The more advanced NHP200 and NHP300 pellet durability testers from Holmen continue to take the world by storm!
Companies from all corners of the globe are joining the ranks of users already trusting the machines to Test, Record and Monitor their Feed Pellet Durability.
Recently, additional users of the Benchmark Grade Holmen NHP200 Laboratory model and Holmen NHP300 Inline machines have come from countries including Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, England, Finland, France, Germany, Honduras, Indonesia, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Norway, Peru, Poland, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Thailand, Turkey and the United States, to name just a few!
If your country isn’t listed, it doesn’t mean these models have not already been supplied to locations there! Due to commercial confidentiality, it is not always possible to disclose where the advanced machines are currently being used to give quality-conscious feed manufacturers a competitive edge in their respective countries…
FLYBE SUMMER ’17 SUN ROUTES FROM NORWICH NOW ON SALE
Flybe, Europe’s largest regional airline, has today (6th October 2016) put on sale the first phase of its 2017 Summer schedule that includes the return of popular sun routes from Norwich to Alicante and Malaga that will both operate twice weekly. Seats can be booked now at www.flybe.com with one way fares from £49.99 including taxes and charges and currently available for travel between 27th March and 13th August 2017.
Flights to Alicante operate on Tues/Fridays with those to Malaga on Monday and Thursdays.
The year-round flights returned earlier this year following the announcement of a partnership between airport owners Regional & City Airports (RCA) and Flybe that resulted in one of Flybe’s E195 118-seater jet aircraft being employed to service both routes.
Flybe, Europe’s largest regional airline – 218 routes serving 10 countries from 75 departure points, 40 UK/35 European airports* (all routes on sale May’16 – Apr’17); operates more UK domestic flights than any other airline (UK CAA May’15 – Apr’16); one of only two UK-based carriers in top 20 global airlines punctuality league table by OAG (Jan ’16) and named top UK airline for punctuality in report issued by UK consumer watchdog Which? (Dec 2014); named ‘Best Short-Haul Airline’ at the 2016 Business Travel Awards (Jan ’16); is the largest scheduled airline by air traffic movements at Belfast City, Birmingham, Cardiff, Exeter, Isle of Man, Jersey, Manchester, Newquay and Southampton airports (UK CAA Apr ’16); operates fleet of 76 aircraft – 51 Bombardier Q400, 9 Embraer 195, 11 E175 & 5 ATR 72s; codeshares with BA, Air France, Etihad, Finnair, Aer Lingus, Cathay Pacific, Emirates, Virgin Atlantic, Air India and Air Berlin; has three franchise partners, Loganair, Stobart Air and Blue Islands making it only UK airline brand with 70% coverage of reporting airports (UK CAA Apr’16); has own globally recognised Training Academy in Exeter with flight deck and cabin crew simulator facilities, 26 classrooms and 150-seat conference facility.
During Jarrolds Business Club event, Jarrold Group,
in partnership with Norfolk County Council, announced the launch of the 2025
Jarrold Growth Fund, a £100,000 initiative designed to support the expansion of
Norfolk-based small and medium – sized enterprises (SMEs).
The fund comprises £50,000 in investments from Jarrold Group,
up to 30 hours of free consultancy with Jarrold Group businesses and £50,000 in
grants and funding from Norfolk County Council. It aims to assist SMEs in
undertaking specific projects that drive business growth, such as purchasing
machinery to enhance productivity or acquiring additional space to scale
operations. The focus is on funding tangible projects and initiatives that
directly contribute to business expansion.
Cllr Fabian Eagle, cabinet member for Economic Growth at
Norfolk County Council, commented:
“Norfolk County Council is delighted to be working in
partnership with Jarrold Group on this exciting initiative to help grow Norfolk
businesses. Jarrold Group is a hugely respected local business and like the
county council is committed to nurturing a vibrant local economy. Small
businesses are the lifeblood of the local economy, and the Growth Fund will
provide vital funding and expertise.”
Tom Burdett, Group Director of Finance and Strategic
Operations at Jarrold Group, commented: “We are deeply committed to nurturing the entrepreneurial spirit within
Norfolk. The success of last year’s fund demonstrated the remarkable potential
of our local businesses. This year, with the continued support of Norfolk
County Council, we are eager to back innovative projects that will
significantly impact the growth of SMEs in our region.”
In its inaugural year, the Jarrold Growth Fund received more
than 70 applications from Norfolk businesses across various sectors. The scheme
provided funds, advice and mentorship to 4 recipients, along with access to
specialist expertise from Jarrold Group businesses. This comprehensive support
has enabled local enterprises to overcome strategic challenges and achieve
substantial growth.
Nick Steven-Jones, CEO at Jarrold Group, said:
“We’re immensely proud to support the incredible
innovation and creativity that drives growth in Norfolk. By leveraging our
expertise across the Jarrold Group and partnering with Norfolk County Council,
we’re excited to help local businesses thrive and contribute to the prosperity
of our vibrant region”
Applications for the 2025 Jarrold Growth Fund are open now
and will be accepted until 31 March 2025. Interested businesses can apply by
completing the application form available on the Jarrold website. Shortlisted
applicants will be invited for interviews in April, with funds to be released
shortly thereafter.
So far, we’ve kept our short courses to be in-company. Since running them, we’ve had enquiries from people who only have one or two people in their teams and an in-company course isn’t required.
Now we’re opening them up to everyone!
Our short courses are in-person and will be mixed cohorts, which means that as well as learning from our tutor and the course, you have the opportunity to meet your peers.
All our courses are designed especially for Procurement professionals, so you can expect real life stories and examples from the public and private sectors.
Short Course Calendar12th February 2025 – Introduction to Procurement
Designed for people in operational or tactical roles and people who have elements of Procurement in their role, but where it may not be their full job or who are new to Procurement
9th April 2025 – Introduction to Negotiation
For people who have regular contact with suppliers or internal stakeholders and need to promote the objectives of the Procurement team. By the end of the course, delegates will be able to effectively plan for negotiations with suppliers and will know how to conduct a negotiation to best achieve their objectives.
18th June 2025 – Category Management
For anyone who has operational experience in Procurement and is looking to take a more strategic approach with their supply base. This course will enable learners to use tools and models to gain a deep understanding of their category of spend and build a sourcing strategy that eliminates costs and adds value.
24th September 2025 – Sustainable Procurement
This course is suitable for Procurement professionals who are looking to align their procurement processes with their organisation’s sustainability goals or influence their leadership team to adopt better Procurement practices.
What previous students have said
“A very engaging course”
“A good introduction to negotiation and how this can be applied in Procurement”
Details
All courses are run at our offices: Henderson Business Centre, Ivy Road, Norwich, NR5 8BF.
The timings will be 9:30am – 4:00pm.
The learning objectives and details of each course will be released in different blog posts through the year, so keep an eye out to find out more. Alternatively, send us an email and we will be glad to fill you in.
Next Steps
All courses are £195+VAT and spaces are limited to sign up whilst you can!
For more information or to sign up, please email or called 01603 251754
All our courses are still available in-company ask us for a copy of our brochure for full course details.
For the fourth consecutive year, TaxAssist Accountants, the UK’s largest network of small business accountants, has been awarded ‘5-star franchisee satisfaction’, based on positive feedback from its network of more than 200 franchisees.
TaxAssist Accountants rated higher than industry standards for all 29 questions, which inform Smith & Henderson’s final Franchise Satisfaction Benchmark (FSB) report.
A leading independent franchise consultancy, Smith & Henderson creates its FSB reports by inviting a franchisor’s existing franchisees to complete an anonymous online survey containing questions about their experience of owning franchise.
Using a consistent methodology, the franchise is assigned an overall FSB score and the highest performing franchisors are recognised in the Best Franchise Awards, sponsored by RBS.
Steven Frost, CEO of Smith & Henderson, said “TaxAssist Accountants was awarded 5-Star Franchisee Satisfaction based on positive feedback from its franchisees.
“They rated it above average across all five key areas that we measure in our industry benchmarking programme, like training and support and relationship with their franchisor. While nothing guarantees a particular franchise is a good fit for you or you will be successful, franchisors like TaxAssist Accountants have recently been awarded 5-Star Franchisee Satisfaction status are a good place to start.”
Sarah Robertson, Group Operations Director at TaxAssist Accountants, said: “As every good franchisor knows, the success of the franchise is totally dependent on the success of its franchisees.
“Feedback from our network is invaluable to highlight what we are doing right and what areas we can enhance. Every year we look forward to digesting each and every comment and with so many positives, the report was a pleasure to read.”
Amara, the luxury interior design company based in Rayne, and insurance brokers Pound Gates, based in Ipswich, were crowned the region’s Best Overall Employers at the Best Employers Eastern Region Awards 2016 yesterday (Thursday 6 October). Further awards were also presented to organisations across the region which excel in Customer Focus, Employee Engagement and Innovation.
The Best Employers Eastern Region initiative was founded by professional recruitment specialists Pure and people development and psychometrics expertseras ltd. It aims to celebrate the region’s best employers and supports organisations across Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and Cambridgeshire to create inspiring, innovative and engaging places to work.
The 2016 awards conference took place at Hengrave Hall in Bury St Edmunds and was attended by more than 100 members of the region’s business community. The morning was dedicated to sharing ideas and inspiration on employee engagement and discussing its impact on business performance. The guest speakers at the event were Chantal Misquitta from AstraZeneca, Daemmon Reeve from Treatt plc, Norman Pickavance and James Brown from Grant Thornton, and business transformation consultant Steve Turpie. These five high profile business leaders, all from very different organisations, shared their journeys to creating great places to work. Key themes included authentic leadership, the challenge of maintaining employee engagement in a growing organisation and the benefits of a people-focussed approach.
Lynn Walters, co-founder and director at Pure, said: “All our guest speakers are from local organisations already doing great things around employee engagement. We’re really grateful to them for giving up their time. With many people in the audience being SME owners, the opportunity to hear from a growing business like Treatt, alongside large, established organisations such as AstraZeneca and Grant Thornton, was very thought provoking. Steve Turpie’s insights into his experiences of supporting leaders to take a more authentic approach also really hit home. Our aim is to bring the region’s employers together to share ideas and problem solve challenges. Working together will put our region on the map as a great place to work. Being able to attract and retain talented employees is a key factor in achieving business growth, which will ultimately support the overall growth of our regional economy.”
Lynn Walters, alongside Margaret Burnside, Director of People Development ateras ltd, also led discussions on the latest employee engagement trends and shared the key findings from this year’s Best Employers Eastern Region survey. The results of the employee survey also determined this year’s award winners, with accolades being presented to the organisations with the highest scores, based on their own employee feedback.
This year the award for the region’s Best Overall Large Employer award has been sponsored by East of England law firm Birketts. Jeanette Wheeler, partner and head of employment law, presented the award to Amara, and also presented the award for the region’s Best Overall Small Employer to Pound Gates. This is the second time Ipswich-based Pound Gates has been honoured with a Best Employers Eastern Region award, having previously received the same accolade at the inaugural awards event in 2012.
The full list ofBest Employers Eastern Region 2016 winners:
Large employers (organisations with more than 50 employees)
The Birketts Best Overall Large Employer Award: Luxury interior design companyAmara,based in Rayne, Essex
Customer Focus Award:Arthur Rank Hospice Charity (ARHC),based in Cambridge
Employee Engagement Award: Merchant services providerCashflows,based in Cambridge
Innovation Award: Sports equipment manufacturersHarrod UK, based in Lowestoft, Suffolk
Small employers (less than 50 employees)
Best Overall Small Employer Award: Insurance brokersPound Gates, based in Ipswich
Customer Focus Award: Financial plannersBeckett Investment Management Group, based in Bury St Edmunds
Employee Engagement Award:Allia, a social ventures charity based in Cambridge
Innovation Award:LSI Architects, based in Norwich
The Customer Focus award recognises the organisations which have motivated employees to go the extra mile for their customers. The Employee Engagement awards honour the employers which have worked hard to develop high levels of staff morale. The Innovation Award is presented to the businesses which have shown the best ability to innovate and harness the creative talents of their employees.
Margaret Burnside, Director of People Development ateras ltd, said: “The winners of these awards have been selected based on the feedback from their own employees, gathered through the survey. Their staff have effectively voted for their organisation to win by sharing their experiences of what it’s really like to work there. This not only makes these awards more unusual, they also feel extra special and very genuine.”
Lynn Walters added: “A massive congratulations to all of our winners. It’s great to see such a spread of different organisations. It feels very representative of the type of companies we have here in our region. Those taking away awards will be in a stronger position to attract, recruit and retain talent for many years to come. I’d also like to thank everyone who has participated in the initiative overall. Not everyone participating has the intention of winning an award. However, all the organisations involved have the shared aim of improving business performance by developing exceptional employee engagement strategies and creating fantastic workplace cultures.”
The Best Employers Eastern Region initiative has also raised over £3,200 to date by donating a proportion of ticket sales to local charities. This has been shared between; Brightstars, a support group for disabled children and young people in Bury St Edmunds (founded by guest speaker Steve Turpie), West Suffolk cardiac support group Upbeat Heart and St Helena’s Hospice in Colchester.
Norwich-based market research consultancy Insight Track has appointed Chris Murphy as Non-Executive Director in readiness for the next phase of the research agency’s development.
With a successful 10-year trading history since Insight Track was established, the appointment confidently recognises the growing maturity of the business, and the ambition to continue being a leading player in the marketing services sector in the East of England for the next 10-years too.
Chris has a well-proven pedigree within the regional business community, having owned and managed a clutch of successful marketing services agencies. Chris was latterly CEO of Balloon Dog (formerly Fox Murphy), the region’s largest advertising agency, before divesting by an MBO to pursue wider business consultancy ambitions.
Furthermore the appointment re-kindles the dynamic working partnership between Chris Murphy and Will Herschel-Shorland, first formed when Will was Client Services Director for Chris at Fox Murphy, before Will branched-out to set-up Insight Track.
Chris is relishing the opportunity to realise the potential within Insight Track, saying: “Knowing how important customer insight is to guide business decision-making, I have kept an interested eye on Insight Track since its launch. The business has a great team and I’m looking forward to playing my part in taking the business forward”.
Will Herschel-Shorland, Managing Director, is delighted to be re-united with Chris, saying: “Chris’s appointment underlines our ambitions to realise Insight Track’s full potential and our determination to provide best-in-class client service. The experience he brings is self-evident and we are looking forward to harnessing his skills and energy to drive the business forward, with an exciting future in prospect.”
Employment lawyers at Birketts LLP are cautioning UK employers against making any drastic changes to their own DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) campaigns following US President Trump’s swift action to fulfil his promise to dismantle US Federal Government DEI initiatives by placing all existing DEI employees on administrative leave.
Private sector companies such as Amazon, Meta, Walmart and McDonalds have also confirmed that they are reducing their DEI initiatives.
Matthew Newnham, Employment Partner at Birketts, said: “It remains to be seen whether any UK subsidiaries of US corporations will follow suit.
“The legislative framework in the UK, under the Equality Act 2010, places obligations on employers to take certain positive steps in favour of those employees (or prospective employees) with ‘protected characteristics’ and employers may increase the risk of future litigation if they row back on their current approach. Not only is there a legal risk of non-compliance, but the risk of bad publicity and damage to reputation cannot be underestimated.
“The recent introduction of the new statutory duty on employers to take ‘reasonable steps’ to prevent sexual harassment, in force since 24 October 2024, has made it even more important for employers to proactively consider what can be done to reduce incidence of sexual harassment, with significant financial penalties for a failure to comply. Under the Government’s recent Employment Rights Bill, this duty looks set to be further strengthened in the future.
“Many UK employers have seen the positive benefits of implementing comprehensive ED&I policies and initiatives, both in terms of attracting and retaining highly skilled staff as well as reducing the number of costly employment tribunal claims. Making deliberate efforts to scale back on ED&I risks sending out the wrong message to the workforce and increases the risk of future claims.”
By following the TaxAssist Accountants model, seven of its 200 franchisees are each celebrating 10 years of business success.
Between them, the seven franchisees look after 14 shops and offices around the country, which are part of the UK’s largest network of accountants who are experts in helping small business owners and self-employed people with their tax and accounting needs.
Barnsley and Huddersfield-based Nick Brook is just one of the seven marking their first decade with his local small business community and has recently appointed a new member of staff, Kirsty Eastwood, after seeing client numbers soar to over 450.
Nick Brook set up TaxAssist Accountants on Lockwood Road, Huddersfield and, in response to growing demand from existing and new small businesses in neighbouring Barnsley, decided the time was right to expand and open a second office in Barnsley’s Business and Innovation Centre last year.
Nick said: “We’re thrilled to be celebrating our 10th anniversary in Huddersfield and a successful first eight months in Barnsley. Since opening in 2006, we have seen the business go from strength-to-strength as the small business community continues to look for jargon-free tax and accountancy advice.
“At a time when demand for our specialist small business services continues to grow, we’re delighted to have Kirsty join us, and she is already proving to be a great addition to the team.
“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my 10 years with TaxAssist Accountants.The experience of running my own business has more than met my expectations, and the support from TaxAssist has been first class.I’m really looking forward to the next ten years!”
Sarah Robertson, Group Operations Director of TaxAssist Accountants, added: “Congratulations to all of our franchisees who have reached their decade with us this year. This is a real milestone and something they should be justifiably proud of. We are seeing an increasing number of franchisees renew their franchise agreements with a term of 10 years, which is a positive reflection on the level of support we provide to our network and their optimism for the future.”
The other six franchisees celebrating their 10th anniversary are:
Keith Adams – Bath, Trowbridge and Melksham
Steve Andrew – Oldham
Drazen Coric – Islington and East Finchley
Gary & Cheryl Jacks – Queensferry, Ellesmere Port and Chester
In today’s fast-paced hiring market, relying on a single job board can limit your reach, slow down your recruitment efforts, and even cost you top talent. While one platform might seem sufficient at first glance, expanding your strategy to include multiple job boards can provide significant advantages for both employers and job seekers.
After a years’ study and an interview with a panel of industry experts, Richard Chatten has been awarded the qualification, bolstering the already highly experienced and qualified team at the Norwich based Support Centre. Richard is the third member of staff at TaxAssist along with Karl Sandall CEO and David Paulson Senior Manager UK & International Franchise Development to gain the qualification.
QFP is the only nationally recognised qualification specific to the franchising industry. It signifies a highly developed level of expertise and experience in franchising and a thorough understanding of its complexities, ethical standards and best practices.
Unlike membership of the British Franchise Association (bfa), the QFP is specific to an individual and not to a company. It’s a recognition of a personal level of commitment, time and continuous professional development by a member of the franchising community.
Karl Sandall CEO of TaxAssist Accountants comments; “Many congratulations to Richard for his hard work and dedication in gaining the QFP qualification. Richard has only been with TaxAssist Accountants for a year, having joined us in 2015 following seven years at a leading international franchise consultancy and publishing company, but in that time his passion and commitment to TaxAssist and franchising has been clear. His work is of an exception level and he has delivered absolutely first class levels of support to our Master Franchisees as they have worked to establish the TaxAssist brand in their territories.
“Richard’s qualification bolsters an already very experienced team at TaxAssist who have been growing the TaxAssist brand internationally and I look forward to working with Richard as we expand further into Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the USA.”
Our Founder, Simon Wingfield, has volunteered to be a
Trained Mentor on the Digital Boost Scheme. He has already started mentoring (pro
bono) via this scheme.
Digital Boost is a movement that is on a mission to
‘…democratise business support and ensure that no small business or charity
fails because they couldn’t get expert support’. Access to support is one of
the biggest barriers facing businesses when they are looking to start or grow
their businesses. Volunteer mentors provide a free lifeline to small
businesses; it is both free and easily accessible.
Simon commented: ‘Having obtained my ILM Level 5 Effective
Coaching and Mentoring accreditation last year and my ILM Level 7 accreditation
this year, I am motivated to support UK SMEs via Digital Boost. This follows my
continuing support for businesses and individuals with the Enterprise Nation
and Institute of Directors mentoring schemes that I participate in’.