Member News

The whole team at Tudor Lodge Consultants are thrilled to announce that we are working with Tests2Go, part of the NPH Group, on their website, online positioning and search engine optimisation (SEO), with a view to getting them found by significantly more people online. Tests2Go are a relatively new player and company in the ever-growing covid testing industry in the UK. Offering rapid antigen tests for people throughout the UK, Tests2Go are now taking the next step up online and are aiming to get in front of more people than ever, offering their rapid antigen tests to increased numbers of people. With Covid-19 sure to be a feature of most of our lives, testing when travelling is increasing in its importance with most countries around the world, including the UK requiring tests before and sometimes after entry. The ultimate aim of the SEO project we are working with the development team at Tests2Go on is to increase the quality of those reaching the Tests2Go website as well as relevant quantities of consumers for the company and its website. What We Are Doing for Tests2Go The current Tests2Go website is very small and comprises just a few pages. Thus, we are undertaking an expansion as well as optimisation plan with regards to their website in a variety of ways and taking some key SEO fundamentals into account: Meta Data – A fundamental part of any website’s SEO is the meta data which are assigned to each and every page of any website. This is one of the first things Google looks at and ranks when assessing a website for ranking on their search engine results pages (SERPs). Website Content – The current Tests2Go website does not have much content on it and thus, we are working with their development team to research, plan and create more content both fir users to engage and interact with as well as for Google and other search engines to crawl; read, understand and rank accordingly. Landing Pages – Working with the team at Tests2Go we are planning and working on a number of different landing pages; pages which are designed to capture the rankings for specific searches, drawing users in and capturing them as leads. This is another key element of SEO requiring attention. Online PR – One of the most important aspects of SEO in the modern day is that of online PR and the backlinks which may well come with that. Therefore, we are working with Tests2Go to develop their online PR plan to benefit both their SEO as well as their wider brand and company objectives. We look forward to the coming months and the months to come working with the superb team at Tests2Go!

Brick by brick, our new Dereham Road, Norwich Centre is nearing completion. Make a lasting gift to support local people affected by cancer and buy an engraved paver for the walkway through our sensory garden in the grounds of our new Cancer Support & Information Centre on Dereham Road in Norwich. Our sensory garden, set to be completed in Spring 2022, will be an uplifting and lasting place where many people using our services will spend time. Help us build a better future for those affected by cancer #nearertohome Our high quality pavers will be engraved with black lettering with a two line dedication made up of 21 characters per line (including spaces and punctuation). You can put a paver in your name, the name of a loved one, family, friends, your company – or buy simply as a gift. Your dedication will be an engraving which will sit below the surface of the paver. The pavers have a 20 year guarantee. Each paver is 200 x 100 x 45mm Full details can be found here

The growth of the internet has brought with it endless opportunities to learn new things; whether it’s for work, school or a hobby, the online world means there is an infinite amount of information at our fingertips. It has changed how we learn, and new technology such as personalisation, virtual reality and artificial intelligence means that education is evolving into a whole new experience. Key to being able to access these new learning opportunities is connectivity. Access to a fast, reliable, high-capacity internet service is vital here – especially when it comes to new data hungry learning tools – and a full fibre connection, which is 100 times faster than most current UK broadband services, is the best technology for the job. This is why CityFibre is investing up to £4 billion across the UK to bring full fibre enabled internet access to more than eight million homes, 800,000 businesses, 400,000 pipseichlic sector sites and 250,000 5G access sites. This includes here in Norwich where we are investing in the area to bring the fastest most reliable network technology to practically every home and business locally. Norwich’s new full fibre network will make it possible for you to take advantage of all the benefits of online learning, from ease of access and controllable pace, to the ability to choose from a wider range of options that suit your own unique learning style and ambition. Immersive technologies, such as Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR), for example, are already transforming education, making learning a whole new experience. There are countless examples of this technology being used, which include The Unimersive, which is an app which uses VR to help people learn a new language, and the Gibson App which uses AR to help people learn guitar. Everyone learns in different ways; some need to read information, while others need to see it illustrated. So how do you deliver a learning experience which suits everyone? Artificial Intelligence (AI) is enabling the development of training programmes that are completely personalised to each person. Similarly, adaptive learning platforms are being used to meet the needs of each individual learner, ensuring that they can understand the information, learn at their own pace, and repeat any sections they don’t understand. Prodigy Math is just one example of this, the game, which teaches mathematics, uses an algorithm to match the learning to the student’s style and level. Another benefit of AI-enabled technology is that as it is largely based online, meaning you can get 24/7 access to learning. And, with fast, reliable connectivity, such as the services enabled by CityFibre’s full fibre network here in Norwich, quality online experiences are accessible to all – no matter how data intensive. This is just a snapshot of how the way we learn is changing, and the massive opportunities which exist to develop new skills and experience new things. Our area-wide full fibre networks will future proof communities, ensuring that as the learning landscape continues to change and expand, people will be able to use the technology and take advantage of these remarkable innovations in learning. To find out more or register an interest in the service go to www.cityfibre.com/east

James and Mark look at the myth that is having a Unique Selling Point. Instead they focus on the business critical concept of Sustainable Competitive Advantage (SCA) and walk the listeners though a step by step process to help them identify what their SCA is. In time honoured fashion, the come up with 3 top tips and a musical link for good measure! If you are enjoying the series, we would really appreciate it if you could follow us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Audible, or wherever else you get your podcasts! You can also find all episodes on our website www.larking-gowen.co.uk/IBC If you have feedback, questions or think you might be a great guest on the podcast, please get in touch! Email the team at podcasts@larking-gowen.co.uk Listen here!

Captain Fawcett is simply delighted to announce that irreverent internet sensation Thomas Benjamin Wilde Esq will be coming to King’s Lynn for a very special one-off winter show LIVE at Captain Fawcett’s Emporiumon Saturday 11th December 2021. To celebrate the imminent release of his 3rd album, Making Friends at 40, banjolele-playing, tweed-clad troubadour, will be playing fan-favourites and brand new humdingers against the truly extraordinary backdrop of Captain Fawcett’s ‘Marvellous Barbershop Museum’, surely one of the UK’s most unusual private collections, a tonsorial treasure trove celebrating centuries of craftsmanship, located at the Captain’s Emporium. Thomas has been a wandering minstrel, delivering his most distinctive, racy brand of comical musical merriment in live performances far and wide across the UK since 2016. His online videos go viral (and what, chums, could be more topical than that, Egad?!) In fact, the video for his X-rated, very sweary anthem I’ve No More F***s To Give went absolutely bally bonkers across social media sending his debut album to number 3 in the Billboard Comedy Album Chart and clocking up over 10 million views on YouTube alone. It has even been used by peeved personnel as a somewhat unambiguous resignation message. Jiminy Crickets! In 2020, he released the follow up A Quiet Night In, which features the delightfully naughty singles Pants Drunkand Smile And Nod (A Christmas Song), and his eagerly anticipated third album, Making Friends At 40 is set for release just before the Captain Fawcett show. Thomas, who is a Brand Ambassador for Captain Fawcett, said “I was looking for a way of doing a special collaboration with the lovely folks at Captain Fawcett for a while, and when considering venues for the album launch, I could not think of a more splendid location!” A madcap, mellifluous maestro, harmonious hero of the hirsute right here at Captain Fawcett’s Marvellous Barbering Museum? I should coco! Tickets are priced £16 in advance and available through Seetickets.com Limited spaces available for this most splendiferous occasion! And yes, there will be a bar. Huzzah!

On Friday 5th November, Hope for Tomorrow launched their next generation state-of-the-art fully mobile medical cancer care unit, a ‘world first’ in healthcare innovation, designed to change the way care is delivered. In a unique partnership with the NHS, the next generation mobile cancer care unit will visit communities to offer a wide range of services including accessible daily clinics, cancer screening and education programmes, and a variety of treatments. It will be operated as a pilot scheme by Airedale NHS Foundation Trust, helping them to achieve NHS England’s 62-day cancer target for at least 85% of patients to start a first treatment for cancer within two months (62 days) of an urgent GP referral. There are the facilities on board to run a range of patient education and information clinics, meaning that ultimately patients will need to spend significantly less time attending hospital- based appointments. Staffed by NHS oncology experts, the unit will address health inequalities, with a holistic treatment option for hard-to-reach communities. It will also offer patients more choice of where their cancer care is delivered with less time spent attending appointments with no compromise in quality or consistency of care. Embracing digital innovation Manufactured here in the UK, the unit includes two hydraulic powered consultation rooms which expand from its side. Each room will be fully connected with digital facilities so that patients and staff on board are able to connect remotely to the main hospital if necessary. Being attached to its HGV chassis means the unit is fully mobile and can be moved from location to location with ease. Combatting the Covid backlog Hope for Tomorrow designed and launched the first mobile cancer care unit in 2007 in Cheltenham. Since then, the charity has continually developed its fleet which grew to 13 units by the beginning of 2021 and the charity now employs 14 people. 12 mobile cancer care units are currently allocated to NHS Trusts, with two units remaining in reserve ensuring minimum  interruption to service. Throughout the Covid-19 crisis, available reserve units were deployed to support NHS Trusts wherever possible, allowing vital cancer services to continue where they may not otherwise have been able to. Hope for Tomorrow are also providing support with tackling the backlog caused by the pandemic; enabling treatments to take place away from the hospital environment and protecting this vulnerable patient group while helping to reduce the spread of Covid-19. In 2020, the units delivered 24,492 patient treatments. The units deliver longer-term benefits to the NHS, in the form of a more streamlined Patient Pathway and the additional capacity on hospital sites for more complex treatments, supporting partner Trusts to meet NHS England targets. Mental health benefits Moving cancer care closer to patients has proven health and wellbeing benefits. In some cases, once initial consultations and first treatments have taken place, mobile cancer care units allow for the removal of hospital visits for all of a patient’s treatments. The associated reduction in travel and waiting times delivers a vastly improved patient experience, reducing stress and anxiety levels. Tina Seymour, CEO of Hope for Tomorrow said: “This unit has been three years in the making and the result is a testament to our relentless commitment in making crucial cancer care more accessible for all. By facilitating educational and support sessions within a community, the unit will allow NHS staff to provide life-saving information, such as self-examination guidance from specialist breast care nurses. The potential for urology clinicians to host catheterisation sessions for patients and a range of other clinics will enable patients to spend significantly less time attending hospital-based appointments. The need for more services like this is crystal clear and reflected in the increasing engagement we are seeing with key organisations. A number of outside agencies have also expressed a desire to support patients with services that go beyond healthcare from within the unit. Organisations including Citizens Advice and Be Clear on Cancer are investigating how they can offer services such as financial advice and benefit support via the unit.” Funding next generation care Hope for Tomorrow receives no statutory funding and relies entirely on donations from the general public, corporate donations and other private funding bodies. Building the unit was made possible by a generous grant of £747,764 from global pharmaceutical company Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS).  The grant has been donated to cover the build costs of the next generation unit as well as another unit which will be built to existing specifications. The unit has been named ‘Christine’, in memory of the charity’s founder Christine Mills MBE who died in 2018 from cancer. Press and media coverage for our Next generation Unit: https://www.buildingbetterhealthcare.com/news/article_page/Worldsfirst_nextgeneration_mobile_cancer_care_unit/180432 https://www.businessinnovationmag.co.uk/regional-businesses-support-world-first-mobile-cancer-care-unit-as-hope-for-tomorrow-launches-next-generation-unit-with-bms-grant/ https://www.punchline-gloucester.com/articles/aanews/hope-for-tomorrow-launches-world-first-mobile-cancer-care-unit-charity-cheltenham-racecourse  

Proeon Systems Ltd. are very pleased to announce that Jake Bridges, nominated by our company for ECITB “Apprentice of the Year” at the Training & Development Awards 2021, he was selected as a finalist in this category. Jake Bridges, was up against several other talented candidates, and we are pleased to announce he was awarded “Runner-Up” in this category. As Jake was unable to attend the ceremony in person, our MD Richard Miller attended on his behalf, Richard was extremely pleased for Jake’s success in this category, and was happy to receive the “Runner-up” trophy on Jake’s behalf. Richard Miller said: “This is a fantastic accolade for a very conscientious, hard-working and personable young man, who is a valued member of the Proeon team. We here at Proeon are all extremely proud of you and your achievements.” Chris Claydon, ECITB Chief Executive, said: “The ECITB’s industry awards provide a great opportunity to recognise the people who have really stood out for their achievements.  There is no doubt we have all experienced one of the most difficult periods in our working lives, and during these challenging times we have seen employers, training providers and learners display real resilience, innovation and creativity in the face of adversity. With so many excellent nominees, it has been a real challenge to shortlist, and so my congratulations to all our finalists who have really shone over the last year.”  

• The ‘Hope Funds’ scheme is offering grants of up to £10k for projects working to alleviate homelessness in the East of England; • In the first round of funding in summer 2021, £96k in grants were awarded to 11 organisations in the region; • Applications are invited from registered charities, social enterprises, and community based not for profit ventures by 6 December 2021. ‘Hope Funds’, a scheme offering grants of up to £10k to support projects working to tackle homelessness in East Anglia, is once again open for applications – after £96k was awarded in the first round of funding. 11 organisations working to alleviate homelessness across East Anglia were the recipients of funding up to £10k this summer, and now applications are invited once more by projects which share the aims of Hopestead, the charity behind the grant scheme. Hopestead is looking to support organisations which can provide access to a safe place to live, tackle the causes and impacts of homelessness – as well as homelessness itself – or empower people who have experienced or are at risk of homelessness to take control and get past the challenges in their way. They are also keen to invest in projects which enhance communities, and give people connections to build relationships, solve problems and try new things to create a sense of belonging that makes a house a forever home. Applications are invited specifically from registered charities, social enterprises, and community based not for profit ventures, and grants are open to projects which share Hopestead’s aims. Hope Funds opened on 1 November and 6 December is the deadline for applications.  Successful applicants will be announced on 20 December, and these projects will then be invited to submit full proposals by 24 January 2022. The funds will be granted in March 2022. The announcement of the latest round of Hope Funds grants is testament to Hopestead’s ethos to work collaboratively to achieve the charity’s ambitious goal of ending homelessness in the East of England. CEO Marie-Claire Delbrouque explained: “We’re so proud of the partnerships we’ve made since we launched in October 2020. We know that it is only through working together that we can make homelessness a rare, brief, and non-recurring event in people’s lives, and ensure that those moving into a property from a route of homelessness have everything they need to thrive. “There are so many incredible organisations and fantastic projects working to alleviate homelessness across our region, and through our Hope Funds grant scheme, we have an opportunity to support these great initiatives that are making such a vital difference. “Our first round of funding showed us just what an impact the Hope Funds grants can make, and I would urge eligible applicants to please do apply.” Organisations and projects wishing to apply for the Hope Fund grant scheme can do so here: Apply for funding – Hopestead Hope Funds previous recipients St Martin’s Housing Trust was amongst the recipients of the first round of Hope Funds grants and was awarded a grant to provide tenancy training for 32 people to aid the prevention of homelessness. Lucy Bone Head of Community Services at St Martins said: “We have been extremely fortunate to receive this funding. It gives us the opportunity to deliver training to the people we support  to develop the skills needed to live independently in a safe and secure environment and to feel confident they can sustain this in the future.” Empanda, a CIC which offers community-based housing related support across Norfolk and day care services across Norfolk and Suffolk also received a grant.  A representative of Empanda said: “The grant from Hopestead has enabled Empanda to access a small team of specialist counsellors able to respond quicker, and often more appropriately to the young persons’ needs assisting them to become more positive about their future. We know from experience that when a young person feels positive and in control of their life they are more likely to move on to permanent accommodation successfully and avoid the pitfall of repeat homelessness.” Another recipient was Village Orchard CIC, a not-for-profit organisation which provides personalised mental health support through one-to-one therapy sessions and group work. A spokesperson for Village Orchard explained how they would be using the grant:  “We will be providing a 12-week closed therapy group for 6 to 8 participants, as well as 16 weeks of 1:1 therapy for 2 participants.  The Village Orchard East CIC understands that homelessness can stem from trauma.  We are so grateful to receive this funding and to have been granted the opportunity to provide this support for people who need it, thank you Hopestead!” Hopestead was also pleased to provide a grant to Norfolk Community Law service. A spokesperson for the service said: “The independent specialist Debt and Welfare Benefits advice and representation we can provide is quite literally life changing. The funding from Hopestead means we can help more people. People who have been made most vulnerable by society. On their behalf we say thank you.” And, The Horticulture Industry Scheme CIC (Thetford) received a grant and remarked: “We are so grateful to Hopestead for awarding us funding as part of their Hope Funds project. This funding will enable us to help ten households who have struggled with their gardens because of Covid-19. Our team of employees who have suffered difficulties such as homelessness will be working on this project to transform these householders’ gardens.”

Norfolk based ISP, FreeClix, have recently launched SimRush 5G, a unique 5G broadband product that is perfect for businesses who need to improve their broadband’s speed and reliability. It is capable of providing download speeds of more than 300 Mbps in and around Norwich. The professionally installed system comprises an external broadband router with multiple long range antennas to ensure an ultrafast service is delivered where 5G is available, and an internal router with the best dual-band WiFi built in for extremely high-speed wireless access.

But that’s not all.

Not only is SimRush 5G compatible with all UK 5G mobile networks, it is also backwards compatible with the 4G LTE network. When on 4G, SimRush 5G can still produce amazing broadband speeds of up to 100 Mbps. These high-speeds are possible because of the CAT 20 4G LTE chipset on the external antenna, which provides much faster speeds compared to previous SimRush hardware.

This gives two brilliant advantages of using SimRush 5G:

If you’re lucky enough to get 5G but unfortunate enough that it fails, you have automatic failover to 4G built into your broadband set up so you won’t go offline.

If you only have 4G network coverage in your area, you can still use SimRush 5G to get you excellent speeds using just the 4G network.

So, what does this really mean?

SimRush Co-Founder, Peter Freeman, discusses the benefits of using SimRush 5G for Norfolk based businesses.

“SimRush 5G is a fantastic way of getting exceptional broadband speeds in rural areas. We recently upgraded our customer, The Gunton Arms, who are over 8 miles away from the nearest 5G area, to SimRush 5G and saw huge improvements in their internet connection. They can now achieve much faster average speeds of 90 Mbps download!”

“We are extremely pleased with the performance of SimRush 5G across the UK. But as a Norfolk based company, we are even more delighted to see that it is also benefitting businesses in the local area. For those with 5G coverage the improvements are vast. 5G mobile technology offers extremely low average latency, meaning the amount of lag experienced when using the internet is minimal. It’s ideal for businesses who are reliant on a reliable broadband connection to keep their business functioning and productive. The built in 4G failover provides an extra layer of security and reduces the likelihood of downtime.”

“We’ve seen a big increase in the amount of enquiries from businesses with leased lines who cannot afford to risk the potential loss of money from an internet outage, particularly from professional services firms, the care sector and hospitality outlets. SimRush 5G is the perfect solution for these businesses. We recently proved this by helping a business that had a prolonged leased line outage to get their 25 staff and connected devices back online within hours of the initial request by rapidly deploying SimRush 5G.”

SimRush 5G has additional appeal for business users due to the unique Static Public IP addressing service that’s available. This cost-effective fixed IP solution enables remote access to CCTV, web servers or a Virtual Private Network (VPN) service which is a must for most businesses.

SimRush 5G is available to buy now from FreeClix, the UK SimRush Master Distributor. Please click here for more information regarding the product range and a comprehensive guide to everything 5G.

“5G network coverage is growing all the time and we are seeing more and more incredible speeds that are rivalling those of traditional broadband services. SimRush 5G enables businesses to get faster broadband speeds and improved reliability, whilst also future proofing their connection for years to come.”

Use a coverage checker to find out if you’ve got 5G network coverage in your area now!

As part of its ongoing environmental strategy, Howes Percival has joined the Legal Sustainability Alliance (LSA). The LSA is the leading sustainability network for law firms and the UK legal sector. It is a collaborative network which allows its members to share best practice and to work together to ensure law firms play a full part in tackling the climate crisis. The LSA provides members with access to a range of tools, resources and advice to help firms become sustainable. Howes Percival has committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2030 and its dedicated Environmental Committee has already embarked on a series of initiatives to reach this target which include reducing the use of paper, optimising recycling across offices and reducing the volume of marketing materials. Environmental partner, Hannah Steggles said,

“As the COP26 Climate Change Conference shines a light on global environmental issues, we are really excited to do our part and push forward in our sustainability journey by joining the LSA. Reducing our environmental impact is a key priority for Howes Percival and we are really pleased to join a network of like-minded organisations”.

  For more information about the Legal Sustainability Alliance, please visit legalsustainabilityalliance.com.  

James Groves, Managing Director of Indigo Swan says of being a Finalist in the IoD East of England Director of the Year Awards, ” You can’t achieve anything on your own. You are only as good as those around you.” ” Surround yourself with people better than you. Last week I was fortunate to receive some personal recognition on top of the team being recognised as finalists for a number of awards. This made for an amazing week. I am extremely honoured and grateful to those who nominated me. None of this would be possible however without the hard work, dedication and commitment of each and ever swan, so to them I say thank you. The people below make me better, they make the company better, the culture better and they will do anything they can to make us successful and well respected as a business in Norfolk, the East of England and far beyond. This is about them, our clients and our partners. It is today and always will be. If I pick up some recognition in the process then it makes me proud and makes me know that as a leader I am doing something right. Thank you for trusting me, following me and believing in me and what we are doing. A great end to the year ahead and the boost we need heading into 2022.” Indigo Swan

We’re absolutely delighted that Mills & Reeve are Chamber Business Awards 2021 Regional Winners for Equality Trailblazer award. Congratulations! The Chamber Business Awards is one of the showpiece events in the business calendar, recognising and promoting the best of British business through a series of regional heats, culminating in a virtual Awards ceremony, taking place online on the 9 December 2021. This year we had entrants from organisations of all sizes and sectors across the country and want to express sincere thanks to all the Chambers who nominated their members. The quality of nominations received this year is testament to the strength of businesses across the country. Congratulations to the 2021 regional winners, listed below, who will go forward to represent their business at the Chamber Business Awards virtual ceremony on Thursday 9 December 2021. Click here to book your tickets Join the conversation on Twitter as we count down to 9 December #ChamberAwards.