Member News

We have launched the public and stakeholder timetable consultation for the December 2021 timetable, when we are looking to adjust the timetables on the Great Eastern Main Line (GEML), the Southend Victoria line and the routes that connect into them, to take advantage of the benefits our new trains offer.  

By that point all services on all those routes should be operated by new trains, so it’s therefore timely to look at how we optimise the impact of new trains on services, especially on journey times, performance and capacity.

The consultation lasts just over 12 weeks to Friday 12 February 2021, though early submissions will be much appreciated.

​Please find below a PDF of the consultation document which can also be found at www.greateranglia.co.uk/december21tt. Submissions can be made online, via email or via post with details included in the attached document (which is the same as the document you can access via the website).

The document provides a high level summary of the proposed changes, as the timetables are still being developed and can change quite significantly during the development process, including as a result of this consultation, so we have highlighted key principles and expected outcomes. We will also need to take into account the emerging situation with the pandemic and the recovery from it, as we finalise the exact timetable details.

Although the capacity, capability and intensive utilisation of the rail infrastructure across our network very much influences the scope of what we can aim to achieve, we’re keen to make the most of the exciting attributes of our new trains, with their increased seating, quicker acceleration and braking and improved performance characteristics.

Whilst more radical aspirations may not be practical, there are still plenty of opportunities to put in place a better service, taking on board customer and stakeholder comments to fine tune the details, as we do so.  There are also one or two specific areas, such as the scheduling of our Norwich in 90 services and proposals to provide a Braintree to Witham shuttle service with connections to/from London during off peak periods, on which feedback is specifically sought.

Our over-riding aims for the December 2021 GEML timetable will be to provide the best possible service for passengers and the region and to maximise the benefits of our new trains for customers and communities along both the GEML, Southend Victoria line and those lines which connect into them.

We hope you find the consultation helpful and we look forward to hearing your views and feedback to help us shape the best outcome for our region.

Please find below a new tool developed by the FSA which aims to help businesses understand what allergen labelling (information) requirements apply to different scenarios by asking 4 questions:

• does the consumer order the food in person (i.e. is there a distance selling aspect?)
• Is the food presented in packaging?
• Is the food in packaging before it is selected or ordered?
• Is the food packaged at the same place it is sold?

https://www.food.gov.uk/allergen-ingredients-food-labelling-decision-tool

The whole team at Tudor Lodge Consultants are thrilled to announce that we are working with Better Healthcare, an established and highly trusted live-in care provider across the UK. The search engine optimisation (SEO), design and development teams at Tudor Lodge are all working on what is a very exciting and promising project. Having undergone a major website overhaul, Better Healthcare approached us with a typical problem for businesses that have moved online or overhauled their online presence: getting found.

There are a range of important SEO practices and requirements that come with a new and refreshed website. Although there is a lot of merit in having a strong degree of longevity with any website, things can get a little bit ‘stale’ and this is when a refresh and update to a website and online brand is ideal.

Working with Better Healthcare, their management and marketing teams, we have started working on various areas, all of which are key to SEO and online success. These include:

• Website Crawling Factors – First and foremost in SEO is ensuring a website is able to be read, understood and properly contextualised [crawled]. Ultimately, if Google or any other search engines (such as Bing, Baidu and others) cannot crawl a website, much of the work done will be fruitless and any rankings will be significantly lower than otherwise
• Website Navigation and Architecture – Being able to navigate around a website of any nature and in any industry is crucial to both the SEO as well as user experience (UX), both factors being closely linked to one another. We are working with the team at Better Healthcare to ensure the website is logically ordered and structured and can be easily and quickly navigated by all users and prospective clients of the company
• Online PR and Presence – A key tenet of SEO is the spread of a brand online; its PR. Thus, we are working with Better Healthcare to create relationships as well as the all-important backlinks where necessary and relevant content across the web for the brand more widely
• Content and Website Information – Another key element of any website’s SEO is the content upon which the entire offering of the brand and company lies. We are working closely with both our own as well as Better Healthcare’s content and marketing team to create new, optimised and user-friendly website content.

Emergency First Aid at Work Training, 17th December Only a few spaces are available to book on our Emergency First Aid At Work Training Course(s), on;

• 17th December 2020
• Lunch is Included
• Free Parking

Courses are held at Rossis Leisure Centre, North Walsham. Prices are £62.50 (+VAT) per person. All our First Aid training courses are compliant with Current HM Gov & UK Resus Coronavirus Guidelines. https://shepherdshsltd.co.uk/first-aid-training-courses/

In this week’s episode James and Mark highlight the importance of handling disappointment, which is particularly relevant in the current climate with many people and businesses facing some challenging lockdown measures.  As usual, they come up with 3 top tips, and along the way they make reference to Yale University studies, George Bush Snr and Mark’s mildly impressive but slightly embarrassing lawn bowls career!

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts here, or listen here. 

The TaxAssist Group has once again been shortlisted for ‘Best Large Business’ at the Norfolk Business Awards.

After an incredibly busy year supporting the TaxAssist Accountants network and their clients, staff at the Norwich-based TaxAssist Group Support Centre have been rewarded with a further award nomination for the all-round strength of the business.

This recognition follows hot on the heels of being announced as a finalist for the bfa HSBC ‘Franchisor of the Year’ award and winning ‘Best Franchisee Marketing Support’ at the Franchise Marketing Awards earlier in the year.

The TaxAssist Group will be competing with three other well-known businesses from the Eastern region, with the winner announced on Tuesday 24th November.

Karl Sandall, Group Chief Executive, said: “We are absolutely delighted to have been selected as a finalist in the ‘Best Large Business’ category.

“2020 has been quite a year for everybody, but we are so proud of the resilience shown by our network of accountants and the way our Support Centre staff have risen to the challenge to provide quite exceptional levels of service and support.

“Small business clients have needed our assistance like never before to help them to survive and thrive and we have ensured that we have been able to support our accountants to assist in this increase in demand.

“Being a finalist in this prestigious award category is a fantastic way of saying ‘well done’ and ‘thank you’ to our brilliant team of staff who are so passionate about providing a truly first-class service. It also serves as a testament to our robust business model and innovative approach to accountancy services.”

Business Editor, Richard Porritt, said: “The innovation, desire and simple hard graft shone through from the entries we received for every category. Never before have we had such a high standard of firms that deserve recognition for their achievements prior to and during this ghastly pandemic. As a judge myself I know the task of choosing a short list and ultimately a winner was incredibly difficult. So everyone who has been chosen should be very proud.”

If you are interested in joining the TaxAssist Accountants network, monthly Virtual Discovery Days are being held where you can spend a day with the team to find out more about the business opportunity and support on offer. Click here for more information.

This month, We take a closer look at the current interior design and construction project at Taank Optometrists on Mill Road, Cambridge.

Click here to find out more

Appeal for laptops, computers and tablets for local sanctuary seekers

The [email protected]  

______________________________________________

UEA was awarded University of Sanctuary status in January 2018 in recognition of our offer to sanctuary seekers. UEA promotes a culture of inclusivity, respect and sanctuary through a broad range of schemes and activities, including scholarship programmes, education activities and events, and collaborations with local organisations and groups.

UEA is proud to be recognised as a University of Sanctuary, and is one of only a handful of universities in the UK and Ireland to receive the accolade to date. UEA staff and students have shown an ongoing commitment to increasing understanding of asylum and refugee concerns, and welcoming sanctuary seekers into our university community.

Did you know that the official flower of Norfolk is the Poppy and that this was the inspiration for choosing Poppy Red for our Goff delivery tankers over 45 years ago? 

Since then Goff Petroleum has proudly carried Poppy Red on it’s lorries, uniforms and logo, inspired by the County where the company started and where it is still based. 

This year as Remembrance Day approaches and the Poppy becomes nationally symbolic, we have extended our Goff Good Causes community support to include The Royal British Legion, who famously use the Poppy as a key part of their fundraising.

The Poppy has long been a national symbol of Remembrance and Hope and this message of Hope seems as poignant today as the world battles with the impact of Covid 19.

To help The Royal British Legion with its fundraising in these difficult times and to enable it to continue its support of our Armed Forces, their community and families; we are pledging to make a donation of £1 for every order placed on Nov 11th  and aim to raise over £500 with your support. 

You can get a quote for heating oil here or call 01953 713555

Together To Raise Our Confidence is a special workshop our member Emma Zangs is offering for the end of the year. 

As humans, our anxiety rises and our confidence lowers when we lose this sense of togetherness. We are tribal. We are a bit like pack animals. However, we have the ability to adapt. This 2-hour workshop is to collaborate, share and learn how to activate our confidence. Be ready to try new things, change what you think Zoom workshops are about and hopefully leave with a filled up tank of support from around the globe!

The workshop is free but a donation of £10 is suggested if you are waged. All donations will go to Amnesty International and support the relentless work they do for Human Rights. 

Join, contribute and receive plenty of tools to feed-forward!

On Wednesday the 2nd of December 6-8PM

Find Out More & Register

This year has brought dramatic change to how we, and all businesses across the globe operate. Throughout the year we’ve continued to push forward, introducing new technologies to support ourselves and our clients through difficult times. To recognise the hard work and dedication of our team, we decided to enter the Norfolk Business Awards for the first time. We were incredibly excited to even be shortlisted. But to now be able to share that we are finalists in the Small and Medium Business category is a proud moment.  “To be announced as a finalist for the Small and Medium Business Award really is one of the proudest moments of my time at Breakwater. The team have all worked so hard to make Breakwater the business that it is today, they are all so committed to excellence and so diligent in ensuring we meet the needs of our clients.  The fact that we have made the final four out of forty something companies is just incredible as we know we are up against some amazing businesses. We are sad that because of COVID we don’t get to party, but that makes us more determined to keep going and to enter again next year so the team get to celebrate their success.” – John Gostling, Managing Director. We were also pleased to be shortlisted for the Customer Care Award. Although we did not make the final four, we can see the tough competition we had and feel proud to be recognised at that stage.  The Norfolk Business Awards are hosted annually by the Eastern Daily Press (EDP). This year, the awards will be celebrating its 30th anniversary. Although a ceremony is unable to go ahead, we look forward to seeing the results of each category announced on the EDP social media channels on Tuesday 24 November.  Wish us luck! Breakwater IT Team.

It’s a difficult time for small businesses and business owners so the Business & IP Centre (BIPC) Norfolk, run by Norfolk County Council’s Library and Information Service, has developed a free programme of business support that can be accessed online.

Alongside the national Reset. Restart programme of webinars run by the British Library Business & IP Centre, the BIPC Norfolk is offering a series of free local 1-to-1 support sessions, workshops and networking events. Delivered in partnership with business training provider MENTA, Reset. Restart is open to all business owners, especially those in the first years of trading.

Cllr Margaret Dewsbury, Cabinet Member for Communities at Norfolk County Council, said: “The pandemic has had a significant impact on businesses in the region, the extent of which still remains to be seen, especially as we contend with a second period of lockdown.

“Our local Reset. Restart programme is designed to provide Norfolk businesses with the tools needed to rebuild and adapt to these very challenging times. We may not currently be able to deliver our services face-to-face but these online support sessions are accessible to any business in the county.”

During the two-hour online 1-to-1 support session, businesses will have the chance to review their overall business proposition and discuss how it could be rethought or repositioned in light of Covid-19. They will also be helped to identify and focus on any specific areas of concern and progression.

The series of five online workshops covers topics such as generating new business ideas, digital marketing tools, building customer relationships, and updating business plans. Participants can pick and choose from the workshops or book on the whole series.

There will also be monthly online networking sessions, with the first being held in Global Entrepreneurship Week (16-22 November) on Monday 16 November from 12.30-1.30pm. This first session will give people the opportunity to find out what they can expect from the Reset. Restart programme and to meet some of the MENTA programme tutors.

Global Entrepreneurship Week also sees the return of Start-up Day on Thursday 19 November, hosted by the British Library Business & IP Centre. The day of inspirational talks is aimed at businesses who are just starting out as well as those ready to take the next step, and includes an afternoon networking session from Norfolk.

From 2.45-3.30pm, Kalene Herrington from the Norfolk Chambers of Commerce will be hosting the session on ‘How to help your business thrive during the pandemic’. It will feature insight from Hazel Russell, co-founder of eco-friendly Norfolk company The Wood Life Project, and the chance to ask questions and network with other businesses.

Hazel set up The Wood Life Project with her husband Jimmy, and first sought support from the BIPC Norfolk for help with intellectual property (IP). Hazel says: “We were fortunate enough to get support from the BIPC at the very start of our business journey. We discussed our business and the ideas of the products we planned to launch, and the BIPC team helped us to understand the importance of protecting all of our IP.

“We subsequently registered the trademarks for our name and logo and registered the design rights on all of our product designs. The support we received from BIPC was so valuable; it was instrumental to securing our valuable business assets.”

Reset. Restart runs alongside the day-to-day services provided by the BIPC Norfolk, one of 15 regional centres in the British Library’s BIPC Network. The centre offers free and low-cost access to business intelligence, market research, 1-to-1s, training and IP support to aspiring entrepreneurs, start-ups and more established SMEs in Norfolk.

This year, the British Library was awarded £13 million from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport to grow the number of libraries offering business start-up support and to further develop provision within the existing National Network. The BIPC Norfolk was awarded a share of this funding and will use it to expand the range of free business support offered, as well as increasing the number of regional hubs around the county.

Currently the BIPC Norfolk operates from the Norfolk & Norwich Millennium Library with hubs in King’s Lynn, Thetford and Great Yarmouth libraries. Although libraries are currently closed due to the pandemic, enquiries are being answered remotely and there is a wealth of online support available to businesses.

To book on any BIPC Norfolk events, please see our Eventbrite page.