Member News

In this week’s episode James and Mark highlight the importance of handling disappointment, which is particularly relevant in the current climate with many people and businesses facing some challenging lockdown measures.  As usual, they come up with 3 top tips, and along the way they make reference to Yale University studies, George Bush Snr and Mark’s mildly impressive but slightly embarrassing lawn bowls career!

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts here, or listen here. 

The TaxAssist Group has once again been shortlisted for ‘Best Large Business’ at the Norfolk Business Awards.

After an incredibly busy year supporting the TaxAssist Accountants network and their clients, staff at the Norwich-based TaxAssist Group Support Centre have been rewarded with a further award nomination for the all-round strength of the business.

This recognition follows hot on the heels of being announced as a finalist for the bfa HSBC ‘Franchisor of the Year’ award and winning ‘Best Franchisee Marketing Support’ at the Franchise Marketing Awards earlier in the year.

The TaxAssist Group will be competing with three other well-known businesses from the Eastern region, with the winner announced on Tuesday 24th November.

Karl Sandall, Group Chief Executive, said: “We are absolutely delighted to have been selected as a finalist in the ‘Best Large Business’ category.

“2020 has been quite a year for everybody, but we are so proud of the resilience shown by our network of accountants and the way our Support Centre staff have risen to the challenge to provide quite exceptional levels of service and support.

“Small business clients have needed our assistance like never before to help them to survive and thrive and we have ensured that we have been able to support our accountants to assist in this increase in demand.

“Being a finalist in this prestigious award category is a fantastic way of saying ‘well done’ and ‘thank you’ to our brilliant team of staff who are so passionate about providing a truly first-class service. It also serves as a testament to our robust business model and innovative approach to accountancy services.”

Business Editor, Richard Porritt, said: “The innovation, desire and simple hard graft shone through from the entries we received for every category. Never before have we had such a high standard of firms that deserve recognition for their achievements prior to and during this ghastly pandemic. As a judge myself I know the task of choosing a short list and ultimately a winner was incredibly difficult. So everyone who has been chosen should be very proud.”

If you are interested in joining the TaxAssist Accountants network, monthly Virtual Discovery Days are being held where you can spend a day with the team to find out more about the business opportunity and support on offer. Click here for more information.

This month, We take a closer look at the current interior design and construction project at Taank Optometrists on Mill Road, Cambridge.

Click here to find out more

Appeal for laptops, computers and tablets for local sanctuary seekers

The university.of.sanctuary@uea.ac.uk  

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UEA was awarded University of Sanctuary status in January 2018 in recognition of our offer to sanctuary seekers. UEA promotes a culture of inclusivity, respect and sanctuary through a broad range of schemes and activities, including scholarship programmes, education activities and events, and collaborations with local organisations and groups.

UEA is proud to be recognised as a University of Sanctuary, and is one of only a handful of universities in the UK and Ireland to receive the accolade to date. UEA staff and students have shown an ongoing commitment to increasing understanding of asylum and refugee concerns, and welcoming sanctuary seekers into our university community.

Did you know that the official flower of Norfolk is the Poppy and that this was the inspiration for choosing Poppy Red for our Goff delivery tankers over 45 years ago? 

Since then Goff Petroleum has proudly carried Poppy Red on it’s lorries, uniforms and logo, inspired by the County where the company started and where it is still based. 

This year as Remembrance Day approaches and the Poppy becomes nationally symbolic, we have extended our Goff Good Causes community support to include The Royal British Legion, who famously use the Poppy as a key part of their fundraising.

The Poppy has long been a national symbol of Remembrance and Hope and this message of Hope seems as poignant today as the world battles with the impact of Covid 19.

To help The Royal British Legion with its fundraising in these difficult times and to enable it to continue its support of our Armed Forces, their community and families; we are pledging to make a donation of £1 for every order placed on Nov 11th  and aim to raise over £500 with your support. 

You can get a quote for heating oil here or call 01953 713555

Together To Raise Our Confidence is a special workshop our member Emma Zangs is offering for the end of the year. 

As humans, our anxiety rises and our confidence lowers when we lose this sense of togetherness. We are tribal. We are a bit like pack animals. However, we have the ability to adapt. This 2-hour workshop is to collaborate, share and learn how to activate our confidence. Be ready to try new things, change what you think Zoom workshops are about and hopefully leave with a filled up tank of support from around the globe!

The workshop is free but a donation of £10 is suggested if you are waged. All donations will go to Amnesty International and support the relentless work they do for Human Rights. 

Join, contribute and receive plenty of tools to feed-forward!

On Wednesday the 2nd of December 6-8PM

Find Out More & Register

This year has brought dramatic change to how we, and all businesses across the globe operate. Throughout the year we’ve continued to push forward, introducing new technologies to support ourselves and our clients through difficult times. To recognise the hard work and dedication of our team, we decided to enter the Norfolk Business Awards for the first time. We were incredibly excited to even be shortlisted. But to now be able to share that we are finalists in the Small and Medium Business category is a proud moment.  “To be announced as a finalist for the Small and Medium Business Award really is one of the proudest moments of my time at Breakwater. The team have all worked so hard to make Breakwater the business that it is today, they are all so committed to excellence and so diligent in ensuring we meet the needs of our clients.  The fact that we have made the final four out of forty something companies is just incredible as we know we are up against some amazing businesses. We are sad that because of COVID we don’t get to party, but that makes us more determined to keep going and to enter again next year so the team get to celebrate their success.” – John Gostling, Managing Director. We were also pleased to be shortlisted for the Customer Care Award. Although we did not make the final four, we can see the tough competition we had and feel proud to be recognised at that stage.  The Norfolk Business Awards are hosted annually by the Eastern Daily Press (EDP). This year, the awards will be celebrating its 30th anniversary. Although a ceremony is unable to go ahead, we look forward to seeing the results of each category announced on the EDP social media channels on Tuesday 24 November.  Wish us luck! Breakwater IT Team.

It’s a difficult time for small businesses and business owners so the Business & IP Centre (BIPC) Norfolk, run by Norfolk County Council’s Library and Information Service, has developed a free programme of business support that can be accessed online.

Alongside the national Reset. Restart programme of webinars run by the British Library Business & IP Centre, the BIPC Norfolk is offering a series of free local 1-to-1 support sessions, workshops and networking events. Delivered in partnership with business training provider MENTA, Reset. Restart is open to all business owners, especially those in the first years of trading.

Cllr Margaret Dewsbury, Cabinet Member for Communities at Norfolk County Council, said: “The pandemic has had a significant impact on businesses in the region, the extent of which still remains to be seen, especially as we contend with a second period of lockdown.

“Our local Reset. Restart programme is designed to provide Norfolk businesses with the tools needed to rebuild and adapt to these very challenging times. We may not currently be able to deliver our services face-to-face but these online support sessions are accessible to any business in the county.”

During the two-hour online 1-to-1 support session, businesses will have the chance to review their overall business proposition and discuss how it could be rethought or repositioned in light of Covid-19. They will also be helped to identify and focus on any specific areas of concern and progression.

The series of five online workshops covers topics such as generating new business ideas, digital marketing tools, building customer relationships, and updating business plans. Participants can pick and choose from the workshops or book on the whole series.

There will also be monthly online networking sessions, with the first being held in Global Entrepreneurship Week (16-22 November) on Monday 16 November from 12.30-1.30pm. This first session will give people the opportunity to find out what they can expect from the Reset. Restart programme and to meet some of the MENTA programme tutors.

Global Entrepreneurship Week also sees the return of Start-up Day on Thursday 19 November, hosted by the British Library Business & IP Centre. The day of inspirational talks is aimed at businesses who are just starting out as well as those ready to take the next step, and includes an afternoon networking session from Norfolk.

From 2.45-3.30pm, Kalene Herrington from the Norfolk Chambers of Commerce will be hosting the session on ‘How to help your business thrive during the pandemic’. It will feature insight from Hazel Russell, co-founder of eco-friendly Norfolk company The Wood Life Project, and the chance to ask questions and network with other businesses.

Hazel set up The Wood Life Project with her husband Jimmy, and first sought support from the BIPC Norfolk for help with intellectual property (IP). Hazel says: “We were fortunate enough to get support from the BIPC at the very start of our business journey. We discussed our business and the ideas of the products we planned to launch, and the BIPC team helped us to understand the importance of protecting all of our IP.

“We subsequently registered the trademarks for our name and logo and registered the design rights on all of our product designs. The support we received from BIPC was so valuable; it was instrumental to securing our valuable business assets.”

Reset. Restart runs alongside the day-to-day services provided by the BIPC Norfolk, one of 15 regional centres in the British Library’s BIPC Network. The centre offers free and low-cost access to business intelligence, market research, 1-to-1s, training and IP support to aspiring entrepreneurs, start-ups and more established SMEs in Norfolk.

This year, the British Library was awarded £13 million from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport to grow the number of libraries offering business start-up support and to further develop provision within the existing National Network. The BIPC Norfolk was awarded a share of this funding and will use it to expand the range of free business support offered, as well as increasing the number of regional hubs around the county.

Currently the BIPC Norfolk operates from the Norfolk & Norwich Millennium Library with hubs in King’s Lynn, Thetford and Great Yarmouth libraries. Although libraries are currently closed due to the pandemic, enquiries are being answered remotely and there is a wealth of online support available to businesses.

To book on any BIPC Norfolk events, please see our Eventbrite page.

M+A Partners is a people-focused firm and we continue to support the professional development of our team members to enable them to progress within their careers.

We are therefore delighted to announce a number of promotions across our Tax, Accounts and Payroll teams.

Elizabeth Wilbourn and Isobelle Webster have both been promoted to Senior Managers and Katherine Sellex promoted to Manager within our Accounts and Tax departments. Yip Chong has been promoted to Assistant Manager within our Payroll team.

Elizabeth has worked for M+A Partners for over eight years and provides services for a range of clients, including individuals, small to medium sized companies, partnerships and sole traders, with a particular focus on the agriculture sector. Isobelle joined the firm in 2011 and has worked across the accounts, audit and corporate finance departments. She has accumulated a range of specialist knowledge enabling her to provide commercially aware guidance to clients. In their new roles as Senior Managers, both Elizabeth and Isobelle will work closely with both their clients and teams to help individuals and businesses achieve their long-term goals.

Katherine has a mixed portfolio and undertakes both accounts and tax work. Her clients include individuals, sole traders, partnerships and small companies, with a particular focus on the healthcare sector. Katherine’s ongoing emphasis will be on providing a high level of accounts and tax services to clients, guiding them through complex and changing legislation, whilst providing clear and thorough advice.

Yip has been with the firm for over six years and has completed a Foundation Degree in Payroll Management with The Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals (CIPP). As a senior member of the Payroll team, Yip will be working with clients to understand their specific needs and providing guidance throughout the payroll process.

Managing Partner, Jeremy Robson commented: “We value the continued professional development of our team members and make sure we provide those looking to develop their careers with clear pathways for progression. The recent promotions within the firm highlight the many talented individuals we have working here, and I wish Elizabeth, Isobelle, Katherine and Yip every success in their new roles.” 

Georgina Postlethwaite, Sales and Marketing Manager at Maids Head Hotel Norwich is happy to say that the hotel is remaining open for businesses workers.

‘We made the decision to stay open to support local organisations and we will be offering business guests room service of breakfast and dinner. We look forward to welcoming our leisure guests back from 3rd December’.

Following the latest Government guidelines, we are delighted to announce that to support local businesses we will be staying open to provide accommodation to those who are travelling for work related purposes. We are able to provide room service of both breakfast and dinner.We very much hope to be able to reopen our doors for leisure guests from Thursday, 3rd December and we are taking bookings, so please just click on the Book Now buttonRest assured we have followed the Government guidelines and put into place all the recommended COVID-19 secure measures to provide you with that all important peace of mind.We are proud to announce that we have been awarded the We’re Good to Go Industry Standard mark which means that we have followed Government and Industry COVID-19 measures and we have a Risk Assessment in place and processes to maintain cleanliness and aid social distancing. See our risk assessment here Hotel Risk Assessment. 

Below is a quick walk through of all the good practice we have introduced  to provide our guests with that all important reassurance:

• In and out routes of the Hotel and managing the flow of guests
• Automatic entrance doors (arriving soon)
• A thermal imaging camera to check the temperature of all guests and staff
• An App to download for ease of check in and check out
• Infra red hand sanitisers available at all entrances and throughout the Hotel
• Meticulous deep cleansing plans in place for ALL areas of the hotel
• Health and safety champions appointed in each department
• Branded masks for staff to wear
• Work place assessments written and available on request for all areas of the hotel
• Electrostatic cleaning system purchased to deep cleanse all rooms and public areas every day, bedroom doors “sealed” after cleaning
• Thoughtful social distancing measures throughout the Hotel and WinePress Restaurant
• Running maps and Norwich maps to be able to go and explore the outdoors
• Flexible cancellation terms

If you would like to discuss this with a member of the team then please give us a call on 01603 209955, or email reservations@maidsheadhotel.co.uk. We are offering flexible cancellation terms and we will of course continue to take direction from the Government.

Our AA 2 Rosette WinePress Restaurant and Bar sadly will not be open but we will be able to provide a “knock and drop” service of both breakfast and our casual dining menu for guests to be able to dine in their own rooms. Please note that following Government guidelines face masks are also now mandatory, kindly wear your face covering when entering or exiting, and whilst moving around our hotel. .

We look forward to hopefully having the opportunity to welcome you soon.

From all the team at the Maids Head

In what has been a very challenging year for so many businesses, Credo is delighted that it’s work to support a wide range of companies and SMEs has seen them land a prestigious national award.

With the current covid restrictions, the awards ceremony was switched from its usual glamorous location in central London to being held online, but for the Credo team this hasn’t taken any of the gloss from being named Broker of the Year over some very strong competition.

Credo MD Ian Tims commented “I am absolutely delighted that Credo have won this prestigious award, and it is testament to the hard work of our team to ensure we are offering the best advice and service to our customers”.

Credo Asset Finance is in it’s 20th year of trading and at the heart of this has been a real focus on customer service and listening to the needs of our clients. This has led directly to the development of a range of unique products and access to a wide-ranging portfolio of lenders which ensures we can tailor a finance solution whatever the individual or businesses circumstances.

“It was also important that we expanded our digital footprint to better meet the needs of tech-savvy individuals, and to ensure that our customers can communicate with us through which ever channel they prefer to use – be that in person, over the phone, or digitally” explained Ian.

We are saddened that our Founder, Simon Gray, who passed away in September from a short battle with cancer is not here to celebrate with us, but we honour him with this award and will carry on his legacy to help many more businesses secure the funding they need to succeed and grow.

To reduce social contact, the Government has ordered certain businesses and venues, including non-essential retailers, to close or restrict how they provide goods and services during the national lockdown.

Non-essential retail includes clothing and homeware stores, betting shops, tailors, tobacco and vape shops, electronic goods and mobile phone shops, and market stalls selling non-essential goods. 

Non-essential retailers can only continue to operate for pre-ordered click-and-collect, mail order/phone order and delivery services. Council officers are visiting premises to provide advice and check regulations are being followed. If you wish to trade in this way, please remember:  

• Customers must pre-order goods, either online, by phone or by post, and must be given a future timeslot for socially-distanced collection or delivery.
• Goods must be collected or delivered off the shop premises and social distancing must be maintained.
• Customers are not allowed to enter the shop at any time.
• Shop doors or market stall shutters must be kept locked except to allow the temporary passage of goods for pre-ordered socially-distanced collection or delivery.
• Signage should be placed on the shopfront to say it is closed and only operating for pre-ordered click-and-collect, mail order/phone order and delivery services. Feel free to download this signage and put inside your window.