Member News

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We are thrilled to announce that Lucas & Wyllys was Highly Commended for Business Growth at the Modern Law Private Client Awards 2025!

This national recognition is a testament to the incredible year we have had as a team. From a significant 30.36% increase in private client fees to the expansion of our department and the addition of a new legal service – Court of Protection work – we have grown in every sense of the word.

Over the last 12 months, our Private Client team has:

• Welcomed a trainee solicitor to help grow and shape the future of the department
• 
  Promoted a valued team member from assistant to paralegal, recognising their hard work and progression
• 
  Achieved an impressive 811 client reviews with an average rating of 4.81/5.
• 
  Continued to invest in innovation, from our client app and digital onboarding to online will and LPA services
• 
  Supported the community with regular legal clinics and partnerships with local organisations

Being Highly Commended for Business Growth reflects the passion, dedication, and forward-thinking mindset of our team. It is also a powerful reminder that our client-focused approach and investment in people and technology are driving real results.

We were delighted to be represented at the ceremony by Charlotte and Millicent, who attended the awards evening on behalf of the team. Their presence marked not only the achievements of our department, but also the energy and professionalism that define our future. It was a wonderful evening celebrating innovation and excellence in private client law, and we’re incredibly proud to be among such outstanding firms.

A huge thank you to our clients for your continued trust and positive feedback – we would not be here without you.

Here’s to another year of growth and excellence!

Age UK Norwich is proud to announce a rich and varied programme of live, in-person talks as part of its 80th birthday exhibition, 80 Years in the Making, taking place at The Forum, Norwich, from 4 to 7 August 2025. 

 
Spanning three days, the talks bring together leading voices in Later Life, health, wellbeing, finance, community development, technology and the arts. Designed to inform, inspire and empower, these sessions offer practical advice, scientific insight, and personal stories of later life in the 21st century. 

Event organiser, Megan Durrant of Age UK Norwich said: “Later life is as diverse as any other stage of life, these talks reflect just how much there is to learn, share and celebrate. We want people to feel informed, empowered and included.” 

Subjects range from digital inclusion and personal safety, to innovations in mobility and care, to legal planning and theatre. Attendees will hear from experts including the CEO of Age UK Paul Farmer, Dr Diana Hodgins MBE of GaitSmart, researchers, theatre companies, financial professionals, and former community leaders, offering an unparalleled opportunity to engage directly with those shaping the experience of ageing in the UK today. 

Talks are priced at £3 per person with anyone over 50 being able to attend for free, marking a commitment to accessibility.  

Places are limited. Book now to avoid disappointment. All talks take place in person at The Forum Norwich:  

Monday 4 August 2025 

Age UK Norwich from 1990 – 2005  
Brenda Horner (Former CEO, Age UK Norwich) 
1:00 – 1:30pm 
Book now 

How to Change How we Age  
Paul Farmer (CEO, Age UK) 
1:45 – 2:30pm 
Book now 

The Science Behind Walking 
Dr Diana Hodgins MBE (GaitSmart) 
2:45 – 3:30pm 
Book now 

Age Without Limits and the Role of Age-friendly Communities 
Pippa Mannerings (Centre for Ageing Better) 
3:45 – 4:30pm 
Book now 

Tuesday 5 August 2025 

Care Conversations 
Home Instead Norwich 
10:00 – 10:40am 
Book now 

A Story of Community: The Residents of the Dragon Hall Block 
Richard Matthew (Dragon Hall Society) 
11:00 – 11:40am 
Book now 

Keeping Safe Online and Tackling Digital Exclusion – Free for all!  
James Chung (Barclays Digital Eagles) 
1:00 – 1:40pm 
Book now 

Wills, Trusts and Probate – Q+A 
Hatch Brenner 
3:00 – 3:40pm 
Book now 

Wednesday 6 August 2025 

We’ll be right back after these messages 
John Gordon-Saker (History of Advertising Trust) 
10:00 – 10:40am 
Book now 

How Walking Improves Our Health and Mobility 
Dr Diana Hodgins MBE (GaitSmart) 
1:00 – 1:40pm 
Book now 

Exerts From Call me John 
Reflex Theatre 
2:00 – 3:00pm 
Book now 

Keeping Safe Online and Tackling Digital Exclusion – Free for all!  
James Chung (Barclays Digital Eagles) 
3:00 – 3:40pm 
Book now 

The Alan Boswell Group Charitable Trust (ABGCT) is proud to announce the achievement of a major milestone: over £3 million donated to charitable causes since its inception in 2019. 

Alan Boswell Group has always looked to support as many good causes as possible. For over 30 years they had maintained a ‘Charity of the Year’ before setting up the Trust in 2019, with the aim of distributing a percentage of company profits to local charitable causes. 

The Trust supports causes in the communities in which the company operates across Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, and Lincolnshire. Over the past six years, it has supported more than 450 charities and community organisations, funding projects that support the arts, community sports and leisure, nature conservation, health and medical care, animal welfare, and vulnerable communities. 

Employees are encouraged to actively participate in the charitable initiatives. Staff members can recommend charities that would benefit from funding, organise individual fundraising events that are match-funded, and get involved directly by becoming part of the Trust committee. 

“Reaching £3 million in donations is a testament to the generosity of our people and the strength of our partnerships with local charities,” said Alan Boswell, Executive Chairman of Alan Boswell Group. “It’s important to invest in our communities, and we’re pleased that the Trust has been able to make a positive impact.” 

“We’re forever grateful for the support of the Alan Boswell Group Charitable Trust.” said a representative from Mind Over Cancer. “As a small charity trying to fill a much-needed area of support, we rely heavily on the support of organisations like Alan Boswell Group.”  

Rechenda Smith, the business owner behind Norfolk-based Nurture Marketing has launched a new ‘marketing school’ for small business owners.

The Goal Getter Marketing School opens its doors in September 2025, and is available for enrolment by any business owner in any sector.

The school will offer a series of 16 practical marketing workshops designed for small business owners that will be available in-person or online, as well as a range of downloadable marketing resources to help business owners DIY their marketing.

Rechenda Smith, Founder of The Goal Getter Marketing School said: “Not every business owner has the budget to outsource their marketing. I launched the School to give solopreneurs and small business owners the tools, confidence, and community they need to take control of their marketing and grow their business on their own terms.

We’re bold, fun, and practical. It’s not just about learning; it’s about connecting, taking action, and becoming part of a community of goal-getters who are cheering each other on.”

As well as the courses and resources, The Goal Getter Marketing School will also provide a monthly accountability club, again in Norwich or online, where business owners will meet to discuss a marketing topics, their challenges and have access to a private discussion forum on WhatsApp.

Rechenda continued: “Time, lack of routine and resourcing can be a huge part of what holds small business owners back in doing their own marketing. The monthly accountability club will create a space where people show up, set goals, and get consistent with their marketing efforts.”

Chamber members can receive 20% off the courses using the discount code: CHAMBER20.

To find out more about The Goal Getter Marketing School, please visit www.ggmarketingschool.co.uk

We’re heading into July full speed ahead – and here’s just a glimpse of the momentum:
🚐 A new van is being ordered to support our growing fleet and expanding operations.
👋 We’re excited to welcome a new instructor starting on Monday – fully equipped and ready to hit the ground running. They’re looking forward to meeting the team and our fantastic customers!
🛠️ Craig has been out and about delivering expert consultancy – always keeping safety at the heart of everything we do.
🤝 We’re proud to have welcomed 3 brand new customers this week – great to have you onboard!
📅 July is virtually fully booked, and we’re now taking bookings well into the next few months.
🚀 Time really does fly when you work for Shield – and we wouldn’t have it any other way.
☎️ Get in touch if you are interested in health & safety training or consultancy for your business.

Here is a link to our July/August newsletter on Linkedin. 

Please copy & paste to Linkedin or highlight the link, right click & ‘go to’

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/shield-health-%26-safety_its-here-shield-health-safety-newsletter-activity-7346180171579744259-qhLQ?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAsFvMEBQhxhjXMpiqznqhWp5uEQ3kZykWg

In the spirit of the GOGO SAFARI, we’re teaming up with the amazing charity Break to take on one of the official Strava routes — The 3mile! 🦒

All we ask is a £5 donation, which goes directly to supporting Break’s incredible work with vulnerable young people. 💛

📍 Join us – 25th July at 8am starting from upper goat lane! 

👉 Sign up now and let’s make this one to remember!

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/howden-x-break-gogo-safari-networking-run-tickets-1450048898289?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-

We’re proud to announce that Swarm Training has been approved as a Level 1 Disability Confident employer. This marks an exciting step in our ongoing commitment to creating inclusive, supportive workplaces for everyone, regardless of their circumstances.

If you want to work, we want to help make that possible by removing barriers, fostering potential, and encouraging high performance. Inclusion isn’t just a policy for us, it’s central to our mission in apprenticeship training and embedded in everything we do.

Joining the Disability Confident programme enables us to keep learning and evolving with expert guidance in this field.

Every member of our team contributes to our culture of continuous improvement, not just through their own commitment to developing themselves professionally, but by supporting one another, our learners and our clients with empathy, understanding and the tools they need to succeed. That includes recognising neurodiversity, physical disabilities, and health conditions. It means embracing the impactful practices of flexible working, AI tools, specific hardware and software, or just enabling people to receive written communications in a different format.

That doesn’t mean we are happy to accept lower standards.  On the contrary, our standards are high and we expect commitment, but we also know how much potential is unlocked through the right support which so often enables people to exceed even their own expectations. Disability Confident actually means we can enable someone to do higher quality work through making appropriate adjustments for genuine health conditions. It has such a positive effect on someone’s mental health, job satisfaction and drive when they see what they can do and not what they can’t do!

While our official Disability Confident status is new, our approach isn’t. We’ve long supported learners and clients in creating the right balance for their teams. This in turn has brought huge value to individuals and businesses. We believe in it because we have been privileged to see it happen so many times!

When someone types in “[your service] near me” — who shows up?

If it’s not you, your ideal customer is calling someone else.

That’s what SEO is all about:
📍 Getting your business seen by the right people
📈 Bringing in more enquiries
⏳ Without you having to run ads 24/7 or post every day

We help local businesses show up when it matters most — at the top of Google.

Not sure where you stand?

Drop us a message and we’ll run a quick free audit to show how you’re performing (and how to fix it).

Running a business is never without its challenges, especially in today’s evolving economic landscape. Whether you’re managing cashflow, funding growth, or juggling supplier relationships, it’s natural to face periods of pressure.

But one of the most powerful steps a business can take in uncertain times is also one of the simplest: getting timely, expert advice.

Our role as restructuring and advisory professionals is not just about dealing with distress. It’s about helping Norfolk businesses build stability, regain control, and plan with confidence.

Advice Isn’t Just for When Things Go Wrong

Many people assume our work starts when a business is in serious trouble. In reality, the best outcomes come when we speak to business owners early—often before a problem fully develops.

With the right advice, it’s possible to:

·        Review and improve cashflow management

·        Restructure finance or operations to suit new conditions

·        Renegotiate supplier or landlord terms

·        Create headroom for growth or investment

·        Reduce personal risk for directors

·        Improve communication with key stakeholders (like lenders or HMRC)

Working Together to Strengthen Norfolk’s Business Community

We work closely with:

·        Business owners and directors looking to future-proof their companies

·        Accountants and advisors needing specialist input for their clients

·        Growing businesses navigating new complexity or cash constraints

·        Established firms planning strategic change, exits, or succession

Every business is different – and so is our approach. Whether it’s a short-term funding challenge or long-term strategic change, we’re here to help you make informed decisions.

We’re Here When You’re Ready

At Leading, we believe in early, honest conversations. The sooner we talk, the more we can do.

Get in touch for a confidential, no-obligation chat. We’re happy to speak with business owners directly, or via accountants, HR teams, or professional advisers.

Let’s take the first step together — while options are still on the table.

You can contact our friendly and experienced team on 01603 552028 or email us at mail@leading.uk.com.

Shield Health and Safety are pleased to welcome two new instructors to the team, Jack & Jordan who both bring a wealth of experience. You can read more about Jack & Jordan on our July newsletter via the link below. 

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/shield-health-%26-safety_its-here-shield-health-safety-newsletter-activity-7346180171579744259-qhLQ?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAsFvMEBQhxhjXMpiqznqhWp5uEQ3kZykWg