Member News

We are delighted to introduce Sabine Sargeant as Senior Consultant to the Delta-Simons Manchester office. Sabine has previously worked for Resource and Environmental Consultants (REC) and Integra, gaining project management experience through a wide variety of planning projects which involved Phase I/Phase II site investigations, remediation strategies, coal mining risk assessments and validation reporting.

Sabine will be responsible for the management, financial and technical input to projects, including provision of proposals, project planning, site monitoring, reporting and financial performance.

Richard Lawless, Unit Director for the Manchester region, said “Having someone with Sabine’s experience join our growing Manchester team reflects our ongoing commitment to our clients within the Northern Power House.”

Sabine gained her BSc. (Hons) in Geology at Manchester, and obtained her MSc. Environmental Hazards at Lancaster.

Related articles: Operations Director joins growing EHS team

Long term campaigns increase brand awareness and with BBA Digital Media’s business sector exclusivity offering you can corner your market. Norwich Accountancy Services have done just that – joining us for a long term campaign and letting all of Norwich know about their comprehensive service packages.

Need help with your tax return? Your situation may be very straightforward: youmay just need some advice to help you complete the return. Or perhaps you feel that your tax affairs are complex, and that you need a specialist to sort them out for you.

Well, the good news is, Norwich Accountancy Services have helped hundreds of individuals and companies like you to sort out their tax affairs and complete their tax returns –www.norwichaccountancyservices.co.uk

Their digital-out-of-home campaign can be seen across our network screens reaching 750,000 people per week. Look out for their ads over the coming months!

Wrightway Health Ltd is East Anglia’s largest independent Occupational Health provider. Whilst the bulk of their operations are in Norwich and Gorleston, Wrightway Health continues to expand across East Anglia. With reported gloom in the economy and many companies putting expansion on hold, Wrightway Health is bucking the trend and cementing their commitment to serving the region.

Wrightway Health decided to join the Norfolk Chamber since it forms a hub for key businesses in the county. The Chamber’s member events give businesses straightforward access to one another and provides opportunities for networking that are unparalleled.

Occupational Health focusses on maintaining the health and well-being of employees, which in turn helps employers keep their staff at work. At a time when the UK’s productivity gap is at its highest level since records began, more and more employers are looking at how Occupational Health can help them meet regulatory health-monitoring requirements whilst managing staff sickness absence and ensuring employees are taken care of.

Launched by Dr. Lindsey Wright MFOM and Alison Mackway in 2013, Wrightway Health Ltd (previously Abermed) has grown to offer Occupational Health services to a variety of local, national and international businesses, providing specialist services to a range of sectors, including energy, science and chemical, agriculture, transport, construction and healthcare amongst others.

Wrightway Health has five accredited doctors and a team of Occupational Health nurses and technicians available to offer medical assessments, sickness absence assessments, drug and alcohol screening, fitness to work medicals, health surveillance and bespoke Occupational Health assistance.

At a time of reported economic uncertainty with many businesses freezing investment, Managing Director of Wrightway Health Alison Mackway is upbeat about the economic future of Norfolk.

“Norfolk is at the heart of the UK’s agriculture and energy sectors. Businesses in these sectors present specific challenges to monitoring and safeguarding employee health, and our growth in the region stems from employers realising that.

It’s encouraging in times of uncertainty that we’re in a position to continue growing, but also that employers value the health of their staff. There’s a growing understanding that investing in Occupational Health is a real benefit to reduce levels of sickness absence from avoidable medical conditions.”

For more information about Wrightway Health, please contact Alison Mackway on alison.mackway@wrightwayhealth.co.uk or call 01603 274460

Welcome…

In this months newsletter we look at;

– Meet the Team; John Claxton

– Saturday Morning Yoga Sessions

– Skincare Masterclass

– Marie Curie Tea Party

Meet the Team; John Claxton

John Claxton is our latest employee at The RedCat Partnership. John who previously worked for the Health and Safety Executive for the majority of his career has joined the team as a Health and Safety Consultant.

Saturday Morning Yoga Sessions

We have two more Saturday morning 90 minute yoga sessions with Ann Reed taking place at No.8. The first yoga session will be taking place on 20th August…

Skincare Masterclass

Louise Thomas-Minns from U and Your Skin will be hosting two skincare masterclasses this October from No.8. The two masterclasses will cover ‘The Art of Cleansing’ and ‘How to look younger’.

Marie Curie Tea Party

No.8 will be hosting a Marie Curie Tea Party on 19th August. All proceeds will be going to Marie Curie Norfolk. Our tea party will include tea/coffee & cakes. Bookings are now being taken….

To read our newsletter in full click here

WIN 80 Prizes in 80 Days with Premier Travel this summer

To celebrate our 80th birthday, we’re giving away 80 prizes in 80 days in a scratch card competition.

Still left to win:

Weekend break to Washington DC for two from Premier Holidays

With United Airlines flights and staying at the Loews Madison hotel

Holiday to Crete for two with Classic Collection

Staying for a week at the Aldemar Resort

20 x boxes of chocolates

14 x£80 off your holiday vouchers

18 x Afternoon tea for two at Harriet’s Tea Rooms

13 x bottle of wine

1 x £100 hotel voucher

To enter, all you need to do is book your holiday with Premier Travel before 21 September. You’ll be given a scratch card – simply scratch it off to see if you’ve won!

Trading since 1936, the independent, privately-owned Premier Travel first began operating bus services between local market towns, expanding over time to include express coach services and offering holidays to coastal resorts around the country.Most of the coach booking agencies were then converted to travel agency branches during the 1960’s, and in the early days, Premier Travel operated holidays from Cambridge Airport to the Channel Islands out of its first branch in Cambridge.

Long-haul holidays came next, when core destinations such as the USA and Asia were introduced to the portfolio, followed by Australia, New Zealand, Canada and South Africa – all of which are still sold across the company today.

Premier Travel now offers holidays worldwide and has 17 travel agency branches around East Anglia, the most recent of which were added in May this year (St Neots) and in September 2015 (Bury St Edmunds).

We are thrilled to be the featured charity at the Business Breakfast in Great Yarmouth on September 8th.

https://wp-stage.norfolkchambers.co.uk/events/chamber-event/great-yarmouth-business…

Norwich Puppet Theatre seeks a trustee to take special interest in and responsibility for our corporate relations with the local business community. This persuasive and proactive person will be an enthusiastic networker and as a trustee give of their time and energy in anentirely voluntary capacity. They will work with the rest of the board oftrustees and the team to promote the successful implementation of our plans and efforts to persuade localbusinesses to take up the many opportunities wehave on offer to support us. “As reported in the press, the current climate and changes inlocal authority funding means Norwich Puppet Theatre is forced ​to appeal ​morewidely ​for support and this is in common withmany arts community organisations.We think that businesses, as well as the public, would like to help as part oftheir corporate social responsibility desire, if only they truly knew what isneeded to keep providing the events, activities and performances that we do.

“Perhaps you are one of the 25,000 folk each year who enjoy our work, or brought your family, or just know people who have. If you are the sort of person who understands what makesbusinesses tick when they are thinking about corporate charitable donations,who is motivated by the desire to make adifference, and is ready to help promote our cultural community, then have a look at the attached role specification andour website for further information.

https://puppettheatre.co.uk/about-us/news-1914574045

FOURchampions for key industry sectors across Suffolk and Norfolk are featured in a new campaign to promote the LEP’s Growing Business Fund grant scheme, which provides up to £500,000 investment to help SMEs invest and grow.

The four businesses will be featured on new leaflets and marketing materials to promote the fund, which has so far awarded over £15.6m to 300 businesses helping to unlock around £100m of private match funding and create over 2,200 new jobs.

The businesses were selected for their commitment to grow and create new employment opportunities across food production, creative design and advanced manufacturing industries.

And one company in Great Yarmouth is among the first to benefit from the LEP’s Oil and Gas Taskforce support, where the Growing Business Fund can be used to support companies during the global oil and gas downturn, to sustain jobs and look for new avenues for growth.

Family-owned engineering firm Hydramec Offshore has received a £200,000 grant which helped them move into new facilities and safeguard high-skilled jobs.

Karl Hawkins, General Manager of the family-owned Great Yarmouth offshore engineering firm Hydramec Offshore said: “We’ve seen tough times in the oil and gas sector but the Growing Business Fund has allowed us to buy new premises, doubling previous internal floor space. This vital investment will see increased productivity as we take more production in-house, ensuring that jobs are saved.”

In the Creative Digital sector, Cubiqdesign, a graphic, web and advertising design agency, based in Newmarket received a £41,000 grant which meant they could also move to a bigger office and expand their digital team.

Gemma Treby, Managing Director of Cubiqdesign said: “As demand for our services increased, we had outgrown our former premises and desperately needed to relocate to a bigger commercial property. We applied for the grant to help plug the funding shortfall and enable the expansion to take place. The application was straightforward and we’ve had tremendous support from the New Anglia Growth Hub advisers throughout.”

First established in 2004, Stokes Sauces based in Rendlesham, Suffolk, are now a well-recognised brand in shops, hotels and restaurants across the UK. They received a £65,000 GBF grant to buy machinery to produce sauce sachets, new cooking equipment and IT systems.

Commercial Director, Chris Reeve said: “The Growing Business Fund has helped us to increase our project range, moving into the sachet market and opening up more financial prospects for the business. This growth has led to us securing new contracts with British Airways and Virgin Atlantic to supply selected condiments, such as red onion marmalade and BBQ sauces, on their flights.”

And in Ipswich, manufacturer Colour Marketing Services, a colour sampling business, used their £67,000 grant to buy new machinery and equipment and move into a larger facility on Farthing Road Industrial Estate.

Anne Harrison, Finance Director at Colour Marketing Services, said “We have ambitious growth plans for the future, which include expansion into overseas markets and increasing our product range. The funding allowed us to move to a new facility, which is a light, bright and a comfortable working environment for our employees.”

Chris Starkie, managing director of New Anglia LEP said: “These are the stars of the East, the companies and sectors that are powering our growth and driving the economy. It is great to be able to showcase their achievements in this way and invest in their exciting future plans. So far our Growing Business Fund has helped around 300 companies, we would like to help hundreds more to do the same.

The Oil and Gas Taskforce was set up by the LEP in 2015 to support those companies suffering from the global downturn in energy prices. It is supported by local authorities, EEEGR, local MPs and business groups.

Chris Starkie, continued: “A key aim of the Taskforce is to help companies diversify and understand the opportunities that other markets present. We are currently assisting a number of businesses, large and small, by providing subsidised accessed to specialist consultants as well as providing grant funding via our Growing Business Fund to sustain jobs and support new growth plans. Hydramec in Great Yarmouth is one of the first companies to receive that support and I am delighted that we have been able to help them in this way.”

To help businesses with their applications for the Growing Business Fund, the New Anglia Growth Hub advisers can provide free support and guidance.

To find out more about the Growing Business Fund and other programmes, go to newanglia.co.uk/business-support and contact the New Anglia Growth Hub on 0300 333 6536 or email growthhub@newanglia.co.uk

We did it, we are in…Swarm is so proud to announce that we have been selected to be part of the Future50 and joins the class of 2016.

The Future50 is designed to recognise Norfolk and Suffolk’s most innovative companies who are the region’s ‘ones to watch’ and are individuals and organisation that are creating jobs, growing at a faster rate than others and that have the drive and ambition needed to be leaders in their sector.

This recognition means so much for us as a company,but more importantly it gives recognition to the young Swarm apprentices who are out there helping businesses grow and demonstrating the same enterprising values and attitudes that are inherent in Future50 organisations.One day it will be these same Swarm apprentices who will be the leaders of tomorrows Future50 companies,driving innovation and propelling the local economy forward.”

We really look forward to working with the class of 2016 and the partners of the Future50 to help grow Swarm across the region and beyond.

Chris Perry- CEO ,Swarm Apprenticeships

What:Top 7 Agile Tips I learnt as a Product Manager & a mini summer social

When:Wednesday, August 3, 2016, 6:30pm to 9:00pm

Where:The King’s Centre, King Street, Norwich, NR1 1PH

RSVP:https://www.meetup.com/Norfolk-Developers-NorDev/events/232382796/

Top 7 Agile Tips I learnt as a Product Manager Benjamin Mitchell (@benjaminm)

Many people have experienced using Agile approaches within teams to deliver more working software, but what can be learnt from combing these approaches with Product Development? This talk will cover the top seven hard-earned tips I learnt from several years spent as a Senior Product Manger for BBC Worldwide. Ever wondered how you could influence the product you were building? How can you use Agile approaches to learn about what the right product to build is? How do you overcome defensiveness? How can you design experiments that challenge assumptions and encourage change? This talk will provide some answers, combining ideas from organisational learning, psychology and negotiation.

Benjamin Mitchell

Benjamin has over 20 years’ experience delivering online applications, in diverse sectors – including media (BBC.com), investment banking, insurance and software products. A highly-rated international speaker, he is passionate about helping software product development teams and leaders build the right products in the right ways. Benjamin is proud to be a Partner with Equal Experts. You can see a recent talk of his athttps://www.equalexperts.com/common-communication-failures-solve/

And then when we’re all done, we’d quite like to have a nice cold beer at the local pub, most likely to be Brew Dog near Tombland.

A high performance culture is a key indicator of a Best Employer and of an organisation which is more likely to remain agile through times of business challenges and change. Because organisations with a high performance culture are more likely to have inspired loyalty and to have created high levels of employee engagement, staff will be more motivated to go the extra mile. This can make a significant difference to how organisations are affected during any downturn. Workplaces with empowered employees and a collaborative approach are also more likely to be able to react and respond to change without losing momentum or vision.

What do we mean by a high performance culture? High performance cultures are generally inspired by leaders who have a passion for creating outstanding achievement from their teams. Employees are empowered to take on challenges and to deliver a high level of performance which differentiates the organisation and helps it to succeed.

How can a high performance culture be developed? Organisations with high performance cultures all tend to share the following four characteristics.

1. Clear leadership and vision Leaders are focussed on communicating a clear vision to all employees so that they can work together to achieve this common goal. Because staff feel fully informed, and understand what success looks like, they are more motivated to play a role in achieving it.

2. Empowered employees Employees can’t demonstrate high levels of performance if they are not given the chance to deliver on high level opportunities. Employees in a high performance culture will feel empowered and trusted to take on challenges and to be accountable for performance.

3.Support and development Organisations with a high performance culture also tend to have a strong focus on development. Leaders aim to empower employees by ensuring they have the resources, confidence and skills needed to meet any challenges.

4. Recognition and reward To maintain the culture of high performance, employers look for innovative ways to recognise and reward employees for excellent work, helping to ensure that they feel valued for their efforts.

How can the Best Employers Eastern Region initiative can help? Before considering any cultural changes, it is important to have a clear understanding of your current culture. The Best Employers Eastern Region employee survey is a free tool which provides detailed feedback on how staff perceive their organisation’s current culture, their understanding of the company vision and values, and of how supported, empowered and engaged they feel. The survey results come with expert guidance on any potential areas for improvement and all participants are invited to attend a series of workshops designed to help put these into practice. These events bring the region’s best employers together to share innovative ideas and positive strategies for achieving business success by putting people at the heart of an organisation.

Are you a graduate looking for a great way to start your career? Here’s our top five tips on finding a good graduate recruitment programme.

1. Do your research

Graduate programmes with big named companies are often the first to come up on internet searches, but it is worth spending time looking further as an increasing number of small and medium sized companies are also offering similar positions. These schemes can be just as valuable and working in a smaller environment can provide the chance to gain more experience and responsibility.

2. Keep your options open

Some graduate training programmes don’t specify the nature of the degree required because many of the skills learnt at university are transferable. Looking at graduate training jobs, and the career progression opportunities they provide, can help you to narrow down areas of interest or show you a different route to your career goals which you may not have considered before.

3. Clear development plans

A good graduate programme should clearly set out the progression opportunities provided, including any permanent job opportunities available at the end of the programme. Many will also provide the opportunity to study for further professional qualifications and include the chance to work on a variety of different projects and areas of the business.

4.Long term support

Even if you have plenty of work experience from part time roles and course placements, it’s not unusual to feel a little daunted by the prospect of going from being a full time student to a full time employee. A good graduate training programme should be structured to help build confidence in the workplace. Look for roles which highlight the support you will be given throughout, whether its regular meetings or being appointed a dedicated mentor.

5. Cultural fit

People want to work where they feel happy, supported, rewarded and motivated. Look at any potential organisation’s website and social media to try and find out more about its culture and values. There’s also a growing number of online forums where current and previous employees post about what an organisation is really like to work for.

Join us at Pure

Here at Pure we are also currently looking for a driven university leaver to join our own recruitment consultantgraduate training programme. There’s still time to apply, with applications closing on 30 July. For more information about what it’s like to work with us, read our recentblog postby Ellie Steinfeldt, who originally joined us via our graduate programme.

We currently have the following vacancies to join our busy team in Norwich.

Sales & Customer Service

We are seeking a confident, hard-working, self-motivated team player to be responsible for sales and support of our email marketing service Smart Messenger. No industry experience necessary, full training provided.View Job Description

Sales Admin Apprentice

We are a small, passionate team based in Taverham looking for a hard-working, self-motivated team player who is ready to learn more about the business world.View Job Description

Apprentice Website Developer / Programmer

The role will be primarily web development & programming. You will learn to use a large variety of tools to develop websites and applications that require a keen, enquiring and logical, mind to succeed.View Job Description