Member News

Norfolk and Waveney cancer charity, Big C, has been awarded crucial funding from the National Lottery Community Fund to support the charity’s emergency response helping cancer patients and their families during the Covid-19 pandemic. Big C has been awarded £100,000 to assist with six months of funding for a raft of services which the team at Big C rapidly adapted and created as the pandemic took hold. This includes a specialist telephone support line, live chat support, telephone counselling, welfare advice, ‘Ask the Nurse’ support via Big C’s virtual centre, physical and mental wellbeing videos, wellbeing packs and emergency delivery services.

Dr Chris Bushby, Chief Executive at Big C said, “During what is an extremely challenging and difficult time for the charity sector, the news of National Lottery funding is very welcome. We, along with many other charities, are experiencing a perfect storm where we have suffered a sudden drop in funding against a need to invest in services to help the increasing number of people who need our support. Many of these people are among the most vulnerable at this incredibly difficult time. “The funding is also great recognition for our team who are passionate about the role they play in helping those local people affected by cancer and have worked tirelessly to deliver the very best support for our service users.” Chris continued, “This year marks Big C’s 40th anniversary. Our supporters have been instrumental in the success of the

If you are interested in fundraising for Big C, please visit fundraise.big-c.co.uk www.big-c.co.uk

A new survey on the Tourism, Leisure and hospitality sector has been launched this week by leading players in the sector to gather detailed financial details from across the sector to establish the true cost to the sector of this pandemic.

“All the businesses in this sector are facing huge challenges that nobody would ever have imagined they would experience” said Chris Scargill, Tourism, Leisure and Hospitality specialist partner at MHA Larking Gowen, the business advisors.  “While some parts of the sector are in the early stages of re-opening, the vast majority are hoping the potential date of 4 July is a reality and regulations eased then, but it is accepted that some parts of the  sector are likely to be last to be released from lockdown.  Even when they open, they will have to operate in a completely new way, with greatly reduced capacity and revenue, whilst working with expensive and challenging guidelines.

There are some big challenges ahead and in light of this we have been working with some key tourism and leisure business leaders across the sector to create a survey researching the likely outcomes over the next nine months”.

One of the key players party to the creation of the survey and the importance of this research is Ian Russell MBE of Wroxham Barns and Chairman Where to Go in North Norfolk. He said “There are many organisations working on behalf of the tourism, leisure and hospitality sector, lobbying Government on the local industry’s behalf. MPs in Norfolk and Suffolk have been supportive of the sector and they too are doing all they can to represent businesses and fully understand the jobs the sector has created.   

“The Government’s support via the Job Retention Scheme, CBILS, Bounce Back and business support grants have all helped support most businesses through this period of closure, but these programmes may not be sufficient to take businesses safely through until more positive times return.

I feel this type of research is really important, and we need the businesses in the sector to get behind the survey.  In asking for sector support from Government, businesses understand that they have to evidence the complex set of pressures which could cause that “perfect storm” next winter”.

The surveys launch has been facilitated by the group issuing a letter to other key business owners, highlighting the need for the collection of business data. In addition to Ian Russell and Chris Scargill, the signatories to the survey include Dr Andy Wood of Adnams who is also Chair of Visit East of England and a member of VisitEngland Advisory Board, Andrew Hird, Chair of Visit North Norfolk, Martin Dupee a Director of both, Norfolk & Suffolk Attractions and Visit East of England, Peter Williamson, Chair of Norfolk & Suffolk Tourist Attractions and Greg Munford, Chief Executive Director, Richardson’s Boating Holidays and Holiday Parks and also Chair of British Marine.

Andrew Hird said “A key priority for businesses is keeping their teams and customers safe. Early research is indicating that guests are very unsure about visiting hospitality venues until they are sure that they can be kept safe. Notwithstanding all endeavours to reassure and comply with government guidelines, it is not clear when customer confidence will return, and that will have an impact on business performance.”

Martin Dupee said “we know our local attractions are working hard to open and operate safely.  We know that on opening the local, loyal customers will visit first, and looking after them is essential. In doing so, however, businesses face further financial hardship due to investment and management of those provisions – creating than normal costs at a time of lower capacity and income.

Peter Williamson, chair of Norfolk and Suffolk Tourist attractions added “There has been a lot of general commentary on the sensitivity of the situation, but there is now a clamour for real facts, which this survey intends to provide. There is widespread concern that the “three winters” scenario will put a significant number of businesses and jobs at risk.”

Chris Scargill added “The survey does require some time to pull the numbers together, but it is the key numbers that will give us the evidence we need”. 

The survey, which can be paused, saved and returned to is available online only.  If you would like to support the survey, please contact tourism@larking-gowen.co.uk.

I’m sure we can agree that the past few months have affected us all in some way or another, myself being included.

Being a recruiter it’s my job to be in charge of the recruitment process which I’ve been used to for the past 8 years, until it was my turn to be recruited and this was taken out of our hands by Covid-19.

After working for a national recruitment agency for the past six years I decided I wanted to be a part of the Atkinson Moss team, a team that has built a fantastic reputation in the local market and reflected my values in the industry. I was lucky enough to be offered the opportunity that matches my expertise of joining the Office Support division with the added bonus of working alongside Claire Pitt.

With the world of recruitment changing in a matter of weeks, I found myself caught up in an unprecedented situation with the job market changing overnight. My faith and belief in Atkinson Moss and what they stand for was strengthened further when Angie and Graham took the time to call me to reassure me that they still wanted me and my job was safe.

This was a huge relief and my excitement was reignited, I couldn’t wait to be a part of the AM team (whenever this could be possible).

My start date was confirmed shortly after, however my first week wasn’t exactly how any of us would have imagined! My laptop, essentials and a thoughtful welcome gift were delivered to me by Graham (albeit at a distance) the weekend before my first day. I immediately set up my make shift working from home office – not quite the lovely St Georges works offices I expected but I made do.

Monday morning came and it felt like I was sat next to Graham undertaking my first day in the office, (Thank goodness for Zoom) we spoke all day as he navigated me virtually around the system, database and tools I would need to hit the ground running. I feel that I have been able to pick up everything that is required and have been able to very quickly get on with my new job as if I were physically in the office. All that was missing was the direct contact with people I was so excited to work with.

In my few weeks out of recruitment a lot had changed, more than anyone could have predicted and I found myself being educated around the state of the current market by colleagues, candidates and clients, each of whom had a different experience. I was learning about the different ways it had affected them and importantly how they adapted and overcame the ‘new’ normal.

Although my onboarding process wasn’t exactly how we had planned, it was supportive, seamless and most importantly it worked. I know from my personal experience that with technology, a positive attitude and planning it can work for clients and candidates who need flexibility during these uncertain times. Being open to new ideas and utilising the technology available to us is not something that should be resisted when looking to welcome new recruits. It can be hugely effective and gives the flexibility to start a new employee from home which can be a benefit to all.

At Atkinson Moss we have proven experience of how this has worked for us and we are happy to share our experiences to help make it work for you.

At Breakwater IT we want to provide our clients with five-star customer service in the most convenient ways. When a client gets in touch with us, this usually means something within their IT has gone wrong. This can often cause stress and interruptions to their working day. Our engineers aim to resolve these problems as quickly and efficiently as possible. Therefore, we are always investing in new technologies to support both our clients and our team. We are pleased to now officially introduce the Breakwater Hub. The Hub is a new way for our clients to log IT tickets. Using an installed desktop application or web browser, each individual staff member can login to their own platform and give a detailed report of their issue. Pre-set questionnaires for ticket requests allow individuals to answer simple questions within the Hub. This helps to minimise the back and forth between our engineers and clients. When received by an engineer, these questions enable them to identify and resolve the issue quickly. Sometimes, an engineer may still need additional details from the client. In this instance, they can reply to the client directly in the Hub. The client can also then respond using a simple chat function. The Hub contains useful features for our clients, allowing them to not only raise new tickets but monitor open and closed tickets. When checking on an open ticket, individuals can use the chat, see which engineer is assigned to the ticket, the priority level, ticket number and more. They can even close the ticket if needed. When reviewing closed tickets there is an option to reopen a ticket within 30 days if the issue has resurfaced. They can also view all the details from the ticket history. Additional features can also be added to a certain employees Hub. The features available now include invoicing and quotes. These functions allow those employees to view their invoices and any quotes given with Breakwater. We will also be introducing new features soon including an instant messaging chat function, and shops. Shops will allow clients to browse products such as laptops, monitors, accessories and more! They are then able to order these directly with us using the Hub. The Hub has been in testing recently with a few clients, but is now being rolled-out to all existing and new clients. We are excited to move forward with a new, more efficient way of supporting businesses with their IT. For more information on our services, get in touch: www.breakwaterit.co.uk | 01603 709300 | enquiries@breakwaterit.co.uk

Fears of impending job losses in the wake of the Coronavirus lock-down have triggered rising interest in Start Up training according to business training and business support specialists MENTA.

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Would-be entrepreneurs can now receive advice and support to get their ventures off the ground from the comfort of their own home from MENTA trainers via Zoom and its new MENTA LIVE training sessions.

MENTA switched its face-to-face Start-up training to new online workshops within days of the lock-down announcement in March, has found that far from curtailing ambition, the enforced time at home was encouraging many clients to pursue their long-held start up dreams.

Participants from across Norfolk and Suffolk can sign up to three fully-funded training sessions covering business basics and viability, marketing, and bookkeeping and taxation.

Each interactive session will walk you through what you need to know about starting and running a business and there are also spreadsheets to help with financial forecasting and bookkeeping – all designed to ensure you stay on top of the numbers.

John Neild, Enterprise Programme and Contracts Manager at MENTA, said: “We are seeing a lot of interest in the new Workshop Live format including among people currently being furloughed by their employees or facing redundancy because of the pandemic.

“Many who are signing up are telling us that they want to use the time available during lock-down to work on their business ideas. The beauty of Workshop Live is that you only need a laptop or a mobile to sign in and take part.

“We’re delighted to have been able to turn these sessions around so quickly and help as many people as we can make the best use of their time during the lock-down. The feedback we have had so far has been fantastic, with many of those taking part telling us that they are delighted to receive this free help at what could otherwise be a very worrying time.” John Neild said.

MENTA training sessions are being run on an ongoing basis – to find out more and find the next available details click here ‍

to discuss the training further, please email bookings@menta.org.uk

MINI Sports A WINNING Design

From loaning our MINI to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital Charity (NNUH Charity) to help with the deliverance of vital chemotherapy drugs to oncology patients at Spire Hospital, to raising an incredible £837 for the charity as well as launching a Mini Roof Competition to lift spirits and provide the opportunity for families and individuals to get creative…Chatsbrook have made a monumental and positive impact on our community. 

NOW, after receiving a total of 36 entries from a variety of ages, we are excited to reveal the winning MINI Roof Design and its creator!

CONGRATULATIONS TO DANIEL HORNBY– A local Artist, Illustrator and Graphic Designer- it’s no wonder his design is incredible!  

His vibrant design perfectly captured the industries Chatsbrook support AND we loved the vibrant and abstract inclusion of the NHS rainbow.

We invited Daniel to see his winning design on the MINI for the FIRST TIME…

“I am really happy to have won this competition! It looks even better than I imagined in real life!”-Daniel Hornby.

Scarlet Francis, at Chatsbrook, articulated “Daniel’s design won us over. It was a pleasure to be able to invite him to see the fruits of his labour! The bright design has already put smiles on lots of people’s faces- certainly making any future #MINIAdventure very exciting!”

The winning design incorporates the NHS rainbow- a symbol that will forever be embedded in our minds. Our Chatsbrook MINI completed a total of 137 runs, clocked over 437 miles and delivered treatment for over 2220 patients! It is our way to symbolize our continued support of key workers. If you happen to spot the Chatsbrook MINI on its travels, don’t forget to #ChatsbrookMINI for a chance to be featured on our page! 

Jamie Goodman, Volunteer Driver Co-Ordinator at NNUH Charity, relayed “Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the trust had to take alternative measures to effectively treat our patients safely working in partnership with the Spire Hospital. It is only with the generous donations from Chatsbrook that we have been able to support the oncology team in delivering care off-site.”

It has been fantastic to see the extent that collective efforts can have on a local community-Thank you to everyone involved!

AND A HUGE ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR DANIEL HORNBY!

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On Friday 05 June, Great Yarmouth Borough Council submitted to Government a bid for £19.9m to help transform and revive Great Yarmouth town centre as a vibrant economic, cultural and community hub.

National investment from the Future High Streets Fund is crucial to deliver the council’s exciting £49.2m regeneration package of interventions, which respond to the challenges town centres face by making the most of Great Yarmouth’s special strengths, including its cultural heritage and visitor economy, and by diversifying the town centre’s offer.

Building upon the Town Centre Masterplan and significant highways improvements already seen at key gateways, the ambition is focussed around introducing more residential, culture and leisure uses, bringing empty buildings back into use, making more of the borough’s rich heritage, and improving linkages and sense of arrival from key gateways and the seafront.

Supported by a business case, the exciting vision includes relocating the already popular library to a larger building in a more central location, converting space in empty or under-utilised historic buildings into new homes, building new housing at The Conge and King Street, establishing a new heritage centre and redeveloping the Market Place. This aim is to support town centre sustainability into the future, supporting footfall, further regeneration and investment.  

Cllr Carl Smith and Cllr Trevor Wainwright, the leaders of the council’s main political groups, said: “Government funding is critical to delivering transformative change for our town centre. We have put together a robust business case and an exciting and cohesive vision for regeneration, including an enhanced library as a new leisure anchor. While all town centres face shrinking retail space and reduced footfall, successful places continually reinvent themselves, using their special strengths as a platform.

“We’re seeking to make our town centre sustainable into the future with a wider range of uses, including an enhanced residential, culture and leisure offer, maximising opportunities linked to heritage and modern technologies, as well as by improving links from the railway station via the town centre to the busy leisure hub that is our seafront.

“This vision dovetails with other regeneration work and investment in the borough, including on the seafront, North Quay and Hall Quay, and will hopefully act as a catalyst for further investment. These are exciting times for Great Yarmouth.”

County council leader, Cllr Andrew Proctor, said: “Norfolk’s libraries already do a lot of great work and they are vital hubs for learning, community activities, tackling loneliness and obtaining training and jobs.

“This is a bold proposal and relocating our library could help even more people as well as playing a crucial role in the future transformation of Great Yarmouth’s town centre. The County Council is fully behind the borough council’s bid.”

Brandon Lewis, Great Yarmouth’s MP, said: “The borough council are submitting a strong bid, which would result in transformational change for the Town Centre and I would like to congratulate everyone involved in preparing it. As the Member of Parliament, I have no hesitation to back this bid, and will champion the cause in Westminster.”

The council expects to hear on the outcome of the bid later in the year.

The package of interventions

Enhanced library: The council is working with Norfolk County Council to explore opportunities to relocate the strong library offer to a more central location, with the potential to later attract even more people and possibly expand the facilities into a learning hub, working with local schools and colleges. Any library move will be subject to funding, public consultation and a suitable building being secured. Initial conversations are underway with the owners of the former Palmers building. We would like to hear what Great Yarmouth Residents want from their local library. Click here to take a short survey and give us your views.

New homes: The council has recently submitted a planning application to redevelop The Conge with 89 new homes, providing good quality housing to help meet local needs and create a sense of arrival to the town centre from the railway station. Match funding is sought from the Future High Streets Fund.

The council is also seeking funding towards residential conversion of a number of historic buildings in the Market Place and King Street, which are currently empty or under-utilised. In addition, funding is sought to enable Great Yarmouth Preservation Trust to develop new contemporary houses on eight plots at the rear of King Street, which will improve the street scene and sense of arrival from the car park.

Market Place: The council is committed to the Market Place redevelopment and is seeking external match funding from the Future High Streets Fund. A planning application has been recently submitted. The investment will see the market facilities significantly improved, with new units under an architecturally-striking canopy, designed to ensure the market is brighter and more inviting.

Under the bid, the Market Square events space will be expanded to support an enhanced cultural and artistic offer, 50 flowering cherry trees will be planted to border the Market Place car park, and there will be further public realm improvements.  

Heritage centre: Supported by the council, Great Yarmouth Preservation Trust has recently bought the empty former Greenwoods store with plans to convert into a new heritage centre as part of the Future High Streets Fund bid. This will showcase the borough’s rich cultural heritage and act as a gateway building for those seeking to explore the borough’s history.

Low carbon and digital: In addition to targeted tree-planting, the council is seeking funding for other green interventions in the town centre, including further electric vehicle charging points, future proofing public transport and digital technologies.

There aren’t many silver linings to be found in the midst of a pandemic, but the way local businesses were able to rally round for their communities is one of them. Many consumers, who’d never shopped with their local suppliers before, turned to those businesses for supplies and services when big brands couldn’t reach them. For the community, they became a lifeline, and for the businesses themselves, it meant boosted sales and visibility.

So, as the UK begins to ease lockdown and some kind of normal life resumes, the local businesses who found new customers want to keep hold of them. But with the national and global players in all sorts of different industries gearing up to win back their customers, what can they do? Your farm shop might not have the marketing budget of Sainsbury’s, but that doesn’t mean you can’t stay at the forefront of your new customers’ minds. Instead, you need to find the right tools, create good content and reach those people directly.

Email marketing is an affordable solution for businesses who want to stay in touch, build brand loyalty and entice buyers back. It doesn’t cost a lot to use a professional email marketing platform like Smart Messenger. So, you don’t need to blow your budget, you just need to get the right messages to the right people. Find out how much email marketing costs.

Here are some suggestions of content to include when you are using email marketing to build connections with new customers.

1.     Storytelling.

All businesses have stories and the ones from the past three months are particularly interesting. How did you serve your community during the lockdown, what did you do to reach customers who desperately needed your help and what response did you get from the people where you live and work? Tell those stories and thank the community for turning to you and buying local. It’ll engage their hearts and minds as they read your email.

2.     Showcase

Remind your customers of all the reasons why your product or service is the best choice. It might be the way you make it, a bespoke element, a genius solution or a sustainable supply chain. Identify the things that make your most loyal customers come back time and again, then tell the new ones what they can expect from you.

3.     Promote Local

Champion the ‘buy local’ cause for yours and other businesses. Remind your new customers that you were there for them when they needed you and will be again. Share the local suppliers you work with to produce your goods or service, then shine a light on those companies you buy from. Show customers that buying from a local supplier means the money goes back into the local economy, which benefits everyone.

4.     Offers and loyalty plans

Got something to give? Send it through email marketing. Smart Messenger customer Panther Brewery served their community during the lockdown and sent a ‘thank you’ voucher to new customers. The result? A fantastic email open-rate and more sales.

“As email marketing newcomers, we wanted to choose a service where we could rely on support throughout. Our Account Manager advised us on how best to structure our first campaign and what to offer our clients. The results were brilliant – we achieved a 68% open rate and a 42% click through rate! We’re absolutely delighted with the service.”

Martin James, Owner & Head Brewer at Panther Brewery

5.     Highlight change

Your business practice might have changed due to the new rules, or perhaps you’ve diversified your product range to meet a new need. Whatever changes you’ve made, tell your customers. Our client Office Water Supplies became incredibly busy after diversifying into sanitation supplies early on in the pandemic. They came to us, we created a managed campaign for them, and now their customers know their business has expanded. It was easy for them; despite the fact they were snowed under with demand.

“We learnt of Smart Messenger and their services via Norfolk Chamber of Commerce and the member training sessions. Further to the outbreak of Covid-19, we felt it was imperative we reached out to our network to keep them updated with new products and services that had become available. In addition, we wanted to reassure existing customers that we could continue to serve their requirements. The feedback has been excellent, really clear decisive designs with minor alterations never being an issue and instant customer response. We look forward to continue working with the team at Smart Messenger moving forward.”

Paul Mitchell, Business Partner at Office Water Supplies

These are just a few of the ways that you can engage with your new customers and encourage them to keep using your local business. If you’d like to know more, get in touch with our friendly Smart Messenger team on 01603 858250.

We seem to have been overtaken by the Covid 19 Virus and lockdown. This had consequences which we had to address. All events and fundraising were cancelled. Essential awareness & profile increasing talks we give to the community were also cancelled and we saw our income dry up.

But we have amazing members and supporters who have managed to keep some funding coming in! 

We had a dual head shave which raised £2300, then a 14hour music marathon which has raised another £850, and then a supporter did a 4day virtual cycle ride from Land’s End to John O’Groats,  874miles in 4days raising £1500 for us. Finally, we received a donation of £2000 from the Royal Household Warrant Holders Association Charity. These donations have softened the impact of our income decreasing. The good news is, that we have been chosen as Charity of the Year by the Sandringham Royal Warrant Holders for the year 2021 to 2022 and will look forward to working with them.

Covid 19 has affected what we do as a charity

So, to recap, our normal routine covered supplying the Air Ambulance as a stakeholder in the RePHILL trial. This is a 3year trial to determine whether giving blood at the scene of an accident has any beneficial outcome for the patient in recovering. The trial is totally randomised, we and the crews have no idea if there is blood or saline in the boxes we deliver daily, until they are opened on scene. The trial will be concluded in December 2020. Without NBB involvement as an essential stakeholder, the trial would not have gone ahead.

Our deliveries of blood, blood products, path lab samples and any item required for the clinical treatment of patients in the 3 Norfolk NHS Hospitals continued as normal. Our collection and deliveries of Donor Breast Milk (DBM) has continued to and from the milk banks, including the new regional milk bank hub in Norwich, and to the hospital NICU’s. Covid 19 has changed all this. Why? Initially we had contracts, called Service Level Agreements with the 3 main hospitals. The Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King’s Lynn, The James Paget Hospital in Gorleston and the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital in Norwich. We started delivering Covid samples from the 3 main hospitals to Microbiology in the research park in Colney. It started as a trickle but in line with increased testing, demanded by the Government, we are transporting more and more samples on a nightly basis. In addition, 8 more smaller community hospitals have now asked us to transport their samples as opposed to sending by taxi. Now we have 11hospitals to look after and the number of samples delivered, has gone up to 257, from the end of March through to the end of May. In addition, there has been an increase in the collection and delivery of Donor Breast Milk during the daytime as well. All this is on top of our normal tasks. At the peak of the pandemic, the Air Ambulance suspended the RePHILL trial as the staff in Haematology were now tasked with Covid related items. We had an increase in Covid samples, increased DBM and all on top of a drop in fundraising income.

How do we manage? 2 items of good news came our way.

1, HMRC after years of negotiations declared all liveried blood bikes would now be classed as ambulances and are now exempt from the road fund licence, with effect from 1st April 2020.2, BP Fuel declared, they would supply free fuel for all emergency vehicles, including liveried blood bikes until 4th June.. These 2 items alone will save us a lot of money. RFL alone is £1500 per year, and our monthly fuel costs are in the region of £1300 per month, so these are big savings for us. With these savings, we decided to give our volunteers a pay rise to take their pay from £0.00 to £0.00 and the same applied to our charges to the NHS, no increase. It will remain a free of charge service by unpaid volunteers Thanks to sound financial planning over the last 3 years, we are in a good position to ride out the storm, (cue music “Riders on the Storm” by the Doors) , but it will affect our fleet replacement program. We are looking at funding and need to raise £150,000 for 10 bike replacements over the next 2 years from 2021. A milestone for us was reached in April when we completed 8,000 callouts since starting in October 2012. At an average cost to the hospitals of £70.00 per callout we have saved the NHS £560,000 and many lives in the process. In 2021, we will be holding our 1st ever Charity Golf Day, sadly this year it had to be cancelled due to Covid. Has your company experience of sponsoring sporting events? We are looking for a sponsor, who wants to be actively involved and we would be pleased to discuss our plans with you.  Please contact me via email or mobile 07538 785022

Can you help?

By following us on Facebook, Norfolk Blood Bikes, share and like our page. By visiting our website  By donating  For further information please email us at corporate@norfolkbloodbikes.org.uk

As lockdown is eased, implementing the necessary measures to make business operations as safe as possible has been at the forefront of the planning and Risk Assessments around COVID-19 are a priority.

However, many workers may face challenges about returning to work including whether it is safe for them to do so. Not one person has been excluded from the traumatic experience COVID-19 has put us through. It has impacted us all whether financially, physically or emotionally and quite possibly all three. At this time, our most valuable resource – our employees – need to feel safe and also need to feel listened to in a way that is manageable, kind and considered.

Here at insight6, we have launched a Covid-19 Safety Checker that will automatically seek feedback from your team about how safe they feel at work. The system will alert you in real-time if anyone says they are feeling unsafe or concerned. This provides you with the essential due diligence and duty of care records, should you need them, and importantly, also ensures ALL your team have the opportunity to voice their concerns in a safe and easily managed way. 

For more information, please click on the link below or call Judy Randon 07909 542737 or email judy.randon@insight6.com

https://www.insight6.com/covid-team-safety-checker/

TaxAssist is championing a Buy Local campaign to help business communities thrive by encouraging consumers and local businesses to come together and support each other.

The Buy Local message has never been more important, with businesses needing all the help and support they can get post coronavirus lockdown. TaxAssist Accountants is keen to champion their cause and its network of accountants are pushing out the message nationwide across their shop windows, websites and social media channels.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, thousands of small businesses including retailers, barbers, restaurants and cafes have temporarily closed and these businesses in particular will need support to help to keep the local economy thriving once they are given the green light to re-open from 15th June for non-essential shops.

There have though, been many examples of innovation from the small business sector, which has embraced technology and ingenuity to adapt to the conditions imposed by the pandemic and TaxAssist has created a dedicated Buy Local hub on its client site to highlight many positive stories.

Karl Sandall, Group Chief Executive at TaxAssist Accountants, said: “I am really impressed with how businesses have shown tremendous energy and innovation in adapting how they operate during these difficult times and we must all do what we can to help them. This is because the local business owners you are spending your money with will, in turn, put that money back into the local community by using local suppliers and employing people which all helps to keep the local economy thriving. The Buy Local message is key and one which TaxAssist Accountants is proud to spearhead.”

During the pandemic, TaxAssist Accountants is holding Virtual Discovery Days and has continued to receive a steady stream of enquiries about its franchise opportunity as people evaluate their future career and lifestyle choices.

“I think that lockdown has really forced people to rethink what they want from their life and what’s important to them,” states Karl. “Certainly, from people we have spoken to recently who are interested in joining TaxAssist, we have heard that they want to cut out their commute and fulfil a wish to take on a more rewarding role, by working with local businesses and integrating more closely in their communities.

“TaxAssist Accountants is a people-based business, operating from shops and offices, but our strength is that by fully adopting market leading software, the network has proven itself to be remarkably resilient, able to continue to offer a first class service to over 77,000 clients remotely. The timely advice, guidance and support our accountants have been able to offer during the COVID-19 pandemic has been very well received and will make a real impact on the survival and recovery of independent businesses across the UK.”

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