Member News

This is the first of a new weekly media bulletin on the latest Covid-19 information and statistics for Norfolk. A weekly press conference will also take place every Thursday to provide an update on the latest situation in the county.

Latest statistics for Norfolk show cases are continuing to rise

Covid-19 rates across Norfolk have continued to rise this week, with people across the county being advised to be extra careful over the half-term break.

The seven-day incidence for Norfolk between October 10 and 16 was 58.94 per 100,000, compared with 51.11 for the same period the previous week. This compares with 75.37 for the East of England and 171.75 for England.

Norwich continues to have the highest rate of infection, with 107.42 cases per 100,000, followed by Great Yarmouth (93.62); Breckland (56.44); South Norfolk (49.69); Broadland (39.00); North Norfolk (36.25) and King’s Lynn and West Norfolk (35.01).

As of Wednesday, 21 October, there were 46 people in hospital in the county with coronavirus.

Cllr Andrew Proctor, Chair of the Norfolk Engagement Board and Leader of Norfolk County Council, said: “The people of Norfolk continue to pull together and have been doing a great job of protecting themselves and each other but our rates of the virus are continuing to climb.

“It’s vital that we continue to protect ourselves and others. The advice remains the same, keep washing our hands, keeping our distance, wearing a face covering and sticking to the rule of six. It’s a county-wide effort and every one of us needs to continue to play our part to protect Norfolk.”

Half-term travel and tourism advice

As more people travel and socialise over the school holidays, Norfolk County Council is urging people to continue to follow the public health advice – keep to the rule of six and keep washing hands, socially distancing and covering faces where needed.

Cllr Andrew Proctor, Chair of the Norfolk Engagement Board and Leader of Norfolk County Council, said: “Norfolk is very much open for business particularly over half-term and I hope that families will be able to get out and safely enjoy the many places and attractions our county has to offer.

“Rates of the virus here are increasing but they still remain lower than those nationally – so I’d urge people to be extra careful if they are travelling to and from Norfolk and to continue to follow the public health advice. It’s sensible to avoid crowded areas, where social distancing is more difficult, and to check if you need to pre-book days out with the family.

“With different areas of the United Kingdom facing different restrictions, you wouldn’t expect people to be leaving areas in Tier 3 (very high risk). It’s vital that everyone checks the status of local areas before travelling. Details on the tiers for each area are available at www.gov.uk/find-coronavirus-local-restrictions.

“The virus thrives on human contact, so the more we can do to minimise that by following the guidelines, they are there for a good reason, the more we can prevent its spread.”

Reminder on when and how to isolate

With rates of coronavirus in the county continuing to increase, it remains crucial that people follow the guidance around when and how to isolate to prevent spreading the virus.

People should self-isolate immediately if:

• You have any of the main symptoms of coronavirus (a high temperature, a new, continuous cough or a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste)
• You’ve tested positive for coronavirus
• You live with someone who has symptoms or tested positive
• Someone in your support bubble has symptoms or has tested positive for the virus
• You’re told to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace, the app, or local test and trace teams
• You arrive in the UK from a country on the government’s quarantine list

People who are isolating must stay at home and not have any visitors to their home or garden for the duration of the isolation period (unless for essential care).

Dr Louise Smith, Director of Public Health for Norfolk said: “We completely understand that isolating is difficult, particularly after such a long period of restrictions. However, it can literally save lives by preventing the spread of the virus.

“Isolation means staying away from everyone outside of your immediate household – please don’t go to the shops, go to stay with family or have visitors. There is financial help available and support to get supplies. Agencies across Norfolk are here to help – we need to all work together to prevent the spread of the virus.”

Those who need support with accessing food and medicine can also contact the council for help on 0344 800 8020. Details on the Isolation Support Payment are available here.

Appeal for young Covid Champions to help share and shape public health messages

Norfolk County Council and Mancroft Advice Project are urging young people to come forward to be Covid Champions to help share and shape public health messages during the pandemic.

The council wants to create a network of champions that can help shape young people-facing campaigns and promote messages via their schools and social networks.

The council is already working closely with schools to provide advice and support and has a range of Covid-19 materials aimed at children and young people.

MAP will be working with the Covid Champions to provide advice and support.

Young people who are interested can email marketing@norfolk.gov.uk

New local testing site for Great Yarmouth

A new local testing site is currently being built in Great Yarmouth to help create more testing capacity in the borough.

The site at Nelson Road car park will be operational from tomorrow.

Norfolk’s Health Protection Board applied to the Department for Health and Social Care to create the additional capacity in the county.

People are encouraged to book a test for the new centre online at https://www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test or by calling 119. The tests are a walk-through service only and are in addition to permanent and mobile testing sites that are already in operation.

Home testing kits remain the most convenient way to access a test and mean that people do not need to travel for a test. This can be booked via the same route as test centres.

Cllr Proctor added: “We’re pleased to be working with the government to bring this extra testing site to the county. It means those living in Great Yarmouth have another way to access tests, helping us to track the virus and prevent the spread.”

Those working at sites are provided with personal protective equipment to protect themselves from the virus and to ensure the safety of the wider community. Those attending the site must wear a face covering with the exception of those under three. Everyone must maintain social distancing.

Make The Right Decisions – I’m not indecisive… am I?  

The decisions we make every day, whether big or small, help to shape our lives and our businesses. In this episode, Mark and James share their thoughts and some trusted tools to help improve our decision-making skills. To help bring their tips to life, they refer back to Dr Susan Jeffers, Steven Spielberg and the late, great David Bowie. 

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, or listen here!

Green Duck is proud to have achieved Microsoft Gold Partner status. By awarding Green Duck with Gold partner status, Microsoft recognises that Green Duck delivers best-in-class solutions in Cloud Productivity.

Gold Status is the highest level a partner can obtain from Microsoft.

The partnership demonstrates Green Duck’s expertise in building, integrating, and extending quality solutions into the cloud using Microsoft’s platform.

Mathew Green, Chief Technical Officer and Co-Founder at Green Duck says “Achieving Gold partnership status is not an easy task, our team have undergone extensive training in multiple disciplines, this has been independently examined to meet Microsoft’s high standards. As a business, we’ve proven competencies in implementation, customer satisfaction and team performance.

“For our customers, it shows that we provide quality solutions that meet their needs. The additional access and support we receive as a Gold Partner opens up doors for those we support in future-proofing their businesses and implementing new technologies.

“We will continue to offer the very best customer support with the assurance of commitment and value for our customers by offering superior expertise in IT Support”.

If you would like to talk to us about Microsoft services or anything else IT related, please get in touch! 

After the success of the Eat Out to Help Out scheme in August, we are delighted to launch our own Scheme this November … ‘Take £5’. 

Dine with us on a Monday – Thursday during November and claim £5 off your meal for Breakfast, our Light Bites lunch, Afternoon Tea and Dinner. Minimum spend £10 per person.

James Holliday, Owner of The Norfolk Mead commented: “We were absolutely bowled away by how much the local community supported us during the Eat Out to Help Out Scheme. Now we are moving into the autumn and winter season, with coronavirus still here and times remaining uncertain, we wanted to launch a new offer to give people a reason to head out for a delicious meal with their close friends or family. Our premises have been certified as Covid-secure including by the AA and VisitEngland. Guests can be assured of a warm welcome, and can enjoy a delicious meal from our 2 Star AA Rosette awarded-team in our cosy restaurant and lounges.” 

Call 01603 737 531 or email info@norfolkmead.co.uk to make a booking. Mention the ‘Take £5’ offer at the time of booking. Valid for new bookings only after 24th October 2020. Not applicable to any existing promotions or member discounts. 

Find out more about our food offer and view our menus on the Dine page of the website here: https://www.norfolkmead.co.uk/dine

Please click onto the document to read this week’s Markets in a Minute. 

TOP performing businesses took to the virtual stage on Friday at the Spirit of Enterprise Awards, the most prestigious annual celebration of business excellence in the Great Yarmouth borough.

Organised by Great Yarmouth Borough Council, the popular awards aim to recognise and raise the profile of the area’s top-performing businesses, while boosting investor confidence in the strength of the local economy.

While it was not possible this year to hold the usual gala dinner at the Town Hall, the finalists enjoyed an interactive online awards ceremony to find out the winners in each category, who were invited to make a live acceptance speech via the online platform. 

The ceremony, hosted by award-winning presenter Lee Derbyshire, saw the King’s Arms in Fleggburgh crowned as 2020 Business of the Year. They were chosen from among the category winners by main sponsor API Microelectronics Ltd, which was the 2018 Business of the Year.

The other award sponsors were P&S Personnel, Norse Group, Barclays PLC, Itron (UK) Ltd, ASCO World, Potters Friends Foundation, GYTABIA, Equinox Enterprises Ltd, and Great Yarmouth Borough Council, plus multi-media sponsor Shaun Lawson Video.

Special crystal trophies were delivered this week to all winners to enable socially-distanced photos to take place. The category winners and sponsors are:

• Employer of the Year – John G. Plummer & Associates – sponsored by P&S Personnel
• Great Customer Service – Branford’s Limited – sponsored by Norse Group
• Director/Business Owner of the Year – Mark Dixon of the King’s Arms Fleggburgh – sponsored by Barclays PLC
• Investing in Future Growth – En-Gen Diesel Products Limited – sponsored by Itron (U.K.) Limited
• SME (Small or Medium Enterprise) of the Year – En-Gen Diesel Products Limited – sponsored by Equinox Enterprises Ltd
• Large Business of the Year – Haven Seashore Holiday Park – sponsored by ASCO World
• Great Community Contribution – The Island Cafe & Boating Lake (Access Community Trust) – sponsored by Potters Friends Foundation
• Great Family Owned – King’s Arm Fleggburgh – sponsored by Great Yarmouth Borough Council
• Leisure and Tourism Business of the Year – Haven Seashore Holiday Park – sponsored by GYTABIA

Mark Dixon, of the King’s Arms, said: “Winning the awards means the world to us. It shows that commitment, hard work and working as a team pays off. I could not be prouder of the King’s Arms family and am looking forward to what the future brings.”

Cllr Carl Smith, the council leader, said: “In addition to boosting investor confidence, the Spirit of Enterprise Awards encourages businesses to be aspirational and proud of the role they play in the local business community.

“After months of anticipation, it was great to see the winners revealed. I would like to again congratulate all the finalists and winners: you are all ambassadors of the many excellent businesses of different sizes and sectors across our borough.

“In a year that has brought additional challenges for everyone, businesses included, it was great to celebrate business success. The virtual awards ceremony ran very well, and I’d like to praise the sponsors and everyone involved in organising this.”

Big C’s Annual Golf Day returned to Bawburgh Golf Club on October 1st, with 19 teams taking part on the day, raising almost £7,000, which was £1000 more than in 2019, towards Big C’s work supporting those affected by cancer in our community. Carole Slaughter, Big C’s Head of Fundraising, said, “A big thank you to everyone who took part on the day and to our sponsors Alan Boswell, who have supported the Big C golf day for an amazing 25 consecutive years! Thanks also to Bawburgh Golf Club who worked so hard to ensure full Covid measures were in place so we could go ahead with our annual golf day in such an unusual year, but a special one for Big C as we celebrate our 40th anniversary.” Instead of the usual group dinner and live auction, the teams were given staggered starts and participants enjoyed a meal with their group as they came off the course. Auction prizes were revealed the previous day, with a display updated as the bids came in. To learn more about the work Big C does to improve the lives of those affected by cancer in Norfolk and Waveney, please visit www.big-c.co.uk  

The Sainsbury Centre presents a new exhibition that surveys for the first time Grayson Perry’s earliest forays into the art world, re-introducing the explosive and creative works made during his formative years between 1982 and 1994. His ground-breaking pots of this period have been reunited for the first time following a hugely successful appeal to the public in 2018 by Perry and The Holburne Museum in Bath, where this exhibition first opened in January 2020.

Today, Perry and his instantly-recognisable alter-ego, Claire, enjoys a reputation bordering on National Treasure status by virtue of his distinctive tapestry, collage and ceramic works that often explore themes of gender, identity and social class, as well as his remarkable work as a witty social commentator on television and in print.

The exhibition was conceived by Dr Chris Stephens, Director of the Holburne. He said, “I was delighted when Grayson liked the idea of bringing together his earliest works as they had never been displayed together before. The first step was to find out where we could find these pieces, so we made a public appeal and were overwhelmed by the response from across the country. We were thrilled with the range of irreverent, witty, and downright explicit artworks that came together to form the show. It is a fantastic celebration of Grayson’s work.”

It was when looking through the extraordinary and varied selection of artworks that Grayson remarked that seeing the works again was a reminder of his “pre-therapy years.”

The exhibition will display the earliest works – pots, plates and sculptures – that first made Perry’s name, and will shine a light on his experimentation and exploration of the potential of pottery to address radical issues and human stories. For art lovers, Grayson Perry: The Pre-Therapy Years represents a unique opportunity to enjoy the artist’s clever, playful and politically-engaged perspective on the world through a number of pieces, many of which have not been seen in public since they were first exhibited. Often challenging and explicit, these works reveal the early development of Perry’s distinctive voice that has established him as one of the most compelling commentators on contemporary society.

Grayson Perry: The Pre-Therapy Years begins in 1982, when Perry was first working as an artist and then charts his progress to the mid-90s, when he became established in the mainstream London art scene. The exhibition provides a snapshot of a very British time and place, and reveals the transition of Grayson’s style from playful riffs on historic art, such as old Staffordshire pottery, along with crowns (the mixed media Crown of Penii, 1982) and thrones (Saint Diana, let them eat shit, 1984 – inspired by his fascination with Princess Diana) into a style that is patently his own: plates and vases rich with detail that tell tales of our times and experiences, such as 1989’s Cocktail Party.

Grayson says “This show has been such a joy to put together, I am really looking forward to seeing these early works again many of which I have not seen since the 80s. It is as near as I will ever get to meeting myself as a young man, an angrier, priapic me with huge energy but a much smaller wardrobe.”

Ghislaine Wood, Acting Director of the Sainsbury Centre says, “We are thrilled to be hosting this exhibition which brings together such a large collection of previously unseen works by one of Britain’s most recognisable and innovative artists. The Sainsbury Centre’s outstanding global ceramics collection spans over 5000 years of human creativity and provides a compelling context in which to explore Perry’s deep interest in the medium.”

Exhibition organised by The Holburne Museum, Bath. It is accompanied by a major new book published by The Holburne Museum that explores, for the first time, Perry’s artistic origins through the artworks that made his name in the years 1982-94.

Grayson Perry: The Pre-Therapy Years is at The Holburne Museum until 3 January 2021 and travels to the Sainsbury Centre from 6 February – 16 May 2021, followed by York City Art Gallery. Tickets £12/£11 concessions, on sale from 1 December.

Howes Percival has expanded its highly rated employment law team in response to an increase in instructions over the last year.

The team, which acts for a wide range of SMEs, as well as nationally recognised household names, has seen its turnover grow by 23% in the last year, which is due to the growth in instructions, both prior to and since, the outbreak of the COVID pandemic.

As a result, Howes Percival has appointed three new solicitors: Alex Sims and Kate Melton, who both join the team following their completion of their training contracts with the firm and Demi Fawzi-Perrin who joins the firm as an Associate Solicitor from Hopkins Solicitors LLP.

The three new additions follow the recruitment of Jonathan Mumby and Sobia Ahmad as Associate Solicitors last year.

In addition to the team’s growth, existing employment lawyers, Nick Benton and Hannah Ball have both been promoted to Director level from Senior Associate.

Paula Bailey, partner and head of the employment law team at Howes Percival said: 

“Over the last year, we have seen a marked increase in new instructions – a trend which began before the coronavirus pandemic. Throughout and since lockdown, we have continued to see an increase in instructions, particularly in relation to the furlough scheme, and helping businesses to avoid and plan for redundancies.

“As the team continues to grow, I am delighted to welcome new joiners but also to see the development and promotion of existing team members. This reflects the increased capability of our team at all levels. Our focus has always been to work with clients in a commercial way to find practical solutions to some often very tricky issues. Throughout the pandemic, we have continued to do this effectively, providing much needed support to our clients. This approach has been key in sustaining and growing our client base and it’s one of the reasons why the team is ranked as top-tier in the recent Legal 500 guide.”

Howes Percival’s employment team is ranked as Tier 1 in the 2021 edition of The Legal 500 – the authoritative guide to the UK’s leading law firms. The Legal 500 recommends firms and lawyers based on independent research, interviews and client feedback.

Paula Bailey commented, 

“This year has been incredibly challenging for a lot of clients and our aim is always to be there alongside them, helping resolve often complex and urgent problems and explaining all the options clearly. So, it is good for the team to receive client feedback describing Howes Percival as “deeply knowledgeable and approachable” and able to give “responsive, high quality and yet accessibly explained advice”. These are the things we pride ourselves on and they are core to our client offering.”

For more information, please visit our website here.

Full details of Howes Percival’s rankings can be found on the Legal 500 website.

As part of Import Export Support’s information service, here’s a short article to highlight recent classification changes. HMRC have issued a new regulation which is considered to be a change in UK practice. The updates, released in September, announce changes to two tariff headings. 

7323: Table, kitchen and household articles of iron or steel   This heading includes: Storage tins and boxes made of sheet steel in different sizes and shapes (cylindrical, rectangular, star-shaped, and so on) with a matching lid, which are printed with various motifs. These tins and boxes have the objective characteristics of household articles (including its small size, decorative design, plain interior, and so on) and mainly serve for storing food (biscuits, cakes, gingerbread, sugar) or small items in the household The average import duty for goods under this heading is 3.2% From 1-1-21 the proposed new UK tariff applicable will be 0%   …however   If your tins include this information, a different classification applies: Consumer information about the contained goods, (brand or logo, quantity, dietary information) are to be classified under heading 7310: Tanks, casks, drums, cans, boxes, and similar containers, for any material  The average import duty for goods under this heading is 2.7% From 1-1-21 the proposed new UK tariff applicable will be 0%     3926 – Statuettes and ornamental articles. 

• 3926: Article of plastic, and
• 3926 40: Statuettes & other ornamental articles (plastic)

  …now includes some car accessories   The note has been updated to clarify that this heading includes items which fit this description: Carbon fibre reinforced plastic side covers for a centre console of passenger cars. These covers are made of a composite material consisting predominantly of carbon fibres embedded in an epoxy resin matrix. They have a rigid structure. These covers have various snap-in locking devices and mounting holes at their bottom edge. They are fixed to the centre console of passenger cars and serve as a decorative feature The average import duty for goods under this heading is 6.5% From 1-1-21 the proposed new UK tariff applicable will be reduced to 6% I regularly post on the IES blog where there’s lots more relevant to the import export business. IES Blog Need some advice? Email me, Tracey Renshaw directly at enquiries@importexportsupport.co.uk

Jay Gosal has opened her first shop at 4 Quinton Parade, Coventry.

Experienced accountant Jay Gosal has opened her shop in Coventry – six months after joining the TaxAssist Accountants network.

CIMA-qualified Jay used the lockdown period to refit her shop and speak to her increasing number of clients online and on the phone.

“I am really pleased to finally have the shop open,” said Jay, “I have been able to work from home for the past six months, but it will make a huge difference to clients to see where I’m based and to be able to pop in and meet me in my premises.

“The shop provides me with a warm and welcoming environment in which to hold client meetings, although I’d like to reassure clients they can, of course, continue to call me or hold meetings online if they prefer.”

Jay is passionate about customer service and making a real difference to her clients’ businesses during these challenging times.

“Being a small business owner myself, I know and understand what clients are going through right now.

“As well as accountancy, I have valuable experience in retail and financial services and I spend time with clients supporting them to interpret financial and market insights to help them to deliver strategic and financial objectives. I want to help my clients to focus on ways to grow their business and make the most of any commercial opportunities available to them.

“I’m really looking forward to getting to know my fellow business owners in my area and I’d encourage anyone interested in finding out more about our services to get in touch for a free initial consultation. We provide a comprehensive tax, accountancy and advisory service and can talk clients through a range of software solutions to help them select the right package for their needs.”

For more information about Jay’s services, please visit her website https://www.taxassist.co.uk/coventry-east or call on 0800 05 23 555.

Jay’s shop joins a network of 425 TaxAssist Accountants shops and offices right across the UK.

We’re delighted to introduce you to the newest member of the BDH Tullford team, Accounts Manager Sam Chisnall. Working four days a week, she is responsible for the financial aspects of the business now that long-standing Accounts Manager, Pamela Powell, has retired. “I’ve worked in finance for most of my career, so I’m looking forward to the new challenges that this role will bring,” says Sam. “The whole team, especially Pamela and Becks on Reception, have been generous with their knowledge and have helped me to settle in quickly.” Sam has held finance positions with a variety of organisations in Norfolk, most notably Hughes Electrical, where she worked alongside her husband, Trade Director Paul Chisnall, for a number of years.  Family Business While Sam may be a new starter, she’s certainly not a new face at Europa Way. In fact, her father was one of the original founders of the company back in the 1960s. Chester Fox and his brothers started BD Studios, which joined forces with current Director David Hutchins creating business that evolved into BDH Tullford. “My cousin [BDH Tullford Director James Fox] approached me when Pamela announced her decision to retire and asked if I would be interested in joining the business,” she continues. “I wasn’t looking to leave my previous employer, but James offered me an opportunity to support a business close to my heart. “I hadn’t considered joining the business when I left school. There wasn’t a position for me at that time either, because Pamela was managing the accounts. But this feels like the right time; I feel like I’ve come home. There are pictures of my dad on the wall beside me, which is lovely. I’m really comfortable here.” Adds Director David Hutchins: “We’re thrilled to have Sam on board with us. Her skills and experience, along with her passion for BDH Tullford, are real assets to the business and we look forward to many happy years working together.”    Call 01603 620780 to speak to Sam Chisnall about invoices and accounts at BDH Tullford.