Member News

Freebridge welcomes tenants to new homes in North Wootton

Freebridge Community Housing are delighted to have handed over the keys to nine brand new homes in North Wootton, following the completion of a second phase of work to replace a number of prefabicated houses with modern, thermally efficient properties.

This second phase of work, which follows on from the first finished last year, includes one 3 bedroom house, four 2 bedroom houses along with four 1 bedroom flats.

Lewis Pratt and Georgia Long, along with their one-year-old daughter Harper, are among those tenants who’ll be making one of the brand new two bedroom properties their home.

After coming from a one bedroom property on Anmer Terrace the location and size of the new property was a blessing for a young family.

Lewis said: “Once we had Harper everything had to change. When this home came up it was a shock, from where we had come neither of us ever thought we would be so lucky to end up in a place like this.

“I used to live on Blackthorn Road when I was younger and knew of Priory Road, I can’t believe how much better it looks now. It’s a better area for families, we’ve already been able to take the buggy out on walks in the woods.”

Freebridge Community Housing Chairman, Andy Walder, was on hand to pass them their new keys and officially welcome the family to Priory Road.

Andy said: “Having the chance to meet Georgia, Lewis and Harper, and hearing what it means to them to have such a fantastic new home, really does do so much to highlight the importance of the work we do at Freebridge.

“It’s a real pleasure to welcome all of the new tenants here to North Wootton. Freebridge are passionate about developing homes and creating opportunities for people within West Norfolk and we will continue to support the needs of the community by providing this much needed housing in a place where people want to live.”

As with the previous work completed the new homes were built in conjunction with a number of partners including local construction and building maintenace firm TM Browne.

BUSINESSES across Norfolk and Suffolk are invited to showcase themselves on the East of England Energy Zone stand at the UK’s largest offshore wind conference and exhibition this summer.

Global Offshore Wind 2018 will take place at Manchester’s Central Convention Complex, from June 19 to 20. More than 2,500 professionals from across the UK and Europe are expected to attend, with exhibitors showcasing all sectors of the offshore wind industry.

As part of partnership efforts to drive investment and business in offshore wind across the region, Norfolk County Council, Great Yarmouth Borough Council and Waveney District Council are organising a stand to promote the diverse and experienced supply chain in the area.

Branded as the East of England Energy Zone, the unique, 42sqm custom-built stand has space to accommodate 10 local businesses, who will each have their graphics printed onto custom-built pods with individual lockable cupboards doubling-up as display counters.

This unique business community stand also features a four-metre central tower giving visibility throughout the exhibition hall. A reception desk will be manned throughout the show allowing companies the flexibility to leave their display and visit potential customers. To further attract visitors to the stand, an interactive touch-screen will promote stand sharer presentations and film footage.

Locally-based businesses which have already confirmed their places include Peel Ports Great Yarmouth, Proserv, Rhenus Offshore Logistics, OrbisEnergy, SCORE and EEEGR (East of England Energy Group). Four spaces are left on the stand.

Cllr Graham Plant, leader of Great Yarmouth Borough Council, said: “With some of the largest offshore wind farms in the world being planned and built just over the horizon, the sector is vital to the regional economy and offers huge business and job opportunities.

“As England’s offshore energy capital, and a growing offshore wind hub, it is crucial that Great Yarmouth has a high-profile presence at this international event to help capture further growth and jobs for the borough and its communities. For businesses, having a place on our unique, high-profile stand puts you at the forefront of these efforts and helps you to raise your profile with the key people in the world of offshore wind.”

Positions on the stand are priced at £2,500 plus VAT, including an exhibition visitor pass and freight of literature and display items. For further details or to secure your position, please contact Cheryl Stockwell at Waveney District Council on 01502 523219 or cheryl.stockwell@eastsuffolk.gov.uk

Further expansion for successful accounting network

Perth-based business partners Steve Herlihy and Tricia Kingston are launching a new service for small business clients after acquiring the Master Franchise rights for TaxAssist Accountants in Western Australia, South Australia and the Northern Territory. Keen to increase services within the buoyant small business sector, Steve and Tricia spotted the opportunity TaxAssist Accountants offers clients to benefit from standardised systems and processes, developments in integrated cloud-based technology, and emerging trends in accounting services.

Steve, Director: “The small business sector in Australia includes over 2 million businesses, employing 40% of the population and representing just under 30% of all industry profits. Our move to franchising offers the ideal vehicle through which to service this broad sector through a network of local offices”.

“There is no other packaged accounting and tax service for small business that offers the unique TaxAssist style of open and welcoming shop front offices, which is why we see the growth opportunity as so significant.” Tricia, Director, added: “With strong support from the TaxAssist Accountants team combined with a proven franchise model and the marketing power of a global brand, means we have a fantastic opportunity that will attract accountants keen to establish their own practice under the TaxAssist Accountants name.”

Steve and Tricia will open a pilot TaxAssist Accountants shop in Perth, while starting to promote the franchise opportunity within their development area. Their base in Perth will become the Support Centre for a network of franchisees, who will receive technical, marketing and business development training and support.

With more than 220 franchised areas in Australia, the UK and Republic of Ireland operating from over 300 shops and offices, TaxAssist Accountants is one of the largest network of franchised Accountants specifically servicing the small business sector. In January 2018, the network had over 76,000 clients and gross recurring annual fees in excess of £51 million (A$90 million).  

Local accountancy firm Aston Shaw, provided its staff with free lunches throughout January in an attempt to keep the winter blues at bay.

Staff based at Aston Shaw’s Norwich office in The Union Building, Rose Lane have been enjoying hot, freshly prepared meals at the Rooftop Gardens restaurant recently, courtesy of their employer. Mark Noakes, the firm’s Director behind the initiative, commented: “January can be a tough time of year for many, it’s cold, dark and summer feels a long way off. We wanted to keep spirits high, and what better way to do that than with good food? We have a restaurant on the top floor of our building, so it seemed a shame not to make use of it.”

Just some of the hearty winter meals to be had by staff included Steak & Ale Pie, Beef Stew and Bangers & Mash. As staff looked forward to tucking in to a delicious free lunch each day, Director Mark Noakes quickly noticed a positive change in the office atmosphere: “Our offices have always had a positive energy about them, a unique vibe I think you would be hard-pressed to find elsewhere. This energy has been amplified over the past month and I think I speak for the majority of business owners when I say there are few things as satisfying as seeing your employees feel good about coming into work.”

The free hot lunches proved such a success that Aston Shaw have decided to continue providing meals for staff at a subsidised rate, branding it the ‘Aston Shaw Staff Canteen’. Mark Noakes, added: “The response was so positive that we’ve decided to make the initiative a permanent staff benefit by continuing to offer meals at a subsidised rate, allowing staff to have a healthy, filling and nutritious lunch for around the same price point as a supermarket meal deal”.

It was amazing to hear the news that our brilliant and creative team here at Eye Film have just been nominated in five categories for the forthcoming Royal Television Society East Centre Awards 2018 in the categories of Best Factual Programme, Post-Production Craft Skills, Promotional Film, Short Film and the Diversity Award. Fingers crossed!

Pest Control company Abate Pest Management from Morley near Wymondham, has recently passed their BPCA (British Pest Control Association) quality audit with flying colours.

In order to maintain professional standards throughout the pest control industry, full Servicing companies who are with the BPCA must meet a set of criteria.

By choosing a BPCA assessed member like Abate Pest Management you can be assured that the services you receive are from a fully trained, insured and trusted company that meets the strict membership criteria.

The criteria which companies like Abate follow are:

• A suitably trained and qualified expert, committed to Continuing Professional Development (CPD), and have been subjected to the BPCA audit and assessment process to ensure services are delivered to the highest of standards.
• Determined to adhere to the Industry Codes of Best Practice.
• Committed to providing detailed advice on pest prevention measures and provide comprehensive reporting systems covering all treatment aspects.

Jon Blake, Managing Director of Abate Pest Management said “this is a great achievement and we are very proud to retain our BPCA membership. The whole team work extremely hard to make sure everything in this very controlled environment is spot on. We win contracts and job work on many occasions based on the detailed risk assessments, treatment reports and providing the best possible advice and solution.”  

Abate continues to grow with new contract customers in various sectors but has recently seen a significant increase in housing association work, logistics and businesses within the food chain. Recently Abate has increased service operations in Essex, the Home Counties and across to Luton. 

Please visit Abate Pest Management website to find out about all their services.

• Rodent Control.
• Bird Control.
• Insect Control.
• Woodworm Control.
• Specialist Hygiene Services.

This week the team at Access Diagnostic Tests met the corporate fundraiser for the East Coast Hospice Joanna Storey and found out more about the hospice appeal and how we will be helping them this year. Everyone was very excited and is looking forward to getting involved. The appeal is the raise funds to build a hospice on the east coast of Norfolk at Gorleston near Great Yarmouth. The land has already been purchased and they are now in the process of raising the money to build and fit out the building. 

‘This is a cause close to our hearts’ company director Kate Garside said. As myself and the other founding director are both doctors, we have seen how important the work of hospices are first hand,  and believe this is a very worthy cause for us to get behind both personally, and as a medical supply company.

We are selling a stethoscope in aid of the appeal through our medical supplies website Valuemed. 

See our full range of stethoscopes including the East Coast charity stethoscope at Valuemed medical supplies 

Norfolk based financial planners, Loveday & Partners, have been announced as the headline sponsor for the 2018 Royal Norfolk Show Ball, which is raising funds for Norfolk and Waveney cancer charity Big C.

Mark Loveday, Director said, “We are absolutely thrilled to partner local cancer charity Big C which provides an invaluable service to those affected by cancer across the region. Very few families in our community are untouched by this dreadful disease and we are delighted to support Big C in all they do to provide families with support and care at vital times.”

This year’s Norfolk Show Ball will be held at the Norfolk Showground on Friday 22nd June and will transport guests back to the dazzling jazz era with a ‘Roaring Twenties’ theme. Tickets are now on sale for the event, please visit norfolkshow.big-c.co.uk.

Funds raised from the ball will go towards a new Big C community centre in Norwich which is scheduled to open in late 2018. The four existing Big C centres at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NNUH), Kings Lynn, Great Yarmouth and at the Louise Hamilton Centre in Gorleston, provide emotional and practical support and information for anyone affected by cancer in the local community. Each year approximately 8,000 people are given a cancer diagnosis in Norfolk and Waveney, with over 26,000 visits made to Big C centres.

Dr Chris Bushby, CEO at Big C says, “Our grateful thanks to the team at Loveday & Partners for coming on board as key sponsor for the Norfolk Show Ball. Their support for the event and Big C, will ensure that we raise as much as possible for our new Norwich community centre, which will mean that more people are able to access support where and when they need us most.”

Loveday & Partners is a Norfolk based firm of financial planners providing bespoke investment solutions for private investors and their families, trustees and business owners.

Further corporate sponsorship opportunities are available supporting Big C at the Norfolk Show Ball. Please contact Nicky Burgis at nicky.burgis@big-c.co.uk or on 07917 800474.

To learn more about the work Big C does to improve the lives of those affected by cancer in Norfolk and Waveney, please visit www.big-c.co.uk

It was great to be back working with Town Close again and creating a new, updated school film. Our initial conversations with the team there led to the concept of ‘A Day In The Life’ whereby the film would enable prospective parents and pupils to really visualise and understand what a day can be like for a pupil at Town Close Prep School. The proximity of the school to us, being local, made it possible for us to shoot the material we needed over the course of a whole school year, capturing all that is special for the different seasons and the cycle of the academic, the arts and the sporting calendar. A flavour captured in 90 seconds and using a variety of graphics techniques to introduce the values and ethos that makes the school stand out. Contact us at www.eyefilm.co.uk.

Every Business Owns Intellectual Property, What Do You Own? is the title of a business conference taking place in Norwich on Wednesday 28th February, arranged and hosted by GENIX Business Support.

Intellectual property (IP) will account for a large part of the value of many businesses and yet often the owners haven’t given it a moment’s thought.

The conference is designed for small business owners and will cover the four main areas of intellectual property; trademarks, designs, copyright and patents and explain how to protect intellectual property rights. The interactive session will draw on examples and provide delegates with a clear understanding of what they need to consider for their business.

The keynote speaker will be, Gary Townley, from the Intellectual Property Office.

Leanne Castle from GENIX said, “We are pleased to be hosting this conference. There will be plenty of opportunity for delegates to ask questions and to network during the coffee break.”

The three-hour session costs £12 per person. For more information and to book tickets go to www.genix.org.uk or call 0800 096 3013

In a first for not only the housing sector but for businesses across the UK, Flagship Group has this month started piloting the use of a Wacom Clipboard to boost the effectiveness and efficiency of its housing teams.

The electronic clipboard is being trialled by three housing officers based in Norfolk and Suffolk allowing them to digitally record and immediately upload information for essential housing forms. The clipboard combines paper form filling with real time data captures and is connected to the housing officer’s mobile phones. It cuts out the need for scanning as handwritten signatures are captured and attached to the digital document.

The three-month trial will provide a number of important benefits to the business including:

• Reduction in printing of forms/reduced use of paper
• Less duplication of work
• Reduction in the need for storage
• Documents easily archived and accessed
• Reduced costs in the long term

Yogesh Gohil, Head of Technology at Flagship Group, said: “The use of the Wacom Clipboard is really exciting as we believe it can support and improve the way we work. We are always looking for better ways to deliver our services which includes being innovative and cost effective at the same time. “This digital solution will hopefully make a huge difference to our business as we’ll be able to provide a quicker and more efficient service for our customers.”

Marie-Claire Delbrouque, Director of Housing & Customer Insight at Flagship Group, said: “We’re really pleased to be trialling the clipboard and intend to roll it out more widely if a success. “One of the key purposes of the Wacom clipboards is to free up the time of our housing officers so they can work more efficiently and ultimately help more of our customers.”

Attleborough based ground and air source heat pump installer Finn Geotherm, has won a highly prestigious industry trophy at the National ACR & Heat Pump Awards 2018. The company was also highly commended for a second award.

Finn Geotherm was awarded the Domestic Air Source Project of the Year Award for its installation at a detached home in Breckland, Norfolk. The project for homeowners Mike and Ellie was the second installation completed by Finn Geotherm for them, having already installed an air source unit in their old house. Mike and Ellie were so impressed with Finn Geotherm and the first air source heat pump they had, that they chose them again when they moved into a new home.

Finn Geotherm was also highly commended within the Non-Domestic Ground Source Project category for its district heating installation undertaken at 30 flats in Orchard Close, Watton for housing association Flagship Group.

The sought-after National ACR & Heat Pump Awards celebrate excellence in innovation, projects, installations and environmental successes in the air conditioning and refrigeration and heat pump industries. They bring together manufacturers, end users, distributors, heating engineers, ACR contractors and consultants from across the country.

Guy Ransom, commercial director of Finn Geotherm, said: “We are absolutely delighted to have won a National ACR & Heat Pump Award and to be highly commended for a second. We undertake every single installation with the utmost care and attention to detail to ensure that we deliver the best possible heating and hot water system – it’s the way we have always run Finn Geotherm. To win an award for a project which is the second installation we have completed for a customer is testament to the fantastic customer service, dedication and expertise of the entire Finn Geotherm team.”

For more details on Mike and Ellie’s installation and Orchard Close, see https://finn-geotherm.co.uk/case-studies/. For information on ground and air source heat pumps and Finn Geotherm, visit www.finn-geotherm.co.uk.