Member News

Norwich based Kettle Foods, producers of Kettle Chips, is the latest company to sign up for the nook business network scheme, pledging to raise funds for East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH) nook appeal to help deliver a new purpose-built children’s hospice in the heart of Norfolk.

Kettle Foods has supported the charity’s current Quidenham hospice for over 20 years through fundraising, promotion of the charity’s work and gift and product supply. Most recently they also co-sponsored the nook appeal launch event in November, at the Norfolk Showground, in the presence of EACH Royal Patron HRH The Duchess of Cambridge.

The support from the company continues with Kettle Foods signing-up to the charity’s new corporate scheme for local businesses – the nook business network. This new scheme encourages companies to commit to raising money over the duration of the appeal in return for a numberof benefits and support the charity will provide.

Dominic Lowe, Managing Director of Kettle Foods, said: “As part of our contribution to the local community Kettle Foods has been a long-term supporter of Quidenham and the important work that they do at the hospice. We feel passionate about giving something back and so are really pleased to be involved in raising funds for the much needed services that will be provided by the nook.”

Gary Cook, the nook appeal corporate fundraiser, said: “It’s absolutely fantastic that Kettle Foods has seen fit to continue its long-term support of EACH by pledging to help us make our vision of a new purpose-built children’s hospice in Norfolk, for Norfolk families a reality.

“We really enjoy working with the team at Kettle Foods who are proactive in their support and in all that we do. The generosity, not only from the company but also the individuals within the company with their time, effort and enthusiasm is extremely heart-warming. I know Kettle Foods place a lot of emphasis on its role within the community and their continued support further displays this. We look forweard to working with them going forward.”

Anyone who is interested in finding out more about the appeal or the nook business network, should contact the Norfolk Fundraising Team on 01603 666767 or funding@each.org.uk and for more information about Kettle Foods visit: www.kettlefoods.co.uk

The demands placed on senior financial professionals in both the public and private sectors have never been greater. The role and responsibilities have evolved considerably over the last decade. They have become increasingly complex with FDs having to balance heightened levels of scrutiny and accountability whilst contributing to the strategic direction of an organisation.

In Pure’s work in helping employers recruit senior finance professionals and providing executive career coaching, we have seen first-hand just how much the skillset has changed in the last 10 years. Ahead of our next Future FDs Forum in June, run in partnership with Deloitte, we thought now would be the ideal opportunity to take a look at the skills required by the next generation of FDs.

From change management to commercial acumen, aspiring FDs need to develop a broader set of qualities alongside technical knowledge. Below is a glance at the breadth of leadership skills required by professionals who are aiming for promotion.

1. Influencing key stakeholders

Influencing fellow board members and external stakeholders is a key skill, since FDs are answerable to a wide range of people. They are also expected to answer questions, explain results and forecasts, and identify growth opportunities. Knowing how to influence and challenge people including the CEO, non-executive directors, investors, shareholders, customers, legal partners, trade organisations, auditors and banks requires exceptional skills in relationship building, negotiation and persuasion.

2. Strong leadership

Motivating and inspiring a team is key to employee productivity, loyalty and creativity. A strong leader uses a whole range of skills and qualities to generate excellent results; high levels of energy, determination, focus and vision drives people to perform at their best. Positivity is also a key to unlocking people’s potential – everyone wants to work in a happy team, especially during times of additional pressure.

3. Managing change

Many organisations operate in fast-paced environments, developing in line with shifting customer expectations and rapid economic changes. Ineffective change management can do serious damage to an organisation’s reputation, employee morale and performance. Since FDs are involved in making major business decisions and with change happening more frequently, senior finance professionals need to have proven experience on their CVs.

4. Commercial insight

Whether you work in the private, public or not-for-profit sector, commercial acumen has become absolutely crucial. Understanding how business works, customer behaviour, market trends and the broader industry all influence the strategic decisions made by the FD. Therefore, keeping up to date on commercial developments is a must.

5. Clear communication

Where finance professionals may have solid accountancy expertise, they also need the qualities that help them engage confidentially with people from non-finance backgrounds.They need to bring financial data to life and put it into context, so people understand the implications of the information for them and their teams. Taking the time to hone and develop your communication and presentation skills, will pay dividends in the medium term.

If you are an aspiring FD and you would like an opportunity to develop these skills, come along to our next workshop. In addition to the seminars, delegates also have access to mentors who are all highly experienced CFOs. The next seminar, ‘Making the Change’, takes place in Cambridge on June 4th. Contact Gill Buchanan to find out more: 01223 209888 or gill@prs.uk.com.

Norfolk’s Recycling Revolution continues to go from strength to strength with the latest campaign push focusing on rinsing the recycling before putting it in the bin to be recycled. Norfolk’s residents have really got behind the recycling effort and with the new types of rubbish being accepted at the Costessey plant it means thousands of tonnes of more rubbish canbe recycled.

Two issues remain however and they are around contamination – either food or liquid remaining in carton/bottle/tub or the rubbish being ‘bagged’ up. The ‘Rinse and Recycle’ campaign aims to tackle this issue to ensure as much rubbish as possible can be recycled.It’s supported by a colourfulposter campaign and a new 3 minute video JMS producedfor Norse (see below)to show how the plant works and the importance of cleaning out the rubbish before putting it in the bin.

Doing things right

We’re the Flagship Group – the east of England’s largesthousing association. We are a strong business,providing homes for affordable and market rent,and for sale. And we maintain homesand support the communities they’re part of.

To help deliver our ambitions, we’re looking for people withsuccessful entrepreneurial or commercial backgrounds:

Non-executive directors

• Flagship Group Board x 2*

£12,330 pa – under review

• RFT Board (our maintenance company) x 1

£6,000 pa

(*x 1 for March 2016)

Board co-optees

• Flagship Group Board x 1 or 2

£2,000 pa retainer, plus day rate

To apply, visit: flagship-housing.co.uk/jobs-and-careers

We’d love to hear from you.

If you ever question whether you are successful as a good employer and that your engagement strategy is working well, Pure can give you guidance to help you identify some of the typical signs.

Since Pure is the proud sponsor of the Employer of the Year category at this week’s Cambridge News Business Excellence Awards, we are using our blog to share some of our expertise in this area.

So drawing from the awards and our own initiative, Best Employer Eastern Region, we have selected some key indicators that can help you get a snapshot of whether you have a positive workplace, and whether staff enjoy working for you. We suggest looking through the below list to see if you recognise these encouraging signs:

1.A positive staff survey

If you already run regular staff surveys and respond to opinion, then you are already doing the right thing. However, it is not just the results that matter – depending on the size of your organisation, if you can achieve a minimum 75% response rate, you have a very reliable indicator that you are taking the right approach to engagement. It is also likely that they believe their views are valued and will be taken on board.

2. Results are improving

Many leading brands put employee engagement at the core of their business strategy since they know it can boost productivity and support customer relationships. For instance, LEGO says its 15% growth in profits is due to “highly engaged” employees. If you are also seeing improving results and a high level of repeat business, your staff are probably happy in their jobs and are giving customers an excellent service as a result.

3. A mutually respectful culture

If your employees seem to genuinely care about each other’s progress and wellbeing, you can be confident that your leadership has influenced this behaviour. A culture of mutual respect and support is essential to a happy workforce, but the challenge is to maintain this, especially during times of change or disruption. Being honest and as open as possible is always the best approach.

4. Staff engage with their managers

Good employers rely on strong relationships between managers and their teams. Research shows that the main reason people either stay with an organisation or leave, is because of their relationship with their line manager. For example, open communication channels between employees and managers help people feel that their opinions are taken seriously, and that they matter. Therefore, spending budget on developing your managers to support these key relationships is one of the best investments you can make.

5. Positive outside opinion

They say word of mouth is the best form of advertising, and an organisation’s reputation spreads quickly among local communities. If people outside your organisation are saying good things about you, then your employees have probably become excellent advocates. Not only is this kind of feedback very rewarding, but it is invaluable in regards to your employer brand when you are recruiting.

6. You are attracting high quality candidates

Staying with the subject of recruitment, if candidates cite your reputation as a good employer as a reason for applying for jobs, you should feel very proud. Your reputation attracts high quality applicants who want to work for a supportive employer; and they are more likely to stay and develop their careers with you.

7. Your staff engage with charity work

A good employer knows that driving business purely to maximise profit does not cut it with its people. As a result, it is becoming increasingly common to mobilise staff to give something back to its communities. Engaging employees in charity fundraising or volunteering is rewarding and empowering. If your teams are happy to organise and engage with the activities, they are probably responding to your leadership’s passion for giving something back.

We hope thatthis quick list provides a steer as to whether you are on course as a good employer, or whether you need to change tack and revamp your engagement methods. Either way, if you need advice, please get in touch with us on: 01223 209888 or nicola.robinson@prs.uk.com.

• Mattioli Woods recognised in second edition of London Stock Exchange’s 1000 Companies to Inspire Britain report 2015
• Identifies fastest-growing and most dynamic small and medium sized businesses (SMEs) in UK
• Recognition of Mattioli Woods’ continued success in becoming one of the UK’s leading providers of wealth management and employee benefit services

Mattioli Woods has been identified as one of London Stock Exchange’s 1000 Companies to Inspire Britain. The report is a celebration of the UK’s fastest-growing and most dynamic small and medium sized businesses.

To be included in the list, companies needed to show consistent revenue growth over a minimum of three years, significantly outperforming their industry peers. More detail on the methodology can be found in the report online at www.1000companies.com.

Mattioli Woods is one of the UK’s leading providers of wealth management and employee benefit services. Over the past 24 years, Mattioli Woods has created one of the most successful businesses in its area of expertise, becoming an AIM-listed company with over 6,000 clients. It now has offices in Leicester, Aberdeen, Glasgow, London and Newmarket.

Inclusion in the London Stock Exchange’s 1000 Companies to Inspire Britain list comes off the back of recent strong results which saw the company report a 23.4% increase in revenue for the first half of this financial year.

Ian Mattioli, CEO, Mattioli Woods said: “We are delighted to be recognised as one of London Stock Exchange’s 1000 Companies to Inspire Britain. As we enter our 25th year, we are witnessing very exciting times for the business as we look to position ourselves as a leading 21st century financial services provider. Recognition like this serves to reinforce our ethos and rewards the hard work shown by our employees to get us where we are today.”

Xavier Rolet, Chief Executive, London Stock Exchange Group said: “This report is a significant part of London Stock Exchange’s broader campaign to support UK high growth companies in their journeys from Start-up to Stardom and to create an entrepreneurship revolution. I’m delighted that a strong alliance between UK Government, financial market participants, investors, entrepreneurs and companies has been created to support these inspiring businesses.”

A full searchable database of all of the companies, along with a downloadable pdf of the publication, can be found online at www.1000companies.com.

Alan Boswell Group has been recognised by Norwich City College as winners of the ‘Overall contribution to apprentices and workplace learning’ award. The annual awards were hosted by the Principal at Norwich City College, Corrienne Peasgood, to recognise local businesses who are supporting apprentices through the College.

The event was run to coincide with National Apprenticeship week which celebrates apprenticeships and the positive impact they have on individuals, businesses and the wider economy. Director of Alan Boswell Insurance Brokers, Heath Alexander-Bew, said: “We are delighted to have won this award. It reflects the excellent opportunities our scheme provides and how important nurturing young talent is to the organisation. The enthusiasm of the apprentices is also key to the success of the scheme and adds a real positive vibe to the business.”

Also attending the awards were some of Alan Boswell Group’s current and previous apprentices; Jess Read, Lydia Warnes and Tom Cullum. Lydia said: “The evening was a lovely event celebrating apprentices in Norfolk. It was great to meet and speak to other apprentices and employers about their experiences and how their apprenticeship scheme differs to ours.”

Alan Boswell Group will shortly be advertising the opportunity for two new apprentices to join the award winning scheme which is now in its sixth year. The programme spans three years and allows the individual to gain experience across the business including commercial business, underwriting and claims. Apprentices work towards an NVQ and the Chartered Insurance Institute Certificate in partnership with City College Norwich. If you are interested in applying or would like further information about joining the scheme please contact Gillian Anderson Brown on 01603 218015 or gabrown@alanboswell.com

KLM UK Engineering has been sponsoring the Rotary Technology Tournament for over 5 years and supporting them with a representative from our Technical Training College. This year Nick Jackson, Technical Training Instructor, represented KLM UK Engineering and assisted with the judging of the event.

The event challenge this year was tobuilda device that could carry supplies across a river using apack provided on the day. The competition comprised ofFoundation, Intermediate and Advanced level, withthe studentsproducinga portfolio of how they would tackle the task with example drawings.The judging teams werethere to encourage the studentsand to keep an eye on the event timings. The Rotarians had already produced the cable suspended on a rig for the carriage to sit on.Lots of gluing, drilling and testing ensued and at the end of theallotted time for construction, the teams came up on stage in their respectivecategories and tested their designs. There was a winner for each category with the overall winnersbeing Langley SchoolIntermediates (as pictured being presented with the trophy). Well done to all who took part

Fantastic new Business Rooms open – central location, elegant Victorian building with a moderen funky professional interior. super wi-fi and great facilities. Training and meeting rooms to hire- with interactive smart baords, magnetic glass writing boards and great refreshments

Ideal for all businesses; but also for coworkers and hot-desking

Research suggests that when you start a new job, it’s the first 90 days that can have a significant impact on your success in the role and organisation longer term.

You only have one opportunity, so it’s worth taking time to think about how you can use your first three months to make the best possible impression, and establish yourself in the job.

Your new boss and colleagues will be watching your initial decisions. So, whether you are joining a start-up, a blue chip company, a charity or a public sector organisation, what you do in your first quarter could be vital to your success.

Pure really cares about the people we place injobs across the East of England,and we do what we can to support them to get the most from their new roles. So, we have drawn on our 15 years of experience to give you a few tips for your first 90 days…

1.Make a positive impression

Since your new colleagueshave no basis on which to judge you, the impression you make could be fundamental to how people engage with you in the future. Start as you mean to continue: be professional and stay curious, be approachable and polite, and really pay attention to how things are done. In terms of getting to know colleagues, take interest in their roles and current projects, and get to know the dynamics between people and teams. This enables you to make your first conversations more personal, which helps build rapport.

2.Be patient

Although you are expected to deliver results eventually, you should be patient instead of rushing with ambitious goals. Since you will be developing your knowledge of the organisation’s industry, its customers, competitors, products, services and people, you simply cannot know it all from the start. If, initially, you are unable to answer certain questions or carry out more complex tasks, simply be honest, tactful and positive. When you have absorbed the necessary information, you will be in a stronger position to really start performing at your best.

3.Work with a career coach

Almost all of the most successful people we work with have benefitted from working with an experienced coach at some point in their career. Engaging the services of a Coach at the start of a new job, can have a huge impact in helping you make the best of your first 3 months with your new employer. They are a trusted third party who acts as a sounding board and can also help you shift perspective, so you can see the bigger picture. This helps you establish a focussed and purposeful approach to your new job. A coach can also help you avoid the pitfalls and increase your confidence, by providing an objective, yet compassionate ear, and trustworthy advice. It is worth working with a coach even before a new job starts, since this gives you time to build up a relationship with them and prepare for your first few days.

4.Establish team leadership

If you are a manager, take time to get to know your team as well as other senior colleagues. Begin your new role by building trust among your staff and listen closely to their experiences, ideas and opinions. Building relationships this way enables you to nurture a strong team spirit and establish yourself as a supportive leader from day one. Your team may also need reassurance, especially if they have gone through changes prior to your arrival. Also, trust gained in the early days will support a smoother transition when and if you want to make changes in the future.

5.Adapt to a new culture

You probably applied for your new job because you were attracted by the employer’s unique ethos. Since its culture will be new to you, use your first few weeks to absorb what goes on around you. For instance, look at how your organisation engages with its customers, its employees and the local community. Some of the behaviour could have strong roots in its history, so read up on that to gain a greater appreciation of its origins. Also, look at how new ideas are developed and implemented, and how the organisation communicates; it may use different vocabulary to your old workplace.

The first 90 days can be a challenging period, but our advice should help you settle in and make a positive impact. By giving yourself time to learn about your new organisation, the culture and colleagues, you are laying foundations for your professional success.

One of East Anglia’s leading recruitment specialists, Pure Resourcing Solutions (Pure) hosted a fun-packed annual charity quiz night last night (Thursday March 12th) raising £2,107 for East Anglia’s Children’s Hospice (EACH)

The evening saw brainy businesses gathering at Dunston Hall Hotel in Norwich to raise money for the East Anglian charity dedicated to providing support to families and care for children and young people with life-threatening conditions across Cambridgeshire, Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk.

Teams such as’My drinking team has a trivia problem!’ from Victory Housingand ‘Booja Bubbles’ from Booja Booja turned Einstein for the evening to answer brain-busting questions, however, it was Team Energy Resources, that claimed the quiz crown with each lucky team member winning a bottle of champagne. Second place went to Aquaterra winning Cinema City tickets and third place to NCHC winning a Hotel Chocolat goodie bag.

A raffle also proved popular with superb prizes including a silent auction offering a made to measure or off the peg jacket or suit from Wensum Tailoring. These were snapped up by a team member from Smithfield Foods and TRO with all proceeds going to EACH.

Joseph O’Sullivan, Manager of Pure’s Norwich Office, says,

“The quiz night was a huge success which is largely down to all the fantastic businesses that came along to support such a worthy cause. We’re delighted to have been able to raise such a wonderful amount for EACH. I would like to thank everyone that attended, donated and contributed generously to the event and hope they can join us again next year!”

Carol Plunkett, Fundraiser at EACH Norfolk, says,

“On behalf of EACH, I would like to thank all participating businesses and Pure for their support. All care provided from the hospice is free and available 24/7 and we rely on fundraising initiatives like this to continue to care for local life threatened children, and support for their families, helping them to make the most of life, no matter how short. “

Pure is committed to its charity partners across the region and has raised £83,304.68 to date. To find out more about their charity activity this year contact Anna Hill, Marketing Manager on: 01223 209888 orAnna.Hill@prs.uk.com.

Six months on from the merger and re-brand of Aston Shaw and Morgan Woods, the newly amalgamated firm has enjoyed higher than predicted growth since August 2014. The number of employees has risen from approximately 70 at the time of the merger, to almost 90 employees as of today. Over the course of the year Aston Shaw took on 17 apprentices with more current employees finishing their first year with exam passes.

Dominic Shaw, Director, commented: “The reaction from clients has been extremely positive and we couldn’t be happier with the way things have gone. Everyone has adjusted superbly and the new processes and systems put in place have been embraced by both staff and clients. It’s a big change for everyone who works here but it is a positive one – we’re really excited for what 2015 can bring”.

As a result of the merger, Aston Shaw now has 5 offices in Norwich, Cambridge, Ipswich, Great Yarmouth ad Dereham. This has given clients the benefit of less travel and easier access to their dedicated Client Manager.

One of Aston Shaw’s Norfolk based clients added, “We’ve been using Aston Shaw as our accountants for the best part of 10 years now and we are really pleased with the new changes. They have managed to keep the personal touch which made us stick with them and their added resource means my business is dealt with quicker than ever”.

To coincide with the merger Aston Shaw, re-branded and released a brand new website: www.astonshaw.co.uk.