Member News

This week a new anthology of poems by writers recovering from addiction was launched at the National Centre for Writing (NCW) at Dragon Hall in Norwich.

Anonymous Memoirs is a partnership project between NCW and the Matthew Project, a charity supporting children and adults across Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex with issues around substance misuse and wellbeing.

The six-month project was designed to give participants in addiction recovery the opportunity to explore their voices through the written word, via a series of creative writing workshops led by local writers Lewis Buxton and Margaret Meyer, as part of a recovery programme. The programme culminated in a special anthology launch event at Dragon Hall on Monday afternoon.

Mark, a participant on the programme, said:

‘The Matthew Project has been fantastic. Not only has it got me in a group environment, it’s got me looking at myself and my different behaviours. It was a blessing to realise that I had all these people who are willing to help me.

‘Today I read out a poem by a guy called Cameron. In my twenties I was crippled with anxiety. Coming into my forties and now being clean and sober, I’ve recognised the need to step out of my comfort zone. Allowing me to get better and to grow. When coming here today…I didn’t allow it to eat me up like I would have done years ago. It’s the first time I’ve done something like this in twenty years.’

The participating writers took to the stage with their finalised poems, choosing to read their own or work by a friend from within the group. In attendance were their family and friends, and programme partners.

Andy Sexton, CEO of the Matthew Project said:

‘This partnership between the National Centre for Writing and the Matthew Project, funded by Broadland Meridian, has been incredibly important in helping build resilience in people in recovery. The process of writing, being published and being able to read aloud their work to an audience has been powerful. It enabled the participants to not only express their feelings about their past and current situations but helped them to look beyond the past to a stronger future.’

Hannah Garrard, Learning & Participation Manager at NCW said:

‘Partnering with the Matthew Project to bring creative writing into their recovery programme has been an inspiring experience for all involved. We learned a huge amount about how to facilitate a creative space for those in addiction recovery and learned equally as much from the writers who took part-so thank you to them for being so open and up for the challenge.’

Additional support for the project was provided by Broadland Meridian Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund, and Arts Council England.  

A New Me Karen

New home, new road new life, new leaf new page for me to place my feet.

New dreams, new hopes new thoughts, new goals or are they old just like ‘new’ Gold?

Gleaming, polished and sparkling, they’re fitting like the perfect ring.

They’ve swept me up and pulled me in. Right here, right now my life begins.

Untitled Ashley

One of the most amazing things is life: the ups and downs the struggles, the strife. One life starts, another ends but life carries on, it curves round the bends. One of the most amazing things is the rain how it cleans everything, this dust, the pollution,

the air that we breathe, the smog that we see, the microbes we don’t, pulling them down, Trapped in a boat.

                                The rain is amazing, keeping me afloat

As I lay here amazing, in a boat.  

Where am I from? Stephen

I’m from brothers and sisters that didn’t get on, I’m from having sex for the first time in the underpass And feeling like a million dollars. I’m from shamelessly stealing other people’s ideas, And passing them off as my own. I’m from a day of civil disobedience that lasted for ever. I’m from being scared at night on the way home. I’m from peace plans that involved guns and roses. I’m from hand-me-downs that I was proud to wear.

On the day of the Budget, TaxAssist Accountants was pleased to provide its franchisees with personalised versions of the Budget 2020 material to share and communicate with clients, prospects and business referral contacts.

This included a summary highlighting the announcements that will affect small businesses and the self-employed, and an e-mail newsletter to its clients.

The latter was personalised for franchisees’ individual websites, and produced for print and e-publications, enabling franchisees to share with their clients the changes pertinent to their businesses just hours after the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, delivered his Budget.

During the day, the Support Centre team posted live updates to the @TaxAssistUK Twitter, as well as posts on the national Facebook and LinkedIn accounts.

The following content was added to the website www.taxassist.co.uk for franchisees to share on their social media profiles:

• Budget 2020 – Summary for Small Business • Individuals urged to be mindful of Budget 2020 measures • Budget 2020 gives the UK business community a shot in the arm • Support for employers in Budget 2020

James Mattam, Group Business Development Director at TaxAssist Accountants, said: “As we do every year, the Support Centre team worked hard to ensure we delivered bespoke Budget commentary in a timely and efficient manner for the benefit of both the accountants in our network and their clients.

“We emailed the Budget summary to over 40,000 clients on behalf of franchisees, leaving them free to concentrate on running their practices – one of the many beneficial services we offer to our network of accountants. The franchise network will now follow up with their clients to see how they can advise them further after the many announcements the Chancellor made in his speech.”

If you are interested in finding out more about the benefits of joining TaxAssist Accountants and the services provided by the Support Centre, call 0800 0188297 for a confidential chat.  

Salmaan Shaikh has opened a new walk in tax and accountancy shop on 57 Brighton Road, Surbiton.

Salmaan Shaikh FCCA, is an accountant with more than 15 years’ experience working with Big Four accountancy practices and small and medium sized businesses. Keen to establish his own practice in his local area, he joined TaxAssist Accountants in 2019 with ambitious plans for growth.

“I always knew that I wanted to build my own practice,” said Salmaan, “but I wanted the back up and support provided by a franchise. I did my research, came across TaxAssist and my mind was made up! I would like to thank every member of staff who has helped me to get where I am today, as they have always been nothing but professional, friendly and positive.

“My shop looks great and will provide the perfect environment to meet with clients. It is well located with good accessibility and plenty of parking close by. I’d like to encourage anyone interested in finding out more about our services to come in for a free initial consultation.”

If you are interested in finding out more about joining TaxAssist Accountants, regular Discovery Days are held, where you meet with the Directors of the franchise and find out more about the technical and business development support on offer. Call 0800 0188297 to find out more.  

We are very proud of the whole team at KLM UK Engineering, but wanted to celebrate our women with a few images!

Approximately £500,000 is available for community-based structured learning projects aimed at unemployed and inactive people aged 16+ who are facing barriers to work or disadvantage in the work place.

The fund is managed by the Local Investment in Future Talent (LIFT) programme, with grants available up to a maximum of £20,000, which can be used to cover up to 100% of project costs.

Cllr Graham Plant, Deputy Leader of Norfolk County Council and Cabinet Member for Growing the Economy, said: “This funding is for projects that will support people to gain the confidence, skills and knowledge to move into employment or into formal accredited learning and skills provision.

“Many people face multiple challenges to securing employment and this scheme is designed to help people benefit from effective targeted support at a local level.”

Funded by the European Social Fund, LIFT Community Grants are aimed at Voluntary Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector organisations for eligible projects. These will aim to fill gaps in local community provision within Norfolk and Suffolk, the New Anglia LEP area.

Twenty organisations from across both counties have been awarded a grant so far and there are funds available for at least a further 24 projects.

Case study:

New-U Enterprises, a UK registered charity, have been awarded a grant of £20,000 to run their You’ve Got This project for young people aged 16+ who are not in employment, education or training (NEET).  The project will run workshops to build confidence, self- esteem and aspiration and offers individualised retail work experience and training in their clothes and accessories swap shop in Castle Quarter, Norwich.  Participants will be able to put all they have learned into practice by helping organise an New-U event, each person working to their individual strengths.  Support to take up options for moving into employment, self-employment or further training will also be provided.

Helen Read, LIFT Project Facilitator said: “‘You’ve Got This’ is bringing together young people furthest from work from a variety of backgrounds. It is heartwarming to see people who have been isolated working as part of a team and those lacking in confidence realising they have something of value to contribute.  This funding has allowed us to bridge the gap for people who need flexibility and reassurance to build on soft skills such as self-esteem, team working, communication and reliability as they move towards work or training.”

Toby – participant (not real name) in the scheme said: “I’ve made friends and enjoyed working with others to solve problems.  I didn’t think I’d be able to contribute much, but I did and that feels good.  I am looking forward to helping organise an event by writing a blog, something I have not had the chance to do before.”

For more information about the community grants scheme visit www.liftprogramme.co.uk/communitygrants or email lift@norfolk.gov.uk

Following our annual inspection by the AA Hotel and Hospitality Services, we are delighted to have retained our AA quality assessment accreditations.

The inspector, who stayed with us overnight in our Hawthorn Suite, commented on her “enjoyable stay at a well-presented and friendly establishment.”

She went on to say: 

“The exterior provides a very good first impression upon arrival and (The) Norfolk Mead offers a very good standard of comfort and quality throughout; decor and furnishings, well-maintained, tasteful and suit the property. 

“Hospitality and service received from arrival to departure were delivered with a real guest focus – a really friendly team who were natural and genuine. 

“The evening meal taken was to a very good standard allowing the award of Two AA Rosettes to be continued; well done to Damien, Keiran and the brigade for their efforts.

“Breakfast offered a very good choice and quality of food, which was tasty and it was positive to note local produce used.”

The Norfolk Mead continues to achieve the Four Star Silver Country House Hotel grading with a slightly increased AA merit score of 86%. We have held our AA accreditations since 2013; gaining the 2 Star AA Rosette in 2016, and Silver-level Country House Hotel grading in 2018.

James Holliday, Owner of The Norfolk Mead said: “I would like to thank our whole team for their continued hard work and dedication which has been recognised once again in the AA inspection report. I am particularly pleased that the inspector commented on the natural and genuine approach to service from our excellent Front of House team, and that our hard working Chefs also got a mention for our great restaurant. As one of the top Hotels in Norfolk, we continue to strive for perfection.”

More information about the AA accreditations is included on their website at: https://www.theaa.com/hotel-services/ratings-and-awards

Pure’s first Charity Leaders Group of 2020 saw 34 senior leaders from charities across the Eastern region come together to discuss collaboration with other charitable organisations and with local businesses.

The Charity Leaders Group is organised by professional recruitment specialists Pure, in partnership with accountancy firm PEM, to provide a forum where local charity leaders can network and discuss issues related to the not-for-profit sector. To ensure the events are as valuable as possible, each session is based on a topic suggested by the charity leaders themselves. The chosen theme for the first event of 2020 was ‘collaboration’. The event provided the opportunity for charity leaders to share ideas on how local charities can benefit from working together and to explore the best ways to engage and collaborate with other businesses in the community. The guest speakers were Jonathan Martin, CEO of YMCA Trinity Group, Joanna Woolcock, Director of Finance for the Church Commissioners, and Mark Freeman, Interim Chief Executive Officer at CCVS.

Jonathan Martin has worked for the YMCA for nearly 30 years. Now CEO of YMCA Trinity Group, his responsibilities include the charity’s strategic direction and focus. He shared his own successful experiences of collaborative working and the mutual benefits that can be achieved, including saving money and resources, bringing people together, problem solving and increased learning opportunities. He described how collaboration can result in the collision of good ideas, which in turn sparks great ideas. 

Joanna Woolcock has over a decade of experience in senior finance roles within the charity sector. Her presentation was centred on the sharing of services, and the efficiency and effectiveness, which can be achieved through this form of collaboration. Based on the experience of putting shared services into practice across four separate National Church institutions, all of which support the Church of England, Joanna explored the benefits including greater cost effectiveness, improved service quality and business continuity. She also advised on potential issues to be considered, including managing conflicting priorities, maintaining control and direction, and fostering shared cultures and values.

Mark Freeman is interim Chief Executive at CCVS, a registered charity set up to champion and support community and voluntary groups, and to promote volunteering across Cambridge City, South Cambridgeshire and Fenland. He was able to share valuable insights from the ‘Making Connections’ research which CCVS has carried out in conjunction with Cambridge City Council. This explores the current and potential development of employer-supported skilled volunteering. Mark emphasised how relationship management is crucial to this form of collaboration, as skilled volunteering is most likely to arise from existing relationships. He encouraged a proactive approach to seeking collaborative opportunities and reminded that businesses also benefit from engaging in skilled volunteering as it develops staff leadership skills, builds community links, aids employee retention and supports employee health and wellbeing.

David Culley, Director at Pure and host of the event, said: “The Charity Leaders Group is a unique opportunity for chief executives and senior leaders to meet and share experiences with a specific focus on the characteristics of not-for-profit organisations and the particular opportunities and challenges facing this sector. We always aim to ensure the events are based on themes that prompt meaningful discussions and the suggested subject of collaboration proved to be extremely thought-provoking. Not only can collaboration be cathartic, with a problem shared being a problem halved, it can also bring a whole host of other benefits. When organisations and people successfully collaborate, they can broaden their networks, work together to resolve problems, share suggestions, spark new ideas, learn from each other, and ultimately achieve better outcomes as a result.”

The Charity Leaders Group was held at the Allia Future Business Centre in Cambridge. For more information about future events visit www.prs.uk.com/events.

To celebrate International Women’s Day 2020 on Sunday 8th March, NatWest joined forces with Norfolk Chambers of Commerce to bring you a unique and free annual event with inspiring guest speakers. 

Over eighty guests attended our event on Thursday 5th March at The International Aviation Academy ahead of International Women’s Day. It was a non-stop upbeat morning with positivity and empowerment running throughout!

Following Andy Gray’s introduction, we listened to our speakers; four incredibly talented and witty women from a mix of sectors.

Lauren Fuller, NatWest Customer Journey Developer and Young Banker of the Year Finalist spoke of NatWest’s Woman’s Worth Collective, part of their ongoing commitment to equality, and challenging stereotypes. She also spoke of the ways in which they are encouraging and enabling women to dream bigger with their entrepreneurial plans. 

Hannah Wooller, Managing Director of Hudson Architects spoke of the strength and focus of her own Mother, and how her work ethic enabled her to leave the working parent guilt firmly at the door. Combining parenthood with a challenging career is achievable, but we have to challenge the unconscious bias that surrounds us. 

Minnie Moll, Chief Executive of Jarrold Retail asked, ‘What does leadership look like?’We are all aware of why we want to challenge the preconceptions, but what is important, is How? How do we do that? We have to want it; we have to support it and we have to look at the language Bias.

CJ Green, Co-Founder & Executive Director of Brave Goose asked us to feel the fear and run with it! If it’s not scary then it’s not challenging! Don’t seek permission and take the risks!

Fiona Ryder, TCD Media and President of The Norfolk Chambers of Commerce hosted our panel of speakers, and one of the areas they discussed was men only clubs and how do they fit into the new narrative?

With eighty guests attending it was a lively discussion, with many questions from the audience and sadly we were short on time, and it felt like we could have stayed all day!

The talented Rebecca Osbourne kindly did a visual recording of the morning. 

Let UEA’s Gateway to Growth Team simplify the hiring process and unlock UEA graduate potential for your business. Our bespoke recruitment support packages are designed to connect you with UEA graduate talent and enhance your ability to recruit.

Gateway to Growth is an innovative project designed to boost engagement between graduates and Norfolk’s Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

The University of East Anglia (UEA) led a successful bid to the Office for Students Challenge Competition with support from New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), Chamber of Commerce, Norfolk County Council, Norwich City Council, South Norfolk Council, UEA SU, Hethel Innovation Centre, Kings Lynn Innovation Centre, Cambridge Norwich Tech Corridor and the St Georges Works.

The tailor-made project comprises three strands; dedicated recruitment support for Norfolk SMEs, access to flexible graduate resource for partners of the project and additional support for UEA graduates who want to stay in the region and need support finding a job.

Dedicated Recruitment Support for Norfolk’s SMEs

The Gateway to Growth Team will simplify the hiring process and connect you with UEA graduate talent. Our expert knowledge of the graduate labour market and cost effective recruitment support will increase your visibility and enhance your ability to recruit UEA graduate talent. Your bespoke package could include:

• Improved job postings on the UEA MyCareerCentral vacancy advertising platform that will specifically target UEA graduates
• Support to write your job description in a way that will appeal to UEA graduates
• Increased exposure for your organisation and vacancies through our social media channels, networks and events
• Access to an online application form system via our MyCareerCentral platform and support with UEA candidate administration
• Support to co-ordinate and facilitate an interview/assessment day

For more information please visit our Gateway to Growth website or contact the Gateway to Growth Team on 01603 597757 or info.gateway2growth@uea.ac.uk .

Daniel Wu has opened a new walk-in tax and accountancy practice on 132 Bellegrove Road in Welling.

Daniel Wu, who joined TaxAssist Accountants in October 2019, brings with him almost 10 years of experience in tax consulting with the Big Four firms. Having found the ideal location from which to operate his welcoming and accessible shop, he is relishing working for himself.

“It’s been a long-held dream to run my own practice in my home town,” said Daniel. “I was attracted to working with small business clients and am passionate about providing a first-class service, helping them with their businesses and directly impacting on my local community.

“I was fortunate to find the ideal shop so quickly and am pleased with the fit-out and look of the shop, which provides the perfect environment for clients to come in and discuss their tax and accounting requirements. I would encourage anyone to pop in for a chat over a cup of coffee for a free initial consultation to find out more about us.”

The TaxAssist Accountants network has been operating successfully for 25 years and has over 365 shops and offices right across the UK. It specialises in servicing the needs of small businesses and currently supports over 76,000 clients.

If you are interested in finding out more about joining TaxAssist Accountants, regular Discovery Days are held, where you meet with the Directors of the franchise and find out more about the technical and business development support on offer. Call 0800 0188297 to find out more.  

Chris Sargisson, Norfolk Chambers of Commerce CEO chats with Julie Hunt, Managing Director of Face to Face Finance, a Norwich company with a very novel approach to engaging new markets.

I asked Julie what prompted Face to Face Finance to create their financially savvy little bear, called Eddie Teddie.

Julie explained “Our clients’ needs are at the very heart of everything we do, and in creating this character we can encourage and engage with a younger audience in a positive and friendly way.” 

“The earlier someone puts plans in place, the more likely they are to reach their long-term financial goals. Through Eddie we are able to engage on a different level, and our aim is to promote financial awareness as early on in life as possible.”

“Eddie’s articles and his book are aimed at young children. But it’s usually only going to reach them via their parent or carer – often after their grandparent or an older relative has pointed them in that direction. Our hope is that by getting finance on the agenda, parents of young children will stop and give their own financial situation some thought.”

She tells me “It has become a fantastic platform for us to connect with our clients, whether through our blogs or his book. We’ve had some great feedback from our clients who do share Eddie’s antics with their children and grandchildren.”

“Eddie’s book has gone down particularly well. We’ve been giving copies to our clients. Several of them have come back and asked for more copies! We know the book has made it as far as America, Australia and Canada! It’s also in local book shops so is helping get the Face to Face name in front of new audiences.”

It is clear that this platform fills an important educational role for the next generation of customers, and Julie told me “whilst his presence enables us to talk about finance, we also get to share some of the other values which are important to us as a business – such as sustainability and kindness without sounding too worthy.”

With Eddie proving such a hit, I was interested to know what’s next on his agenda?

“Eddie will be getting involved in our chosen charity for 2020, Age UK, and coming along to one of their Chinwags. He’s also beavering away on this next book – keep an eye out for it this summer!”

Don’t miss the launch event for Best Employers Eastern Region 2020

Businesses across the Eastern region can book a place at the Best Employers Eastern Region 2020 launch event, which takes place in Newmarket on Wednesday 18 March.

Best Employers Eastern Region brings together organisations from across the East of England in the collective aim of increasing employee engagement and productivity. The 2020 launch conference looks set to be an extremely inspiring event which business leaders, HR professionals and anyone with a responsibility for employee engagement and leadership are encouraged to attend.

Co-founded by professional recruitment specialists Pure, and psychometrics experts eras ltd, Best Employers Eastern Region is returning for the fifth time. Now sponsored by Archant and Birketts, the two-yearly initiative has become a force for change which business leaders across the region are using to develop their organisation’s culture and engagement levels. Best Employers 2018 was an outstanding year with over 140 organisations taking part, approximately 15,000 participants, eight award winners and 40 gold or platinum accreditations.

Guest speakers at the 2020 launch event include two engagement experts discussing how to cultivate innovative and engaging places to work. David Smith, author, consultant and business speaker, will talk about creating a highly productive, performance-based culture. He will draw on 35 years’ worth of experience in corporate change management, the last 15 years of which were spent in the turnaround of the Asda Retail Business. C-J Green, Co-founder and Executive Director of People and HR services firm BraveGoose, which focuses on the future of work, and on modern, progressive HR, will explore the tipping points for growth and engagement. Throughout the day, eight regional business leaders will also share their experiences of participating in Best Employers, including Jon Woolston, Managing Partner at MHA Larking Gowen (winners of the Best Employer category at the Norfolk Business Awards 2019) and Andy Wood, CEO at Adnams.

Lynn Walters, Executive Director at Pure and founder of Best Employers Eastern Region, said: “Creating the right culture in an environment where people can thrive is at the heart of any leader’s priorities. The Best Employers conference will bring people from like-minded organisations together to share ideas, solutions and best practice on achieving this. All of our guest speakers are passionate about employee engagement and understand how important it is in the quest to increase productivity, drive innovation and boost performance. They recognise the impact it has on achieving competitive success through enhanced employer brand and for the development of a culture which attracts, engages and retains top talent.”

The launch event will also mark the opening of the Best Employers free, ready to use and expertly designed employee engagement survey. This provides businesses with the information they need to understand their current levels of engagement, to track their progress and benchmark their organisation against some of the region’s top employers.

Lynn added: “The free employee survey, provided by eras ltd, helps organisations to understand and measure their employee engagement, and provides clarity on how and where to focus practical ideas. The more employees participate, the more reflective the feedback, and our guest speakers will share their experiences of delivering the survey and getting people involved. We are excited for Best Employers 2020. Each year the number of businesses taking part increases. It not only has a significant impact on each participating organisation, it has become an exceptional showcase of the great employers here in our region, supporting the region’s growth.”

For more information about Best Employers Eastern Region visit www.best-employers.co.uk or click here to book a place at the conference.