Member News

The rise in corporation tax will force many East Anglia companies to delay business investment, according to new research from accountancy and business advisory firm, BDO LLP. More than half of East Anglia businesses (63%) say they will pause future investment, after the headline rate of corporation tax rose to 25% at the beginning of April 2023, up from 19% in the 2022-23 tax year. BDO’s bi-monthly Economic Engine survey of more than 500 mid-market businesses has revealed that 37% of respondents will either have to make redundancies or take on fewer people, with the recent rise in corporation tax leading to a reduction in profits paid out to shareholders for 50% of businesses. Worryingly, more than a quarter (27%) said the uplift in corporation tax had prompted them to consider leaving the UK. While many businesses had hoped the Chancellor would publish a roadmap at the Spring Budget setting out a phased reduction in corporation tax rates, no such announcement was forthcoming. The much-debated move follows years of tax-cutting by the Conservatives, from a high of 28% in 2011 to 19% in 2017. In his March 2021 Budget, then Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced plans to increase the headline rate in a bid to aid the country’s financial recovery post-pandemic. Peter Harrup, partner and Head of BDO LLP in East Anglia, commented: “Pre-Budget, many East Anglia businesses made their feelings clear that they would like to see a reversal of the rise in corporation tax. The Government has so far stood firm, but the Chancellor’s recent remarks on business taxes being too high suggests he might reconsider this position at the next Budget. “Our survey indicates that the recent rise in the headline corporation tax rate will dampen current business investment plans and potentially hamper growth in the region as businesses pull back on spending. It has also highlighted a high degree of concern about the international competitiveness of the UK’s corporate tax regime. However, the new ‘full expensing’ capital allowances regime has been positively welcomed, suggesting the knock-on effect of the tax hike may only be short-term.” According to Economic Engine survey, 60% of East Anglia businesses say that the new capital allowances rules, which give businesses a 25% subsidy to buy new plant and machinery, would lead to them to invest more in equipment. Harrup added: “While it’s encouraging to see businesses planning to capitalise on the rule changes, there will be a swathe of service-led companies that will get little benefit from the new regime. Ensuring that service sector businesses are also incentivised to invest in growth, with subsidies being delivered in other ways, will be key to long-term, sustainable growth across the board.” Image provided by BDO LLP

Carers Week takes place this year from 5^th to 11^th June 2023. Carers Week is an annual campaign to raise awareness of caring, highlight the challenges unpaid carers face and recognise the contribution they make to families and communities throughout the UK. It also helps people who don’t think of themselves as having caring responsibilities to identify as unpaid carers and access much-needed support. Chamber member and regional charity, Caring Together, are offering Norfolk businesses free support to identify and help the carers in their staff teams. Norfolk businesses can sign up for a free 1-hour webinar on Friday 9^th June at 12.30pm to help them support employees who are also unpaid carers. Unpaid carers are people who look after a partner, family member or friend with a disability or long-term illness. With three in five of us becoming unpaid carers in our lifetime, this is an issue that also affects staff who are trying to juggle working with a caring role. Employees could be:

• Looking after an elderly parent in the mornings, evenings or at weekends
• Caring for a partner who has had a stroke, heart attack or been diagnosed with cancer
• Looking after a disabled child, or one with additional needs such as ADHD or Autism

Every day 600 people give up their jobs because the pressures of caring and working become too much. This can be very difficult for them as they lose out on income, career development, the social aspects of work and a sense of purpose. It can also be very difficult for their employer who loses a skilled, experienced and valued team member. Charity, Caring Together is inviting businesses to attend the webinar and find out how they can support unpaid carers in the workplace – benefiting both the employer and the carer. Sign up at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/carer-friendly-tick-award-employers-introduction-webinar-tickets-611350845837 The charity is also providing a free short film to show to staff during Carers Week. This film helps raise awareness of what it is to be an unpaid carer, and the help that is available locally to support carers. You can request the film at https://www.caringtogether.org/help-us-help-others/companies-and-organisations/support-for-companies/

Rail passengers in East Anglia are advised to check before they travel on 31 May and 1, 2 and 3 June. Strike action will affect Greater Anglia services on 31 May and 2/3 June, and action short of a strike will cause some cancellations on Thursday 1 June. On 31 May and 3 June, there will be a reduced service on a limited number of routes. Most routes, including all regional lines, will have no service at all. Where services do run, they will start later and finish earlier than normal, with start/finish times varying across the network. On 2 June, services will operate between 07.00 and 23.00, with all last trains reaching their destination by 23.00. Some routes will have a reduced frequency, but many routes will have a normal or near normal service during the hours that trains are running. Some of the first services on Thursday 1 June and Sunday 4 June may also be affected. Although these are not strike days, there will be some knock-on effects from the days before. On 1 June, most routes will also see some planned cancellations, due to action short of a strike. Service Summary for 31 May We will operate a reduced service on a limited number of routes.

• Hourly service between Norwich and London Liverpool Street; Colchester and London Liverpool Street; Southend Victoria and London Liverpool Street; and for Stansted Express services between Stansted Airport and London Liverpool Street
• Trains that do run are expected to start from 07.00 onwards, with trains operating until mid to late evening and all last trains finishing earlier than normal
• One train every two hours between Cambridge and London Liverpool Street from 08.00 until early evening, with the last train from London back to Cambridge at 18.58 on 31 May only.
• No services running on other lines, including on regional/branch lines, other than those listed above

Service Summary for 1 June On Thursday 1 June, due the knock-on effects of the previous day’s strike there will be no services before 07.00 and, due to action short of a strike, there will be some cancellations across the Greater Anglia network throughout the day (full list attached at the end of this release). Service Summary for 2 June On Friday 2 June, most services will operate with trains running on most Greater Anglia routes between 07.00 and 2300, with all last trains reaching their destination by 23.00. Some routes, including Norwich to London and Ipswich to Lowestoft, will have a reduced frequency, but many routes will have a normal or near normal service during the hours that trains are running. However, there will be no services between Walton-on-the-Naze and Colchester Town/Colchester, or between Hertford East and London, or between Stratford and Meridian Water. Service Summary for 3 June We will operate a reduced service on a limited number of routes.

• Hourly service between Norwich and London Liverpool Street; Colchester and London Liverpool Street; Southend Victoria and London Liverpool Street; and for Stansted Express services between Stansted Airport and London Liverpool Street
• Trains that do run are expected to start from 07.00 onwards, with trains operating until mid to late evening and all last trains finishing earlier than normal
• No services running on other lines, including on regional/branch lines, other than those listed above. That also means no Greater Anglia services at all serving Cambridge.

Jamie Burles, Greater Anglia managing director said: “We are very sorry that once again our customers will be disrupted by industrial action. Customers are advised to check before they travel on all strike days, as the number of services affected varies, with trains operating on very few routes at all on 31 May and 3 June, but on most routes and more frequently on 2 June. There are also cancellations on 1 June, due to action short of a strike. The rail industry is working hard to resolve these disputes and talks will continue with ASLEF and RMT to try and reach an agreement.” Passengers who have already pre-booked tickets to travel on strike days can change them, use them to travel on either the day before or up to two days later, or apply for a refund by going back to their original retailer. Passenger assistance will be available as usual for all trains which are running. Anyone requiring assistance who cannot avoid travelling by train on strike days should plan their journey and book assistance in advance if possible. Further information is available from greateranglia.co.uk/strikes

Children and families came together for a sun-drenched day of belated Coronation celebrations. Live music, face-painting, arts, crafts and a delicious afternoon tea were among the highlights of Saturday’s event at The Nook, in Framingham Earl. Youngsters also enjoyed blowing bubbles and playing traditional garden games, in addition to interactive storytelling and a sensory tent Others enjoyed having their picture taken alongside cardboard cut-out soldiers in a special photobooth. The Coronation street party was attended by 60 people and organised by East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH). Wellbeing Lead Jayne Chesterton said: “It was a lovely afternoon and we were blessed with glorious sunshine. “I was struck by how many people and areas of the organisation came together, from members of the Care team to colleagues from Fundraising, Marketing and Communications and Facilities. “Everyone was there to make it a very positive and enjoyable event for families. “There was a street party vibe and it was relaxing, quality time – a safe space for everyone to unwind and enjoy each other’s company. “As well as the children, mums and dads, we were also joined by grandparents and one young lady brought her best friend as she wanted her to see The Nook. “The children who were with us for care also joined in and their families came along to join in the celebrations.” Also in attendance were some wonderful EACH volunteers, along with three volunteers from Center Parcs. “The Clown Doctors, who use interactive, creative play and song to engage children, also came while a volunteer interactive storyteller captured families’ imagination and Jeff Sharkey, from Musical Keys, was an engaging, familiar and friendly face,” added Jayne. “We also invited along a chap called Colin, who has been to previous events and brings along a traditional organ. “His music provided a perfect backdrop and it turned out it was his 70^th birthday. “It was wonderful that he came along to share his special day with us and I’m delighted to say he’s now signed up to become a fully-fledged volunteer.” Two others, a 13-year-old sibling and one of the mums, were also celebrating their big days and Jeff, from Musical Keys, sang Happy Birthday. EACH supports families and cares for children and young people with life-threatening conditions across Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Essex. Pictures: Karen Self/EACH

Photo: Martin Dronfield, Executive Chair, EEEGR Credit: EEEGR Photo: Charlie Jordan, CEO, ScottishPower Renewables Credit: EEEGR Photo: Rob Bush, General Manager, EEEGR Credit: EEEGR – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE –  “The East of England is the Energy Production Capital of the UK” EEEGR Chair’s Bold Statement to Industry In his opening speech at the East of England Energy Group’s (EEEGR) SNS2023 conference this week, Executive Chair and Opergy Commercial Director, Martin Dronfield, boldly claimed that the East of England is the energy production capital of the UK. Backing up this claim with energy production stats supplied by Opergy, Mr Dronfield told conference delegates that the region is currently supplying the equivalent of 8 million homes with their power, just under a third of all of the homes in the UK, with this figure rising to a potential 24 million homes by 2035. He stated “The East of England is home to 37% of the UK’s existing offshore wind farms producing 5 gigawatts of electricity with a further 9.7 gigawatts in the pipeline. The Southern North Sea still produces a third of the UK’s gas requirements from 139 offshore production platforms and 30% of the UK’s gas flows through the Bacton Gas Terminal.” “We produce 0.5 gigawatts of electricity from onshore wind farms, a third of a GW from bio energy projects and a third of a gigawatt from 137 solar projects. We have 1.1 gigawatts of installed battery storage capacity and 1.2 gigawatt capacity from Sizewell B and a further 3.2 gigawatts from the planned Sizewell C.” He continued. Martin predicts that the industry will see increasing collaboration between energy sectors, integration between energy developers and huge opportunities for the workforce as they develop opportunities across sectors in order to deliver Government net zero targets. “The conference theme ‘Vision 2030’ is not just a tagline, it is also a challenge and an opportunity. The UK’s net zero ambition won’t happen overnight, the transition needs to be well planned and worked out with regard for the companies and people in our sector.” Dronfield concluded. Martin was followed by plenary speakers from developers at the heart of the region’s future development, including Charlie Jordan (ScottishPower Renewables), Rob Anderson (Vattenfall), and Tim Pick (Offshore Wind Champion). Charlie Jordan, CEO of ScottishPower Renewables (SPR): “Energy Security is more important than ever and so is the need to tackle climate change. We need to deliver 50 GW of offshore wind capacity by 2030 and the East of England is very much at the heart of trying to deliver this. SPR are building offshore wind projects across the world and we have strong ambitions to build another 3 GW of offshore projects and large-scale hydrogen projects in the East of England. I can’t think of anywhere globally that are doing more in the energy space than the East of England.” Rob Anderson, Project Director for Norfolk Offshore Wind Zone, Vattenfall “The size of projects represented at this event are huge. The vision for the region is to be a superpower of offshore wind and when complete the Norfolk Zone will be the world’s largest wind zone with over 4 GW of power. Vattenfall have been very busy in the region in preparation for the project including undertaking archaeological digs, road access work and nature preservation projects with an aim to protect and sustain the region.” Tim Pick, Offshore Wind Champion and Co-Chair Offshore Wind Acceleration Task Force “2023 needs to be the year of delivery for offshore wind and words need to be transformed into action. There are a lot of positives in the industry at the moment with new leasing rounds in Scotland and supply chain development, plus the Government are looking to reform the CfD process and the dawn of floating offshore wind gives us an opportunity to do thing differently.” Throughout day one of the conference and exhibition, delegates were given the opportunity to hear more from key developers and industry thought-leaders, on topics ranging from the decarbonisation of the supply chain, the UK’s CCS opportunities, how hydrogen is evolving in the region, geothermal technology in the renewable energy mix and how to build a net zero workforce. On day two, delegates heard about supply chain opportunities for Sizewell C and the offshore wind cluster for the east, East Wind spoke about the importance of collaboration, recruitment issues companies in the industry are facing and how they can get involved in the cluster. Conference attendees also heard updates on the East of England projects, including ScottishPower Renewables’ East Anglia Hub, the Great Yarmouth O&M Campus, Equinor’s Sheringham Shoal and Dudgeon extension, Associated British Ports’ LEEF project, RWE’s North Falls and Five Estuaries, Vattenfall’s Norfolk Offshore Wind Zone, Orsted’s Hornsea Three, Bacton Energy Hub and Freeport East. Rob Bush, EEEGR General Manager brought the conference to a close on day two where the energy in the room was palpable, with many delegates and exhibitors buoyed up by what the east has to offer and how a collaborative approach will help build an even brighter future for the region.   Photos provided by EEEGR

We are looking for extreme adventurers to lend a hand to Take Our Hand by skydiving at 14,000ft. This bucket list challenge is like nothing else you will experience.  Taking place on Saturday 24th June at Beccles Airfield. To register your interest please complete the form on the below link or email fundraising@takeourhand.org.uk. Find out more here

Football fan Andy Cranch has reflected on a “magical, once-in-a lifetime experience” after completing 1,000 keepie-uppies at all 92 League clubs. The 58-year-old clocked up 3,000 miles, starting at Cambridge United’s Abbey Stadium and finishing at Portman Road, Ipswich, raising more than £3,500 for East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH). His fortnight-long challenge saw him visit all 92 Football League grounds, including Norwich City, Colchester United and Peterborough United, as well as iconic Premier League stadiums like Old Trafford, Anfield, Villa Park, Stamford Bridge and The Etihad Stadium. At every one he completed 1,000 keepie-uppies – a feat he completed in around 15 minutes – before jumping back in his car and continuing his whistle-stop UK tour. “It was intense, with lots of early starts and late nights,” he said. “However, what an amazing fortnight it was – even better and more enjoyable than I thought. “I loved every minute and it’s something I’ll always remember as a magical, once-in-a-lifetime experience. “We had a real adventure and met some wonderful people. “Everyone was extremely generous and we were made so welcome everywhere we went. “There were so many highlights that I couldn’t possibly pick out one or two. “I loved visiting all the big stadiums and it was great completing my keepie-uppies in front of giant stands or alongside statues of legends. “However, I also loved going to the smaller grounds and everyone was so hospitable.” Andy, who was joined on his travels by wife Ali, was on the books at Exeter City as a youngster before drifting into non-league football and playing for Histon, Cambridge City, Shelford and Ely City. He is player-manager of the Over-55 England Veterans and represented England’s Seniors at the 2022 World Cup, in Thailand. The Cambridge resident said money is still rolling in and he was delighted to raise so much for EACH, which supports families and cares for children and young people with life-threatening conditions across East Anglia. “I couldn’t be happier,” said Andy, who has a special connection as sister-in-law Jules Gibson-Cranch is Locality Wellbeing Lead at The Treehouse, in Ipswich. “It’s a very special local charity and one that so many of us feel strongly about. “EACH has touched, helped and supported so many people and that’s why I was so determined to do whatever I could to help.” Prior to his challenge, Andy, who owns Banquet Inn mobile bar and Crofters ice cream and coffee shop at Lammas Land, in Newnham Park, paid a visit to the EACH hospice at Milton, where he was shown around by Community Fundraiser Helena Davis. His challenge started on 9^th May and finished on Monday (22^nd May), with his fundraising challenge featuring on that night’s BBC Look East programme. There is still time to make a donation by heading here.

Greater Anglia is to ban the carriage of e-scooters on all trains across its network, following concerns over potential risks to passenger safety. From Thursday 1 June, e-scooters will no longer be allowed on-board Greater Anglia trains because of the risk posed by the type of batteries that typically power the scooters. The operator is taking measures to ensure the safety of the railway and passengers, in line with action being taken by many other train operators. The ban is also being enforced on the same date by other train companies including South Eastern, Southern, Thameslink, Gatwick Express, Great Northern and South Western Railway, with bans already in place on East Midlands Railway, West Midlands Railway, Chiltern, London North Eastern Railway, Avanti West Coast, TransPennine Express, Great Western Railway and Northern. Although there have been no safety incidents to date involving e-scooters on Greater Anglia services, Transport for London has also banned e-scooters following two incidents of privately-owned powered e-scooters catching fire on their network. Matt Wakefield, Greater Anglia’s Head of Safety, Security and Sustainability, said: “Safety of our passengers and staff is our number one priority, and we know that e-scooters have battery packs which vary greatly in quality. “The decision has therefore been made to ban these items from carriage on our network due to recent incidents elsewhere and the risks associated with them using faulty lithium batteries and catching fire.” This new policy covers e-scooters only. Mobility scooters, electric wheelchairs and e-bikes are exempt from the ban.

The return of the biannual event proved a huge success. More than 450 people representing franchisees, their families, staff and business partners gathered at the Celtic Manor Resort on the 6^th May for the TaxAssist Accountants 2023 Conference. The event encompassed an exhibition, workshops, director presentations and a fun-filled, spectacular ‘The Greatest Showman’ themed black-tie gala evening, which included singing, dancing, acrobatic displays and circus entertainment, as well as fun fair rides. The exhibition hosted 40 stands throughout the day, while in the afternoon there was a series of workshops and presentations hosted by the TaxAssist Group senior managers and sponsors including Dext, Intuit QuickBooks, FA Simms/AMLCC, Acora One, Begbies Traynor, TaxCalc, Xero and QX Accounting Services. The event concluded with thought leadership presentations and a keynote address by the four TaxAssist Group executive directors, Daren Moore, Sarah Robertson, James Mattam and Mike Melling. Sarah Robertson, Group Director and UK Managing Director, said: “It has been great to hold our conference once again, and it proved to be one of our most successful yet. After such a long break, it was a fantastic way to come together and celebrate the network’s successes together. We have all missed the opportunity to see each other, so it has been wonderful to catch up with so many franchisees and supporters of our network at such an exceptional venue. “The conference is our flagship event, and is always hugely valuable, filled with inspiring talks, and the opportunity to network and collaborate as well as being lots of fun.” Franchisees and their staff enjoyed a variety of talks and workshops designed to cover a wide range of forward-thinking strategies and ideas to improve practices. Topics covered included:

• Driving growth through customer experience
• Benefits of adopting best practices
• How cross selling adds value to client relationships
• Resourcing and capacity
• Artificial Intelligence and its impact on the accountancy industry
• Staying ahead of the competition

TaxAssist franchisee Richard Preedy said: “The Conference highlighted how fortunate we are to be in such a supportive and resilient business. Without the dynamic team in Norwich providing the franchisees with constant updates on technology, compliance issues, legal updates, and marketing initiatives, we would struggle to compete. Their constant dedication to the TaxAssist business means my business can thrive and I can do what I do best and that’s look after my clients.” Sarah added: “We have received some fantastic feedback from those who attended and the event served to reinforce the power of the network and the ‘one big family’ feel of the franchise. I am already looking forward to the next event in two years’ time!” A TaxAssist Accountants franchise can provide the systems and support you need to be successful. If you’re interested in finding out more about building a practice, buying an accountancy practice or converting an existing practice to TaxAssist Accountants, call 0800 018 8297 or submit an enquiry here to register your interest.    

Above: Greater Anglia train on Chappel viaduct. Credit: Greater Anglia Day trippers to East Anglia will be encouraged to leave the car at home and use the train for their journeys at an event in London next week. The region’s Essex & South Suffolk, East Suffolk Lines, Bittern Line, Wherry Lines and New River Line Community Rail Partnerships are joining forces on 23 May for a vibrant promotional display at London Liverpool Street Station, showcasing Greater Anglia’s scenic rail lines for green leisure trips. It’s one of many activities taking place during Community Rail Week, 22 to 28 May, including youth engagement initiatives, projects celebrating local history, culture, and the arts, and campaigns promoting scenic and sustainable leisure travel, all aiming to connect and empower communities, break down travel barriers, and encourage a greener, healthier transport future. Alan Neville, Greater Anglia’s Customer and Community Engagement Manager, said, “It’s so easy to get to the stunning cities, towns and coastlines in East Anglia by train and helps the planet too by reducing CO2 emissions by as much as 70% compared to the car. “We have a range of great value fares available to make a day out in East Anglia by rail the best choice for a great day out and are grateful to our community rail partnerships for helping to raise awareness with this event.” Community Rail Week, organised by Community Rail Network and sponsored by the Rail Delivery Group, shines a light on the year-round work of Britain’s 76 community rail partnerships, 140 station groups and 10,000 volunteers who are involved in community rail activities across the country. Community rail aims to improve travel confidence, increase access to opportunity, tackle social isolation, give communities a voice, and put railways and stations at the heart of community life, while supporting a shift to sustainable, more social forms of travel, including rail. Jools Townsend, chief executive of Community Rail Network, said: “Community rail partnerships and thousands of ‘station friends’ volunteers the length and breadth of Britain, including many across the East of England, are mobilising en masse, engaging local people and partners to raise awareness about rail travel, and get people enthused about its many benefits.” She added: “Community Rail Week is all about connecting communities and bringing people together, while supporting and enabling more people to travel sustainably by train and access the opportunities they want. Community rail has an inspiring track record of doing just that: promoting travel confidence and broadening mobility horizons, sometimes with life-changing effects, while giving communities a voice on transport, and putting railways and stations at the heart of community life.”

If you are an early stage food or drink business in Norfolk, the Broadland Food Innovation Centre project is offering free business support. When you’re growing your small business, the decision making never stops and the the challenge is knowing how to make the right decision at the right time. Do you have all the skills, knowledge and market information you need? Over the last year, the Centre’s experienced advisors have supported dozens of businesses in the region. From Ambry Foods Turkey bacon. Founded by ex River Cafe Chef Elliott Bloomfield, and his former clients, who had tasted turkey bacon in the States and realised it was delicious as well as lower in calories and fat than traditional pork bacon. But unable to find it in the UK, they began a lockdown project to develop their own recipe, using quality free-range turkey cured with sea salt and muscovado sugar and smoked in beechwood. Elliott hooked up with the Innovation Support team who provided 12-hours of free mentoring and business advice that helped him turn his idea into a business plan, to identify potential stockists in the Norfolk area and within 10 months they had launched Ambry Turkey Bacon in farm shops and delis across the region. He says: “The Innovation Support team provide an amazing free service, and I would encourage other food and drink businesses to take up the opportunity for support. If you are determined enough to launch or grow a food and drink business, you will get there, but the amazing support we’ve received has enabled us to do that more quickly than we would have on our own. It has enabled us to tap into an incredible network of people, and not only have they helped us to build a business plan, to secure funding to buy essential equipment and to approach Norfolk farm shops and delis.  It’s really tough to break through with a new business, but the support we’ve received is helping us get there. If you are determined enough to launch or grow a food and drink business, you will get there, but the amazing support we’ve received has enabled us to do that more quickly than we would have on our own” Sisters Thorayya and Shifa Mears launched Oichi Kombucha during the Pandemic. They were driven to start a business that was ‘sustainable and good for people’ and  passionate about food, flavours and cooking and had grown up drinking kombucha made by their mother and knew that it was delicious as well as good for your gut.  They began making kombucha, a fermented tea with ingredients foraged from the Norfolk countryside. They recognised that there was an opportunity to reimagine kombucha and to make it a delicious drink which everyone would enjoy. Oichi Kombucha is now stocked in dozens of local independent retailers in the region. Thorayya says “Our business advisor has been so easy to talk to, approachable, non-judgemental and supportive. We’ve never run a small business before and the advice for start-up food and drink businesses through the Broadland Food Innovation Centre has been invaluable to us as we’ve grown from a home-based project to a fully-fledged business.”   Meanwhile Katrina Ajomale started Crumpetorium producing artisan crumpets for sale in Norfolk farm shops and delis. Getting the business off the ground, hasn’t been without challenges for Kat. They want to keep the crumpets as natural as possible, so the big question was – how could they offer a good shelf-life without the use preservatives and plastic packaging? Kat says: “The Innovation Support team have been very supportive and easy to work with. They have taken time to understand my business and the challenges I face and helped me find simple and logical solutions. I would never have been able to afford this kind of expert advice if I’d approached a business consultant. I really valued that they helped me identify opportunities for new product development and new sales opportunities including the wedding catering market.” The purpose of this funded service is to help you make those sound decisions that lead to good results. It’s delivered by Hethel Innovation and forms one part of the whole Broadland Food Innovation Centre project. Eligible businesses will access a minimum of 12 hours of funded support. Eligible means you could be starting from scratch or have been established for a number of years.  You build your bespoke support package with our Food Advisor, working out the priorities to overcome your challenges and access new opportunities. For example, reviewing your strategy, developing new products, accessing market insight. Further information https://www.foodinnovationbroadland.com/support Photo order: Ambry Foods, Bruha, Niche Cocktails, Oichi Kombucha, One planet Pizza, Farmyard, Prepking, and Crumpetorium

We are thrilled to announce that Uptech Ltd has been honoured with the prestigious title of “Recognized Experts in Managed IT Security Services 2023” within the 2023 UK Enterprise Awards! As a leader in the field of IT security, this recognition reaffirms our commitment to providing top-notch managed services and safeguarding businesses from cyber threats. We couldn’t be prouder of our dedicated team, whose expertise and hard work have made this achievement possible. Our passion for delivering cutting-edge solutions and protecting our clients’ sensitive data has set us apart in the industry. We are grateful for the trust and support of our amazing clients who have been with us on this incredible journey.