We are acutely aware this is an extremely challenging time for businesses and it is very important that we are able to focus our economic response and recovery efforts on current and emerging issues as accurately and effectively as possible.
We would like to encourage all businesses in the borough to complete this short survey here which should take no longer than 15 minutes. Please feel free to complete the survey more than once, at different times or if your situation or views change.
Survey response data is non-business-specific and will directly inform both our conversations and our economic response and recovery work with partners from Government, New Anglia LEP, other local authorities and local business groups
Kings Lynn’s Captain Fawcett Ltd (Manufacturer and Purveyor of simply ‘First Class Gentleman’s Grooming Requisites’) has been flying the flag for West Norfolk on an epic 1,671-mile motorbike ride across Scotland and England to raise funds for a most marvellous national children’s charity.
The fifth BarbersRide was an absolute triumph, with funds reaching over £20K – with more donations still coming in. Huzzah!
On the 7th August a fine fellowship of mad-cap adventurers, united by their passion for bikes and barbering, set off on a mission to supportMake-A-Wish® UK, the charity which grants life-changing wishes to those whose childhood has been cut short by the diagnosis of a critical condition.
Richie Finney, West Norfolk Champion and owner of Captain Fawcett Ltd is one of the founding members and key sponsor of BarbersRide, an annual road trip adventure bringing barbers and bikers together on a journey of camaraderie and merry mayhem. By day taking to the highways in all manner of wild and wonderful British weather, each evening features a legendary after party with live music, food and drinks to revive spirits after fantastically formidable trails such riding through the Scottish Highlands, a favourite with this year’s riders.
Past Rides have to date raised over £66K for The Lion’s Barber Collective plus London’s Great Ormond Street and Liverpool’s Alder Hey children’s hospitals.
BarbersRide have supported Make-A-Wish since 2019, saying: “Make-A-Wish grants special wishes for sick children – bringing positivity and happiness in times of distress. We really wanted to work with a national children’s charity so that children from each region could benefit – Make-A-Wish is the perfect organisation to partner with. We even managed to ride in 2020, observing social distancing, and garnered incredible support from our sponsors, our riders, the barbers and barbershops and of course the guests at every event.”
Make-A-Wish Chief Executive Jason Suckley said: “We are hugely grateful to BarbersRide and all those who have supported their brilliantly unique way of fundraising for Make-A-Wish over the years. Any money they raise will help us with our ambitious mission to light up the lives of every child in the UK who has a critical condition, by granting their wish. From the moment they are diagnosed, the joy of childhood is often brought to an abrupt end while treatment, medical appointments and worry take over. It can’t be underestimated how powerful a wish can be in bringing light and joy to those children, as well as their loved ones, creating positive moments and cherished memories that have a lasting impact on all their lives.”
Team Breakwater are excited to be exhibiting at The B2B Exhibition on Thursday 14 October.
We’ll be on stand 55 this year with an interactive competition, a space to chill and chat about IT and you can plant a tree in our forest!
Plant a tree at our stand
You can plant a tree when you visit us on stand 55! Look out for our tree planting banner, grab one of our recycled leaf stickers and add it to the tree. Every sticker on the banner at the end of the day will plant one tree.
As well as tree planting, you can take part in our interactive competition. We’ve got some Jabra Headphones up for grabs so come along and get involved!
The Maids Head Hotel in Norwich, which claims to be the oldest hotel in the UK, with its story dating back to the first Norman Bishop of Norwich, is offering a choice of three or four night Festive breaks.
Christmas at the Maids Head features culinary feasts prepared by award winning Head Chef, ‘Magic’ Marcin Pomierny and his talented brigade, along with the warmest of hospitality and lots of entertainment.
The hotel is perfectly located in the heart of Norwich, with the Cathedral directly opposite. Guests can attend Midnight Eucharist on Christmas Eve and services on Christmas Day.
Walking tours are on offer with experienced City of Norwich Tourist guide, Paul Dickson. Enjoy People and Places, Colegate and Elm Hill on Christmas Eve, exploring an area bursting with the history of Norwich. Then on Christmas morning, it’s a short stroll round Tombland discovering the stories of this ancient part of the city.
There will also be magic, music and a Gala Dinner Dance and casino night, along with the option to watch Aladdin at The Theatre Royalon Boxing Day.
The countdown is on for young people and local businesses to have their say in two easy online surveys that will help to shape the future of King’s Lynn.
If you’re 16-25, now is the time to add your voice to the growing number of young people who have already shared their views on what they’d like to see in the town, what is missing, plus their thoughts on career opportunities in King’s Lynn. And, respondents can also enter a prize draw to win shopping vouchers: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/72MFRQQ
Local business owner Harry Seaton, 24-year-old Managing Director of Fluential, is encouraging young people to share their unique perspectives. He said: “It’s definitely tough, as a young person, to feel like you have a voice in decisions as important as spending millions of pounds on renovating the town, but this is not just a box to be ticked, which is why I am asking for your help. It takes no time at all plus you could win one of six £50 high street vouchers.”
At the same time, a survey is running especially for business owners, people thinking of setting up on their own, or individuals who are looking to take a hobby to the next stage to share their thoughts on pop-up spaces for the town: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/7CQ8NJX
Vicky Etheridge, Manager of Discover King’s Lynn explained: “Pop-up spaces present an exciting opportunity for budding businesses to showcase their work and get ideas off the ground, and for established businesses to try out a new product or service. And, we know from public feedback that there is a desire to see these spaces in town.
“To develop these spaces, we want to hear the views of businesses and potential traders, and listen to them to understand their requirements, and what type of spaces they would like to see in the future.”
People wishing to take part in the surveys have just a few days to give their views as the closing date for both surveys is 5pm on Sunday 24 October 2021 . Vision King’s Lynn will be announcing more ways for the public to get involved shortly.
A quiet revolution is taking place in not-so-sleepy Norfolk, England. Aviation, an industry that is rarely paired positively with the words ‘clean energy’, is going green.
Norfolk’s Charter Operator service, SaxonAir, is at the heart of it all. Alex Durand, the company’s CEO, is taking an industry lead, overseeing drastic action at the facility and working with staff to minimise the operation’s carbon footprint. Having undergone a rigorous programme to upgrade the building and educate its 50+ staff on greener practices, including investment into day-to-day running and even keeping bees, the company is aiming to be a trailblazer in the industry and well on its way to meeting its ambitious targets to be carbon neutral by 2025.
From having initially found the industry reticent to address some of the negative media surrounding the industry, Durand recently spoke at SaxonAir’s ‘Clearing the Air’ event to highlight and debunk notorious misconceptions surrounding aviation. In particular, he drew comparison to over running road works that, after just one-month, equal to SaxonAir’s entire 2019 carbon emission output.
He said: “Whilst the industry is not claiming to be green, it should have a fair chance at addressing its issues and cleaning its act up. When I first embarked on this journey, I found there was very little support, despite optimistic government targets and that many senior industry people felt paralysed by inaction due to sensationalist media headlines. I’m pleased to say it does feel like there has been a huge shift with organisations such BBGA prioritising the issue at its next conference.”
“Along our journey, I have discovered true innovators within the industry, one of whom are local to us, NEBO Air.”
NEBO Air, based in Beccles, Suffolk is aiming to be the world’s first sustainable, cost-effective micro ‘airline’ with zero CO2 emissions. The pioneering company joined forces with SaxonAir to support the Clearing the Air in mid-September, addressing a number of the mistruths surrounding the industry’s reputation and to celebrate clean innovation within industry.
The company offered delegates a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to become of the first twenty people in the world to travel in an all-electric aircraft, the Pipistrel Velis
sharing one of the industry’s most significant developments in the fight against climate change.
Sergei Gratchev, Founder of NEBO Air, said: “The entire aviation community is incredibly excited about this new and rapidly developing project. We are receiving daily correspondence requesting information about specs of the aircraft and charging stations.”
“Airfields across the UK and Europe are sending letters of intent wishing to join the project and enhance our network,” he continued.
“This will soon create a web of electric aircraft charging facilities throughout the UK and beyond allowing Zero Emissions aviation to become a reality. The environmental revolution in aviation and transport has begun!”
Hosting event digitally proves popular with potential franchisees.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, TaxAssist Accountants is holding Virtual Discovery Days on Zoom, where potential franchisees can find out more about the business model, technical and business development support on offer, as well as business planning and finance raising, from the comfort of their own home.
Six delegates joined the first Virtual Discovery Day held on the 21st April and praised the format of the day.
“The day was excellent, informative, useful and seamless. The chat function worked particularly well and I was most impressed with the business plan as it highlighted the value of the investment required,” said one delegate.
“TaxAssist ran a very professional and informative virtual Discovery Day in April 2020, which provided me with a good starting point for assessing the franchise opportunity. The virtual format gave all participants the chance to address queries either during or between sessions,” enthused another.
David Paulson, Senior Manager, Global Franchise Recruitment at TaxAssist, said: “Ten members of staff logged into the meeting at various points during the day. It ran without a hitch, which bodes well for two further Virtual Discovery Days we have planned for Saturday 16th May and Tuesday 16th June.
“We’ve had very positive feedback from the delegates who joined us and we have now following up with them individually with telephone one-to-ones. I’d encourage anyone interested in finding out more about our future events to give me a call on 0800 0188297 or visit our website for more information.”
Although all TaxAssist Support Centre staff are working from home, they are fully operational, and therefore TaxAssist Accountants is still able to welcome new joiners to the franchise. The June course will still be going ahead online, with two further courses planned for later in the year. TaxAssist Accountants is a full member of the British Franchise Association and is ranked 21st in the Accountancy Age Top 50 rankings. It has also won ‘5 Star Franchisee Satisfaction’ for seven years running from independent research agency WorkBuzz and the Support Centre has recently been awarded with ‘5 Star Employer’ status for the second year in a row based on feedback from its 60 strong work force. To request attendance on a virtual Discovery Day, please forward your CV and a completed application form to [email protected]
We’re excited to announce the upcoming Aviva Charity Gala, a special event dedicated to raising funds for Dementia UK . As part of this initiative, we’re inviting local businesses across Norfolk to contribute products, services, or experiences to our charity auction or raffle.
In return, your business will receive:
✅ Promotion and recognition at the gala
✅ Exposure in event materials throughout the night
✅ A chance to align with a meaningful cause and connect with the local community
Whether it’s a luxury hamper, a weekend getaway, a unique experience, or a voucher for your services – your contribution will help us make a real impact.
Interested in getting involved or want to know more ?
Please reach out to Disha Rai at [email protected] to discuss how your business can be part of this exciting event.
Let’s come together to support a great cause and celebrate the power of community
Here at EACH we are pleased to share with you our brand new edition of Footprints with a fresh new design this Autumn/Winter.
No parent wants to go through the grief of losing a child. Sadly this is the reality for many families we care for at EACH.
“When families arrive through the door of the hospice their world has been rocked. Every family’s experience of grief is different – we work with them as individuals, getting to know them as a family and help them find ways to navigate their way through this time.” – Amy, EACH Counsellor
In this issue we tell Annabel’s story. Annabel sadly passed away in June 2020 at just five-years-old with the rare condition Cockayne Syndrome. You can read how EACH stepped in to provide bereavement support to parents Kelly and Gary.
We also take a look at the opening of the new Jetty Courtyard at The Nook, the events that were finally given the go ahead over the summer, the re-opening of our shops and feature some of your fantastic fundraising stories.
If you would like to get involved in supporting EACH over the next few months take a look at our upcoming events and campaigns:
£23 Challenge – it takes this much an hour to fund a Clinical Nurse Specialist. If you and your colleagues raise just £23 each think of how many hours you could fund!
Happy Christmas Ipswich 2 – back again for 2021, Griff Rhys Jones is gathering his peers for another night of comedy and music at The Regent Theatre on 6th December.
The Big Give – the Christmas campaign is happening again this year. Watch this space for more details on how your donation could be match funded.
Ride for Life – *NEW DATES* – 3 Counties, 3 Days, 1 Challenge! Join us for a cycle ride across the beautiful East Anglian countryside, with one and three day routes available between 6th-8th May 2022.
In a week where heat pumps have been recognised by the Government as the future of heating in the UK, Attleborough-based renewable heating expert Finn Geotherm, has scooped two prestigious national awards for heat pump installations it has completed for housing association Flagship Group and museum and visitor centre West Stow Anglo-Saxon Village.
Finn Geotherm was awarded Non-Domestic Ground Source Project of the Year at the National ACR & Heat Pump Awards on Wednesday night. These top national trade awards celebrate the highest achievements across the heating, ventilation and air conditioning sector, and Finn Geotherm was recognised for its landmark £1.4m communal heating scheme (also known as district heating) installed in Felixstowe for Flagship Group. The project saw Finn Geotherm design a six-phase system which heats a total of 115 houses, bungalows and apartments using ground source heat pumps located in six plant rooms around the housing estate. The heat pumps replace expensive and inefficient electric storage heaters, saving residents 70% on their heating bills and cutting their carbon emissions by 70%.
The company’s second award win this week was at last night’s RAC Cooling Awards, which celebrate best practice, achievement and the environmental progress of the industry. Finn Geotherm was awarded Building Energy Project of the Year for its heating and passive cooling project at West Stow Anglo-Saxon Village near Bury St. Edmunds in Suffolk. The project uses a ground source heat pump to heat the four main buildings on the site. Using its expert knowledge of heat pumps, Finn Geotherm also created a passive cooling system. This enables West Stow to maintain a steady temperature across the site all year round – something which is vital for maintaining its precious artefacts. By replacing an oil boiler and underfloor electric heating, the new heat pump has cut carbon emissions by 70%, which is also supporting West Suffolk Council’s aim to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2030.
Guy Ransom, commercial director at Finn Geotherm, said: “We are absolutely delighted to have been recognised in these two major award schemes. This week there has been so much talk about heat pumps and their ability to cut carbon emissions and provide effective, efficient heating. These two award wins show just how brilliant this technology is in real life. We have always known the heat pumps are the future of heating – we’ve been installing them since 2006 – so for us to receive praise for two significant projects for Flagship and West Stow is testament to the dedication of the team at Finn Geotherm and our absolute passion and belief in what we do.”
For more information on ground and air source heat pumps and details on Finn Geotherm, visit www.finn-geotherm.co.uk.
What does it really take to work in one of the most respected and well-known military branches in the world? And what can business leaders learn from the lessons it teaches?
James and Mark chat to former RAF Fighter Pilot and Executive Officer of the Red Arrows Dan Lowes, who reflects on his 16 years as a fast jet pilot and qualified weapons instructor (aka Top Gun School!) and how business leaders can learn from the resilience, mistakes, lessons and discipline it takes to make it to the Red Arrows. As he says, it’s not just about being the best pilot (although that does help!)
Dan knew what he wanted to be from a young age, skipping the opportunity to go to university in order to pursue his dream of taking to the sky quicker than others, after all, why do four years at university when the outcome would be the same, just later in life. Dan’s focus on his dream was what drove him forwards in his career, with his goal never wavering, something most business owners can probably relate to!
Dan talks us through the art of a good de-brief, why they’re more important than the briefing and how businesses should embrace them; why role play is a helpful tool for businesses to adopt, helping to road test potential scenarios; how the Red Arrows stop complacency created by repetition; classic goal setting; the true meaning of team work and of course, Top Gun!
We also learn about ‘Red-teaming’, the ‘Half error technique’, and why in briefings you are called by a number not by your name – the answer may surprise you! These are insights not to be missed.
Dan now works as a private jet pilot by day and as a keynote motivational speaker by night. He will soon be found alongside Scott Radford, hosting Performance Hackers, a podcast about discovering the actionable hacks and habits experts in their respective fields can offer to help others achieve their next goals.
We would love to hear from you – you can get in touch with us on [email protected]
If you enjoy this episode, please subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Audible or wherever else you get your podcasts, and whilst you are there, we would really appreciate a 5* review, as this helps other people find our podcast!
We are very pleased to announce that, following our journey over the last several months working with ORE Catapult as part of the New Anglia cohort, Proeon are one of 4 companies who have achieved Fit for Offshore Renewables (F4OR) “Granted” status.
Proeon was among 15 companies selected to participate in the latest regional programme. We were accepted onto the programme due to the company’s desire to further increase our capability, competence and competitiveness, and accelerate growth in the offshore renewable energy industry.
Proeon took part in the Fit 4 Offshore Renewables (F4OR) programme to improve its knowledge and understanding of the offshore renewables sector and its points of difference to other sectors the company currently operates within. This allows the company to identify how transferrable its current skillset and offerings are to this new sector and enable it to grow a share of the market within its sphere of operations.
The company was assessed over two phases of the F4OR programme – the first industry-agnostic Business Excellence phase focused on core business management systems and the second Sector-Specific phase focused on key competencies required for success in the offshore renewable energy industry.
In the Sector-Specific phase, areas identified for improvement were related to its understanding of the industry sector itself, specific HSEQ requirements, how to converse in the language of the sector and where to look for relevant information, portals to join to gain access to potential work.
The programme has enabled Proeon to identify how transferrable its current skillset and offerings are to the offshore wind sector and has allowed them to develop relationships with other likeminded organisations.
Dr Dorian Hindmarsh, Business Development Manager at Proeon, said:
“We believe F4OR “Granted” status is a benchmark of our continued development into the Renewables sector and will act as an enabler for future business, continuous improvement and support our drive into a low carbon future”.
Andrew Stormonth-Darling, ORE Catapult’s F4OR Programme Manager said:
“It’s a pleasure to see another set of impressive companies join the ever-growing community of those with F4OR granted status. Over the last 12 months, these companies have benefitted from being part of a cohort, increasing their industry engagement, growing their confidence, raising their profile and their market awareness. They have developed new relationships, technologies, capabilities and experiences, adding value to the UK supply chain. Completing the programme also ensures that the positive culture of continuous improvement is embedded and sustained long term. I wish these five companies well in the coming months and hope that they will reap the rewards from their new ‘Granted’ status.”
The list of New Anglia Cohort F4OR companies achieving “Granted” status is on the ORE Catapult website: