Member News

New City Centre Meeting Room hire opportunities by Norwich City College.

New for 2024, Norwich City College is hiring out its meeting rooms at Norfolk House, located on Exchange Street.

There are a wide variety of room types from interview rooms/meeting rooms or larger training/seminar rooms. All equipped with fast Wi-Fi and high-quality IT resources.

Some of our rooms provide the ability to run hybrid meetings allowing users to live stream or record for a later date.

Pricing starts from £20 per hour. For all enquires and prices, contact collegehire@ccn.ac.uk

HR consultancy MAD-HR has once again been named a winner of the prestigious Feefo Platinum Trusted Service Award.

This is the second year in a row that the East of England business has been recognised with the accolade.

Feefo’s Trusted Service Awards acknowledge brands who are consistently delivering a world-class customer experience.

Reviews and feedback are analysed from customers and the rating serves an independent seal of excellence.

For MAD-HR, the 2024 award comes only a matter of months since the company was crowned winner of the EDP Customer Excellence Award, and one year after winning the category in the EADT Business Awards.

The business has grown rapidly in recent years and now has a total staff number of 10, with offices in Norwich, Ipswich and Chelmsford.

Founder and director, Carole Burman, said: “Receiving the Platinum Award for a second year in a row is a great acknowledgment of the huge emphasis we as a team place on delivering first rate customer service.

“We are always speaking to our clients, gaining feedback, and seeking ways we can enhance our service or deliver in a way which is most effective for the scale or situation of the business we are serving.

“HR can often be seen as something quite transactional, but it is so much more. It is about relationships and understanding, and that starts with how we as a team are relating to our clients and recognising what they need – perhaps even before they know it.”

Congratulating Carole and the MAD-HR team on winning this year’s award, Tony Wheble, CEO at Feefo, said: “With customers continuing to build resilience in a time of economic uncertainty, we’re delighted to showcase thousands of our clients who are continuing to go above and beyond for each and every customer.

“The Trusted Service Awards have always been about recognising companies that go way beyond the norm in customer service and in turn receive great feedback from delighted customers.

“A particular congratulations to MAD-HR for winning a Platinum Trusted Service Award by providing great customer service consistently over a number of years. I look forward to seeing them continue to achieve next year and beyond.”

Feefo presents Platinum Trusted Service Awards to businesses that have achieved Gold standard for three consecutive years. To receive a Gold Trusted Service Award, businesses must have collected at least 50 reviews with a Feefo service rating of between 4.5 and 4.9 between 1st January 2022 and 31st December 2022.

You can find out more about MAD-HR at www.mad-hr.co.uk

With offices in Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex, MAD-HR provides expert outsourced HR expertise, through adhoc, retained and strategic services.

Norfolk freelance advertising photographer Joe Lenton has been selected for the UK team for the 2024 World Photographic Cup. His image of a Skeleton Watch created for Vision & Time is representing the UK in the commercial section of the competition. Joe is thrilled to be part of the team, which is comprised of some of the UK’s finest photographers. As well as being assessed individually, the images receive scores that go towards the nation’s total number of points. The country with the highest number of points will be awarded the World Photographic Cup at a ceremony in Texas in April. Joe is a specialist in product photography, working with local, national and international clients. He is passionate about creating outstanding images and also loves helping other photographers to achieve excellence. 2024 also sees the launch of “Focused Professional”, his in-depth photography mentoring service that helps photographers to build businesses that suit their personality and passion. His experience as a qualified international judge and international level photographer are available to help others achieve their dreams too. Fingers crossed for the UK in April…!

Each year, our Boom! Young Carers take a residential trip, helping them escape their day-to-day pressures in a fun and friendly environment! With plenty of activities planned, such as high ropes, canoeing and a trip to the theatre they will have the opportunity to forge new friendships and create amazing memories. By donating or raising money through this campaign, you can make a direct impact and help us fund a residential trip for Boom! Hear from Alice, our Development Manager, on the importance of this annual trip: “I love being able to take young people away on residentials as it’s through shared experiences such as these that we see them forge lasting friendships. By having this opportunity to go away for a couple of nights the Young Carers step outside of their comfort zone and build resilience and confidence to be themselves.” For young people across Norfolk, Boom! Young Carers provides positive activities through specialist groups running throughout the year along with trips, visits and activities in school holidays. These groups develop confidence, independence and give the opportunity to try new experiences. Want to make your impact and support our Boom! Young Carers? Get in touch with us at events@benjaminfoundation.co.uk to learn more about how your business can get involved. You can also directly donate to our campaign here: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/boomyoungcarers “That was the best weekend! I made some great friends and it was so nice to be able to get out and do some things I haven’t done before!”

Game for good this Spring and make your positive impact on local children, young people and families! With our estimates suggesting that 3-4,000 young people are at risk of homelessness across Norfolk and Suffolk, you can get involved and make a real impact on young people in your community! Taking place between 22^nd April and 5^th May, we are looking for local businesses to get collaborate with us through Gaming for Good! Whether you join The Benjamin Foundation for a gaming tournament, organise a monopoly marathon, take part in a 5-a-side football tournament, you can choose how you want to play! By getting involved in Gaming for Good you can collaborate with The Benjamin Foundation and make a difference in your local community. A charity for children, young people and families, we supported over 3,000 individuals last year, and with your support, we can continue our vital work! Learn more: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/g4g Want to game for good? Get in touch with us at events@benjaminfoundation.co.uk to learn how you can collaborate with us this Spring!

The Attleborough office of Chartered Accountancy and Tax Specialists M+A Partners is delighted to have started 2024 with a promotion in its senior team. Jemma Jackson has been promoted to Accounts and Tax Manager. Jemma joined the M+A team in 2020 in the role of Accounts and Tax Assistant Manager, building on her knowledge as an accounts and taxation specialist and working with a broad spectrum of clients. Jemma has over 20 years’ experience in practice and will continue to develop her client portfolio, working with sole traders and owner managed businesses through to larger companies. Jemma commented “I am excited about the future opportunities that come with my role as Manager and look forward to working with the rest of the team to ensure we are best placed to support individuals and businesses within our region.” Partner, Mary-Anne Sargeant commented “Jemma’s promotion is testament to her hard work and commitment and reflects our ethos to encourage career development and progression within the firm. We wish Jemma every success in her new role.”

Langley School in Loddon has set up the East of England’s first ever technology hub, with the aim to help state schools across the region embed technology into their curriculum and infrastructure. The EdTech hub, created in partnership with charitable trust, LgFL, is a key part of the government’s Education Technology strategy. To launch the East of England hub, Langley School hosted primary and secondary schools from around the region. The day included a number of workshops on technology, a pilot of TeachMate AI, which helps teachers create bespoke curriculum content, lesson plans, and reports with AI-powered tools and the opportunity to see the effective technology in use in classrooms in and around Langley. Director of Digital Services at Langley, Mr Youngs comments, “It was a pleasure to bring together a number of schools for a workshop and collective discussion about technology. For us, it is not enough to be a Microsoft Showcase School, we want to share our knowledge, resources and experiences so that pupils – not just ours – will benefit throughout the county and beyond.” Headteacher of Exning Primary School, Mr James Clark said “We’re very excited to be part of the EdTech hub. We’ve been on a journey with IT in our school and we’re excited to be able to share knowledge and learning from our own experience as a Primary School with others.” Langley’s digital revolution began in 2022, when its technology investments included One 2 One devices for every pupil from Year 3 upwards. In 2023 Langley was awarded ‘Microsoft Showcase School’ status, a title held by just a few institutions worldwide. As a Microsoft Showcase School, Langley is part of an elite group that exemplifies the best of teaching and learning, using technology. LGfL is a Charitable Trust Whose Mission is the Advancement of Education. They provide fast, filtered and fortified broadband for schools, including resilience and cloud backups.

One of the biggest reasons businesses decide to use offsite storage is to make more room available in their premises. Freeing up space is a huge factor but have you considered the other benefits of storing your documents with a professional Records Management company?

If you use a professional storage provider like Archive-Vault, you will not only free up space but you can take advantage of a range of services that will have a positive impact on the way you work. You will also get peace of mind knowing that things are being done the right way.

From improving staff safety to enhanced data protection and greater office efficiency, there are many reasons to use offsite storage for your documents. Whether you’re responsible for Records Management in a law firm, NHS Trust or construction company, read on to discover ten benefits that will make a clear difference for your organisation. 

10 reasons to use offsite storage for your documents

1] Health and safety

Office documents can be stored in a range of premises from office buildings to lockups including self-storage units. Onsite storage could include cellars or basements and offsite lockups could have leaky lights, damaged roofs or challenging staircases.

These can represent a health and safety risk to staff and even more so if they need to use ladders to access boxes. Using a professional offsite facility for your document storage will ensure that your staff are safe and help to prevent accidents in the workplace.

2] Data protection and security

When you think of storage what comes to mind? When we talk about offsite storage, we’re talking about a professional purpose-built storage facility with data protection and security both top priorities.

Wherever you store your documents, you need to check that there is adequate protection. Does the space have CCTV and alarms? If the documents are stored in a basement, does it have the same security measures as the main building? If storage is a garage or a lockup, are security measures in place?

We get it. Every business wants to save money. But economising on your storage could cost you down the line with businesses facing hefty fines from the Information Commissioner’s Office for data breaches.

At Archive-Vault we prioritise the safety and security of your data. Your documents will be stored in our purpose-built secure facility with 24/7 CCTV and intruder alarms. Access is only granted to our DBS checked staff and secure vehicles. We can help to ensure that your business is data compliant and meets the requirements of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

3] Safety and security

Paperwork is at the heart of many businesses. What would happen to your business if you lost all your data? Could it function effectively? It’s crucial that there are systems in place for damp, fire and flood protection.

A professional storage provider will ensure that there are effective measures to protect your documents from natural disasters and reduce the risk of loss or damage.

The Archive-Vault storage facility is flood and fire resistant giving our clients confidence that their records are safe and secure. We work with a wide range of organisations, including Law Firms who choose us to store their important legal documents such as Wills and Deeds and the NHS who store confidential medical records with us.

4] Full traceability

Do you have a barcoding system to help to trace your records? if you want a file in your storage room, how will you find it? Can you find the exact box and where it’s located quickly?

Retrieving documents from storage boxes can take up a lot of valuable staff time. They have to get to the storage location which could be in a basement or offsite. It then might take a while to locate the file. Is spending hours searching for documents a good use of staff time? If you’re paying someone on an hourly rate, is this a good return on investment?

You may well have efficient systems in place. However, if you’re limited on storage space it can be really difficult to organise your files. Professional offsite storage providers have the capacity and use barcoding systems giving full traceability.

What’s more, our barcoding system helps to ensure you are compliant with relevant data protection legislation, providing an audit trail of your documents so you have a chain of custody and know where they are at all times.

5] Improve productivity

Are your files organised? Could you benefit from reviewing the way you do things? Storing unnecessary data can cause central database errors and incorrectly storing files that are in regular use can cause confusion. Indexing files so that everyone in the team can find them is a must-do for busy organisations. However, this takes time.

But it doesn’t have to take up your time. A professional storage facility like Archive-Vault can take the task off your hands so that you can focus on other more urgent priorities.

At Archive-Vault, we offer a consultancy service and can advise on the best way to index your data to suit the needs of your business and the way you work. We index, scan and store your records to help you boost productivity in the office.

6] Get easy access to hard copy documents and digital files

Can you access your documents easily? If you’re working in a team it might take two weeks to circulate a paper file internally. An offsite storage provider should have a range of solutions to help you access your files when you need them.

Our secure online Client Portal gives you instant access to an online inventory of your documents and keeps you in control at the touch of a button. You can login 24/7 from any PC or smart device, whether you’re in the office, travelling for work or on your sofa!

Via the Client Portal you can also request the box or file you need and book a same day retrieval to get your hands on an urgent physical document. It could be with you in less time than it takes a staff member to locate it.

With our robust barcoding technology, when you’re ready to return a file this will be scanned away to it’s original box within our facilities. If your staff return documents in a hurry, do they have time to return them to their original box or might they add them to a pile of filing? We can help you work more efficiently.

7] Prioritise your onsite documents

A typical four-draw filing cabinet could hold up to 12,000 pages and a large cabinet could house 30,000 images. What if you don’t need to access all these paper files every day?

The great thing with offsite storage is that you can prioritise the documents you keep in your office while your archive files can be stored elsewhere.

Some offices might want to put all their paper files in storage and work from digital files. Perhaps you need to retain documents for legal reasons but don’t have to access them regularly.

Our clients have a variety of reasons for using offsite storage. However you want to work, it’s likely that storing your files offsite could be beneficial.

8] Store larger documents offsite

For architects, builders and construction companies, storing and accessing large documents can be problematic. Not only do they take up a lot of space but oversize documents need to be available in site offices and easily accessible for a project team who may be in different locations. This is where an offsite storage company like Archive-Vault can help.

The solution. Oversize documents are much easier to view in digital format and can be viewed by more than one person at any time leading to greater efficiency for teams. We offer Large Format Scanning for documents and drawings up to size A0.

If you use Archive-Vault for your storage and need a construction drawing, map or blueprint quickly, we can ensure that you receive it in no time. We’ll locate the hard copy for you, scan it and upload it to our secure Client Portal on the same day you ask for it. So, whether your team is working remotely or in the site office they can all have eyes on important project documents.

9] Secure destruction of documents

Disposing of documents properly is not only the responsible thing to do but it’s essential for your organisation to be GDPR compliant.

Secure destruction is a vital part of efficient Records Management with some offsite storage facilities offering this service. Here at Archive-Vault, we prioritise looking after your documents throughout their entire lifecycle and that includes ensuring they’re securely destroyed when you confirm they’re no longer needed.

10] Full range of support services

If you use an offsite storage company like Archive-Vault you’ll benefit from much more than extra space in your office.

We offer a Consultancy Service to help you find the best way to manage your documents to improve organisation and lead to more efficient ways of working for your business.  

When you work with us our expert team support you from the get-go. We can provide storage boxes, box everything up for you and transfer your files in our secure vehicles to our purpose-built storage facility where we carry out your bespoke indexing.

You can take advantage of other services offered by an offsite storage facility. We offer Back-up Tape Rotation to keep your data safe, Printing and Scan on Demand to mention just a few of the ways we can support your business.

We’re always at the end of the phone should you need anything. As a small family business based in Norwich we offer a personalised service to clients across East Anglia and throughout the UK.

Archive-Vault’s offsite storage ticks all the boxes!

So, as you can see whilst freeing up space is a key motivator there are many more reasons for using offsite storage for your documents.

At Archive-Vault we believe that we tick all the boxes. Why not join the other businesses and organisations that choose us as their preferred offsite Records Management provider.

Want to know more about how we can help? You can call us on 01603 720722 or email info@archive-vault.co.uk.

The team at CyberScale put down their laptops and became part of the Priscilla Bacon Hospice volunteer army this week. As members of the Priscilla Bacon 500 club, the CyberScale team wanted to give up some of their time to support the incredible work the Priscilla Bacon do in our local community. CyberScale made use of the hospice’s brand new conference facilities in the morning for business focused sessions and the afternoon saw the team make bird boxes that will be placed around the garden areas.

The future of Norfolk farming is set to be hotly debated at the county’s largest agricultural conference. It stands as a pivotal event for professionals and enthusiasts engaged in farming, food production, and land management.

The Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association (RNAA) has announced a stellar speaker lineup including Groove Armada star and founder of WildFarmed Andy Cato. The full-day conference is to be held at Norfolk Showground on the 6^th February and has attracted speakers from across the world.

Andy Cato, founder of WildFarmed

The RNAA is a registered charity, founded in 1847 to promote the image, understanding and prosperity of agriculture and the countryside, primarily through its hosting of the Royal Norfolk Show, the county’s annual two-day agricultural show.

Mark Nicholas, managing director of RNAA, said: “We are thrilled to have secured a fascinating range of speakers to discuss and debate the challenges of farming. The conference is regarded as being at the vanguard of policy debate, and we look forward to a stimulating day.”

Norfolk Showground arena

Sixteen regional, national and international industry-leading speakers are set to take the stage for the highly anticipated conference. Topics include the environmental costs of farming, how data can enhance sustainability for UK farms and why diet and health matter in farming.

Josiah Meldrum, founder of Hodmedod, said: “Food and farming systems need to change, not least for the benefit of our health and for the planet. What’s so exciting about the conference this year is that it reflects that change and shows how farmers can and are leading the way.”

Josiah Meldrum, Hodmedod

For those eager to attend this landmark event, tickets can be booked here.

In the rapidly evolving landscape of technology, the role of mobile phones in the workplace has undergone a transformative journey since 2019. From the rise of remote work to the integration of innovative apps, employees’ use of mobile devices has become integral to modern work culture. Let’s delve into the ways employees have harnessed the power of their mobile phones to enhance productivity and efficiency.

1. Mobile-First Collaboration: Since 2019, the workplace witnessed a shift towards mobile-first collaboration. Employees increasingly rely on messaging apps, such as Slack and Microsoft Teams, for real-time communication, project collaboration, and quick decision-making, irrespective of their physical location.
2. Rise of Remote Work: The events of 2020 accelerated the adoption of remote work. Employees adapted to using their mobile phones as mobile offices, attending virtual meetings, accessing cloud-based documents, and collaborating with colleagues from anywhere in the world.
3. Mobile Task Management: Task management applications, like Asana, Trello, and Todoist, gained popularity for their seamless integration with mobile devices. Employees embraced these tools to organise tasks, set priorities, and stay on top of deadlines while on the move.
4. Mobile Learning and Development: Mobile devices became essential tools for continuous learning and professional development. Employees engaged in online courses, webinars, and training sessions, enhancing their skills and knowledge conveniently from their mobile phones.
5. Increased Reliance on Cloud Services: The transition to cloud-based services became more pronounced. Mobile devices became gateways to cloud storage platforms like Google Drive and Dropbox, enabling employees to access, edit, and share files securely from their smartphones.
6. Personal Productivity Apps: The app ecosystem expanded to accommodate a myriad of personal productivity tools. From note-taking apps like Evernote to habit-tracking apps like HabitBull, employees customised their mobile experiences to align with their work and personal goals.
7. Mobile Security and Biometric Authentication: With the growing importance of data security, mobile phones integrated advanced biometric authentication methods such as fingerprint recognition and facial ID. This enhanced security measures and ensured sensitive work information remained protected.
8. Wellness Apps for Work-Life Balance: Recognising the importance of employee well-being, wellness apps gained popularity. Employees used mindfulness apps, fitness trackers, and mental health resources available on their mobile phones to promote a healthy work-life balance.
9. Integration of Virtual Assistants: The adoption of virtual assistants like Siri, Google Assistant, and Cortana increased. Employees utilised these tools for hands-free navigation, setting reminders, and accessing information quickly, streamlining their daily tasks.

Conclusion: Since 2019, employees have witnessed a revolution in the way they use their mobile phones at work. From being communication devices to becoming comprehensive productivity tools, mobile phones have played a pivotal role in reshaping the modern workplace. As we look ahead, the continuous integration of mobile technology will undoubtedly contribute to more agile, connected, and efficient work environments.

Sixth Form students at Langley School raise vital funds for breast cancer charity. A team of Prefects at Langley School has been raising funds for local cancer charity, Little Lifts, through a number of student-led initiatives. The pupils started with a target of £200 but, thanks to the generosity of the school community, including pupils, parents and staff, they have smashed the target and raised a sum that far exceeded expectations. The current total is a staggering £1,530 and will go direct to the breast cancer charity that makes up gift boxes for breast cancer sufferers, giving them a ‘little lift.’ Although based locally, the Little Lifts charity send its boxes to every breast cancer patient in the UK who is receiving chemotherapy or radiotherapy treatment. Langley Prefects raised the money via an appeal to all members of the school on a national day of fund raising; a non-uniform ‘Comfy Day,’ and via a collection at their Christmas Carol Service at Norwich Cathedral in December. Langley School Headmaster, Mr Perriss, comments: “We are so proud of our Prefects, who have shown real kindness in wanting to support something so important. We are also grateful for the backing received from the Langley community. Thanks to them, the amount raised is more than 765% higher than our original target. Little Lifts is a superb charity and it’s a pleasure to support them.” In January the Prefects, who are based at Langley’s Loddon campus, met up in person with Little Lifts and have also arranged a date to help with packing the special boxes. Little Lifts Founder Oa comments, “We are extremely thankful to the Prefects at Langley School for raising awareness of Little Lifts as well as vital funds to support our work so that no breast cancer patient feels alone during treatment.  The Prefects have planned and hosted several fundraising initiatives and are a wonderful example of community fundraising at its best. Their dedication to show kindness and support for people during a very difficult time is inspiring.” To make a donation, visit: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/susan-hughes-3?utm_term=akdxYvjxy