Member News

Mr Nick Dion has been appointed as Account Executive of leading insurance broker Hugh J Boswell Ltd in Norwich.

Nick, 48, is a qualified Associate of the Chartered Insurance Institute and has more than 25 years’ experience in the insurance industry. During that time he has worked for major insurance companies and local independent insurance brokers.

Peter Foster, Managing Director of Hugh J Boswell said: “We are delighted that Nick has chosen to join our company. His wealth of experience brings immeasurable benefit to our organisation and its clients.”

Nick says: “I am really excited about my new role at Hugh J Boswell. It’s a fresh challenge working for the longest established insurance broker in Norwich that is driven by a young and dynamic management team.”

Nick lives in Norwich and is fan of NCFC.

BBA Digital Media had the great pleasure to work alongside Pop-Up-Pictures, a 1950’s American style drive in Cinema event hosted acrossNorfolk & Suffolk. Pop-Up-Pictures is the first of it’s kind to come out of Norwich offering itsviewersall time classic movie featuresfrom the comfort of their own car: hot dogs & popcorn, roller skating waitresses.

The intention was to increase brand awareness and ticket sales in the build up to the events which will take place between 1st Oct-1st Dec 2015. The advert was displayed in front of captive audiences at two different locations: one being at Carrefour Health & Fitness located at Longwater, and the other screen is located at 24/7 Fitness at the Riverside complex, with both screens totalling an audience of 10,000+ people.

The advert was of static content advertising details of the event, contact & sign up information as well as links to the company profiles on social media sites. The advertisement was displayed on our eye-catching digital screens in one of our twelve advertising slots for duration of 10 seconds every 2 minutes.

Arjan Meijer, Managing Director at KLM UK Engineering, was delighted to present Patrick Peal, Chief Executive of East Anglian Air Ambulance, with a cheque for £1,400. KLM UK Engineering holds an annual golf day for its customer and raises money for charity during the event. A special thank you goes outto KLM, Air Livery, Aero People & Qualitair for theirsponsorshipand to all the attendees for their kind donations. Arjan Meijer ‘We look forward to continuing to support the East Anglian Air Ambulance and raising more money at the 2016 golf day’.

OK so we’re a bit early – consider this a timely reminder to start booking your Christmas digital advertising now! It may be four months away, but the busy Christmas period is probably something you’re starting to think about. The same is true of all the major brands across the UK, so now is the time to secure your digital signage advertising slotsbefore they sell out.

Timing is everything when trying to book on our digital screens, it’seven more important at peak times like Christmas. Companies like yourselves, especially in the retail sector, launch their big Christmas campaigns from the second week of November onwards. They’ll be starting to buy up large numbers of our space soon; some have started already!

The great news is that it isn’t more expensive to book during the busy Christmas period, but there are fewer advertising slots available due to high demand.It’s not too late to promote your business on our digital screens in prime locations across Norfolk, but you’ll need to get cracking!

The achievements of City College Norwich’s outstanding students from 2014-15 were celebrated at the College’s 11th annual Further Education (FE) Awards at the Assembly House, Norwich, on Thursday 10th September.

The high-achieving students, their parents, employer partners, teaching staff and other guests were treated to a glitzy reception with drinks and live music on arrival at the Assembly House, before enjoying a “posh picnic” in the Noverre Ballroom ahead of the award presentations.

Twenty exceptional students were presented with employer-sponsored awards in recognition of outstanding progress and achievements on their course of study, special achievements in going far above and beyond the requirements of their course, overcoming barriers to learning, and for outstanding community spirit.

The select group of students honoured at the FE Awards have truly stood out in their achievements, having been nominated by their tutors and lecturers from more than 5,000 students who studied with the college last year.

The award categories reflect the huge breadth of further education courses offered by the City College Norwich, from foundation learning, to GCSEs and A levels, an extensive range of BTECs, NVQs and other vocational courses, and Access to Higher Education.

Corrienne Peasgood, Principal, City College Norwich, said:

“Each of the students being presented with a Further Education Award has demonstrated inspirational qualities and exceptional achievements during their time at City College Norwich. They show just what can be achieved when you bring together talented students, expert teaching staff, and supportive employers who give our students invaluable opportunities to experience the world of work. We are immensely proud of our FE Award winners and congratulate them on all that they have achieved.”

Full list of City College Norwich’s 2015 Further Education Award winners

Outstanding Achievement at A Level Sponsored by Howes Percival Solicitors Rochelle Harper

Outstanding Achievement at AS Level Sponsored by Mills & Reeve Rachel Kitts

Outstanding Student Progression – Foundation Learning Sponsored by Norse Josh Southgate

Outstanding Student Progression – Supported Employment Sponsored by Holiday Inn Norwich North James Hood

Outstanding Achievement in Academic learning Sponsored by Federation of Small Businesses William Benstead

Outstanding Achievement in ESOL Sponsored by Serco Martina Matuleviciute

Overcoming Barriers to Success in Construction Sponsored by Kier Frank Kalume

Outstanding student achievement in Creative, Production and Performing Arts Sponsored by Norwich Theatre Royal Darijus Veselis

Outstanding Student Achievement for Business Sponsored by Arnolds Keys James Davis

Outstanding Progress and Achievement in Engineering Sponsored by KLM UK Engineering Dylan Taylor

Student of the Year for Hairdressing, Beauty Therapy & Make Up Artistry Sponsored by Mustard TV Abbie Hamilton

Outstanding Achievement in Hospitality and Catering Sponsored by The Forum Trust Rosalind-Bethany Rimington-Hall Hembling

Overcoming Barriers to Success in Health and Social Care Sponsored by Norfolk & Suffolk Dementia Alliance Morgan Bishop

Outstanding Commitment, Progress and Achievement within Sport Sponsored by Norfolk County FA Harriet Hicks

Outstanding Success in Access to Higher Education Sponsored by Snelling Business Systems Amrita Brown

The StartUp Lounge Award for Student Entrepreneur of the Year Sponsored by Nurture Financial Planning Callum Gibson

Teacher Development Unit Award for Outstanding Achievement in Education and Training Sponsored by Norwich Gas Centre Luma Al-lmara

The Students’ Union Award for Enhancing the Student Experience Sponsored by Adnams Ellie Thompson

The James Barr Memorial Award Georgia Millard

The Governors’ Robert Walton Award for Outstanding Contribution to College Life Rand Hashim

The Governors’ Award for Outstanding Student Achievement Frank Kalume

This week (21st September to 25th September) is National Work Life Week, which aims to highlight the benefits of a work-life balance to ensure employees remain engaged, motivated and productive at work.

Now in its sixth year, National Work Life Week was started by the charity Working Families with the aim of shining a light on the importance of balancing work and home for everyone. A poor work-life balance can lead to stressed employees, causing high absence levels and low productivity, which has significant impact on a businesses’ bottom line.

But employers who help employees to balance their work and home life are rewarded by increased loyalty, employee engagement and commitment. It is also a key factor in both attracting and retaining the best talent within an organisation.

Achieving a healthy work-life balance requires effort on both sides, so we’ve compiled the following tips for both employers and employees.

Three top tips for employers

1. Presence doesn’t equate to contribution

Employers should take the time to review their culture and check that there isn’t any misheld perception amongst employees that working extra hours will help to demonstrate how committed and valuable they are. The focus should be on the contribution employees make while they are present, not how long they are present.

2. Practice what you preach

Employers often unknowingly set expectations through their own behaviour. If they work late, or over the weekends, there may be an unspoken assumption amongst the team that they should do the same. Clear expectations need to be set, with clarity around working hours, and what is considered reasonable additional hours when needed.

3. Consider flexible working requests

This Work Life Week falls a year on from the extension of the right to request flexible working for all. While employers still have the right to say no to requests, make sure you don’t dismiss them without consideration. A CIPD report found that 72% of employers surveyed believed that implementing flexible working practices had a positive impact on staff engagement and 73% felt that it had a positive impact on employee motivation.

Three top tips for employees

1. Cut back your hours gradually

A recent poll of SME employees by AXA PPP healthcare found that almost half (46%) regularly worked four or more hours of overtime a week, while 29% put in seven or more. If you regularly put in extra hours and are not sure how to step back, try cutting down gradually and work towards a sensible pattern over a period of weeks or months. And remember, Wednesday 23rd September is National Go Home on Time Day!

2. Employ time management techniques

Sometimes the stress and panic which causes people to work extra hours can be helped by better time management skills. The secret of managing time effectively is understanding what’s important and what can wait. Start each day with two or three priority tasks and plan to work on them during your ‘peak performance time’ – for some this might be first thing in the morning, others may work better and concentrate more in the afternoon.

3. Ask for help

However, if your workload is totally unmanageable however much you plan your time, then ask for help. Trying to carry on under such pressure is not healthy, especially over long periods of time, and it won’t help to enhance your career or help the organisation in the long run. Be realistic, there comes a point where you can’t do everything. Understand your limits and ask for help if your workload goes beyond them.

For more information go to www.prs.uk.com or contact Clare Fuller, Marketing Manager at Pure Resourcing Solutions on 01223 209882 orClare.Fuller@prs.uk.com.

The OPEN Youth Trust (OPEN) on Bank Plain has just celebrated its 10th anniversary as a charity and following its recent Big Lottery funding success is now looking forward to the next era with four key appointments.

Peter Marron, joined the OPEN Youth Trust in June as Venue Development Manager, arriving from The Forum where he worked for 14 years. Peter comes with a wealth of experience in business development and strategic partnership gained from previously working in both the leisure and tourism industries.

Speaking of his appointment Peter said: “I am really excited to be part of a forward thinking and passionate team that is focused on working together in partnership with other likeminded businesses to deliver entertaining and engaging events at OPEN.

He continued to say: “The fantastic spaces and facilities at OPEN offer us a real opportunity to grow the variety of activity and business within the venue. We aim to increase the number of conferences, gigs, performance and events by building on the excellent reputation of the charity and therefore ultimately helping create a positive difference to the lives of young people in Norfolk”.

John Gordon-Saker joined OPEN in August as Chief Executive, returning to Norfolk after more than 30 years away. John comes from an event and marketing background and previously ran WPP’s brand communication agency, recruitment and lifestyle portal FiftyOn and the business media division of World Productions, the independent broadcast production company set up by Tony Garnett and Chris Blackwell.

John commented: “Joining a charity that offers so much to young people, especially those from a disadvantaged or troubled background, is a brilliant reason to come home to Norwich. I want OPEN to be recognised as the hub for youth services in Norfolk and I’m very much looking forward to telling our compelling story to a wider audience. The proposition is irresistible – the profits from all our conferences, live music and events held within the venue go directly to benefit young people. How many other venues can say that?”

Charlene Ledgard, will be taking up the post of Youth Programme Manager from 1st September. Charlene has been working with children and young people for over 10 years, the last three have been with OPEN as Performance Arts Instructor and she played a significant part in securing the recent lottery funding. Her previous experience was as a dance assistant, a youth worker and a dance instructor in the USA, and a learning support assistant at a local high school. Charlene is very passionate about making a difference to the lives of young people each and every day. Speaking of her promotion, Charlene said: “I hope to progress and expand the youth provision on offer by providing a varied programme of recreational activities for ages 7-19 years ensuring that we adapt to continuously meet the needs of children, young people and the local community and ensure the best outcomes for them. I believe work experience and employability skills are currently incredibly important to young people in Norfolk, so volunteering and employability training will be a key aspect of delivery at OPEN. Over the past decade we have positively developed and progressed in all aspects of the organisation and I look forward to seeing what the next 10 years will bring”.

Grainne Buckley, joins the Trust on 1st September as Fundraising Manager, which is a new post for the charity. Grainne has been fundraising on behalf of young people for much of her career and has previously worked at the Campaign Against Living Miserably – a national youth charity dedicated to preventing male suicide, and Norfolk based charities Eating Matters and the Norfolk and Norwich Association for the Blind.

Grainne said: “I am incredibly excited to be taking up this new post at such a progressive and vibrant charity. I am looking forward to generating lots of income streams so that we can develop the activities already on offer and introduce new enticing and exciting programmes to actively engage with our young people. I am particularly looking forward to working with John, Peter and Charlene, and together I know we can grow, and continue to promote, the holistic development of young people in Norfolk.”

Photo caption (from left to right) Grainne Buckley, Charlene Ledgard, Peter Marron, John Gordon-Saker

Our first commercial clients to join our digital signage networks were Leathes Prior, a Norwich based solicitors located in the heart of Cathedral Close.

Leathes Prior has had a healthy and well-established reputation in the city since 1876, so the intention was to increase brand awareness further to our captivated audiences to whom they have or haven’t yet reached. BBA Digital Media’s screens offer both bright, crisp imagery and HD video so Leathes Prior’s message caught the eye of 10,000+ people! Each of our screens is situated in high footfall locations that have been hand picked for both the quality & quantity of consumers.

The advert was displayed at two different locations: one being at Carrefour Health & Fitness and the other at 24/7 Fitness at the Riverside complex. The advertisement was of static content featuring some personal messaging and website details, displayed on our eye-catching digital screens in one of our twelve advertising slots for a duration of 10 seconds every 2 minutes.

Bigfork won the contract to design and build the new website for the Interreg France Channel England programme. The aim of this new programme is to fund high quality cooperation projects with organisations in the Channel border region. The brief was to design a branded website that promoted the programme to potential partners and allowed members to log and keep up to date with the progamme’s progress.

The new Interreg FCE website includes:

• bilingual (French/English) functionality
• a Project and Programme search area
• a members log in area
• an interactive map
• a SilverStripe content management system

You can see further details at Interreg FCE

Bigfork – we make websites stand outwww.bigfork.co.uk t:01603 513080

BBA Digital Media had the great pleasure to work alongside East Anglia’s largest house scene event #HOUSE. The intention was to help increase ticket sales and create brand awareness leading up to the event, which took place at Mercy Nightclub on the August Bank Holiday. The advert was displayed in front of our captive audiences at two different locations: one being at Carrefour Health & Fitness, located at Longwater and the other screen located at 24/7 Fitness at the Riverside complex totalling an audience of 10,000+ people. The advert was of static content advertising details of the events line-up and ticket purchasing information, which was displayed on our eye-catching digital screens in one of our twelve advertising slots for a duration of 10 seconds every 2 minutes.

BBA Digital Media had the great pleasure of working with Philip Browne Menswear this summer. Located at the top of Guildhall Hill in the city centrePhilipBrowne Menswear have stocked fashionablemenswear since 1986. Currently stocking big name brands like Moncler, Canada Goose, Shadow Project, Vivienne Westwood, Y-3, Belstaff, Barbour Dept (B), Fred Perry Vintage and more.

Philip Browne Menswearwasthe thirdindependent business from Norwich to join our digital-out-of-home revolution. The intention was to help attract people into the storeduring the busy summer months, helping drive sales of both the new season fashion wear and the summer sales as we approach the autumn months.

Their advertwere displayed at two different locations: one being at Carrefour Health & Fitness and the other at 24/7 Fitness at the Riverside complex in front of our 10,000+ strong captive audience. The advert was of static content featuring a well dressed modeland their website details, which was displayed on our eye-catching digitalscreens in one of our twelve advertising slots for a duration of 10 seconds every 2 minutes.

New 90 minute services between Norwich and London and the expectation of new trains delivered early on are central to the next rail franchise announced by Government in a big boost for the passengers and businesses supporting the Great Eastern Rail Campaign.

Taskforce co-chairs Mark Pendlington and Chloe Smith MP today responded to the publication of the invitation to tender (ITT) for the Greater Anglia rail franchise:

“Today’s publication is the expected next step in our rail campaign. Thousands of passengers and businesses have got behind our campaign across three counties to get faster, more reliable rail services between Norwich and London.

“We have secured agreement at every level to new trains and track upgrades, which together will allow for “Norwich in 90”, “Ipswich in 60” and benefits along the line. Most of all, passengers need a more reliable service. The day-to-day and economic benefits of what we have won will be immense for our region and completed in ten years.

“The ITT is where service and rolling stock are specified. We welcome today’s publication because it clearly responds to passenger need. As promised, it lays out the expectation of new trains, together with how this will be achieved commercially. In short, the winner of this contest will provide state of the art trains to East Anglia within the next few years.

“In the short term, we also welcome the provision of additional fast services from Norwich and Ipswich to London.

“In the long term, our work continues to make sure the necessary track improvements take place over the next ten years, as planned.”

The three shortlisted bidders will now put forward their proposals and the successful bidder will be announced in summer next year, with the new franchise set to start from October 2016.

The full invitation to tender is available on the Department for Transport website here.