Whether you are already a Carbon Charter Member or interested in finding out how membership can boost YOUR business, join us for this networking event at this exemplary business park which is an environmental pioneer.
There is easy access and plenty of parking. Refreshments are provided and there are also EV charging facilities.
This is an ideal opportunity to celebrate the momentous year and look forward to 2026, so book your places NOW to get the inside track on becoming part of the low carbon future. Book here.
Event Details Time: 10:00AM on Thursday 4th December 2025 Location: Neutral Territory, Claydon, IP6 0AE
Finance professionals from across East Anglia have come together to discuss the forthcoming Apprenticeship Levy at a series of FD Breakfast Clubs organised by professional recruitment consultants Pure and accountancy firm Grant Thornton.
The four sessions, held in Chelmsford, Cambridge, Norwich and Ipswich throughout October, were the latest in a series of FD Breakfast Clubs hosted by the two organisations. The clubs were first launched in 2014 to provide regular forums where the region’s senior finance professionals could come together to discuss topical issues important to business growth and sustainability.
Tom Earl, Associate Director at Pure, said: “We chose the Apprenticeship Levy as a topic for our latest breakfast sessions as it has been the subject of much scrutiny since it was confirmed it would be implemented in April 2017. The aim was to provide practical support and information on the levy, to discuss what it means for businesses in our region and to consider how it could impact on recruitment and talent development within this sector. The events covered everything from the potential cost implications through to how the structure and content of future training programmes could assist organisations in receiving additional funding towards staff development.”
The FD Clubs were developed by Pure and Grant Thornton to help support the local business community and to grow the regional economy. Subjects covered at previous sessions have included Cyber Security and Data Protection, Risk and Reputation, International Growth and Skills and Leadership.
Pure also collaborates with Grant Thornton to run a Finance Leadership Programme which is designed to help organisations in East Anglia to develop their future finance talent. Launched in 2015, the programme is made up of a small, invite-only group of future finance leaders and is split into three interactive round table sessions held throughout the year.
Ten leaders from charitable organisations across East Anglia attended an inaugural Charity Leaders Forum in Cambridge, hosted by professional recruitment specialists Pure to provide free support on strategic planning.
The event was led by guest speaker Sue Humphrey, a leading strategy development and implementation specialist from Cambridge-based In Tandem Limited. Lynn Morgan, Chief Executive at the Arthur Rank Hospice Charity, also shared practical examples of strategy and planning within the organisation. Held at Pure’s offices in Histon on Wednesday 19 October, this was the first of a series of regular Charity Leaders Forums planned for the future.
David Culley, Associate Director at Pure, said: “Being the leader of a charitable organisation can sometimes be a lonely existence. There can be limited opportunities for networking with peers and for developing skills which are beneficial to the organisation, especially with funding being focussed directly on the charity’s cause. For the past 13 years we have hosted an annual Charity Finance Forum and have had great feedback from delegates who attend year after year and have created some invaluable professional networks as a result. Following on from the success of these we wanted to provide a similar opportunity for the region’s CEOs and charity leaders to benefit from shared experiences and guest expertise. At Pure we work hard to support the region’s charities, whether its hosting or participating in fundraising events, supporting in recruitment needs or organising events like these to further develop the success of these fantastic organisations.”
The session was free to attend, but donations were requested for the nominated charity of STARS, a children’s bereavement support service based in Cambridge. The event raised over £200 which will fund counselling sessions for local children supported by the charity.
Pure plans to deliver three Charity Leaders Forums each year, with the next event scheduled to take place in February. Those interested in attending should contact David Culley at Pure on 01223 209888.
Go Green Grants of up to £8,000 are available to village halls, community buildings and sports halls in West Norfolk. Applications must be from constituted groups directly responsible for the management of the community building. Grants can cover up to 75% of project costs to make energy efficiency improvements to the building. Grants are provided via the Borough Council of King’s Lynn and West Norfolk and are funded by the UK government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
A once-plain patch of grass at St Augustine’s Church in Norwich has been transformed into a vibrant community garden, thanks to the efforts of local social enterprise Rippleacts and its dedicated participants.
Over the past eight weeks, the participants have worked alongside their project leader, Paula Coombe, to transform and renew the plain patch of grass into a vibrant and inspiring space.
The project, which has been called ‘the highlight of the summer’ by St Augustine’s Church, has created a vibrant and beautiful space for the whole community to enjoy.
The garden now includes a variety of flowers, including those kindly donated by Notcutts Garden Centre in Norwich, and wildlife friendly features such as bee boxes and a ‘dead hedge’ to provide nesting and foraging space for birds. In addition, the team has also added a herb and vegetable garden and a new contemplative meditation space, called the ‘Circle of Inspiration’ for everyone in the local area to enjoy.
Judy from St Augustine’s Church said ‘The Rippleacts volunteers have done an amazing transformation of our bedraggled church garden. They were lovely people & we thoroughly enjoyed having them there. What they have done will be enjoyed by church members & the local community, particularly as they don’t have gardens of their own.’
Founded in 2022 by Dr Verena Niyadurupola, Rippleacts supports those who are long term unemployed through a combination of cognitive behavioural coaching and projects which benefit the local community. The projects, which are practical in nature, create a ‘ripple effect’, inspiring positive change, resilience and confidence in the participants whilst also creating a positive impact to the local community. One of the participants who took part in the project said: “We share this space with them and it is lovely to feel a sense of ownership of this project, after completing it.”
The completion of the project comes at the same time that Rippleacts celebrates the publication of its first ever impact report. Thanks to its unique and holistic approach, the social enterprise has helped 74% of its participants back into volunteering, education or employment, and helped 93% of their participants make a positive change in their own lives.
Rippleacts’ innovative coaching programme is also available to local businesses and nonprofits, offering a tailored approach to upskilling and team development or to support their own service users.
For more information on Rippleacts and for their latest impact report, go to their website.
Freebridge Community Housing have announced the launch of their new ‘Change to Save’ campaign in support of the government’s Big Energy Saving Network.
The campaign hopes to encourage West Norfolk residents to make changes that can save them money on their energy bills this winter, and was unveiled in front of the Norfolk Knitters & Stitchers who also provide cost effective ways of keeping warm!
The campaign arrives on the back of the news that across our region we are currently paying £11million more than we need to for our energy bills.
‘Change to Save’ offers energy advice on issues such as; changing how you pay for your energy, changing the type of energy tariff you are on, changing your energy supplier and applying for discounts and help to pay for your energy.
Weekly advice sessions will be held by Freebridge Energy Advisor, Chlöe Lacy, between 1.30pm and 3.30pm at the Hillington Square Community Café. Chlöe will also be knocking on doors around Hillington Square to offer free impartial advice to residents.
Chlöe Lacy, Freebridge Energy Advisor, said: “With the dark nights and cold months closing in ‘Change to Save’ can help people to save money and keep warm over the winter.
“Approximately 60% of households in the UK have never switched energy supplier and are almost certainly paying too much for their energy. Our aim is to try and reverse that trend in our area.”
The Norfolk Knitters visit Providence Street Community Centre once a month and kindly allowed Freebridge to speak to them about ‘Change to Save.’
The Knitters are active with a number of charities across our region and have provided support to a range of organisations including the International Aid Trust, Norfolk and Norwich Premature Baby Unit and Dementia Awareness.
Trudie Smart, from Norfolk Knitters, said: “It’s a good idea to get this information out there, people need to know that this help is available. Many elderly people stay with the same company for years just because it’s easier.”
For further information on how to save money on energy bills contact Freebridge on 03332 404 444
Freebridge Community Fund supports seven special causes
Freebridge Community Housing have donated almost £6000 to seven community groups across the region as part of their vision for ‘supporting a better West Norfolk’.
Community groups which promote health and wellbeing, the environment, support residents or bring communities together can apply for up to £1000 for projects that have a positive impact within West Norfolk.
Recipients are invited to lunch with the judging panel made up of staff and tenants, they have the chance to share their charities cause and the plans they have for the donation.
Tony Hall, Chief Executive of Freebridge said: “This fund is all about helping people, and it reflects our vision of supporting a better West Norfolk. The local nature of the fund gives us the opportunity to offer support to the grass roots level that needs it most.
“Once again this year we have allocated funds to some much deserving and hard-working charities, who will use the money to improve the lives of many people in our region.”
One such charity is Friends in Bereavement, a free confidential service which offers comfort and support to the bereaved. They received £800 from Freebridge and these vital funds will help the charity to continue their work.
Gillian Porter from Friends in Bereavement said: “We had been to other places to try and get funding and then we were recommended that Freebridge may be able to help. This grant will go towards continuing to employ supervision and for the training of our staff.”
Along with Friends in Bereavement six other charities received funding:
Docking Playing Fields Association- £452 to refurbish a piece of equipment that is deemed unsafe on the play area.
Home-Start King’s Lynn & West Norfolk- £1000 to support volunteer travel expenses.
Methwold P.C. – £800 to purchase a disabled hoist to provide access to WC facilities.
National Osteoporosis Society King’s Lynn & District Group – £1000to continue to run the support group and associated exercise classes.
Pandora Project £1000 to expand the service and have more volunteers available to support clients.
West Norfolk Riding for the Disabled Association – £500 to launch a new 6 day-a-week scheduled bus service in June 2016 through villages, businesses and health facilities in 5 different Parishes in North West Norfolk.
Briar Chemicals invited people to immerse themselves in science and get hands-on with Chemistry at the first ever Norwich Science Festival.
The Chemistry Day, sponsored by Briar Chemicals, was organised by the East Anglian section of the Royal Society of Chemistry and attracted over a 1,200 people from across the region.
Norwich’s first major science festival provided a fantastic opportunity for everyone to take part in a variety of experiments includingbuilding atoms, making rainbows, exploring the chemistry in your own kitchen, writing secret messages and making slime spheres.
For older students, there were more complex experiments; investigating how food dyes work and identifying different materials using a research grade spectrometer.
Dr Sean Thurston, education coordinator for the Royal Society of Chemistry (East) said: “Research by the Royal Society of Chemistry has shown that people have, on the whole, a positive view of chemistry – but really don’t understand what a chemist does day to day. Events like this let us fill in those gaps in the public knowledge. The day aims to show people how chemistry is all around them in their everyday life, while showcasing some of the fantastic scientists we have in East Anglia.”
A team of volunteers from Briar Chemicals hosted the ‘making slime spheres’ experiments; an activity that fascinated all ages. Tim Green, site manager at Briar Chemicals said: “For many years we have worked with local schools promoting science learning as fun and it’s fantastic to be able to work together with other local specialists, to provide free access to everyday science, in a fun and informative environment for youngsters. We want to inspire young people with the wonder of science, and hopefully encourage them to become scientists of the future.”
Briar Chemicals gave short career talks throughout the day, engaging with audiences of all ages. Carmina,a student work placement at Briar Chemicals, is currently studying a Chemical Engineering degree at Loughborough University is keen to encouragemore girls to study STEM subjects.
The first ever city wide Norwich Science Festival, which took place from 18-30 October 2016, celebrated the vibrant and ground breaking aspect of the city. Norwich has long held a world-class reputation for leading scientific discovery, including research at the University of East Anglia on ways to improve crop yields to tackle global food shortages.
Festival highlights included pioneering scientist Lord Robert Winston, a leading expert on fertility and IVF, ‘the people’s astronomer’ Mark Thompson of Stargazing Live and Ben Garrod, an evolutionary biologist and award-winning broadcaster, co-presenting ‘Attenborough and the Giant Dinosaur’ with Sir David Attenborough.
Monthind Clean LLP took part in the Norfolk Chamber of Commerce’s 18th B2B exhibition on 13th October 2016, and we are delighted to announce Chloe Griffin, Broadland District Council Tourism Officer, and Barry Lynes, Rider Co-ordinator at Kickstart as the winners of our event competition. Visitors to Monthind’s stand were invited to enter a draw for the two prizes of £100 voucher.
We were represented at the event by Sales and Marketing Business Manager, Tony Payne; Company Partner, Simon Biggs; Business Development Managers, Tara Culshaw and Richard Angelo; and Norfolk’s Business Manager, Kevin Lamb. The team was busy all day, but took the time to peruse the other stands, and were impressed by the quality of the products and businesses exhibiting. Simon Biggs says: “Events like the Norfolk B2B Exhibition allow companies to demonstrate their capabilities to potential clients. In Monthind’s case we spoke to a number of decision makers who had not previously considered outsourcing their cleaning and maintenance, and some who were unhappy with their current providers. By meeting and talking in a relaxed environment, we make those connections that can lead to valued contracts.”
Many business owners
delay succession planning because it feels too early or too complex. But
waiting until you must make a decision can limit your options and
increase the risk of disruption.
· A well-thought-out
succession strategy can help you:
· Maintain continuity in
case of unexpected events
· Prepare internal
successors or new leadership
· Increase your
business’s value in a future sale
· Reduce tax liabilities
through proper planning
· Exit on your own terms financially
and emotionally
What Should Be in Your
Succession Toolkit?
Succession planning
isn’t one-size-fits-all. Depending on your goals, it could involve:
· Handing the business to
a family member or long-time employee
· Selling to a third
party or via a management buyout
· Phasing into
semi-retirement with trusted leadership in place
· Closing the business
and extracting value efficiently
For business owners
looking to close a solvent company, one powerful option is a Members’ Voluntary
Liquidation (MVL).
What Is an MVL – and
When Is It Useful?
A Members’ Voluntary
Liquidation is a formal process used to close a solvent company and distribute
its assets to shareholders in a tax-efficient way.
It’s especially useful
if:
· You’re retiring and no
longer need the company
· You’re selling the
business assets and winding up the limited company
· You have significant
retained profits you want to extract efficiently
An MVL isn’t just for big companies with big
exits – it can be a smart, cost-effective strategy for everyday business owners
who’ve built up value over time.
Looking Ahead
If
you’d like a confidential conversation about your next steps, we’re here to
help!
You can contact our friendly and experienced
team on 01603 552028 or email us at [email protected].
The Space is thrilled to present Bounce Into Christmas, a magical holiday event perfect for families with young children! From December 20 to December 23, 2024, The Space will transform into a festive wonderland filled with holiday activities, treats, and entertainment.
Bounce Into Christmas is recommended for children 11 years and under (though kids up to 13 are welcome). The event is designed to bring families together for a joyful holiday celebration, with something fun for everyone.
Event Address: The Space, Roundtree Way, Norwich, NR7 8SQ
What to Expect at Bounce Into Christmas
There’s a wide range of festive activities planned, including:
Live Music to keep the holiday spirit alive
Santa’s Grotto for special meet-and-greet moments with Santa Claus
Snowball Fights with the Naughty Elves for snowy fun
Inflatables with castles, slides, and a fun run
Soft Play Space for little ones under 5
Fully Licensed Bar for adults to enjoy festive drinks
Coffee & Cakes to warm up
Christmas Street Food (limited menu) with tasty holiday bites
Sweet Treats for a seasonal indulgence
Quiet Session options for a gentler experience
Onsite Medic for any bumps or bruises
How to Join the Fun
Tickets for Bounce Into Christmas are on sale now, and early booking is recommended as spots are expected to fill up quickly. With its mix of interactive fun, festive treats, and cozy holiday atmosphere, Bounce Into Christmas at The Space is set to be a holiday favourite for families in the community.
To learn more and book your tickets, click here: .
Don’t miss out on this magical Christmas celebration!