Member News

Ashtons Legal regards the recruitment and training of solicitors as a vital part of the development of the firm and as such has recently appointed five new trainee solicitors. Existing staff members Tom Beattie, Nathalie Fearnley and Taaher Robanni have been joined by external recruits Kurt Glencastle and Luke Evans. All five commenced their training contracts in September 2021 and will qualify as solicitors at different stages in the next few years as a result of various exemptions. They are working across a range of legal disciplines – employment, lifetime planning, corporate and commercial, dispute resolution and commercial property. Ashtons Legal – who became amongst the first firms nationally to adopt the Six Year Solicitors Apprenticeship (originally known as Trailblazer Apprenticeships) – now has a total of 14 staff training to become qualified solicitors. Ed O’Rourke, CEO of Ashtons comments: “I am delighted to welcome Kurt and Luke to Ashtons and congratulate Tom, Nathalie and Taaher on getting through our rigorous training solicitor selection process.” He adds: “We continue the firm’s successful strategy of training and development by supporting the long term plans of employees. We have a mix of solicitors trained through the ‘traditional’ route and those given the apprenticeship opportunity should they not wish to go to university or law school. Whichever route they take, our trainee solicitors are trained to be potential leaders of the future and we pride ourselves on an excellent training record.”

Team Breakwater are excited to be exhibiting at The B2B Exhibition on Thursday 14 October. We’ll be on stand 55 this year with an interactive competition, a space to chill and chat about IT and you can plant a tree in our forest! Plant a tree at our stand You can plant a tree when you visit us on stand 55! Look out for our tree planting banner, grab one of our recycled leaf stickers and add it to the tree. Every sticker on the banner at the end of the day will plant one tree. To see our forest so far, visit: ecologi.com/breakwaterit As well as tree planting, you can take part in our interactive competition. We’ve got some Jabra Headphones up for grabs so come along and get involved!

Kings Lynn’s Captain Fawcett Ltd (Manufacturer and Purveyor of simply ‘First Class Gentleman’s Grooming Requisites’) has been flying the flag for West Norfolk on an epic 1,671-mile motorbike ride across Scotland and England to raise funds for a most marvellous national children’s charity. The fifth BarbersRide was an absolute triumph, with funds reaching over £20K – with more donations still coming in. Huzzah! On the 7th August a fine fellowship of mad-cap adventurers, united by their passion for bikes and barbering, set off on a mission to supportMake-A-Wish® UK, the charity which grants life-changing wishes to those whose childhood has been cut short by the diagnosis of a critical condition. Richie Finney, West Norfolk Champion and owner of Captain Fawcett Ltd is one of the founding members and key sponsor of BarbersRide, an annual road trip adventure bringing barbers and bikers together on a journey of camaraderie and merry mayhem. By day taking to the highways in all manner of wild and wonderful British weather, each evening features a legendary after party with live music, food and drinks to revive spirits after fantastically formidable trails such riding through the Scottish Highlands, a favourite with this year’s riders. Past Rides have to date raised over £66K for The Lion’s Barber Collective plus London’s Great Ormond Street and Liverpool’s Alder Hey children’s hospitals. BarbersRide have supported Make-A-Wish since 2019, saying: “Make-A-Wish grants special wishes for sick children – bringing positivity and happiness in times of distress. We really wanted to work with a national children’s charity so that children from each region could benefit – Make-A-Wish is the perfect organisation to partner with. We even managed to ride in 2020, observing social distancing, and garnered incredible support from our sponsors, our riders, the barbers and barbershops and of course the guests at every event.” Make-A-Wish Chief Executive Jason Suckley said: “We are hugely grateful to BarbersRide and all those who have supported their brilliantly unique way of fundraising for Make-A-Wish over the years. Any money they raise will help us with our ambitious mission to light up the lives of every child in the UK who has a critical condition, by granting their wish. From the moment they are diagnosed, the joy of childhood is often brought to an abrupt end while treatment, medical appointments and worry take over. It can’t be underestimated how powerful a wish can be in bringing light and joy to those children, as well as their loved ones, creating positive moments and cherished memories that have a lasting impact on all their lives.” In 2022 we ride again. Are you with us? Sign-up www.barbersride.com/2022

National treasure and cancer survivor, Stephen Fry, has voiced his support for Big C’s new cancer centre in Norwich via video. In the recording, Mr Fry talks about the urgent need for increased support for those affected by cancer in our local communities. He urges everyone who can, to keep fundraising and to help make the charity’s vision a reality. To date, over £640,000 has been raised by Big C’s loyal supporters for the Nearer to Home Appeal, of which every penny will go directly towards a new state-of-the-art Cancer Support and Information Centre in Dereham Road in Norwich. Carole Slaughter, Big C’s Head of Fundraising said “We have just over £100,000 left to raise to enable completion of the centre building and for the facility to become operational. We are hugely grateful to everyone who has donated so far and we’re asking for one last push to help us to deliver this very special support service for Norwich and the wider region.” Norwich’s new Cancer Support and Information Centre will offer a warm welcome to those visiting, with a light, calming central seating area and a bright space for group activities. There will also be private rooms for one-to-one counselling and a sensory wellbeing garden. Once open, the centre will provide a centre of wellbeing with services such as support groups, counselling, the opportunity to talk to registered nurses, complementary therapies, welfare advice, bereavement support and individually tailored health and fitness programmes. View Stephen Fry’s video here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0twWhs9hqA&t=3s To donate to Big C’s Nearer to Home Appeal, please visit https://nearertohome.co.uk/  

Local cancer charity, Big C, has been awarded gold accreditation as a Best Employer Eastern Region 2021. Best Employers Eastern Region is a biennial programme comprising an employee survey provided by co-founders ERAS Ltd, that measures employee engagement, company culture and development, across Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Essex. Big C was also further recognised receiving the ‘Alex Pearce Award for Most Improved’. The judges’ comments were, “Big C scored well in terms of overall engagement and survey participation and the judges gave them solid scores in all categories. Unsurprisingly, the Big C operates a clear set of values and has used the motivational maps to understand the engagement drivers of its employees. Its standout is its commitment to inclusion and diversity, particularly in encouraging the recruitment for those with disabilities and focus on learning and individual progression.” Dr Chris Bushby, Chief Executive at Big C, said, “This accreditation celebrates and reflects the teamwork, passion and commitment shown by everyone at Big C, as we together meet our mission to provide outstanding and constantly improving cancer support services, when and where they are needed. The 2021 results demonstrated a 25% increase from the 2018 survey scores which is very rewarding given the challenges that we, along with many other  organisations across the region, have been facing through the pandemic as a charitable organisation and team. “We believe in putting our people at the centre of our organisation and this recognition will be valuable in strengthening our employer brand and helping us to attract the best future employees as we grow.” For more information on Best Employers Eastern Region visit – www.best-employers.co.uk.

Lotus named ‘Manufacturer of the Year’ at prestigious News UK Motor Awards

• Lotus wins national award, voted for by The Times, Sunday Times, The Sun and Driving.co.uk
• Lotus commended for “impressive additions to its range and pioneering exciting new product development”
• Judges commented: “The Evija and Emira are simply sensational… the future is bright”
• Award collected at London ceremony by Lotus Design Director Russell Carr

“The future is bright for one of the world’s most iconic car brands” – the words of Rob Gill, Motors Editor at The Sun, as Lotus was honoured as ‘Manufacturer of the Year’ at the News UK Motor Awards 2021.

The prestigious award was presented by respected political journalist and Times Radio presenter John Pienaar at an exclusive ceremony, and collected on behalf of Lotus by Design Director Russell Carr.

The judges included a number of highly respected motoring writers and commentators. Together they felt Lotus was a worthy winner as it has… “continued to up its game in the last 12 months, making impressive additions to its range and pioneering exciting new product development”.

On behalf of the judges, Rob Gill commented: “We are starting to see the first harvest from Geely’s huge investment in Lotus and, wow, the Evija and Emira are simply sensational. The Evija is the perfect blend of art and science, the Emira is a shrink-wrapped supercar, and the transformation of the historic Hethel HQ will warm the heart of every true car fan.”

He concluded: “The workforce has doubled to 1,700 people, Delia Smith is running the kitchen, and the famous old fountains have been switched back on again. The future is bright for one of the world’s most iconic car brands.”

Matt Windle, Managing Director, Lotus, said: “This is a massive honour for Lotus, and a tribute to everyone working tirelessly at our facilities all round the world to transform our business and brand. That transformation got underway with the launch of the world’s first British electric hypercar – the Evija – and was followed by its younger sibling – the Emira – revealed in July to a reception that’s been nothing less than sensational. Things are moving fast at Lotus, so watch this space – there is so much more to come.”

Collecting the award, Russell Carr (above, right, with Will Dron from driving.co.uk) commented: “Rob Gill’s reaction when he visited Hethel recently suggested we are doing something right – he seemed very impressed with all we have achieved, from the new design language on our cars to the refurbishment of the site. I didn’t expect it to lead to this wonderful award, but we’re very honoured and proud that all the hard work and achievements of Lotus in the last couple of years have been recognised in this way.”

The Motor Awards is in its fourth year and brings together the collective expertise and audiences of The Times, The Sunday Times, The Sun, Driving.co.uk and talkSPORT. Rob Walsh, Automotive Director, News UK, commented: “Motors is a cherished subject here at News UK, a love shared by our editorial teams and our readers and listeners. The ambition is therefore to celebrate motoring best in class and support the automotive industry during challenging economic times.”

Norfolk County Council is supporting small to medium-sized businesses by launching its Insight Apprentice Programme at the B2B Exhibition, organised by the Norfolk Chamber of Commerce, on Thursday 14 October.

The team will be on stand no. 30 from 10am to 4pm at the Norfolk Showground. Entry and parking for businesses is free of charge.

Insight Apprentice is a project part-funded by the European Social Fund which supports Norfolk’s businesses, with less than 250 employees, to realise the full benefits of apprenticeships.

Cllr Graham Plant, Cabinet Member for Growing the Economy, said: “We know that there is a myriad of different projects and initiatives out there to support employers but time and again businesses tell us it’s difficult to navigate through the systems. The Insight Apprentice project will help by providing a locally based Business Development Officer to support you throughout the apprenticeship process, ensuring that you can recruit the right person, onto the right apprenticeship at the right time.

Our Officers will be on hand at the B2B Exhibition. It is the ideal opportunity to find out how we can help, so please visit our stand and meet the team.”

The business sectors Insight Apprentice would like to reach include:

• Advanced engineering and manufacturing
• Agri-tech
• Clean energy
• Digital and ICT
• Voluntary and social economy;

and any business diversifying, growing or needing to retrain/recruit staff as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Companies that invest in apprenticeship programmes report many other benefits including reduced recruitment costs, higher staff loyalty, enhanced job satisfaction, improved knowledge and skills as well as achievement of corporate social responsibility outcomes.

86% of employers say apprenticeships help them develop skills relevant to their organisation.

Business Development Officers will give employers the INSIGHT on apprenticeships to help businesses and their employees unlock their full potential.

The Team will be based countywide, working with key partners at the College of West Anglia, East Coast College, Poultec, City College Norwich and the Norfolk Chambers of Commerce. The project has also linked with Steadfast Training to provide expert learning and development to businesses and their future apprentices.

Insight Apprentice offers a bespoke package for employers providing help with setting up an apprenticeships scheme, access to funding and grants and ongoing support.

Find out more by emailing us at: insightapprentice@norfolk.gov.uk

Visit our website: apprenticeshipsnorfolk.org/Insight-apprentice

Call us on 0344 800 8024

The Insight Project runs until October 2023.

In celebration of their 60-episode diamond anniversary, James and Mark are looking back over the past 18 months at the highlights and the more dubious moments, mostly consisting of Mark’s tenuous/terrible musical links! 

Impromptu Business Chat (IBC) launched in May 2020, in response to the ever-changing financial support available to businesses, and the changes to our everyday personal and business lives. Their aim was to create a bitesize, helpful and FREE business advice platform that was presented in a relaxed and fun way. 

The podcast was an instant hit and has evolved to include special feature length guest episodes, where James and Mark chat to top business leaders and experts on not just their pandemic experiences, but business in general. The podcasts provided a sanctuary for so many listeners; knowing that there was help out there and that they were not alone. 

They have spoken with BBC presenter Simon Mundie on how sport is a metaphor for business; Sue Liburd MBE and former Rugby Union international Andy Nichol on diversity in the workplace; leading psychologist Owen Fitzpatrick on how to communicate effectively with your customers; former Red Arrows pilot Dan Lowes; wellbeing expert Louise Newby and many more! 

During this special episode they play clips from past interviews and top tip episodes, demonstrating just how far they have come as presenters, learning along the way from their guests’ advice and their own findings. They highlight the value of the lessons they have learned, throughout their combined 30+ years in business, and as leaders through a global pandemic. 

If you’ve been wondering what Impromptu Business Chat is all about, this episode is a great place to start. You can access the episode vault on Listen here!

Rhino Building Supplies, Acle are very proud to be associated with East Anglia Brickwork Ltd in their drive to support young people wishing to begin a career in the construction industry as apprentice bricklayers. Darren Critchlow, Director of East Anglia Brickwork Ltd, Zoe Gabriele of Rhino and Gary Smith the onsite apprenticeship teacher & mentor met for a chat about their exciting new apprenticeship programme. 

So tell us a bit about the apprenticeship programme:

I wanted to bring in qualified brickwork teachers willing to work on a live site mentoring and laying bricks/blocks alongside apprentices.  We have set up the programme based on 4/5 apprentices with 3 or 4 bricklaying mentors onsite.  We plan to build the programme each year – adding 4/5 apprentices. The apprenticeship is 2 years training to achieve the new brickwork standard level 2 which has taken the place of the old NVQ level 2 qualification. The training is all on site and the benefit of having a qualified bricklaying teacher is that the theory work can also take place onsite. This means that on wet days when they are unable to work onsite –  they will then use the onsite classroom for theory – allowing the apprentices to utilise the good weather days to polishing up their practical skills.

We are keen to expand into multiple programmes and to do this we are looking for:

1. Brickwork Teacher – willing to teach theory on the wet days and work hands on mentoring and laying bricks alongside the apprentices on dry days. This position will be full time employment with bonuses for each apprentice that achieves qualification of the programme.
2. Bricklayer Mentor – willing to work hands on mentoring and laying bricks alongside the apprentices. The benefit to this is that they will be able to pass on knowledge and watch the apprentices develop into a quality bricklayer with all the key principles to improve our industry. This is a full time, self-employed position with bonuses for each apprentice that achieves qualification of the programme.
3. Apprentices – Anyone of any age keen to pursue a career in brickwork. The programme accommodates up to 6 months paid trial period before committing to the full-time employed apprenticeship. This is basically up to a 6-months probation period where they will learn labouring and basic brickwork skills. This allows us to get to know the candidate and the candidate can get a good feel for the company and our principles. The apprenticeship is fulltime employment for 2 years with the opportunity to progress as a bricklayer with East Anglia Brickwork Ltd.

Why did you want to do this and include mentors to bring along new people?

“Gary Smith our Teacher on site worked training apprentices at RG Carters Academy for 15 years and I was trained by him when I completed my apprenticeship at RG Carter. I hold the same passion as Gary for helping people who are passionate about the trade I love. I also like the fact that we have created an opportunity for the more experienced bricklayer to become a mentor and not worry about having to lay a quota of brick or block to make their days money. It’s a great option to put less stress on their body and mentor the apprentices who will in turn cover the quotas to make the programme works on a financial basis – making this programme sustainable ”    – Darren                                                                    

“Darren is now running a successful brickwork contracting company and providing work for approx. 45 bricklayers and for that I am really proud and happy to be involved in this idea working as a mentor for these apprentices.”    – Gary

“I always wanted to be a bricklayer when I was young but I struggled to get an apprenticeship. At that time I was taken on by RG Carter and completed my NVQ L3.  These days it has all changed and classed as a brickwork standard L2. I enjoy seeing others progress and do well and in my experience investing time into development and training can only be for the good.  It does give a certain amount of loyalty but even if the guys when they finish move on to work for others or start their own business or move away we would have done our bit to help improve the industry”   – Darren

“The apprentices I met on site at the time of my visit all seemed keen to learn and be involved. Cameron told me that East Anglia Brickwork were the last people he tried and was starting to lose hope as every previous phone call had said they were not taking on apprentices”  –  Zoe

What is a key benefit to this type of apprenticeship programme?

“Darren and Gary both told me that they both recognised that even with the apprenticeships it was a challenge to spend time to observe the proper skills without designated mentors. With some apprenticeship schemes the apprentice would be sent away off site to college and taught there but apart from photographs it was hard to get a feel of the flair or competency of the individual. Training and working alongside the apprentice’s day in day out was so much easier and brings about lots of positives. We personally and strongly believe this is the best type of apprenticeship to offer in brickwork”

Does the programme run every day?

“In the trade when you are faced with wet days as a bricklayer often you have to pack up but the beauty of this scheme is we can now do theory work in a designated classroom based on site resulting in them continuing their learning and maximising the weather issues we face in our trade.”                                             – Gary

“On the site I visited this is still work in progress as they intend to include a covered area just outside the classroom to allow for practice sessions. I spoke with my cement supplier Southern Cement who were also happy to get involved and offered a free pallet of cement to assist with the course.”  – Zoe

Can most building methods be covered in this way?

“Definitely, for example in Norfolk there is a preference for Flint work in many areas of the county but finding someone who is able to train people in how to do this can be problematic. We have some great flint layers in our company.  We often have flintwork projects which we can include within the programme –  this is where the mentors can help and it gives the apprentices a broader range of experiences which they can then draw upon throughout their careers.”  – Darren

Has there been any help to you in setting this up?

The opportunity for funding via Government Schemes is there now in regard to apprenticeships but there has been some setting up costs. Rhino have offered to help us to communicate what we are doing and support us with materials. We have set up a container on site as our classroom and fully furnished it, providing full toolkits for the apprenticeships.  We also employ quality officers which a lot of other contractors do not provide because we recognise that the quality of our work needs to be good. Our aim has always been to be the best brickwork contractor we can be and create a great working environment with a team feel. Now our aim has grown to train and create the best bricklayers in our area for EAB and our industry.”     – Darren

What would you say to anyone who may be interested in getting involved?

“I would say drop me a line.  I think there are a lot of willing people out there who may not have considered this type of career but want to work hard and gain a qualification – this is a huge opportunity for you.  I also really encourage mentors and trainers who are keen to pass on what they know and are genuinely interested in training others to get in touch. The most important piece of this programme is the mentors – the programme doesn’t work without mentors. We are able to employ you on a full time basis or on a self employed basis and we really need your level of expertise. My email address is eastangliabrickworkltd@gmail.com”  – Darren 

Our Best Employers Eastern Region 2021 awards conference took place virtually on Thursday 30 September. We were delighted to host this year’s conference alongside our co-founders’ eras Ltd, and partners Birketts and Archant. Congratulations to all the winners and organisations which were accredited.

What’s Best Employers?

Best Employers Eastern Region brings together companies from across the East of England to encourage economic growth through better employee engagement. Beginning as an employee survey, it’s now become a community designed to help leaders develop their organisations’ cultures, engagement levels and workplace environments.

The awards conference is the final event in this year’s programme. Launched in March, it also included a culture and values survey by eras, and a programme of eight virtual events and webinars.

90 people joined us online to hear the award and accreditation announcements. They were also treated to speeches from Hamish Taylor, former head of brands at BA, CEO of Eurostar and Sainsbury’s Bank, and Andy Wood, CEO of Adnams.

Lynn Walters, Executive Director at Pure, kicked things off by thanking all the organisations that have still taken the time to listen to their people during what’s been a challenging year for all of us.

A tribute to Alex Pearce

The conference was dedicated to Alex Pearce, cofounder of eras Ltd, who sadly died in 2020. Lynn said: ‘I think Alex would be incredibly proud of what your team and our team have all achieved together. And that we’ve been able to carry this on as your legacy.’

Through the programme and participants’ generosity, we donated over £11,000 for the charities Nelson’s Journey and Winston’s Wish. Both of these organisations supported Alex’s family during a very difficult time.

Who were the winners?

We presented 10 organisations with Best Employers Eastern Region 2021 awards. They won these after getting exceptional results in the employee engagement survey, where they were rated on a range of factors by the people who know best – their own employees.

Here’s a full list of the winners.

• Alex Pearce award for the most improved  – The Big C Cancer Charity
• Best large company  – Treatt
• Best medium company – Beckett Investment Management Group
• Best small company – FutureYou Cambridge
• Best hospitality and retail – Holkham Estate
• Best digital and technology – TigerEye
• Best business and professional services – PolicyBee
• Best not-for-profit – Centre 33
• Best manufacturing – Thurne
• Best healthcare and pharmaceuticals – IPRS Group

Which organisations were accredited?

As well as the award winners, we presented 31 organisations with either platinum, gold or silver accreditations. These were awarded to employers who scored in the top 25% of the Best Employers Eastern Region employee engagement survey (they also showed us evidence of their working practices to back this up).

You can find the full list of accredited organisations on the Best Employers’ website.

About our speakers

With Best Employers we aim to inspire organisations with insight and ideas – all to make the most of their employee engagement. And we’re pleased to say that our two keynote speakers did exactly that.

Andy Wood, CEO of Adnams, shared his story of innovation through lockdown, but explained that it was actually much bigger than that. He said:

‘What’s the role for me as the leader in all of this? I could do only three things – pick the right team and continue to develop it even when working through a crisis, establish their priorities, and catalyse action. So [I would] encourage them to act, and then get out the way and let far more talented people than me do their stuff.’

He continued:

‘We were very glad about having a progressive culture. And as Peter Drucker said all those years ago, “culture eats strategy for breakfast” – and so it proved. Mike Tyson also had a really good phrase: “everyone has a plan till they get punched in the face.” And COVID was quite a punch in the face. But our progressive culture really supported our organisation through this. We continue to celebrate the achievements of the company and individual members of staff every week. [For example] we had a roll call of staff’s birthdays [and] made sure that every member of staff got a birthday card from the directors.”

Hamish Taylor, former Brand and Innovation Director at BA, CEO of Eurotunnel and Sainsbury’s Bank talked about how companies should focus on the things they have in common when engaging employees, through the concept of ‘ruthless simplicity’. Drawing on his experience, he said:

‘I’ve worked with lots of organisations in lots of different places. And what interests me is the commonalities, rather than the differences. If you look at the work environment that we’re in at the moment, we’re all facing the same challenges – even before COVID came along. When it comes to things like how we move forward, we can learn from the experiences of other organisations, particularly in the area of customer engagement. And for me, getting back to this theme of ruthless simplicity, that’s the really simple way that I look at the employee engagement.’

Lynn wrapped things up by saying:

‘We’d like to congratulate all our winners and accredited organisations. I really hope many of you are going to really enjoy sharing the news with your teams and celebrating. With our partners eras, Birketts and Archant, this has become a fantastic Best Employers year, during a time of significant change. We had no idea what to expect when we set off, so I really appreciate you giving your time and supporting Best Employers. I hope you and your teams enjoy celebrating your achievements.’

Need some help with employee engagement?

At Pure, our consultants can support you with your recruitment and employee engagement strategies. Contact our team today. You might also like to find out more about Best Employers, including how to sign up for next year’s programme.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has issued new guidance for any business who makes environmental claims.

The guidance is applicable for goods and services and for any business.

The purpose of this guidance is to help businesses understand and comply with their existing obligations under consumer protection law when making environmental claims. We hope it will give confidence to those businesses whose products are genuinely ‘green’ to provide consumers with the information they need to make informed decisions.

See link to guidance and press release here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/green-claims-code-making-environmental-claims

I would like to share my story…   I am the founder of Globally Onward, a not-for-profit organisation based in Norwich, which supports and empowers highly skilled immigrants and refugees to restart their careers here in the UK. We also exist to encourage businesses to value diversity and inclusion, and we aim to become an organisation that can bring employers and professional immigrants and refugees together to meet each other’s needs.   In the initial phase we will be concentrating most of our effort on East Anglia and we are interested in working with local employers for talent acquisition, get in touch with us at info@globallyonward.org