Member News

A 21 year old apprentice from Drayton has scooped the title of Apprentice of the Year in a national awards scheme for the heating industry. Sam Groves, a trainee electrician at Attleborough-based renewable heating expert Finn Geotherm, has just been presented Heating & Ventilating Review’s (HVR) Apprentice of the Year award. The awards recognise key achievements within the UK heating industry, with Apprentice of the Year given to an individual who shows great potential, determination and a promising career ahead. Sam joined Finn Geotherm a year ago from Norwich City College and during his time within the business, he has been working alongside the company’s fully qualified electricians to gain valuable on the job experience installing ground and air source heat pump systems. Starting with small domestic installations, Sam’s skills and knowledge have progressed to enable him to work on large commercial projects including some of Finn Geotherm’s biggest installations to date for public sector clients in London. Alongside his job at Finn Geotherm, Sam is currently undertaking an 18-month course at West Suffolk College, which will result in an AM2 electrical installation qualification. Sam Groves, trainee electrician at Finn Geotherm, said: “I am overwhelmed and delighted to have won Apprentice of the Year. Working on the installation of heat pump systems at Finn Geotherm has opened an exciting and challenging long-term career path that I had no idea existed when undertaking my initial studies at college. Heat pumps are the future of heating and I am excited to have joined this industry at the ideal time. I have relished the opportunity presented to me at Finn Geotherm and I am determined to succeed in this industry, working hard to grow my skills and expertise. Winning the award has given me an extra boost as I finish my apprenticeship, ready to embark on the next stage of my career.” Guy Ransom, commercial director at Finn Geotherm, said: “At Finn Geotherm, we believe we are well placed to provide training in heat pump installation skills, but what we cannot teach is attitude and Sam has this in spades. He has risen to every single challenge we have given him since joining us. We are currently installing some of the largest heat pump systems in Europe and he has played a key role in these projects, not only in providing support for our qualified electrical engineers, but also now in installing the equipment on his own. Sam is a superb asset to our company and an example to his colleagues and others seeking to join the industry. Congratulations to Sam – he is a very worthy winner indeed of Apprentice of the Year.” For more information on ground and air source heat pumps and details on Finn Geotherm, visit www.finn-geotherm.co.uk. Image – Sam Groves – trainee at Finn Geotherm, receiving his award from Martin Hastings from TG Lynes (left) and comedian Hal Cruttenden, host of the HVR Awards 2022. Owned by HVR Awards.

Bereaved parents have spoken of the invaluable support they receive from East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH) in a powerful new film released to mark the start of Baby Loss Awareness Week. Lee Channell and Emie Rayfield have shared their story in a special video outlining the help they continue to receive at The Nook, in Framingham Earl. The couple’s baby, Theodore, died at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital when he was just 71 minutes old, on 22^nd July 2021. He was born at 5.25am and passed away at 6.36am. “Initially, we were both scared because, obviously, we didn’t want our baby to die,” said Emie, 32. “However, having support helped us control the controllable. “We had choices and decisions and that was only possible because of EACH. “It meant we were able to focus on what was important to us and most appropriate for our family. “Without that, as dramatic as it sounds, I don’t think I’d be here now. I just wouldn’t have been able to cope. “The hospice was completely different to what I imagined. “When I thought about it beforehand, I envisaged misery, sadness and darkness. “However, it’s not like that in reality. There’s a lot of love and positivity here.” Theodore had exomphalos – a defect of the abdominal wall detected during Emie’s routine 12-week scan, in January 2021. At that point it was hoped surgery would correct the problem. Instead, more scans revealed further problems, notably the devastating fact he had no kidneys, and Lee and Emie were duly referred to EACH. After Theodore died they chose to bring him to The Nook. They drove themselves to spend time together as a family, creating treasured memories supported by staff at the hospice. EACH continues to support the couple, who live in Norwich, and they have fortnightly sessions with counsellor Amy Brown. They made the brave decision to share their story as a way of helping raise awareness of the charity, which supports families and cares for children and young people with life-threatening conditions across East Anglia. The film, which is now available to watch on the EACH website and is being shared via its social media channels, was produced in collaboration with experienced journalist and former long-serving BBC Look East reporter Kevin Burch. It is four and a half minutes long and being released to mark the beginning of national Baby Loss Awareness Week, which started yesterday and runs until Saturday. EACH Chief Executive Phil Gormley said: “We’re incredibly proud of this powerful film and hugely grateful to Lee and Emie. There’s no doubt their message will help so many families in the future and this is the perfect time to launch it, at the start of Baby Loss Awareness Week.” In addition to the film, Lee and Emie have also shared their story in an accompanying written feature. To read it, click here. Theodore’s story By their own admission, bereaved parents Lee Channell and Emie Rayfield would be lost without the “priceless” support of East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH). The couple’s baby, Theodore, died at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital when he was just 71 minutes old, on 22^nd July 2021. He was born at 5.25am and passed away at 6.36am. Afterwards they chose to bring him to The Nook, in Framingham Earl. They drove themselves to spend time together as a family, creating treasured memories supported by staff at the hospice. Little Theodore had exomphalos – a defect of the abdominal wall detected during Emie’s routine 12-week scan, in January 2021. At that point it was hoped surgery would correct the problem. Instead, more scans revealed further problems, notably the devastating fact he had no kidneys, and Lee and Emie were duly referred to EACH. It meant the couple were able to engage with staff and begin making plans for the inevitable. Image credits EACH

A leading children’s charity has won a prestigious industry award for the innovative way it uses social media to generate income. East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH) scooped the Third Sector Award during a ceremony at The Brewery, in London. It prevailed in the ‘best use of social media’ category for its highly-acclaimed ‘Style with EACH’ initiative. The vibrant brand is an online boutique carrying the strapline ‘fashion that doesn’t cost the earth’, referring to fashion that is cost-effective and promotes recycling. EACH created new standalone Style with EACH brand accounts on Instagram and TikTok and, collaborating with social media influencers, has seen its followers rocket by 68%, its store views increase by 63% and sales shoot up by 50%. Over the last six months its Instagram channel has seen a massive 173% increase in followers and Reels reach increase by 135%. Lois Livoti, EACH Social Media and Digital Communications Coordinator, attended the ceremony and received the award along with Style with EACH Manager Yasmin Bata. Lois said: “Style with EACH was initially set up to support our retail operation during the pandemic, but has now continued to build an additional revenue stream. “Social media has been key to the success and allowed us to communicate with, and attract, supporters of a different demographic to our usual customer base. “Rather than using our existing social media platforms and profiles, we created new standalone Style with EACH accounts on Instagram and TikTok. “What we’ve achieved is incredibly innovative and a type of content few charities have ventured into. “Our new channels have been used to promote high-quality, high-value items listed on our boutique, along with using it to engage with our audience by filming fun and light-hearted Reels and TikTok trends. “It’s kept our content fresh and current, gained thousands upon thousands of views and resulted in vastly growing levels of engagement.” EACH, which supports families and cares for children and young people with life-threatening conditions, lost £100,000 of income per week when its 44 shops were forced to close because of Covid. It resulted in a large amount of donated stock to sell, without being able to access its target audience. “In addition to using our already successful eBay store, we identified a gap in the market for a younger online audience,” added Yasmin. “These are people with a high demand for vintage fashion and the passion to reduce environmental impact, especially around fast fashion. “They’re looking for alternative ways to purchase and our challenge was finding the best way to communicate with them effectively. “Since then, we’ve started reaching a new, younger audience – our donors of the future – and created a successful, sustainable income stream. “We’ll be expanding to high-end fashion, including children’s clothing, and on other specialised selling platforms – a very different, positive venture born out of the adversity of the pandemic.” The Third Sector Awards were held on Friday, 30^th September. They are an opportunity for voluntary organisations of all sizes, and the people who work for them, to celebrate their work and the difference they make to society. To find out more about Style with EACH, click here or head to its Instagram and TikTok accounts. Image credit EACH

The Managing Director and Lead Consultant of Norfolk-based BLS Safety and Training has completed the rigorous process to become a Chartered member of IOSH. Justin Cowles set up BLS Safety and Training in 2012, having gained many years’ experience as an Emergency Medical Technician within the private ambulance sector. Having been a member of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH), the world’s Chartered body for safety and health professionals, for many years, he has now met the next level of high standards required to become a Chartered Member. Chartered status is the ultimate standard for an experienced health and safety professional to have behind their name in the industry, as it demonstrates an understanding of a broad range of issues, and therefore provides a transferable knowledge base that is applicable across industry sectors and job roles. The process requires a minimum of two years’ experience in the industry, with validated evidence of work in developing a positive safety culture, communication and health and safety policies, and assessing and managing risk. Members must also successfully complete a peer-reviewed interview. Once Chartered Membership is achieved, a CPD record must also be maintained. For Justin, who has a wealth of experience in an array of industry sectors, including equestrian, agriculture, healthcare, leisure, hospitality and events, his Chartered Membership means organisations are working with someone who’s at the top of their profession to provide health and safety training to their staff. Justin now manages a team of four fellow trainers and assessors, including trainer Clive Wells, who joined the team in September. Together, they provide health and safety consultancy services, fire risk assessments, face fit testing, and training courses for businesses and organisations throughout Norwich and Norfolk. For more information on the services offered by BLS Safety and Training, please visit the website: https://www.blstraining.co.uk/ Images owned by BLS Training

Greater Anglia has signed up to the Meters for Trees carbon reduction initiative, removing pay and display machines from its rail station car parks and swapping them for trees. The initiative is run by PayByPhone, which offers easier ways to pay for rail station car parking at all Greater Anglia’s car parks. The move has seen Greater Anglia remove 71 pay and display machines at 52 of its NCP-run car parks across the east of England and plant eight trees in the Amazon rainforest. Meters for Trees is the first award-winning carbon footprint reduction initiative of its kind in the UK. Launched in June 2019, Meters for Trees sees participants reduce the number of parking machines in favour of PayByPhone’s cashless parking payment technology. For every 10 parking machines, PayByPhone donates one tree to the client and offsets one tonne of carbon dioxide through Portel-Pará REDD, a Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) audited project in the Amazon rainforest that combats deforestation. Simone Bailey, Greater Anglia’s Asset Management Director, says, “Rail is already the greenest way to travel but we are always looking to become even more sustainable, in line with the industry’s aim to become carbon neutral by 2050. “Joining PayByPhone’s Meters for Trees, we are taking another step forward in making our customers’ journeys as simple, clean and green as possible.” In the first 12 months alone, 50,000 miles will be saved by not having to maintain machines or to collect cash from them, and PayByPhone will offset 9 tonnes of CO2 on Greater Anglia’s behalf. To make Meters for Trees even more powerful, all the PayByPhone stickers under the Greater Anglia contract are ReActivair ‘pollution eating’ signage. Made from naturally occurring materials, ReActivair’s revolutionary technology means PayByPhone’s signage uses the energy from sunlight to breakdown harmful pollutants and odour molecules in the air surrounding the area where it is placed, helping to improve air quality and to reduce pollution. Rebecca Maisey, UK Client Director for PayByPhone, says, “We are delighted Greater Anglia has joined Meters for Trees. Each time we welcome a new client to the programme, we are contributing to a cleaner environment and better local air quality. At a time when the need to combat deforestation has never been more urgent, Meters for Trees offers parking operators a straightforward way to create a more environmentally sustainable future.” For more information about Meters for Trees, please visit www.metersfortrees.co.uk

• Two famous businesses and brands help put Norfolk on the world map
• £100m invested by Lotus in its facilities in the region
• Lotus partnership with Canaries shows value of ‘Act Local, Achieve Global’
• Watch the  video here

Lotus has reaffirmed its partnership with Norwich City Football Club to help drive global awareness of both businesses and brands. It has also revealed that more than £100 million has been invested by Lotus in its facilities in Hethel and in Norwich, Norfolk. At a VIP reception at the Carrow Road stadium, Mr Qingfeng Feng, CEO of Group Lotus, was joined by Matt Windle, Group Vice-President and Managing Director of Lotus Cars, in a tour of the ground, hosted by Sam Jeffery, Commercial Director at Norwich City FC. It was followed by discussions about how to continue maximising the global impact of the two great Norfolk brands, which has reached hundreds of millions of people via match-day TV coverage over the last two seasons of partnership. Earlier in the day, Mr Feng was also given a tour of the Lotus Training Centre at Colney, where he was presented with a signed match shirt by Head Coach Dean Smith, and star players Tim Krul and Teemu Pukki. Mr Feng commented: “English football is widely watched and respected around the world and our partnership with Norwich City Football Club is a perfect example how we can work together to raise the awareness of both our organisations for our mutual benefit. With the Lotus name on the Canaries shirts every Saturday, there are many Lotus fans globally who have become Norwich supporters and there are those who have been introduced to Lotus through our football links. It’s all down to the power of the partnership.” He added: “I would like to thank all of the team at Lotus for their fantastic achievements over the last five years which are demonstrated by the Lotus Vision80 strategy, which is to plan. If you think the introduction of the new range of cars from Lotus – the Evija hypercar, the Eletre hyper-SUV and the Emira sports car – is exciting, just wait until you see the next three cars coming, all of which are in development and will hit the roads within the next four years.” Sam Jeffery said: “I know I speak on behalf of us all at Norwich City when I say how privileged we felt to host Mr Feng at both our Lotus Training Centre and Carrow Road. This partnership is one that unlocks huge benefits – from knowledge-sharing on best practice and innovation through to global brand recognition and credibility – but one of the absolutely key pillars is that, like Lotus, Norwich City constantly strives to support our proud Norfolk community. We’re so proud to partner with Lotus, and long may this relationship continue to thrive.” Matt Windle added: “Lotus has come a very long way in the last five years, through both the hard work of our people in Norfolk and from the invaluable support of our shareholders. We are a global brand with our roots firmly in Norfolk, which provides benefits to both the UK and our local community, and at all levels from regional investment to promoting and endorsing Norfolk as a great centre for business and industry. Our reaffirmed partnership with the Canaries ticks all the boxes for us to ‘Act Local, Achieve Global’ and we are all very excited about the future with the club and its achievements both on and off the pitch.” Joining the reception at Carrow Road were Richard Bacon, MP for South Norfolk and representatives from Norfolk County Council, South Norfolk Council, the New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership and the Eastern Powerhouse. Commenting at the reception, Richard Bacon MP for South Norfolk said, “Geely’s investment in Lotus is on a very impressive scale and shows the nature of its long-term commitment to building the Lotus brand globally. The partnership between Geely and Lotus has already produced significant results in terms of more jobs in Norfolk, yet it is the long-term vision for the business which is the most exciting.  One senses that Lotus is on the cusp of something remarkable and long-deserved – and that it will become a much more important global brand in the years ahead. This vision of long-term partnership is based on strong relationships and it does a great deal to promote the prosperity and peace which we all want to see”. John Fuller, Leader of South Norfolk District Council, said, “I’m proud to have brought all levels of local and national government together so that regulatory steps can be aligned with Lotus’ ambition so their exciting plans can be realised. Lotus and its global reputation has put Norfolk, and East Anglia as a whole, on the map as centre for creativity and high technology which will encourage other like-minded businesses to invest in the region for the benefit of the whole of the UK” Lotus has four facilities in Norfolk, its global headquarters for sports car design, engineering and production at Hethel; its sub-assembly facility, Lotus Advanced Structures, and the new Lotus Learning Academy both at Hurricane Way, Norwich; and the Lotus Aftersales operation in Longwater, Norwich. Each facility has benefitted from the multimillion investment, and Lotus has more than doubled its staff numbers since 2017. Lotus has recruited new colleagues across all areas of the business including skilled manufacturing operatives, engineers and technicians. In vehicle assembly and production operations specifically, 300 new staff have joined the company. Through the new Lotus Learning Academy, all recruits have been trained in the high-quality manufacturing operations they need to begin their career at Lotus. Images provided by Lotus

Leading East Anglian accountancy firm, Larking Gowen, has announced the appointment of a new Partner in its Farms and Landed Estates Team. Laurie Hill, who joined the firm in 2019, will be starting his new position in April 2023. With his continued involvement in the family farm, based at Bradenham, in Norfolk, Laurie has the advantage of seeing his role from the client’s point of view. “Because I’m a farmer outside the normal day job as an accountant, I have a view from both sides of the fence,” he explained. “I approach my work in the way that I’d like to be approached as a client. Good communication, trust and honesty are the most important things.” Laurie started his training at a national firm, working in the commercial audit sector, but always with a keen eye for agricultural businesses. His experience there included a year working on secondment in New Zealand. “I was always going to specialise in agriculture. I wanted to use my experience of working in that sector. You get to know your clients well, and become a trusted advisor in a family business, so it feels like a very privileged position,” Laurie said. Despite facing challenges, Laurie believes the farming sector will remain strong into the future, as businesses continue to adapt and evolve. “There are significant pressures in farming. Prices of outputs have improved but we’re dealing with ag inflation of around 24%, with fertilisers and sprays up to a greater extent. These continual increases in costs can’t be sustained for long. Cash flow is key for our clients for the next 12 to 18 months with input prices where they are,” he said. “The advisory side of the role is growing all the time, and we have to be proactive in this. I’ve been fortunate to have worked with fantastic clients over the years and I look forward to continuing these relationships, as well as forging new ones, as we look towards growth for the firm.” Steve Rudd, lead Partner on the Farms and Landed Estates Team, added, “It’s fantastic that we can welcome Laurie to join the partnership from next April. He brings a huge amount of practical hands-on experience and knowledge coming from a Norfolk farming family. The whole team continues to grow, and Laurie secures us more resource to help farming families throughout the region.” Managing Partner, Julie Grimmer, added, “I wish to send my personal congratulations to Laurie on his promotion. I’m absolutely delighted that Laurie is joining the partnership. We’ve already seen Laurie’s commitment to our client service values and to the development of people and to new relationships. His appointment contributes to the growth and success of the Farms and Landed Estates Team and the long-term development of the firm. Image – Laurie Hill, Larking Gowen. Credit: Larking Gowen

Above: A Greater Anglia train at London Liverpool Street. Credit: Greater Anglia Young people in East Anglia are invited to take their first steps into the world of work thanks to a Greater Anglia training programme. The train operator is looking to welcome young people onto its Customer Service Traineeship course which offers work experience placements for 16-24 year olds. The eight-week programme combines education and training to support young people who are currently out of mainstream education or employment and are looking to develop their skills for apprenticeships, sustainable employment, and further learning. Trainees spend four weeks learning in the classroom followed by four weeks on a work placement at an allocated station where they can shadow customer service colleagues to gain experience of a variety of roles. At the end of the course successful trainees receive a Level 2 Certificate in Principles of Customer Service, a Level 2 Award in Employee Rights and Responsibilities and a Level 1 Certificate in Foundation Learning and Employability Skills. Applications can be made at apply.greateranglia.co.uk/vacancies/8600/ or by sending an email to earlycareers@greateranglia.co.uk before Sunday 16 October 2022. Viktorija Novikova, Greater Anglia’s Early Careers & Apprenticeships Manager, said, “Over the last five years we have offered traineeship opportunities to young people who are currently out of mainstream education or employment. “We find that these types of courses can really help to motivate teenagers and young adults through practical work experience and they benefit from getting an insight into the typical tasks they will be expected to undertake in full-time employment, as well as the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of many other young people who have successfully completed the programme and progressed into full-time roles with us.” The programme is one of Greater Anglia’s diversity and inclusion initiatives that helps provide young individuals with inspiration and insight towards roles in Greater Anglia and rail careers in general. For more information about the course visit careers.greateranglia.co.uk and search for Admin Trainee under vacancies.

Tiger Eye has today [5^th October] announced that it has been selected as iManage Partner by international law firm Simmons & Simmons. The announcement follows the completion of another successful DMS project for the leading firm, with the trusted iManage Partner upgrading Simmons’s iManage system to iManage Work 10.3. Tiger Eye began to work with the firm in 2018, acting as the organisation’s technical support partner. Since then, the relationship between the two businesses has expanded, with Tiger Eye now also providing development services, project support, system upgrades and consultancy to the firm’s 2,250 iManage users based in offices in Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Simmons’s client base includes FTSE 100 and Fortune Global 500 companies, with the team’s work focusing on core practice areas including corporate and commercial law, dispute resolution, employment law, and more. Tiger Eye’s work has helped to ensure that the firm’s legal team are able to collaborate securely and effectively with future-proofed document management technology. In recent years the firm has focused heavily on innovation and digital transformation initiatives, receiving the award for Innovation in People and Skills at last year’s European Financial Times Innovative Lawyer Awards. David Shorland, Senior Systems Analyst at Simmons & Simmons, commented: “We have been working with Tiger Eye for the last four years and they have constantly provided us with excellent service in both day-to-day support and project work. Tiger Eye’s impressive technical knowledge has allowed us to successfully deliver everything from document imports to complete environment replacements, with their professionalism and know-how we know we can count on Tiger Eye to deliver to a high standard.” Kevin Mouzer, Head of Project Delivery at Tiger Eye, added: “It has been a pleasure to work closely with the team at Simmons & Simmons over the past few years. We have worked on a number of projects with this leading firm, from desktop upgrades to data migrations. Our project delivery team have enjoyed collaborating with David Shorland and the wider team at Simmons & Simmons and look forward to building on our relationship with the firm in the future.” Images provided by Tiger Eye

Ashtons Legal has expanded its Insolvency and Restructuring Team with a significant hire. Senior Associate and experienced litigator, Ina Beurich, joined Ashtons Legal in September 2022. She has worked in the complex insolvency and restructuring field for over 15 years. Ina advises an array of stakeholders including Insolvency Practitioners in connection with bankruptcy and insolvency matters, directors facing disqualification proceedings and creditors who are pursuing debt recovery through insolvency proceedings. Ina is a member of R3, the Association for Business Recovery Professionals and is bilingual in English and German. Ina joins Partner Fiona Stuart and Associate, Alice Trainor as part of the firm’s well-respected insolvency offering. Ina said: “I am delighted to have joined Fiona and Alice in the Insolvency and Restructuring Team at Ashtons and am looking forward to continuing to work with clients to help them navigate through the complex insolvency arena“. Ashtons’ Head of Insolvency and Restructuring, Fiona Stuart, adds: “We are really delighted to welcome Ina to the team and I have no doubt that her addition will only enhance the reputation of the team and add further depth to the skill base our clients are able to benefit from”. Image credits – Warren Page, PagePix

Charity volunteers were praised for their hard work, dedication and support during a special thankyou event in Norwich. More than 200 people were invited as a show of appreciation by East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH). The volunteers give their time in a variety of ways, with groups coming along from the organisation’s shops in the surrounding area. Others in attendance support EACH’s facilities, events, fundraising and administration teams, or are part of its Help at Home service. In addition to enjoying lunch together, the volunteers had a chance to browse stalls and leave a message on a ‘tree of hearts’ guestbook. They heard from EACH chief executive Phil Gormley and chair of trustees Will Self, as well as meeting trustees Loyola Weeks, Brad Mclean, Chris Schwer and Caroline Steggles. “After two years of being unable to run this event, it was wonderful to see so many volunteers come together,” said Phil. “It was a real celebration of the extraordinary contribution these exceptional supporters make. “They play a pivotal role in helping our organisation deliver world-class care and should be so proud of the part they play. “We’ve had some wonderful feedback and the event was a great success.” There was a raffle and the day ended with a game of bingo led by EACH director of retail and trading Ian Nicolson. The Norwich thankyou event took place on 27^th September and a second one is taking place at Culford School, near Bury St Edmunds, on 19^th October. EACH supports families and cares for children and young people with life-threatening conditions. It has three hospices, including The Nook, in Framingham Earl. Pictures: Kim Stockley/EACH

A Greater Anglia train. Credit: Greater Anglia Greater Anglia is reminding passengers there are two more rail strikes this week – on Wednesday and Saturday – when people are advised not to travel by train. Train drivers’ union ASLEF is striking on Wednesday 5 October – leaving Greater Anglia able to run only about ten percent of its services, with no trains at all in Cambridgeshire. On Saturday 8 October, a national strike by rail union RMT, including Greater Anglia’s conductors, station staff, revenue protection teams and train cleaners, as well as Network Rail’s maintenance teams and signallers – will leave the train company only able to run a very reduced service on lines to London Liverpool Street between 7.30am and 6.30pm when all trains must be at their final destination. On both strike days Greater Anglia services will be severely disrupted, with the company only able to run a fraction of its services and no services at all running on regional or branch lines. The company is advising people, including football and boxing fans and students going by train to school or college, to avoid travelling on its trains on strike days as services will be severely disrupted. Football fans hoping to travel matches on Saturday should make alternative arrangements because many matches will not finish before last trains have departed. Teams playing on Saturdays include all of East Anglia’s biggest teams: Norwich City, Ipswich Town, Cambridge United, Peterborough United and Colchester United, as well as Tottenham Hotspur. People with tickets for the Eubank Jr and Benn boxing match at the O2 arena on Saturday should also make alternative travel arrangements. As a knock-on effect of the 24-hour strikes, early trains will start later than usual on Thursday 6 and Sunday 9 October, with no first services before 7/7.30am. On ASLEF strike days, Greater Anglia is unable to run any services from Cambridge to Liverpool Street, while on RMT strike days operating hours are restricted to 7.30am to 6.30pm due to Network Rail’s signallers also being on strike. Services on each of the strike days are different, depending on which union is on strike. Wednesday 5 October – ASLEF

• No services between Cambridge and Liverpool Street or on regional/branch lines
• Reduced service of one train per hour between Norwich, Colchester and Southend Victoria and Liverpool Street and on the Stansted Express (between Stansted Airport and Liverpool Street) but starting earlier and finishing later than on Saturday
• First and last train times from Norwich to Liverpool Street are 08.00 and 19.00 and from Liverpool Street to Norwich are 10.30 and 21.30
• First and last train times for stopping service from Colchester to Liverpool street are 08.13 and 20.13 and from Liverpool Street to Colchester 09.55 and 22.00
• First and last train times from Southend Victoria to Liverpool Street are 08.13 and 22.00 and from Liverpool Street to Southend Victoria 09.47 and 23.45
• First and last Stansted Express train times from Stansted Airport are 05.30 and 23.42 and from Liverpool Street 04.10 and 23.25.

Saturday 8 October – RMT

• No services on regional/branch lines
• Reduced service of one train per hour between Norwich, Colchester and Cambridge and Liverpool Street from 7.30am, with all last trains completing their journey by 6.30pm
• Reduced service of two trains per hour between Southend Victoria and Liverpool Street and on the Stansted Express from 7.30am, with all last trains completing their journey by 6.30pm

On Saturday 8 October, due to engineering work, there is a rail replacement bus service between Colchester and Ingatestone connecting with the heavily reduced train service. There will be no rail replacement buses to replace trains not running due to the strike. Jamie Burles, Greater Anglia managing director said: “We are very sorry that once again our customers will be disrupted by strikes, which this time will affect school or college students, commuters, business travellers as well as football fans and people with tickets for the boxing match at the O2 arena. “We’re only able to run a fraction of our usual services, so our advice again is to avoid using our trains on strike days. “The rail industry is working hard to resolve these disputes and talks will continue with ASLEF and RMT in an effort to avert the strikes.” Anyone who has pre-booked tickets to travel on strike days can change them, use them to travel on either the day before or up to two days later, or apply for a refund by going back to their original retailer. Passenger assistance will be available as usual for all trains which are running. Anyone requiring assistance who cannot avoid travelling by train on strike days should plan their journey and book assistance in advance if possible. Strike day timetables are now available for the strike on Wednesday 5  October. Greater Anglia is currently finalising details of the other strike day timetables and will publish them on its website when are they are ready along with first and last train times. Further information is available from greateranglia.co.uk/strikes and the company’s social media, which will be updated as details are finalised. Other train companies affected by strikes on both days are Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry Trains, LNER, East Midlands Railway, c2c, GWR, Northern Trains, Southeastern, Transpennine Express, Avanti West Coast and West Midlands Trains, Hull Trains and London Overground. Network Rail, Southwestern and GTR – which includes Great Northern, Thameslink and the Gatwick Express – and will be affected by strikes Saturday 8 October