Member News

Residents in Norwich and Great Yarmouth are set to benefit from three new schemes proposed as part of the council’s latest funding award from central government for active travel improvements across the region. The Government’s new executive agency Active Travel England, led by Chris Boardman, will oversee the delivery of 134 first-rate schemes, backed by £161 million, which include new footways, cycle lanes and pedestrian crossings across 46 local authorities outside London.  The projects will create new routes and improve existing ones, making it easier and cheaper for people to choose active and green ways of getting around while better connecting communities. Norfolk County Council was awarded £955,000 by the Department for Transport to deliver three schemes in the County and following a review of initial proposals by Active Travel England, the council has today confirmed the areas set to receive the funding are Mile Cross Road in Norwich and two schemes in the borough of Great Yarmouth on Jellicoe Road and Middletons Road, Gorleston. Councillor Lana Hempsall, Norfolk County Council’s member champion for sustainable transport said: “I’m delighted Active Travel England have approved our initial proposals and we will now work closely with them in partnership to develop some draft designs before consulting each local community. “All of our Active Travel programme supports our goals as a council to reduce congestion on our roads and tackle the effects of climate change through improved access to alternative means of travel.” All three schemes include the provision of new mandatory cycle lanes, as well as improvements to crossings and junctions for those travelling on foot. Councillor Graham Carpenter, representing Yarmouth North and Central said: “This scheme is a very positive outcome for the residents of Great Yarmouth. The Ward Councillors and myself are delighted to hear this news which will be of huge benefit to local people and more widely the benefit of the Borough in general”.

There is a national rail strike taking place on Tuesday 21st, Thursday 23rd, and Saturday 25th June. Our service will be heavily reduced on lines into London Liverpool Street, with the first trains leaving at 7.30am and the last trains finishing their journeys by 6.30pm. There will be no services at all on any of our regional and branch lines. We’re advising customers to only travel if it’s absolutely necessary, expect severe disruption, plan ahead and make alternative travel arrangements if you can. There will also be some disruption on the days before and after strike days, on Monday 20, Wednesday 22, Friday 24 and Sunday 26 June, so please check before you travel on these days before setting off. We’re very sorry for the inconvenience this causes. You can find further information and updates on our website.

A dad whose baby daughter died after just six weeks says he and his wife will always be grateful for the “incredible” support they received from East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH). James Harrowven, from Norwich, was speaking during Children’s Hospice Week – a national week of awareness that starts today and runs until Sunday (20^th to 26^th June). Little Chloe had an extremely rare, genetic condition called Zellweger’s Syndrome and spent the final week of her life at The Nook, in Framingham Earl. She died on 13^th September 2021. James, 32, says he and wife Michelle will forever be grateful for the support they received from EACH. “Chloe was born on 2^nd August and what happened in the next six weeks changed our lives forever,” he said. “She needed 100% ventilation and started having seizures. After a week on the neonatal intensive care ward, she was diagnosed with a rare genetic condition called Zellweger’s Syndrome. “The last diagnosed case in the hospital was over ten years ago. “We quickly went from proud, excited new parents to new parents with a very ill, special needs child to then grieving the loss of our second child. “It was like nothing we could ever have imagined but we feel so fortunate that the final week of Chloe’s life was spent with the incredible team at EACH. “I admit I didn’t know much about the charity when we offered the chance to go to The Nook. “However, I can safely say the support we received was amazing.” Zellweger’s Syndrome is a peroxisomal disorder involving the creation and function of peroxisomes, which are needed for the body to function properly. Peroxisomes are part of a cell impacting every system in the body, including breaking down fatty acids and producing lipids that are vital to the nervous system, digestion and the brain. James and Michelle were initially told their daughter could live for a year, although the majority do not make it past six months. “We didn’t know what the future held and were getting ready to go home from hospital,” said James. “Then we were given the option of stepdown care, at The Nook. “It was basically a way of bridging the gap between the hospital and home and felt like the right thing to do. “Alfie (who has just turned three) also got to meet his little sister during that time. “After a few days there we were preparing to go home when Chloe deteriorated. “Things went rapidly downhill but had that happened at home it would have been so much worse. “We were in the right place, in terms of help and support, and, in that respect, it was the best decision we made.” James says the support he and wife received took much of the pressure off their shoulders. “We couldn’t have got through those last few days without having that support around us,” he added. “It was beyond anything we could ever have wished for. “Although Chloe didn’t make it home, we’re so happy she got to spend her final days with us both by her side. “It took the weight off our shoulders and the care team were absolutely fantastic. “They couldn’t do enough for us. They gave us time and space, leaving us to come to terms with everything that was happening. “Equally, we knew they were right there if we needed them so we never felt alone. “They cooked us meals and looked after us, which meant the world and made such a difference. It was incredible and we want to show our thanks.” The theme for this week is #ForTheChildren – showing how important each individual child is to the expert care children’s hospices provide. Photo of Chloe Harrowven

Fundraising friends are preparing to scale the heights for charity. Adventurous Kelly Williams, who lives in Long Stratton, and Louise Wiseman, from Harleston, have signed up for the Peak District Ultra Challenge. What started as a discussion about completing a 10km inflatable fun run in Norwich led to the pair signing up for the monster event, which takes place in July and involves walking throughout the night, continuously for an eye-watering 100km (62 miles). The only time they will stop is for food, water and comfort breaks and the pair are raising funds for East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH) and Cancer Research UK. Kelly, 40, and Louise, 30, have known each other for 18 months and are colleagues at Susan Whymark Funeral Service Ltd, in Harleston. Kelly said: “It’s going to be tough but we’re both excited and looking forward to it. “We’ve been doing various training walks in the local area, ranging from 15 to 22 miles so far, and visited Derbyshire for a hill training walk earlier in June. “We’re not under any illusions and know it’s going to be a challenge, both physically and mentally. “Walking in the early hours of the morning, when it’s dark and eerily quiet, will be bizarre. “However, we’ll have each other and will meet lots of other people. We’ll buddy up and those conversations will keep us going. “It’s definitely going to be a case of mind over matter and we hope to raise as much as possible for our charities, including EACH. “EACH is a local charity close to everyone’s hearts and makes the world of difference at a difficult time in people’s lives. “Anything that supports them and puts smiles on faces has to be worth raising money for. “Due to working in the funeral industry, we meet lots of families at hard and emotional times in their lives, who need the support provided by many charities. “So, by taking on this challenge, it’s our time to say ‘thank you’ for all the work they do.” The Peak District Ultra Challenge is being held in the National Park on 9^th and 10^th July, with the base camp being in Bakewell. More than 2,000 adventurers are taking part and while there are different options available, the full 100km challenge follows a tough figure-of-eight route through deepest Derbyshire. Kelly and Louise are no strangers to supporting EACH, which supports families and cares for children and young people with life-threatening conditions across Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Essex. They previously organised a children’s fun day several years ago, to support The Nook fundraising appeal, raising £1,000. This time they wanted to beat their previous total and, over the last six months, the pair have organised several community events, including a Stars in their Eyes-style show at The Queens Head, in Long Stratton, and an Easter family fun day at Netherton Steakhouse, also in Long Stratton. In addition, they organised a book sale outside the Susan Whymark Funeral Service Ltd office in Harleston, which helped bring their current fundraising total to just over £2,800. It will be split between the two charities. “We love doing crazy things and, while there’s a bit of anxiety, we’re mainly excited about the challenge,” said Louise. “I like pushing myself to do things out of my comfort zone and feel passionately about supporting these charities. “They do so much for families we care for and it’s rewarding for us to be able to give something back to help make a difference.” To make a donation, head here. Photos of Kelly Williams (left) and Louise Wiseman (right).

Business leaders in Suffolk have heard how levels of mental illness in the workplace have reached an all-time high as employees re-adjust to the post-Covid working environment. The Larking Gowen Summer Business Breakfast was held on Tuesday, at Milsoms Kesgrave Hall, near Ipswich. Guest speaker, occupational health specialist, Hilary Horton, told guests that many employees were still “in Covid mode” and were struggling to adjust to returning to the workplace. “The World Health Organisation has predicted that by 2030 depression will be the leading cause of disease burden globally. This has been compounded by Covid and will have a huge impact on employers,” she said. She went on to explain that, while workers should take some of the burden of responsibility for their own wellbeing, employers must create an atmosphere of trust and integrity where employees feel psychologically safe. “A lot of people need help and care coming out of the pandemic. It’s made them question their role at work and their life more generally. I ask them, do you get something out of work? Are you valued and respected? Are you having a purposeful day?” She said many of the questions she asks are about the individual’s attitude towards their job, sleep patterns and general health. “Foster a situation of wellness in the office. Create an atmosphere of appreciation. You’ve got to make your employees feel welcome and make the workplace fun. You’ve also got to look after yourself as a leader,” she added. Hilary began her career, at the age of 18, as a nurse in the NHS, and worked up the healthcare career ladder to become a matron. From there, she spent six years with the prison service, working at Holloway Prison, in London. After joining the RAF, initially as a reserve officer, she was called up as a regular and served in the Iraq War in 2002 as a Flight Lieutenant Nursing Officer, later gaining promotion to Squadron Leader. In 2011, Hilary founded Enspirita, in Lowestsoft, where she is Clinical Service Director. Enspirita, is a top UK workplace health and wellbeing provider, specialising in health promotion, physical and psychological health, motivational speaking and complex care management. Ian Fitch, Partner at Larking Gowen, said, “Hilary is one of the most widely experienced professionals in her field, and she brought the whole subject of occupational health into sharp perspective. As we emerge from the pandemic, looking after ourselves and others around us is as important for life as it is in running a business. It was a fascinating and timely presentation which gave us all a lot to think about.”

This September, 23 employees from Norwich based Architectural practice, LSI Architects, will be taking on the National 3 Peaks Challenge to raise money for mental health charity Mind. The National 3 Peaks Challenge is a fast-paced and physically challenging adventure that will see Team LSI Architects trek a total of 26 miles and climb a combined height of 3000m as they take on the three highest peaks within each of England, Wales and Scotland. The team are hoping to raise a combined total of £20,000. At 978m Scafell Pike is the tallest mountain in England; Snowdon is the tallest in Wales at 1085m and Ben Nevis, at 1345m, is the tallest in Scotland and the tallest of the three mountains. The team will set off from Glen Nevis, Scotland, at 5am on the 10th September to climb Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in the British Isles. It will take approximately 6 hours to reach the summit where the team will be hoping for a clear day to enjoy views that can stretch for over 100 miles before a transfer over to the Lake District to climb Scafell Pike. After a night time descent of Scafell Pike, there will be no time to hang around as another transfer will take the team to Snowdonia to complete the final leg of the challenge. A final push to climb Mount Snowdon can, weather permitting, be rewarded with some of the most extensive views in Britain, across four kingdoms, 24 counties, 29 lakes and 17 islands. Ben Goode, CEO at LSI Architects said “LSI Architects have been working alongside Mind since 2016 to raise the profile of mental health and wellbeing in the workplace and become a more open and supportive organisation. “The National 3 Peaks is considered one of Britain’s toughest outdoor challenges and offers us a fantastic opportunity to show Mind our sincere appreciation for helping to make LSI Architects the best Employer in the UK for Workplace Wellbeing according to the latest Workplace Wellbeing Index.” The team will be completing training walks in various locations across Norfolk as the challenge approached. Mind provides advice and support to empower anyone experiencing a mental health problem. For more information about Mind’s work or to find out how you can get involved in other ways, please go to: mind.org.uk Link to the Just Giving page: https://www.justgiving.com/team/LSIArchitects

 Firms from across the UK, Ireland and EMEA region, attended the PrimeGlobal 2022 Business Leadership Forum to discuss the current economic challenges businesses are facing. With the UK economy shrinking and inflation hitting a multi-decade high, UK businesses are facing unprecedented challenges over the next 12 months, the PrimeGlobal 2022 Business Leadership Forum heard. Firms from across the UK, Ireland and EMEA region, attended the Forum, bringing together over 140 delegates from among PrimeGlobal’s 308 member firms. Julie Grimmer, Managing Partner at Larking Gowen, said, “This event has brought together likeminded firms and has produced some powerful thought leadership. It’s highlighted important challenges including economic fallout and talent acquisition, which face not just the accountancy sector but the business community as a whole.” Speaking at the accountancy association’s UK Forum, Alex Brandreth, Chief Investment Officer at Luna Investment Management, said, “It’s expected that UK interest rates will be around 2% towards the end of 2022/early 2023.” “Another key point to consider when thinking about current high inflation levels, is that we’re comparing prices to a year ago, which was a largely inactive period because of restrictions being in place.” Commenting on the economic impacts, John Atkins, Partner at Larking Gowen, said, “The well-publicised cost of living crisis is affecting us all, whether it be our businesses, or personally. Inflation is currently running at around 9% with over 50% of this being driven by energy prices. With the UK being a net importer, and heavily reliant on several third parties, mitigation against this is a very difficult in the short-term.” He felt some optimism, however, with economic rebounds to unprecedented one-off events historically happening within 12-18 months. “The key unknown to the recovery time is how long the terrible events, currently ongoing in Ukraine, will continue, and what impact this will have on soaring energy prices. “The economic uncertainty and supply chain issues are putting a huge strain on cashflow making it important now, more than ever, to plan for the future and get advice from a trusted source,” he said. PrimeGlobal is an international association representing independent accounting and business advisory firms, with 308 member firms in over 100 countries. The conference, which was held at INNSIDE by Melia, in Manchester, from 7-9 June, covered key topics such as the benefits of a socially responsible business strategy, collaborative working, and technological insights. Delegates heard how accountancy practices must develop their working methods and business focus to be able to face the challenges of a changing economic environment.

We recently had the pleasure of working with business coach Wendy Richards to update her brand assets.

The brief

After a long career coaching and mentoring others and as an established author, Wendy wanted a brand uplift to bring her business identity bang up-to-date. We re-worked her logo, colour palette, fonts and image style to create a distinguished look.

Her brand needed to attract medical professionals and small business owners – her main target audiences, so we rocked the blue and white palette and leaned heavily on Wendy’s strong personal brand.

The starting point

Wendy would admit that her current logo was starting to look a bit dated, as were her pitch materials and website. We liked the colour scheme, but the whole brand needed a lift.

What we did: logo development

This included a set of logos including landscape, square, white background, coloured background, transparent background and favicon

Social media headers

Presentation deck template Business card design

Postcard designs

Letterheads Email signature Although we didn’t redesign Wendy’s website (below), the new branding we created was used by her web designer. We think it looks fabulous!   Wendy said:

“I absolutely love my new branding. I was able to easily use the brand assets to update my website, social media and pitch info. I would recommend Nurture Marketing to any company looking to update their brand.”

Want help with your brand?

Check out our brand services and launch offers.

Find out more about Wendy Richards Coaching

Visit www.wendyrichards.online

Accountancy training firm First Intuition has released the findings from its most recent salary survey of employers of accountants. The Accountancy Salary Guide collected data from First Intuition’s clients in May 2022 and monitors average salaries paid to trainee and qualified accountants in East Anglia. It also looks at non-salary rewards and benefits, and recent experiences of recruitment and retention. Some key findings from the data include:

• 92% of employers plan to increase their salaries over the next 12 months
• 64% of employers are finding it difficult to recruit new staff
• 29% of employers are finding it difficult to retain new staff
• East Anglia has seen an average salary increase of 4.6% across all levels of accounting since 2021
• 49% of employers say it has been more challenging to retain staff since COVID restrictions have eased
• 60% of employers are finding it difficult to retain newly qualified accountants
• Recruitment is the biggest resourcing issue facing employers in both practice and industry
• Accountants working in industry are paid 13.8% more than those in practice
• 45% of employers expect to increase recruitment levels between May 2022 and May 2023

The report reveals that average salaries have increased at all levels of accounting across East Anglia since 2021. Of all the locations surveyed, Peterborough has experienced the highest percentage change in average salary with an 11.3% increase from 2021, whilst the category that has seen the greatest increase is Newly Qualified ACCA, CIMA or ICAEW staff with their pay jumping by 6.8% from 2021. Employers expect salaries to rise further by 2023 with 92% of employers saying they plan to increase their salaries further over the next 12 months. The report suggests that these salary increases are likely to have been driven by a competitive labour market and employers needing to be more attractive to potential candidates. The data found that recruitment is the biggest resourcing issue facing employers in practice and industry. 64% of employers surveyed said they were finding it difficult to recruit new staff. Furthermore, 49% of employers say it has been more challenging to retain staff since COVID restrictions have eased, with 60% of respondents saying they are finding it most difficult to retain newly qualified staff. Those working in practice are finding staff retention more of an issue than those in industry. First Intuition Chief Executive Gareth John commented “the 2022 Accountancy Salary Guide for East Anglia gives some hard data on the challenges many employers will be currently suffering. I am sure many of our clients will find the results report really useful in ensuring that their employer value proposition stays relevant and competitive.”    First Intuition hope to continue to monitor average salaries year on year, not only to offer guidance and information but to track change. You can download the full East Anglia Accountancy Salary Guide 2022 here: https://www.firstintuition.co.uk/fihub/accountancy-salary-guide/.    

Summary: AI is taking the world by storm and Alix Rübsaam is here to show us how to harness algorithms for good and make them work for your business, and improve your life! Tech expert Alix Rübsaam explains how to make algorithms work for you not against you, in life and business. Whether it’s putting adverts into your Facebook feed for items you recently Google searched, or helping to filter out applicants for a job you’re advertising, based on the key words in their CV, algorithms are everywhere. They affect us all, sometimes even when we least expect it! The trick is to arm yourself with knowledge; learn more about how they work, why they can be forces for good, not just bad, and how they can be good for business. Alix is Head of Curriculum and Expertise at Singularity Education Group, and lets us in on how brand reputation can easily be harmed by bad algorithms. She shares how businesses need to look for blind spots within the system and consider all variables, case studying recruitment in particular. They discuss Data Feminism; the impact of GDPR legislation on marketing and sales; why complacency with tech evolution is dangerous; and the importance of keeping a human eye on the process of developing new AI. Alix is a great example of how curiosity can get you a long way – and how that’s enough to get you where you want to be. Go where the friction is; that’s where the interesting things are happening. Her insight into the future of AI and her predications for a Ready Player One style world are fascinating. Her passions and career have been diverse, and she blasts onto the podcast with the force of the Terminator itself! It’s not to be missed. For show notes, how to get in touch with the podcast team and to listen to the podcast, click below. Listen here!

Greater Anglia is advising people to only travel if absolutely necessary and expect severe disruption as national rail strikes – should they go ahead – are set to heavily reduce train services next week The RMT union is holding three 24-hour strikes on Tuesday 21, Thursday 23 and Saturday 25 June, with members of the train drivers union ASLEF also striking on Thursday 23 June – affecting all Greater Anglia services. The industrial action includes Network Rail signallers who are members of the RMT union. If the strikes go ahead, the train company will not be running any services on its regional and branch lines, while a very limited service will operate on some routes to and from London Liverpool Street for part of the day. Services running will only operate from 7.30am, with the last trains finishing their journeys by 6.30pm. The full strike day timetables should be available on the Greater Anglia website from Friday 17 June. Anyone who has pre-booked tickets to travel on strike days can change them, use them to travel on the day before or up to two days after their original travel date, or apply for a refund by going back to their original retailer. There will be no services running on the following routes on Tuesday 21, Thursday 23 and Saturday 25 June:

• Between Norwich and Cambridge/Stansted Airport, Sheringham, Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth
• Between Ipswich and Cambridge, Peterborough, Felixstowe and Lowestoft
• Between Marks Tey and Sudbury
• All other branch lines: Hertford East to Broxbourne, Braintree to Witham, Southminster to Wickford, Harwich Town to Manningtree, Clacton/Walton-on-the-Naze to Colchester, Colchester Town to Colchester, Meridian Water to Stratford.

A very limited and much reduced service – with fewer trains running and so fewer seats available – will run starting at 7.30am and finishing at 6.30pm on the following routes:

• Norwich to London Liverpool Street intercity service – one train an hour, with first and last trains from Norwich to Liverpool Street at 08.00 and 16.00, and first and last trains from Liverpool Street to Norwich at 08.30 and 16.30.
• Colchester to London Liverpool Street stopping service – one stopping train an hour plus one intercity service an hour, with the first and last stopping services from Colchester to London Liverpool Street at 07.30 and 16.25 and from London Liverpool Street to Colchester at 08.00 and 17.00.
• Southend Victoria to London Liverpool Street – two trains an hour with first and last trains from Southend Victoria to London Liverpool Street at 07.30 and 17.13, and from London Liverpool Street to Southend Victoria at 07.47 and 17.30.
• Stansted Express Stansted Airport to London Liverpool Street – two trains an hour (reducing to one train an hour on Thursday 23 June, when train drivers are also on strike), with first and last trains from Stansted Airport to London Liverpool Street at 07.42 and 17.12 and from London Liverpool Street to Stansted Airport at 08.10 and 17.40
• Cambridge to London Liverpool Street – one train an hour with some possible further alterations on Thursday 23 June, when train drivers are also on strike, with the first trains from Cambridge to London Liverpool Street at 08.20 and 16.20 and from Cambridge North to London Liverpool Street at 09.13 and 16.13. First and last trains from Liverpool Street to Cambridge/Cambridge North at 08.25 and 16.25/15.25.

The 24-hour strikes will also have a knock-on effect on services on days immediately before and after the days when industrial action is taking place, so customers are advised to check before they travel on Monday 20, Wednesday 22, Friday 24 and Sunday 26 June. Jamie Burles, Greater Anglia managing director, said: “Please only travel if it’s absolutely necessary on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday when strikes are due to take place. “If you do travel, you should expect severe disruption, so plan ahead and make alternative arrangements to travel if you can. Please also check travel times for any journeys planned for the days before and after any strike action. “We are very sorry for the inconvenience caused to customers by this industrial action.” More information about how industrial action will affect rail journeys and how to apply for ticket changes or refunds are available on the Greater Anglia website.

Norwich-based Legal Technology specialists Tiger Eye are finding new ways to raise vital funds for the local community. The IT firm, based at The Henderson Business Centre, offered staff a chance to win an extra day’s holiday by purchasing tickets for a charity raffle draw. To add to the raffle’s appeal, the holiday up for grabs was the 21^st of June (the Summer Solstice) which is the longest day of the year. The raffle raised over £100, with all proceeds donated to Norfolk and Waveney Mind, Tiger Eye’s charity of the year. Alex Wilson, a Technical Analyst from Tiger Eye’s Project Delivery Team, won the raffle and plans to spend the day off in Norwich. Alex added: “I plan to spend my extra day of holiday with an old colleague and Liam from my team. We’ll be shunning the lovely sunshine by attempting to escape a virtual reality escape room, eating burgers or sushi, and venturing to Retro Replay arcade in Castle Quarter.” This unique fundraising event features as part of Tiger Eye’s overall fundraising scheme for the year, with other events including tea and scones for the Jubilee and various other office activities. In January, Tiger Eye were pleased to announce Norfolk and Waveney Mind as their charity of the year for 2022 following a company-wide selection process. Julie Wilson, Admin Services Director at Tiger Eye, added: “It has been a pleasure to find new and unique ways to fundraise for Norfolk and Waveney Mind, and we are delighted to make an impact in our community. As a business, we aim to create an environment where staff feel able to talk openly about mental health, and we highly value the crucial work of Norfolk and Waveney Mind in our area.” Norfolk and Waveney Mind support those within the community with their mental health and wellbeing from prevention support to crisis support. The charity offers an extensive range of mental health services, along with associated training, advice, and information, working to reduce the stigma associated with mental health, support people in recovery, and champion better services for all. Whilst part of the Mind network, Norfolk and Waveney Mind are an independent charity who raise their own funds.