Content

The Food Standards Agency has issued a letter to businesses wishing to export food after Brexit. They wish it to be communicated to as many food exporters as possible. Please see attached letter.

What are the New Food Information Regulations?

Essentially they are about giving Food Information to the consumers of your foods! but it is not just about Food Labels or Food Packaging it is about staff knowledge & interaction with the consumer

The Food Iinformation for Consumers, Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, apply in the UK from 13 December 2014 to all caterers

Caterers must be ready to give information to their customers on food allergens used in their dishes. We have had labels on packaged foods for some time, and the law applying to them will be changing too- think May Contain and hidden small print!

But the biggest change is that those who supply unpackaged goods- caterers, deli’s, cafes, sandwich bars, pubs & resturants will now need to comply

The requirement is to provide information to consumers on what is in the food, some 2 million (FSA fiqures) people in this country suffer from a Food Allergy; this is both frightening for those suffering- the worst case scenario would be an analphylactic shock/ fatality but can be seen as an opportunity for business!

The regulations are not daunting if a company is already managing its Food Safety!

The Statutory Instrument has now been issued so we now have the detail. We have recently assisited the Food Standards Agency with training Enforcement Officers (Environmental Health and Trading Standards)

We have already been advising clients on how to comply, and we have run an open free workshop- we have another workshop scheduled for 14th October, but are also able to offer a Level 3 Award in Food Allergen Management for Caterers (both as an in-house course, or an open course is running on 17th September in Norwich), and also consultancy on this issue. A cieh eLearning course will be available from October, but we are also able to help trainn staff. It has been included on our Food Safety Courses for some time now.

So if you are interested in knowing more please be in touch www.redcat.gb.com

Improving resource efficiency, reducing waste and driving down costs are vital for any company, large or small and most strive to achieve this, not just to ensure their continued profitability, but also to reduce any impact their activities may have on the environment.

Undoubtedly this happens quietly within many companies but one way of publicly demonstrating a company’s genuine commitment to these undertakings is with the award of an ISO standard.

And Daniel Connal Partnership is delighted to announce that we have been awarded ISO 14001.

ISO 14001, one of the ISO 14000 series of Standards related to environmental management, represents the core set of standards used to design and implement an effective environment management system.

Our ISO 14001 award, demonstrating the company’s commitment to improving its environmental impact, complements the ISO 9001, the international standard of quality management, which the Partnership has held since 2008.

And whilst blowing our trumpets ……

Daniel Connal Partnership’s has gained accreditation with Achilles, one of the world’s largest and most trusted providers of supplier information.

Achilles provides validated information about suppliers to buyers across a wide range of sectors on a global and national scale. Successful completion of its rigorous accreditation process demonstrates compliance with the highest international standards and enables buyers to select suppliers with confidence.

Achilles accreditation and our ISO awards demonstrate DCP’s continuing commitment to providing the best service possible to all of our clients, in every aspect of our business.

More DCP News

Spectral Edge has secured £300,000 funding. This working capital will enable Spectral Edge to expand its team, complete the development of its ‘Eyeteq’ product-line and take it to market – helping those with poorer colour vision.

Spectral Edge was founded in 2012 as a spin-out from the University of East Anglia to exploit novel image fusion technology developed by Professor Finlayson’s ‘Colour Lab’.

The company has successfully completed a £300K financing round led by the Iceni Seedcorn Fund and the Rainbow Seed Fund, managed by Midven. This funding will provide working capital to enable Spectral Edge to expand its team, complete the development of its Eyeteq product-line and take it to market.

Image fusion is a large field and refers to the process of combining many different images into a single display image. Applications for image fusion can be found in photography (RGB + near infrared), remote sensing (merging the hundreds of bands from satellite images) and medical imagery (in diffusion tensor imaging).

One application that Spectral Edge is bringing to life is improving images for people who have poor colour vision. Colour blindness affects 4-5% of the world’s population. Spectral Edge has developed a platform technology that fuses images that appear much improved to those who suffer from poorer colour vision, whilst ensuring the images remain acceptable for everyone else – delivering colour clarity for all.

Commenting on the investment, Mark White, investment director of Midven’s Rainbow Seed Fund said, “The appeal of this technology to such a large market makes this potentially an exciting investment for Rainbow. Spectral Edge has already shown traction within its intended market and possesses a comprehensive patent portfolio that will allow it to maximise the scope of its technology.”

Dr Robert Swann, chairman of Spectral Edge commented: “Midven and Iceni have excellent records of supporting early stage technology companies and we are delighted to have them on board at this exciting stage in our development.”

Award-winning developer Hopkins Homes has a strong track record of supporting local causes and has now been announced as the headline sponsor for the Eastern Daily Press’ Stars of Norfolk and Waveney Awards 2019.

The East Anglian housebuilder has developments throughout Norfolk and two years ago announced a £500,000 charitable fund. The fund supports charities and groups throughout East Anglia via small grants, charity votes and one-off donations as well as separate funding for the conservation of war memorials in the area. In addition, last winter, Hopkins Homes created a £150,000 Winter Crisis Fund to help alleviate some of the difficulties vulnerable people face when the weather gets colder. In Norfolk this included a £30,000 donation to the Eastern Daily Press’ Surviving Winter campaign and a rapid intervention fund.  

Joshua Hopkins of the Hopkins Charitable Fund said: “At Hopkins Homes we are committed to supporting local charities and organisations, ensuring we build thriving communities as well as homes, which is why we felt sponsoring the www.hopkinshomes.co.uk  

Pictures: Jamie Honeywood @EDP

The Compettionand Markets Authority ( CMA) currently has a campaign to highlight to businesses about fair contract terms. There is information on their website with guidance and a quiz to take .

Have a look at:

https://fairterms.campaign.gov.uk/

MENTA has extended its management team by creating the role of Commercial Manager and has hired former Greene King Brand Portfolio and Innovation Controller, Sarah Brindley.

The new role is designed to broaden the reach of the business support organisation by building upon its existing links with business leaders across East Anglia and further connect the entrepreneurial spirit of the region.

Sarah has worked with some of the world’s most recognisable brands as well as running her own styling business.   

MENTA CEO, Alex Till says “I’m thrilled that Sarah is bringing her brand and commercial connections to MENTA, these are exciting times for the team as we prepare to launch a series of new business products that include a range of remote learning and business support portals“.

Sarah said “I am delighted to be appointed as Commercial Manager for MENTA and I am really looking forward to helping MENTA and the businesses that they help, flourish and grow. I am excited for what the future holds and to be part of the MENTA community of entrepreneurs”.

Sarah’s new role will include business development and working on the expansion of MENTA’s patron package.

MENTA existing patrons include – Ensors chartered Accountants, Atkins Thomson, Fleximize and HS direct.

To speak to Sarah about working with MENTA, please email [email protected]

City Centre charity, OPEN Youth Trust (OPEN), is launching a new fundraising initiative to help change the lives of some of the most vulnerable young people in Norfolk.

The campaign is aimed at the local business community, to make them aware that every penny of profit from the venue in Bank Plain is used to help disadvantaged young people aged 11-17. Despite positive developments over recent years, the charity still suffers from a problem of perception.  This initiative is being led by one of OPEN’s Trustees Karl Sandall, Group Chief Executive of The TaxAssist Direct Group, the international franchise group based in Norwich. (Known as TaxAssist Accountants)

The Regional HQ of Barclays Bank on Bank Plain was sold in 2003 to The Lind Trust and, after its refurbishment, the building was leased at a peppercorn rent to OPEN and now the vision of it becoming a hub for youth services in Norfolk is coming to fruition.

Mr Sandall said of the initiative: “The work of OPEN is nowhere near appreciated by us all living in Norwich and the county and I was tremendously impressed when I discovered the reality. With funding increasingly hard to come by, the team at OPEN is working hard towards self-sustainability for its youth work by growing commercial income through full venue occupancy and increasing capacity. This will take time to achieve and I am hoping that local companies and philanthropists will help to fund the gap.”

OPEN’s new corporate social responsibility brochure, which has been produced specially for the campaign, outlines how every penny of profit from the venue benefits young people in Norfolk . . . it’s a compelling proposition, especially if businesses are looking to enhance their CSR activity, either by donating a regular sum or hiring the venue’s excellent technical and catering facilities to help communicate with various stakeholders. 

The recent removal of the Bridge has restored the Banking Hall to its former glory, creating the largest and most flexible multi-purpose space in Norwich, increasing its capacities for seated events and making it the largest dining hall in the city centre, which will help OPEN achieve its long term goal of self-sustainability.

17 year-old Olivia, is one of the young people who have benefitted: “Before I came to OPEN I was very shy and faced bullying at school because of my weight. I regularly participate in dance, drama and musical theatre classes and help as a young volunteer, often running warm ups for dance classes. Without OPEN, I wouldn’t be the person I am today and honestly don’t think I would be alive if it wasn’t for the support and understanding I’ve received from members of the youth team.”

As well as performing arts, young people can find new directions in the gym with classes in boxing and mixed martial arts, but the creative writing group has also generated a lot of interest with the first group publishing a book of poems and short stories. 

Youth worker Johnny Raspin said: “Working with young people who have never written before has been inspiring and I challenge anyone reading the group’s first anthology not to be moved by recurring themes such as bereavement, disengagement, love, loneliness and suicidal thoughts. We would love to publish a second edition, but of course this requires funding, so Karl’s campaign is coming just at the right time for us.”

Mr Sandall added: “Without OPEN I don’t know where young people like Olivia or the creative writing group would go or what might happen to them. It’s thanks to the opportunities that OPEN offers young people of today, which helps them on the right road to success for tomorrow.   I would love any business to support the charity with a meaningful sum for a minimum of two or three years until the venue can maximise its commercial income to support the charity entirely. 

In return for becoming a Friend, I will work hard with the senior management team and fellow Trustees to ensure funds are used wisely, promoting your business or individual widely throughout the building, during events, in social media and on OPEN’s website. However, to fully appreciate our work and how the building has changed over the years, I recommend a tour, which may well spark further ideas of how companies can help either through sponsorship or taking advantage of the facilities for their own communication needs.

If anyone would like to take up this offer, John Gordon-Saker, CEO of OPEN and I would love to show you around.”

A regular monthly donation of £100 would cover 20 gym memberships for young people; £200 a month would pay for 80 bursary places on OPEN’s school holiday programme; £250 each month could fund a 12-month apprenticeship.

To discuss how you could help or to arrange a tour, contact Karl Sandall, Group Chief Executive, TaxAssist Direct Group, [email protected] or John Gordon-Saker, CEO, OPEN, [email protected]

PHOTO CAPTION: Olivia Muir centre with Elite Dance Team at OPEN – Credit OPEN Youth Trust

NOTES FOR EDITORS

•  Over 10,000 young people a year attend youth-related events, shows and conferences in the old Banking Hall, but OPEN is also a multi-purpose venue for conferencing, live music, meeting room hire, hospitality and secure storage.  

•  All profits from the venue are donated to its youth charity, which over the past eleven years has made a massive positive difference to the lives of young people in Norfolk. 

•  4,500 young people a year engage with youth workers in its drop-in social hub, which has a gym, café, climbing wall and dance studio. 

•  1,500 of the most disadvantaged are given the life skills and confidence to make their own way in life and into work by attending workshops and activities.

•  Schools send their most troubled pupils who may be struggling with secondary transition or in the last stages of intervention for re-engagement by OPEN’s experienced youth team.

•  The youth team now works with 12 youth clubs in areas of rural isolation around the county, whose funding has been withdrawn.

•  The charity delivers to young people most in need of on-going support as they may be suffering from poor mental health or low self-esteem, because of bullying, abuse or disengagement from their families and friends.

The Government has published draft regulations introducing a requirement for employers to undertake and publish equal pay audits, if the employer is found to have breached equal pay legislation.

The Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013 included a provision for the government to make regulations detailing the new requirement for employers to publish equal pay audits. These regulations have recently been published in draft form.

The draft regulations state that if a tribunal finds that an employer has breached the equal pay provisions of the Equality Act 2010, it must order the employer to conduct and publish an equal pay audit, including the following information:

• Relevant gender pay information related to the descriptions of employees specified by the tribunal;
• Indentifying any differences in pay between men and women, and the reasons for those differences;
• The reasons for any potential equal pay breach identified by the audit; and
• What the employer plans to do to avoid breaches occurring or continuing.

The audit must be sent to the tribunal by a specified date, at least three months after the tribunal’s order. Provided the tribunal is satisfied that the audit is compliant, the employer must publish it on its website and leave it there for a period of three years.

If the employer fails to conduct a satisfactory audit without reasonable excuse, the tribunal can impose a penalty of up to £5,000.

An audit is not required if:

• The employer has already carried out an audit in the preceding three years;
• It is clear, without the need for an audit, whether any action is required to avoid equal pay breaches from occurring or continuing;
• The tribunal has no reason to think that there are any other breaches of equal pay legislation; or
• The disadvantages of an audit would outweigh its benefits.

It is intended for the draft regulations to take effect from 1 October 2014, but they will only apply in respect of equal pay claims lodged on or after that date. Micro-businesses (fewer than 10 employees, or the equivalent full-time hours), and new businesses (less than 12 months at the date of the complaint) will be exempt.

Equal pay claims are relatively uncommon, but the introduction of the requirement to undertake and publish an equal pay audit together with the potential for reputational damage will mean that the consequences of losing a claim are even greater for employers.

The draft regulations are available here.

Pure, the East of England’s leading professional recruitment specialist, has promoted Jodie Woodrow to Business Director.

Jodie originally joined Pure in 2005, co-founding and managing the company’s Ipswich office. She has continued to play an integral role in the development and success of Pure and its purpose of supporting the growth of organisations in the Eastern region over the last 14 years. Having specialised in senior accountancy appointments, Jodie has more recently been focussed on developing Pure Executive, which specialises in Board level appointments. 

Lynn Walters, Executive Director at Pure, said: “Our people are at the heart of our business and Jodie has been instrumental in the successful growth of our Ipswich office and the launch and development of Pure Executive. We’re pleased to have been able to reward her hard work, dedication and contribution to our business.”

Jodie Woodrow added: “I am delighted to have been promoted to Business Director. Since I joined Pure, I’ve had the opportunity to grow our business alongside our energetic and progressive leadership team and to continue my professional development by taking on new, exciting challenges like developing the Pure Executive brand. I have had great a role model in Lynn, who has championed me, providing tremendous support and encouragement to help me progress to Business Director.”

Pure Executive specialises in Board level appointments across a range of sectors and has a strong track-record supporting privately owned organisations, non-profit and listed businesses. Over the last four years, it has appointed over 90 Directors to the Boardrooms of some of the Eastern region’s most established brands.

Andrew Twynam has recently sold his practice to experienced accountant Amit Joshi

When he joined TaxAssist Accountants in 2012, Andrew Twynam had a plan. Work for five years, build his practice up, then sell, to enable him to pay off his mortgage – which he has just achieved after the successful transfer of ownership to Amit Joshi FCCA.

Andrew and Amit had both endured years of commuting and the frustrations of the corporate world before discovering TaxAssist to their mutual benefit.

Andrew had been a finance director for a big city firm but was looking for a better quality of life.  “It’s a familiar story. I had four-year-old twin boys and was leaving home before they were up and getting home when they were in bed. I was really only seeing them at weekends, which put a lot of strain on the family,” explained Andrew.

“I was in a taxi on my way to a charity function in London and I passed a TaxAssist Accountants shop. It looked incredible and, already aware that TaxAssist Accountants is a franchise, I started some research the next day. I was looking for business opportunities and although at the beginning I was very sceptical, I spoke to lots of franchisees who confirmed what I’d been told, and this seemed like the right opportunity for me.”

Amit, who has attained vast experience in accounting over the last 19 years, was keen to leave the corporate and city life behind too, so started looking for opportunities where he could work for himself and build his own asset.

”Ready for a change from my usual commute into central London and having seen the shops on the high street, I started to do my research into TaxAssist and attended a Discovery Day,” said Amit. “It was during my research that the Support Centre informed me that a practice was for sale close to where I live. This seemed a good fit for me, so I was introduced to Andrew and started my due diligence. I liked what I saw and decided this was just what I was looking for. Andrew and I seemed very likeminded, the business was successful, with good working practices in place, all of which made my decision to purchase his business an easy one!

“I attended the February 2019 Initial Training Course and have now spent a few months in the business. While it has been hard work, I have no doubt it has been the right decision for me. I am looking forward to working with the great team I have and to developing the business further.”

For Andrew, an exit strategy had been a key consideration even before joining TaxAssist. “I don’t think I would ever have joined the franchise if there wasn’t a fairly clear exit route,” explained Andrew. “For me it was never the plan to be a TaxAssist franchisee until I retired. That’s what really attracted me to the model, it had a beginning, a middle and an end. The Support Centre gives you a path to follow and supports you every step of the way in helping you to build up your practice and when the time is right, to sell.”

TaxAssist Accountants currently has several practices for sale. Please click here for more information.

East Anglian-based accountancy and business advisory firm MHA Larking Gowen is extending its company wellbeing programme to reach beyond the doors of its offices.

The firm is in the process of fitting defibrillators to the outside of all seven of its offices in the region. The life-saving machines have already been installed at its Norwich, Ipswich and Diss offices and will shortly follow at Fakenham, Holt and Cromer.

Andrew Butcher, acting chair of the MHA Larking Gowen staff forum, who is co-ordinating the installation of the equipment, said the idea to put a defibrillator into the Norwich office had originally come from a member of staff through the firm’s wellbeing suggestion scheme.

“We thought it was an excellent suggestion, so we put it to the board who loved the idea and asked for it to be rolled out on to all our sites”, said Andrew.  “We then thought, why should our wellbeing programme stop at the doors of the office. If we have something that is available to benefit our staff, visitors and clients why should it not benefit others as well?

“The next step was finding appropriate sites outside our buildings to position the equipment so the public could readily find it and make use of it in an emergency. All our machines except the one at our Ipswich office will have 24-hour access for the public.”

“The nature of the Ipswich site meant that it had to be placed inside the security fence so won’t be accessible at night.”

The firm’s Colchester site already has a defibrillator nearby.

Defibrillators are publicly accessible at a number of community locations within the region. In an emergency you can find the location of your nearest defibrillator by dialling 999. The operator will direct you to the location and give you a code to access the machine.

If you are at the site of a defibrillator people can dial 999 to get an access code. The machines are easy to use and you don’t need training. You will receive clear spoken instructions and a patient will not receive a shock unless they need it.

“The machines are being installed by Cardiac Science Corporation, who have been very helpful throughout the whole process,” said Andrew.

To find the location of your nearest MHA Larking Gowen office, go to www.larking-gowen.co.uk