Member Blog

To say that the last twelve months have been challenging for businesses would certainly be a bit of an understatement. We have seen the world lockdown, office buildings close their doors as the vast majority of workers were sent home, and we have figured out how to do everything online, from board meetings to home-schooling our kids.

It has been more important than ever to be able to adapt to any given situation, to roll with the punches and embrace an increasingly virtual workspace. If you’re wondering how you can continue to put your best foot forward in a world in which we’re continuing to face uncertain challenges, here are a few tips to help you get started.

Make Sure Your Cybersecurity Is Top Notch

It wasn’t surprising to discover that a direct consequence of more and more business being conducted online was a massive spike in cybercrime. Whether it was data hacks or good old fashioned phishing scams, the crooks were working overtime to con people out of their hard-earned money.

If you’re going to make sure that you don’t fall prey to these scammers, you need to make sure that your cybersecurity is up to the task. This is a situation that will continue to evolve, so it may well be worth bringing in a professional team to keep you one step ahead.

Invest In A High-Quality Translation Service

Even as the world looks ahead to a brighter vaccinated future, it seems fair to assume that the days when potential clients jet in from around the world, or when business owners would head out on the road to pitch themselves and their expertise, are still some way off.

It’s going to be more important than ever to make sure that we are equipped to conduct our business from home as things continue to open up, which is why a good translation service is essential. A service like phone translation is perfect for when you need to hop on a call with international clients or partners and you need to know that nothing will fall through the cracks. London Translations works with everyone from businesses to academic institutions to ensure seamless communication.

Don’t Neglect Your Social Media

We don’t need to tell you how important social media has been for businesses of all kinds during the pandemic, but smaller companies in particular have seen just how powerful an impact it can have. In a world where everyone has been staying home, social media has helped us let our customers and clients know how much they mean to us, how we have been continuing to operate during this pandemic, and what we have been doing to make sure that we can continue to operate through lockdown restrictions and come back stronger than ever.

If your social media channels are feeling a little impersonal, then it’s time to take a step back and think about how you can start making them work for you.

When we think of the benefits of asset finance, we know that obtaining finance to buy new vehicles, machinery or equipment leaves you more money in your business and more control over cash flow.

However, another option for generating cash is asset refinance. This allows a person or business to raise cash against assets they already own unencumbered. As with asset finance, manageable monthly payments are agreed over a fixed term. Refinance is available against all wheeled and tracked assets.

An important point to note is that refinance is only available on assets that you or your company own outright i.e. Assets that are not currently financed.

In easy terms:

How Does Asset Refinancing Work?

• Release equity from vehicles, plant or machinery
• Finance company take security in the equipment
• Advance is paid directly to you to utilise
• Written on a Hire Purchase agreement, so you take back ownership of the equipment at the end of the term
• It can also be used to restructure debt within the business

What Are The Benefits Of Asset Refinancing?

• Provides working capital
• Can be used to raise capital to invest in intangibles in the business
• Improve company facilities
• Could use the capital raise as a deposit on more machinery
• Invest in growth
• Your use of the asset is unrestricted

How Does Your Business Qualify?

• Suitable rationale for cash
• LTV (Loan-to-Value) against the assets is suitable
• Have opportunity for expansion

We have been helping a lot of businesses recently with this product to enable them to release cash flow into their business when they really need it.

If you would like to discuss how this product may help you or your business then please give us a call on 01603 381955 or email us on [email protected]

Whether you’ve been gardening for years or have just started; there will be one thing which caught your eye and made you take that step to get stuck into the garden. We love to hear about all of your ways to grow your own, today we have teamed up with Joe to share a method to sowing & growing broad beans!

“For me, it was the wonderful memories of helping my grandad tend to his vegetable garden when I was young. It is this inspiration which spurred me on to sign up for an allotment and get our kids involved, hopefully creating these memories for them along the way too.” – @Grow_with_Joe

Broad beans are super easy to grow, the best time to sow your broad beans will in either March and April.

You can sow yours directly in your garden or plot, leaving around 20cm in between each seed and around 45cm between each row. You can also sow them indoors in an unheated greenhouse, cold frame or even a windowsill.

Joe grows some of his seeds in used toilet roll tubes which are perfect for growing broad beans in as the height of the tube accommodates the plants’ large root system, you can read more about Joe’s method to growing broad beans here 



If you’re an avid follower of the organic gardening community, the chances are you’ve come across Lucy Hutchings – also known as @shegrowsveg on Instagram. We’re excited that she’s joined our network of PlantGrow Champions to help us build our community of organic gardeners, showing them how to get started and what they can do to help the planet along the way.

Lucy is a garden writer with training in horticulture and garden design, and has a specialism in heritage and heirloom vegetable varieties – but that’s not always been the case! She started her career in fashion and for 8 years had her own couture jewellery label. But when it came to deciding whether to take the label to new heights or walk away, it became clear that it was time to let it go.

Throughout Lucy’s life, even when she was working in fashion, the one constant was that she grew food. For her, growing food is key to happiness, and you’ll most likely find her in her greenhouse at her home in Suffolk. In a time when our food is treated with chemicals, packaged up in plastic and is becoming more intensively farmed, Lucy uses her platform to show followers how easy it is to grow our own food without any harsh chemicals and insecticides and how we can become a little bit more self-sufficient. That’s why here at PlantGrow we’re happy to support her as she strives to explore innovation in food production around the world, find out more about Lucy’s journey by visiting her website – www.shegrowsveg.com/about

Why we’re happy that Lucy is a PlantGrow Champion

Lucy is a key influencer in the global gardening community and we’re delighted that she loves PlantGrow products enough to become a Champion. She’s passionate about eating in a way that’s best for you and for the planet, and we couldn’t agree with that more – which is why PlantGrow fertiliser products are 100% natural and eco-friendly.

By supporting Lucy as she delves into ideas like plant-based innovation and future-proof farming while keeping her home harvests thriving, we know we’re helping her to help others think about what they’re putting into the ground and into their bodies. As we grow our community of PlantGrow Champions, we can help everyone to do their bit to protect the environment.

Keep an eye out for more bios as we introduce you to our network of PlantGrow Champions.

Gardening is a brilliant way to relax and take your mind off stressful things that might be happening in your life. Amy from @Chicksandveg found this out, and now she’s passionate about encouraging everyone to have a go at growing and harvesting their own vegetables. She’s teamed up with us to share what she’s sowing and growing this month to attract bees, and how you can do it too.

 “I started gardening out of necessity initially, to try and keep on top of an overgrown and unloved garden. But after the loss of my best friend, I turned to gardening as a way to keep my mind and hands busy. I soon uncovered that it taught me so much about patience and overcoming things out of your control (Great British weather I’m looking at you!). I don’t think I ever stuck at a hobby until I found my love of shovelling soil and sowing seeds.”

Amy is happiest when she’s getting her hands muddy, pottering around her cottage garden in West Norfolk. She’s recently expanded her plot and added some new beds to allow her to pack in even more veg and flowers into her little haven. With PlantGrow’s help, she mulched and filled her beds over winter to prepare for the 2021 growing season; now the soil is loaded with nutrients, it’s ready to give her crops what they need to grow happily.

Alongside trying lots of new varieties of veg, Amy’s grand plan for this year involves growing her own wedding flowers! She’s going to expand her cutting patch and create a whole bed of dahlias, and she recommends growing flowers alongside your vegetables.

“Many act as great companion plants, serving as a distraction for pests attacking your precious vegetables – nasturtiums and marigolds are firm favourites to dot around the patch to try and distract some of the insects you don’t want on your veg!” Both nasturtiums and marigolds are easy to grow – Amy often pops them in pots so she can move them about.

Probably the most important role of flowers, other than to bring a smile to your face, is to attract our favourite garden friend – bees! Pollinator-friendly plants should be a must for any avid vegetable-grower. It’s a great idea to pop these in pots too; Amy sets them outside her greenhouse to welcome bees in and dots them around her beds.

Here are Amy’s top pollinator-friendly flowers that she’s sowing and growing this month:

·      Cornflowers

·      Cosmos

·      Scabious

·      Echinacea

·      Rudbeckia

·      Verbena

·      Sweetpeas

“Many of these blooms are perfect for cutting and making arrangements to pot in vases around the house. March is a busy month for seed sowing as the days are longer and warming up. Whatever you’re sowing this month, add some flowers to your seed trays and I promise you and the bees will thank you in the summer!”

You can follow Amy as she gets ready for the growing season at @Chicksandveg on Instagram or watch her in action below.

The latest gardener to join our network of PlantGrow Champions is Alessandro from @_spicymoustache_!

Alessandro moved to the UK from North Italy around 7 years ago and manages a large tattoo studio in London. He’s been gardening since he was a child – but people find that hard to believe when they look at him!

“I got inspired to start gardening thanks to my Grandpa who thought me everything he knew about our living soil and the different ways of gardening without using chemicals but instead cooperating with nature. Moving to London with my girlfriend gave me an extra push to create an area where soil and living creatures could coexist, giving you a real sense of nature to disconnect from our daily routine.”

Alessandro started growing his own food as he’s always felt passion for nature. He doesn’t want to support mass food production processes, like using chemical fertilisers and pesticides, which damage natural biodiversity and damage the environment. Amazingly, he grows enough fruit and vegetables for he and his fiancée for a whole season in a space of just 8×5 metres!

Alessandro’s success is down to using the practice of vertical gardening. He grows all kinds of fruits and vegetables in raised beds and pots, like strawberries, raspberries, carrots, potatoes, tomatoes and much more. He also grows edible flowers and many varieties of herbs.

Alessandro’s natural gardening processes

Alessandro uses many different practices to allow him to maintain a healthy soil and build a good web of microorganisms and bacteria for his plants. He practices no dig gardening in order to not disturb the activities in the soil and promote the decomposition of roots from previous crops; these will then turn into food for the next plants.

“I also collect my own microbes in a few different green areas around London to improve the amount of bacteria in my soil by using JADAM natural farming. It’s a Korean way of gardening that encourages the use of natural inputs with what you have available in your area. Nothing goes to waste in my garden as if it’s not going to compost it will turn into FPJ (fermented plant juice) or in another input to use for my garden.”

Alessandro gets most of his seeds by seed swapping, or buys from reputable organic seed companies online. He loves chilli varieties, hence his Instagram handle @_spicymoustache_, and has a collection of around 600 varieties of chilli seeds! You can see his seeds on Instagram or in Facebook groups.

Gardening in London certainly has its ups and downs. Alessandro has moved house 5 times in 7 years, and every time has planned his garden from scratch, dismantling and rebuilding his greenhouse and lifting tonnes of soil. In his latest home, he had a whole year without running water connected to the garden, so had to carry 2 10 litre watering cans up and down the stairs about 10 times a day! But Alessandro was adamant that he wanted a garden – no matter what.

“I keep recommending to everyone about getting a garden as growing your own stuff is incredibly satisfying. I created a YouTube channel as my main goal is to help people create as many green spaces as possible because soil can absorb carbon from the air, reducing carbon emissions.

I also created a front yard community garden where all my neighbours can access and collect free organic vegetable and herbs for their daily use.”

Why we’re championing Alessandro

Urban gardens and green areas help reduce carbon emission levels in cities, which in turn makes the air cleaner and healthier for its residents. Alessandro is a big believer in gardening boosting your mental health and happiness, and we agree! Alessandro’s goal is to have his own urban gardening classes, teaching people how to grow their own food and demonstrating the importance of preserving and helping the environment for future generations. We wholeheartedly support Alessandro’s mission to show people why organic gardening must be the future.

If you’d like to see more of how Alessandro runs his urban garden and learn more on how to start organic gardening, you can check out his Instagram by clicking HERE

What is organic gardening?

Organic gardening is using nature’s products to feed and protect your garden. It’s all about learning ways to use nature, as intended, to get results you may not think are even possible.

How does it help the environment?

Using all-natural products helps reduce the number of chemicals released into the atmosphere. When you use a chemical pesticide, it can harm more than just bugs. When it rains, chemicals are washed off the soil and drip into a nearby drain. They then make their way into local rivers and creeks, polluting the water. Organic gardening can also reduce the amount of waste you produce. Create compost by recycling your food waste. It’s also beneficial to source natural products that are sustainably produced. We use anaerobic digestion to make all our products. It breaks down natural ingredients – crops grown on our own farms – and we feed the excess energy back into the electricity grid to make green electricity.

How can organic gardening improve the health of my soil?

Only recently, have we recognised the damage that decades of using chemicals has done to our soil – it’s destroyed its natural structure and depleted vital nutrients. Fortunately, the damage can be reversed by replenishing the soil’s essential microbiome – a complex network of micro-organisms including bacteria and fungi that your soil needs. You can use the no-dig method to add a layer of green manure, decomposed plant matter, or our soil conditioning fertiliser to the top of your soil. Worms and other beneficial creatures will break down the matter, releasing the natural goodness, enriching your soil, and replenishing its lost nutrients. Maintaining your soil’s health is essential for better plant growth and helping your garden to look it’s best for longer.

What can I change about my gardening routine to be more eco-friendly?

Start by using an organic plant-based liquid feed to replace any chemical fertilisers or feeds. Build a compost heap. Collect leaf mould and food waste in a bin or medium-sized container. Over time this will decompose, leaving you with an organic compost that you can use to feed your soil. Pull your weeds out by hand, instead of using pesticides or other harsh chemicals. Use plants as a natural pest control, instead of a spray. Plants like marigolds and garlic can deter practically any pest. Plant them liberally around the garden. Or encourage more predator or pollinator insects to visit your garden and keep other pests in control. Herbs like dill, chamomile and rosemary are great for attracting an array of predator insects such as beetles, dragonflies and praying mantis. You can also use our natural, non-toxic slug and snail barrier.

Should I use organic gardening if I want to create a wildlife garden?

Definitely. Work with nature to encourage more visitors to your garden. Avoid using any harsh or toxic chemicals – these are dangerous for wildlife and will discourage bees, birds, and butterflies. Using natural, organic products can reduce your worry, help maintain a healthy eco-system and is much safer for wildlife, pets, and children. 

Do you have any advice for beginning organic gardeners?

Whenever you buy products, always check the label. Read ingredients carefully to fully understand what chemicals you’re using on your plants. Try growing some of your own fruit and vegetables – this helps lower the emissions created when transporting food. Tomatoes and strawberries are an excellent choice for beginners. They’re hardy and can be grown in plant beds, pots or hanging baskets. If everyone makes even just a few of these changes, we can we help transform the future of gardening and farming and do our part to help the environment and make the planet a better place for future generations.

Follow us on Facebook or Instagram @plantgrowuk for more organic gardening tips. Call 01953 525001 or email [email protected] to chat with a member of the team. We’re always more than happy to answer any questions you may have

❓ We get asked a lot of questions here at S2 Computers ❓   To make life easier for you, we have put together some PDF guides and videos in our new online Knowledge Centre to cover the most common topics and to offer our expert opinion.   All of our videos come with captions so you don’t need to watch them with the sound on, and our guides are easy to read with no complicated tech jargon!   In the Knowledge Centre you can also request a FREE copy of two books written by our Director Andy Atthowe.  The books Email Hijack and Caught in the crosshairs (explains GDPR like you’ve never heard before,  how you are under attack from pirates and the Government) cover two key IT security topics for any business.   The Email Hijack book is an essential read for every business owner and manager.  It explains complicated cyber security concepts in a way that anyone can understand.   Imagine coming back from holiday. And discovering £12,000 had been stolen from your business bank account…No matter what your turnover is, that scenario would be a total nightmare, wouldn’t it? But perhaps you’re confident that it could never happen to your business.    Well let me gently challenge that. Because I’ve seen this kind of theft happen to plenty of businesses round here.    It’s not a company insider who steals the cash. Nor someone at the bank. And it doesn’t require anyone to steal your bank login credentials.    No, this kind of theft can be set up very easily by a hacker – and all they need is to gain access to one person’s email account.    In fact, email is the number one security threat to your business. It’s where most cyber breaches start. It also reveals that these days, every business can be hacked. Because hackers don’t go after specific targets anymore. They use automated software to target ALL businesses, ALL the time.    The book also shows you how best to defend yourself and your team. There are a huge number of protective measures you could use.     But the real trick is finding the right blend that suits your business. One that protects you well, without interrupting how your staff do things (creating frustration among your staff).   If there’s another topic you’d like to see us cover in our Knowledge Centre, drop us a line at: [email protected]

We are pleased to have been awarded the contract to construct two new SRB units for Norfolk County Council. One unit is at Caister Infant School and the other at Mundesley Infant and Junior School.

These projects were tendered through Norfolk County Council’s Major Construction Works Framework, which we were pleased to join at the commencement of the current iteration.

Works started at both sites on Monday 8th March, and we look forward to working with NPS, Norfolk County Council and both Schools to deliver the new buildings for the commencement of the Autumn term.

The Norfolk Feather Company are recruiting for a Customer Services Manager. Do you have a minimum of 3 years’ management experience within a Customer Service team leadership position, ideally within a production or sales environment? Do you have a Customer Service, Business Administration or Service Management qualification? Do you want to work in South Norfolk within a rapidly growing manufacturing firm? If you tick these boxes and are looking for a new challenge, you could be the person we are looking for! Please find attached a full job description. Salary circa £30,000 per annum + bonus + benefits. If you require further details or wish to apply, please email #servicemanagement

HMRC has recently published revisions to its Employment Status Manual, which includes guidance to off-payroll working legislation. The revisions are made in anticipation of the significant reforms coming into force on 6 April 2021. Reforms which will see medium to large companies in the private sector becoming responsible for determining tax status and, where appropriate, accounting for income tax and national insurance contributions of their off-payroll workers.

Notable amongst the revisions is HMRC’s confirmation that a company will not fall within scope of the amended IR35 regime, where the off-payroll worker has no interest in that company. This clarifies the uncertainty surrounding whether workers, supplied to an end client via an independent employment or other corporate agency, would be covered (see guidance here).

HMRC have also confirmed that status determination statements – which medium to large businesses will need to provide to off-payroll workers from 6 April 2021 onwards – can be provided through an online portal (see here). While the process of producing status determination statements can be subcontracted, the new guidance confirms that the end client will still remain responsible for that determination in any event (see here).

Jonathan Mumby comments:

“As companies get to grips with amended IR35 legislation, the further clarity provided by the revised guidance is helpful. Companies are encouraged to consider the guidance in full and, where dealing with off-payroll workers, to obtain specialist advice as soon as possible.”

Please contact a member of the team here to discuss this issue further.       

The information on this site about legal matters is provided as a general guide only. Although we try to ensure that all of the information on this site is accurate and up to date, this cannot be guaranteed. The information on this site should not be relied upon or construed as constituting legal advice and Howes Percival LLP disclaims liability in relation to its use. You should seek appropriate legal advice before taking or refraining from taking any action.

Starting a new business is often easier said than done. You may think you have the market all figured out and then end up finding out how ill-prepared you are too late to stop yourself from making significant losses. Therefore, you must do your homework to ensure that there is a market waiting for your business. Here are seven ways to ensure that by the time you are ready to start selling your product or idea, there is an eager market waiting for you. Find the best new online casinos at CasinoBernie.

1. Research The Market. Understanding the market for your product is one of the most important steps of marketing. Important issues to take note of when researching your target market include

• Being aware of the kind of competition you have. It is more advisable to enter more saturated markets instead of one with a monopoly or duopoly of producers if what you’re bringing to the market isn’t groundbreaking or very unique.

• Learning the mechanics of demand and supply for your product. Know if the market is seasonal or open all year to determine the production level you should aspire to reach. Do this to avoid supply surpluses.

• Learning the costs and revenue of running your kind of business. Know which equipment and personnel are vital to your operation. Map out how much distance you will need to cover to get your product to the market.

2. Study Other Successful Businesses. There is no type of business unique to other businesses. Find business similar and study their business models, how they advertise, their networks, and their customer service, so you know what and what not to do. If possible, do this directly interning under someone who will allow you to learn from them.

3. Advertise. Create as much awareness for your business. Put your business name, phone number, and website address on anything that you can, buses, Newspaper ads, flyers, sales calls, website ads etc. Nothing raises awareness for a business-like advertising. Go on door-to-door visits to inform homeowners about your business. You should also be aware of your methods of advertising. Unless your customer target is in a small clustered demographic, it is more advisable to go for smaller, plenty of adverts over one big one to give your outreach more legs

4. Conduct Surveys And Follow The Results. Surveys are a very effective way of measuring consumer patterns and behavior. Carrying out surveys before launching your business will allow you to know what customers look for in your type of product or service. Also, ask for feedback from consumers who do not patronize you. There are several problems to be solved for customers, and then offering solutions to these problems is a very effective way to win them over.

5. Use The Charm Offensive. Customers can be stubbornly loyal to their choices, so you will have to do a lot of convincing. To make a good impression on them, you should be willing to make a few sacrifices in short. Circulating free product samples and offering special offers on your products are effective ways of doing this to let them see the quality you offer. Add a personal touch, too, as this makes them feel important.

6. Make Use Of People Around You. Friends, family, and coworkers are a very effective way of spreading the word out on your venture. Encourage them by rewarding referrals to prospects. They can also help you test your product’s quality before putting them out on a large-scale basis.

7. Enter The Market With Competitive Prices. Choose a price level that is low enough for the short term but won’t harm your long-term profit aim. Customers love a bargain. If your product is good enough and at a lower price level than your competition, it will be much easier to reel them in.

Finally, after following all these steps, it is important to do a test run to see if you have genuinely won over the customers and see if you are good enough for mass production. Getting customer feedback can help you remove defects in your product or service before mass production.