Member News

• ·       Norwich Drive in For Hope, taking place on World Homeless Day, raised over two thousand pounds to tackle homelessness;
• ·       The event was held to mark the launch of new charity Hopestead which aims to end homelessness in the East of England;
• ·       The charity – established by Flagship Group – has already delivered an initiative awarding over £350k to 700 families at risk of losing their homes.

A Norwich drive in cinema event taking place on World Homeless Day has raised funds to help tackle homelessness.

All ticket sales from the Drive In For Hope, held at Heartsease Lane on Saturday 10 October, have generated over two thousand pounds in funds which will go towards supporting those who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.

The event – which saw family favourite ‘The Greatest Showman’ shown – took place to mark the launch of Hopestead, the new charity from Flagship Group with the aim of ending homelessness in the East of England.

Marie-Claire Delbrouque, Managing Director of Hopestead said: “The Drive in For Hope was a fantastic, uplifting event which brought people together – safely – through film.

“We are so grateful for the support and generosity of everyone who came along: simply by watching a movie, you have helped us to tackle homelessness.

Although this weekend marked its official launch, Hopestead began an initiative earlier this year, offering support to Flagship Group customers during the pandemic when it became clear that Covid-19 had the potential to increase homelessness.

Hopestead has since awarded in excess of £350k to nearly 700 families who might be at risk of losing their homes. Some of those who received this support shared their stories in a moving film which was also shown at the Drive in for Hope on Saturday.

Marie-Claire Delbrouque explained: “Now more than ever we are seeing people at risk of losing their homes. Doing nothing is not an option for us and we feel we have a fundamental responsibility to tackle this problem in our region.

 “Which is why we have launched Hopestead. We believe everyone deserves a place to call home. We want to end homelessness in the East of England

“This is an ambitious goal. But by tackling the causes of homelessness and working in partnership with likeminded organisations already working hard to eradicate homelessness, we believe we can achieve this together.”

Rebecca White, CEO of Your Own Place – which aims to find innovative as well as cost-effective solutions to homelessness – attended the event and said: “What a fantastic launch to a new service that worked so well during this pandemic. For me the film resonated with homelessness as The Greatest Showman worked to make people normally ignored by society, visible. 

“And that’s what we need to do with homelessness.  We need to change the conversation so people realise it can happen to any of us. 

“Our intention, as we at Your Own Place start our relationship with Hopestead, is to be a part of the conversation and the solution.  I know already that we share the same vision in eradicating homelessness in the east.”

Helen Baldry, Head of Marketing and Communication at St Martins Housing Trust said: “The drive-in event on Saturday was brilliant. It was a fun and safe way to mark the launch of Hopestead in a socially distanced way. People who had experienced homelessness talked about the impact well placed support has on their lives; the relief they spoke about was tangible.”

Dr Jan Sheldon, CEO of St Martins added: “St Martins has been working in Norfolk over nearly 50 years to support homeless people and we are excited about the launch of Hopestead in our region. We have a shared vision of ending homelessness and we know the solution comes from partnership working. We can achieve more by working together, and this involves prevention work, long-term housing and sustained support to help each person fulfil their potential.”

The Norwich Drive-In for Hope was mirrored by a similar drive-in movie showing in Ipswich on 9 October which raised over one thousand pounds from ticket sales. With donations across both sites, the total raised to tackle homelessness in the East of England over the weekend was nearly £4,000.

Find out more about Hopestead here: www.hopestead.org

Medical finance experts, Lizzy Lloyd and Andrew Burwood of MHA Larking Gowen, are collaborating with Rob Day from Mills & Reeve to deliver these upcoming webinars, giving medical professionals an update on Primary Care Networks and Incorporation of GP medical practices. 

Primary Care Networks update

Tues 20 October 1pm – 2pm

Topics will include:

• PCN funding

• Accounting for the PCN surplus in 2019/20

• Latest position re VAT and clinical director role

• PCN structures and incorporation

There will also be a live Q&A session at the end. This webinar will be recorded, but we ask you to register to make sure you get a copy of the recording after the event.

Book your place here

Action on Intrastat

If your business submits Intrastat reports or uses the UK Trade Info site, we’re highlighting changes that may affect you.

Action this week

Users of UKTradeInfo may know that the site relaunches on Monday 19 October – that’s next Monday. We want to highlight that data you have saved to the site won’t be migrated to the new site, so export and save all the tables you’ll need in the future. The IT team behind the relaunch are warning of some bugs in the new site, so expect that from Monday the new site may not be 100% reliable and plan accordingly.

Action from 1 January 2021

For businesses who currently make Intrastat reports, it’s important to know you must continue to submit Intrastat reports after January 1 2021, as well as submitting import and export customs declarations for goods crossing the EU border. For more on this subject, on the HMRC site there’s a useful FAQ document on Intrastat declaration requirements for 2021, including the reports required for trade through NI. Intrastat FAQ here

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

A local firm of independent financial advisers is celebrating after being voted the best in their field at the recent MoneyAge Awards. Face to Face Finance, based in Cringleford, has won the Financial Adviser Award for Small to Medium Firm of the Year, beating off stiff competition from across the UK.

The MoneyAge awards celebrates excellence, innovation and professionalism in the personal finance space. Winners for each category were selected by a prestigious panel of industry leaders and announced during a special broadcast on the 8th October.

The team at Face to Face Finance was recognised for the support they offer younger people, using innovative technologies and social media to engage with new audiences. Managing Director, Julie Hunt, explains why this award means so much to them:

“Having all our hard work officially recognised as being industry-leading is a fantastic feeling! This award positions us as right up there as one of the top firms in the UK. It’s especially gratifying to see the efforts we’ve been putting into supporting younger audiences given a special mention – the earlier people start taking an active interest in their finances, the better for their long-term financial future.”

Face to Face Finance offers a range of financial planning services, including investments, pensions and all the other options you might expect an IFA to offer. But it’s their cash flow planning service and their non-advised Face to Face Digital platform which really captured the judges’ interest. Julie continues:

“It’s this willingness to embrace new opportunities that has helped support the firm’s growth over the past number of years. These services are suitable for all ages, but particularly appeal to younger customers who are trying to find a way to make the most of their income for shorter-term goals, like buying a house, or are keen to dip their toe into the world of investing.”

The firm celebrated their win with a socially-distanced glass of bubbly!

A full list of winners can be found at: https://moneyage.co.uk/awards/winners20.php

As part of your Brexit planning, our advice is to remember compliance is key. We can be sure that HMRC will be hot on compliance next year, we see they have recently updated the notice on penalties.

Why it’s worth checking compliance  

The list of penalties is eye-watering, ranging from £1,000 to £2,000 per instance. It will be the trader, the importer or exporter, who will be penalised, not the person submitting the declaration on your behalf. They make it clear that excuses such as I didn’t know or We didn’t check won’t wash. In HMRC’s world, ignorance is never bliss! The good news is penalties can be avoided if you discover the contravention before HMRC and report it straight away. HMRC say:

“You will not receive a penalty if you discover and disclose a contravention voluntarily”    

Our advice is to ensure your Brexit planning includes an emphasis on checking compliance at every stage.

Details on penalties here: HMRC penalties Who will be liable for what here: HMRC information We can expect further developments on this and other import and export systems, we will endeavour to keep you updated. As always, please call or email me with comments or questions, we’re always happy to discuss individual issues, click here: Import Export Support site

While some of us may cringe at the thought of the festive season already looming, Christmas is a pivotal period for many businesses. The impact of Covid and accompanying lockdown has already been felt across the key dates of 2020. Unsurprising then that there remains an element of doom and gloom around the festive season. However, at Image Development we have a different perspective. With a unique insight into the world of independent small business here in Norwich, we believe Christmas 2020 could be a big opportunity. We round up some of the relevant changes to consumer behaviour as a result of Covid; explore why this benefits small business and how to prepare a marketing strategy to make the most of this opportunity.

  How has Covid changed consumer behaviour?

It might seem obvious to say, but Covid has had a significant and immediate effect on consumer behaviour. Many have reported years of change taking effect in a matter of weeks or even days. This contributes to the system shock felt across business. For many of us, challenging times have followed a near universal hunkering down in terms of spend and attitudes to purchasing. Meanwhile some businesses have seen a surprise uptick, usually if they have been agile in embracing digital and maintaining brand salience and ease of access to their audience. McKinsey and Company highlight the importance of this digital omnipresence, with e-commerce continuing to grow across all product categories in the UK. Admittedly, big ticket sales remain wobbly, with many consumers realigning their behaviour to meet the uncertainty Covid has wrought with more modest value-driven purchases.

This uncertainty has also shaken loyalty. Established relationships with brands that were interrupted by Covid brought with them opportunities for their competitors. Value, ease of access and quality replaced loyalty, as 70% of UK consumers adopted new shopping behaviours. Convenience also ranked highly as a reason why shoppers decided to make a change, adding to the melting pot of new trends business must navigate. But what does this have to do with small business? Surely with the landscape moving underneath our feet it’s a game for the big brands with deep pockets? Well not necessarily. We believe that many trends are playing right into the strengths of small independent businesses.

  What are the benefits for small business?

Covid has certainly given us time. Time to think about whether that lockdown haircut was ever a good idea. Time to think about sourdough recipes and home workouts to burn them off…but also, time to think about value versus cost. Consumers have had time to put value in perspective. Sentiment has shifted to more value-driven purchases. Trends indicate a move away from big ticket purchases to items that offer a different type of value, especially as financial fortunes remain uncertain. Add this to the desire to support local business, and we start to see the emerging opportunities. Rather than a big screen TV or flashy fashion accessory, consumers may now have a bigger appetite for smaller gifts. These gifts may not cost as much, but arguably offer more value to their loved ones. In other words, gifts that tell a story, support local business and provide emotional connection are valued more. Now we don’t know about you, but this sounds just like the kind of quirkiness and quality we’d find in the streets of Norwich. The problem however, is that we’re not walking the streets of Norwich as much as we’d like to be. It’s not as ‘convenient’ as pre-covid. Equally the wider population has become more of a homebody too. So whilst there is an appetite for value and local product, the question arises, can small business satiate it conveniently enough? When you’re hungry, it’s often easier to eye up the takeaway menu than conjure up a meal yourself. Such is the salience and ease of access other larger brands often have to their advantage. So as a small business, it’s important to ensure you’re visible and accessible, both on and off the high street.

  How to market for success this Christmas (& beyond)

Now we’re not suggesting that consumers won’t flock to the big brands or have the best of intentions as they fill their Amazon baskets. They will. However there is an opportunity for small business to leverage this change in behaviour, with the right marketing. Digital will remain a big factor, with an appropriate online presence important for almost all small businesses. That’s not to say we won’t return to the high-street. In fact this is one of the first areas people want back in their lives, with many consumers already strutting the streets. However, the numbers who can frequent your brick and mortar store are going to be reduced, so it’s worth considering how to translate part of your experience online, even if it’s a sleek booking system for in-store visits.

Brand values and purpose remain important to consumers, so ensure you’re sharing your story as well as your products online. This can often be overlooked in the rush to simply ‘sell’ online. Engage other aspects of digital in your efforts too. When we talk about brand salience, it’s simply how quickly and clearly your audience thinks of you, why not give them a little help? Share your story, services and product across social media, email and even consider print depending on your goals and business type. A good functional website is of course important but it isn’t a silver bullet when taken out of the wider marketing mix.

While you’ve got your storytelling hat on, it’s worth considering what makes your product unique? What makes it relevant for your audience? Why should they buy it from you? Tell them. People like to be part of a story and given half the chance they might become part of yours. With the passion that often goes hand in hand with small businesses, sharing even a small piece of that can go a long way. It’s often a matter of reaching the right audience, especially in the noisy world of digital marketing. It’s here that the use of paid advertising can come in handy. With many social platforms offering quick and relatively simple entry into advertising, it’s worth looking into as a means to amplify your voice online. Just be sure you’re aiming for the right places and people to suit your business. In all it’s about communicating your story as clearly, quickly and genuinely as possible.

Whilst we’ve massively simplified the process, we hope we’ve helped to add some context to the opportunities for small business this Christmas. Needless to say the world remains a challenging place to navigate, business and marketing included. Whilst we wish we had a little festive magic to sprinkle on your marketing efforts, we’ve worked hard to develop a set of affordable and accessible marketing resources specifically aimed at small businesses – our DIY marketing packages. These are fixed price guides and training sessions to help develop personalised marketing strategies that small business owners and their teams can then manage themselves. Starting with a completely free consultation, we’re passionate about providing honest, effective support for our clients.

By all means get in touch with us to discuss your ideas, help boost your business this Christmas and future-proof your marketing efforts.

This major exhibition from 20 November – 7 March 2021 traces the parallel and intersecting careers of two leading artists of the 20th century. The photographer Bill Brandt (1904-1983) and sculptor Henry Moore (1898-1986) first crossed paths during the Second World War, when they created images of civilians sheltering in the London Underground during the Blitz. These photographs by Brandt and drawings by Moore today rank among their most iconic works.

The exhibition is organised by the Yale Center for British Art in partnership with The Hepworth Wakefield and is curated by Martina Droth, Deputy Director and Chief Curator of the Yale Center for British Art. The exhibition brings together almost 200 works including significant sculpture, iconic photographs and drawings, little-known photo collages and rare original colour transparencies. Bill Brandt | Henry Moore reveals the interdisciplinary range of these two artists, exploring how they both responded creatively to the British landscape and communities during the turbulent times in which they lived.

The exhibition opens with the moment the artists met in 1942 when Brandt photographed Moore in his studio to accompany a 10-page spread in Lilliput magazine, which juxtaposed the two artists’ shelter images for the first time. Both artists were often drawn to similar subjects. During the Second World War, there was a focus on ordinary people, the home and labour. Their images of coal miners and their families reflect social deprivation, yet an optimistic view in the case of Moore.

In contrast with the densely populated, often claustrophobic, urban subjects explored during the war, Brandt and Moore both later turned to nature and the light-filled open landscape as a primary source of inspiration. A significant section of the exhibition looks at their enduring interest in rock formations, geological artefacts, and megalithic sites, such as Stonehenge.

Ghislaine Wood, Acting Director of the Sainsbury Centre said: “Henry Moore is a crucial artist in our collection, and we are delighted to be able to show his work in a new light through its presentation alongside Bill Brandt, one of the most important photographers of the 20th century. This exhibition demonstrates how Henry Moore, often known as a sculptor, worked across media, including collage and photography, and how Brandt – through photography – presented the landscape and body as acutely sculptural.”

The exhibition is accompanied by a major new book published by the Yale Center for British Art in association with Yale University Press. The book takes an unusual approach to the reproduction of photographic works, capturing the materiality of the print as a singular, three-dimensional object rather than a flattened image on the page.

Bill Brandt | Henry Moore is at the Hepworth Wakefield until 1 November 2020, Sainsbury Centre 20 November – 7 March 2021 and travels to the Yale Center for British Art from 15 April – 18 July 2021. Tickets £13/£12 concessions, on sale from Monday 19 October.

THE most prestigious annual celebration of business excellence in the Great Yarmouth borough, the Spirit of Enterprise Awards, will culminate with a virtual awards ceremony on Friday, October 16.

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.

After weeks of anticipation, businesses shortlisted for the various awards (please see below) will find out who the winners are, including the overall 2020 Business of the Year, chosen from among the category winners.

While it is not possible this year to hold the usual gala dinner at the Town Hall’s prestigious Assembly Room, guests will be able to enjoy a virtual ceremony hosted by Lee Derbyshire, an award-winning presenter who has worked in the entertainment industry for more than 20 years.

The main sponsor is last year’s Business of the Year, API Microelectronics Ltd, who has chosen the 2020 Business of the Year. The other award sponsors are 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.

Cllr Carl Smith, the council leader, said: “Many businesses have adapted and innovated well to continue their great work and support their workforce. As a council, we’ve done everything we can to support our local economy through response and into recovery, including handing out more than £30m in business grants.

“Despite the additional challenges this year, the Spirit of Enterprise Awards is a chance to celebrate success, to showcase the many innovative, entrepreneurial and determined companies from across the borough’s business community, who are helping to support the local economy.

“Huge congratulations to all the finalists, who should be proud to be shortlisted in our prestigious and competitive awards scheme. We’ve seen another batch of strong entries this year, and I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the sponsors.”

The categories, sponsors and finalists are:

2020 Business of the Year – sponsored by API Microelectronics Ltd

• Chosen from among the category winners.

Employer of the Year – sponsored by P&S Personnel

• East Coast College
• Haven Seashore Holiday Park
• John G. Plummer & Associates

Great Customer Service – sponsored by Norse Group

• Branford’s Limited
• The Imperial Hotel
• King’s Arms, Fleggburgh

Director/Business Owner of the Year – sponsored by Barclays PLC

• Emma Jarvis of The Hair Base
• Mark Dixon of King’s Arms, Fleggburgh
• Mark O’Mahony of P+S Personnel

Investing in Future Growth – sponsored by Itron (U.K.) Limited

• En-Gen Diesel Products Limited
• The Hair Base
• Nemesis Consultants Ltd

SME (Small or Medium Enterprise) of the Year – sponsored by Equinox Enterprises Ltd

• En-Gen Diesel Products Limited
• King’s Arms, Fleggburgh
• Sam Race – Venue Decoration

Large Business of the Year – sponsored by ASCO World

• Hammond Cars
• Haven Seashore Holiday Park
• P&S Personnel

Great Community Contribution – Sponsored by Potters Friends Foundation

• Darling Darlings Cat Lounge
• Smart Radio
• The Island Cafe & Boating Lake (Access Community Trust)

Great Family Owned – sponsored by Great Yarmouth Borough Council

• Branford’s Limited
• King’s Arms, Fleggburgh
• The Imperial Hotel

Leisure and Tourism Business of the Year – sponsored by GYTABIA

• The Imperial Hotel
• Haven Seashore Holiday Park
• King’s Arms, Fleggburgh

We are thrilled to announce that we have successfully secured Cultural Recovery Funding to support the ongoing work of Norwich Puppet Theatre – at its home base, in the community and online. The £84,750 will help us through the difficult Covid crisis period ahead, in which we have limited opportunities for live performance – but there will be some – and creative learning with schools and other bodies working with children is extremely difficult.  This grant will help us cope with the financial constraints of operating as a socially-distanced venue, exploring new work, making more material for on line working.

We have already built up a following for our on-line puppetry channel, and our films of Roald Dahl’s Revolting arhymes and Dirty Beasts have been made through this period of theatre darkness by a variety of puppeteers and artists. Do please have a look: there is so much to enjoy for all the family!  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC90yGyJLmL04mep1vCnKm7w

This grant will help us follow through with more such work, like our development of a Pinocchio show in both live and on-line formats, for delivery sometime next year.

We feel this is terrific endorsement of our charity, our work and the art of puppetry!  Our venue is one of 1,385 cultural and creative organisations across the country receiving urgently needed support. £257 million of investment has been announced on Monday 12th October as part of the very first round of the Culture Recovery Fund grants programme being administered by Arts Council England. Further rounds of funding in the cultural and heritage sector are due to be announced over the coming weeks.

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said: “This funding is a vital boost for the theatres, music venues, museums and cultural organisations that form the soul of our nation. It will protect these special places, save jobs and help the culture sector’s recovery. “These places and projects are cultural beacons the length and breadth of the country. This unprecedented investment in the arts is proof this government is here for culture, with further support to come in the days and weeks ahead so that the culture sector can bounce back strongly.” Chair of Arts Council England, Sir Nicholas Serota, added: “Theatres, museums, galleries, dance companies and music venues bring joy to people and life to our cities, towns and villages. This life-changing funding will save thousands of cultural spaces loved by local communities and international audiences. Further funding is still to be announced and we are working hard to support our sector during these challenging times.”  #HereForCulture, #CulturalRecoveryFund, #WeMakeEvents, #FreelancersMakeTheatreWork #KeepTheatreAlive Photo Credit for Norwich Puppet Theatre Andi Sapey Keep in touch with our work at https://www.puppettheatre.co.uk/whats-on

At M+A Partners, our team of private client tax specialists has developed a reputation for providing expert services when it comes to tax planning and compliance. We are therefore delighted to welcome Caroline Mills-Cooke to the team, as M+A Partners’ new Personal Tax Manager.

Caroline will be working with Senior Tax Manager, Emma Hunt, to continue to deliver tax services for high-net-worth individuals, large land estates and those clients with wide-ranging tax affairs.

Emma noted that “For private clients, there is a real need for professional tax advice, particularly within the current economic climate and with the increasing amount of complex and ever-changing legislation. Caroline brings with her a great deal of experience within the sector, having previously specialised in tax at a prominent Chartered Accountancy firm, followed by a senior position at a global tax and advisory firm.”

Caroline commented “M+A Partners is a well-established, highly regarded firm within the region and I am very much looking forward to working within such a friendly and knowledgeable team. This is a role in which I can put my previous experience into practice, providing a personal service that is tailored to each client’s priorities.”

Please click onto the document to read this week’s market summary.

Plans for the future of trade in Northern Ireland (NI) continue to emerge. Here’s the latest Import Export Support update, along with links to pages of particular interest to any business that trades through NI.

Trader support service The Institute for Export have introduced a Trader Support Service (TSS) to support businesses through the changes to Northern Ireland trade which take effect on 1 January 2021. The free-to-use service will provide guidance and training, a digital service to support declarations, and support from customs experts, delivered by the brand new Northern Ireland Customs & Trade Academy (NICTA) and funded by the Government. The service is open to traders, intermediaries and carriers moving goods into and out of Northern Ireland. To access the programme, you need to register your business. Register your business To apply you’ll need the usual business information to hand, including:

• VAT Number
• EORI Number

Once registered you can access free training either as a downloadable guide or a webinar. Currently there’s one webinar available ‘Introduction to Customs’. The first session was fully booked but there are more scheduled. Training info here More support in the form of guides and webinars is promised, so it could be worth bookmarking the page. How-to guides here There’s also a useful jargon buster to help you get a grip on all those awful terms and acronyms. Jargon buster here If you need any help or advice on imports or exports, please call me. Click here for our website