Member News

Is your business involved in imports and exports, or do you collaborate with international stakeholders or clients? Find out more about how your business and colleagues could benefit from the range of languages and support on offer from the 

The UEA evening language programme is open to members of the public, UEA students and staff. are now on offer too – a recent enhancement to this successful programme which has been running for over 30 years. Sessions are delivered by language specialist tutors, many of whom are native speakers and come from all around the world.

The programme currently offers Spanish, French, Portuguese, Italian, Greek, German, Arabic, Mandarin Chinese, Japanese, Russian and British Sign Language.

It is true that English is used a lot within the business world. However, many people speak “Globish”, a simplified version of English which means some important nuances may be lost in the process. Making the time and the effort to learn a foreign language (even just some basic phrases) also sends a very positive message, as it implies that you want to understand better and are not intending to view everything from your own standpoint. Last (but not least), learning a language is fun, and can be a great team building exercise.

The UEA Language Programme can also help you to avoid cultural faux pas by helping you understand the business culture of the country you are dealing with. Erin Meyer* gives a very striking example: “Presenting to Londoners or New Yorkers? Get to the point and stick to it. Presenting to Belgians, Spaniards, or Germans? Spend more time setting the parameters and explaining the background before jumping to your conclusion.” The impact of cultural differences on interactions and processes can make a real difference.

 *(Erin Meyer, Affiliate Professor of Organisational Behaviour at INSEAD)

For the standard evening programme, classes take place in-person, on the UEA campus, usually from 6:15pm to 8:15pm. Terms are 10-weeks long and run three times a year (beginning in January, April and October).

Bespoke training can also be offered specifically for businesses, tailored to your specific needs and requirements. The Language Programme team would be very happy to chat to you about devising a training package for your business.

The aim is to make language learning an enjoyable and rewarding experience. All four communicative skills are tackled (speaking, listening, reading and writing), but for businesses classes can focus more particularly on certain skills depending on your specific needs.  There is a maximum class size of 15 people, creating a nice learning community where people feel comfortable to give it a try in a safe space.  

Registration is now open for evening classes starting in January. Registrations close on Wed 1 January.

Learning a language is a gateway to a different culture. Some students are driven by short-term objectives, such as a holiday, or longer-term ones, such as communicating with a partner’s family in their own language. But the benefits can also be professional – beyond the ability to communicate in the language itself, taking a class can increase students’ confidence in speaking, ability to improvise and adapt to new situations, teamwork and problem-solving skills. It also grows people’s mindset and cultural intelligence.

Contact the UEA Language team to discuss your requirements: 

Age UK Norwich recently organised a magical day out for a group of adults in later life, taking them to the Norwich Theatre to enjoy the enchanting Aladdin panto.

The day began with a delightful lunch at the historic Coach and Horses pub, where attendees enjoyed delicious food and warm company. Following lunch, the group embarked on a fascinating tour of the Theatre Royal, learning about its rich history and the many talented performers who have graced its stage.

The highlight of the day was undoubtedly the Aladdin panto itself. The group was captivated by the talented cast’s energetic performance, filled with all the classic panto fun, laughter, and audience participation.

“We were thrilled to receive a special shout-out during the performance,” said Charlotte Govier, Health and Community Support Lead at Age UK Norwich. “It was a truly memorable experience for everyone involved.“

The event was even more special thanks to the participation of children from Lakenham Primary School. The intergenerational interaction fostered a sense of connection and joy among all attendees.

Charlotte continued “We’re incredibly grateful to CLIF and Norfolk Community Foundation for their support. Intergenerational activities like this are vital for bringing communities together and creating lasting memories.”

The Countering Loneliness Innovation Fund (CLIF) seeks to support projects aiming at reducing loneliness in the Lakenham Ward of Norwich and Reepham and its surrounding area.

Age UK Norwich is delighted to announce that the Carols by Candlelight event, hosted by The Salvation Army Norwich Citadel on December 15th, was a resounding success. The event raised an impressive £1,185.06, which will be matched by Aviva, bringing the total to a generous £2,185.06.

The evening was filled with the spirit of Christmas, featuring traditional carols, heartwarming readings, and beautiful music performed by the church’s adult choir. The event created a warm and festive atmosphere, bringing together the community to celebrate the season.

“We are incredibly grateful to The Salvation Army Norwich Citadel for hosting this event and to everyone who attended and donated,” said Bethany Grimshaw, Marketing and Communications Lead at Age UK Norwich. “The funds raised will go directly towards supporting older people in Norwich, helping them to live independent, fulfilling lives.”

This year’s Carols by Candlelight event was a testament to the power of community. The Salvation Army Norwich Citadel generously offered their venue and their choir to support Age UK Norwich’s mission. Age UK Norwich is committed to improving the lives of older people in the Norwich area. The charity provides a range of services, including advice and information, befriending, and social activities.

One of Age UK Norwich’s clients, Gordon, shared his heartwarming story about how the charity has positively impacted his life. Gordon, a retired gentleman of 85, found himself feeling isolated and lonely after the loss of his wife and children. Age UK Norwich provided him with much-needed support through companionship, cookery classes and regular attendance to some of the weekly clubs including walking football and Riverside Multi-games. Gordon said “They [Age UK Norwich] took me by the hand and led me in the right direction”.

As the holiday season approaches, it’s a time for giving back and supporting those in need. By donating to Age UK Norwich, you can make a real difference in the lives of older people in our community. Your generosity can help provide essential services, combat loneliness, and ensure that no older person faces the festive season alone.

As 2024 draws to a close, it’s a great opportunity to reflect on our last year at Leading Business Services. From supporting vital community causes to expanding our professional connections and celebrating team achievements, this year has been one of growth, collaboration, and giving back.

Fundraising: Supporting Our Community

At Leading Business Services, we are deeply committed to making a positive impact in our local community. This year, our fundraising efforts have raised over £1,000 for various charities, thanks to our team’s enthusiasm and the generous support of local businesses and individuals.

• ‘Wear it Green Day’ for Mental Health Awareness: In support of the Mental Health Foundation, we raised over £350 through quizzes, sweepstakes, and a lively day of green-themed fun at the office. 

• Bake Sale for East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH): Our bake sale at Lawrence House in Norwich showcased the culinary skills of our team while raising over £500 for EACH, a charity that provides care for children with life-threatening conditions.

• Norwich Duck Race: For the first time, we participated in the Norwich Duck Race to support Break, a charity assisting vulnerable children and families. It was a fantastic day at Fye Bridge, with our team joining other local businesses for this creative and fun community event.

Thank you to everyone who supported our fundraising events this year—your generosity is truly appreciated.

Networking and Strengthening Community Ties

Staying connected with our local business community is essential to our work. This year, we attended numerous events to share insights, learn from industry experts, and expand our professional network.

• FIG Annual Conference: Claire and Dulcie represented Leading at our first FIG Annual Conference, held at Aviva’s historic Marble Hall in Norwich. The event was a fantastic opportunity to engage with the region’s financial and business leaders and gain insights into the sector’s future.

• Business Breakfasts at Howes Percival Solicitors: Claire, our Business Manager, regularly attended these informative events, exploring topics ranging from workplace flexibility to fostering health and motivation.

• Welcoming Liam to the Team: Our new Partnership Manager, Liam, brought over 20 years of experience in finance and business relationship-building. This year, Liam has attended numerous networking events, contributing fresh expertise to our growing team.

Celebrating Team Growth and Achievements

2024 has been a year of growth for Leading. We welcomed over 15 new members to the team, celebrated well-deserved promotions, and provided professional development opportunities, including additional training and conference attendance.

We also made time to celebrate these successes and get our team all together at regular team socials and events at venues within the local community.

 Looking Ahead to 2025

As we reflect on 2024, we are proud of all we’ve accomplished. From fundraising milestones to building stronger connections within the business community, this year has been a testament to our team’s dedication. 

We are excited to continue growing in 2025 and look forward to even more opportunities to help support our clients, our community, and our team.

Thank you to everyone who has supported Leading Business Services this year. We’re proud to be part of such a vibrant and collaborative local business community. 

As the vibrant lights of this holiday season twinkle and the year 2024 gradually comes to a graceful close, we’re all about setting the stage for your success in the New Year.

We at Smash Marketing remind you to check out our updated marketing packages for your brand’s growth in the new year.

Explore our packages here: https://smashmarketing.co.uk/marketing-packages/

One of our incredible clients has been smashing it (pun intended) since we worked our SEO magic. 🚀

Thanks to a tailored strategy and expert optimisation, they’re now outranking their competition and seeing a significant boost in traffic. More visibility = more customers = more growth! 💼✨

This is what happens when you combine the right SEO techniques with a dedicated team who knows what works.

Want to see your business soar like this? Let’s talk about how we can make it happen for you.

Check out our website for more information. 

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At Jarrold Logistics, we believe in giving back to the community that supports us. That’s why we were proud to step in and donate a team and a van on Thursday 12 December to help Chris Elliott and the fantastic team at The Feed with stock deliveries for their vital work.

The Feed’s mission is to 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘄𝗶𝗰𝗵, ensuring each and every person has the support to eat well, live well, and feel connected. They are making a huge impact in Norfolk, they received a generous donation of food stock – more than needed for their Social Supermarket.

Together, we helped transport the surplus to Norse Group, who work with the Norfolk Community Foundation and the Nourishing Norfolk network ensuring this vital stock reaches food hubs across the county.

The power of working together to fight food poverty and support sustainable local solutions. We’re proud to have played a small part in this big effort to support.

A big thank you to The Feed, Norse, and the Norfolk Community Foundation for their dedication to making a difference.

Jarrolds Logistics is a national delivery service with over 30 years of experience in the courier industry. We work with businesses in a diverse range of sectors, including engineering companies, wholesale hairdressing suppliers, and food and beverage distributors.

No job too small, we are here to support local businesses, we’re flexible and reliable, delivering a personal, customer-focused service that larger couriers cannot guarantee. Find out more today here: Jarrolds Logistics | Distribution and Delivery Specialists

Feeling overwhelmed by SEO, social media, PPC, and email campaigns?

Without a clear plan, it’s easy to fall behind your competitors and miss out on opportunities to grow your business. But it doesn’t have to be this way!

Join our FREE Marketing Workshop on December 16, 2024 and walk away with a personalised, actionable marketing plan for 2025. Plus, you’ll get a pre-session workbook to help you hit the ground running!

📅 Date: 16 December 2024⏰ Time: 6 PM GMT📍 Online

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Marketing Workshop Webinar

Bethany, Lorraine and Alan attended the Broadland Community at Heart Awards at the prestigious Royal Norwich Golf Club on 24th October.

The evening included delicious food in a beautifully decorated marquee, surrounded by inspirational people from Broadland. The night was topped off with The Joe Dix Foundation winning the ‘Community Organisation of the year’ award.

Find out more about the Joe Dix Foundation here

Attleborough based multi-service contractor Anglian, has been commended in the Green Apple Environment Awards 2024 for its Waste Recycling division.

The Green Apple Environment Awards are presented by The Green Organisation – an international, independent, non-profit, non-political, environment group dedicated to recognising, rewarding and promoting environmental best practice. Anglian was commended in this year’s awards for the growth and future development of its Waste Division including investment made to expand its onsite recycling operation.

Established in 2007 as a Demolition company, Anglian has always processed waste collected from every project, but as the company has grown, the requirement and opportunity to expand this area has increased. The creation of a dedicated Waste Recycling division in 2022 saw Anglian change its existing permit to allow sorting and treatment of commercial waste at its 10-acre site in Attleborough. Ongoing investment has enabled improvements in the yard to allow effective waste segregation and the installation of new machinery for final waste treatment processes. Anglian is in phase two of a four-phase development plan for the facility.

Toni Storer, director at Anglian, said: “We are delighted to receive the Green Apple commendation which is testament to the investment and hard work of the team at Anglian. Waste has always been part of our business and by developing our facility in Attleborough, we have been able to maximise recycling rates from every job we undertake and offer businesses in the region a more sustainable way to dispose of their waste. The site project is ongoing and forms part of our development plans at Anglian, which will continue to support the growth of our other divisions.”

A multi-service contractor, Anglian’s divisions include Anglian Demolition & Asbestos, Anglian Scaffolding, Anglian Earthworks & Remediation and Anglian Waste Recycling. For more details, see www.angliandemo.co.uk.

We wanted to acknowledge that Louise Howlett, R A Brown Heating Service, Commercial Director, was recognised with an award at the 30th H&V News awards on 28th November 2024 at the London Hilton Metropole.

Louise received an Outstanding Achievement of the Year award in recognition of her career within the industry, in particular she was recognised for her passion and focus on growing the skills needed within the heat pump sector for the next generation of engineers and installers.  Over the last 12 years the company has grown from 7 to 22 employees and since 2000 have trained 27 apprentices to become fully trained heating engineers who specialise in heat pumps.

Louise was attending the awards as a judge, as she had been involved in judging 3 categories at the H&V News awards this year and this award was completely unexpected.

R A Brown won its first H&V News award in 2013 and we have continued to be recognised for our heat pump installations each year.

We are really proud to have continued to grow our business and contribute to the industry on a wider level, for our director to be recognised for their contribution.

We are the local specialist installer in the Norfolk and Suffolk area who specialise in installing air and ground source heat pumps, mechanical ventilation heat recovery, underfloor heating and air conditioning.

The iQ Workspace iQuiet Booth Creates a Focus Haven in Your Office

Does your workspace suffer from noise pollution? Are confidential calls a challenge and brainstorming sessions interrupted by constant distractions? If you’re looking for a tranquil space to boost productivity and focus, look no further than the innovative iQ Workspace Quiet Booth.

Designed with Flexibility in Mind

Our recent collaboration with the Norfolk Chambers of Commerce demonstrates the power of flexible workspaces. Tasked with transforming the prestigious Grade II listed building, Hardwick House into a state-of-the-art business hub. iQ Workspace has successfully blended modern functionality with historical charm. This project included hot desking, meeting spaces, collaboration zones, and a business cafe, providing local businesses with a dynamic and professional environment.

A key element of this transformation was the iQuiet Booth, a four-seater haven designed to bring focus and flexibility to any office. Since its introduction, we’ve received many positive reviews about its ability to enhance productivity and provide a space for focused work.

Addressing the Noise Problem

At iQ Workspace, we understand the negative impact of noise pollution on business operations. We’ve seen that the iQuiet Booth offers numerous benefits, including:

• Focus and privacy: Ideal for confidential calls or concentrated work.
• Effective meetings: Host productive brainstorming sessions and team meetings without distractions.
• Additional features: Enjoy LED lighting, motion-sensor ventilation, USB charging ports, and comfortable seating.

As a local intelligent workspace solution company and member of the Norfolk Chambers of Commerce, we’re committed to helping local businesses address noise pollution challenges.

We’ve created a special offer for local businesses to combat noise pollution and transform their workspaces with the iQuiet Booth.

Flexible Leasing Options

We understand that every business has unique needs. That’s why we offer flexible leasing options to simplify budgeting and preserve capital with fixed monthly payments. Additionally, potential tax benefits can further enhance the value of your investment.

Limited Time Offer: Don’t Miss Out!

This is your chance to transform your office into a haven of productivity. We are actively seeking businesses struggling with noise pollution in their workspace. We have a solution for you, and we’d love to chat about how the iQuiet Booth can address your needs.

Feel free to contact our team or email sales@iqworkspace.co.uk and ask for Ian or Bob. They’ll happily answer any questions and help you find the perfect solution for your workspace needs.