In our last monthly update we shared the exciting news that construction work had begun on our new Big C Cancer Support Centre on Dereham Road in Norwich. Four weeks later and we are making great progress on the Centre. The first stage demolition has now taken place – and as you’ll see from the picture there is little left of the original frontage of the Blockbusters building. This footprint at the front of the new building will include the Garden Room, Consultation and Therapy room and a meeting room. Surrounded by our Sensory Garden.
Since last month we have also raised a further £40K for the new Centre, currently totalling £590,000 of our £750,000 goal.
Help us raise the further £160K by either fundraising for Big C or donate directly to our #NearerToHome appeal here. Nearer to Home Appeal – JustGiving
Director of Johnston Logistics UK, Rob McIndoe, has thanked Full Mix Marketing for their support before, during and after the pandemic.
Having delivered their marketing since 2017, the full-service agency overcame challenges created by the lockdowns to drive forward the warehousing and logistics provider’s marketing.
“The first lockdown took everyone by surprise and created some capacity within our warehousing. Full Mix came up with a plan, reached out to brands and retailers and we’ve ended up having another very successful year” says Rob, who leads the Johnston Logistics UK team.
Formally established in 2010, Johnston Logistics UK can trace their history back to 1978 and now handle over 320 million items each year. Half of all wine for Asda supermarkets passes through their 700,000 square feet of warehousing.
Over the past four years, Full Mix Marketing have delivered marketing which has helped increase Johnston Logistics UK’s appeal to larger brands and retailers. It has included social media, website development, online advertising, search engine optimisation and direct marketing to businesses across the UK.
In April 2021, Johnston Logistics UK launched a new website built by Full Mix Marketing to better communicate the logistic experts’ rising reputation and status.
“Due in many ways to the support of Full Mix, we’ve grown to another discernible level. The pandemic impacted their team like everyone, but you wouldn’t have known it. The support they’ve delivered has always been outstanding; before, during and after the lockdowns” states Rob.
Full Mix Marketing was founded by Sarah West in 2016 with the aim to deliver the right mix of marketing to create meaningful results. The company has grown to become one of East Anglia’s leading business-to-business marketing agencies, supporting companies in sectors including engineering, IT and business services.
“It has always been a pleasure working with Johnston Logistics UK. It’s all about trust. We know they’re excellent at logistics and they have faith we will do everything we can to spread the word using the most effective marketing. Their success is our success” says Sarah West, Full Mix Marketing’s Managing Director.
In the last year, Full Mix Marketing have delivered particular strong results for Johnston Logistics UK with content marketing, including press releases which have been widely published by the retail sector press. This has also boosted their website by increasing its appearance in Google search results, four-fold.
Full Mix Marketing continue to deliver a full mix of marketing for Johnston Logistics UK as the Snetterton-based firm considers plans to further expand their warehousing to meet rising demand.
“From the start, Sarah and her team came up with a well-reasoned strategy and delivered results. It’s no different to having a marketing team in-house. In fact, it’s better because they are so driven and full of ideas” concludes Rob.
Last week we hosted our first in-person event in over 18 months and what a fantastic afternoon it was! ‘Lunch on the Green’, our annual summer charity and networking event, took place at our Norwich office on Wednesday 8th September and we are delighted to have raised a total of £5518 for Break.
Now in its 12th year and considered by many as the highlight of the Norwich networking calendar, we were thrilled to host our open-air summer event, with over 200 business representatives in attendance and 25 stand holders on the day. The event was in support of Break charity once again, having raised over £45,000 for Break since its humble conception in 2008. Break is an innovative charity that provides hope and support for vulnerable children and young people across East Anglia. They deliver specialist support services to ensure young people have the care they need, when and where they need it, for as long as they need it.
The event featured performances from local singers and musicians, lunch was provided by social enterprise The Feed, Break’s ‘CoffeeBreak’ van offered delegates a range of hot drinks, wine provided by Bijou Bottles, Woodforde’s beer, 7 Surrey Street offered summer mocktails, mini golf with Norfolk and Waveney Mind, floral displays by Libby Ferris Flowers and more.
Associate and Marketing Manager Louis Hilldrup-Boorman said ”Due to the unpredictable nature of the Covid-19 pandemic, delivering this event wasn’t as straightforward as previous events, with careful planning and safety measures to consider, all to ensure attendees could attend in confidence. Despite the last 18 months, there’s clearly still an appetite for in-person networking. The sun was shining, the atmosphere was buzzing and it was great to bring the Norfolk business community together again after so many months!”
Sarah Bunn, Community Fundraising Manager at Break said ”We have been thrilled to be the charity partner for Clapham & Collinge’s Lunch on the Green once again; enabling local businesses to come together and support a local cause while enjoying the most wonderful summer networking. To raise such an amount is tremendous, and it goes a long way to funding much needed dedicated specialist support for young people on the edge of care, in care and moving on from care.”
The roll-out of Norfolk County Council’s new technology that allows the county’s roads to flag up when they need gritting and its bins that they need emptying has been recognised at the Connected Britain Awards (21-22 September) at the Design Centre in London. The council won the Internet of Things (IoT) Award for its Long-Range Wide Area Network (LoRaWAN) for sending and receiving low power signals from digital devices and objects.
The first Connected Britain Awards were held in 2018 with the aim of recognising the leaders in the UK connectivity landscape. Since then, the awards have developed to cover a wide range of categories open to service providers, the public sector and charities, as well as suppliers to the industry. Norfolk County Council also won the award as Digital Council of the Year in 2020.
Following last year’s accolade, this year Norfolk County Council was nominated for the “IoT Award” for its work in developing our Internet of Things Innovation Network using LoRaWAN. Objects and devices in the LoRaWAN each have built-in sensors that capture small packets of data about their status or information from their surroundings and report the information via the network.
This technology allows roads to flag up when they need gritting, rubbish bins to say when they need to be emptied, rivers to say when the water level is getting close to flooding, and parking spaces to say whether they are empty or occupied. Sensors in the home can help people to keep living independently in their own homes for longer, and much more. All this extra information can allow cities, towns and rural communities to run smoothly, making them better places to live and work and, crucially, to help the more remote areas of our county to become better connected. It also creates an opportunity for businesses in Norfolk to innovate, develop expertise in this emerging sector and grow.
In just over two years, Norfolk has gone from having nothing in place to developing the biggest free-to-use IoT LoRaWAN network in the UK. This achievement was recognised by winning the IoT Award against a very strong field, where other shortlisted organisations included IoT Solutions Group, O2 Smart Metering, Pangea Connected and Vodafone.
Cllr Tom FitzPatrick, Cabinet Member for Innovation, Transformation and Performance at Norfolk County Council said: “I am delighted that the innovation and hard work of the Information Management Team team at Norfolk County Council has been recognised with this award. Our CIO Geoff Connell and our CTO Kurt Frary lead a fantastic team who go the extra mile to innovate and work for Norfolk. To have gone from nothing to having built the largest network in the UK in two years is a really excellent achievement. I would also like to thank the New Anglia LEP for their support for this every growing success story.”
James and Mark chat about the huge surge in vacancies across the UK and many parts of the world. They reflect on what businesses can do to help retain and attract the best talent, providing 3 top tips along the way.
They take inspiration from a recent article in Wired by Alex Christian, the experience of local chef and restaurant owner Iain McCarten, Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, and the late American actor Steve McQueen!
We would love to hear from you – you can get in touch with us on [email protected]
If you enjoy this episode, please subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Audible or wherever else you get your podcasts, and whilst you are there, we would really appreciate a 5* review, as this helps other people find our podcast!
The Norwich based Cyber & Information Security consultancy CyberScale has launched 5 new Cyber Security training courses and workshops to help businesses be more prepared to protect themselves against the risks of a cyber-attack.
Having developed bespoke training courses for a range of clients CyberScale identified a need for public training courses for organisations who are at different stages in their Cyber Security journey. Engaging employees in any form of training can be a challenge. Once a business has decided to invest in cyber security training it is important to ensure that what is delivered achieves the best possible engagement. The result of this is that it is more likely to be taken back in to the business with enthusiasm. Training should never be seen as a tick box exercise, especially when it comes to training that can and will protect your business from potentially damaging cyber-attacks.
Darren Chapman, Director & Principal Consultant at CyberScale, says that “As a cyber security consultancy we are very much led by our clients and their business needs. We don’t have technical solutions to push and always begin with looking at their current technologies, policies, processes, and people when it comes to assessing their position in relation to cyber security. To this end, we listen to what our clients are telling us they need and ensure that we build services we think not only meet this need, but also deliver our experience and knowledge in the most effective and relevant manner.”
The new training services offering has been developed to cover a wide range of topics and are delivered by CyberScale’s Cyber Security Consultants who work on the front line of client businesses and are therefore able to incorporate personal experiences shared from their client work. You can see the range outlined below:
With a combination of public courses where attendees will be from a range of organisations, and bespoke solutions for your business, CyberScale are experienced in ensuring that what they deliver suits the needs of your business.
CyberScale understands the Business of Cyber Security, and how important an aware and alert workforce is in building the security culture into a business that can set it apart and drive it forward.
Long-lasting, noise-reducing, insulating, low maintenance and VERY stylish, what’s not to love about Shutters? And you can SAVE 10% this month on domestic shutters!
Click the link for more information about our made to measure shutters, including pricing, a case study and videos.
If shutters aren’t quite your thing, why not consider wood venetian blinds? Our bespoke Venetian wooden slat blinds are manufactured in our workshop in Attleborough.
Again, there is a 10% saving for domestic wood venetian blinds ordered by the end of September.
Just book your in-home appointment, we’ll visit, measure up, show you samples, and then give you a quote.
Long-standing client ODE asked us to develop a bespoke website and create a new brand identity – and it was delighted with the results.
We delivered a fresh and modern-looking website which is fit for purpose and encompasses the new brand identity.
The content management system gives ODE easy access to update and maintain the website, which now automatically resizes to fit whatever device it is being viewed on.
Leanne Lake of ODE commented: “Over the last 15 years of working with TMS Media, I’ve found them to be very helpful and reliable. Deadlines can often cause problems but TMS has always delivered!
“Their commitment to meeting our needs has always been on-point, and I would definitely recommend to other colleagues/industry partners.”
Walking With The Wounded’s volunteering programme OP-REGEN has been honoured with The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, the highest award a voluntary group can receive in the UK.
OP-REGEN, based in Greater Manchester, launched in February 2020 is a volunteering programme that offers a platform for ex-military personnel to recognise their inherent skills and empowers them to demonstrate these skills to the wider community. For those that have landed on hard times, the project aims to support these individuals and their families to reintegrate back into society and to have a meaningful positive impact on the environment in which they reside; additionally, for those not in employment the projects aims to assist in their journey back into the workplace.
Although focused on ex-military, more generally the project is supported by volunteers from all backgrounds including Corporate UK and encourages these individuals to work together, leading to a greater increase in community cohesion and safer neighbourhoods.
Fergus Williams, CEO of Walking With The Wounded commented: “OP-REGEN embodies the future ambitions of Walking With The Wounded to support ex-military seeking support and to find those that require support but are not actively seeking it. I am immensely proud of the programme and delighted that the hard work and commitment of all those who have volunteered through OP-REGEN are being recognised by being awarded the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.
“OP-REGEN provides our clients, our corporate partners and ultimately, our armed forces community, with the opportunity to ‘serve again’ by utilising the inherent skills of the service leaver and showcasing the standards and values of those that have served.”
Walking With The Wounded is one of 241 charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups to receive the prestigious award this year. The number of nominations remains high year on year, showing that the voluntary sector is thriving and full of innovative ideas to make life better for those around them.
Veteran, beneficiary of WWTW and volunteer for OP-REGEN, Christopher commented: “I chose to volunteer with Walking With The Wounded after my Employment Advisor suggested it would help me if I engaged in OP-REGEN. It’s helped me develop my confidence and add structure to my week which will ultimately support my journey back into employment which is my main goal.”
The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service aims to recognise outstanding work by volunteer groups to benefit their local communities. It was created in 2002 to celebrate The Queen’s Golden Jubilee. Recipients are announced each year on 2nd June, the anniversary of The Queen’s Coronation. Award winners this year are wonderfully diverse. They include volunteer groups from across the UK, including an inclusive tennis club in Lincolnshire; a children’s bereavement charity in London; a support group those living with dementia and their carers in North Yorkshire; a volunteer minibus service in Cumbria; a group supporting young people in Belfast; a community radio station in Inverness and a mountain rescue team in Powys.
Representatives of Walking With The Wounded will receive the award crystal and certificate from the Lord-Lieutenant of Greater Manchester later this summer. Furthermore two volunteers from Walking With The Wounded will attend a garden party at Buckingham Palace in May 2022 (depending on restrictions at the time), along with other recipients of this year’s Award.
Norwich Airport is celebrating the return of year-round flights to Tenerife today (September 30) with holiday company TUI.
The popular Canary Islands destination offers huge beaches and year-round sunshine. And with up to two direct flights a week from Norwich, is perfect for a winter sun break.
Richard Pace, Managing Director of Norwich Airport, said: “We’re delighted to be relaunching year-round holidays to Tenerife with TUI, giving local holidaymakers the opportunity to escape to the sun with the ease and convenience of flying from their local airport.
“TUI has already confirmed its summer 2022 schedule from Norwich Airport, with flights to Spain (Ibiza, Menorca, Majorca, Tenerife), Greece (Corfu, Crete, Rhodes), Cyprus (Paphos), and Turkey (Dalaman) resuming in May 2022 and all bookable now.”
For anyone seeking early autumnal sunshine in addition to Tenerife, flights to Corfu are currently operating every Friday from Norwich Airport (last departure 22 October) and flights to Majorca every Saturday (last departure 23 October).
In total, Norwich Airport has announced 19 domestic and international destinations in ten countries for 2021/22 and last week confirmed the start of direct flights from Jersey next summer with Channel Islands-based airline Blue Islands.
For a full list of destinations from Norwich Airport and details of how to book, click here.
KING’S LYNN TOWN CENTRE’S INDEPENDENT SHOPS AND BUSINESSES ARE JOINING IN WITH THE TOTALLY LOCALLY NATIONAL FIVER FEST – AN INNOVATIVE CELEBRATION OF OUR INDEPENDENT HIGH STREETS KING’S LYNN IS PART OF THE TOTALLY LOCALLY NATIONAL FIVER FEST 9 – 23rd October. To show the importance of supporting our high streets, King’s Lynn is joining with other independent High Streets across the UK to put on very special £5 offers across two weeks in October, in the TOTALLY LOCALLY FIVER FEST. FIVER FEST is a free to join campaign, devised and run by Totally Locally, a Grass Roots High Street organisation that has been helping businesses and High Streets to help themselves since 2010 with incredible results. For Fiver Fest, Totally Locally is partnering with Visa, and together, they are calling on shoppers to divert £5 of their weekly spend to support the small businesses in their communities. Fiver Fest is based around the now-famous Totally Locally £5 message: “If every adult in King’s Lynn spent just £5 per week in their local independent shops and businesses, it would mean £8.3 million per year going directly into our local economy. Which can lead to more jobs, a better high street, a stronger economy & a nicer place to live. Makes you think doesn’t it?!” Spending just £5 a week in King’s Lynn can make a big difference to our High Street, the “Fiver Fest” promotes this message. “We know Fiver Fest isn’t going to change the world”, said Chris Sands of Totally Locally, “But small changes in spending habits can really make a difference to our high streets. Just by diverting £5 of our weekly spend to local independents we give them a fighting chance to thrive. The Pandemic has shown just what an amazing contribution they make to our local communities. It’s a conversation worth having! It is for this reason, that the sixth National Fiver Fest is taking place. This time it’s even more important than ever, after how our world has changed during 2021. YouGov research has shown that 59% of shoppers have used more local shops to support them during lockdown. And they want to keep on supporting them. Fiver Fest makes that even easier. Just some of the offers available in King’s Lynn Town Centre: • All starters £5 at Soul Café & Restaurant – lunchtime only. • £5 installation fee on all household appliance purchases at Cooper & Elms – washing machines, dishwashers, cookers etc. Saving up to £35! • A cinema ticket and a medium popcorn OR hot drink for £5 at the Corn Exchange Cinema – everyday 10am-5pm • Selected cocktails £5 at the Duke’s Head Hotel • Coffee and cake for £5 at The Wenns Chop & Ale House and The Bank House • Standard A1 prints for £5 at Prontaprint • Bacon sandwich and a hot drink of choice for £5 at Nice & Tasty Patisserie • £5 meal deal at Bitson’s Fish & Chips • Waffle and hot chocolate for £5 at Pretty Little Bistro • Selected designer pencil cases for £5 at Designs • Gin and mixer for £5 at Gin Saloon • 2 bath bombs or 2 soap slices or 1 bag of wax melts for £5 from Jaine’s Gift Box For details of more local offers, visit: www.discoverkingslynn.com/whats-on. For any independent business based in King’s Lynn Town Centre wishing to participate in FIVER FEST, please contact Discover King’s Lynn at [email protected]. For further information please see www.totallylocally.org and www.fiverfest.co.uk
Great Savings on Custom / Modular stand solutions as part of our Norfolk Day special offer!
Free Graphic Design
Save on organiser stand space costs – book space only, no shell required.
We want to empower all businesses to embrace the awesome opportunity exhibitions and event marketing can provide catering to a range of budgets and needs.
If you’re tired of not being noticed in a “shell” or are looking for an economical yet high quality entry into exhibiting, why not use one of our custom designed hire stand packages? We’ll do all the hard work for you; design, planning, CDM approvals, logistics, build, removal and graphics for an exclusive price that will really make you smile!