Ashtons Legal acquired Norfolk-based law firm Steeles Law on 1 December 2021. This merger will take the Ashtons’ team to 400 people and will see the addition of Steeles’ office in Diss, Norfolk to Ashtons’ existing offices in Norwich, Bury St Edmunds, Cambridge, Ipswich and Leeds. The majority of Steeles’ staff will transfer to Ashtons’ Norwich office, with the remainder staying in the firm’s office in Diss which will be rebranded. Both firms are highly rated by the key legal directories – Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners – who note their strong client service to individual and business clients across East Anglia and the rest of the country. The combined business will further strengthen Ashtons’ position as one of the leading law firms in the region and allow existing and future client’s access to a strengthened, wider team offering a broader range of legal services and specialisms. Read the full story here
Greater Anglia has sent over 3.5 tonnes of leaves – weighing about the same as a hippopotamus – to be composted over the last three years. The company clears up leaves at seven stations across the network where there is the most waste caused by leaves and vegetation. Skips placed at Ingatestone and Newport stations in Essex, Broxbourne station in Hertfordshire and Norwich station in Norfolk have been filled with leaves from station car parks and forecourts. They are then taken by the company’s waste management contractor Veolia to be turned into compost, ideal for fertilising soil. Greater Anglia set up the scheme, with its cleaning contractors Carlisle Cleaning Services, in 2019, as part of the train company’s bid to reduce waste going to landfill. So far, a total of 3.62 tonnes of leaves have been turned into compost – but this figure does not include all leaves collected this autumn and winter. Stephanie Evans, Greater Anglia’s environment and energy manager, said: “We’re reviewing every opportunity we can take to increase recycling and reduce waste across our business. “Sweeping up leaves and sending them off to be composted not only keeps stations clean, tidy and free of slippery wet leaves for our customers, but it’s also great to be reducing the amount of waste we send to landfill too.” Alex Orr, Carlisle Cleaning’s managing director, said: “We are thrilled to be able to support this environmental initiative on behalf of our valued client, Greater Anglia. “We aim within our operational activities, wherever possible, to reduce environmental harm, minimise the use of energy and other resources, and ensure that the principles of sustainable development are promoted where possible.” This year Greater Anglia pledged all 56 of its station gardens to Wild East, a re-naturing movement which is aiming to restore 20 per cent of East Anglia back to nature. A survey of station gardens found more than 200 species of flora and fauna including rare butterflies and slow worms. The train company has recently started taking part in a two-year national air quality monitoring pilot at five of its busiest stations. Information about all of Greater Anglia’s environmental initiatives is available on the company’s ‘Greener Anglia’ online hub which includes a carbon calculator which shows people how much carbon by swapping a car journey for the train.
The Hope at Christmas appeal, launched to support people who are experiencing homelessness this winter, has seen a huge response from the public;
Stockings of Christmas treats, food hampers, toys, and essential items will be donated to families and individuals who can benefit from them this Christmas;
It is the second Hope at Christmas campaign from charity Hopestead
People in Norfolk have given hope this Christmas by generously donating to an appeal set up to support people who are experiencing homelessness this winter. The Hope at Christmas appeal, run by charity Hopestead, asked the public to contribute food, clothing and toy items that could be used to create hampers and gift packs. People could also make monetary donations via a JustGiving site, or purchase items from an Amazon wish list. The response was incredible and as a result of the generosity of the public, 189 stockings of essential items and Christmas treats, as well as 101 Christmas food hampers for families and individuals have been created. In addition, £500 has been donated to purchase fresh food for Christmas dinners, and toys and selection boxes for over 50 children have also been gifted through the appeal. Finally, furry friends haven’t been forgotten with food, treats and toys collected for over 100 dogs. Marie-Claire Delbrouque, CEI of Hopestead, said: “We’ve been absolutely thrilled by the fantastic response to our Hope at Christmas appeal, it has been truly inspiring to see such generosity shown by so many people.“I am so grateful to everyone who has contributed. It has been a tough year again for so many and through this campaign, we wanted to spread a little joy, and a lot of hope.“The donations will go directly to families and individuals who can benefit from them this Christmas.“In whatever way we can, we want to make a difference, and thanks to the kindness of the public, we can do that this festive season. Thank you.” It is the second year that the Hope at Christmas appeal has been run by Hopestead and this year the donations will be made to families and individuals via four charities Hopestead has partnered with, including FABB (Food and Beverage Buggies) in Norwich. Carol McWhinnie from FABB (Food and Beverage Buggies), Norwich said: “Look what we can do together, with good hearts and a common cause. We’re overwhelmed by your kindness. Mums are sleeping better as they know you’ve looked after their little ones when they’re struggling too. Lonely people in hostels are touched by your acts of kindness. What’s spreading faster than Covid in Norfolk is simple kindness. Thank you all.” With a mission to end homelessness in the East of England, Hopestead is looking ahead to more partnership working in the new year as Marie-Claire Delbrouque explained: “We believe that everyone should have a warm, safe home and to achieve this, we are working with amazing partners and organisations across the region.“We will continue this collaborative approach as we move into 2022, and tackle the challenges ahead.“I am so grateful to all our partners and the public who have supported us over the last year. Together, we can make a difference.” You can find out more by visiting www.hopestead.org or Hopestead on Twitter @_hopestead or Instagram @hopesteadcharity and Facebook Hopestead | Facebook
Greater Anglia is making a temporary reduction to its timetable in response to falling passenger numbers and to ensure the company can continue to provide a reliable service throughout the latest phase of the pandemic. Some services are being removed from the weekday timetable from Monday 20 December. This still leaves over 1,200 services – just under 90 per cent of the pre-pandemic timetable – still running. Jay Thompson, Greater Anglia’s train service delivery director, said: “We are very sorry for any inconvenience this causes to customers. “Government guidelines asking people to work from home combined with Christmas when fewer people travel has led to a drop in our passenger numbers. “In addition, we have to plan for our staff being affected by the new omicron variant, especially as we are already starting to see the early signs of its impact. We’ve therefore decided to make some revisions to our timetable now, to ensure we can provide a reliable service to our customers over the coming weeks. “We believe this is better than cancelling trains on the day which is far more inconvenient for our customers – this way they can plan their journeys in advance.” Full details of the service changes will be published on the Greater Anglia website. Customers should check before they travel using the Greater Anglia website or app to see which train they can catch. Greater Anglia is thanking the large numbers of customers who are wearing face coverings at stations and on trains, which once again is mandatory unless you are exempt. People who do not wear face coverings could face fines of up to £6,400. The company is continuing with enhanced cleaning and sanitisation especially of high touch areas such as push buttons, grab handles and arm rests. Ventilation on trains is provided by air conditioning which sucks fresh air in every six to nine minutes or opening windows and doors opening at stations. People wishing to find a train with fewer passengers can use the “less busy trains” tool on the company’s website which enables customers to pick the quietest trains travelling to and from London Liverpool Street. Anyone with Covid symptoms is reminded not to travel and to get tested.
Ashtons Legal, one of East Anglia’s longstanding ‘go to’ firms for personal and medical injury claims, is starting 2022 with additional expertise across its teams. Recent recruits are solicitor Mick Upton into the Personal Injury team, solicitor Penny Tilmouth into the Medical Negligence team, and Ben Needham-Holmes whose role is as a Rehabilitation Co-ordinator. Mick is delighted to return to the firm, working in a team which offers support to those with traumatic injuries, primarily caused either as the result of road traffic collisions or through accidents at work. Penny is taking on a range of medical injury claims, including cases of misdiagnosis or failure to diagnose an illness or orthopaedic claims where surgery has been negligent and caused long-term damage to the patient. Ben, who has a strong track record as a Case Manager in the Midlands, has joined the firm to help ensure that all seriously injured clients are able to access the most suitable rehabilitation as early as possible after their injuries occur. He also supports Ashtons’ Asbestos Disease Team and its Support Group as well as providing support to bereaved families whether this is the result of an accident or medical malpractice. This is a service only provided by a small proportion of law firms with injury services departments and ties in with the firm’s ethos of helping clients and their families in every way possible to get their lives back on track after serious injury or death. Michael Wangermann, who heads the Ashtons injury services division, says: “An increasing number of law firms have started to wind down their injury claims teams and the expertise is consolidating into those firms with the strength and depth to support clients with injuries of all types and caused by a wide range of types of accident.” He adds: “Ashtons Legal remains fully committed to this area of the law, including offering a rehabilitation support service alongside our existing Court of Protection team that assists with financial management of large awards. We have been a local market leader as well as acting for clients nationwide for well over 30 years. In 2021 we were helping approximately 1300 clients post injury.” Pictured left to right: Mick Upton, Penny Tilmouth and Ben Needham-Holmes.
We caught up with Gold Patrons, Greater Anglia and asked ‘What are the positives your business has seen in 2021′? This year we have seen record-breaking punctuality thanks in part to continuing performance initiatives and our new trains. What does 2022 look like for you? We will continue to run a safe and reliable service for all passengers – commuters, leisure and business travellers. We will continue our rollout of new trains, including on the line between Kings Lynn and London Liverpool Street. We also hope we can help businesses in Norfolk along the route to net zero with green travel plans using rail. Why its important for you to be a Gold Patron? Being a Gold Patron of The Norfolk Chambers is a brilliant way for Greater Anglia to stay connected with and support the business community in Norfolk.
We managed to get five minutes with busy Kathryn Horton, Chief Executive of our Stratgic Partners, Turning Factor. We asked Kathryn, ‘What are the positives your business has seen in 2021′? In 2021 we have had considerable growth in our own business. We have opened a new office and also launching a new arm of the business which is aimed at improving the standard of trainers through the UK. WE have seen many positives with other businesses, growing and innovating and also exploiting new markets. There is a real energy especially with technology and for those businesses that have survived COVID, there is a real sense of ambition for 2022 and beyond. What does 2022 look like for Turning Factor? We are excited about 2022! There is a lot of funding to support businesses with skills and training. We are currently heavily involved with recruiting new people to join the business and also we have new partnerships which will expand our business further and product range. Why is your Strategic partnership important to you? The importance of being a strategic partner for the chamber, is that we are passionate about making a difference for businesses performance in Norfolk. It is key that working with the Chamber we may have opportunities to work with companies to improve their performance and fortunes by improving the skills and leadership of those companies.
Submitted on Fri, 17/12/2021 Larking Gowen This week’s episode is all about coping with Christmas! James and Mark look back nostalgically on bygone years, and have musical references aplenty to keep spirits up. They have been inspired by recent guest Chris Anthony, and in the spirit of Christmas, decided to devote this episode to the mantra of ‘being in service to others’ and offer their wellbeing tips for coping with the festive period. How can you actually switch off, cope with burnout, and set realistic expectations? Many will be feeling the ‘pressure of Christmas’ after another challenging year, and James and Mark are here with their top tips on what you can do to manage expectations and pressure. We want to wish all our listeners a happy holiday season, and a prosperous new year! We will be taking a break for a while as we reboot in the new year – make sure you are subscribed to the Impromptu Business Chat channels on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Audible and more, so you don’t miss the exciting announcement on our revamped series, coming early 2022! You can also contact the team at podcasts@larking-gowen.co.uk if there are any topics you think we should cover in the future, or if you think you are an expert in your field, and think we should chat to you on a special episode! Show notes Tip1: 03:00 – Set realistic expectations, add a sense of realism, and create a routine Tip 2: 09:00 – Set a few hours aside to plan aims for the new year but only if you have had some down time! Tip 3: 12:49 – Think about the people around you – who might not be looking forward to this period, and what can you do to show them that you care. IBC – How to succeed with New Year Resolutions – WOOP there it is!Listen here!
Greater Anglia has made its website a ‘Safe Space’ for survivors of domestic abuse. Online ‘Safe Spaces’ are untraceable web pages with information on specialist domestic abuse support services, national helplines and other resources developed by the charity, UK SAYS NO MORE. The train operator has added the charity’s ‘Safe Space’ widget to its home page at greateranglia.co.uk to enable those experiencing domestic abuse to discreetly access support and information while carrying out daily online tasks. The ‘Safe Space’ webpage does not appear in internet browsing history and has a quick exit function. It can also be read in most languages using a quick access translation tool. Greater Anglia’s Commercial, Customer Service and Train Presentation Director, said, “Christmas can be a time of year when incidences of domestic abuse increase. As charities prepare for an increase in cases, we want to use our services to help those affected to escape abuse.” In addition, Greater Anglia, along with train companies across the country, offers free train travel for survivors of domestic abuse who are travelling to refuge accommodation. This is done through the ‘Rail to Refuge’ scheme, a partnership between the Rail Delivery Group, which represents train operators, and Women’s Aid Federation England, Welsh Women’s Aid, Scottish Womens’ Aid and Imkaan. Survivors of domestic abuse who would like to access the Rail to Refuge scheme, or need other support, can get in touch with Women’s Aid through their Live Chat service, open Monday – Friday, 8:00am – 6:00pm, Saturday and Sunday 10:00am – 6:00pm: https://chat.womensaid.org.uk
Our Business Health Checks are designed to cover key areas of legislation and compliance in both Health and Safety and Employment Law. With legislation and best practice changing regularly, HR and Health and Safety policies and practices can quickly become out of date. We offer a customised HR and H&S health checks for your business. Contact us to arrange your FREE Health Check: sarah@ignitepeoplesolutions.co.uk
With the stunning city of Norwich, bathed in festive lights and famous for its beautiful independent shops and historic attractions, just a few minutes away, Barnham Broom is the perfect place for a dose of festive escapism this New Year’s. This year we are offering a very special three night break at our resort, which includes tickets to our spectacular James Bond themed New Year’s Eve party. If you are looking to celebrate New Year’s Eve in style with a perfect blend of relaxation and excitement then look no further than Barnham Broom. Situated in the heart of the Norfolk countryside and surrounded by two picturesque championship golf courses, the setting for your New Year’s escape is a tranquil one, with access to The Edge Health & Fitness Club and a 25-minute spa treatment included in your stay. There will also be plenty of festive fun for you to enjoy with our exceptional James Bond themed party, as well as pre-dinner drinks and dining in our Brasserie restaurant for two nights. Other activities will also be available including a master cocktail class and get ready for a flutter at our race night! We look forward to welcoming in 2022 with you! If you wish, we can bespoke your stay so please do get in touch for more options. Three night stay | 31st December 2021 – 3rd January 2022 From £450 per person based on two sharing New Year’s Eve Party in Norfolk A stylish evening paying homage to all things 007. Enjoy canapés on arrival, delicious dining, live music and more at this exceptional New Year’s celebration in Norwich. Come to Barnham Broom this New Year’s Eve for an excellent evening of entertainment with our James Bond themed party. Soak up the atmosphere and enjoy a martini at the bar (shaken not stirred, of course!) Then sit down to an outstanding four course dinner prepared by our talented chefs. Local Norwich band, Agent Orange, will be performing their live set to take us up to midnight and then our resident DJ will be taking over the stage into the small hours to keep the party going! Drinks packages available. Arrival from 7pm | Carriages at 2am. From £99 per person More details: https://www.barnham-broom.co.uk/new-years-eve-party-stay-norwich-norfolk