The Breakwater IT car park has been the recipient of three new additions – electric charge points for employees and clients to use. Fitted by Norwich firm, Excel Electrical Services Ltd, the points are authorised by the Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV), and are a step towards supporting electric vehicle uptake and lowering emissions.
With battery efficiency and range continuing to evolve, electric vehicles are becoming more of a feasible choice and we are keen to support the switch with these smart charging points. At the September Zero Emission Vehicle Summit, the Prime Minister set out her ambition for all new cars and vans to be effectively zero emission by 2040.
Local independent energy consultancy, Indigo Swan, have won a prestigious national award at the 2019 Energy Live Consultancy Awards (TELCA).
The company who were praised by the judges for their “strong statistics and good evidence”, won the ‘Most Trusted UK Energy Consultancy (SME)’ category last week. It’s the third time the energy enthusiasts have been recognised with this esteemed accolade in the last five years.
Emily Groves, Founder and Executive Chair commented: “We know that to provide a world class service we must be trusted by every organisation and person we engage with, whether they are a client, an employee, an energy supplier or the wider business community. I’m tremendously proud that we have won this award 3 times as it shows that trust is at our core and continues to resonate as we grow and engage with a greater number of organisations.”
James Groves Managing Director added: “Trust in your vision, trust in your values, trust in your team and your clients will trust in you. At Indigo Swan we are so proud to have been awarded the Most Trusted Consultancy (SME). I once read that Trust is built with consistency and to have been awarded as the most trusted within our sector 3 times over the last 5 years is the type of consistency that makes me so proud of all the Swans and allows our clients to know they are in safe hands year after year.”
The distinguished awards have been identified as being one of the most coveted in the UK. They evolved through a need to recognise and celebrate creativity, innovation and those pushing the boundaries of excellence.
The team at Indigo Swan were joined by more than 360 people at the Institute of Engineering and Technology (IET) on Wednesday 26th June for a glamourous black-tie awards ceremony, which was followed by an after party on London’s luxurious yacht, the Silver Sturgeon.
Lee Ratcliffe, one of the employees who attended the event, commented: “It was an absolute honour to be asked to represent Indigo Swan at the TELCAs and the evening didn’t disappoint! It was great to spend some time with my team outside of work, meet new people and bring home the ‘Most Trusted Consultancy’ trophy!”
‘Quackerine of Aragon’ celebrates the visit to the Maids Head in 1520 of Catherine of Aaragon, Henry VIII first wife. The duck was designed and painted by talented staff members, Susan and Victoria.
Race timings
2.00pm Individual Mini Duck Race: 3,000 little ducks will head to the finish line.
2.30pm Large Painted Duck Race: Large decorated ducks, including ‘Quakerine of Aragon’ take to the water to compete to win the Grand Norwich Duck Race Trophy.
After the race, the Maids Head will host the auction of the large painted ducks on the evening of Thursday 5 September.
Break is the Maids Head Hotel’s charity of the year 2019. Break makes life better for vulnerable young people in East Anglia. The charity believes that every child and young person needs a home where they feel safe and loved, so they can grow in confidence and look to the future with hope. Break’s vision is to ensure children, young people and families reach their full potential and shape their own future in a safe and creative environment.
TaxAssist Accountants has been awarded the prestigious accolade of becoming an AAT (Association of Accounting Technicians) Training Provider to deliver globally recognised AAT Bookkeeping Qualifications to its franchisees and their staff.
Achieving such status highlights the excellence of the training offered by the Norwich-based Support Centre and the quality of the TaxAssist Accountants brand, the UK’s largest network of small business specialist accountants.
The AAT Level 1 and 2 Bookkeeping Qualifications TaxAssist will be offering cover the manual recording of financial systems, using both single entry and double entry bookkeeping, and will equip people with the financial skills and knowledge to manage books effectively.
The bookkeeping qualification is a great starting point for anyone looking to begin their career in the accounting industry or just looking to expand their skill base. AAT is a brand that employers trust and recognise, and it will be a great addition to a student’s CV to boost job prospects.
Everyone in the TaxAssist Accountants network has access to the Training Academy, which offers free or discounted access to events and services from partners, plus a wide range of technical continuing professional development (CPD) courses, software training and business development training both on and offline. Last year, 1,200 delegates attended face-to-face courses and more than 600 attended webinars delivered by the Training Academy.
Mark Farrar, AAT Chief Executive, said: “An AAT qualification is internationally recognised, and we are pleased that our Level 1 and 2 bookkeeping qualifications will be added to an already impressive suite of opportunities provided by TaxAssist Accountants.”
Phil Sullivan, Group Operations Director at TaxAssist Accountants, added: “This is a fantastic offering which we are pleased to make available to our network of over 200 franchisees and over 850 staff members. This achievement, in conjunction with our comprehensive range of regional face-to-face and online courses, rightly cements our status as a first class training provider.”
Budding businesses and entrepreneurial individuals in West Norfolk this week celebrated the launch of a new centre which will help protect, research and commercialise their ideas.
The new Business and Intellectual Property (IP) Centre at King’s Lynn Library launched on Wednesday 17 July and joins a network of thirteen centres across the UK, following Norfolk’s first centre at the Millennium Library in Norwich, which launched in October 2017.
The new centre will be one of three hubs connected to the main centre in Norwich. The other two are planned for Thetford and Great Yarmouth by the end of January 2020.
Councillor Graham Plant, Deputy Leader and Cabinet member for Growing the Economy, said at the launch: “Encouraging entrepreneurship and business growth is key to sustaining a strong economy and driving economic growth in the county.
“Our libraries are ideally placed to help new and growing businesses to flourish, with expert staff that can help support businesses to carry out market research and business planning.”
Local entrepreneur Evie-May Ellis spoke about setting up her vegan food pop-up Heart Street, and there were expert business advisors from Menta, the Norfolk and Waveney Enterprise Services (NWES), and other partners on hand, offering advice and support to guests.
The Centre holds a comprehensive collection of online databases and publications, printed resources, and will host practical workshops and inspiring talks, and be a space for entrepreneurs to come together to network.
Hazel Russell, co-founder of the of The Wood Life Project, is just one of the many people and businesses who have gained valuable guidance.
Her company designs and sells eco-friendly wooden products as alternatives to plastic. Hazel first heard about Business & IP Centres via a podcast, and decided to go along to her nearest one at the Forum in Norwich.
She said: “The centre is supportive and informative, and helped us move our business forward in a sustainable way.”
Through 1-to-1 sessions with advisors she learnt about trademark and patent options and how to register designs. She started registering her designs, and the Centre helped and encouraged her to move forward with the business. She has since been back to learn more about finance, strategy, and raising funds, and feels that the support really helped build her confidence and get her business off the ground.
Liftshare have been chosen to be part of the influential new cohort of Intelligent Mobility companies that will help shape future innovations in transport and mobility.
Based in Milton Keynes, the IM Accelerator is a partnership between Connected Places Catapult and Wayra UK, the world-leading scale-up accelerator that is part of Telefónica Open Future. The program is also supported by Hyundai, Stagecoach Group and Ferrovial Services, which will all provide support to start-ups at the Accelerator.
Chosen because of their continued investment in innovation and market-led new products, Liftshare have big plans for the coming year and the new technology they are developing.
Liftshare CEO and founder, Ali Clabburn, said, “We’re very excited to be a part of the Intelligent Mobility accelerator programme and to be working with Wayra and Catapult Connected Places. Liftshare are incredibly proud to still be considered innovators, even after 20 years, as what we do is more relevant today than ever. We’re looking forward to learning as much as we can, both from the supporters and mentors, but also the other companies involved who are doing incredibly exciting things in the mobility sector.”
Alex Weedon, Connected Places Catapult’s SME director, said, “We are very excited to welcome such a diverse group of promising businesses to the IM Accelerator. We had a large number of quality applications which allowed our judges to choose a group that really represents the scope and ambition of the thriving SME and start-up community currently working in transport in the UK.”
Liftshare is the biggest carsharing network in the UK with over 600,000 members sharing 1 million trips every month. They help over 700 corporate clients to encourage staff to travel more sustainably using a suite of products. Having recently won their second Queen’s Award for Innovation for what judges called, “exceptional contributions to the environment,” Liftshare are on track to have saved over 1 billion miles from UK roads by 2020.
Notes to editors Queen’s Award for Innovation | BITC National Award for Environmental Excellence | Ashden Award for Sustainable Travel | Catalyst Award for Social Technology | British Parking Awards Further information about Liftshare and its services for individuals and businesses can be found at https://business.liftshare.com
Contact For additional information and images, please contact [email protected], tel. 01603 389 321.
In every neighbourhood across Norfolk small charities and voluntary groups are working tirelessly to support their communities. Supporting mental health services, alleviating loneliness, preventing youth crime, helping vulnerable families – these are some of the key issues that need to be tackled. These diverse organisations, set up by people who care, are the backbone of local communities. They work hard to respond to need as it emerges, providing a safe place and a lifeline to some of the most vulnerable in Norfolk. People are being encouraged to use Norfolk Day on 27th July to give something back to support these people and organisations making Norfolk great. By becoming a Friend of Norfolk and committing to a regular contribution that suits their circumstances, they will ensure that these small local charities continue to thrive and help more people, changing the world on their doorstep. Friends of Norfolk will be regularly updated about the ways they are making a difference, and will be invited to events to hear about the amazing work they are helping bring about to transform local lives. Become a Friend of Norfolk to celebrate this Norfolk Day by contacting Norfolk Community Foundation on 01603 623958 or [email protected] Norfolk Community Foundation is a registered charity dedicated to building stronger communities and improving the lives of people in Norfolk. The charity connects people who care with local causes that matter, helping ordinary people do extraordinary things that make local communities thrive and improve the lives of people who live there. Further information about becoming a Friend of Norfolk is available from Norfolk Community Foundation’s website at https://www.norfolkfoundation.com/giving-philanthropy/collective-giving-networks/friends-of-norfolk/
Liftshare have been chosen to be part of the influential new cohort of Intelligent Mobility companies that will help shape future innovations in transport and mobility.
Based in Milton Keynes, the IM Accelerator is a partnership between Connected Places Catapult and Wayra UK, the world-leading scale-up accelerator that is part of Telefónica Open Future. The program is also supported by Hyundai, Stagecoach Group and Ferrovial Services, which will all provide support to start-ups at the Accelerator.
Chosen because of their continued investment in innovation and market-led new products, Liftshare have big plans for the coming year and the new technology they are developing.
Liftshare CEO and founder, Ali Clabburn, said, “We’re very excited to be a part of the Intelligent Mobility accelerator programme and to be working with Wayra and Catapult Connected Places. Liftshare are incredibly proud to still be considered innovators, even after 20 years, as what we do is more relevant today than ever. We’re looking forward to learning as much as we can, both from the supporters and mentors, but also the other companies involved who are doing incredibly exciting things in the mobility sector.”
Alex Weedon, Connected Places Catapult’s SME director, said, “We are very excited to welcome such a diverse group of promising businesses to the IM Accelerator. We had a large number of quality applications which allowed our judges to choose a group that really represents the scope and ambition of the thriving SME and start-up community currently working in transport in the UK.”
Liftshare is the biggest carsharing network in the UK with over 600,000 members sharing 1 million trips every month. They help over 700 corporate clients to encourage staff to travel more sustainably using a suite of products. Having recently won their second Queen’s Award for Innovation for what judges called, “exceptional contributions to the environment,” Liftshare are on track to have saved over 1 billion miles from UK roads by 2020.
Notes to editors Queen’s Award for Innovation | BITC National Award for Environmental Excellence | Ashden Award for Sustainable Travel | Catalyst Award for Social Technology | British Parking Awards Further information about Liftshare and its services for individuals and businesses can be found at https://business.liftshare.com
Contact For additional information and images, please contact [email protected], tel. 01603 389 321.
When we first went to meet the team at Harrogate Ladies College they made it clear that they wanted a different kind of school film, one that told their story and that incorporated their ideal of ‘I am me’, encouraging their students to be very much individuals. We love to tell stories and this was a great fit for us with our background, so after brain storming as a team we went back to them with the concept of using a poem to take the viewer on a journey. They loved the idea and having won the pitch, we then spent some time getting to know the school and devising the poem with the marketing team there, before carefully planning the shoot. After time in the edit suite, here is the final result. Thank you to everyone involved.
Well hello! I’m Rain and I’m excited to announce I am the new Business Administrator apprentice of the Naked Element team. Working at Naked Element we are encouraged to take part in Sandler Training – Here’s how my first session went.
Taking part in my first Sandler session allowed me to understand the ways of self discipline, why it is important to take certain steps to achieve this and how it helps to achieve your overall objectives.
Ermine took us through the steps required to achieve our goals, whilst being disciplined. The first step was to know your goals and really understand what you were working towards – five goals daily and five big goals annually. Without having the bigger picture of what you want to achieve it becomes hard to focus and commit yourself to tasks. Whilst you are working hard towards your goals it is important to stay motivated – a simple solution (that most of us forget) is to reward ourselves. After reaching certain points throughout a project, motivation can begin to fade and without personal rewards the ability to complete a task is not enough of a reward to see us through to the end.
After listening to Ben from Anglia Freight, I learnt that within every successful business there are still underlying problems that prevent them from achieving their organisational aims. We learnt the way that his company attempts to keep track of their sales in relation to their aims using visual aids to see where they are not meeting their targets.
After Ermine’s advice it seemed everybody including myself was able to understand the importance of short term, medium term and long term goals and the importance of being SMART: specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time efficient. When goals are not achieved, we should not beat ourselves up about them, but learn from them and ensure they are achievable in the future.
We’re pleased to announce that Brett Manning, Assistant Client Manager at Aston Shaw has been shortlisted for the Practice Excellence Awards in the category: Trainee of the year.The Practice Excellence Awardsseek to recognise and celebrate the very best within the accountancy profession. Only firms and individuals that perform at a level of excellence are shortlisted.
In order to be considered for this particular award, entrants must be able to demonstrate their commitment and dedication towards learning, as well as showing a real passion and drive for success within their job roles. Entrants were also required to detail tangible contributions they have made to the firm and its clients.
Lee Stratton, Director and also Brett’s Manager, provided the following words to help support Brett’s submission:
“Brett has been a fantastic member of the team since day one. At the stage he is at in his career it is very difficult to balance studying for an ACCA qualification alongside work and we have been thoroughly impressed with how he has coped – exceeding in both aspects. I am more than confident that Brett would be suitable for this award as he deserves recognition for what he has achieved so early on in his career, especially balancing his studies with a demanding client facing role.”
We hope you will join us in congratulating Brett on this fine achievement. Due to the fierce competition involved, this is truly an outstanding accomplishment. We wish Brett the best of luck for ceremony; all of us at the firm can’t think of anyone more deserving of the award.
The Practice Excellence Awards Ceremony will take place in central London on Thursday 20th October.
New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership are looking for volunteers who would be willing to be filmed as part of a new Norwich Opportunity Area project aiming to raise aspirations. Can you help?
We are planning two filming days in Norwich on Wednesday 14th August & Tuesday 20th August with the intention that the filming team visit various Norwich based employers for about an hour to film 10-15 people each.
We are looking to create short film clips of careers stories from 100s of people across Norwich from all sorts of different backgrounds/ages/journeys. The aim of the project is to create an online mosaic of local stories to raise awareness of different types of careers and opportunities available in Norwich from a range of sectors. We would ideally be looking to use a quiet meeting space or breakout area for the filming.
Questions will be along the lines of … What were your career aspirations as a child? How does that differ from what you do now? Without using your job title, can you describe what you do? Looking back, what do you wish you knew before choosing a career? Please confirm to Katie White – [email protected] – whether you are interested by the end of the week. And if so, whether you have a preference for either of these dates?