Member News

Leading business-to-business marketing agency Full Mix Marketing have settled into city-centre offices as they look to support more businesses in 2021 and beyond. Following a move to offices in the centre of Norwich in September 2020, the successful full-service marketing agency have reported a positive start to the year as they help businesses promote themselves through and beyond the pandemic. “Though the easing of restrictions has taken longer than many hoped, even businesses relatively unaffected by the lockdowns appear keener than ever to get going. It’s exciting working with new and existing clients to ensure their marketing makes the best of the recovery” says Sarah West, co-founder and Managing Director. Full Mix Marketing’s new offices on Thorpe Road in Norwich have given them more space and made it easier for clients to visit. The move from their previous location in Cringleford, Norwich, was prompted when their lease became due for renewal. “At the time we were helping our team return safely to working part-time in our offices following the first lockdown. It’s hard to focus on the future during a crisis but it was something we saw as essential. We’re glad we did as it’s put us in an even better position to support businesses with their marketing” say Sarah West. In March 2020, as the restrictions on businesses required their team to work from home, Full Mix Marketing unveiled a new website and rebrand focusing on their expertise in marketing for businesses who work with other companies (known as business-to-business or B2B). “Most agencies focus on consumer marketing, but we’ve always wanted to work with the fantastic businesses who make or supply the goods and services other businesses rely on. Businesses behave differently to consumers, so we focus on delivering a full-mix of marketing which turns this to our clients’ advantage” adds Sarah. Full Mix Marketing was founded in 2016 with the aim to deliver the right mix of marketing to create meaningful results for their clients. This ranges from creating marketing strategies and brands, to delivering marketing including social media, websites, search engine optimisation, graphic design and content marketing. The company has subsequently become one of East Anglia’s leading business-to-business specialist, providing marketing for companies in sectors including manufacturing, engineering, technology, business services and logistics. The agency’s rebrand and move to larger premises has created the opportunity to put their stamp on their offices with a client meeting room, staff breakout area and new signage. “It was a proud moment when the roadside sign went up! The team celebrated with socially distanced sushi. However, we really feel for all those businesses forced to close or downsize during the pandemic. Both as a business and individuals, we feel we all need to play our part in helping them recover” adds Sarah. Now in their fifth year, the agency has long-term relationships with a number of clients who lead in their fields, including an increasing number of businesses from London. Key members of their team will also soon celebrate similar anniversaries with the agency. “Nothing would be possible without our team. They’ve all been outstandingly supportive throughout the last year and a real rock for our clients. It’s important to state just how important they are” concludes Sarah. More details of full mix marketing, the marketing they deliver and the sectors they serve can be found at https://www.fullmixmarketing.co.uk/

East Norfolk Sixth Form bring a new Level 4 course in Business Administration that targets both existing learners and those already working that wish to increase their qualifications. 

This is a ground breaking qualification that is affiliated with four Universities, Lincoln, Birmingham, University of Suffolk and University of Sunderland.  This gives direct entry onto their Business related Degree courses into year 2 and saves learners 33% of the University tuition fees. This is a brilliant opportunity for those learners in the region that would find University prohibitively expensive.

Anglian Water’s Innovation Shop Window Evolution

We’re sharing an exciting update on the evolution of 

We know that the global challenges we face can feel daunting, but we also know that when we work together, towards a common goal, we can do anything we set our minds to. We want to make the east of England the healthiest, happiest, and most prosperous place to live in the UK, resilient to climate change and with a landscape rich in wildlife.

Carrow Road is set to fully re-open for conferences, meetings and events from Monday, May 17.

The facilities at Carrow Road officially opened on a smaller scale on Monday, April 12, hosting small business meetings, weddings and wakes for a maximum of 15 people.

The next step on May 17 will see Carrow Road able to host larger numbers for business events as part of step three in the government roadmap out of lockdown.

With Delia’s Canary Catering available, flexibility and vast spaces, onsite complimentary car parking and a robust safety policy in place, our unique venue is the ideal place for all conferences, meetings and events needs.

All of our menus are created from Delia’s published recipes and her team of chefs work tirelessly in recreating these recipes to Delia’s exacting high standards.

Everything is freshly prepared in-house to ensure that Delia’s Canary Catering is truly memorable and a very important part of the overall special and unique event experience.

Carrow Road is a COVID-secure venue, with social distancing and other measures in place to keep all guests safe throughout their visit.

For our conference, meeting and events information guide, click here.

To find out more about our venue, visit the Delia’s Canary Catering or call us on 01603 218704.

Businesses, residents and visitors are being invited to have their say on the future of Downham Market. An initial three-week consultation has been launched today, to get some general views about Downham Market and also to gather some specific ideas about future uses of the historic Town Hall. Opportunities Downham Market will be the route for consultation, engagement and communications around plans, investment and potential improvements for the town.  Opportunities Downham Market hopes to encompass various funding programmes and schemes that could benefit the town. These include, but are not limited to, the Welcome Back Fund, the Community Renewal Fund/UK Prosperity Fund and the Levelling-up Fund. Opportunities Downham Market will bring together various partners, including the town, borough and county councils, business representatives, health representatives, and young people. Cllr Jenny Groom, Mayor of Downham Market, said: “I am delighted to say that we have been working in conjunction with the borough council and other partners to give the people and businesses of Downham Market a chance to have their say on the way Downham Market develops in the future, particularly in response to the impact of Covid-19.   “Today, we launch our first consultation with business residents and visitors to give everyone a chance to put their ideas forward.” To take part in the consultation visit https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/QRVSQLS. The survey closes at midnight on 28 May. Cllr Groom continued “It has been so refreshing to work with the borough council and we hope to come up with some great initiatives and ideas that will not only attract funding into the area, but will benefit Downham Market and its economy.” A Downham Opportunities Partnership is being established, to review feedback from the consultation and to start to pull together plans for the future development of Downham Market as a place to live, work or visit and of course invest.  The results from this survey will support the development of a strategic plan for Downham Market, to address and reverse the long-term impacts of Covid-19, particularly where they relate to the high street and town centre. A website is being developed to ensure ongoing engagement with anyone who wishes to be involved in shaping the future of the town. The initial phase of consultation is being funded through the government’s Welcome Back Fund.  Cllr Jenny Groom concluded, “We really want to hear from people, to see what they think of the town, what the positives are and where the areas for improvement might be.  There are lots of opportunities to explore as we look for ways to encourage people back to the town centre, to capitalise on the opportunities presented by people who are now home-working rather than commuting, and of course to develop our tourism offer as more people are likely to be holidaying in this country for a while. We also have a fabulous, historic town hall, which is currently underused. We want to hear people’s ideas for how that valuable asset can be put to better use. We need to have plans ready so that we can secure any funding that might be available.”

This week brings us a new member of our team!

Shield Health & Safety would like to welcome Ellie as our Marketing Co-ordinator.

She brings with her a wealth of knowledge and experience.

Best of Luck Ellie!

Huxley Events are delighted to announce the launch of a fresh, new virtual team experience “Property Empire”! Perfect of groups from 10-100+ Guests wanting to immerse themselves into something completely new!

• An exciting, unique and never done before, realistic glimpse into the complex world of real estate investing
• Created by real life investors who are walking the walk and talking the talk
• If you’re looking for a new experience to get your team talking and their hearts racing then this is the one for you.

The aim of the game is for teams to build a property portfolio, accumulating as much wealth as possible.

The winning team are the team with the most money at the end. They do this through three rounds and during each, they acquire varying amounts of investment properties and cash. Their choices at the start of each round, and their success in navigating the different challenges that await, will determine their position at the end.

After a short introduction into the world of property investing, teams will be given the choice of what investment strategy they want to follow first. Their choice will determine their possible score, which will add to their wealth.

The first round is a series of property-themed multiple-choice riddles and brain teasers, with questions designed to engage all participants, varying from mathematical puzzles to wordy brain teasers (no prior knowledge of the property world required).

Round 2 then takes teams to their second choice of strategy. After they have decided their investment route, they must work through a series of light hearted but realistic, hypothetical property-based scenarios (scenarios range from tenant issues to moral dilemmas, to how to deal with shady investors).  With each scenario teams must decide what kind of investor they want to be, and how much risk they are willing to take. This will really test a team’s communication, risk analysis and decision-making skills, whilst giving them a glimpse into the ever surprising, and sometimes murky world of real estate.

The final round is a series of fast paced questions and challenges, where a team effort is required if they are to answer all the questions in time. The questions are fun and interesting, and are based on wealth and real estate.

In between rounds, teams will see their wealth increase or decrease before their very eyes, based on their decisions and scores, encouraging competition and excitement. In addition, throughout the event, teams will have the opportunity to boost their wealth through bonus questions, and other surprise elements. However, as is true in the real world of property investing, teams’ journeys won’t always be plain sailing. There will be curve balls and setbacks, which could damage their investments, and ultimately jeopardise their position on the leader board. It will be down to each team to decide how to respond!

Are you brave enough to build your empire?

Contact the Huxley Team to chat about your event, or event for your client! www.huxleyevents.com or call 01953 308386

What is customer experience? It’s the emotional connection that the customer has with a business. Better known as customer service, it’s more than just functionality – experience is about how people are made to feel. Judy is here to explain why this is incredibly important for tourism, leisure and hospitality businesses to focus on, moving out of the pandemic, and to secure their future past the initial frenzy of ‘being let out again.’

Judy has worked with food and beverage-based businesses for decades, from accountancy to marketing, from secret shopping to research & development (R&D). She is currently helping advise businesses on their brand reputation, which is the biggest risk to them moving out of lockdown. You don’t normally get a second chance at making a first impression, but for many leisure businesses, this is the opportunity they now have!

Judy walks Chris through exactly what the customer experience really is; how staff need to be encouraged to take ownership of this experience; and how a business’s values and strategy must be key in all decisions.

She highlights the need for a tweak on your USP – unique, small and personal; a focus on the three P’s: people, process and performance; how product knowledge is key; and remembering that your people are your biggest and most important asset! There is a difference between having a task and a role, and investment in your staff might be key for your good reputation!

Judy’s overall insights for, and message to, businesses in the sector is an important one not to be missed and is essential listening for anyone working at any level within the sector.

Learn more about the work Judy does with insight6 here.

Listen here!

Due to dramatic growth, Shield Health & Safety Ltd, are currently looking to recruit experienced and qualified forklift instructors to join our busy and dynamic team based in Norwich.

Successful applicants will be involved in delivering Accredited training throughout East Anglia and at multiple locations.

All course presentations and paperwork will be provided.

We are offering the benefits of a full time employed position to the right candidate.

Included in the package is a company vehicle and enrolment on our pension scheme.

The applicant should:

Hold Instructor RTITB or AITT qualifications

Ideally have experience in delivering multiple forklift courses

Be willing to travel to various locations throughout East Anglia.

For any addittional information or to enquire about the position please contact enquires@shieldhealthandsafety.co.uk

See more information here. 

The online service to make a claim through the fourth Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) grant is now open.

The eligibility criteria for the fourth grant are notably different from the SEISS grants that preceded it, specifically the requirement to have a ‘reasonable belief’ that there will be a ‘significant reduction’ in trading profits.

Without proper assessment of these requirements, claimants risk exposing themselves to HMRC penalties if it is later determined that the criteria have not been met.

With the very specific eligibility conditions required by the fourth SEISS grant, it is important to be aware of the procedure for reporting overpaid grant amounts and the process HMRC will action in recovering these amounts.

Informing HMRC about overpayments

If a SEISS grant has been overclaimed and not repaid to HMRC, they must be informed within their notification period – this is 90 days after the overpaid SEISS grant is received.

To recover the full amount of an overpaid grant, HMRC will make a tax assessment. If an assessment is made, the claimant will be notified by HMRC and payment must be made within 30 days of the assessment.

Interest will be charged on any late payments and HMRC may also charge late payment penalties if the amount remains unpaid 31 days after the due date.

Overpayments and Self Assessment

If the overpaid grant is repaid, or HMRC have made an assessment by the date the tax return is submitted, it does not need to be included in the Self Assessment tax return for 2020 to 2021.

If the overpaid grant is not repaid and HMRC have not made an assessment by the date the tax return for 2020 to 2021 is submitted, details of the overpaid SEISS grant must be included in the return.

Penalties

A penalty may be charged if HMRC are not informed, within the notification period, about an overpaid grant that the taxpayer was aware they were not entitled to.

The penalty could be up to 100% on the amount of the SEISS grant that the claimant was not entitled to receive or keep.

If the taxpayer was not aware they were not entitled to the grant, a penalty will only be charged if the grant has not been repaid by 31 January 2022.

The HMRC Payment Support Service can be contacted on 0300 200 3835.

Email scams

It is vitally important to stay vigilant and mindful of all requests that you receive asking for personal information or any contact from someone purporting to be from HMRC.

Increasingly, some of the fraudulent campaigns in circulation are extremely convincing and persuasive. There is a current email scam targeting claimants of the fourth SEISS grant, the email has the subject line “HMRC SEISS Tax Refund Notification” and uses an official GOV.UK logo.

Below is an example of the scam

There are grammatical errors within the email, highlighting it as a phishing scam, in addition to the fact it refers to the grant as a ‘tax refund’ rather than a grant.

The email asks the recipient to click on a hyperlink to make their claim and then advises them that their passport and driving licence details are required in order to complete the claim.

Recipients of the phishing scam have advised to be heedful of any emails from support@access.service.gov.uk (mailto:support@access.service.gov.uk)

St Edmunds Society recently spoke to the EDP about the wonderful work they are doing in our local community.  Helping young people get valuable work based skills ready for employment.

Please read the feature HERE and watch the video attached.

TaxAssist Accountants, the UK’s largest network of accountants, founded in Norfolk, is celebrating another landmark in its success story – the opening of its 250th shop.

While many brands have been forced to close stores over the past year, TaxAssist Accountants, which last year won ‘Business of the Year’ at the Norfolk Business Awards, has continued to grow its network by opening 20 new tax and accounting shops across the UK between July and December 2020, and seven so far in 2021.

Since the very first shop opened on Aylsham Road in Norwich in 2002, their branded offices have continually proven to be one of the largest sources of client growth for the network, because of their highly visible locations and their open and welcoming atmosphere along with décor designed to reflect the friendly, modern service on offer by the accountant.

Each practice is independently owned by over 240 franchisees across the UK and in the last few years, further shops have opened up across Norfolk, in Attleborough, Kings Lynn and the latest on Ber Street in Norwich in 2019.

The network’s 250th shop was opened by Caterham-based Karthik Vasanthakumar, who only launched his accounting practice in October 2020, having quickly found and fitted out his shop, and is already making a real difference in his local community.

“It has been a long-held dream to build my own practice and I’m really enjoying the client interactions I’ve had so far. With footfall now increasing, and lots of positive comments from clients on the look and feel of the shop, I’m confident it will continue to be a draw as I look to grow the business.”

James Mattam, Group Business Development Director, said: “It is fantastic news that we have been able to continue to open many shops especially during such an unprecedented year, and that more businesses will be able to benefit from our first- class service offering.

“With growing interest in joining the TaxAssist Accountants network and an increased demand for our services from clients, the indications are that the network is set for further substantial growth through our unique shop model.

“Our entire business model has always been centred around what clients want. We decided nearly 20 years ago that clients want a retail experience where they could get away from their own business and focus on their finances with our advisers. They often take comfort from the fact that their TaxAssist Accountant is on their side and a part of their team to ensure their finances are managed well and their tax bill is reduced wherever possible and our shops provide that safe space to address these matters.”

The network, which was founded 26 years ago, has grown consistently year on year since opening their first shop in Norwich. Globally, it now services more than 83,000 business clients with a fee bank of more than £57 million from 435 shops and offices. As well as operating in the UK, TaxAssist Accountants has successfully launched in the Republic of Ireland, Australia, Canada and the USA, with further expansion planned in the short term.

If you have a background in finance and share a passion to help local independent businesses, a TaxAssist franchise provides the systems and support you need to be successful. Regular Virtual Discovery Days are available to attend, where you can find out more about the technical, marketing and business development support on offer. Call 0800 0188297 for an initial conversation or submit an enquiry here, to register your interest.