Member Blog

Online printing is a strong growing business at the moment, with small and large businesses being able to go online, add their names and logos and have something delivered to their doorstep. The most popular things we print these days are business cards where you can buy just a few, to literally thousands delivered to your door the next door. Other things include posters, banners, coffee mugs and more.

It is all one step closer to a world filled with personalisation, where we love our daily objects to have our name on them. For branding, it creates a fast and efficient way to get your name out there, whether giving out promotional gifts to clients, at exhibitions and sponsoring events. After all, how many pens do you have at home with other people’s company’s on them – probably many. A free pen is a classic giveaway these days and is a natural way to stay in the customer’s mind.

Having branded items is very much part of the marketing mix, as you continue to get your name out there as a brand. There are so many different marketing channels across TV, radio, digital, print – but having something physical in a leaflet or branded pen, is just another effective way to get your name out.

What can you get printed online?

Referring to examples from helloprint.co.uk, the online printing offering goes beyond just business cards and banners to other things like USB sticks to flags, umbrellas, bags and stickers – providing a full range of options for you and your brand.

You simply upload images online to the site, high res images where possible, add some wording if you would like and then it is sent and packaged to your door.

What else can you get printed these days?

The level of personalisation these days is very impressive with personalised greetings cards an absolute must for most birthdays, valentines and anniversaries.

Beyond this, you can order personalised marshmellows and chocolates, with your name or pictures of your faces on them. You can order pillows with your brand or face on it through various sites – and this is just the beginning.

There are also apps that you download to your phone. You add a photo from your phone and they will send the image and a note as a postcard to your intended receiver. Definitely a novelty, but a great idea nonetheless!

It is no surprise that more and more websites have emerged and are fighting for market share in this lucrative but popular online printing space.

If you dig deep enough on the Google company website, you’ll discover a page titled ‘Philosophy’. Comprised of ten key points, the page outlines the rules that guide the search engine.The number one rule – their first commandment, if you like – is “focus on the user and all else will follow”. The Internet, Google believes, should serve the people. If someone searches for “holiday homes in Devon”, they should be able to book this type of accommodation with just a few clicks. This all makes perfect sense and seems entirely reasonable, but it also explains something a little more concerning. Specifically, it explains why Google is beginning to transform a number of industries.  

Let’s return to the example of someone searching for a holiday home in Devon. Traditionally, the search engine would return a list of websites offering cottages and hotels in the leafy English county. It was a perfectly straightforward time.Things have changed a bit recently, though. Whilst a range of relevant websites still appear in the search results, a tool has also been introduced to help compare the range of hotels on offer.  

This comparison tool is part of ‘Reserve with Google’, a new product from the search giant which promises to make life a little easier. Indeed, ‘Reserve with Google’ allows users to book hair appointments, make dinner reservations, and select hotels straight from the search results page. Ultimately, this will begin to transform industries as Google becomes something of a booking agent through which users make their appointments or reservations. No longer will we need to compare products and prices when Google performs all of the legwork for us.

Of course, Google isn’t going to completely change the course of every industry. Take our client Aylsham Roofing Services, for example. As roofers in Norwich, they can probably sleep easy in the knowledge that the search engine isn’t going to disrupt the way they do things. No, we’re still a few years from users being able to repair their roofs simply by visiting a search engine.

Instead, users still need to be taken to a website that provides them with a way of contacting the best local repair company. For this reason, it’s crucial that such businesses keep an eye on their SEO and PPC efforts to ensure that they remain visible and competitive in Google search results. If you’re looking to improve the way your business performs online, feel free to get in touch with the team at Nu Image today.

Affiliate marketing is something that most people in business will have heard of, or even out to work, but some reading this may not truly understand how important affiliate marketing can be to a business. While affiliate marketing can be regarded as slightly outdated, it’s still one of the key ways to market for any business operating in the online world still to this day. In fact, it is a huge consideration for fiercely competitive markets like online gaming where operators rely heavily on this type of marketing. So for example, in the online bingo world, established brand names like mFortune would even have a separate affiliate team to manage this aspect of their business.

As with anything in business, there are a lot of positives which come with affiliate marketing and it’s these benefits which make it a very useful weapon to have in your arsenal. One of the first things that really shows the importance of affiliate marketing is that it is performance based. This ultimately means that unless an action has taken place, an affiliate won’t earn their commission. So, a business will only pay out when they get what they have agreed to pay for, there will be no money wasted in attempting to drive traffic, and the affiliate is likely to work as hard as possible to earn their payment.

The above underlines that affiliate marketing is an extremely cost-effective marketing strategy, and that is of great importance to any business operating in any sector. A scatter gun approach to marketing where money could be thrown at ads with no guarantee of any sort of return can be a drain on a business financially, but decision makers need not worry where affiliate marketing is concerned as you’re only paying for it when it works and is beneficial to your business.

Affiliate marketing can also be a great way to increase and further the reputation of a business too. Reputation is everything these days, especially when operating in competitive industries, and by partnering up with reputable websites and bloggers, a business can improve their own standing amongst customers, potential customers and the general population. With a reputable blogger writing about a business and the products and services they offer, a person is much more likely to take note.

It doesn’t matter what sector a business is in or however niche they are, there will always be affiliates in the market. This will be of huge importance to a business as the affiliate will already have their own visitor based established, meaning that no matter what sector you’re trying to crack or make it big in, affiliates will already be on hand and have the tools in place to help you on your way. It is actually invaluable in providing expert localised marketing to new countries and regions that businesses would never be able to cultivate in a short space of time.

Affiliate marketing will also be a godsend when it comes to climbing search engine rankings too, complimenting the SEO efforts that are already likely in place. Higher placed positions in search engine rankings are always hotly contested, and with affiliates linking back to a businesses site, it will see them shoot up the rankings as a result. Inevitably, this will mean the business is seen by more people when searching, again another example of just how important affiliate marketing is to any business today.

How We Created Our Five Star Service!

It will not come as a surprise to you that the customer reviews are integral to any business.

But do you know why?

Customer reviews help to refine the ‘customer experience’. As a business that is built upon respect, knowledge and passion, it is in Chatsbrook’s nature to prioritise our clients over the revenue we receive. What this means for a customer-centric business, is that we wish to make every point of contact outstanding to our clients – from the initial enquiry to the delivery of your asset(s).

Harnessing customer reviews helps us to analyse and review the service that you receive as well as to celebrate the parts you enjoyed! For instance, we have recognised that many of our clients were impressed by our timeliness, transparency and friendliness.

Our mission is to provide a reliable and trustworthy service to everyone. We want potential clients to feel how much we care about our ‘customer experience’ through the online reviews.

Chatsbrook would like you to know that it is worth putting your trust in us.

The ‘customer experience’ at Chatsbrook has been modelled by what we, ourselves, expect from other services. We expect businesses will communicate efficiently, respect us and understand our needs. Chatsbrook is no exception to this. It is our pleasure to serve you, which is why from the offset we make it our mission to understand you and your needs. Our team, out of courtesy, make a continual effort to keep you up to date during every stage of the process- so you don’t have to worry.

Online reviews are often used to consolidate our ethos to employees we train. Chatsbrook value our testimonials so much so, that they are used as the standard of how we interact with our clients. Since the beginning of the business over two years ago, we have yet to receive a bad review. If we were ever to, we would treat that client with the same level of respect as we treat any other client. We welcome honest feedback as it could present a learning curve -of which future clients would benefit from. It is important for all businesses to recognise the importance of the ‘customer experience’ because there is always room for improvement.

If you wish to tell us your experience of Chatsbrook, or if you would like to view our reviews for yourself follow @Chatsbrook on Facebook. Alternatively, you can read our Google reviews if you simply type ‘Chatsbrook’ into Google.  

Employers urged to get second hand machinery inspected following death

A routine safety inspection could have prevented the death of James Criddle, 29, who suffocated when his clothes became caught in the screener machine, purchased on eBay and missing its safety guards, in May 2017. His employer, Robert Baldwin, of Baldwin Skip Hire in Norfolk, was cleared by a jury at Norwich Crown Court of manslaughter, but found guilty at Norwich Crown Court of neglect in failing to discharge a duty.

Gavin Dearsley, Risk Management Advisor at Alan Boswell Risk Management (ABRM), said the tragic accident was entirely avoidable had the correct health and safety procedures been followed. “Sadly, accidents like this happen more regularly than they should,” he added. “Financial pressures in the business world often lead to companies trying to find ways of saving money by buying machinery that isn’t new, and therefore not built to modern design standards. As we’ve seen, the implications of that, and of then not having a health and safety inspection, can lead to tragic consequences.”

Mr Criddle was operating the £18,000 screener machine, which sorts material of different sizes and includes a cylindrical drum, when the absence of safety guards caused his clothes to become caught. He died from suffocation, just five days after the machine had been brought to the skip hire site. In his defence, Baldwin said it was “not obvious” that the machine was missing vital safety equipment.

Make sure your equipment is safe

But that misses the point, as under the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER) – the UK implementation of the European Work Equipment Directive – the law requires employers to ensure all equipment is safe for use, and that full training is given to employees. In other words, even if employers think second hand equipment looks safe, they have a legal duty to ensure that it is.

“For us, with a trained eye looking at it, it would have been obviously unsafe,” said Mr Dearsley. “It’s incredibly sad to see this because I know that if we had been out to see that machine before it was used we could have stopped it happening. There is obviously a cost involved, but you can’t put a price on someone’s life. Often they have no instruction manuals, no warranties, and they have issues, whether it’s missing guards or faulty e-stops on electrical machinery.”

He added that, while the “gold standard” would be for engineering and manufacturing companies to only use modern equipment built to European standards and CE marked, such a scenario is economically unrealistic. “It’s completely unreasonable to expect everyone to be able to keep buying new equipment, so it’ll never happen, and you can get some really good second hand equipment that’s built fantastically well,” he said. “But the law requires employers to do a risk assessment of the machinery, and that’s where we can make a real difference.”

Costs for machinery risk assessments will vary depending on the number of machines and the time taken, but could be as little as a few hundred pounds.

Alan Boswell Risk Management can help

If you have questions about your existing equipment, want advice before purchasing something new, or want a full health & safety audif for your business, Alan Boswell Risk Management can help. Based in Norwich and operating across the country, our experts work with companies in a wide variety of industries.

To find out more, give our risk management team a call on 01603 967900.

Starting a business is a brave move that many people will dream about doing, but few have the determination and skill to see through. If you are thinking about setting up your own online shop, then this article is going to be packed with useful information for you.

Running an online business allows you to be your own boss, invest your time and money in a pursuit that matters to you and perhaps even enable you to work from home and spend more time with your family instead of being locked to your desk in an office job.

This handy guide is going to walk you through the essential information you need before you take the leap of faith and begin to live your dream as an online business owner.

Get your branding up to scratch

The first thing you need to think about when you are starting up your own business is branding. The way you will brand your shop will have a significant impact on who decides to spend money with you and visit your website. It’s for this reason why you want to make sure everything is high-quality and focused specifically around your target audience.

Designing the logo

When it comes to the logo, arguably the most crucial component of your branding strategy, there are do-it-yourself logo design websites that can be a real help. First of all, designing the logo yourself is much cheaper than commissioning someone, which reduces your expenditure from the start. Plus, using an online logo maker means that you can create a professional design without having to learn how to use photoshop.

Designing the website

After you have designed your logo, you should use what you have created as a template for your next big branding task. Building a successful website is as much about functionality as it is about aesthetics, so you need to break this task in two.

Make sure all the menus and information are easy to access, with a clear layout and visible labels for where to find different products.

For the aesthetic design, think about the colors, shapes, textures used in your logo design and think about how you can expand upon this initial design to create a coherent and visually interesting website.

What’s your product?

Of course, if you are going to be running an online shop, then one of the most pressing things that need to be decided on is your products. You can find lots of helpful material online to give you ideas of what to sell, but one of the best places to start is with what you feel passionate about.

If you love jewelry, then why not anchor your business around bespoke, handmade items, for example. Try to think about what your natural strengths and abilities are and where these overlap with the things you feel passionately about.

A good rule of thumb is that if you are promoting a product that you would want to buy yourself, the chances are someone else will want to buy it too.

Converting website visitors into customers is a really common challenge faced by businesses. Seeing that our marketing efforts are set up well to get people to browse but less so to get people to buy, it isn’t really that much of a surprise. I think it is something uniquely British that we don’t like to ‘ask’ or ‘push’ for a sale. Having spent time with a number of sales trainers, closing a deal is indeed something we just seem to find unnaturally hard. It seems it is the same with marketing. We get asked all of the time for help with converting interest (most often expressed as website traffic) into sales, and we’ve got quite good at it using a number of different methods. There are a few approaches that a business can use to do this but few create quite as much emotive response as online display retargeting. You will have seen this. After browsing a website you then see ads for the product you looked at when you travel around the web. Some see these adverts as haunting and intrusive, some ignore them completely, others see them and are reminded/convinced and click to buy. As a business owner and marketer you can’t ignore this as method of driving conversions… even if you don’t really like seeing the ads yourself. The way we see success with online display retargeting is to only show ad content that is directly related to the page a user looked at and to deliver a really strong call to action. So if your website visitor was looking at your Nike Air Max trainer page, then retarget them with a Nike Air Max offer, not one for shorts, or your brand, or anything else frankly. Timing is also critical: to get display retargeting to work, a business really does need to understand their website visitors and be able to act quickly when they spot interest. Strike while the iron is hot and all that! We have lots of experience in display retargeting, and other conversion tactics. If you want to find out more have a look at the online display retargeting content on our website or drop us a line at [email protected].

How many times a day do you check your step count or see how many calories you’ve burned? Whether it’s on a smartwatch, phone, or a dedicated fitness tracker, these little nuggets of health information are becoming hard to ignore. But experts are determined to bring technology further into the healthcare fold. We’re talking robot physicians that know our bodies better than we do, and cyborg surgeons saving our lives.

Nanotechnology is already playing a huge role in surgery, particularly in oral procedures where miniscule nanobots have been developed to reduce pain and recovery time (source: Betway Casino). Futuristic technologies are also playing their part in diagnosis, surpassing what even the most skilled physicians can do in some cases. One AI system can predict heart attacks and strokes more accurately than its human counterpart. Another AI technology is able to detect cancer risks before symptoms appear 30 times faster than a human doctor, and with 99% accuracy.

To make things even weirder, we could soon become part-nanobot ourselves. Researchers are reportedly working on a computer made from DNA, which would live inside cells and scan for any faults in genetic makeup, such as the development of cancer cells. If any faults were found, the computer would ‘reboot’ the system, destroying the unhealthy cells and reducing the risk of cancer or disease.

Trusting robots to carry out intricate procedures may be too much for some, but it makes sense. Surgical mistakes are, more often than not, caused by human error. Surgeons are not immune to fatigue or stress, regardless of how dedicated they are to their profession. Robots on the other hand do not suffer from either fatigue or stress.

Coexisting With Robots

There are experts who firmly believe that medical robots will simply work alongside humans rather than replace them entirely. Human traits like empathy cannot be replicated by AI, and there will always be manual tasks that robots will never be able to complete. Things like administering CPR should be done by a human, who will know exactly the pressure and speed to use over time, and, more importantly, when it’s time to stop.

Physicians also have a non-linear working method and are able to think outside the box in order to reach a correct diagnosis. With these huge factors leaving machines at a disadvantage to humans, doctors can rest easy knowing that their jobs aren’t in jeopardy to robots.

Environmental Influences

Politicians, activists, and even the great David Attenborough have warned of the grave consequences of climate change, while issues such as deforestation and pollution are also wreaking environmental havoc. Many of these concerns stem from the space and energy required to sustain a growing population in the modern world, so robots are stepping in to undo some of the damage.

For example, Australia is home to the GrowBot which plants trees 10 times faster than a human, and at half the cost. Instead of seeds, these robots plant established trees more likely to grow successfully in a new location. The GrowBot team hopes to deploy over 4,500 of these machines to help revitalise the world’s forests.

Elsewhere Down Under, we have the RangerBot. This robot has been designed to kill the crown-of-thorns starfish, one of the three major threats to the Great Barrier Reef. With 99.4% accuracy, the technology delivers a toxic substance only harmful to the starfish. And while six human divers could only cover half of the reef in a year, six RangerBots can cover the reef 14 times over the same period. The RangerBot can also monitor and gather data regarding coral bleaching, water quality, and pollution, and there has been strong interest in using it to save other coral reefs around the globe.

Cleaner Living

Meanwhile, a robotic spider called Latro is dealing with nuclear material in fuel ponds by finding, cutting up, and getting rid of waste materials. This machine does a much better clean-up job than a human, as it doesn’t need to worry about being exposed to the potentially harmful radiation on site.

Though this technology may help save the world, it could potentially cause some collateral damage. A serious malfunction could result in the release of toxic chemicals into the atmosphere, and the robots themselves require significant energy to operate. Therefore, these could be unsustainable for the environment they are helping to save. Robots are also typically created from harmful materials, which are detrimental to the planet if not recycled properly. However, with the dawn of biodegradable robotics, these creations could eventually live, die, and decay without causing environmental harm, and far outlast their makers.

Are You Eligible For Asset Finance?

Asset-based finance is a fundamental factor in the success of modern day businesses as it allows the opportunity to conserve capital whilst still investing in assets you need. More specifically, vehicle finance can be useful within a range of different industries, spanning from helping logistic companies to expand their fleet to aiding small businesses with their day to day running’s.

There are a range of different finance packages available, and each one can be tailored to suit your requirements perfectly. If you would like to know more about the finance arrangements, this could be a useful tool for you.

You may still be wondering…

How do I know if I am eligible for asset finance?

First of all, there is a lot of criteria that you have to meet in order to prove to the lender that you are not much of a risk.  However, if you operate a business that has been running for three or more years and have been generating a healthy profit with positive trends then you are most likely to be approved for finance by the lender. However, this is not set in concrete.

What exactly is the criteria that my business has to meet?

You have to be able to provide answers and evidence of these:

• Industry particulars (what exactly does your business do?)
•  Business figures (how many clients do you have and what is your turnover?)
• Asset particulars (what assets do you have already? Do you have any other assets on finance? What is the proposed use for the new asset and how often you expect to use it?)
• Your expectations (what is your expected term time, initial deposit and preferable monthly payment amount?)
• Financial health (is your business running at a loss, breaking even or generating a profit? What is your company performance history? You show this through the last three months of company accounts and your bank statements. You will also be asked whether you think your financial situation will change.)

Often at the start of the process brokers will ask for details regarding your business during the initial phone call. It is best not to feel overwhelmed by all of the questions, after all brokers ultimately just wish to save you time and to be as transparent as possible. On completion of these questions brokers will often tell you if they believe you are eligible or not.  

What are the common reasons that people are not accepted for finance?

• Unsupportive financials
• There is substantial outstanding credit to pay off
• Low credit rating or no credit history
• If you have been declared bankrupt before
• You are not on the voters roll, linked to personal searches

What if I am a new business just starting out?

If you’re a start-up or new business, you’ll want to be able to buy the assets needed to operate successfully. Asset finance helps by reducing the up-front costs and breaking down purchases into affordable monthly repayments. Most start-ups will use this as it aids cashflow.

What if I am operating at a loss at the moment but am asset rich?

If this is the case then we can still help you! For instance, you can refinance an asset to unlock its capital so that you can free up your cashflow, or you can use it to invest in a new company vehicle.

Have we answered all of your questions? We always aspire to answer any questions that you may have, if there is anything that we have left out please feel free to contact our team on 01603 733500 or email [email protected], Chatsbrook would love to know your thoughts!

Hugh J Boswell – Business Insurance tips

Business insurance is essential for all business owners as it acts as a safeguard in the event of an accident, theft, or other problems. However, with so many different areas of business insurance concerning employees, buildings, contents, and liability, it can be hard for business owners to know exactly what they need. This is especially true if their business operates in a more specialist or niche field.

Whether they own a small business with a few employees, or a large company with hundreds of employees, business owners need to ensure they have sufficient cover. If they overlook a detail and have inadequate insurance, business owners could face significant financial costs should something happen that isn’t covered by their policy.

Being aware of some of the misconceptions surrounding insurance, and the realities behind them, can put business owners in a much better position to purchase the cover they need.

Hugh J Boswell Associate Director Joe Howard recently covered this topic in an interview with leading financial comparison site Know Your Money. Joe provided Know Your Money with his top 5 Insurance myths that customers keep encountering.

Here’s a summary of Joe’s findings:  

Buying insurance through a broker is more expensive than buying it directly from a company online.

Many people automatically assume buying insurance direct from a company is better than through a broker, as it removes the cost of the middleman. However, in most cases, this is not true. Insurance brokers offer advice and ensure the business owner has all the cover they require, which can give individuals peace of mind that they are fully protected.

Several brokers also specialise in certain areas, which means they are well-placed to find the best insurance deals. Brokers should find suitable policies fairly quickly as they are much more experienced than business owners at finding the necessary cover at a good price. Going through individual insurance providers and trying to understand the terms of each policy can be very time-consuming, especially if your business is more niche or has more unique requirements, and you may still risk ending up with inadequate cover. Brokers, on the other hand, are in a position to negotiate specifically tailored policies at preferential rates with insurers to ensure your business is fully covered at a fair price.

My private car insurance covers me to drive any car.

Whilst people with comprehensive car insurance often used to be covered to drive any other insured vehicle, this is becoming much less common. Most drivers with private car insurance will not automatically be covered to drive other cars, and, at the absolute minimum, would have to notify their insurer before driving another vehicle.

Even if your insurance does enable you to drive vehicles other than your own, this would normally be the minimum third-party cover, rather than comprehensive. It may also come with certain conditions, that it could only be driven in an emergency for example. If you are planning to borrow someone’s car, it would generally be more beneficial to buy temporary insurance or be added to their policy as a named driver, rather than relying on any cover your own policy may provide. Driving without insurance comes with severe risks and punishments, so you should always check you are covered before driving another vehicle.

All the cyber protection I need is covered by my IT system provider.

Cyber insurance is something many business owners don’t think about as they believe their IT system provider gives them enough protection. However, even if a company has fully-trained staff, the best and most up-to-date anti-virus software, firewalls, and performs regular back-ups, which can all help to prevent cyber-attacks, there is still an element of risk that the system provider may not be able to help with.

In 2017, 43% of business suffered a breach, which shows how easily an issue can occur. If just one safeguard fails, your business could face a number of costs that the software provider isn’t liable to fund. Particularly for businesses that primarily operate online or store a lot of sensitive information on their computer system, cyber insurance can help to limit any damage should something go wrong.

As Joe covers in his Know Your Money interview ‘Business Insurance Myths‘ – Cyber insurance can act as an additional level of protection for businesses in the event of a breach or cyber-attack. It can sometimes be bought as an extra with a standard business insurance policy, but some businesses may prefer to purchase a more comprehensive, stand-alone cyber insurance policy. Among other things, a cyber insurance policy can help with:

• Restoring systems after an attack
• Notifying data subjects if sensitive data has been compromised
• Reimbursing damages and costs arising from claims made against you
• Compensating any costs incurred from IT services used to recover after an incident

Work experience students are not classed as employees. They are the responsibility of their school or college.

Although work experience students are only with the business for a short period of time and may not seem like employees, they are still viewed as the responsibility of the business. Whilst they are on their placement, businesses have the same duty of care to work experience students as they do to the rest of their workforce.

In terms of health and safety, work experience students are regarded as employees. This means they could claim against your business if they hold you to blame for an injury/illness gained whilst in your care and custody. When taking on a work experience student, you should follow the same health and safety procedures as you would with any new employee, and ensure any necessary risk assessments are in place.

There is not normally a need to purchase additional insurance for work experience students as they should be covered by your Employers’ Liability Insurance. You may wish to notify your insurance advisor if you regularly offer placements, to keep them informed about your circumstances. If there is any doubt, you should check your policy documents or consult your insurance advisor.

Being comfortable at work is a shortcut to increased productivity. When work environments are ergonomically designed, everybody can perform to their full potential. Follow our five tips to achieve a more ergonomic and productive office. 1. An ergonomic workstation A good working posture is vital for everybody’s physical and mental wellbeing whether employees choose to sit or stand at their workstations. Investing in comfortable, well-designed chairs always pays off. They should be easily adjustable to give a relaxed posture and eliminate stressful angles or excessive reaching. Desks or other work surfaces should be tailored to individual use while giving the option of standing at the workstation for all or part of the working day if appropriate. Good-quality office seating and desks should always be adjustable to as many positions as possible.

2. Screen, keyboard and mouse positions Once seating and workstations have been individually tailored, the next step to an ergonomic office is considering the positioning of screens, keyboards and mice. Mice should be placed so that arms remain parallel to the body, reducing the risk of repetitive strain injury while keyboards should be central to the body’s midline at a height that doesn’t put a strain on elbows and wrists. Screens should be angled so that they can be viewed with necks in a comfortable neutral position. 3. Lighting Lighting has a huge impact on the workplace. Flickering ceiling lights or lights that cause glare on computer screens must be eliminated for a more ergonomic office. If it’s not possible to work in natural light, pick customised desk lamps with state-of-the-art LED bulbs that mimic daylight. As well as providing illumination that is kind on the eyes, LED bulbs also save money and energy. If the day’s workload also involves reading printed material, a suitable light should be provided for this. 4. Filing systems Having a well-organised filing system designed for the particular needs of an office eliminates stress and time wasting. Good filing systems not only increase productivity but create a good impression on customers in face-to-face office situations. Filing systems should be planned with a normal day’s office activity in mind and only ever be filled to a maximum 80% of capacity. This allows for flexibility and a general overview to be maintained. 5. Creating the right atmosphere Once office furniture and lighting has been ergonomically designed, consider the office atmosphere. Fans and humidifiers protect equipment as well as ensuring the fine dust emitted by electronic equipment does not cause or aggravate respiratory problems such as hay fever or asthma for office workers. Well-placed greenery is relaxing to look at and stimulates brain cells. If the plants are real, even better, as they help maintain oxygen levels in the atmosphere. Larger plants are also ideal for providing visual breaks and some privacy in open-plan offices. Whether starting from scratch or upgrading an existing space follow these five tips for a more ergonomic office. Head over to Kaiser+Kraft to find some more practical office equipment.

Freebridge Community Housing’s Placeshaping Team has again teamed up with the East of England Apples and Orchards Project alongside national charity Garden Organic to breathe new life into the garden at the Discovery Centre in North Lynn.

Following on from work with the East of England Apples and Orchards Project to plant a number of apple trees for a new community orchard in the village of Great Massingham earlier this year, this new planting sees Freebridge working with the Orchards Project and Garden Organic to revitalise the outside space at the Discovery Centre in North Lynn.

Director of Housing at Freebridge Robert Clarke said “Freebridge’s vision is to support a better West Norfolk, so in addition to all the work we do in developing and maintaining good quality homes we know that we need to join with partner organisations to work on projects to help improve the communities that people live in across the borough.

“We’ve completed a lot of work on improving and updating the Discovery Centre buildings in the last six months which has been great to see, so we thought that now would be a good opportunity to do some work with alongside some of our partners in preparing the garden for the year ahead.”

Volunteers from Garden Organic will be continuing to look after the garden at the Discovery Centre with help from Family Action who run support sessions for local families from the Centre on Friday mornings. Family Action will also be offering a number of horticulture training courses delivered from the Centre details of which will be available soon.

For more information on what’s happening at the Discovery Centre, please contact the Placeshaping Team on 01553 667777 or email [email protected].