Member News

Big Fish Little Fish award winning family rave!

Legends of Moving Shadow JMJ, Richie + Trax will be playing (grown up) old school classics for the family ravers! Live Percussionist Paul Fistfunk Crowley will also be taking to the stage. Join us on Sunday 17 November, 2019 from 14:00 at Epic Studio, Norwich.

The event will feature themed crafts, rave dancing stilt walker (from Twisted Bliss), giant balloons, glitter cannons, bubble machine, snow machine, amazing lighting (no strobes), vegan cake stall. face painting stall and the BFLF famous parachute dance.

Theme `Space Is The Place` (Fancy dress optional but encouraged) 2014 – 2019 Best Family Event – National Family Arts Festival Awards’ Family fun for the post-rave generation of parents. Helping parents be responsibly irresponsible since 2013. ‘Best day of my life’ – 6-year-old BFLF attendee ‘Makes me glad I had children’ – BFLF regular

For families with younger children (8s and under) though older siblings are welcome. Adults are not admitted unless accompanied by a child. Each event is stewarded and risk assessed in advance. Music is monitored an played at a safe level for younger ears.

DANCE, LAUGH, CRAFT AND GET DAFT – see you on the dance floor Norwich!

IMPORTANT T&Cs: Parents must remain responsible for their children at all times. A max of 3 children per adult. A max of 4 adults per child (and such groups must be pre-approved by emailing

[email protected] before buying tickets).

Tickets are non-refundable but if anybody with tickets finds they cannot attend a sold-out event please email [email protected] and BFLF will attempt to put you in touch with people seeking to buy tickets.

Each member of your group must have a ticket, adults £9.00, child £7.00 and pre-walking infants free (but still a require ticket.)

This is a standing/dancing event with limited seating. Please contact us if you have mobility issues.

Please be prepared for the event to be busy – it is a rave!

The event is conducted indoors with limited club lighting(no strobes) as the venue will be quite light , when entering please allow a few minutes for your eyes to adjust. Please no running!

BFLF sets the volume lower than at normal nightclubs. While it is still loud, it is within safe limits for young ears as set out by the World Health Organisation – and it is monitored throughout the event. It’s up to you if you want to bring ear defenders, although most parents don’t. However, if your child is particularly sensitive to noise or if you want them to nap during the event you might want to consider it. –

2-4 Hour Party People

www.bigfishlittlefishevents.co.uk

Passport to Puppetry is at the first stage of an exciting initiative which we hope to grow well beyond our launch critical mass of 25 passports throughout our 40th Anniversary Year, 2019-2020.  Many young people live in financially restricted households or difficult circumstances, unable to afford access to creative cultural experiences which can greatly improve children’s health and well-being, sense of aspiration and ambition.

Together we’ll provide the access to enjoyable creative experiences at no cost to the families in need, passports for whose use your company’s sponsorship will make possible.  10 donations of just £250 will enable 25 passports allowing access to show and workshop events at Norwich Puppet Theatre.  

We are working with leading local charities and services – Break, Benjamin Foundation, Nelson’s Journey and others – to set up safe and secure connections between the families with children we aim to benefit and ourselves.   We are talking to transport providers like Norwich Door2Door to help overcome transport barriers.

Book now for our launch event or call us on 01603 516654, email [email protected] to find out more. We welcome Enquiries from charities in the social and children’s care arena as partners to help the right children and families benefit from the scheme.     https://www.norfolkchamber.co.uk/events/be-good-company-norwich-puppet-theatre

Why do we believe we can deliver benefits from this? For 40 years Norwich Puppet Theatre has inspired, entertained and enriched audiences both nationally and internationally, and we are a unique asset in Norwich – one of only three dedicated building based puppet theatres in the country.  Our track record is to champion the ancient, unique and multifaceted art of puppetry, welcoming children, young people, families and adults into a world of imagination and storytelling.  We are a trusted and committed partner providing creative entertainment and skills for everyone, producing high quality puppet shows and workshops.

Latest developments: we are so excited! With the help of Arts Council and local matched funding we have two projects under way.

Beastly Belle is an exciting reimagining of our 2015 Beauty and the Beast show, updated to be able to extend our touring repertoire and featuring as our Christmas 2019 featured show.  https://www.puppettheatre.co.uk/whats-on/puppetry/beastly-belle

Puppets in Libraries is exploring how we can use puppet shows and workshops in local libraries to bring creative experiences and interest in further skills and learning in Norwich’s Millennium, Brundall and Aylsham Local Libraries. The learning and feedback from this we hope to take to a Libraries all over our region!   https://www.puppettheatre.co.uk/media/dContent/uploads/Creative_Learning/Creative_Learning_Programme_2019-20_mail_out.pdf Our work is not just for children! ​Our exciting partner Hocus Pocus gives the lie to any idea the only clowning is in international politics. “Where do you go when you feel low? How do you cope when your negative thoughts begin to spiral? What do you do when the blues turn black? Could it be that laughter really is the best medicine?”. In a takeover of our lovely venue, Hocus Pocus offer an exciting immersive experience with their Fun Clinic for 16+.  https://www.puppettheatre.co.uk/whats-on/puppetry/fun-clinic For general information and programme bookings, check out https://www.puppettheatre.co.uk/whats-on

Abate introduces the RatMat, an innovative, humane and cost-effective solution to protect property and assets from rodents.

Using the principles of an electric fence, the RatMat tiles can be used as a long term solution to prevent rats and mice causing expensive damage to property such as motor vehicles. The RatMat is safe, scalable and transportable and doubles as a hardwearing floor surface.

The main safety feature of the RatMat is the low energy pulse it uses. This is dramatically less powerful than a standard electric fence.

At Abate Pest Management, we see this as an ideal solution for two areas, which have proven to be very costly after rodent infestations.

RatMat for Vehicles

Your dream car sits in the garage just waiting for you to get behind the wheel and take it out for a spin. Whether you have put many hours work into your car or you’ve had the opportunity to buy the car of your dreams, all you can think of is the pleasure you’re going to get when you sit behind the steering wheel.

But unfortunately, you have also got to be aware of the pain you might suffer if your car is damaged by rodents. Rodents can chew wires, hoses, plastic panels, and other car parts to make nesting materials, turning your dream car into an expensive nightmare!

RatMat, not just for cars, it’s also a perfect solution to protect farm machinery such as combine harvesters, balers, sprayers and tractor units.

The one-off purchase of a RatMat will protect your vehicle for years to come – preventing damage which can cost many thousands.

RatMat for Warehouses

The entrance to a warehouse can be the perfect front door to nearby rodents. If your logistics operation has roller shutters or high-speed roll-up doors which are left open for any given time, you may be inviting rodents into your warehouse. With RatMat, we can prevent this occurring by installing a system at the warehouse entrance points. This is an ideal solution for BRC audited premises and any logistics operations within the food chain. It will certainly keep warehouse rodent free, even if the doors are open (subjeHomect to other standard proofing measures in place).

Frequently Asked Questions

HOW DOES RATMAT WORK? Using the principles of an electric fence, the RatMat can be used as a long term solution to prevent rats and mice causing expensive damage to property and assets such as motor vehicles.

IS RATMAT SAFE? The main safety feature of the RatMat is the low energy pulse it uses, which is effective in repelling small animals.

WHERE CAN I INSTALL RATMAT? RatMat can be used indoors and outdoors on a hard surface.

IS RATMAT A FRAGILE SURFACE? RatMat doubles as a hard-wearing floor surface. The flooring can be swept, vacuumed and pressure washed (always ensure that RatMat is turned off first!).

DO I NEED TO SCREW RATMAT DOWN? If you are driving vehicles onto the mat regularly, it can be screwed down to prevent slippage/damage.

HOW CLOSE DOES THE RODENT NEED TO BE TO BE REPELLED? The box is able to deliver a shock more than 25m from the source in ideal conditions.

WHAT CAN I USE RATMAT TO PROTECT? RatMat can be used to protect cars, motorcycles, machinery, dust bin lorries, combine harvesters and many other vehicles. It can also be used as a barrier on the entrance of garages or as a barrier product for quarantining parts.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST? Just request a free site survey and Abate Pest Management will provide a no obligation quote. Get in touch via [email protected] or call 0800 980 9767.

IS THERE A VIDEO OF THE PRODUCT? Yes, follow these links https://youtu.be/MPEwAYzuy7Q and https://youtu.be/hieTaNsdeD0

Hairsmiths have opened a new salon on Timeberhill in the centre of Norwich. To celebrate the launch of their new salon they are offering Chamber Members an introductory 20% off styling. This is valid only on Thursday’s and Saturdays.

To view the amazing salon see here and call 01603 305555 for bookings! 

This month (September 2019) Google is implementing changes to the information and statistics available when managing Google Ads campaigns (otherwise known as PPC, Pay-Per-Click or Paid Search).

One of the most significant is the removal of ‘Average Position’. It’s important to ensure the digital agency or individual managing your campaign is aware and understands the potential impact.

What’s Changing?

Google announced that the Average Position metric will be officially ‘retired’ on Monday 30th September.

Where your business or organisation’s ad appears on Google’s search engine results page (SERP) is dependent on your Ad Rank. Ad Rank is determined by your ad’s Quality Score and how much you bid per click, impression or conversion. Broadly, your Quality Score depends on how well your advert and website landing page relate to the keyword (the search term entered into Google).

Until now, Google Ads (formally known as Google AdWords) has provided a statistic called Average Position for each advert. It details where your ad appears relative to others. For example, an Average Position of 1 indicates your ad is always the first on the search engine results page. An average position of 3 indicates there are typically two ads which appear before it.

As the way paid search results and organic search results are displayed can vary, Average Position indicates how your ad compares to others, rather than its absolute position on the page. Though positions 1 to 3 are often at the top of the page (above the organic results) and positions 4-7 are at the bottom, this is increasingly not the case!

From 30th September 2019, Average Position is being removed and more focus is being placed on four new metrics introduced in November 2018:

1. ‘Top Impression Rate’ details the percentage of impressions of your advert that appear above organic results at the top of the page
2. ‘Absolute Top Impression’ details the percentage of total impressions that appear at the very top of the page
3. ‘Top Impression Share’ details the frequency with which your ad appears in search results at the top of page relative to the number of times it could feasibly appear. It may not appear 100% of the time due to a limited budget.
4. ‘Absolute Top Impression Share’ details the frequency with which your ad appears at the very top of search results, compared with the total number of opportunities to do so. Again, this may be limited by budget.

What Does It Mean for Your Campaign?

Assuming your PPC manager is aware, they will need to understand the changes and potentially revise their strategy.

Many campaign managers use Average Position a help them set the level they are willing to bid for an impression, click or conversion, for a given keyword. For example, though position 1 is typically at the top of the page, some statistics (especially for desktop computers) indicate adverts in position 3 are more likely to be clicked. A campaign manager may establish your campaign to target position 3 as the necessary bids are lower.

However, following September, this tactic will no longer work and managers will need to interpret the four new metrics and set objectives to match.

Google believes that Average Position is an unreliable measure and does not accurately indicate where your adverts appear. However, some PPC experts believe Google’s change is part of a long-term strategy to encourage more campaign automation; a move many believe gives Google too much control and increases costs.

Regardless, even effective automation is dependent on setting the right goals and needs thorough knowledge of your business, customers and objectives. The four new metrics also require thorough understanding and increase the importance of proactive, human and common-sense management.

Our Approach

At Full Mix Marketing, we’ve long been fans of Average Position but began the transition to the new metrics some months ago.  Though complex, they do indeed provide more accurate information with which to boost results and reduce costs.

Many clients have come to us with campaigns which have been previously been delegate to automation and other software by digital marketing agencies. Whilst we can often see why this has identified certain keywords, created certain ads or established certain bids; the results often lack true understanding of what users actively search to find your products and services. We deliver a much more proactive and human approach to get more from your budget.

Google announced that average position will officially retire on Monday 30th September. If your PPC manager isn’t aware, contact us. https://fullmixmarketing.co.uk/digital-marketing/

Technology skills wil be Technology skills will be at a premium, people will work anywhere, and firms will recruit talent to design work which will be done by machines in future, as companies adapt to meet the demands and needs of a changing world.

These are just some of the findings of Flagship Group who are spearheading an initiative to become a future-ready employer.

Led by Victory Housing Managing Director and Flagship Group Director of People and Workplaces Lisa Collen and Director of IT Matt Brazier, the project is underpinned by extensive research including a comprehensive review of Flagship’s customer experience.

Lisa Collen explained: “We know that the world of work is changing and we are keen to stay ahead of the curve to help us to adapt and attract and retain the best talent. Already we have made great progress in becoming an employer which meets the needs of both our people and our customers, not least with the introduction of agile working to offer a truly flexible role.”

Flagship’s research found that in the world of work of the future:

• There will be a move away from people doing the work to machines doing the work, with companies hiring talented people to design the product and process;
• When it comes to recruiting talent, technology skills alongside resilience, communication skills, adapting to change, problem solving and multi-tasking abilities will become more important;
• The development of existing talent will be crucial, and technology skills, in particular will be at a premium;
• People will work anywhere and the office environment will become a place to meet and share ideas;
• People will pursue project and portfolio-based careers, with more self-employed and freelance workers, and crucially,
• People will want an employee experience shaped to suit them individually.

Lisa said: “In the future, there will be greater competition for talent as employers seek skills to design rather than do the work, the delivery of which will become more automated. As employers, we need to recognise this trend and upskill our people accordingly.

“We also need to recognise that the traditional model of working is not going to be effective. With increased flexibility and the changing needs of business, work will become what we do and not where we go.”

The project has also identified some key areas where employers need to consider taking action. This includes:

• Modernising and adapting offices to support flexibility;
• Relaxing dress code;
• Developing policies and procedures which empower the modern company;
• Providing agile working;
• Focusing on a wellness offer for staff;
• Providing flexible benefits;
• Offering learning and development which meets the company’s needs in future, not least with the provision of much in demand technical skills.

And, Flagship are placing their future employees at the heart of the project with the establishment of a working group which brings together a number of aspiring leaders to translate the research into an action plan for the Group.

Lisa explained: “We are empowering this group of staff to help to shape Flagship into the employer of tomorrow. We know that Flagship is an employer of choice for today, and we want to ensure that we continue to be so in the changing years to come.”

Flagship will share its findings on Tuesday 17th September, as Deputy CEO Helen Walsham speaks at a major conference on the future of work.

Join Monthind at the Showground for Norfolk B2B

We’re exhibiting at the Norfolk Chamber of Commerce B2B Exhibition 2019

Monthind Clean, leading provider of contract and specialist cleaning services in Norfolk, is delighted to be taking part in the Norfolk Chamber of Commerce B2B Exhibition on Thursday 17th October 2019.

The event, which is free to attend, is celebrating 2019 by moving to a new venue, the Norfolk Showground. Moving to the county’s premier event venue has allowed Norfolk Chamber of Commerce to make 2019 B2B Exhibition its biggest yet.

The Monthind Team can be found at Stand 8 and will be poised to share with visitors the unique approach Monthind Clean takes to transform every project from clean to Monthind Clean. Monthind prides itself on delivering expertise every day through its range of services including; contract and specialist cleaning, biohazard cleaning, contract and commercial window cleaning and janitorial services and supplies.

Simon Biggs, Partner at Monthind Clean, says: “Norfolk has always been a high-profile region in the Monthind client portfolio. The Norfolk Chamber of Commerce B2B Exhibition is an excellent opportunity for us to demonstrate how Monthind continues to set itself apart from our competitors. From daily office cleans to biohazard and trauma cleaning, Monthind has trained and motivated staff to deliver the highest standard of cleaning in any environment.”

Monthind which employs more than 800 people across the region, has always valued its staff and recognises the importance of on-going training and supervision. It never sub-contracts work and collaborates with its clients to deliver a service that meets their individual needs; whether that is out of hours cleaning, 24/7 call out or scheduled hygienic deep cleans.

Simon continues: “Monthind is proud to be East Anglia’s leading independent cleaning contractor with a well-established reputation, but, like any forward-thinking business, we are constantly striving to improve. Events like the Norfolk B2B Exhibition allow us to present Monthind’s continually updating service provision to many businesses who may not have considered outsourcing their cleaning and maintenance or may be unaware of how their current providers measure up to Monthind’s capabilities. Monthind is in a position to help, and if you visit us at Stand 8, we’ll tell you how.”

Visit Monthind at Norfolk B2B 2019:

Stand 8

Norfolk Showground, Dereham Road, Norwich, NR5 0TT

10am to 6pm

Or click here

The Health Assured Employee Assistance Programme is now being offered to TaxAssist franchisees, staff and their immediate families in the UK and Ireland.

The TaxAssist Direct Group is pleased to announce it has adopted the services of Health Assured, the UK and Ireland’s largest employee assistance programme (EAP), which has helped more than 9.5 million people to overcome physical, mental, social and financial challenges.

Karl Sandall, Chief Executive Director of The TaxAssist Direct Group, said: “We are very pleased to be providing this comprehensive service, which includes free face-to-face counselling as well as online and webinar-based support to franchisees, staff and their immediate families.

“As a caring franchisor we recognise the crucial role we can play in improving health and wellbeing. I sincerely hope that by providing quick access to counselling and support, workplace stress and absence will be minimised, leading to a healthier and happier network of franchisees and staff.”

The EAP offers a complete resource of wellbeing services including a 24/7 all year round helpline, access to structured counselling support, an online Wellbeing Portal and Health e-Hub app, mental health first aid (MHFA) training, workshops and more. More information about EAP can be found here.

The TaxAssist Direct Group regularly monitors the welfare and happiness of franchisees and employees and following surveys of Support Centre staff and franchisees by independent research agency WorkBuzz earlier in the year, TaxAssist was awarded ‘5-star employer’ and ‘5-star franchisee satisfaction’ status for being above the benchmark compared to businesses of a similar size and industry.

New Jobs Created in Great Yarmouth For Southern North Sea Work

MInteg has been awarded its largest contract to date and will supply inspection services to a major oil and gas operator in the Southern North Sea.

The EnerMech subsidiary specialises in inspection and integrity and expects to create up to 15 new posts in Great Yarmouth to service the five-year contract.

The work scope includes the inspection of infrastructure on five manned platforms and multiple unmanned satellite platforms, deploying MInteg staff trained in working-at-height and rope access techniques.

Ross McHardy, EnerMech’s  Regional Director for Europe, said innovative working practices and having a strong local presence in Great Yarmouth were factors in securing the contract.

Mr McHardy said: “This is the largest value contract awarded to MInteg to date and it is confirmation that our philosophy of investing in local infrastructure and putting boots on the ground is an important factor when clients decide who to engage in vital work scopes.

“We opened a MInteg office in Great Yarmouth last year as a precursor to tendering for this type of project and it is already paying off. We will create a further 15 positions to service this contract and to position us for winning further work in the Southern North Sea and across the onshore sector.”

MInteg’s integrity inspection capability is attracting interest from clients who require support and innovation to address asset integrity.

Parent company Aberdeen-headquartered EnerMech recently outlined its strategy of increasing its presence in sectors out with its traditional oil and gas base with the recent appointment of Laz Koszeghy as general manager for the eastern England region.

Great Yarmouth based Mr Koszeghy is focussed on looking at opportunities for EnerMech in the renewables, nuclear power, chemicals and industrial sectors where it believes the integrated services model it provides to the energy sector will find wider appeal.

EnerMech employs 3,500 staff across 40 locations in the UK, Norway, the Middle East, Caspian, Asia, Africa, Australia and Americas, working on large scale projects across the oil and gas, LNG, renewables, defence, power, infrastructure and petrochemicals sectors.

Recently, Aston Shaw’s in-house tax team has expanded in size and capabilities, largely due to the recent acquisition of Burrells, an accountancy firm that specialised in tax planning.

As such, Aston Shaw’s tax team has been bolstered considerably, meaning that they can now provide an even better service.

As a result of this expansion, Aston Shaw is inviting clients and non-clients alike to contact them with any tax question or issues they may have, including but not limited to, the following areas:

• VAT
• Income planning
• Property planning
• Capital gains tax
• Capital allowances
• Non-resident tax planning
• Trusts and estate planning
• Inheritance tax planning

If you would like Aston Shaw’s Tax Specialists to take a close look at your tax affairs and ensure that you and your business are as tax efficient as possible, then you can contact them on 01603 616300 or by emailing [email protected]. 

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Local energy consultants Indigo Swan have launched a new podcast to help businesses get a better understanding of the energy sector.  

Aptly named ‘What’s Going Swan’, the podcast explores some of the themes and insights from the fast-changing world of energy and gives listeners the opportunity to get to know each of the swan’s a little better.

Every month the hosts are joined by a special guest for a conversation around the episodes theme and their resident ‘energy geek’, Aimee Konieczny gives a rundown of the current energy market. So far they have been joined by Steve Lane from the Inspiration Trust and John Dewing from Saxon Air.

Each monthly digest sits about half an hour long and aims to inform, inspire and ignite others to find a better way of doing things.

Available to listen to on their website, Soundcloud, Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Click here to have a listen on their website.

Three apprentices have been appointed to an innovative apprenticeship programme which offers a professional qualification and degree course combined with practical, on-the-job experience, allowing them to earn as they learn.

Jasmine King, Alice Ames, and Tia Putt are joining Flagship Group’s Bright Futures programme, studying for a level 4 Senior Housing Officer qualification followed by a chartered manager degree apprenticeship, whilst working across the company.

The Bright Futures programme has been so successful it has led to the Group being Highly Commended in the category of Large Employer at the Eastern Region Apprentice Awards 2019, following an application by two of the first Bright Futures apprentices. 

Flagship has teamed up with training and management consultancy Dutton Fisher Associates to develop the four-year programme. At the end of the course the apprentices will have a Chartered Institute of Housing qualification at level 4, and they will be chartered managers.

The three apprentices will get to spend time in each department of Flagship, the biggest housing association in the East of England, whilst gaining key technical knowledge through the four year course.

The training will be delivered using a blended delivery model of online and face to face tutor led workshops. Each Bright Futures apprentice will also benefit from a dedicated Flagship mentor to provide guidance and support. And, each apprentice gets to dedicate one day a week towards study as they earn whilst they learn.

Crucially, at the end of the course, the apprentices will not only have valuable qualifications, they will also have a permanent job.

Lisa Collen, Managing Director of Victory Housing and Director of People and Workplaces explained: “We want to attract and retain the very best talent and to provide opportunities for people to learn and develop to fulfil their potential.

“We have worked with Dutton Fisher Associates to develop this programme which, when combined with our on-the-job experience, will give our apprentices invaluable knowledge and insight for building a career in our sector.

“At the same time as earning money, the apprentices will be able to gain qualifications funded by Flagship and learn about our business as well as the wider housing sector.

“We are delighted that Jasmine, Alice and Tia are joining us and look forward to working with them in the coming years.”

Jasmine, Alice and Tia will be joining four existing Bright Futures apprentices. This includes Morgan Lingley. Morgan didn’t have a clear idea of what job sector to pursue but after almost a year with Flagship, is now set on a career in Housing.

Morgan said: “I really enjoy working alongside such amazing staff members. They are always on hand to help especially with myself being an apprentice, I feel like I can approach anybody. I also enjoy the variety of work – such as anti-social behaviour, rent collection, and HR – I have participated in so far.

“I could not be prouder to work for a company so focused on developing staff and pushing them to their full potential. I feel as though I have landed on my feet when a year ago I had no idea what career I was going to end up in.”

Each year Flagship Group offers a number of apprenticeships across the group, starting in September.