Member News

In January the Swarm team was really proud to host a visit from four South Korean students from Yonsei University, who were looking to learn more about our education system and apprenticeships.

Ji-hyeon Park, the team leader, is a 21year old education major who organised the trip on behalf of the university as they have been researching about ‘Aptitude-Developing & Career-Coaching Education of Korea’. They came to the UK searching for the best practices of career education in UK with the view to introduce those successes to Korea.

During the two days in January, the Swarm team took them on a whistle stop tour of Norwich to take in the culture, and then over two days introduced them to Ormiston Victory Academy, Wymondham College and also meta number of business leaders and Chloe Smith at the Norwich 4 Jobs celebration event.

Ji-hyeon Park comments on their trip and their experience of the two days in the UK.

“We are an undergraduate research team from South Korea, which is funded by Yonsei University. We found Swarm Apprenticeships remarkable in doing such great apprentice programmes. It was quite impressive that Swarm’s programmes have been done in an aspect of entrepreneurship. Also, it was interesting that the founding spirit of Swarm Apprenticeships originated from Robert’s personal experience.

Students deserve second chance in their life, and apprenticeships are probably one of the best ways to provide such opportunity. Regarding the company’s structure, Swarm Apprenticeships is doing a great job. Even though it’s a new born company, the team in Swarm performed their distinct abilities to successfully thrive in the field of education.

South Korea is in a start-up level in career education for teenagers. Students still suffer from test-based educational atmosphere. But there happens some changes and movement for making better education which relate to real life experience and career. Therefore Norwich, the city was very amazing.

They have many meaningful projects like ‘Norwich for Jobs’ and many social enterprises to support apprenticeships of young people. It is very outstanding not only the city’s heritage but also the education trials. Including the school, Ormiston Victory Academy, the whole local community seems to successfully share visions about education for next generation. The great hospitality of Swarm Apprenticeships and also the Norwich city itself made our journey much more precious. It must be a great help to Korea for making better ways for career education. Unforgettable memories we had will be with us the whole life”.

Swarm’s Managing Director, Chris Perry was contacted back in November by the team at Yonsei who explained they had come across Swarm and wanted to visit. “I was a bit taken back by the original email as it’s not very often a small training provider like us gets noticed from half way around the world. It was a fantastic visit that taught me a lot about their culture and economy, and equally they learnt a lot about our education system. The students were an absolute delight to get to know over the two days, and I am really proud that the vision and values of a Norfolk apprenticeships provider like ourselves were able to influence research being done to challenge the current Korean education system.”

Aston Shaw, Chartered Certified Accountants have launched a monthly advice service to provide professional support and guidance to people with existing businesses or entrepreneurial ideas. As a part of the firm’s 2015 CSR strategy, Aston Shaw will run free advice sessions on the first Thursday of every month between 1pm and 5pm at all 5 office locations. To book a free business advice session, email: marketing@astonshaw.co.uk.

Due to launch on Thursday, 5th February 2015, these sessions are free to attend and open to anyone (e.g. employed, unemployed, going through redundancy, developing a business idea or a new business) who would like to receive free technical and practical business advice from a qualified professional.

Mark Noakes, Director, stated, “We want to drive forward local businesses in our area and give back to our community, so we decided to offer our advice and expertise to the local people who need it, but may not be able to afford it. The monthly free advice sessions will run on a ‘first come first served basis’ and we will advise on a range of topics from business, finance, tax, marketing and legal”.

The sessions will give existing and prospective business owners the chance to ask about:

• Business Research
• Business Plan
• Setting Up a Business
• Buying Premises
• Business Banking
• Tax
• Finance
• Business Insurance
• Staff & HR
• Advertising/Marketing/Social Media
• Business Networking
• Legal

Key Details:

• Every first Thursday afternoon of the month between 1-5pm
• Locations: Norwich, Cambridge, Ipswich, Great Yarmouth and Dereham
• On first come first served basis and free to attend
• Free business advice sessions must be booked in advance
• Technical and practical advice from qualified professionals
• Open to anyone regardless of circumstance e.g. employed, unemployed, going through redundancy, developing a business idea, getting into a new career or a new business (under 3 years old)

For full details and to book your session please email marketing@astonshaw.co.uk

www.astonshaw.co.uk

At Norwich Castle we need to raise £14,500 to re-gild the frame of one of our rarest and most famous paintings, The Paston Treasure, before it goes on display as the centrepiece of a major international exhibition.

Visitartfund.org/arthappens-norwichif you’d like to donate – and bag yourself some great rewards as a thank you for your support, including an exclusive tote bag, a beautiful photo-book or a VIP day that takes you behind the scenes at the museum.

The Paston Treasure is a Norfolk masterpiece of international importance. It was painted by an unknown Dutch artist at Oxnead Hall in Norfolk around 1670 and portrays some of the treasures collected by the famous Paston family.

See The Paston Treasure for yourself in the Treasure, Trade & the Exotic Gallery at Norwich Castle Museum and Art Gallery.

EarlyBird ticket sales for NorDevCon are still available for £95 + fee – less than half the standard ticket price! EarlyBird sales end this Friday, 13th February. You can purchase your tickethere.

This year, not only will the conference be a gathering of some of the brightest minds from the tech community, but over 100 business representatives from businesses in and around the county.

With somebusiness based sessionsand the opportunity to network with investors, designers and everything in between, the conference is the perfect chance to mingle with like minded folk and attend interactive sessions demonstrating how technological advances can add efficiency and value to a company’s business model.

Ali Clabburnof Norwich based Liftshare speaking on “How to get the best from developers when you haven’t got a clue” may be of particular interest to members.

Aspiring aviation students are one-step closer to achieving their ambitions after New Anglia LEP secured £3m Growth Fund money to kick-start the development of the aviation academy at Norwich International Airport.

The £12.5m project, unveiled in September 2013, will create an internationally-recognised centre of excellence for education and skills in aviation with a unique collaboration between the region’s employers, education groups, the LEP and local authorities.

It will be the first of its kind in the UK and support 80 engineering apprenticeships per year, as well as degree-level and further and higher education courses in engineering, airport operations and cabin crew training, for hundreds of students. The £3m secured by the LEP will pay for the creation of the centre at the airport.

Mark Pendlington, chairman of New Anglia LEP said: “This project is the centerpiece of all our ambitions to create an aviation cluster around Norwich Airport. The benefits of this academy will be felt by aviation businesses across the UK and the world, it will be a powerful draw for further inwards investment and once again give our region a strong competitive advantage over other key European locations. The academy presents a whole new world of opportunities for local students and we are delighted to have been able to support its creation.”

Andrew Bell, Chief Executive of Norwich International Airport, said. “The Norwich International Aviation Academy addresses two key issues. Firstly it helps to satisfy the demand for diverse skills at Norwich Airport, a demand which is increasing as the airport, and the businesses that are based here, grow. Without the right skills, the potential of these businesses, and of the Airport, will not be realised.

Secondly, it projects a clear message both across the UK and internationally that we are intent on becoming a centre of excellence for aviation. There is a well-documented global skills deficit across a range of aviation activities which the academy will help to address. This facility will enable local students to go global in their career ambitions, and will attract students into the region from the UK market and overseas.”

KLM UK Engineering Limited has been a founding partner in the project. Arjan Meijer, managing director, said: “KLM UK Engineering is looking forward to delivering its Aircraft Engineering courses to a much larger group of students through the NIAA than can currently be managed at our own college. This will allow the company to transfer its excellent skills and knowledge to the aircraft maintenance engineers of the future.

I am very excited about the academy as it will significantly increase the availability of local technically trained staff for our company. To interest future generations early-on for jobs in aviation is crucial, not only for sustaining our current aircraft maintenance business, but also to allow for further growth of our industry worldwide. The NIAA will position Norwich firmly on the international aviation industry map.”

Simon Witts, Chief Executive of Aviation Skills Partnership said: “We are delighted that we have been able to play a pivotal role in bringing the partners together to make this project a reality. With our main skills partners City College Norwich and University of East Anglia and main project partners NPS Group and WT Partnership, we are immensely proud that we can launch the first of our planned Aviation Skills Hubs in Norwich, a City within a region that I believe offers exactly the right ingredients for a successful academy”.

The remainder of the £12.5m investment is expected to come from loan funding and the private sector, who will provide the “real world” training experience with a full size aircraft, plus additional equipment and aviation facilities.

It is supported by a core group of founding partners, including KLM UK Engineering, Norwich International Airport, Aviation Skills Partnership, City College Norwich, University of East Anglia, New Anglia LEP, Norwich City Council, Norfolk County Council and Broadland District Council.

The Academy plans to open its doors in September 2016 although a ‘feeder’ programme with City College Norwich started in September 2014.

Build your CPD with this Royal Society for Public Health Level 2 qualification in Understanding Health Improvement, with the help of Active Norfolk’s Fit4Work.

This one day qualification course will give you the basic health advice, knowledge and understanding to effectively help people who need support and encouragement to adopt and maintain healthier lifestyles.

Two training sessions are available, and spaces are limited.

• NORWICH February 26 – UEA Sportspark, Norwich
• SOUTH NORFOLK March 26 – South Norfolk House, Long Stratton

Available for South Norfolk businesses only

This free training course is funded by Fit4Work, the workplace health programme delivered in the county by Active Norfolk.

For more information and to book the free training course through Fit4Work, please contact

• Katie Tierney on 01603 731 569 orKatie.tierney@activenorfolk.org.
• Website:www.activenorfolk.org/fit4work

Norwich‐based Metalfrog Studios Limited Presents New Social Media Website to Business Entrepreneurs at ICC Arena in Birmingham

Last Friday, Chris Wheeler, Managing Director of Award WinningDigital Marketing Agency, Metalfrog Studios Limited, presented a new interactive, responsive website, live on stage at the ICC Arena in Birmingham, with Serial Entrepreneur and Head of the newly formed Theo Paphitis Retail Group, Theo Paphitis.

Chris and Theo delivered a live demonstration of the site and showed its instant positive search engine impact upon winners of Theo’s Small Business Sunday Twitter initiative, to over 1000 business entrepreneurs.

The Metalfrog team has created a fantastic, bespoke web centre for the Winners to enable them to privately blog, add offers for general viewing, receive business tips, advice from Theo himself, and much more besides. The designers and developers, alongside the social media management and marketing team, at Metalfrog Studios have been working on this project for six months. This is the second version of the site Chris has delivered with Mr Paphitis.

Chris said ” It is an honour, a privilege, and also slightly nerve-racking, to be standing and presenting with such a prolific and influential person as Theo. The Ryman team and my company have become a great partnership, which has extended from simply being #SBS Winners, into creating the brand, the official badges, and the website. We have worked with (what was) Ryman Group for over three years now, and I am delighted that I can call Theo and his senior management team ‘friends’.

Theo said ” Chris and his team have done an amazing job on this website, working well with my team at Ryman. Chris has always had my admiration as someone who always delivers, for me and for other clients he has, and I would not hesitate in recommending him and Metalfrog to anyone. I am impressed.”

If you would like to visit the website you can find it here:https://www.theopaphitissbs.com #SBS is an initiative created by serial entrepreneur and head of the new Theo Paphitis retail group. Every Sunday he gives six lucky winners the opportunity to be showcased by re-tweeting their tweet, a powerful benefit endorsing your company to his 460,000 followers. To date there are now over 1100 winners, reaping the re-tweet rewards. Want to become a #SBS winner? www.theopaphitissbs.com

Metalfrog Studios Limited is a leading digital marketing web design company based in Norwich. Working with businesses large and small, to increase on-line presence through creative marketing techniques, intelligent investment, and understanding brand culture. If you would like to see how Metalfrog could shape your future online, whether with website design and development, digital marketing and search engine optimisation, or any other on-line services Metalfrog offers, please contact 01603 861830 or view the website :https://www.metalfrog.co.uk

JMS were approached by Campaign Works to produce a public information video about water-conservation for their client Affinity Water.

Armed with a storyboard involving slapping someone with a fish and the knowledge that they liked the cinematic style of “Sean Of The Dead” and “Hot Fuzz” director Edgar Wright, we set our production team on the hunt like blood hounds to sniff out suitable actors, locations and most importantly – props.

For the actors we knew we needed someone with a stereotypical Fisherman appearance to deliver the slap, and the iconic white beard and weathered red cheeks were found with Chris. More renowned for playing Father Christmas than Captain Birdseye, we were lucky to be shooting late summer, and the elves at The North Pole agreed that we could have him for the day. We also found Ian, our sleepy water-waster who was happy with the prospect of being slapped around the face for as many takes as required to get the shot. A rare breed indeed.

Finally we came to sourcing the perfect fish. One of our team enquired at a local supermarket “What fish would you recommend to slap someone round the face with?” The friendly but surprised Fishmonger selected a large fish from the icy display and demonstrated how the fish slap would play out on his rather shocked passing colleague. Our now excited researcher asked “Do you think it would lend itself to being covered in Vaseline, or makeup to bring out its natural features?” On receiving blank, confused stares from the Fishmonger and his colleague our intrepid researcher retreated rather quickly to the safety of the biscuit isle.

Anyway after test shots were complete we decided it best to proceed with a rubber fish afterall, and found a suitable one which was actually a dog toy… who knew! So on the day of the shoot, the crew, actors and rubber fish all performed well, Chris rose to the challenge and delivered the slap with stony faced precision, furrowed brow, and perfect comedic timing that matched Ian’s shocked performance. The star of the show though was obviously the fish.

Our recently refurbished offices and meeting rooms are the ideal venue for your meetings, seminars, conferences, training sessions, interviews, a place to grow your business or as a location to give your business a local presence.  Set in the centre of Thetford our flexible rooms can be configured to accommodate most needs.  Wireless internet access is available in all rooms.  Audio visual equipment is also available. 

Choose from our range of meeting rooms that can accommodate up to 14 people. 

Rooms can be booked for a whole or half day, and are fully equipped with:

• Tea, coffee and water
• Flip charts and pens
• Wireless internet access is available in all rooms
• Audio visual equipment is also available
• Ample free parking close by

We also provide hot desking facilities where desks can be hired by the week

Call 07799 465044 or email enquiries@angliahousebusinesscentre.co.uk to book your meeting room, arrange a viewing of for more information.

Anglia House Business Centre Bridge Street, Thetford, Norfolk, IP24 3AG www.angliahousebusinesscentre.co.uk

We all love great customer experiences. Let us be honest, these days it is expected as the absolute ‘norm’. How do you get your most important customer to be as passionate as you are about this hot topic. We at www.shopperanonymous.co.uk specialise in helping you with this. In the meantime, read on and find some great yet simple tips and advice in our monthly newlsetter.

https://createsend.com/t/j-521909C203C88DB3

Norfolk charity The Hamlet Centre Trust gives unstinting support to families facing challenges most of us would find unbearable. So JMS has been excited and energised by the commission of a charity video to ‘tell the Hamlet Centre story’ as part of the Trust’s major awareness and fund-raising initiative for 2015.

Far from the traditional tugging-at-the-heartstrings appeal, everything in the film emphasises the personal, purposeful and positive, work of the Trust. So the programme opens with hand-drawn animation produced by our Motion Graphics designer Hugh South, taking the viewer from rural Norfolk right into the city centre with The Hamlet Centre at its heart, but ensuring that en route we pass animations of real-life staff and Norfolk landmarks, making a colourful and descriptive introduction to the main film shot on location at the centre.

For this, JMS crew filmed across two days in the Summer, following the staff, children and young adults, capturing unrehearsed and insightful snapshots of life in the Centre, and interviews with parents and key staff about the great work taking place there every day.

In December the programme premiered at a special awards ceremony hosted at The Forum in Norwich, where it met with praise from all the families and staff involved. And from Pauline Morgan Chief Executive Officer, we received the simple but immensely gratifying note: “The feedback is fantastic – everyone loves it!”

With less than 4 weeks to go to NorDevCon ticket sales have already exceeded 200.Early Bird ticketsare still available until 13th February at £95 + fees – less than half the standard ticket price! Conference Dinner tickets, which are only available until Friday 6th February, have sold well and there are now only 13 left. The Conference Dinner provides an exceptional opportunity to network with speakers and delegates and is excellent value at only £35.00 for a 3 course meal. You can purchase a tickethere

This year, not only will the conference be a gathering of some of the brightest minds from the tech community, but over 100 business representatives from businesses in and around the county.

With somebusiness based sessionsand the opportunity to network with investors, designers and everything in between, the conference is the perfect chance to mingle with like minded folk and attend interactive sessions demonstrating how technological advances can add efficiency and value to a company’s business model.

Neil Garnerof Proxama may be a speaker of particular interest to members.