Walking Home For Christmas is Walking With The Wounded’s annual, nationwide walking challenge to support our work helping wounded Veterans re-ignite their sense of purpose and get back on their feet with positive physical and mental health. Walk any distance, any time between 9-20 December. This Christmas – MAKE IT HAPPEN for them. Sign up for free here Walking With The Wounded ‘WWTW’ deliver employment, mental health, care coordination and volunteering programmes in collaboration with the NHS to get those who served, and their families, whether mentally, socially or physically wounded, back on their feet and making a positive contribution once more. Why? Because those who served, deserve.
The Feed has Christmas hampers on sale now! They make a great gift for clients, staff or friends and family. ???? Packed with great Norfolk food and drink products ???? Voucher to use in our cafés included ???? Vegan options ???? Mini hamper is a great budget gift of a Feed reusable cup and tea or coffee Order here: https://www.thefeedhampers.org.uk/
Firm also 12thin the top 25 East of England Best Companies to Work For list
Leading law firm Howes Percival has been ranked in the nationwide ‘Best Companies to Work For’ list for the third year running, and 12th in the top 25 East of England Best Companies list.
The list celebrates excellence in workplace engagement and is widely acknowledged as the most searching and extensive research into employee engagement carried out in the UK.
The results are based on employee opinions on how the company supports wellbeing in the workplace, gives something back to society, shows strong leadership and teamwork, provides opportunities for personal growth and offers fair pay and benefits. Only the organisations with the highest level of overall employee engagement qualify for the ‘Best Companies to Work For’ list.
This year’s list confirmed Howes Percival in 59th position in the UK’s 100 Best Large Companies to Work For category and 12thin the top 25 East of England Best Companies to Work For list.
The firm achieved a 2 star Best Companies accreditation, which is given to organisations with an‘outstanding’ commitment to workplace engagement.In addition, Howes Percival ranked 8thin the Top 10 Best Large Law Firms to Work For 2022 list.
Howes Percival provides a full service legal offering to corporate and private clients. Clients include Government departments, international brands and household names. The firm also maintains a strong core client base of SMEs and family-owned businesses, plus high net worth individuals.
Howes Percival’s Chairperson, Geraint Davies, commented, “We are absolutely delighted to be recognised as one of the UK’s Best Companies to Work For, again. To be listed three years running demonstrates the kind of consistency and progression we, as a management team, have been aiming for. We have been on a journey, and it has taken long term commitment and investment from the firm, but we have firmly positioned Howes Percival as a progressive, people-first employer of choice.
“The listing is based on employee opinions, so to get this reinforcement from our own people makes it very special indeed. The pandemic forced everyone to think differently about how we work, and support staff and we’ve used that to reinvent a lot of what we do. We have created far more ways of listening and communicating with our staff and a whole raft of new initiatives to support career development, management training and personal wellbeing. It means supporting staff by running everything from a ‘mini MBA’ programme to making sure that every employee’s home working set-up is healthy for them and safe, as well as ensuring the technology enables them to work effectively.
“We’ve listened to and worked with staff to evolve our flexible working guidance to strike the right balance for everyone in terms of home and office. Our “locate for your diary” approach was developed around staff feedback and striking the right balance between working from the office and working from home. Being more flexible and allowing our people to work how they see fit, while supporting their teams and clients, has improved engagement, effectiveness and demonstrates trust in our people.”
Geraint concluded, “As well as improving the engagement of our existing team, the work we’ve done is so important in terms of recruitment. We want to keep and nurture the people we already have, but we also want to grow the firm by attracting the very best people. When the employment market is as competitive as it is now, this accreditation can make a huge difference. Applicants know that all our roles have been comprehensively benchmarked in terms of salary and benefits and that we will provide a safe and supportive environment where their career can flourish.”
Are you feeling festive and want to give something back to the local community this Christmas? Why not come and support the friendly team at Blickling Estate by volunteering at the spectacular ‘Garden of Lights.’ As an Events and Projects Volunteer you could be doing anything from giving a warm welcome to visitors and supporting their journey around the beautiful garden of lights, to serving mulled wine and mince pies at the historic temple overlooking the lit Parterre garden. From Monday November 28th – Sunday December 18th we’ll be celebrating the festive season here at Blickling Estate, creating unforgettable moments for our supporters and doing what we do best – making the world a more magical place. If you enjoy talking to others and giving exceptional service and a friendly smile, this opportunity could be for you. To find out more and for details on how to get involved, contact Angela.Brook@nationaltrust.org.uk or head to www.nationaltrust.org.uk/volunteering and search for Blickling Estate. Image provided by National Trust
Costa Coffee, the Nation’s Favourite Coffee Shop*, is getting ready to relocate at Chantry Place. The much-loved coffee company is about to upsize and open a brand new and larger store on the upper ground floor of the Centre, which will feature an uplifting and modern new store design for shoppers to enjoy. Due to open on Wednesday 16th November 2022, Costa Coffee’s investment in the new store will create five new jobs in addition to the eight team members moving over from the current store. The new store will provide a bright, warm, and contemporary environment where customers can enjoy their favourite handcrafted drinks in the comfort of modern furniture. There’s even a new ‘Rinse & Refill’ station so visitors can top up water bottles and clean out reusable cups for free. Not only that, but the investment brings with it a range of innovative new digital features that provide a seamless customer experience. Digital menu boards will soon make browsing the menu easier than ever, and the Click & Collect service on the Costa Club app will give customers the chance to order in advance and collect on-the-go. The Costa Club app also provides access to Costa Coffee’s loyalty programme, which rewards members with a free handcrafted drink after eight purchases. The scheme even encourages customers to choose to reuse by offering an extra ‘green bean’ with every purchase of a handcrafted drink in a reusable cup. With only four purchases needed for a free drink, it is both a nice boost for customers and helps to reduce the number of takeaway cups used. Commenting on the opening, Costa Coffee Area Manager for Norfolk, Corne Veldtman, said: “We can’t wait to unveil our new Costa Coffee store in such a prime location at Chantry Place. We’ve put our customers and community right at the heart of our uplifting new store experience and our team members are excited to continue serving them their favourite, perfectly crafted, Costa coffee in our new space.”Paul McCarthy, general manager at Chantry Place, comments: “We would like to thank Costa Coffee for their continued support and investment in the Centre. While work is done on your new Costa Coffee, its current store opposite Apple remains open, so that our customers can enjoy its barista-crafted coffees, sweet treats and sandwiches. Of course, it also opens in perfect time to serve its famous Christmas menu. It remains an exciting time for the Centre with Lisa Angel also undergoing a refurbishment and expansion. This year we have also welcomed Rituals, Whistles, Hobbs and Phase Eight and a Hotel Chocolat café to the Centre with more announcements coming soon.” The new Costa Coffee store will be located on the upper ground floor next to Hobbs, Whistles and Phase Eight, and also Rituals. For more information on Chantry Place, please visit www.ChantryPlace.co.uk or follow chantryplacenorwich on social media. For more information on Lisa Angel, visit www.lisaangel.co.uk or follow @lisaangeluk on social media. Image provided by Chantry Place
A Greater Anglia train. Credit: Greater Anglia Greater Anglia is warning that a new strike called by train drivers’ union ASLEF for Saturday 26 November will cause widespread disruption, with trains on many routes unable to run. The company is advising people to avoid travelling on its trains on Saturday 26 November. Details are currently being finalised, but the service is likely to consist of:
Trains running only on routes between London Liverpool Street and Norwich, Colchester and Southend Victoria and the Stansted Express service.
No trains on any other routes, including Cambridge to Liverpool Street.
Services will be less frequent than usual and will operate within limited hours, which will be confirmed over the coming days. Anyone who has booked a ticket to travel on Saturday 26 November will be able to travel either the day before or up to two days afterwards instead, or they can contact their retailer for a refund or to change the date. Trains not running due to the strike will not be replaced by buses. First services on Sunday 27 November, will start later than usual as a knock-on effect of the 24-hour strike. Jamie Burles, Greater Anglia managing director said: “We’re very sorry that once again we must advise people to avoid travelling on our trains, but with our drivers on strike we have no other option. “We know people will have been planning to go Christmas shopping, visit the Christmas lights in London, go to shows and events or to watch FA Cup matches on Saturday 26 November and that now they will be disappointed. “We will continue as an industry to carry on talking to ASLEF and other rail unions to try to resolve these disputes, to bring an end to these very disruptive strikes.” Full details of timetables, refunds and other information will be available from www.greateranglia.co.uk/strikes. Other train companies affected by the ASLEF action are Avanti West Coast, Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, Great Western Railway, London North Eastern Railway, London Overground, Northern Trains, Southeastern, Transpennine Express, and West Midlands Trains.
Tourism specialists, Julia White and Martin Sanders, chat about the impact of the cost-of-living crisis and other current economic strains on the sector. They discuss VAT, energy costs, staffing and what they’re seeing within their clients’ businesses, and explore how to relieve the pressure.
You can find Martin’s and Julia’s details on the Our People section of our website here – please reach out if you’d like to speak to our specialists.
See how our Tourism, Leisure and Hospitality team could help your business here.
GET IN TOUCH! If you have any questions on today’s episode, and would like us to get in touch, email us at podcasts@larking-gowen.co.uk.
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We are pleased to announce we will be continuing our sponsorship of the Ipswich Half Marathon for the next two years. Organised by not-for-profit events company, Run For All, next year’s race will take place on Sunday 17 September, 2023. The Larking Gowen Ipswich Half Marathon is expected to raise thousands of pounds for a number of local and national charities. Next year’s race will see the town’s 40th staging of the event. Starting out with just over 500 participants at its inaugural race, it’s hoped thousands more will sign up for the event’s 40th milestone year. Starting outside Portman Road Stadium, the route will take runners down Duke Street, through Ipswich Waterfront and along Cliff Lane. Continuing around River Orwell, runners will then head to Wherstead Road before returning to the grounds of Ipswich Town Football Club for the big finish. Despite the poor weather conditions, thousands of runners braved the rain to take part in this year’s event. Some came for a personal challenge, a few hoped to win and others simply aimed to get around the course, but all helped make the 2022 Larking Gowen Ipswich Half Marathon a brilliant success. Larking Gowen Partner, Ian Fitch, said: “The Ipswich Half Marathon is a great event for the local community, adding value to the business community through destination tourism and raising much needed funds for charities in the region. We are really pleased to be supporting it once again.” Mike Tomlinson, CEO at Run For All, said: “We are delighted to be once again partnering with Larking Gowen for the Ipswich Half Marathon. The event is so well received within the local community of Ipswich, so I have no doubt that this will be another rewarding and enjoyable event for all those involved.” Entries for the 2023 race are now open. To sign up and check out the route, go to www.runforall.com.
In our most popular episode to date, climate change expert Dr Mathew Hampshire-Waugh chats to James and Mark about the realities of what’s ahead, and what steps businesses can take to protect themselves. In this BITESIZE episode, we focus on Mathew outlining the history of the climate crisis and how we got to where we are, as detailed in his book, Climate change and the road to net-zero. Listen to the full episodehere,or why not watch this engaging chat in full onYouTube.GET IN TOUCH! We would love to hear your thoughts on today’s episode, email us at podcasts@larking-gowen.co.uk or leave us a voice note here. You can listen on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, or wherever else you get your podcast, or click here to listen now! We would also love it if you could rate us 5 STARS on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, this really helps people find us! Thank you to our sponsors Larking Gowen, Chartered Accountants and Business Advisors – check out their website to see how they could help your business www.larking-gowen.co.uk
Above: A defibrillator at a rail station. Credit: Greater Anglia Greater Anglia has installed life-saving heart resuscitators at more of its stations in Cambridgeshire, Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk. Fifteen Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) have been installed at Alresford, Braintree, Braintree Freeport, Bury St Edmunds, Cambridge North, Chappel & Wakes Colne, Cheshunt, Diss, Needham Market, Sawbridgeworth, Soham, Stowmarket, Thetford, Waltham Cross and Weeley. The defibrillators are small, safe and lightweight and deliver a shock to treat someone in cardiac arrest. They can also monitor the heart’s activity and give instructions to the users. Anyone can use them. If there is an incident on the station, call 999 to be given a code to open the defibrillator’s storage box and follow the instructions given. It follows the recent installation of five defibrillators at stations between Hertford East and Broxbourne in Hertfordshire. Greater Anglia’s Head of Facilities Management, Mark Ellis, said, “Statistics show that 20% of cardiac arrests occur in a public place. “There is compelling evidence that defibrillation at the earliest possible point after a person collapses can significantly increase their chances of survival, so it’s vital that this life saving equipment is available in public places, particularly somewhere very busy like rail stations.” “The installation of these defibrillators means that we are better prepared to provide assistance in the event of a first aid emergency.” Above: A defibrillator at a rail station. Credit: Greater Anglia
Output and Optimism Indices fall to lowest levels since third national lockdown in February 2021, now sitting in contractionary territory
BDO’s Inflation Index reaches record high after energy price cap increases in October
Rising inflation and dampened outlook drive a fall in employment with further declines expected in coming months
October saw BDO’s Output and Optimism Indices fall to their lowest levels since the third national lockdown in February 2021, as record-high inflation continues to dampen the economy and prompt fears of a recession, according to the latest Business Trends report from accountancy and business advisory firm, BDO. The latest figures indicate that inflationary pressures are to blame for the decline across three of BDO’s four indices, as Optimism, Output and Employment all recorded their weakest readings for at least six months. BDO’s Inflation Index reached an all-time high in October forcing businesses to re-evaluate production in line with demand and supply-side headwinds and exercise caution in their outlook and hiring intentions. October saw BDO’s Output and Optimism Indices plummet to 93.10 and 94.63, respectively, their lowest levels since the third national lockdown in February 2021. Both indices now sit in contractionary territory, below the 95-point mark – regarded as the watershed between growth and decline, an indicator of a recession. The dip in productivity was driven by a fall across both the Services and Manufacturing Indices for the second month in a row. Continued disruption to global logistics networks and increased input prices have pushed manufacturing activity into negative territory, whilst the cost-of-living crisis has impacted consumer demand, driving down services output. Confidence amongst businesses followed a similar downward trajectory as the weaker macroeconomic environment drove a seventh consecutive month of decline for BDO’s Optimism Index. BDO’s Inflation Index rose by 1.67 points in October to a record high of 120.67 following an increase in the energy price cap which caused consumer price inflation to climb. At the same time, diminished spending power due to a weaker currency put considerable upwards pressure on input inflation leading to a record high of 121.26, as businesses importing goods paid higher prices. Driven by inflationary fears, the Employment Index mirrored waning confidence among businesses with a fall of 1.14 points to 113.05 last month. However, the index has remained resilient, and the unemployment rate stood at a historic low of 3.5% on the most recent reading in the three months to August. Despite the index remaining firmly in positive territory, hiring intentions are set to decline in the longer-term as businesses continue to tackle mounting inflation and a recession, resulting in further falls in the index over the coming months. Peter Harrup, partner and Head of East Anglia at BDO LLP, said: “A contraction in both optimism and output is a concerning bellwether for firms, as inflation is expected to continue climbing in the run-up to Christmas. A weaker currency and drop in consumer spending power will have real and tangible consequences for firms relying on imports or customers in the retail and services sector, alongside the knock-on effects of managing political and economic uncertainty. “We also know that rising energy costs are a top concern for nearly half of mid-sized businesses this winter as we’re only just beginning to see the impacts of the energy price cap rise. Firms will be looking to the Autumn Statement for the support they need as they navigate a tough period ahead.” Image provided by BDO of Peter Harrup
50 people are promoted across East Anglia at accountancy firm, BDO
Corporate finance specialist, Vinod Patel, promoted to partner in Transaction Services team.
Accountancy and business advisory firm, BDO has announced the promotion of 50 people across its team in East Anglia, including one promotion to partner. Effective from 1st November, Vinod Patel, has been promoted in the Transaction Services practice, covering East Anglia as part of his remit. Having joined the firm in 2003 as a trainee, Vinod has become an integral part of the national Transaction Services team and leads the East Anglia region, with experience in both acquisition and vendor due diligence on behalf of corporate and trade acquirers, private equity investments, debt financing and public market / IPO transactions. Despite the challenging environment, BDO has a strong pipeline of deals in the region and in his role, Vinod will work alongside John Gethen, head of M&A, to support privately owned, private equity backed and publicly listed businesses in East Anglia with their corporate finance and strategic initiatives. Peter Harrup, partner and Head of East Anglia at BDO LLP, commented: “Vinod is an important part of a core area of the business that has significant scope for further growth, as we look to develop our regional offering. By bringing together expertise across key specialisms and offering our clients a complete proposition across the advisory board, we can support entrepreneurial and high-growth businesses across the piste.” He added: “The raft of promotions we have made across the region is highly indicative of our continued desire to invest in our business while, at the same time, placing us in a much stronger position to support the businesses we work with as they attempt to navigate the macro-environment headwinds.” In East Anglia, BDO has promoted 11 people in Cambridge, 30 people in Ipswich, and 9 people in Norwich. Piers Harrison, partner and Head of the Cambridge office, said: “Every promotion represents BDO’s commitment to investing in our people and the future of our business in the region and nationwide, and we’re delighted to reward our people who have demonstrated true commitment, dedication and passion in their chosen specialisms.” Image provided by BDO of Vinny Patel