Member News

TaxAssist Accountants network continues to grow, with 240 franchisees around the UK.

Paul Simpson (Market Harborough) and Mano Nagendram (Swansea Central) have recently joined TaxAssist Accountants after completing their training online, the fourth virtual initial training course that the Support Centre Team has delivered.

Paul was originally looking for a part time business, but after attending a Discovery Day, he was so impressed with the entire TaxAssist Accountants set up, that he wanted to be a part of the family.

“I was blown away by the professionalism and openness of the entire management team, and so I decided to devote my time and energy to the venture full time,” said Paul.

“I realised that I needed the support of a franchise environment to allow me to develop and grow the business quickly and having all the processes and procedures in place makes starting a new business much simpler.

“I started planning my new business as soon as I had attended the Discovery Day and I have already signed the lease on my first shop, which is undergoing extensive renovation and refurbishment.”

Paul is full of praise for the training and the support provided to him so far: “Although, I would have preferred to be in Norwich with a group of people in the same position as myself, I do not feel that the virtual course has been a disadvantage at all.

“Everyone at the Support Centre has been incredibly supportive and nothing has been too much trouble. In some ways, I have benefitted, as I have been at home and able to continue to supervise my shop renovation. I am looking forward to visiting Norwich and meeting everyone face-to-face before too long.”

Karl Sandall, Group Chief Executive Director, said: “I would like to extend a warm welcome to Paul and Mano, who I know, are both very excited to be launching their practices.

“Our accountants around the UK have been very busy, and client demand continues to increase significantly, as business owners look for local, accessible accountants that can provide them with the advice and support they need to help decision making, implement change and plan for the future.

“Our Discovery Days continue to be well attended and I’d encourage anyone interested in finding out more about our business model to contact our Recruitment Manager Nikki Haythorne to request attendance.”

While the initial training course is running virtually, TaxAssist Accountants is pleased to offer a cash back deal to new franchisees of £4000 on the franchise fee.  

Today, Associated British Ports (ABP), the UK’s leading and best-connected port operator, has announced its ambitious plans for the Port of Lowestoft, which will help create a competitive edge for companies across the Southern North Sea (SNS) energy sector and the wider East Anglia region. 

Over the next five years, ABP will develop the Lowestoft Eastern Energy Facility (LEEF), which will bring significant upgrades to marine facilities at Lowestoft’s Outer Harbour, creating key capabilities to support the UK’s journey towards achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions. 

The project will deliver state-of-the-art port infrastructure to meet the offshore energy industry’s current and future demands, ensuring the port can accommodate the next generation of offshore support vessels. The facility will provide a site that is suitable for Operations & Maintenance (O&M) activities in addition to quayside suitable for construction support activities. 

Andy Reay, ABP Group Head of Commercial (Offshore Wind), said: “ABP is the number one host of O&M bases in the UK, providing infrastructure for operations and maintenance facilities to support offshore wind farms in Barrow, Grimsby and Lowestoft.

“Our LEEF project represents an exciting step change in our ability to service customers in the growing Southern North Sea energy sector. It will re-engineer existing quayside in the Outer Harbour and create the modern infrastructure needed to support a rapidly changing energy industry in a growing regional economy.” 

Centred around the Outer Harbour at the Port of Lowestoft, LEEF is a major opportunity, the first phase of which will require around £25m of investment. When complete, the project will provide 360m of berthing space for simultaneous use by three SOVs and deliver up to 8 acres of flexible storage and marshalling area. In addition, it will create around 5,000 sqft of new office space with direct quayside access. 

Andrew Harston, ABP Director for Wales and Short Sea Ports, said: “The Port of Lowestoft already plays a key role in supporting the local economy, contributing £30m annually and supporting over 580 local jobs. We’re looking forward to this role growing in future, with the rise in activity, new investments and new customers.” 

“The LEEF project has the potential to attract many supply chain companies to Lowestoft and create an energy cluster renaissance, bringing new jobs and prosperity to the area and supporting the substantial and strategically important investments being made in Offshore Windfarm developments off the Suffolk and Norfolk coast.” 

Building on its long history of servicing the offshore energy sector, the Port of Lowestoft provides a highly competitive package for offshore wind customers. In 2019, Scottish Power Renewables opened an Operations and Maintenance building in Hamilton Dock, to support the 714MW East Anglia ONE offshore wind farm. The port is also home to the O&M base for Scottish & Southern Energy’s (SSE) Greater Gabbard Offshore wind farm, which is located 23km off the coast of Suffolk, England. 

The port’s offer is complemented by Orbis Energy and PowerPark, where key offshore energy developers, operators and service providers are located, including SSE, ScottishPower Renewables, SLP and Turner Iceni. 

LEEF forms a central part of a new masterplan for the port, which provides a long-term view of how ABP will work with its partners to ensure that the prosperity generated by investment reinforces the wider development of the town as a superb place to live, work, visit and invest. 

Peter Aldous, MP for Waveney, commented: “Lowestoft is strategically well placed to benefit from the wide range of opportunities available in the Southern North Sea, which include one of the largest clusters of offshore wind farms in the world, rich fishing grounds and gas fields in which to store carbon. 

“The Masterplan provides a framework for investment in Lowestoft Port that will attract business to the town, providing jobs for local people. I look forward to working with ABP in turning this vision in to reality.” 

Find out more about the Port of Lowestoft’s potential to support the Southern North Sea energy sector by visiting this link.

Best Employers has always been about helping companies in the eastern region to understand, support and develop their people to promote business growth. The significant impact of the past year has demonstrated how important employee engagement, culture and values are now, and are going to be even more important as our region’s businesses look forward to recovery and growth.

The 2021 Best Employers Eastern Region programme begins on the 22nd April, with a virtual launch event, where we are delighted to be joined by two world-class industry experts who will be sharing their knowledge and experience. 

Debra Corey 

Award winning Global HR leader and best-selling business author

Debra is a highly experienced and award-winning HR leader, world-class speaker, three-time author, and was recently named one of the top 101 global employee engagement influencers. She’s had a varied career, working at a senior level for global companies such as Gap Inc., Honeywell, Merlin Entertainments and Reward Gateway. She was Group Reward Director at Reward Gateway, where she’s developed and delivered HR strategies in a rebellious way, pushing the boundaries and challenging the status quo to truly drive employee engagement. In 2019 Debra founded her own company as Chief Pay It Forward Officer, where she’s inspiring and helping others to bring out their inner rebel and drive business change.

Over the course of her career, Debra has been fuelling the employee engagement `rebelution’ through a variety of ways, including speaking at events and leading workshops around the world, teaching professional courses and writing. An accomplished author, Debra has published three books, the first one about employee communication strategy and best practice (“Effective HR Communication: A Framework for Communicating HR Programs with Impact“), the second one which talks about why and how to be an engagement rebel (“Build it: A Rebel Playbook for World-Class Employee Engagement“), and her latest book which focuses on company values as a strategic and effective business tool (“Bringing Your Values Out to Play“).

Debra speaks at events around the world on a wide variety of topics relating to people, engagement, company culture, reward and recognition and the changing world of work.

Tamara Lohan MBE

Entrepreneur, CEO, Board Director

Entrepreneur and technology strategist Tamara Lohan is an inspiring, energetic leader with a track record of developing and building businesses. She has spent over 15 years leading technology and e-commerce in the travel industry.

Tamara’s experience building brands and businesses began in Brazil on the launch team for an energy drink. She then honed her marketing skills on both sides of the client/agency divide, working first with Honda, then at the WPP below-the-line agency Wunderman. In 2002 she left the corporate world to run and modernise the company her mother had founded – a dating agency – and start a new business.

Tamara co-founded the boutique hotel travel specialist Mr & Mrs Smith with her husband James. As CTO, she pivoted the business from book publisher to online travel agent, evolving the company’s digital infrastructure and expanding the business into new markets, opening offices in Australia, the US and Singapore. She has led financing rounds from a variety of sources, including the world’s first travel bond and one of the fastest, highest raises on the Crowdcube platform to date. Tamara and James were awarded MBEs for services to the British travel industry in 2014.

In April 2020, she became CEO of the company, now an iconic British brand and global organisation with a pre-Covid turnover of more than £100m. As CEO, she has been an active champion of diversity and inclusion within the business, and has intensified its focus on sustainability and responsible travel. She has proven herself a strong and resilient leader – a problem solver who can identify trends and opportunities, make tough decisions and inspire her teams. Alongside her understanding of the mass-affluent and luxury e-commerce customer, she understands how to manage the day-to-day operations of a global business through periods of growth and crisis, ensuring the right tools and people are in place to deliver on strategy.

Her consumer understanding, expertise in bilateral (marketplace-style) businesses and love of ambitious technology have also been put to good use at Not on the High Street where she serves as a non-exec director. She has helped steer the business through a change of CEO and a major tech disintegration project, hiring key members of staff, and shaping the growth strategy. NOTHS is a Covid beneficiary, giving Tamara the opportunity to see the business impact of the pandemic from both sides.

As the public face of the Mr & Mrs Smith brand and a highly regarded woman in tech, Tamara writes and speaks on disruption, digital innovation, entrepreneurship, leadership, women in technology and business. She also enjoys mentoring – she mentors a start-up called Inkpact and is a founding member of the Witsend network, set up to mentor and encourage other women in business. She has been featured in publications such as The Financial Times, The Times, The Telegraph, The Guardian and Harpers Bazaar, hosted supper clubs for British Vogue and keynoted at conferences around the world. Tamara has also made TV appearances on This Morning, Sky News and Bloomberg.

The new 2021 programme will begin with a virtual launch event on 22nd April 202, which will also mark the opening of the employee engagement survey. This will be followed by webinars on:

• Engaging and leading remote and onsite teams
• Developing workforce resilience
• Fostering an innovative, hungry and progressive culture
• Recruitment, onboarding and rewarding your team

The programme will complete with an awards conference in September.

Best Employers Eastern Region is a community for organisations that believe success is achieved through their people.

For further information visit www.best-employers.co.uk. To register for this year’s Best Employers Eastern Region programme, click here.

Pure is excited to announce that we will be supporting our clients and contractors as the IR35 reform comes into place in April 2021 with the Kingsbridge IR35 Status tool.

Talking with our clients and following feedback from our seminars at the beginning of last year, we know that the off-payroll working rules* have been a concern, not to mention a minefield of regulatory change further delayed by the pandemic. We want to ensure that we support our clients, which is why we are confident that the Kingsbridge IR35 status tool will give businesses the confidence to continue to work flexibly with individuals who can provide services through their own limited companies or via agencies.

Annette Wyld, Head of Finance at Pure, says “I’m pleased that we are able to provide a comprehensive IR35 solution to our clients and contractors. By partnering with Kingsbridge, we can utilise the status tool and access to IR35 tax specialists to effectively manage the changes to the off-payroll rules, supporting Pure’s approach to IR35 to help our clients maintain a compliant and flexible workforce.”

This tool offers a hybrid IR35 status assessment that puts the best experience and support into one place for both clients and contractors. With this tool, clients can ensure transparency before and during engaging contractors and equally, candidates will have peace of mind that the placement they are entering into has been accurately assessed.

David Culley, Director at Pure says, “This tool cuts through the uncertainty and mystery surrounding IR35 status determination. Its quick, simple to use and gives colour coded diagnosis to help contractors and clients understand the reason for the determination status. I think this will make life easier for all parties.”

The Kingsbridge IR35 Status Tool, developed by Andy Vessey ATT, takes a best-of-both approach, combining a custom-designed automated process with in-house expert consultancy to provide the quickest, most accurate IR35 status result available. 

If it’s a clear-cut case, the tool generates an instant determination, as well as a comprehensive report that pulls through the notable positives or negatives of a given engagement, as well as an official Status Determination Statement (SDS). If it’s a borderline result, the answers given are manually reviewed by Kingsbridge’s in-house IR35 specialists.

To access our Kingsbridge IR35 Status tool, please email ir35@prs.uk.com.

Read more about Pure’s approach to IR35.

Huxley Events are delighted to say we are now proudly part of the

Popular activities include Virtually Killed (Virtual CSI Experience), Escape Rooms, Cookery and lots more!

A new cross border grant scheme being launched by Norfolk County Council and Suffolk County Council is set to provide welcome support to businesses contributing to the rural economy.

The DRIVE scheme (Delivering Rural Investment, Vital Employment) is a two-year project designed to encourage and support sound business investment decisions. The project has received £3million of funding from the England European Regional Development Fund.

Expert mentors will be on hand to help businesses develop strong project and business plans. And to help put those into action, businesses will then be able to apply for grants of between £5k and £30k.

The aim is to help boost jobs as all applicants will need to put forward job creation as a result of their grant application. The scheme is open to existing and new businesses.  New businesses looking to apply will have to be aiming to employ 3 new members of staff within the next three years.

Cllr Graham Plant, cabinet member for growing the economy, said: “DRIVE is part of a raft of support that we’re working to make available to help support Norfolk’s economy to emerge as strongly as possible from the current pressures brought by the pandemic.

“The focus of the DRIVE scheme is to help new and existing micro and small businesses who are aiming to grow. Creating new employment is a key driver.”

From 31 March 2021 businesses will be able to visit the project’s website to find a range of grants and funding that are available to eligible businesses: www.driveforbusiness.co.uk

Cllr. Nick Gowrley, Suffolk County Council Cabinet Member for Economic Development said. “The last 12 months have been difficult for everyone, but the impact upon small and medium sized businesses across Suffolk has been keenly felt. It is my sincere hope that the DRIVE grant scheme will help rural businesses rediscover their confidence, dynamism and, with the help of the mentoring available, encourage them to invest in themselves and their workforce post pandemic.

“I have no doubt, given their passion, dedication and commitment to succeed, that we will see our rural business community recover and thrive once again.”  

A NEW PARTNERSHIP THAT’S BRILLIANT NEWS FOR EVERY BUSINESS LOOKING TO CUT COSTS.

Darren Craven, CEO Synergy:

“We have a wide range of clients, many of them household names and offer all of them a ‘no savings, no fee guarantee’. In 10 years there have only been two companies where we haven’t been able to deliver significant cost reductions.

The major benefit of our unique partnership with Compleat is that it massively speeds up the whole process and gives our clients huge savings right now.

We know the alliance of Synergy and Compleat will save our clients time and money, typically 25 to 35%, and help secure their future in these incredibly challenging times.

We can’t wait to get going!”

Max Kent, Procurement Director at Compleat:

“Our partnership with Synergy is brilliant news for every business looking to cut costs but maintain quality standards. And let’s face it who isn’t?

In simple terms it works like this. Our software instantly analyses every penny you spend with each of your suppliers. Leading UK procurement specialists, Synergy, then use this data and their vast experience to search the widest market by service and commodity to find the best value for you. We do all the work, you get all the benefits.”

Phil Douglas, CEO Compleat:

“There is massive demand for cost optimisation programmes and our alliance with Synergy means that we can immediately deliver savings in the fastest, most efficient and secure way. This means lower costs, greater control and a brighter future for every business.”

SYNERGY PROCUREMENT CONSULTANTS are a team of cost management specialists with many ‘blue chip’ clients throughout the UK. They work across all business sectors and can guarantee and demonstrate massive reductions in costs. Their clients range from ‘mid-market’ organisations to large, high profile, corporations.

Find out more at https://www.synergy-procurement.co.uk/

COMPLEAT SOFTWARE work with businesses across the UK to deliver substantial and sustainable savings for every business. They have revolutionised digital procurement by leveraging the spend data captured from every supplier and invoice.

Visit out contact us page to get in touch

Ashtons Franchise Consulting (AFC) has expanded and strengthened its team with the appointment of consultant Phil Mowat.

Following a previous career in events, Phil jumped head first into the franchise industry in 2009, helping a family member expand her business in just five years from a team of 10 to 350, operated by a network of 40 franchisees. Phil remains a director of that company to this day.

Phil then headed up the UK operation of Australian brand Local Appliance Rentals seeing them through rapid network growth, from a starting position of five to 35 franchisees in just 18 months. Qualifying as a Business Coach, Phil was then appointed National Strategic Partnership Manager for ActionCOACH UK. This role saw him partnering with high street banks such as NatWest, HSBC, Santander and Barclays to run an educational seminar and events programme for business owners around the UK.

Prior to joining Ashtons Franchise Consulting, Phil was then the UK Country Director for Expense Reduction Analysts where he led and managed the 100+ network of franchisees through the challenging landscape, the COVID-19 pandemic.  

Phil says: “I am a huge advocate for franchising. Simply put, I want to be see more businesses grow via the franchising model. I want to ensure that businesses looking into franchising are receiving the best advice and taking the right approach in order to make it happen for them.”

“Having known Nick and the team for many years – since I franchised my own family business and worked at some major global franchisors – we have kept in touch and I am over the moon to join the team and work with them.”

Ashtons Franchise Consulting’s managing consultant Nick Williams adds: “In the last five years AFC has seen significant growth, even through the pandemic, so we are delighted to strengthen our team with Phil Mowat. He is an ideal fit with the team and we extend to him the broadest of welcomes as we move into our next chapter of service to the franchise sector.”

In the final episode of series 1, Chris chats to Richard Turvill, the managing director of Camplings. Operating out of Great Yarmouth and Cambridge, they are the region’s leading laundry and linen supplier to the hospitality, food production and leisure sector. With many of their customers closed due to lockdown, Richard and his team had to find ways to pivot and adapt during the last 12 months, and his insights into lockdown, technology, Brexit and business in general are invaluable.

Richard offers a fascinating look behind the scenes at how this family business was started, and has evolved, describing them as the ‘fourth utility’ for the hospitality sector; as important to a hotel, for example, as their gas and electricity!

Richard chats about the recent expansion away from their Victorian factories, and into ‘smart boxes’ where the focus is on sustainability, energy saving and efficiency; benefiting both the business and staff, and in turn, a blessing when it came to operating during lockdown. He discusses how subtle changes can up your green credentials, and describes how they now operate two of the ‘smartest laundries’ in the UK and the most advanced in Europe.

Speaking of Europe, Richard talks openly about how Brexit – “If it’s a problem for Mercedes, it’s a problem for everybody” – will affect their recruitment, and his frustrations for those affected who have worked for them for a long time, and subsequently how they have been supporting their staff. He hopes that the downturn in the retail sector will help them fill the gaps in staffing, with many skills transferable and adaptable from the retail sector into manufacturing.

The roadmap to the hospitality sector re-opening has meant that yet another pivot has had to be put in place, but Richard is as prepared for re-opening as they can be, taking their responsibility of supporting the sector, and providing a trouble-free supply chain, seriously.

Richard describes how, in the initial despair of the first lockdown, hope emerged, and now they are ready for the challenge of the expected staycation boom. He praises the loyalty of their teams in helping the business weather the storm.

You can visit Camplings here.

You can subscribe to Tourism Business Chat on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever else you get your podcasts. Make sure you subscribe, so you don’t miss out on series 2, which includes special guests from Thursford, and Hanks Deli! 

Listen here!

After a very long period of not being able to work due to the ongoing Pandemic, David Fung (Magician) is back and ready to take your bookings.  So if you’re planning an event, wedding or family gathering David would be delighted to hear from you.

“I’m really looking forward to getting out and about again, sharing magic, at events later this year. Especially looking forward to meeting friends and acquaintances at the B2B Exhibition and other opportunities.

I’m into my second year as a Norfolk Chamber member and value all the friends and connections made possible through this brilliant network, so please don’t hesitate to reach out and connect”

Web:

www.davidfung.co.uk

Email:

bookings@davidfung.co.uk

“We always enjoy hearing from our readers. Lately, we’ve had a huge response to calls for raised bed images from your gardens and also asked – what are you finding tough on the plot? Across social media channels and our forums, readers are chatting and debating all things green with the enthusiasm we have come to expect. “

Grow your own Magazine

The #growwithgyo campaign has had a fantastic response from readers, with hundreds of you sending us pictures, messages, social posts and emails. We’ve loved every message we’ve received and wanted to share some of the latest discussion here. 

There are several ways to get involved, Firstly, you can post on social media using the hashtag #growwithgyo to join hoards of likeminded growers who are sharing their produce. Secondly, you can email through to the GYO team, or get involved on our forum, The Grapevine, at growfruitandveg.co.uk. The campaign, in partnership with PlantGrow.co.uk has inspired gardeners of all experience levels, so keep your posts and messages coming! 

https://www.plantgrow.co.uk/ 

We asked what your plans for/thoughts on raised beds were.

We wanted to find out what our readers liked best about their raised beds and – for those who don’t use them – whether they’re considering doing so. Raised beds can be easier to manage than floor level beds but, in some cases, take hard work to construct. 

You said…

“In Tipton, West Midlands. This year I am taking over the front. I have begun adding some raised beds and barrels to grow pumpkins, sweetcorn, onions and beans.” 

From Holly Elizabeth Hickman on Facebook 

“I am really struggling to decide about a raised bed. How can I do them in the most economic way? So very interested in this. Does edging and small raised beds still count?” 

From sboffey 14 on Instagram

“I have 32 raised beds over two half plots on the allotment, 2 sheds, 2 greenhouses, a chicken pen, a fish pond and wheelbarrow width wood-chip paths! It’s so practical and easy to grow and get around the plots.”

From charlie.giovanni on Instagram 

We asked: “What’s your biggest challenge on the plot this week?” 

We wanted to discover what’s holding you back on the plot right now! Often, it’s the challenges we face in the garden that make our successes that much more enjoyable. 

You said…

“Mine is finding time to get outside between rain and keeping children entertained. I’m desperate to get sift some compost to mulch my fruit trees put in last year.” 

From ros_but_growing on Instagram 

“Without a doubt weeding.”

From Alan Dutton on Facebook. 

“Rain! We are on clay so garden is like a swamp. Enjoying planting lots of seeds in my potting shed though. Sunnier days are coming!”

From shuvsoulfan on Instagram 

Expert tips:

In April’s edition of Grow Your Own Magazine, we dished out some top tips from Dr Ian Bedford, an expert from PlantGrow. Here are some gems from Ian. 

• Beetroot and carrots can be sown directly outside [in April]. So can peas, but the mice love to eat them so keep an eye out for them. If you find mice are a problem, sow them indoors and plant the plants outside when they are 15cm tall. 
• Aim to get all your potatoes planted by the end of April. Plant out chitted second early potatoes in the first two weeks of the month and maincrop potatoes in the second two weeks.

Langley Prep School kicks off ‘100 years of education at Taverham Hall’ celebrations and joins forces with the British Heart Foundation.    2021 signifies one of the biggest milestones for both Langley Prep School and the British Heart Foundation. The school is entering its centenary year and will officially reach its 100th year in education in September 2021, while the BHF will be marking their 60th birthday this year. What better time to join forces.   Prep School Headmaster, Mike Crossley comments:  “As you would anticipate, huge strides have been made over the years to enhance the pupils’ education. Importantly, the focus has always been firmly placed on the individual and their wellbeing and remains so today. Excitingly, in 2020 a £1.7 million refurbishment of the hall and classroom provision was completed by the school. Having regularly raised funds for the BHF, and worked together on a number of fronts, it felt very fitting to join forces at such a special time. We look forward to rolling out our exciting ‘Calendar of Events’ which has been created to mark this very special occasion.”   During the past 100 years, the Prep School, situated at the beautiful 70 acre Taverham Hall woodland site, has, and continues to provide, a warm and welcoming environment. Academic achievements flourish alongside a love of the outdoors. The fabulous Forest School programme encourages young and curious minds to explore natural habitats on a daily basis. Today, the School is thriving with more than 300 pupils.   Since being founded in 1961, the BHF has become the UK’s largest independent funder of heart research.  Their research has helped saved millions of lives across the world. However, heart and circulatory disease still affects 7.6M people in the UK.    Jennifer Townsend, Fundraising Manager for the BHF said: “We are absolutely delighted to partner with Langley Prep School to mark our milestone birthdays in a variety of special ways.  The last year has been incredibly tough for charities. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our fundraising means that our investment in new life-saving research is likely to halve this year.   “That’s why the support from everyone involved with Langley Prep School and their alumni is so important. Every pound we receive through this partnership is money we can use to support the scientists who are working to discover new ways to treat, prevent and cure heart and circulatory conditions.”   Langley Prep School and the BHF are calling on as many alumni and supporters as possible and invite everyone to join in with the celebratory activities. To find out more, visit the Just Giving page: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/TaverhamHall100