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Norfolk Chamber member JMS Group are running an event on
Thursday 20th March from 5.30pm in conjunction with Sky, all about TV & VOD
advertising on the addressable advertising platform AdSmart from Sky.

Hear from Sky Media Sales Manager Andy Grant all about the
platform’s incredible targeting capabilities and how SME’s of virtually any
size can harness the power of TV advertising.  You’ll learn how the
platform works, who else has used it and why it should be a serious
consideration for your marketing mix in 2025.

You’ll also hear from JMS Group, a production agency that
creates around 100 TV commercials every year and works with local businesses
including Bullard’s Gin, Aldiss, Redwings Horse Sanctuary, MacInnes
Whisky, TaxAssist, Norfolk County Council and Moneyfacts.

JMS will talk you through the
creative process involved in making your TV commercial and how this can be a
powerful tool for both broadcast and online campaigns.

Whether you are an SME looking to reach new audiences or
strengthen your brand awareness; or an agency looking to make the most of tight
client budgets, join us for an informative evening of conversation, drinks and
food at the fantastic Norfolk Chambers Business Hub.

For further details and to attend, please email
francesca.delacey@jms-group.com.

Are you a graduate looking for a great way to start your career? Here’s our top five tips on finding a good graduate recruitment programme.

1. Do your research

Graduate programmes with big named companies are often the first to come up on internet searches, but it is worth spending time looking further as an increasing number of small and medium sized companies are also offering similar positions. These schemes can be just as valuable and working in a smaller environment can provide the chance to gain more experience and responsibility.

2. Keep your options open

Some graduate training programmes don’t specify the nature of the degree required because many of the skills learnt at university are transferable. Looking at graduate training jobs, and the career progression opportunities they provide, can help you to narrow down areas of interest or show you a different route to your career goals which you may not have considered before.

3. Clear development plans

A good graduate programme should clearly set out the progression opportunities provided, including any permanent job opportunities available at the end of the programme. Many will also provide the opportunity to study for further professional qualifications and include the chance to work on a variety of different projects and areas of the business.

4.Long term support

Even if you have plenty of work experience from part time roles and course placements, it’s not unusual to feel a little daunted by the prospect of going from being a full time student to a full time employee. A good graduate training programme should be structured to help build confidence in the workplace. Look for roles which highlight the support you will be given throughout, whether its regular meetings or being appointed a dedicated mentor.

5. Cultural fit

People want to work where they feel happy, supported, rewarded and motivated. Look at any potential organisation’s website and social media to try and find out more about its culture and values. There’s also a growing number of online forums where current and previous employees post about what an organisation is really like to work for.

Join us at Pure

Here at Pure we are also currently looking for a driven university leaver to join our own recruitment consultantgraduate training programme. There’s still time to apply, with applications closing on 30 July. For more information about what it’s like to work with us, read our recentblog postby Ellie Steinfeldt, who originally joined us via our graduate programme.

A team from Pure Resourcing Solutions (Pure) has raised over £1,000 for the East Anglian Air Ambulance by tackling the Only the Brave charity obstacle race on Sunday (20th March).

The runners from the recruitment agency’s Norwich, Ipswich and Cambridge offices looked anything but pure by the time they had completed the tough, muddy course, but they all confirmed it was worth it to have raised £1,100 for such a fantastic cause. There are also still more donations coming in for the team.

The Pure runners took part in two teams, with one completing the 5-mile Intrepid course and the other team taking part in the 10-mile Fearless course, both of which were held at Elveden, near Thetford. Both teams faced a range of different obstacles throughout, including having to scale 7ft walls, landing in a pool of mud on the other side.

Becky Wilson, Managing Consultant for HR recruitment at the Norwich office, was the captain of the team taking on the Intrepid, five-mile race. She said: “I recently visited the air ambulance and heard the team talk first-hand about their experiences, and how the service is completely reliant on fundraising, which really makes you think. We go about our day-to-day lives, but everything pales into insignificance compared to what they have to deal with every day. The money we have raised will help to make all the difference. It was definitely worth getting exceptionally wet and muddy for a couple of hours and it was also a great team bonding experience!”

The East Anglian Air Ambulance has cited the charity’s pilots, doctors, patients and families as the inspiration behind organising this fundraising event. The air ambulance flies 365 days a year, taking highly skilled medical teams to people who have been unfortunate enough to be involved in accidents or medical emergencies in Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire. The crews need to be brave, and overcome physical and emotional obstacles every single day. Sponsorship from the event will help to keep the East Anglian Air Ambulance in the sky, as the charity needs to raise £10.2m this year to keep flying.

Several members of the team taking part, including Directors Ian Walters and Lynn Walters, were from Pure’s Ipswich office. The East Anglian Air Ambulance has been included as one of the charities for the #IpswichBig10 campaign, where team members have pledged to take part in, or organise, events to raise money for 10 local charities to mark the ten-year anniversary of the Ipswich office.

We did it, we are in…Swarm is so proud to announce that we have been selected to be part of the Future50 and joins the class of 2016.

The Future50 is designed to recognise Norfolk and Suffolk’s most innovative companies who are the region’s ‘ones to watch’ and are individuals and organisation that are creating jobs, growing at a faster rate than others and that have the drive and ambition needed to be leaders in their sector.

This recognition means so much for us as a company,but more importantly it gives recognition to the young Swarm apprentices who are out there helping businesses grow and demonstrating the same enterprising values and attitudes that are inherent in Future50 organisations.One day it will be these same Swarm apprentices who will be the leaders of tomorrows Future50 companies,driving innovation and propelling the local economy forward.”

We really look forward to working with the class of 2016 and the partners of the Future50 to help grow Swarm across the region and beyond.

Chris Perry- CEO ,Swarm Apprenticeships

A high performance culture is a key indicator of a Best Employer and of an organisation which is more likely to remain agile through times of business challenges and change. Because organisations with a high performance culture are more likely to have inspired loyalty and to have created high levels of employee engagement, staff will be more motivated to go the extra mile. This can make a significant difference to how organisations are affected during any downturn. Workplaces with empowered employees and a collaborative approach are also more likely to be able to react and respond to change without losing momentum or vision.

What do we mean by a high performance culture? High performance cultures are generally inspired by leaders who have a passion for creating outstanding achievement from their teams. Employees are empowered to take on challenges and to deliver a high level of performance which differentiates the organisation and helps it to succeed.

How can a high performance culture be developed? Organisations with high performance cultures all tend to share the following four characteristics.

1. Clear leadership and vision Leaders are focussed on communicating a clear vision to all employees so that they can work together to achieve this common goal. Because staff feel fully informed, and understand what success looks like, they are more motivated to play a role in achieving it.

2. Empowered employees Employees can’t demonstrate high levels of performance if they are not given the chance to deliver on high level opportunities. Employees in a high performance culture will feel empowered and trusted to take on challenges and to be accountable for performance.

3.Support and development Organisations with a high performance culture also tend to have a strong focus on development. Leaders aim to empower employees by ensuring they have the resources, confidence and skills needed to meet any challenges.

4. Recognition and reward To maintain the culture of high performance, employers look for innovative ways to recognise and reward employees for excellent work, helping to ensure that they feel valued for their efforts.

How can the Best Employers Eastern Region initiative can help? Before considering any cultural changes, it is important to have a clear understanding of your current culture. The Best Employers Eastern Region employee survey is a free tool which provides detailed feedback on how staff perceive their organisation’s current culture, their understanding of the company vision and values, and of how supported, empowered and engaged they feel. The survey results come with expert guidance on any potential areas for improvement and all participants are invited to attend a series of workshops designed to help put these into practice. These events bring the region’s best employers together to share innovative ideas and positive strategies for achieving business success by putting people at the heart of an organisation.

FOURchampions for key industry sectors across Suffolk and Norfolk are featured in a new campaign to promote the LEP’s Growing Business Fund grant scheme, which provides up to £500,000 investment to help SMEs invest and grow.

The four businesses will be featured on new leaflets and marketing materials to promote the fund, which has so far awarded over £15.6m to 300 businesses helping to unlock around £100m of private match funding and create over 2,200 new jobs.

The businesses were selected for their commitment to grow and create new employment opportunities across food production, creative design and advanced manufacturing industries.

And one company in Great Yarmouth is among the first to benefit from the LEP’s Oil and Gas Taskforce support, where the Growing Business Fund can be used to support companies during the global oil and gas downturn, to sustain jobs and look for new avenues for growth.

Family-owned engineering firm Hydramec Offshore has received a £200,000 grant which helped them move into new facilities and safeguard high-skilled jobs.

Karl Hawkins, General Manager of the family-owned Great Yarmouth offshore engineering firm Hydramec Offshore said: “We’ve seen tough times in the oil and gas sector but the Growing Business Fund has allowed us to buy new premises, doubling previous internal floor space. This vital investment will see increased productivity as we take more production in-house, ensuring that jobs are saved.”

In the Creative Digital sector, Cubiqdesign, a graphic, web and advertising design agency, based in Newmarket received a £41,000 grant which meant they could also move to a bigger office and expand their digital team.

Gemma Treby, Managing Director of Cubiqdesign said: “As demand for our services increased, we had outgrown our former premises and desperately needed to relocate to a bigger commercial property. We applied for the grant to help plug the funding shortfall and enable the expansion to take place. The application was straightforward and we’ve had tremendous support from the New Anglia Growth Hub advisers throughout.”

First established in 2004, Stokes Sauces based in Rendlesham, Suffolk, are now a well-recognised brand in shops, hotels and restaurants across the UK. They received a £65,000 GBF grant to buy machinery to produce sauce sachets, new cooking equipment and IT systems.

Commercial Director, Chris Reeve said: “The Growing Business Fund has helped us to increase our project range, moving into the sachet market and opening up more financial prospects for the business. This growth has led to us securing new contracts with British Airways and Virgin Atlantic to supply selected condiments, such as red onion marmalade and BBQ sauces, on their flights.”

And in Ipswich, manufacturer Colour Marketing Services, a colour sampling business, used their £67,000 grant to buy new machinery and equipment and move into a larger facility on Farthing Road Industrial Estate.

Anne Harrison, Finance Director at Colour Marketing Services, said “We have ambitious growth plans for the future, which include expansion into overseas markets and increasing our product range. The funding allowed us to move to a new facility, which is a light, bright and a comfortable working environment for our employees.”

Chris Starkie, managing director of New Anglia LEP said: “These are the stars of the East, the companies and sectors that are powering our growth and driving the economy. It is great to be able to showcase their achievements in this way and invest in their exciting future plans. So far our Growing Business Fund has helped around 300 companies, we would like to help hundreds more to do the same.

The Oil and Gas Taskforce was set up by the LEP in 2015 to support those companies suffering from the global downturn in energy prices. It is supported by local authorities, EEEGR, local MPs and business groups.

Chris Starkie, continued: “A key aim of the Taskforce is to help companies diversify and understand the opportunities that other markets present. We are currently assisting a number of businesses, large and small, by providing subsidised accessed to specialist consultants as well as providing grant funding via our Growing Business Fund to sustain jobs and support new growth plans. Hydramec in Great Yarmouth is one of the first companies to receive that support and I am delighted that we have been able to help them in this way.”

To help businesses with their applications for the Growing Business Fund, the New Anglia Growth Hub advisers can provide free support and guidance.

To find out more about the Growing Business Fund and other programmes, go to newanglia.co.uk/business-support and contact the New Anglia Growth Hub on 0300 333 6536 or email growthhub@newanglia.co.uk

Attleborough-based demolition company
Anglian, has undertaken a redevelopment project to help transform existing office
buildings in Cambridge into a state-of-the-art 42-acre parkland science campus.
The project has created premises which have reduced carbon emissions by 40%
compared to a new build.

The three-month project at
CamLIFE (Cambridge Lab and Innovation Focused Environment) in the location
formerly known as Capital Park, was undertaken for Longfellow Real Estate
Partners – the largest privately held investor and developer of life science
buildings in the US. Anglian acted as main contractor for building and property
maintenance firm Wates.

Employing a team of 30, Anglian
carried out works including partial demolition, internal demolition, alterations
and soft strip within three office buildings which were built in 2013. Once
fully complete, CamLIFE will deliver approximately 170,000 square feet of
best-in-class fitted lab and office space.

The aim of the redevelopment
project was to utilise the existing properties and follow an adaptive redesign
approach to achieve the lowest environmental impact. This has resulted in a 40%
whole-life embodied carbon reduction compared to a new-build net-zero
equivalent. With a long-standing commitment to sustainable development,
Longfellow is targeting BREEAM Excellent and EPC A during this project.

With many different materials within
the buildings which all needed to be removed, Anglian utilised its expertise to
complete each stage of the demolition process. This included carefully removing
large panes of glass and metal spiral staircases, as well as saving 3000 bricks
to be reused in the next construction phase.

As with every Anglian
demolition job, all waste created was transported back to Anglian’s 10-acre
facility in Attleborough to be processed. As much material as possible was reclaimed
for recycling or looped back into the circular economy, including 87 tonnes of
metal, seven tonnes of glass and 11.5 tonnes of rubble.

Andy Elvin, senior contracts
manager at Anglian Demolition & Asbestos, said: “We were delighted to
undertake this latest project for Wates on behalf of Longfellow. This was a
significant project for us which utilised the many skills we have within the
team here at Anglian. As a business, we are committed to reducing the impact of
demolition jobs on the environment by segregating and processing our waste as
standard. This approach complemented perfectly the aims of Longfellow to create
state-of-the-art premises with minimal environmental impact and the highest
standards.”

Established in 2007, Anglian Demolition
& Asbestos is East Anglia’s leading multi-service contractor. Its
specialist divisions include Demolition, Waste Recycling, Asbestos Surveys and Removal, Scaffolding, and Earthworks and Remediation. To find out more, see

Diabetes affects more than 5 million people in the UK — meaning most workplaces include someone living with the condition. But would you or your team know what to do if a colleague experienced a diabetic emergency?

Our latest blog from First Class First Aid explains how to recognise the warning signs, what immediate steps to take, and why first aid awareness makes such a difference in keeping everyone safe at work.

Head this way to read the blog: Recognising a Diabetic Emergency: What Every First Aider Should Know | First Class First Aid

Welcome…

In this months newsletter we look at;

– Meet the Team; John Claxton

– Saturday Morning Yoga Sessions

– Skincare Masterclass

– Marie Curie Tea Party

Meet the Team; John Claxton

John Claxton is our latest employee at The RedCat Partnership. John who previously worked for the Health and Safety Executive for the majority of his career has joined the team as a Health and Safety Consultant.

Saturday Morning Yoga Sessions

We have two more Saturday morning 90 minute yoga sessions with Ann Reed taking place at No.8. The first yoga session will be taking place on 20th August…

Skincare Masterclass

Louise Thomas-Minns from U and Your Skin will be hosting two skincare masterclasses this October from No.8. The two masterclasses will cover ‘The Art of Cleansing’ and ‘How to look younger’.

Marie Curie Tea Party

No.8 will be hosting a Marie Curie Tea Party on 19th August. All proceeds will be going to Marie Curie Norfolk. Our tea party will include tea/coffee & cakes. Bookings are now being taken….

To read our newsletter in full click here

M+A Partners wasproud to recently host it’sfirst annual Owner Managed Business survey breakfast at Norwich University of the Arts’ Ideas Factory.

Those attending were told about some of the key issues that are at the forefront of the minds of Owner managed Businesses, both locally and nationally.

Please click here to download your copy of the Survey. If you would like a hard copy sent to you, please contact Ryan Nesbitt on 01603 227600 or ryan.nesbitt@mapartners.co.uk

Long term campaigns increase brand awareness and with BBA Digital Media’s business sector exclusivity offering you can corner your market. Norwich Accountancy Services have done just that – joining us for a long term campaign and letting all of Norwich know about their comprehensive service packages.

Need help with your tax return? Your situation may be very straightforward: youmay just need some advice to help you complete the return. Or perhaps you feel that your tax affairs are complex, and that you need a specialist to sort them out for you.

Well, the good news is, Norwich Accountancy Services have helped hundreds of individuals and companies like you to sort out their tax affairs and complete their tax returns –www.norwichaccountancyservices.co.uk

Their digital-out-of-home campaign can be seen across our network screens reaching 750,000 people per week. Look out for their ads over the coming months!