One week to go! In less than a week, the Mid Suffolk Business Exhibition kicks off – and we’re so excited to be part of it!
What to expect?
– Expert marketing insights
– Networking with top local businesses
– Fresh strategies to grow your brand
Where? Mid Suffolk Business Exhibition
When? 26th March 2025
Grab your tickets now!
If you’re attending, make sure to pop by and say hello – we’d love to meet you! Let’s talk all things marketing, growth, and smashing success together.
Leathes Prior’s Senior Partner, Paul Warman, is set to retire as a Partner after 34 years of service at the firm on Monday 31 March 2025.
Paul joined Leathes Prior in 1991 before becoming a Partner in 1994 and has been a cornerstone in the growth of the firm’s Corporate and Commercial offering. Specialising in corporate law himself, in particular the sale and purchase of private companies, MBO’s, company re-organisations, fundraising and joint ventures, he is well known for acting for a large number of local businesses, as well as national and international clients.
Paul stepped into the role of Senior Partner after the retirement of William Riley in 2022 and is known for his sharp legal mind, strategic insight, and, in particular, his scarf wearing. Paul has played a pivotal role in shaping the firm’s direction, mentoring countless colleagues, and championing the values that define Leathes Prior.
Though Paul is stepping down from his role as Senior Partner, we are delighted to announce that he will continue with us as a Consultant. In this capacity, he will share his extensive experience, provide strategic counsel, and support the development of our next generation of legal talent.
Partner Dan Chapman commented: “Paul’s contributions to Leathes Prior are immeasurable. His leadership, wisdom, and dedication have left an indelible mark on our firm. When Paul joined LP in 1991 the firm was largely a legal aid practice with little or no commercial and corporate presence – what he has managed to achieve during his tenure is nothing short of remarkable. He has not just achieved the creation and growth of a leading Corporate and Commercial Team, but has managed to play a prominent role in the growth of other related practice areas such as Employment and Commercial Property too, all of which has left the firm upon his retirement as a Partner in such a good place. We are incredibly grateful for his service and thrilled that he will remain part of our team as a Consultant.”
Paul shared his thoughts on this transition: “It has been an honour to serve as Senior Partner at Leathes Prior. I am deeply proud of what we have accomplished together and look forward to supporting the firm in my new role as Consultant. The future of Leathes Prior is bright, and I hope to have left Leathes Prior in a better place than when I first started.”
Please join us in congratulating Paul on his remarkable career and wishing him every success in this new chapter. We look forward to benefiting from your continued insight and guidance Paul.
With Paul retiring, Mike Barlow will become a senior partner at the firm. Mike joined Leathes Prior in 1995 before becoming a Partner in 2000 and was the firm’s Managing Partner for many years. Mike heads the firm’s Dispute Resolution Team, specialising in commercial and business disputes. Mike has extensive experience in acting for clients in complex High Court cases, commercial arbitrations, adjudications, and mediations.
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On Friday 14 March, as part of a two-day visit to the East of England organised byAndrew Wood, Hon Dutch Consul for East Anglia with support from Norfolk County Council’s Inward Investment Team, Dutch Ambassador to the UK, Paul Huijts, visited scientists at some of the world-leading research institutes at Norwich Research Park.
After a networking lunch at which Nick Talbot, Executive Director and Group Leader of The Sainsbury Laboratory, provided the Ambassador with an overview of the park campus, Mr Huijts met with scientists at the leading edge of research into the role of the gut microbiome in pregnancy, decreasing the risk of urinary tract infections in Type 2 Diabetes patients and heart disease and bioactive compounds.
At the Quadram Institute, he was given a tour of the Clinical Research Facility with PhD student and principal investigator for the TESSA study, Julia Haarhuis. She outlined her research into preventing heart disease using bioactive compounds from a pomegranate extract.
Clinicians from the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital with scientists from the Quadram Institute talked the Ambassador through their collaborative research funded by the Quadram Institute Clinical Seedcorn Fund. Associate medical director for research, Professor Jon Lartey, and Dr Antonietta Hayhoe, head of human studies, explained their research on the role of the gut microbiome in pregnancy.
Prof Alison Mather, postdoctoral researcher Dr Samuel Bloomfield and consultant endocrinologist Dr Jason Cheung outlined their work on decreasing the risk of urinary tract infections in Type 2 diabetes patients.
Mr Huijts was also told about research being carried out by the University of East Anglia into how AI can be used to evaluate whether EU regulations actually support its citizens and the potential threats posed by technological developments in non-democratic states. AI4POL will bring together researchers from the fields of technology development, ethics, law, economics and political sciences, and partners include Tilburg University in the Netherlands.
Mr Huijts said: “It was a great two-day visit to Suffolk and Norfolk. East Anglia and the Dutch have many historical connections and those ties resonate today. From the connection of Norwich Airport with Schiphol to shared expertise and collaboration in domains as agriculture and health.”
The Netherlands is the biggest trading partner to Norfolk and Suffolk, and it is hoped the Ambassador’s extensive visit will strengthen direct links to Dutch investment teams and encourage partnership working following devolution with a focus on the areas covered in the visit.
Richard Finney is hugely honoured to accept the Goldman Sachs 10KSB International Trade Icon Award which was presented during a celebratory ceremony at Tate Modern last night. Over 15 years under Richard’s leadership, his award-winning Gentleman’s Grooming company, Captain Fawcett Ltd, has steadily grown from kitchen-table startup to global success. Since the company’s establishment in 2010, Captain Fawcett has become a renowned manufacturer, purveyor, and exporter of a range of simply ‘First Class Gentleman’s Grooming Requisites’. International trade has expanded to 45 countries, with 2024 marking a remarkable 89% surge in US sales, alongside growing market shares in the Middle East and the EU. With ambitious plans for further business growth well underway, Captain Fawcett is going from strength to strength on the global stage.Richie embodies Captain Fawcett’s spirit of British enterprise, exploration and ambition, being recognised with an MBE for Services to Export in the King’s 2025 New Year Honours, and named an Export Champion by the Department for Business and Trade for the fifth consecutive year. He is quick to acknowledge how Captain Fawcett has benefitted from the exceptional Goldman Sachs 10KSB SME growth programme. Richie says: “As a proud member of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business Programme, Cohort #17, I am hugely grateful to my fellow alumni for both their friendship and for sharing their hugely valued business acumen. Quite simply, we press on together. “Captain Fawcett has greatly benefited from the transformative Goldman Sachs SME Growth Programme, now sold in 45 countries with exports responsible for 70% of revenue – undoubtedly accelerated by the invaluable ongoing support as a 10KSB UK Graduate. To be shortlisted by my esteemed 10KSB peers is most humbling. And as a veteran of Cohort #17’s infamous ‘Breaking Bad’ Group, I am truly honoured to be part of this incredible initiative. Congratulations to all my fellow 10KSB alumni, a simply phenomenal group of businesses and truly transformational growth programme. Huzzah!”After this auspicious start to 2025, the next adventure awaits. Richard is currently preparing for Captain Fawcett’s ‘Great Expedition USA’, a 6 week solo motorcycle road trip to barber shops across the heart of America. Watch this space for more news very soon…For more information on Captain Fawcett, please visit www.captainfawcett.com
Anglia Innovation Partnership, the campus management organisation at Norwich Research Park, is hosting the 8th Enterprise Tuesday Showcase event at the John Innes Conference Centre, Norwich Research Park, on 3 June, from 1.30-6pm.
This showcase event – ‘Exploring the Ecosystem at Norwich Research Park’ – will provide the strategic backdrop to Norwich Research Park, explain why the campus partners were brought together and give an overview of the campus-wide vision of HP3 – Healthy Plants, Healthy People, Healthy Planet – of finding solutions to the global challenges of feeding the world, climate change and improving health.
The event will bring to life how Norwich Research Park’s ecosystem works through enterprise, science collaboration, community building, partnerships with industry, funding and investment. It is an ecosystem that is high-impact focused and driven by its people, place, innovation and ideas.
This event is kindly sponsored by Novagraaf UK. For 135 years, Novagraaf has been helping iconic brands and innovative organisations around the world to power their competitive advantage by delivering a connected IP perspective.
The event will be followed by a drinks and canapes reception held in Centrum building adjoining the conference centre starting from 6-8pm. Tickets for the reception are limited.
There are two types of ticket available for the event. One for the afternoon event only and one for the afternoon event and evening reception. Please make sure you book the correct ticket. Booking closes on 19 May. Please note due to the limited availability, only two people per company can register.
Walking With The Wounded (WWTW) has released our 2024 Impact Report, highlighting all we have achieved and celebrates what our beneficiaries, their families and our staff have acomplished.
In this edition, we reflect on the incredible impact made possible by our teams and supporters, showcasing key moments and successes from the past year. From employment and mental health to support care coordination, our programmes have continued to transform lives. Together, we’ve supported 2,203 veterans and delivered over £29M in social value—an incredible return of £5.58 for every £1 invested—ensuring that every pound goes further in supporting those who need it most.
WWTW CEO Tony Hulton said:
“Nothing in this Impact Report could have been achieved without the brilliant work of our dedicated staff and the support of members of the public, businesses, trusts and foundations who have stepped up to ensure we have the resources available to deliver our vital work.
Everything we do at Walking With The Wounded is centred on vibrant partnerships with those organisations that refer veterans to us, including the NHS through Op COURAGE – the veteran’s mental health and wellbeing service – alongside our partners in the community.
As a national charity we benefit from being not too big and not too small. This means that we can ensure we maintain a personalised approach to everything we do. We want our clients to be confident that they have an assigned person throughout their journey with us and, equally, we want to ensure that our supporters feel part of our mission to reigniting a sense of purpose in those who served.”
Read the 2024 Impact Report here: https://walkingwiththewounded.org.uk/policies-reports-partners/
Leaping Hare Renewables is thrilled to announce that it is a finalist for both the Leader of the Year & Employee Wellbeing Award at the inaugural Octopus Trusted Partners Awards.
Leaping Hare Renewables (based in Norfolk) offers a new kind of building service: improving thermal efficiency, as well as installing and maintaining the renewable energy systems that heat and power homes. Helping customers to reduce energy costs and live more sustainably by using cleaner, greener energy. You can find more information on their website leapingharerenewables.co.uk
The awards celebrate the top installers driving the UK’s transition to clean, green energy. Showcasing those companies installing heat pumps, solar panels, and more for Octopus Energy customers when Octopus can’t.
Hosted by Octopus, the awards will take place on Thursday, April 3, 2025, at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London.
The evening will bring together the best and brightest in the industry to honour outstanding contributions to decarbonisation, innovation, and customer service. It will also include a special appearance by former football manager Harry Redknapp, known for winning the 2008 FA Cup and later, being crowned King of the Jungle in I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!
The Octopus Trusted Partners programme launched last year to turbo charge the rollout of heat pumps and solar.
With demand for heat pumps increasing over 20-fold last year, Octopus’ partnership programme refers customers to trusted local installers* for clean tech installations that Octopus can’t tackle at the moment.
Katharine & Matthew Kemp, Founders of Leaping Hare Renewables said: “We are incredibly proud to be recognised as one of the leading installers in the UK. Being shortlisted for the Leader of the Year & Employee Wellbeing Award is a testament to our team’s dedication to providing top-quality service and pushing the boundaries of sustainable energy solutions. We look forward to celebrating with fellow industry leaders on the night!”
Greg Jackson, Founder of Octopus Energy, said: “We have government targets of 600,000 heat pumps to install by 2028 and a deadline to hit net zero home emissions – and the Octopus Trusted Partner programme helps to deliver this.
“We’re delighted to have over 500 companies and 6,500 installers as part of the programme, ensuring more money-saving tech is installed in people’s homes faster. Congratulations to all shortlisted companies and good luck!”
The Octopus Trusted Partners Awards feature eight categories, highlighting excellence in key areas such as customer experience, innovation, leadership, and teamwork. A panel of industry experts, including Octopus Energy Founder Greg Jackson, will the winners.
In the spotlight this month is the Alison Mantripp vessel for Alicat Workboats, a well-established business in Great Yarmouth, specialist boat builders for the marine industry. When compared to some of the fun merchandise we offer, the Mantripp boat may not be the most, shall we say, Instagrammable of jobs (unless you’re a boat enthusiast). So why did we love it so much? It brought together two of our major skill sets into one project, showcasing our experience in graphics application and the time-honoured, highly technical skill of engraving. We printed and applied the vinyl seen on the ship’s outer surfaces and engraved the internal control panels. These are the very fundamental aspects of signage and engraving and, perhaps, some of the most important elements of what we do. This was a real team effort between different departments and that’s exactly what we love.
A Model Example
One of our favourite things this month has been our sponsorship ofMerrivale Model Villagein Great Yarmouth. The seasonal attraction is a firm favourite in the town and holds very special memories for those of us who grew up here. To have our very own tiny sponsor board amongst the other local businesses has been a true delight! Have you been?
Promotional Banners
Something we don’t shout about very often is our printed promotional items, such as large roller banners, small table-top banners, feather flags, PVC banners, branded tablecloths, exhibition stand graphics, vinyl posters up to A1, and much more. We can also fulfil your paper printing needs with business cards, leaflets, flyers, menus, invitations, brochures, business cards, stationery and a whole host of other items. If you have an event coming up, need some new catalogues for your business, are running out of business cards or need an eco-friendly pop-up banner, then ask us.
What We’ve Been Loving in March
Sara has been enjoying the audiobook by ex-Dragon Sara Davies MBE, We Can All Make It. Davies’s book tells the story of how she built her multi-million pound business from her room in student halls from the ground up, on becoming the youngest Dragon in the Den and how she has become one of the biggest business names in UK households. Her story is an inspiration and certainly worth checking out in audiobook or traditional hardback.
Amber Shares Her Journey
February saw our Clothing Manager Amber represent This is Effective during an event hosted by East Coast College. As a former student of EEC, Amber shared her post-college journey to a cohort of Level 2 and Level 3 Business students. From joining her parents’ business straight from education to starting her own equestrian clothing brand, Jockey and Jill, Amber’s story proved motivational to the students soon to finish their own journeys at ECC.
Our Biggest Bundle Yet
We’re now releasing our biggest clothing bundle – ever! There are huge savings to be made with this bundle. Contact us to discuss your workwear requirements today.
Are YOU our next apprentice?
We are growing rapidly and are now looking to hire a Level 3 Business Administration Apprentice. We would love it if you could share to your network if you know of someone in the NR30 and surrounding areas who might be interested in gaining valuable skills in a full-time, paid position: https://lnkd.in/eRgziEeX
It was great to be able to support young people at the Festival of Knowledge on 6th and 7th of March with information and guidance on Apprenticeships and their options after school.
1000’s of secondary school children came to the show and we were able to chat to them about a range of jobs in business and in engineering, as well as the range of courses we offer and how an apprenticeship works.
Joining us on our stand was the Alternative Education Provision “Delta 4” who offer support to schools for children who find it difficult to learn in the traditional school format and might otherwise be out of school and spending that time in environments where they are very vulnerable.
The Alternative Provision allows them to learn life skills in a safe centre and in a very practical way. The Delta 4 information, merchandise and video on our stand attracted lots of attention and we were then able to talk to children about their whole learning journey and how it fits with their future after school.
If you would like to know more about the network of support and training provision we can offer from very early careers development right through to an advanced leadership and management career, please get in touch: enquiries@swarmgroup.org.uk