint masking tools and paint masking jigs
Plastic Injection Moulding Machines ranging up to 240 TON
CNC machining & fabrication
Modelling and Prototyping
Digital Printing
Multi-station & multi-colour PAD Printing facilities
In-house tool-room to manufacture & maintain tooling
CAD and technical support from initial design to volume production
The acquisition of RS Coatings by Peerless Plastics & Coatings means that combined there is over 50 years of experience in the coatings industry that is brought to each project and the list of services provided means that you really are getting a full-service experience that can save costs and help to lower carbon footprints across a variety of projects. The combined forces of Peerless Plastics & Coatings and RS Coatings will offer a unique range of services.Peerless Plastics & Coatings Managing Director, Peter Llewellyn-Stamp, said “We plan to build upon the excellent work RS Coatingshave done over many years offering ingenious solutions to a wide range of technical challenges in many industries.With the full range of capabilities the Peerless/RS Group possess, we will be perfectly placed to continue servicing Plastic Sheet Extruders, Automotive, EV, Rail, Medical, Retail and Construction sectors and expand this offering of services into new areas of industry.RS Coatings specifically brings the opportunity for the Peerless/RS Group to supply hard coated injection moulded parts to EV, Automotive, Lighting and other similar industries. Additionally, we will look to expand upon the existing Retail and Point Of Sale business currently serviced by the two companies, utilising our wood and plastic fabrication services, large format digital print and high-end paint capabilities.This acquisition is the next stage of our growth as a business, focussed on providing our customers with the very best quality and service together with sustainable plastic solutions.Both Laurie and Miren (pictured with Peter) will continue working with the Peerless/RS Coatings Group following the acquisition, focusing on R&D, business development and technical advisory services. The addition of Laurie, Miren and the team at RS Coatings brings many years of engineering expertise to the Peerless Group and will serve to strengthen the offering to our customers.”https://www.peerless-coatings.co.uk/rs-coatings-acquisition/
12 April 2022: With construction of its new full fibre network for Norwich now well underway in the city, CityFibre, the UK’s largest independent full fibre platform, welcomed Chloe Smith MP for Norwich North for a tour of the works, giving her a closer look at the £50m project.
During the visit, Ms. Smith met representatives from CityFibre and was introduced to full fibre digital infrastructure, the best network technology currently available. She was also provided with demonstrations of the typical build process, including excavation and reinstatement.
The project forms part of CityFibre’s up to £4bn Gigabit City Investment Programme which will bring full fibre networks within reach of up to 8m homes and businesses across the UK.
Unlike the majority of the digital infrastructure accessible to households today, full fibre networks use 100% fibre optic cables to carry data at light speed all the way from the home to the point of connection. This gives users consistently faster speeds for upload and download (up to 1,000 Mbps), near limitless bandwidth and connectivity users can depend on.
Speaking of the tour, Charles Kitchin, CityFibre’s Area Manager for Norwich, said: “It’s great to see such enthusiasm and excitement for the digital infrastructure that we’re building beneath the streets of Norwich. This new network will enable unbeatable homeworking and digital entertainment experiences. We look forward to giving residents more of a choice when it comes to connectivity.
“Aside from the benefits it will bring to residents on a personal level, this new and improved digital network will drive a range of economic benefits for the whole city, such as making us more productive and innovative. As the world moves increasingly online, full fibre will future-proof Norwich and make it one of the best-connected communities in the UK.”
Commenting on the progress of CityFibre’s £50m project,Chloe Smith MP for Norwich North, said: “It was great to visit the team at CityFibre and learn more about the really extensive programme across the city that will allow Gigabit speed broadband services to be supplied to homes & businesses in Norwich North.
“This Full Fibre network is a huge step forward in Norwich. It’s never been more needed and I am delighted to see such investment and commitment taking place in Norwich.”
Construction is being delivered by Telec Networks on behalf of CityFibre. The team is using a range of construction methods while working in close partnership with Norwich City Council, Norfolk County Council and the local community to deliver a fast rollout while minimising potential disruption.
While the overall project is expected to take up to four years to complete, construction teams will typically only take a few days to pass each property. CityFibre will be in touch by post ahead of any work starting.
As the network is completed in each neighbourhood, internet service providers (ISPs) will ‘light them up’ with some of the fastest and best value broadband packages available in the country. In Norwich, a number of broadband providers will be launching services throughout 2022 including UK launch partner Vodafone, on selected Vodafone Pro Broadband plans, as well as TalkTalk, Zen, Air Broadband and InTouch Systems, with other providers expected to join the network soon.
Residents interested in giving their home broadband a boost can find out more about the build and register their interest here.
This quote really resonated with me… do you agree? “When a flower doesn’t bloom, you fix the environment in which it grows, not the flower” Alexander Den Heijer Spring brings lovely lighter evenings and is a great time to set some new intentions, whether it be for your personal or your work environment, or both! Here are some tips on how to ‘Spring Clean Your Employee Wellbeing Strategy’: https://bit.ly/3imK7ST
M+A Partners has seen some recent changes to its senior leadership team following the retirement of Managing Partner, Jeremy Robson, after sixteen years with the firm. Jeremy joined Martin and Acock (as it was then) in 2006, and since then a new name, change of Norwich premises, growth at the Attleborough office and the addition of M+A Partners Cromer are just a few of the strategic moves he has managed. Phil Webster has been appointed to the newly created role of Chief Operating Officer, overseeing the strategic and operational direction of the firm to enable the Partners and the wider M+A team to be as effective as possible in the delivery of their services to clients. Jeremy Robson said: “It has been a privilege and pleasure to have been at the helm of M+A Partners for the last 16 years. I hope that in some small way, I have done my bit for the firm and that I leave it well positioned to face the future and to continue to go from strength to strength.None of what has been achieved could have happened without the wide help and support of so many and I would like to thank my fellow partners, staff and all of our clients who have been at the heart of what makes M+A Partners so special.I wish Phil every success and I know that he will provide the leadership, stewardship and care that the firm needs in this next phase of its life”. Phil Webster said: “I am delighted to have joined M+A Partners in the role of Chief Operating Officer and to be able to carry on the work of our highly regarded Managing Partner, Jeremy.I am looking forward to working with the talented team we have here at M+A, delivering our operational responsibilities whilst still being committed to the future development of the firm and our people – creating opportunities for progression and helping us to evolve to meet the changing requirements of the industry and future ambitions of our clients.”
Two Norfolk Councils are transforming their procurement process – slashing red tape to make it easier for local businesses to win work.
Broadland and South Norfolk Councils have simplified their procurement rules and are offering virtual and in-person workshops to help businesses better understand the new process. In addition, they created a myth-busting “Connect2 LOCAL” tool kit packed with practical advice and useful pointers to attract more local businesses to offer their services. Broadland District Councillor Trudy Mancini-Boyle, said:
“We are eager to attract more small and medium sized businesses in the local area to bid for council contracts. “We want to make it easier for them to apply to win work, and to keep more of the area’s money here in the region. “The more business taking place in the area, the more our local economy grows. “Our toolkit is full of useful advice and tips, giving local firms an easier route to securing work with the council.”
Together, the councils spend £22.3million on buying products and services each year, with £2.6m going to small businesses. However, the councils believe that, in the next 12 months, up to double that figure (c£5.2m) could be relevant to SMEs. The councils are hosting four virtual workshops and two in-person workshops in late March and early April which local businesses can sign up to attend free of charge. The council sees the initiative as a “win-win” situation for the area– providing it with a strong local supply chain while supporting businesses as they recover from the impact of COVID-19. South Norfolk Councillor, Adrian Dearnley said:
“It has been a difficult two years for local businesses and we want to help them flourish post-Covid. “We would encourage local business owners to attend one of our workshops or explore our toolkit to see how streamlined the process has become. “This type of economic development helps to support our ‘love local, spend local’ strategy, creating more work for local businesses, helping to secure more local jobs and encouraging additional spending in local shops.”
The toolkit has been produced with support from the East of England Local Government Association (EELGA). For more information on the workshops and to sign up, visit the Connect2 LOCAL website.
Today all organisations handle sensitive information or rely on data that has value to someone, whether it be the data owner or the individuals and organisations the information is about. We all have an obligation, and often now a regulatory requirement, to keep this data safe and secure. Many organisations however do not have the required knowledge or people to be able to meet this increasingly important demand. Having the right people in your team who bring experience of cyber security can no longer be something senior teams avoid investing in. Bringing in additional senior security resource is on the agenda for many organisations this year. Bringing a blend of both technical knowledge and real-world business experience from across a number of organisations, a virtual Chief Information Security Officer (vCISO) enables a business to have the appropriate mix of technology, processes, policies and people in place to best protect from the risks faced by all organisations. So let’s take a more detailed look at the core benefits of having a vCISO in your organisation. The role of a vCISO doesn’t just look at cyber security, it also facilitates growth. A business that is protected and has dedicated resource ensuring that this protection is up to the job, enables its other functions to operate fully and dedicate themselves to their specialisms. This ensures that the business runs as well as possible and maximises all opportunities. We are all easily distracted by our worries and a vCISO can take some of these away allowing your teams to focus on delivery that leads to growth. Understanding the mindset of cyber criminals takes time and experience, and as the threat landscape changes so quickly having someone in place who is immersed in that world ensures that your organisation is getting the best possible insights. They will also direct your business in the most appropriate ways towards a cyber security strategy that will protect now and in the future. This resource is an extension of your leadership and IT teams, which is often not achieved when an internal appointment is made as roles often sit in silos. The vCISO can sit in multiple teams with more ease than a paid member of staff. This sort of flexibility is invaluable in the fast moving field of cyber security, and when you couple this with affordability you have two factors that position the vCISO strongly against appointing someone who sits on the payroll full time. This makes having highly skilled resource available a much more accessible thing for smaller organisations who can benefit from only paying when the vCISO is actually working on something for them. A vCISO also will often be working within an organisation where there are other cyber and information security professionals who can provide expertise, perspectives and advice that an internal CISO would find harder to access. The added benefit of working across multiple organisations and industries is of great benefit to your organisation. This breadth and depth of experience enables the vCISO to ensure your cyber security strategy is matched with the unique needs and challenges of your business. There is a further advantage of avoiding wasted time, that can often happen when internal teams who are wedded to the business attempt to take an objective view of the business’ risks. Additionally, a vCISO can quickly assess your organisations position regards any regulatory demands and requirements. Often this is a faster process for them than an employed CISO as they have a broader understanding of industry regulations having worked in multiple organisations in your sector. Organisations who engage with a vCISO also gain a reputational benefit as they will be talking to industry bodies, professional organisations and other businesses within your sector. Here they will be sharing what they can about their work with your organisation, showing how invested you are in ensuring a robust cyber security strategy is in place. Reviewing the knowledge and capability levels of your incumbent team, whether that be those working in IT and security focused roles, or the wider staff team, will provide a lot of insight in to one of the strongest assets you have in terms of cyber defence. Not only will a vCISO be able to be more objective in this work, they will also have the experience and skills to move quickly in delivering the required training across the business and also ensuing that core skills and knowledge gaps are filled. Being from outside the organisation brings with it an additional benefit of being able to cut through any organisational culture barriers and more quickly embed a culture of security. The main advantages here are focused around getting to a position as quickly as possible where business leaders and employees feel that they can truly own cyber and information security within the organisation, and therefore will be more deeply invested in the development and implementation of the cyber security strategy. When the security infrastructure is in place and operating where it should be many organisations may not be able to justify the full time resource of an employed CISO, however when a cyber-attack or data breach happens they know they need immediate leadership to navigate the situation and bring the business back to working as it should be. This is where being able to call on a retained vCISO becomes invaluable. Soon we will be looking in more detail at the responsibilities of a vCISO and how they can align with your business needs. If you would like to know more about how CyberScale can support you then take a look at our vCISO service or make contact for an initial conversation with us.
Sarah Swanston, who is a guest of Greater Anglia’s podcast. Credit: Greater Anglia One of Greater Anglia’s first female train drivers tells how she started a lifetime’s career in the railway after two weeks’ work experience while still at school, in the latest episode of Greater Anglia’s Life on Rails podcast. Sarah Swanston, who is a right time railway manager at Greater Anglia – responsible for continuous punctuality improvements – was put off from joining the police by her father and opted for the railway instead with the ambition to become a train driver. Since joining on a Youth Training Scheme at the age of 16, Sarah has never looked back, she tells the Life on Rails podcast. After carrying out a number of jobs and completing driver assessments, she became a “Train (wo)man Driver” and fully qualified as a driver in 1997,starting on routes out of Norwich. Her career progressed to driving other routes, instructing trainee train drivers and then moving into management. Listen to the podcast to hear Sarah’s fascinating reflections on becoming the first female train driver based in Norwich and the sound advice her grandmother gave her on hearing she was joining the railway. The podcast includes interviews with other guests giving an insight into life at Greater Anglia – as well as a “travel surgery” segment with one of the region’s local TV stars, David Whiteley, presenter for ITV Anglia news. David reveals his dream day in East Anglia, as presenters Juliette Maxam and Lucy Wright, from Greater Anglia, question him to work out his ideal destination on the Greater Anglia network. More fascinating facts revealed on the podcast include why getting new trains involved installing brighter lights and new signs at stations across the network, as Greater Anglia’s client and programme director Andrew Goodrum talks about what was necessary to get the network ready for new trains. Greater Anglia site manager Phil Hogg speaks on location from a wildlife garden at Norwich station which includes a honeybee hotel he made from old scraps which were destined for the bin and outlines further plans for schemes to boost local biodiversity. The podcast’s resident fares guru, Ken Strong, explains how to buy a cheap ticket online and Juliette and Lucy talk about travelling on busy trains – from tactics for finding a seat to keeping safe. Juliette Maxam, senior media and PR manager at Greater Anglia, said: “We think this is a cracking episode with a really interesting mix of guests. “Why not listen to it next time you’re travelling with Greater Anglia to discover what goes on behind the scenes and get ideas for your next leisure trip. “Lucy and I would love to hear what you’d like us to cover in future episodes. Please tweet us @GreaterAngliaPR.” The podcast is available on all the usual podcast platforms and also Greater Anglia’s website greateranglia.co.uk/podcast and Facebook page. The honeybee hotel. Credit: Greater Anglia
Greater Anglia’s new three-carriage bi-mode train was crowned “most reliable train of its type” in independent industry awards based on reliability statistics. Greater Anglia, along with their maintenance partner Stadler, scooped two industry reliability awards for the train operator’s new bi-mode trains at the annual Golden Spanner Awards The Class 755 trains, which can be powered by either electric or diesel and operate on rural lines in Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and Cambridgeshire, won a golden spanner and a silver spanner at the awards, which are held by Modern Railways magazine. The three-carriage bi-mode trains, made and maintained by Swiss company Stadler, won the golden spanner in the category of new diesel trains. It was crowned the most reliable train of its type in England, Scotland and Wales based on the ‘miles per technical TRUST incident’ (MTIN) statistics. They currently have an average of 14,767 miles between incidents. Greater Anglia’s four-carriage bi-mode trains picked up a silver spanner award, meaning it’s the most improved train of its type in England, Scotland and Wales in terms of its MTIN performance. It currently has an average of 12,164 miles between technical incidents – faults that cause a delay of three minutes or more. Greater Anglia has 24 bi-mode trains made up of four carriages and 12 have three carriages. Martin Beable, Engineering Director, Greater Anglia, said: “Our new bi-mode trains have transformed rail travel in the region, and we’re thrilled they have been recognised with two awards. “I would like to thank the teams at Greater Anglia, Stadler and Rock Rail who all made these awards possible. These awards are testament to the hard work of our colleagues, who work around-the-clock to keep trains running.” Rob Baxter, Managing Director for Stadler Rail Service UK, said: “We are delighted to scoop these prestigious accolades, just 18 months after all the Stadler-built trains were delivered. This success is testament to effective collaborative working with Greater Anglia and Rock Infrastructure and the valiant efforts made by our maintenance teams at Norwich Crown Point, who have squeezed every sinew to secure continuous performance improvement of the fleets we look after there.” The Golden Spanners awards celebrate the best of train maintenance and are handed out to train companies who make the greatest strides in train reliability. Greater Anglia is currently in the process of replacing all trains in its fleet with brand new ones, which are all longer, with more seats, USB and plug sockets, fast free Wi-Fi, air conditioning and improved accessibility features as well as dedicated cycle spaces.
Four hard-working volunteers have jokingly been told “they are never allowed to leave” after becoming part of the furniture at a charity shop in Norwich. Ros Chambers, Val Brown, Caroline Church and Margaret Baynton give up their time to help at the East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH) store in Aylsham Road. Ros and Val pitch in on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, Caroline on Thursday afternoons and Margaret on Friday afternoons. Such is their huge and tireless contribution, shop manager Paul Shorten says they are invaluable and “worth their weight in gold”. All four ladies previously volunteered for EACH but started helping in the shop when fundraising activity was curtailed by COVID. The pandemic then forced the charity’s stores to close but the quartet had had a taster by then – and were eager to return when doors reopened. Paul, 48, said: “I’ve got nothing but positive things to say about Ros, Val, Caroline and Margaret. “They offered their services at a time when I was desperate for volunteers, back in Spring 2020. “Now, two years and one pandemic later, they’re absolutely invaluable. “They’ve been such a great addition, their enthusiasm is infectious and I’ve jokingly told them they’re never allowed to leave. I won’t allow it. “They’re absolutely brilliant, work so hard and are popular with customers. “They’re worth their weight in gold and I know that whenever they’re working, I won’t have any problems. “They never stop and are always on the go. I know the till’s always covered, the shelves and rails are stocked and the shop is looking fantastic. “For me, as manager, that’s such a blessing and it takes a lot of weight off my shoulders. “Rather than being pulled in different directions, I can get my head down, plan my day and do the things I’m supposed to be doing.” Paul has been shop manager for nearly three years and says that while he is lucky to have a “family” of staff and volunteers, he can always do with extra help. “It’s such a happy, welcoming environment and we’re always pleased to hear from anyone interested in joining us,” he said. “Just pop into the shop, email me via paul.shorten@each.org.uk or call 01603 301475. “On a personal note, I love it here and am passionate about my job. “As a shop, we’re riding high and hitting targets – and much of the credit has to go to our team of volunteers. “They make everything possible and long may that continue.” Meanwhile, Paul also had words of praise for another of his volunteers, Elizabeth Halford, who helps in the shop on Wednesday mornings. Elizabeth recently received an award in recognition of her charity work from GoodGym Norwich. The group is made up of residents who run, walk, or cycle to help out community projects and older people in Norwich. Elizabeth recently won an ‘inspiring individual award’ for her tireless efforts helping others. “We’re so pleased for her,” said Paul. “Elizabeth is another fantastic, dedicated person who gives up so much of her time to help others, including working in our shop. We’re lucky to have her.”