Welcome to our Norfolk Chambers podcast, in this episode Haze Carver AKA The Zinger chats with tech whizz and Director Jason Carlton and Business Development Manger James Fowler, of Uptech.
As one of our Strategic Partners, Uptech work closely with the Norfolk Chambers, James is involved in our Norfolk Knowledge Hub, contributing Uptech’s knowledge, skills and expertise freely to everyone who uses the Hub.
Jason discusses what’s new in tech and how upcoming innovations will re-define our workplaces, the resilience and strength of his team and how their core values are pivotal to their success.
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Welcome to the Norfolk Chambers podcast – in this episode our CEO Chris Sargisson is talking with Chloe Smith, Member of Parliament and leader of the Norwich for Jobs Programme and also Matt Smith, Human Resources Director at Evander. This podcast was recorded at the Evander Head Office on Broadland Business Park in Norwich.
Responding to the findings, release of further details from Government on the energy support plan for business, Chief Executive Officer at the Norfolk Chambers, Nova Fairbank said:
“The latest government news will give Norfolk businesses a much-needed sense of relief from the pressures of rising energy costs.”
“For months we have been calling for Government intervention to help businesses with eye watering energy costs. This support package is significant and will ease the cost pressures that have been piling up on businesses.
“It will allow many firms that were facing closure, or having to lay off staff or reduce output, to keep going through the winter.
“But the exact level of support will vary greatly from business to business depending on the detail of its contract, so some will inevitably do better than others.
“We now need action to get this saving passed onto business as soon as possible – every day will put some firms closer to the edge and they cannot hang on much longer.
“There must also be effective legal oversight to ensure no firms that are due this money miss out.
“For those that will benefit, six months support is not enough for most firms to make plans for the future.
“We understand there are a range of unknowns for the Government in looking ahead, but without that reassurance very few firms will make plans to invest or grow.
“Some businesses will still struggle to meet their bills despite this government intervention, the Chancellor must prioritise those firms in his mini-budget on Friday.
“There are a range of other challenges that must be addressed including labour shortages, supply chain disruption, and rising raw material costs.
“To truly revitalise our economy for the difficult months ahead then there must be a clear long-term plan that gives business the confidence to grow.”
More detail on the Government plan can be found here.
If you keep meaning to make eco-friendly changes in your life but never quite get round to it, then listen in as Leon discusses his Ten ways to save the planet by living more sustainably.
We’ll be talking about his journey from serving as an Engineer in the Royal Air Force, to founding a multi award winning Zero emissions taxi service right here in Norwich, testing satellites for Elon Musk, and most recently setting up his own company, Leon Davies.co.uk and becoming a Sustainability Specialist.
If you would like to find out more about Leon’s business, you can get in touch with him below
Welcome to the Norfolk Chambers podcast – In todays’ podcast we’re going to chat to Sonja Chilvers, Chief Operating Officer and Alex Wiseman, Partnership Manager, at Norfolk & Waveney Mind.
The need for good quality mental health support, advice and information is greater than ever before, Norfolk and Waveney Mind are busier than ever, 60% of adults and young people who did not experience poor mental health before the pandemic are now experiencing mental health issues.
Sonja and Alex discuss the opening of REST and how Mind is focused on making mental health services as accessible as possible in the Norfolk & Waveney area .
On Site Services:
1:1 support, telephone support, intensive support package, cafe and social groups. We will also work collaboratively with partner organisations who will
come in to deliver specialist support.
An evening sanctuary operational from 6pm – midnight providing a short-term place to receive crisis support for people referred from the Crisis Team.
REST is a safe, welcoming, non-clinical space in which people experiencing mental distress or crisis can receive the support and information
they need.
REST connects people with their local community and resources, including non-mental health initiatives.
REST has been designed to reduce social isolation, build resilience and empower those in crisis, with a focus on wellness not illness.
REST is a resource in supporting people with poor mental wellbeing close to their communities and homes.
Welcome to our Norfolk Chambers podcast, In todays’ podcast Haze Carver, AKA The Zinger talks to chat to Lizzy Dring, Head of Corporate Events at Huxley Events.
Lizzy talks about, ‘bringing teams together is our absolute speciality! Whether this is in a team-building environment through an engaging activity that really gets people to work together, improve communication and achieve their goals, to helping make celebrations so special!Successes included hosting over 100 virtual team experiences for businesses across the globe (including Australia, America as well as for teams based in different countries).
Supporting the Norfolk Chambers with their B2B Exhibition which was one of the biggest business events in Norfolk in 2021.
Our Co.next programme was launched in early 2022 to empower, engage and encourage young professionals across Norfolk. The programme has developed and grown providing valuable support, training, mentoring, and events.
A gap in the market was brought to our attention by those 35 and under – the need to bridge the gap between leaving education and gaining knowledge, experience, and confidence to climb the career ladder.
Our concept has been developed from idea through to fruition thanks to our first Advisory Board. The board is made up of seven young professionals on a variety of career journeys and have been at the heart of the programme. They have their feet on the ground, sharing their ideas and raising awareness of what support and guidance they actually need.
All good things must come to an end, and our first Advisory Board has now completed their term as Advisory Board members. We’ve been so thrilled with their enthusiasm, ideas, and passion that we have since created a Co.next alumni that will be made up of all the Advisory Board members. Their input has been invaluable to getting Co.next off the ground and it’s important to us to continue with their support.
James Groves, Co.next Board Chairman says “I am so grateful for what the initial Advisory Board bought to the Co.next initiative. Without them, it wouldn’t have launched with such energy, enthusiasm, and commitment, and for that, I am extremely grateful. I am so excited to keep them involved as we move forward and to get their insights into what we are doing and what we can continue to do to empower, encourage and engage the under-35 professionals of Norfolk. I am also excited to have the opportunity to have new, fresh young professionals join the advisory board and help move us into what should be an exciting year for Co.next.”
With so many amazing young professionals in Norfolk, we want to give others the chance to make a difference too, and put their thoughts and ideas forward for the Co.next programme. We’ll be opening the positions soon so watch this space.
The Chamber Business Awards is one of the showpiece events in the business calendar, recognising and promoting the best of British business through a series of regional heats, culminating in a campaign to showcase winning businesses on an international stage.
The Chamber Business Awards provide a brilliant opportunity to recognise and celebrate the achievements of the Chamber of Commerce Network.
The Norfolk Chambers are invited to nominate members for the awards in any of the following categories. For 2022, there are three new exciting categories to allow members to showcase their talents and business acumen.
The Workforce Developer – Commitment to People Award – A business that has shown how their approach to the learning and development of their team has enhanced their business performance.
The Rapid Riser – Scale up Business of the Year – An organisation that can demonstrate exceptional levels of growth with a strong plan for sustainable financial performance.
The Community Champion – Community Business of the Year – An organisation that facilitates, participates, and enables community engagement, demonstrating the power of giving back.
After the regional heats, the British Chamber of Commerce will announce the winners from mid-October onwards. National winners will be announced, and presented with their award at a high-profile event already being hosted by their nominating Chamber.
Have you ever wondered what the key tips are to running a smooth and successful event? Sam Brown, our Conference and Events Manager, shares her knowledge and key tips to support your event. As you know running an event is never easy, although at times one can look calm on the outside, on the inside you are going through your mental checklist, spinning a hundred plates, and looking forward to a successful ending! Here are some useful pointers to support your event.
Step 1. Write a clear plan! Write yourself a clear plan of things to do, from the initial organisation, through to post-event follow up. This will help to keep you on track and know that you have done everything needed for a successful event. Planning is essential and there are tools out there to help with this! We use a website called Teamwork which allows you to create a complete event plan, give deadlines and delegate tasks to different members of your team, as well as handy reminders straight to your inbox.
Step 2. Give your event a clear theme/purpose/title Giving your event a clear purpose will help you to target and attract the right audience as well as aiding you to know what you want to achieve from the event. For example, are you growing your network, selling a product or service, or celebrating an achievement?
Step 3. Communication Once you’ve got your event purpose and plan, you need to communicate your event clearly. This includes the timings, agenda, who you are expecting to be there, who this event is for and so much more. Make sure all of your event marketing is consistent and that you are sending the same message across all channels. Don’t forget to also keep any staff, speakers, sponsors, or anyone else involved in the loop too. Remember communication is king!
Step 4. Choosing a suitable venue Getting the right venue is key to your event. Book to see plenty of different places and make a checklist of all the things your venue needs, as well as a list of ‘nice to have’ list. Does it have parking? Catering facilities? Can it scale up or down if needed depending on event numbers? All of these factors will give you room to develop the event effectively.
Step 5. Prepare for the unexpected Make sure you are prepared for the unexpected. Before you leave for your event are you as up-to-date with everyone involved and everything going on as possible? With events anything can change so suddenly, for example, speakers pulling out the day before or timings overrunning. Make sure you remain calm during these situations and think clearly.
Step 6. Too much is never enough Make sure to always bring backups. If you place all of your event presentations on one USB and keep it in a particular place, you can be sure it’ll probably go missing by the time you need it. Take several copies of any paperwork needed in case staff ask for copies, or you misplace yours. Don’t think that just because everything is on your laptop, you won’t need paper copies because something as simple as Wi-Fi not working could change everything. Prepare, prepare, prepare.
Step 7. Your team Make sure to have the right support around you. Your events staff all need to be briefed and kept up-to-date on event details so they can handle any situations that arise. Find a communication channel you can all access so you can contact your team quickly during the event.
Step 8. Follow up after Follow up evaluation – always be thinking about your next event; how can you improve? Get feedback from those who attended the event, it only has to be a quick survey using a tool like Survey Monkey. This will help to develop your next event in the future and also pick up on any negative points, such as if attendees like the food or the event format, is there something else they’d like to see added in the future? Allow them the option to remain anonymous or leave contact details so you can get in touch with them to discuss any issues further. Remember all feedback is useful, the good and the bad!
The tips from Sam are a supportive guide to help you steer your event, so if you would like any further pointers do catch us at a Chambers event and we can always expand on this.
Welcome to the Norfolk Chambers podcast, in today’s episode Haze Carver is chatting with Mark Ellaway, Digital Marketing Director of Bigfork.
From how he started his career, to building Bigfork, Mark talks all things digital. Mark shares his no-nonsense, down-to-earth advice on great website design, working through the pandemic with a creative, brilliant and skilled team, to the process of applying for Bigfork’s B Corps certification – if you’re into digital or you want to know more about great website design listen in!
We’re Bigfork, and we do web design, SEO and PPC.
That means we can build you a great website, get more people to visit it and turn more of them into customers. Basically, if you want to use the internet to grow your business, we can help.
By humans, for humans.
We may be digital people, but first and foremost, we’re human beings.
For us, digital marketing isn’t really about technology. It’s about reaching people. And that’s exactly what we help you to do. Technology is just a tool. What matters is the value you offer, the products you’ve created and the ideas you want to express.
That’s why we build a strong relationship with you, so you can build a stronger relationship with your own customers.
Bigfork Norwich 01603 513080 Henderson Business Centre,
Ivy Road, Norwich, Norfolk NR5 8BF
Cambridge 01223 902219 St John’s Innovation Centre,
Cowley Road, Cambridge CB4 0WS
We are pleased to welcome Joe Mills, Managing Director of The Tree Academy.
Joe has dedicated her career to understanding the elusive strands of what it means to be human; how we can lead more fulfilling lives, be better leaders, create environments people want to work in and run more successful businesses.
The Tree Academy brings together her belief in people’s ability to improve with her vast experience in the ‘people sphere’. Partnering people and organisations who need help establishing, enhancing and refocusing their approach, she creates uniquely practical solutions.
She describes her ability to see businesses as complete and single systems, much like a tree. “To design and ‘plant’ solutions with a life-time value, it’s critical for me to understand the ‘whole’ environment, how everything connects and responds. My mind quickly grasps and holds vast amounts of information, enabling me to distil and bring to life my clear and innovative plans. Solutions in isolation will only ever be temporary fixes and more damaging in the long-term”.
I also found out she enjoys ‘prescribing’ books as part of her coaching and mentoring approach. “As humans we connect to stories in a powerful way and at times I see someone’s need to shift their thinking with what I call my ‘sideways’ approach. As I read and listen to a huge amount of books, I have many to call on”!
Joe began making incredible videos during the height of the Covid Pandemic, which we shared and you can view on The Norfolk Knowledge Hub, as well as The Tree Academy’s new YouTube channel.
“My belief in people and their ability to improve themselves and their businesses drives me. It takes empathy, tenacity, skill, experience and a huge amount of my life. I wouldn’t have it any other way”.
Joe has recently become a Co.next Mentor – to find out more about Co.next, our programme supporting Norfolk’s under 35s and to get involved, click here
Welcome to the Norfolk Chambers podcast, in today’s episode Haze Carver is chatting with Chris Spinks, Managing Director of Westcotec.
Following in his father’s footsteps, Chris Spinks joined the Police Force at 19 –working in response policing then specialising in roads policing and firearms including Royalty Protection and security convoy driving. From Constable in Norwich and Wymondham through Armed Response Vehicle Crew to Sergeant in Fakenham and to Inspector in King’s Lynn, and then Chief Inspector, a Head of Norfolk and Suffolk Roads Policing and firearms operations.
Westcotec thrive on innovation, relishing the challenge of bringing new approaches to old problems. Alongside traditional speed limit warning signs the company produces very specialist devices including, Road Flood Warning and Bridge Height Warning systems and Collision Avoidance System.
Westcotec manufacture in their own factory based in Norfolk, utilising high quality, rigorously tested components. The single site for Manufacture, Technical Support, Research, Development, Sales and Marketing provides an ability to react swiftly to customer’s requirements particularly in the more specialist areas, this flexibility has led to custom in not only in the UK but also across Northern Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
They are one of only a few to have obtained the required CE mark for their VAS products. Westcotec has pioneered alternative energy with wind and solar options, available throughout most of its product range. Westcotec are determined to reduce their carbon footprint so for every sign sold a tree is planted in the company owned woodland, to date this numbers in excess of 8000 trees.
