The Supply Chain Skills Development Programme (SCSDF) provides grants to SMEs in Norfolk and Suffolk with an aim to grow their workforce skills levels, significantly enhancing the capability and capacity of their business to improve workforce performance and business competitiveness. The scheme can fund up to 50% of training costs, for multiple employees and up to £1,000 per employee.
Accredited training
Non-accredited training
Face to face training and online/digital courses
The SCSDF aims to:
Support SMEs looking to acquire skills to move into the local supply chains within Norfolk and Suffolk.
Increase the skills levels of your workforce to support current requirements and future growth.
Increase the number of people with technical and job-specific skills , particularly at level 3 and above to support your business growth.
Increase the skills levels of employed women to encourage progression in employment and help address the gender and wage gap.
With this funding, you can access training courses from local and national colleges and training providers in order to enhance your business and develop your employees. Who is eligible?
Small to medium-sized enterprises employing 250 employees or less.
Employees aged 18 or over.
Employers located within Norfolk and Suffolk.
The full eligibility details can be found in the application pack SME applicants must be actively trading for at least 6 months and be located within Norfolk and Suffolk. Eligible SME’s can apply for a grant award of up to £1,000 per participant, or £5,000 (x5 participants). The grant is part funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) and administered by Suffolk County Council (SCC). You must not be a charity or a not-for-profit organisation. To find out more, call us on 01603 677107 or email us at enquiries@jarroldtraining.co.uk. To find out more, follow our link and download the brochure: https://www.jarroldtraining.co.uk/supply-chain-skill-development-fund/
People will get their chance over the coming weeks to take a look at, and have their say on, a set of proposed actions that are designed to address key transport challenges over the next 14 years. The Norfolk Local Transport Plan 4 (LTP4) is set to drive the county’s transport strategy until 2036 and key challenges that the plan seeks to address include carbon reduction and air quality. Since the overall LTP4 strategy was adopted last year officers have been working to develop this implementation plan to achieve a number of goals, including net zero carbon. Cllr Martin Wilby, Cabinet Member for Highways, Infrastructure and Transport, said: “We want a low carbon, well-connected transport network in Norfolk. I’d urge people to take a look at the proposals and fill in the survey to let us know what you think as this will help shape the final version of the plan before it goes to councillors to decide upon.” The comprehensive plan also pulls together a wide range of forward looking schemes that can be delivered by the county council, including some already underway – such as the electric vehicle strategy which is set to boost the number of charging points across the county, and the popular Beryl Bikes and e-scooter trial in Norwich which already has 43,500 registered users. Norfolk’s ambitious Bus Service Improvement Plan is also part of the LTP4 and aims to simplify ticketing and journey information, cut fares for under 25s, bring in cleaner and greener buses, improve accessibility and bus stops, and make better and more frequent links between the places people live, work and shop. Key to achieving a number of the aims in the plan will be working in partnership with local and national bodies to achieve much needed rail improvements and better local and regional connections. The plan details proposals around seven key objectives:
Embracing the Future: emphasis is on the need to adapt to and use new technology to achieve better outcomes
Delivering a Sustainable Norfolk: working in partnership with others to help shape the county’s development plans and proposals
Enhancing Connectivity: providing better, faster and more reliable journeys in a way the puts transport firmly onto a net zero carbon trajectory
Enhancing Norfolk’s Quality of Life: carbon reduction, air quality improvement, conserving and enhancing Norfolk’s built and historic environments
Increasing Accessibility: working in partnership to plan and deliver
Improving Transport Safety: using the Safe Systems approach to reduce casualties
A Well Managed and Maintained Transport Network: a focussed approach to maintenance and network management
A bereaved mum is preparing for a monster walking challenge to support the children’s hospice that gave her “priceless” time with her baby son. Claire Wright is taking part in the East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH) Pier to Pier event on 25th June. Alongside friends Beccy Ogston and Lesley Owen, the trio and about 150 others will trek 32 miles from Cromer to Great Yarmouth. They will be raising money for EACH – a charity close to Claire’s heart following the death of little Jacob, in April 2012. He was just 16 months old and had mitochondrial disease. There was no treatment or cure and he died at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, in Cambridge. Claire and husband Bob received support at the EACH hospice in Milton and now, having taken part in previous fundraisers, she is both excited and nervous about her gruelling walk along the beautiful Norfolk Coastal Path. She said: “I’ve done the odd half-marathon and have a decent level of fitness, but the main thing is the mental side of taking on such a massive challenge. “It’s about telling your legs and feet to keep moving when the rest of your body is willing you to stop. “It’s such a long way but I know we can do it. We’ll get there and it’s nice doing something a bit less intense than running. “We’ll be able to walk and talk along the way and the three of us will spur each other on. When one is struggling, the others will be able to lift them. “I’m very proud to be taking part and when I tuck into my fish and chips at the end, I’ll be pleased to tick the challenge off my list and think ‘I did it’.” If Claire needs any inspiration along the way, she can turn and face Beccy – one of Jacob’s nurses at Milton. The pair lost touch but have since become great friends and ‘running buddies’, with both living in Sutton, near Ely. Their children go to the same primary school. Jacob was born in December 2010. He had health complications from the outset, including a cataract in one eye and mild hearing problems, but those issues intensified and he had a form of “uncontrollable” epilepsy called infantile spasms. Sadly, his condition deteriorated and he was diagnosed with mitochondrial disease in February 2012. He ended up in intensive care and it was at that point the family’s specialist nurse referred them to EACH. “By that stage we knew we didn’t have long left and met the team at Milton,” said Claire, who has a four-year-old daughter, Charlotte. “They were incredible and, from that moment on, all my fears about what a hospice was and meant went out the window. “It was the most amazing place I’ve ever been in my life. “Jacob died two weeks later. On the day he died, we’d been due to go in and spend the weekend together at Milton. “His little body was taken straight from hospital to the hospice for a further ten days and he went from there to his funeral. “Jacob lived for 501 days but I always think of his life lasting 511 days, because of those precious ten days. To me, they were just as important as the previous 500. “The staff at the hospice were, and continue to be, truly amazing people, helping others deal with an unimaginably hard and painful time in their lives. “They made the whole experience bearable, giving us time with our son – time we wouldn’t have had otherwise – and also giving other family members a chance to visit and say goodbye. “My eight-year-old nephew visited twice and I read him stories, next to Jacob’s cot. “After the second time I remember him saying ‘I think I’ve said goodbye now’. “It gave him some kind of closure and he’d never have had that opportunity without EACH. “Goodness knows what effect that might have had on him in later life.” Claire and Bob received help in terms of planning Jacob’s funeral. “Everyone at the hospice was phenomenal,” said the 47-year-old, an operations manager for the Lily Foundation, a charity dedicated to fighting mitochondrial disease based in Warlingham. “Obviously they couldn’t make things better but they were there to help with things like the funeral, which lifted such a weight from our shoulders. “We were dealing with things we never thought we’d have to contend with and yet here was a group of people ready to help and support us. “Another memory that will always stay with me was waking up in the middle of the night and wanting to hold Jacob’s hand. “When I went into his room, they were playing nursery rhymes as though he were still alive. “To some people that might sound strange but to me it was just beautiful. “He was still my little boy and the fact they cared so much meant the world.” Claire continued having one-to-one counselling after the funeral, which she felt “helped enormously”. She also found a renewed purpose by throwing herself into fundraising, as well as raising awareness. She has previously taken part in an EACH Santa Run and, in April 2019, was the face of bold, hugely successful campaign to help drive donations to EACH shops. It was launched just days after the seventh anniversary of Jacob’s death. Life-sized cardboard cut-outs of Claire, partially hidden behind a board, greeted customers and the initiative was called Dress Claire. Donations soared and £30,000-worth of items were handed over compared to the same period the previous year. In total, across the two-week campaign, EACH received around 13,400 bags, representing a 30% spike from 2018. “The Santa Dash was the first thing I did and it gave me a new sense of purpose,” she said. “It was a catalyst for wanting to do more and from that point on I threw myself into doing whatever I could. “It feels like by raising money I have a new way of being Jacob’s mum. “If I give something back in any way, I always will. “It’s my way of saying thank you for everything the charity has done, then and now. “I remember the staff saying they’d always be there for me and they’ve been true to their word. “EACH is the most amazing charity and I honestly can’t imagine going through what we went through without it. It really is phenomenal.” To sponsor Claire, head here. There is still time to sign up for EACH’s Pier to Pier walk, which gets underway at Cromer Pier and finishes at Britannia Pier, Great Yarmouth. All walkers will receive a finishers’ medal and t-shirt. There will be regular refuelling stops with snacks and drinks, a lunch break and hot food at the finish. The route is clearly marked and medical assistance will be available, if needed. Tickets cost £30 or £40 with an optional coach transfer from the finish line at Yarmouth to the start line at Cromer. Walkers are asked to have a target sponsorship of £150. For more information or to book a place, click here EACH supports families and cares for children and young people with life-threatening conditions across Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex. It has three hospices – Milton in addition to The Nook, in Framingham Earl, just outside Norwich, and The Treehouse, in Ipswich. *Photos – One of Jacob, two of Claire, Bob and Jacob and one of Claire, Bob and their 4-year old daughter Charlotte
CyberScale are always on the lookout for new talent and right now we have 3 vacancies. We are currently looking for: Senior Security Consultant / vCISO Cyber Security Consultant Sales Executive Apprentice If you want to make an impact in a growing Norfolk business, or might know someone who does, you can see all the detail over on our website: https://www.cyberscale.co.uk/careers/
Photo of Nina Mae Fowler taken by Craig Wylie A renowned artist plans to raise money for charity by inviting portrait commissions with a difference – sitters are drawn while watching their favourite film. Norfolk-based Nina Mae Fowler has offered to draw ten portraits for £5,000 each and plans to donate ten per cent of her fee to East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH). A further ten per cent will go to Baroness Helena Kennedy’s Urgent Afghanistan Appeal. Nina’s gesture follows on from a successful fundraising project in 2020, when she produced 200 portrait sketches and raised £20,600 for The Trussell Trust’s Foodbanks. The 41-year-old is known for her detailed, large-scale drawings and in 2019 she was awarded a major commission for the National Portrait Gallery. She was asked to produce a series of ‘Luminary Drawings’ – portrait drawings of nine leading film directors watching a film of importance to them. Individuals selected included Ridley Scott, Sally Potter, Sam Mendes, Ken Loach and Amma Asante MBE. Now Nina plans to give others the opportunity to have a portrait of themselves or a family member captured while watching their favourite film. She said: “I initiated a similar project during the first lockdown in 2020. “It was a great success and I’m hoping this will carry similar momentum. “The cinema portraits are about capturing a normally unseen moment of rapture as the sitter is immersed in their favourite film. “Whether it’s a child or adult, I aim to portray them when they’ve forgotten they’re being watched and have lost themselves in the joy of great cinema. “Their faces lit only by the screen, we, as the viewer, get to share in that magical cinematic collapse of time.” Everyman Cinemas are supporting the project by offering the use of their venues for private client sittings. Alternatively, Nina can set up a cinema environment in her studio or the sitter’s home. She will take stills and make preliminary sketches that form the basis of the final pencil and charcoal drawing. Film star Jude Law and comedian Lee Mack have shown their support by sitting for Nina in order to help promote the project. More are set to follow of actress Sienna Miller, publisher and fashion designer Caroline Issa and playwright Polly Stenham. A limited edition print of Nina’s Jude Law drawing, priced at £120, is proving popular already and for each sale, 50% of the proceeds are being donated to Nina’s charities. That means £30 from each sale will be donated directly to EACH. The direct link to the shop is www.ninafowlerprint.com/shop/p/jude-law-charity-portrait Nina is delighted to be supporting EACH and said: “I’ve been a long-standing supporter of this charity, which is local to me in Norfolk. “Having recently visited The Nook, I’m in awe of the work they do to support not only children with life-limiting illnesses and complicated needs but also their siblings, grandparents and other family members. “They offer a safe haven of peace and comfort, staffed by the most incredibly caring people. “They need funding to continue their work on every level, from the heated pool which offers pain-free movement and a place to have fun to the smaller but equally important services like musical therapists, who bring joyful sensations to children facing unbelievably difficult emotional and physical circumstances.” Kevin Clements, EACH Director of Fundraising and Communications, says Nina’s offer will give people the chance to receive something “special, personal and unique” – as well as supporting the charity’s work across Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Essex. He said: “We’re absolutely thrilled and very excited to have been approached by Nina.“She’s incredibly talented and her body of work, and attention to detail, is truly breath-taking.“That’s what makes this such an incredible opportunity for anyone keen to commission one of her portraits.“They will be receiving something very special, personal and unique while at the same time generating vital income, helping us support families and care for children and young people with life-threatening conditions.” *Slideshow images- Portrait of Jude Law watching The Godfather and Lee Mack and daughter Millie watching a Harry Potter film.
A Taverham-based financial services firm and a Watton-based house builder have come together to plant a tree – the first of 100 trees which will be planted in a new joint initiative with Royal Norwich. Mark Burton from MCB Financial Services and Paul LeGrice from Abel Homes conducted the planting ceremony, at Royal Norwich’s new course at Weston Longville. The occasion came after MCB Financial Services provided a Green mortgage for a couple buying a new home at Abel Homes Swan’s Nest site in Swaffham. MCB Financial Services has pledged to plant a new tree at Royal Norwich each time they complete a Green Mortgage, which offers buyers preferential mortgage terms on properties which are ‘A’ or ‘B’ rated for energy efficiency. The initiative, which aims to plant a total of 100 trees at Royal Norwich, is designed to raise awareness of Green mortgage products becoming more readily available to consumers who are seeking more energy efficient homes. MCB Financial Services is working closely with Watton-based Abel Homes, all of whose new homes are ‘A’ rated and thus eligible for Green mortgages. Mark Burton, managing director of MCB Financial Services, said, “As a financial services company that has been established throughout Norfolk for near on 20 years, we are thrilled to have partnered with both Royal Norwich and Abel Homes in highlighting such an important and current topic, marked by the tree planting project for 2022. “I feel it is very much our responsibility, as a local business which works within the financial services sector, to make our clients fully aware of how they can play their part in striving to become more climate aware, and I hope with this partnership with Royal Norwich we will be able to play our part in shaping the landscape that we all live and work amongst in Norfolk” Mr LeGrice added, “The benefits of buying an energy efficient home are very clear, both in terms of mitigating soaring energy costs, and in minimising the impact of homes on the environment. “Green Mortgages are another way that buyers of sustainable homes can benefit from their positive choice, and this initiative to plant trees to raise the awareness of Green Mortgages is an excellent idea which we wholeheartedly support.” “We’re delighted to be supporting this scheme and partnering with MCB Financial Services on sustainability and the long-term fight against climate change,” said James Stanley, chief executive of Royal Norwich. “With every tree planted enough to offset around a tonne of carbon in its lifetime, the planting of over 100 trees at Royal Norwich by Green Mortgage customers will not only further enhance our beautiful 350-acre estate by creating even more special wildlife habitats, but also help significantly reduce homeowners’ very own carbon footprint.” MCB and Royal Norwich aim to plant the 100 trees this year, as a landscape environment project, demonstrating their commitment as partners in promoting sustainability and climate awareness in the local community and across the county.
The activities organised by our Science and Design Technology Departments were designed to give our students an insight into the world of science beyond their usual classroom experience. These included a guest speaker from the University of Suffolk teaching our fifth and sixth form students about careers in Diagnostic Radiography, where students learnt about the different scanning techniques used and what life studying at university would look like. We also had a chance to highlight some of the wonderful clubs running at Norwich High by inviting new students to have taster sessions. Our award winning Robotics Club showed new students how to code and control their Lego robotics, and our F24 Racing Team introduced U4 & L5 students to our car the ‘Silver Duck’ and discussed their experiences in building and racing their very own electric race car. Students also had the chance to get competitive during the week with our Upside-down Maze challenge, the Nerf Gun accuracy and precision mission, and the Hydrogen Rocket launching contest. Everyone who took part in these events did a tremendous job and our three winners; Maddie Rose U4E, Anna Holmes U3J and Hannah Williams L5S, all received certificates during Friday’s Science assembly. The events didn’t stop there, with Key Fob torch building where U3 & L4 students were using soldering irons to build their very own torches, and Mr Jones’ Morse Code challenge, to Dr Heselden’s incredible Howling Jelly Babies and Exploding Pringles demonstrations, and students exploring space and rollercoasters through the wonders of VR, there was something for everyone this week. We would like to say a big thank you to everyone who took part in a British Science Week event, and to all the staff and sixth form students who have helped organise and run each activity. View the full programme of activities for British Science Week here. https://www.norwichhigh.gdst.net/british-science-week/
Podcasts continue to lead from the front in the new wave of marketing, and the team that previously brought you Impromptu Business Chat (with business advisory experts James Lay and Mark Curtis) launch their new series this spring: Leadership and Life Chat, sponsored by Larking Gowen. As well as the usual podcast platforms, this series will also be available to watch on YouTube, and the trailer is now live! Click here to watch and learn more about what’s in store with this exciting and informative new series. James and Mark will be looking at what makes a great leader and offer tips to help improve your leadership skills and wellbeing in general. In each episode, they will discuss a different thought-provoking topic, possibly one you may never have considered impacts your life. They will provide their customary top three tips, explaining how to implement these into your everyday routines to boost your health, wealth and self! Each month, they will also feature a very special guest at the top of their field, with subjects ranging from climate change to public speaking and AI to psychology. The intrepid hosts will be picking their guests’ brains to uncover their key messages, understand what it took for them to get to the top, and how this can be applied to our own lives and successes. James and Mark have a combined 40 years of leadership experience and are trained business advisors, Motivational Map practitioners, NLP practitioners, Mental Health First Aiders and qualified accountants! They have a passion for all things mindfulness, wellbeing and personal development, which they apply to both their personal and professional lives, and have first-hand experience of how instrumental these are in the pursuit of success in life and business. Along the way, there will be their trademark musical links too – it’s worth tuning in just to find out if Mark can find a way to crowbar a heavy metal reference in… Follow them on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever else you get your podcasts, as well as through their website www.larking-gowen.co.uk/LLC and on YouTube. If you already subscribe to Impromptu Business Chat, you will receive this new series automatically into your feed! You can also email your thoughts and questions on the topics discussed to podcasts@larking-gowen.co.uk, or leave a voice note on Larking Gowen’s new messaging system and you might even feature in an upcoming episode!
Exciting news from Isle Architects, I am delighted to have been asked to Chair the RIBA East Conservation Group, the first meeting taking place later this month. The Group’s mission is to bring new knowledge and support to local conservation architects and members with an interest in conservation – bridging the gap between local and national committees and initiatives. https://www.architecture.com/knowledge-and-resources/knowledge-landing-page/riba-east-conservation-group
Train operator, Greater Anglia, has launched an online virtual tour of Norwich rail station to help people travel with confidence – which is especially useful for disabled customers wanting to check how accessible their journey is. The tour has been designed to support journey planning, give customers a clearer picture of the station before they travel and reduce anxiety about how they’ll get around from car park to platform. Using the virtual station tour, people can find out how to get to all public areas of the station including the toilets, customer service desk, platforms and anywhere else they might need to visit at the station such as car parks or drop off areas – making it easier for them to plan their journey in advance. Detailed 360 degree photography has been used to map the station, capturing all public spaces, which people can navigate virtually even visiting the toilet or the waiting room before going to the platform. Aerial photography and an interactive map has also been used to show the location of all the customer facilities in relation to each other. Members of Greater Anglia’s Accessibility Panel, a group of disabled customers who meet regularly with the train company, offered feedback during the development of the project and have been supportive of the project. The web-based online virtual tour offers autopilot or manual choices for navigating the station, an interactive map to see the entire station layout with ‘hot spot’ links to specific areas of the station. There is an aerial view showing the car park, cycle parking, bus stop and taxi rank / drop off location. Key features such as tactile paving – textured paving on the edge of platforms – assisted travel meeting points and toilets and individual platforms can also be navigated to directly through a drop-down menu system. The ‘autopilot’ tool gives users the option of selecting their destination location within the station and being automatically guided to it or if preferred through a series of clicks. The technology was provided by The Virtual Tour company and the tours software has been designed to be accessible. A spoken scene guide with closed captions plays on the home page at the station entrance and it features an accessibility widget that enables the user to change to high contrast, large font size or audio transcribe. Future developments will look at incorporating British Sign Language videos as part of Greater Anglia’s commitment to improving customer information. The tours can be viewed at https://www.greateranglia.co.uk/travel-information/your-journey/virtual-tours on any device and the addition of more stations is planned in the future. Greater Anglia’s Accessibility Manager, Rebecca Richardson, said, “The idea was to create a tool for customers to assist them with their journey planning and reduce the anxiety about whether the station would create any accessibility barriers. We want to give people who may not have travelled by rail for a while or maybe not at all, to do so with confidence. “We are committed to making rail more accessible and providing quality information to enable more informed journey planning. Neil Henderson, Managing Director of Virtual Tour Experts, said, “We’ve really enjoyed working on this project to create a number of industry firsts. The world of VR is developing fast but until now that development has not given due consideration to online accessibility. “This tour is the World’s first to incorporate an accessibility widget, guided tours, subtitled scene guides and there is much more to come. The user-first attitude of the team at Greater Anglia provided the perfect base for development and will ensure the platform continues to evolve.” The company is creating 360-degree virtual tours for ten of its busiest stations. Cambridge was the first to go live in December 2021 with Bishops Stortford, Broxbourne, Chelmsford, Colchester, Ipswich, Shenfield, Southend Victoria and Stansted Airport to follow.
The Enterprise Adviser Network is a national programme that we at the New Anglia LEP are delivering locally to bridge the gap between education and the world of work. We support schools and colleges across Norfolk to deliver high-quality careers education to help young people find their best next steps, a vital part of this work is ensuring students have meaningful encounters with individuals from the business. To ensure our young people are equipped with the knowledge to make informed decisions and the necessary skills to succeed in their chosen paths we rely on the help from volunteers who bring an invaluable employer’s perspective and facilitate meaningful encounters. We are looking to recruit more business volunteers to support our work with schools and colleges so if this is something you would be interested in please contact Ashley Ruthven, Operational Careers Hub Lead, at Ashley.ruthven@newanglia.co.uk. Becoming an Enterprise Adviser is a fantastic and vital way to support young people in Norfolk schools, but the role also offers benefits to businesses and it has helped some of our employers start to close the skills gap. Graham Sinclair is an Enterprise Adviser in one of our Norfolk schools and is a strong advocate for the programme; “I feel there is a significant gap between the education and employment sectors. The roles of Enterprise Advisors are essential to ensure school careers programmes are tailored to give students an appropriate appreciation of the working world. They also get the right skills, confidence and knowledge for employment in whatever area they choose.”
Solicitors. Caterers. Office equipment suppliers. Marketeers. Childcare professionals. Photographers. Educators. IT support. What do all these things have in common? They can all benefit from the green energy revolution! As the pace picks up in the race to net zero, the East of England Energy Group are reaching out to the wider business community to make sure businesses just like yours understand the size of the prize in terms of clean energy projects, both current, imminent, and future. With these projects come huge investment into the region, and it’s not just the direct supply chain that can benefit from it. Companies operating within the industry still need the support of everyday businesses, from solicitors and IT support through to photography and catering. EEEGR’s SNS event brings together operators, developers, and supply chain companies from across the region in one place, allowing you to get face-to-face with industry leaders and decision makers in a rare opportunity to pitch your services. The event is supported by some of Europe’s leading operators alongside prominent organisations and projects including ScottishPower Renewables, GENERATE, Vattenfall, OPITO, Equinor, Oil & Gas Authority, Proeon Systems and Sizewell C. Two day access delegate tickets can be purchased from the EEEGR website, along with single or table tickets for the SNS 2022 Conference Dinner on 25th May 2022. There are a limited number of sponsorship and exhibition opportunities remaining. Find more information at https://www.eeegr.com/events/sns2022/.