Member News

Norwich hotel and airport set for biggest student takeover as college celebrates hospitality milestone

To mark 100 years of hospitality and catering at City College Norwich, more than 100 students will take part in the most ambitious student takeover yet – which this year has been extended to include Norwich International Airport.

The week of 24th to 28th February will see a series of firsts for what is believed to the largest student takeover in the UK:

 The takeover of the Holiday Inn Norwich North will extend to 5 full days, involving around 100 students;  12 travel and tourism students will take over roles at Norwich International Airport and at the airport’s travel agency in the city centre for 3 days;  Students will cater for two major functions at the hotel, each for around 300 guests, with the Big Hospitality Conversation and the College’s hospitality centenary gala dinner.

Since the first hotel takeover in 1998, the number of students involved has grown each year, extending to include not only hospitality and catering but also students on sports, personal fitness training, and travel and tourism courses. At its heart, the annual takeover remains about working with employers to give students a unique opportunity to experience first-hand what it is like to work in hospitality.

During takeover week staff throughout the 4-star Holiday Inn Norwich North hotel, up to and including General Manager Bill Heath, will take a step back and allow students to take on their jobs, covering everything from reception, to housekeeping, bar management, food preparation, food service and supervisory and management roles.

As if this was not enough of a challenge (with the students required to maintain the hotel’s usual high standards of service at all times), the takeover students will also be providing catering and front of house service for two major functions:

 The Big Hospitality Conversation on Thursday 27th February, convened by the British Hospitality Association, will bring together employers from the sector to meet with young people and talk about tackling youth unemployment, the importance of work experience and apprenticeships;  The College’s Hospitality and Catering Centenary Gala Dinner on the evening of Thursday 27th February will see 300 guests enjoy a dinner and dance in the Lancaster Suite and will help fundraise for hospitality charity Springboard and City College Norwich’s Student Opportunities Fund.

A stone’s throw from the Holiday Inn Norwich North, travel and tourism students will also be putting their skills to the test as they stage a takeover of Norwich International Airport, on a smaller scale, from Monday 24th to Wednesday 26th February.

Six students will be putting in some early starts at the airport – with some shifts beginning at 5am – to work on the customer service and information desk, at check-in and boarding.

Meanwhile six of their fellow students on the Level 3 Diploma in Travel and Tourism will be gaining valuable experience on the sales and bookings side of the business, working at the airport’s travel agency, Travel Norwich Airport, within the airport terminal building and at Castle Mall, Norwich.

Bill Heath, General Manager, Holiday Inn Norwich North, said:

“The experience the students gain from this initiative is invaluable in their understanding of the hotel industry. Nothing beats real, hands-on, work experience and because they’re here for a week they’ll get to see all aspects of how a busy hotel and conference hotel operates from one day to the next. We are delighted that Andrew and his team from the airport are joining us this year and we look forward to it being a long and enjoyable partnership.”

Andrew Bell, CEO, Norwich International Airport, commented:

“The Airport team is looking forward to welcoming the City College takeover students to Norwich Airport and we hope that this will mark the beginning of a long term association with this excellent initiative.”

Corrienne Peasgood, Principal, City College Norwich, added:

“The hotel and airport takeover is one of the best examples of how employers and colleges can work together to develop real learning experiences for students, which is a key part of our commitment as a Gazelle College. We are very proud of our partnerships with employers, which help support the development of the future workforce whilst ensuring our courses continue to keep pace with changing industry needs.”

Tickets for the College’s Hospitality and Catering Centenary Gala Dinner on Thursday 27th February, which includes a 3-course meal, arrival drink and canapés and a live band, are available now by calling (01603) 773227. Full payment of £22 per person is required at the time of booking and the last day to book is Wednesday 19th February.

Notes to editors

100 years of hospitality and catering at City College Norwich City College Norwich is celebrating the recent landmark of 100 years of hospitality and catering training. It was in 1913 that the then Technical Institute formally absorbed the Norfolk and Norwich School of Cookery, establishing a Domestic Science Department within the college for the first time. In the 100 years since then thousands of students have been trained in City College Norwich’s highly regarded Hotel School, going on to work in leading restaurants and hotels in Norfolk, throughout the UK and indeed around the world.

The Hotel School’s reputation for training excellence saw its students heavily involved in catering for Her Majesty the Queen at Sandringham as part of both the Golden Jubilee in 2002 and the Diamond Jubilee celebrations in 2012. Notable alumni of the Hotel School include Michelin-starred chef Tom Aikens, Richard Bainbridge (head chef at Morston Hall in Holt), Danny Savage (head chef at the Kings Head, Bawbrough), Julia Hetherton (head chef at Strattons Hotel), Richard Knights (head chef at Byfords) and Andy Snowling (Executive Chef of Animal Inns).

The Big Hospitality Conversation The Big Hospitality Conversation, led by the British Hospitality Association, together with Springboard and Business in the Community, brings together influential leaders from leading hospitality businesses and invites them to meet young people, stimulating dialogue and encouraging more quality work experience, apprenticeships and jobs in the UK for 16-24 year olds. As well as generating work and opportunities, the Big Conversation enables the industry, through the BHA, to take a powerful message to government on hospitality’s significant contribution to economic recovery, tackling youth unemployment and stimulating growth.

In the past twelve months over 1,200 industry representatives have attended the Big Hospitality Conversation events, pledging the creation of 33,000 new job opportunities between now and 2015 (with more to come).

The Big Hospitality Conversation in Norwich is being held at 9am at the Holiday Inn Norwich North on Thursday 27th February 2014. For more information, please contact Julia Svetlosakova, Communications Executive, BHA, on 07701 050 216 or email Julia.Svetlosakova@bha.org.uk.

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Technical lead will ensure company self-sufficiency plus excellence in service delivery and results.

Norwich based business telecommunications company, Comms Supply, an EDP Future50 company, announces the appointment of a new senior member of staff. Paul Frost, in the newly created position of technical lead, is now responsible for telephone system installations and the smooth running of technical services for all Comms Supply clients, across East Anglia and beyond. The appointment is significant for Comms Supply because even the most technical issue or installation associated with business telecoms can now be handled in-house.

Karl Alderton, managing director of Comms Supply, said: “In the last 18 months we have grown from a team of two to a team of seven. Paul Frost joining us is a huge asset; he has over 18 years experience within our industry and can easily explain technical issues in simple jargon free language that our customers from all walks of life understand. We can now guarantee excellence for our customers in terms of service delivery and results, without having to rely on external contractors.”

Paul Frost, technical lead at Comms Supply said: “Telecoms is the lifeblood of any successful business and the impact if something goes wrong can be immense. I enjoy my job and find making things easier for people incredibly rewarding. One of the things that attracted me to Comms Supply was that open, honest communications is at the heart of everything the company does. I know from experience that it is easy for the telecoms industry to bamboozle customers with technical jargon; putting people at an unfair disadvantage when it comes to understanding systems or making informed purchasing choices. This straight talking ethos is particularly crucial in my role at Comms Supply as technical lead, which is really refreshing.”

In June 2013, Comms Supply achieved £1million turnover and continues to exceed its targets. Along with a core business base within East Anglia, Comms Supply has clients across the UK, including Devon, Manchester, London and Yorkshire. In Norfolk, Comms Supply is proud to work with Nelson’s Journey, Air Livery, Seajacks, NWES, The Forum, East Anglian Air Ambulance and Blue Sky Leisure, and many others.

To find out more about Comms Supply or to book a free business telecoms audit visit www.commssupply.co.uk or call 0333 2020 900.

ENDS

For more information please contact:

Amber Davis or Pippa Lain-Smith at Plain Speaking PR 01603 487 291amber@plainspeakingpr.co.uk | pippa@plainspeakingpr.co.uk

Notes to editors:

Comms Supply launched in early 2012, providing customers across East Anglia, and beyond, with a range of business telecoms services: from basic phone or broadband line rental to complete systems.

Find out about Scholarship opportunities for those looking to study Law at UEA.

The Law School at the University of East Anglia is offering a number of scholarships for its specialist Taught Masters (LLM) degrees starting in September 2014. The awards available include up to ten Academic Excellence scholarships worth between £1,000 and £4,000. In addition, there is an automatic 10% Early Application Scholarship for both UK/EU and International offer holders on an LLM degree.

The Law School offers a number of LLM degrees on a one-year full-time basis. We work with you to improve your employability through the development of legal and transferable skills which are integrated into all LLM degrees. Law graduates are highly regarded by employers both in and outside the legal profession and the School has well-established and excellent relationships with many local, regional, national and international law firms.

The deadline to be considered for each award varies, the earliest of which is 4 April 2014, though you are advised to apply early for the Academic Excellence Scholarships. To view the full range of scholarships and their associated application requirements please see our website. If you have any questions about our postgraduate scholarships please contact our Admissions Office.

The issue of gender diversity within the workplace is hotter than ever. Next month the 2014 Female FTSE Board report is out, providing an update on how the UK’s leading businesses are doing in terms of getting more women board members. Signs so far this year are positive with reports of more than 20% of FTSE 100 company boards comprising women directors.

So why is it such a burning topic? Well, it has been proven that more gender diverse boards generate better profits and arrive at better decisions. As a consequence, the government and the EU want to see British businesses taking this task seriously to aid economic recovery and sustain a healthy bottom line.

On a regional level Pure Resourcing Solutions (Pure), a recruitment agency specialising in Accountancy, Financial Services, HR, Office and Executive roles, is approaching this challenge with passion. The newly developed Women’s Leadership Programme offers aspiring professional women a unique opportunity to make the most of opportunities and develop their careers. It sets itself apart from other female development programmes with its dual approach, which enables participants to become effective leaders while receiving support from a sponsor who will act as their mentor.

Run over six to eight weeks in partnership with People & Performance Ltd, the programme helps professional women develop their leadership style, maximise on opportunities at home and work, and be their authentic selves at work. In addition, the programme invites women and men in senior roles to be sponsors of the women in their organisation who are enrolled on the course.

Lynn Walters, Director of Pure, says: “Simply developing women and dropping them back into the same organisational culture without any additional support is not effective. Our programme’s distinctive dual approach seeks to develop and challenge workplaces so they can enable women’s senior career development, while also developing their skills and confidence.” Christina Youell of People & Performance says: “By including the sponsor the delegates will have a better chance of putting into practice what they learn from the programme, resulting in long-term success. The sponsors will support women by, for example, recognising and addressing workplace behaviour that could impede women’s career progression, and by providing advice.”

The Women’s Leadership Programme has struck a chord with employers, with many of the region’s top businesses already signing up delegates. Employers appreciate that it will enable them to make real progress on improving gender balance.

In addition, the programme has already attracted highly esteemed female figures who joined potential sponsors at a recent series of meetings across the eastern region.

“We were delighted to have two very accomplished and inspiring women speak at recent breakfast meetings for the programme,” adds Lynn. “Ann Cotton OBE is the Founder and President of Camfed – a charity that tackles poverty through educating girls in rural Africa – and Dame Rachel De Souza is CEO of The Inspiration Trust. Both gave inspiring talks and reminded us of the value of female leadership.”

Ann drew parallels between Camfed’s work and the Women’s Leadership Programme, which both aim to empower women to reach their full potential. An example of how Camfed supports women is the wonderful story of Runyararo from Zimbabwe. At 13 she was taken out of school to work in the fields after her father fell ill with tuberculosis, but thanks to the charity’s support she was able to return to education and went on to study medicine and become a paediatrician.

Dame Rachel De Souza is busy transforming the education landscape in Norfolk. She is currently working to improve standards at seven schools, which are significantly benefitting from her inspirational leadership approach. Rachel has achieved a huge amount in education and was made a Dame in the 2013 New Year Honours list. At one of the recent meetings with programme sponsors Rachel shared advice based on her own strategies and insights into aspirations of female students in the East of England.

The Women’s Leadership Programme is taking place in Cambridge and Ipswich between March and May. If you would like to be a delegate or be a sponsor for a woman from your organisation, contact Lynn Walters, for details on: 01223 209888 or lynn.walters@prs.uk.com.

Follow the link for further information on the Women’s Leadership Programme; https://www.prs.uk.com/media/119237/Women_in_Leadership_Information.pdf

Greater Anglia’s Revenue Protection team has been awarded the prestigious ‘Investor in People’ Silver status in recognition of its progressive approach to business improvement through its people.

Around 350 members of staff work in the train operator’s Revenue Protection team, the team is made up of Revenue Inspectors, Making Travel Safer officers and Gateline Operators.

The team was able to demonstrate that they have achieved the 39 requirements needed to secure the standard IIP Status, which they have held since 2009, plus an additional 76 points of evidence that led to them achieving the Silver Status. The award shows that the Revenue Protection team takes a forward thinking and expansive approach to cascading best practice through every level of the organisation.

In his report, the IIP Assessor commented that: “There has been excellent development of a more appreciative culture throughout Revenue Protection. Employees at all levels acknowledge the efforts made to show appreciation for their contribution to the success of the organisation.”

Abellio Greater Anglia’s Head of Revenue Protection, Kim Gorman, said: “The award of ‘Investor in People’ Silver Status for our team is another key milestone in our approach to offering customers a consistent, professional and high-quality standard of service. I am pleased to offer my warmest congratulations to the team, who have all worked extremely hard in achieving this award.”

Currently just 6% of UK businesses achieve the Bronze, Silver and Gold IIP accreditations.

Other teams within Abellio Greater Anglia to hold the accreditation include the Catering Team (Silver Status) and the Customer Contact Centre (Gold Status).

Our Franchising team spends considerable time and energy being involved in the Franchising industry in the UK (and indeed internationally). This month, Ed Savory and Vicki Mitman attended various British Franchise Association (bfa) forums covering the Midlands and London and the South East.

The purpose of the forums is for franchisors (and now franchisees) together with advisers and experts in franchising to meet and discuss current market trends, debate issues affecting franchising and to promote franchising and the role of the bfa. The forums are held quarterly and during this round the following issues arose:

• Methods for franchise recruitment and how to find good franchisees • International expansion • Engaging in early discussions in order to avoid franchise disputes • Using mystery shoppers • Keeping up to date with the latest technology including, in particular, social media • Increasing the profile of franchising

Ed Savory also attends the Affiliate Forums which is a coming together of industry experts to share ideas, consider changes to law regulation and promote franchising and the role of the bfa. The UK’s franchising industry is surprisingly collaborative and with lawyers, bankers, consultants and other experts all working together the result is a strengthening industry offering a contemporary approach.

Recently, there has been a rise of a new generation of lawyers as several of the older generation near retirement. At the same time, there has been a change at the centre of bfa compliance with Kelly Blackmore-Lee taking over as the Head of Compliance.

Ed comments: “At a time when there appears to be an economic recovery underway, and although the statistics tell us that the [franchising] industry has been immune from the recession, it is exciting to see a fresh look to the UK’s franchising legal and compliance players. The rise of young and energetic advisers is a positive sign for the industry, especially with many of the newer franchises being driven by the entrepreneurial generation in their 20s and 30s.”

At this months Affiliate forum, the following issues were discussed:

• Update on bfa progress • Presentation on the results of this year’s Natwest bfa survey • Looking at brands which have recently become insolvent and considering what (if anything) can be learnt • Franchise exhibitions and trying to restrict non-exhibiting businesses from promoting themselves

If you are interested in finding out more about any of the above please contact any member of our Franchising team.

If you are searching for a job you needto make sure your CV is working for you.

Did you know applicant tracking systems[ATS] are commonly used by big companies?This means its more important than everfor your CV to be ATS compatible.

Follow the link to read more;https://www.prs.uk.com/news-events/blog/2014/beat-the-robots-get-the-job….

Baggage handling system to be updated at Norwich International Airport Work has begun that will see significant improvement in baggage handling operations at Norwich International Airport. The improvements are being carried out in a live environment to ensure no interruption occurs to passenger services and completion is expected before half term in May. Major benefits for Norwich International Airport and its passengers will be a minimisation of the risk of failure and improvement of the overall system’s reliability. Vanderlande Industries, the UK subsidiary of the world’s leading baggage handling systems provider, was awarded the contract to carry out the work following an extensive site survey that revealed the need for an update of the current system to improve its performance. As a result, Vanderlande used its extensive knowledge and experience to provide a tailored solution that will expand the life of the system currently in operation at Norwich International Airport. Work will include the installation of a new make-up carousel that has a life expectancy of 15 to 20 years. It will be one of several steps taken to improve the overall system’s performance. Vanderlande, as a company committed to innovation in baggage handling, sees this contract as an opportunity to expand its contribution to the improvement of UK regional airports. The company believes that the update of the current baggage handling system will further improve the passenger experience at Norwich International Airport. Commenting on awarding Vanderlande the contract, Richard Pace, operations director at Norwich Airport said: “Vanderlande Industries was able to provide us with solutions that specifically addressed our needs. The company is helping us improve the operations of our baggage handling system so that we are able to provide a more efficient service to our passengers”.

ENDS

Increase in new business as recovery strengthens in region’s commercial property market

Leading commercial law firm Howes Percival has expanded its property practice with three new appointments in response to a significant increase in new instructions from both local and national clients. Kirsteen Durrant and Kate Evans have been appointed associate solicitors in the property litigation and commercial property teams and solicitor, Katharine Danks has joined the firm’s estates team.

Howes Percival’s property experts act for major retailers, construction companies, farmers and landowners, housing associations, developers and public authorities as well as private individuals and businesses and cover everything from land promotion and planning through to plot sales and dispute resolution.

Kirsteen Durrant has joined Howes Percival’s property litigation team as an associate solicitor working with Jamie Kidd, the firm’s property litigation partner in the East of England. Kirsteen is an expert in property and agricultural litigation and landlord and tenant work – advising both commercial and public sector clients. Kirsteen has particular expertise in dealing with the termination and renewal of commercial leases and is experienced in all aspects of commercial and agricultural property disputes. She was previously a solicitor in Eversheds’ real estate litigation group, based in Cambridge.

Kate Evans has extensive experience in a range of commercial property matters acting for corporate entities, charitable organisations and individuals on the sale and acquisition of freehold and leasehold property. She is experienced in acting for both landlords and tenants on the negotiation of leases and licences and can offer expert advice on property management issues. Kate has joined Howes Percival’s commercial property team as an associate solicitor from Northampton based firm, Wilson Browne LLP.

Katharine Danks has been appointed solicitor in Howes Percival’s estates department. Katharine has experience in acting for both residential and commercial developers and landowners including regeneration bodies, transport providers and developers in various projects and has a particular interest in agriculture and rural matters. She trained and qualified into the real estates development team at Eversheds LLP.

Jamie Kidd, property litigation partner, commented, “I am delighted to welcome Kirsteen, Kate and Katharine to the firm, their appointments increase our capacity to respond to market developments and client requirements. In recent years we have built on our established reputation for property work by bringing in some of the best property experts in the region. As a result, we are able to offer a dedicated one-stop legal service for landowners and the development industry, providing unrivalled expertise to the sector in an efficient and cost effective way.

“The strategy has worked well and, in spite of very challenging market conditions, the team has continued to receive a strong flow of instructions from both local and national companies. Confidence in the property market is starting to grow and we are seeing some very encouraging signs of recovery. With the team we have in place now we are well placed to benefit as the market picks up and as a result, we are expecting 2014 to be an even busier year.”

Howes Percival’s comprehensive commercial property service covers planning and environmental law, minerals and waste, compulsory purchase, village greens, development including strategic land acquisitions, the management of real estate portfolios, property finance, leases and other landlord and tenant matters, property litigation and construction contracts and disputes. The Estates team advises on a wide range of rural and agricultural property matters with a particular emphasis on tax efficient structuring for agricultural and development land.

The team of specialist property lawyers has a national reputation for the quality of their work:

• The 2013 edition of the Legal 500, widely regarded as the authoritative guide to the UK’s leading law firms, awarded the firm top tier rankings for commercial property, property litigation and planning work. • The 2014 Chambers UK Guide (an annual directory of the best lawyers in the UK) awarded Howes Percival top table rankings for its planning, property litigation and environment work. • The 2014 Corporate INTL Magazine Legal Awards (the monthly magazine for business leaders, professional advisers and providers of finance throughout the world) awarded Howes Percival ‘Planning law – Law Firm of the Year in England’ and ‘Editor’s Choice winner of the Landlord & Tenant Law Firm of the Year in England’.

February Newsletter

Are you prepared to think differently?

Flagship is a housing association with over 22,000 homes across East Anglia. We are a strong business looking for inspirational leaders to help us turn our aspirations into reality.

Director – Legal

c£80k (plus package)

Permanent, Full time

Based in Keswick, Norwich

We are seeking an experienced, highly motivated property lawyer to set up and lead a new in-house legal team, providing property and housing management legal services across our business. As an experienced property lawyer with a strong commercial focus, you will also lead on our ambitious growth plans with our private lettings ans sales portfolios. Working as part of the Senior Management Team, you will have responsibility for the operational direction of the day to day business.

Essential requirements for this role include:

• Being a qualified solicitor with compehensive post-qualification experience in property law.
• Experience of developing strategies and influencing Board decisions.
• Experience of leading, supporting, educating and developing teams.
• Managing and delivering complex operational issues on time with quality and to budget.
• Constantly seeking conntinious improvement.
• Being prepared to question the current way of doing things and taking managed risks in the pursuit of excellence.

If you are interested in this new and exciting opportunity, for more information and to apply, please visit: flagship-housing.co.uk/director-recruitment.

Closing date: Friday 12 September 2014, (14:00)

No agencies

Breakwater IT launch new website.

After a few months of careful planning, designing and building, Breakwater IT are pleased to announce the launch ofour new website.

The new website has been designed to be very informative and visual and with the buy in of our customers we think we have really achieved that. Several of our customers feature on the homepage, this showcases both our diverse client base and the ability we have to support such a wide range of industries.

We are well known for IT support in Norwich but we now also have clients that span the country. We hope our website starts to reach and attract more clients a little further afield and with a fresh look at our SEO this year we are confident in doing that.

If you haven’t yet seen our site please do take a look, especially at our team page, we really had fun making this page in particular.

Breakwater IT offer IT Support, IT consultancy and a full Business Telecoms service to SME’s in the region and beyond. Call us for an initial consultation or contact us via our new website!