Now more than ever we need to support our teams in the workplace. They may be working from home, anxiously using public transport to get to work, or battling to soothe their childrens mental health, not to mention their own anxiety about what the future will bring.
When did you last invite everyone to get together and support them ? It’s crucial right now to offer a safe regular interactive space so that your team can hear some positive news and learn some simple techniques to enhance their wellbeing and general health.
From the benefits to massage, explaining the Menopause, diet and weightloss, stress managment and how to embrace change, we have a long list of key topics to offer in monthly capsules.
Sign up for a minimum of 6 months, choose your topics and we will do the rest.
Get in touch at www.wellbeinginternational.co.uk or phone us on 01379 677335.
The Norfolk Mead have re-launched their popular takeaway Afternoon Tea menu for lockdown 2.0 in November.
The autumn-inspired menu includes a flapjack with ruby chocolate frosting, mixed berry cheesecake with caramelised white chocolate crumb alongside owner Anna’s famous chocolate brownie with coffee caramel topping. The full cream team also includes fresh sandwiches which have been refreshed to include smoked ham with Dijon mayonnaise, mature cheddar and chutney, and egg mayonnaise with mustard cress. For savoury fans, there is an apple and sage sausage roll, and of course, our amazing plain and fruit scones with clotted cream and fruit jam.
James Holliday, Owner of the Norfolk Mead commented: “Whilst we are all devastated to have to close for the second time this year, we understand that we are all in this together when it comes to managing the coronavirus pandemic. Following the hard work of core members of our team throughout the lockdown earlier this summer, we are well placed to launch our refreshed cream tea takeaway service by this coming weekend. A cream tea has proved to offer a feel good uplift for people, and we hope our customers enjoy this moment amongst these worrying times. “As we offer cream tea delivery, it’s also a great option for people to share with their loved ones who they can’t see in person during lockdown – and we are sure our kind hearted customers will once again treat their neighbours or elderly relatives. We are very grateful for the ongoing support of our local community.” Priced at £16 per head, delivery is £3.50 within 18 miles of Coltishall (NR12 7DN), and the team will consider further deliveries – although this may be subject to an additional delivery charge. Afternoon tea can also be collected directly from the Hotel in line with the most recent social distancing and Covid-secure guidelines. The Takeaway Afternoon Tea Delivery and collection is available every weekend throughout November. Order Norfolk cream tea delivery here, or email [email protected]
Twice-weekly flights to Tenerife in winter 2021/22
9 destinations on offer for summer 2022
More demand expected for 4 & 5-star all-inclusive hotels with private pools or villas
TUI UK has launched winter 2021 and 2022 holidays from Norwich and is set to put summer 2022 holidays on sale from 5th November, with thousands of free kids’ places, low deposits from £75 per person and £0 deposit on direct debit bookings made online on offer. This comes as 86% of customers surveyed in September said they expect to have gone on holiday again by next summer – reinforcing the growing appetite for future travel post Covid-19.
With on-going travel corridor uncertainty for some regular favourites this winter, those craving sunshine during the coldest months have already booked for next winter, with strong demand for Tenerife so far from Norwich Airport. For winter 2021/22, TUI will operate two weekly flights to Tenerife which will also connect with five Marella Cruises itineraries, including Canarian Flavours, Colourful Coasts and Island Explorer.
With 57% of customers saying they expect to book a Mediterranean beach holiday for 2021, TUI anticipates greater demand for summer 2022 as people want to ‘make up’ for not being able to go away this year. So far, Greece is the standout destination of choice based on current bookings for next summer, with Turkey and Egypt also popular, and patterns indicate these trends could continue into 2022.
The summer 2022 programme from Norwich Airport will see nine destinations on offer, with reintroduced flights to Ibiza, three flights every week to Majorca and three Greek islands on offer.
TUI is seeing an upward trend in 4 and 5-star all-inclusive hotel bookings for next summer, with over 40% of customers surveyed expressing this preference. This includes hotels which offer the ‘best of both worlds’ with villas or room options with private pools and accommodation as families in particular seek to continue to feel safe in their ‘bubble’. TUI will be offering 233 different options in 155 hotels for this growing category in summer 2021 and expects this trend to continue for summer 2022.
In the same vein, 18% of customers surveyed said they would look to book a villa holiday with car hire included, making social distancing easier on holiday. TUI is offering 150 villas with flights and car hire included for summer 2021 and summer 2022 in Cyprus, Greece, Turkey, Balearic Islands, Canary Islands, mainland Spain, Portugal, Italy and Florida.
Richard Sofer, Commercial & Business Development Director at TUI said:“Our latest customer survey and booking patterns for next summer indicate that the great British public are looking forward to future holidays even more so as they may have been unable to take one this year. This is why we have launched our future holiday programmes through to the end of October 2022, so that families and couples alike can plan ahead to next year and beyond to make informed choices about what will make their perfect holiday from the wide range we have on offer.”
Richard Pace, Managing Director of Norwich Airport said: “The launch of TUI’s winter 2021 and summer 2022 programmes gives passengers the opportunity to book with confidence and look forward to a well-deserved break. It’s fantastic news for our airport and our region, with air travel and international connectivity critical to both. We welcome TUI’s announcement and look forward to seeing a return to passenger growth, with a clear demand for travel post-COVID-19, and a variety of routes offering passengers a great choice of destinations.”
If you have a project that you are thinking about or an area of your business that you feel isnt secure enough do get in touch so we can help take at least one trouble off your mind. We specialise in CCTV, Fire Detection, Intruder Alarms & Access Control.
Established in 1989, Dragon Security Systems supplies and installs the very latest electronic safety & security systems in Norfolk, Suffolk and the surrounding areas for a wide variety of clients including domestic, public and commercial.
We specialise in the design and installation of systems to suit any budget, and our work always comes with an extended and lifetime warranty. Our qualified engineers are available on a 24/7 basis to carry out emergency attendance and repairs; this service is also available for systems previously installed by others. As part of our complete service package, our team can also carry out preventative maintenance checks.
The Norwich and Norfolk Eco Awards celebrate projects and schemes with a strong ecological or environmentally-friendly ethos, or groups and organisations which can show they adopt a sound eco approach to their business.
The awards recognise local unsung environmental heroes, who put the environment at the heart of their work. It’s free to enter and easy to apply, open now for applications until 1 December 2017.
All category winners will receive a trophy and certificate, as well as permission to use Eco Awards branding for marketing purposes.
The winner of the primary school category will also receive brand new tablet devices for their school.
The awards are hosted jointly by Norwich City Council and Norfolk County Council.
Vote for your eco hero To celebrate the tenth anniversary of the awards, we’re giving you the chance to nominate someone (or yourself) for a new Eco Hero category. The winning eco hero should be able to demonstrate a passion for protecting or improving the environment. Our judges will shortlist four potential eco heroes in December, and there will be a public vote throughout January to choose the winner. So the nominees will have plenty time to drum up lots of support and get as many votes as they can.
Ashtons Legal has appointed Sheila Small as a commercial property partner in the firm taking the total number of partners to 36. She is joined by a further 350 staff across East Anglia and Leeds. It is the firm’s second partner appointment in three months – Andrew Skuse joined the residential property team in August.
Sheila specialises in strategic land and development work. Sheila has moved to Ashtons from her role as in-house counsel for a land promoter and developer in the east of England. Her background and experience gives her considerable insight into the full spectrum of work involved in both commercial and residential development schemes, from initial scoping and viability prior to land acquisition through to planning, delivery and disposal. She also has experience of large-scale infrastructure projects, predominantly in the health and education sectors, which together with her knowledge of development work will prove invaluable to Ashtons’ existing client base.
Sheila says: “I am really pleased to have joined Ashtons Legal’s thriving commercial property team in Cambridge. The team has a great reputation, good feedback from legal guides Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners and I am looking forward to working with such a dynamic and progressive team of lawyers”.
Sheila adds: “My previous experience has given me the opportunity to look at legal implications from a different perspective and I am excited to be able to share my insights into development work and the local and regional property markets with a broad range of clients”.
Edward O’Rourke, CEO at Ashtons says: “Sheila’s appointment enables us to strengthen further our property presence in the Cambridgeshire area. I am delighted that in these tough times we are stable and strong and able to attract new talent to the firm”.
Break charity launches Coffee Break van during lockdown, offering real work experience to young care leavers
Working on the van has given Jack Nicholls, 21, new hope. Jack shares his story this Care Leavers Week (26th October – 1st November)
A mobile coffee van business, launched by charity Break in September 2020, is giving young care leavers the chance to gain real work experience and new skills to improve their employment prospects.
The Coffee Break project supports young people aged 18 and over after they have left the care system and are living independently. By helping them acquire new skills, it aims to boost their confidence and help them secure paid employment; enabling them to go on to live fulfilling, independent lives.
An idea developed by Break, a leading children’s charity in East Anglia, the mobile coffee van is currently based in Norwich two days a week, serving hot and cold drinks, sweet and savoury snacks. The van is staffed and managed entirely by young care leavers with guidance from trained barista and project manager Joe Walden.
One of the young people who has been instrumental in launching and running the initiative is Jack Nicholls, 21, from King’s Lynn.
After living in care for most of his teenage years, Jack moved to his own flat in 2017 and has received ongoing support from Break’s Moving On Team. In recent times, his confidence and self-belief had suffered after a series of bad job experiences. But after joining the Coffee Break team and with the additional support of Joe Walden Enterprise and Youth Development Lead at Break, or the ‘the coffee van man’ as he’s affectionately nicknamed, Jack has broken this cycle, discovering newfound confidence and a sense of purpose.
Joe Walden Enterprise and Youth Development Lead from Break explains; “The world of work can seem scary and daunting for any 18 year old, but for someone leaving the care system, with no family support around them, it comes with lots of extra challenges. The Coffee Break van means young care leavers can discover what they’re really capable of, by engaging them in ‘real’ work, offering training opportunities and the chance to learn new skills which they can take with them for life, all offered in a safe space. If someone is late for work, or they make a mistake, we address it and we help them learn from it without destroying their confidence. It’s all carried out in a supportive way, without the fear of potentially losing that job.”
Jack and a team of five other young people aged between 17 and 21 have kickstarted the project. Mentored by Joe, they created a business plan, sourced suppliers, created the branding, designed the layout of the van and considered all the health and safety implications of launching a mobile catering business. They have also completed barista and food hygiene training; skills and qualifications that can help them find work in the future.
Joe adds; “The Coffee Break van is not just about serving lattes. Our young people have gained real business skills that will benefit them for life. Last summer, they joined forces with the UEA Business School to devise a business plan, assessing the project’s viability and costing it all up. They drew up a bid for funding and presented their case to the Break board of trustees and corporate supporters. In July, the funding was approved and by the end of August everything was set up and ready to go. These young people have essentially launched a business. Something many of them thought they would never achieve. And it’s all been done during a global pandemic.”
Part of its Staying Connected services, Break aims to roll out the Coffee Break project to Cambridgeshire and Peterborough too where the charity it also continues to offer support to care leavers after the age of 18, and for as long as they need it. There are also plans to start a small-scale coffee roastery in Norfolk, supplying the van as well as Break’s charity shops.
Break’s Coffee Break van is available to hire. If you’d like to book it for your office or organisation, please contact [email protected]
Help us to build back better after the pandemic – that’s the message from Norfolk County Council’s leader to the Chancellor.
Council leader Councillor Andrew Proctor has written to Rishi Sunak, ahead of the comprehensive spending review later this month.
The letter says:
Dear Rishi
Thanks for all your support over the last few months, which has helped us to protect and support our communities during the first phase of the pandemic. I also welcome your economic measures, including the extension of the furlough scheme and additional help to the self-employed.
In the current circumstances, I appreciate why you are planning a one-year comprehensive spending review this year, but you know that we need far more certainty for our long-term funding especially for all aspects of adult social care. Recognising, but remaining concerned, that longer term solutions to adult social care and children’s social care funding have been delayed, we need additional, one-year support to cope with the spike in demand that followed the initial lockdown phase and which is currently moving through our system.
I know that Northern colleagues have spoken up for additional resources – but it’s important not to forget the East, which is a net economic contributor and, therefore, making a positive return on your investment.
Economic support and recovery will rightly be a key focus of your plans for the next year. I am keen to see opportunities where we can work together to support the skills agenda and accelerate our infrastructure projects – whether roads or broadband – which will revitalise the economy and offer hope to the thousands who are already losing their existing jobs.
I am sure you realise that support for social recovery is equally vital. Councils have played a key role in supporting the thousands of additional people who came forward for help during the first wave in Norfolk and this new level of need is not going to subside quickly.
Continued hardship funding will be required for those who, by no fault of their own, have lost their jobs, seen their earnings plummet or their businesses, especially small businesses, decimated. This funding should be channelled through councils as the most effective way of supporting our communities.
I would also welcome a marker about future intentions. A commitment now that next year’s comprehensive spending review will finally address the issue of sustainable long-term funding. We continue to support our vulnerable residents such as adults with disabilities and poor mental health, but our resources are finite without having to raise taxes disproportionately and so that certainty would be appreciated by all councils.
With the right blend of investment in social care and community support, economic recovery and infrastructure, Norfolk can help you to build back better and ensure there is a positive legacy from this traumatic pandemic.
I would be very happy to speak to you about more detailed examples of where, with appropriate support from Government, we can work together and deliver on our shared objectives of economic and social recovery.
Bringing the love of the countryside into the home, Norwich Sunblinds are launching their own Norfolk fabric designs.
Over many years spent visiting local homes and helping customers choose the fabrics for their handmade blinds, Norwich Sunblinds have a very good idea of what people want.
After listening to their customers, and noticing in particular that a lot of customers had poppy designs on their kitchenware, they decided to create their own designs.
Talented local artist, Mandy Clarke, has designed the fabrics, which are available immediately as a limited edition print.
The design is printed onto the fabric and can then be made into bespoke blinds. The fabric is water resistant and wipeable, which makes it ideal for kitchen windows.
There will be only 100 of each blind, and the lucky owners will receive a certificate of authenticity signed by the artist.
Fiona Garwood, Director of Norwich Sunblinds says:
“We wanted some cheerful floral countryside-type fabrics, which would sit well on kitchen windows, and particularly wanted a poppy design, as lots of clients have poppy designs on their mugs and dinner plates.
The bramble fabric has some beautiful colours that will blend in with lots of colour-schemes. These clever designs bring the outside in on a dull winters day.”
The fabric designs are exclusive to Norwich Sunblinds and will be launched at the Chamber B2B exhibition in Norwich on Thursday 12th October.
If you get to the stand early enough you will have the chance to grab a £50 off voucher! This voucher can be used when you order any blinds, curtains or shutters worth over £150.
People Management and Development disruptor Human Capital Department offer a recruitment service which is different to what is typically offered by recruitment and employment agencies…
“Our pricing model is different – rather than charging 10% or 15% of starting salary we charge a Fixed Fee of £995 for each recruitment assignment” said Peter Lawrence, Director of Human Capital Department.
The quality of service we provide is also assured – we are a member of the Chamber of Commerce and our consultants are individual members of the Chartered Insitute of Personnel and Development [CIPD], which is our quality mark and means we are qualified to guide employers to ensure that they adhere to rules and regulations and apply best practice recruitment and selection processes and procedures.
We go the extra mile, as well as conducting the initial pre-screening interviews and providing a short-list of suitable candidates, we can sit in on recruitment interviews if required, and can take up references to complete the process.
Once you have the right person on board we can also advise on Induction and Performance Management ensuring things go smoothly from day one.
In what has been a very challenging year for so many businesses, Credo is delighted that it’s work to support a wide range of companies and SMEs has seen them land a prestigious national award.
With the current covid restrictions, the awards ceremony was switched from its usual glamorous location in central London to being held online, but for the Credo team this hasn’t taken any of the gloss from being named Broker of the Year over some very strong competition.
Credo MD Ian Tims commented “I am absolutely delighted that Credo have won this prestigious award, and it is testament to the hard work of our team to ensure we are offering the best advice and service to our customers”.
Credo Asset Finance is in it’s 20th year of trading and at the heart of this has been a real focus on customer service and listening to the needs of our clients. This has led directly to the development of a range of unique products and access to a wide-ranging portfolio of lenders which ensures we can tailor a finance solution whatever the individual or businesses circumstances.
“It was also important that we expanded our digital footprint to better meet the needs of tech-savvy individuals, and to ensure that our customers can communicate with us through which ever channel they prefer to use – be that in person, over the phone, or digitally” explained Ian.
We are saddened that our Founder, Simon Gray, who passed away in September from a short battle with cancer is not here to celebrate with us, but we honour him with this award and will carry on his legacy to help many more businesses secure the funding they need to succeed and grow.