Member News

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGtpscWSKaM&feature=emb_imp_woyt

Norwich High School for Girls is marking International Women’s Day (Tuesday 8th March) by celebrating the success of their all-girl F24 team which was first formed following the second Covid-19 lockdown and has since gone on to considerable success.

The theme for International Women’s Day 2022 is #BreakTheBias “Imagine a gender equal world”.

Formula 24 aims to inspire young people to become engineers by presenting the industry as an interesting and relevant career choice. Norwich High School for Girls began the project to address the issue of underrepresentation of women within the motor racing industry and to provide students with the opportunity to learn how to apply skills and knowledge they’ve learnt in the classroom in the real world.

Fifth and sixth form students submitted 150 words explaining why they would like to be involved with the project. Using and developing their love of STEM, the selected team designed, planned, built, made and raced their own electric F24 race car in a dedicated space within the school grounds. The car had to comply with technical and sporting regulations set out by Greenpower Education Trust.

The Norwich High School for Girls team has since participated in the Greenpower racing series which has taken them to top racing circuits throughout the UK to compete against other students from across the country.

They won the award for Best Newcomer at Lotus’ Hethel test track, finishing in sixth place in their category and eleventh overall, beating several teams with many more years of experience. The girls’ driving was excellent and incredibly consistent, putting in lap time after lap time within fractions of a second of each other. Considering the girls built the car in less than three months, they sailed through the event with no major mechanical issues, except a rather ‘shaky’ start with slightly misaligned steering. A quick fix left the car running smoothly all day.

“We couldn’t be prouder of this wonderful group, they did the school proud!”, said Norwich High School for Girls Head of Science and Physics Mr Gary Hyland.

Norwich High School for Girls Head Miss Alison Sefton commented: “At Norwich High School we are always looking for varied opportunities to inspire and excite the girls and support the idea of learning without limits. We were very fortunate to have received a generous private donation, plus funding from the JP Blanch Foundation Fund, for this exciting project to go ahead. I am delighted to see how well the girls have done with this project. The opportunity to race at the Lotus track was the culmination of a lot of hard work over the last few months and I hope that this is the first of many races for the Norwich High F24 team.”

One of the Norwich High F24 team, Zara Goodwin (Year 11) said: “I am really interested in STEM and F1. I was really keen to take part in the F24 project to get real-life experience of engineering and possibly the racing side of things. As a child I would always be excited to help my uncle (a mechanic) rebuild his tractor, and I have considered in the past having a job with engineering, and this will help give me more options for the future.”

A video for the project can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGtpscWSKaM

This project has since been selected by the group of schools to which Norwich High School for Girls belongs, the GDST (Girls’ Day School Trust), as part of their Spotlight Series which brings to life what it means to be a GDST Girl – confident, happy and fearless, prepared for the opportunities of the future: https://www.gdst.net/where-girls-learn-without-limits/

Mr Wistow, a freelance composer, will be predominately based in the Norwich High Prep School, Stafford House, but will work across the whole school including with the GCSE, A-Level and Sixth Form students. A graduate of Leeds College of Music and the Royal College of Music, Mr Wistow joins Norwich High School for Girls from Langley School, and has extensive copying and engraving experience, including private freelance commissions, score preparation for TV and Film recordings, as well as contemporary classical editing for clients including Universal Production Music.Mr Wistow said: “Starting at Norwich High as the Assistant Director of Music has been great fun so far. There is so much warmth around the school from the extremely supportive staff and the wonderful children. There is an exceptional music provision here with a very high standard. It is very impressive how many girls are involved in school music in our numerous choirs, bands, orchestras and chamber ensembles. Making music here is inclusive for all and a big part of the school. “From a Prep School-perspective, it is about creative music provision that is broad and balanced and fits in with a modern music curriculum so the girls use their iPads to compose original music from Year 1 upwards.” Mr Joseph Wistow, Assistant Director of Music at Norwich High Prep School for Girls “Using digital technology gives the girls confidence as they can realise their musical ideas instantly which they really enjoy. Along with our provision of lessons for all across instruments including the recorder, violin and ukulele, we have seen a surge in numbers for our Prep School Choir and they are really excited to be learning music from the new Disney movie, Encanto.”Mrs Susan Roberts, Head of Norwich High Prep School and Nursery commented: “We are delighted to welcome Mr Wistow to the teaching staff. He has already made a huge impact and it is lovely to have a renewed buzz around music across the school. We share his vision of making music accessible to all our students. Our Winter Arts Festival in February was a great success, and we were very thankful for Mr Wistow’s contributions which included hosting steel band workshops with the Steel Pan Agency, sessions on music from different cultures for all the girls and his ‘That’s all Folks’ illustrated talk looking at cartoon music.” Regarding joining a girls only school, Mr Wistow added: “Before joining Norwich High, I wasn’t sure what to expect from a girls’ only school. As soon as I arrived for my interview, I knew that this was the place I wanted to work. The students have a confidence, and a willingness to try new things musically. They are creatively very confident when working together as a team. Being in a single-sex environment, they are not worried about judgment or what anyone else thinks – they are free to be themselves. There is such a positive attitude to learning – I find I get through a lot of content in my lessons. The standard of behaviour, positivity and a willingness to learn is evident from our youngest girls up to Sixth Form. It is great witnessing the through-school environment – from the Nursery girls up to our very talented sixth formers, who clearly treasure music. I really enjoyed the Winter Arts Festival and have a busy end to the Spring Term ahead including the Choral Concert at Norwich Cathedral on Saturday 12th March.”https://www.norwichhigh.gdst.net/norwich-high-welcomes-new-assistant-director-of-music-mr-joseph-wistow/

I am working with many companies on their VAT submissions and over the last couple of months have encountered a few areas of concern with Postponed Import VAT Accounting (PIVA). There are many companies that do not know that they are using PIVA In my experience they are usually SME’s who have only ever traded with EU countries, who are below the Instrastat threshold, predominantly use couriers, do not have their own deferment account & believe the free trade agreement means there is no change to VAT. When they don’t get a VAT bill from the couriers, it’s not a surprise. ‘Helpfully’ couriers have amended their T&C’s to default to using PIVA unless otherwise advised. Many companies use small accountancy firms to file their returns and they seem to be unaware of this reporting requirement. We advise that companies who haven’t been invoiced import VAT to check via this link to see if they have been using PIVA. Please note in order to access statements, you will be asked to register with CDS through the government gateway. It’s a quick process and registration with CDS will soon be required anyway, when declarations move from HMRC’s CHIEF system to CDS. There are companies out there that are using PIVA when importing items for re-work, repair or servicing This is happening when EU customers send items via a courier to the UK company quoting the GB EORI number of the UK repair company and the courier imports them into Home Use (CPC 40*) and puts G in box 47b to use PIVA to account for the VAT. When filling in the PIVA return the accountant lifts the VAT value from the PIVA statements and enters the value in both boxes 1 and 4 therefore incorrectly reclaiming the import VAT. We advise that to negate the VAT liability companies should use Inward Processing. For frequent importers (above three times a year) this involves obtaining Inward Processing Authorisation from HMRC. Infrequent can use Inward Processing authorisation by Declaration IPabD. You will need a guarantee and to follow the disposal rules submitting a bill of discharge, in order to discharge the VAT and duty liability of the imported goods. There is more to say on PIVA, I will follow up with further information and advice shortly. If your business is affected by any of these issues, I can help, please email me Tracey Renshaw, MD, Import Export Sup

Interested in opening up and expanding your business? Are you a forward-thinking company which already has a message to share? Then come and join the new movement!

At HER Business Revolution, we believe that women have a massive role to play in the future of business. We want to invite you, your company and staff to the Junkyard Market on Friday the 27th of May for a day of B2B networking, open-minded discussions, talks and workshops. Regardless of whether you have female staff you wish to celebrate, you’re looking to diversify or simply wish to reflect on gender equity and the changing face of business- this event is for you.

Superwoman Fest will give your business a chance to interact with others in a positive, inclusive and non-judgmental environment. We aim to give a platform to forward-thinking and innovative voices, who understand that there’s more to gender equality in business than a one-size-fits-all approach.

We invite businesses of all kinds to come along and:

-Take the pledge to support women in business and earn a badge of solidarity. This way you can show your customers and partners that you are committed to making a difference.

–Take a stand (literally!)- become a stand holder and promote your business to others

–Take the stage– If you have something to share about the topic of women in business, take the stage or run a workshop in order to help other businesses

–Enjoy food and drink, networking and events in a relaxed, inclusive environment.

We also encourage businesses who have taken steps towards fighting gender equality in business to enter our ‘Shine the Light’ award ceremony, for further recognition of their efforts.

Your company doesn’t have to specialise in issues around gender equality, or have lots of female staff in order to come along. Your presence alone will show support, send a message to your company’s employees, customers and competitors and help get the ball rolling. We are all learning and growing as one, and everyone is welcome at the festival.

 With Stands starting from £75 + VAT why would you not be there!

If you’re interested in participation or for a free guide with partnership options

 contact shelley@herbusinessrevolution.biz

 Exhibitor Brochure

The UK has committed to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Transport is the largest emitting sector in the UK, responsible for 27% of all our greenhouse gas emissions, with over half of them (55%) coming from cars so electric vehicles (‘EVs’) will help reduce emissions. Under current government proposals, the sale of new petrol and diesel cars will be banned from 2030. The government plans to add up to 145,000 new charge points to England’s grid network each year in the run up to 2030 to service the 14 million EVs expected to be on the roads by the end of the decade.

Achieving these ambitions will require a sufficient EV infrastructure network, including –

• Charge points that are easily accessed across the UK, including at motorway service areas and large fuel retailers
• On-street charge points
• Ensuring local planning policies require developments to include facilities for the charging of EVs
• Uniform standards for charge points
• Installing charge points in all new homes and commercial properties.

This article looks at the last two items on the list.

CHARGE POINTS IN BUILDINGS

Regulations have been made introducing a new Part S into the Building Regulations 2010, which sets out technical requirements for the mandatory installation of EV charge points and/or cable routes when certain types of building work are undertaken.

Key dates

Coming into force on 15 June 2022, the amendments will not apply to building work where a building notice or an initial notice has been given to, or full plans have been deposited with, a local authority before that date, provided that the building work starts before 15th June 2023. There will be a six month transitional period to allow industry to prepare for the new rules.

THE NEW REQUIREMENTS

The technical requirements vary according to the type of work being undertaken.

New residential developments

Where parking spaces are provided within a new residential development, every new dwelling with on-site parking must have a charge point unless the average connection cost exceeds £3600. In developments with more than 10 parking spaces, cable routes must be installed in any parking spaces that would be required to have charge points but for the operation of the cap. The government believes that one charge point will be adequate for the majority of households but cable route requirements will facilitate the installation of additional charge points easily and cheaply in the future.

The £3600 cap, which will be kept under review, is intended to protect developers from excessively high connection costs so that the UK can continue to build the housing stock it needs. To benefit from this exemption, developers will need to provide evidence that the average connection cost exceeds £3600 by submitting at least two formal quotes to the building control body during the notice/plans stage, at least one of which should be from a distribution network operator (‘DNO’).

New dwellings from material change of use

Where one or more dwellings with on-site parking will result from a building undergoing a material change of use, at least one space per new dwelling must have access to an EV charge point unless –

• The existing incoming power supply is insufficient to install all the charge points, or
• The building is listed, a scheduled monument or in a conservation area, where compliance would unacceptably alter the building’s character or appearance.

Where not all the prescribed charge points can be accommodated within the existing electrical supply, the requirements will only apply to the maximum number of charge points that can be accommodated and cable routes for charge points must be installed in all the remaining spaces.

Major renovations to existing dwellings

For example, a block of flats undergoing renovation of over 25% of the building’s surface area, including parking areas.

Residential buildings undergoing major renovation must have at least one EV charge point for each dwelling with on-site parking, and cable routes in every space without charge points, unless –

• The building will not have more than 10 on-site parking spaces after the renovation is complete
• Installation costs exceed 7% of the total renovation costs
• The existing incoming electrical power supply is insufficient to install all the charge points, or
• The building is undergoing renovation for the purposes of fire safety remediation.

Major renovations to commercial buildings

Non-residential buildings undergoing major renovation must have a minimum of one charge point, and cable routes for one-in-five of the total number of spaces unless –

• The building will not have more than 10 on-site parking spaces after the renovation is complete, or
• Installation costs exceeds 7% of the total renovation costs.

New commercial buildings

All new non-residential buildings with more than 10 on-site parking spaces must have a minimum of one charge point, and cable routes for one-in-five of the total number of spaces.

Mixed-use developments

In mixed-use developments, requirements for residential and non-residential buildings will apply according to the number of allocated parking spaces for each use type.

Cable routes: two-tier exemption for all major renovations

For both commercial and residential buildings undergoing major renovation, and in contrast to the exemption for change of use dwellings, developers will be exempt from the cable route requirements as well as the charge point requirements, if the installation costs exceed 7% of the total renovation costs.

Exemption applicable in all cases

The new charge point requirements do not apply to parking spaces in enclosed or open-sided car parks, e.g. basements, those below buildings and multi-stories, although cable route requirements should still be met. This exemption does not apply to individual garages. The government believes further research is necessary into the safety measures in these types of car parks to mitigate and manage fires, on the rare occasion one might occur. It will produce interim guidance for those responsible for such car parks.

MINIMUM SPECIFICATION FOR CHARGE POINTS

Under the new regulations, charge points must have a minimum charging power of 7kW, be at least Mode 3 or equivalent and be untethered. The government believes that these standards will sufficiently future-proof standards for home charging and better enable smart charging, compared to lower powers and other mode types. As these are minimum standards, developers may provide charge points with higher performing kW and Mode if they choose to do so.

NO RETROFITTING FOR COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS

The government decided against introducing its proposed requirement for one charge point in all existing non-residential properties with more than 20 parking spaces because consultees were significantly less supportive of this proposal (too few charge points for large companies and too many for smaller ones). Instead, the government will develop an alternative policy that “is fit for purpose”, with separate legislation.

This means that charge points will only be installed in new or refurbished commercial properties and these regulations will therefore do nothing for householders who do not have off-road parking, estimated to be around 40% of car owners and up to 70% of van owners.

We will look at options for these drivers in our next article.

If you would like further information about installing charge points in homes or commercial properties, please contact Christopher.Cubitt@howespercival.com or Deborah.Caldwell@howespercival.com.

Additional information can also be found at gov.uk

© Howes Percival LLP

The information on this site about legal matters is provided as a general guide only. Although we try to ensure that all of the information on this site is accurate and up to date, this cannot be guaranteed. The information on this site should not be relied upon or construed as constituting legal advice and Howes Percival LLP disclaims liability in relation to its use. You should seek appropriate legal advice before taking or refraining from taking any action.

Towards the end of 2021 the Government announced that it was making certain temporary permitted development rights introduced in response to the COVID-19 pandemic permanent. Planning and licensing law expert, Jamie Childs, examines the implications of this announcement for owners and operators of licensed premises.

The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development etc.) (England) (Amendment) (No. 3) Order 2021 (“2021 Order”) was made on 16 December 2021 and came into force at the beginning of January 2022.

The 2021 Order introduced a permanent permitted development right to provide one moveable structure within the curtilage of a pub (including those with expanded food provision) or other premises which is used for the sale of food or drink mainly to members of the public who consume that food or drink on the premises.

In general terms, this new permitted development right is expected to be welcomed by owners and operators of licensed premises as it provides clarity over the siting of such structures on their premises, flexibility to use moveable structures to expand operational floor space and may allow the conventional planning application process (and its associated costs and potential delays) to be avoided.

If they are contemplating using these new permanent permitted development rights, owners and operators of licensed premises should be aware of the following restrictions on the use of this right:

1. The moveable structure must be used for the purposes of operating the pub (including those with expanded food provision) or premises being used for the sale of food or drink primarily to customers who consume that food and drink on the premises.
2. This permanent permitted development right cannot be used where the land on which the moveable structure is to be sited is, or forms part of, a listed building, scheduled ancient monument or is within the curtilage of such structures. There is a separate, temporary, permitted development right which may be able to be used where the moveable structure would be sited within the curtilage of a listed building which may allow such structure to be sited for up to 120 days in a year. This separate, temporary permitted development right is subject to a prior approval process and a number of additional conditions and limitations.
3. The moveable structure cannot be sited within two metres of the curtilage of any adjacent land which is used for residential purposes (including hotels, residential institutions and houses in multiple occupation).
4. The height of the moveable structure cannot exceed 3 metres and the footprint (being the total area of ground covered by the building or moveable structure) cannot exceed the lesser of 50% of the footprint of the building or 50 square metres.
5. The moveable structure cannot be used for the display of an advertisement.
6. Premises licences should be reviewed to see whether the licence would need to be updated to allow the moveable structure to be used in the way desired. Whilst there are no conditions or limitations in the new permitted development right in relation to noise or hours of operation these are matters which may be regulated under a premises licence (or indeed a planning permission affecting the premises).
7. Existing planning permissions and planning obligations in any section 106 agreements affecting the premises should be reviewed for any planning conditions or obligations which may prevent the use of this permitted development right. Similarly the title of the premises or any lease of the premises should be reviewed to ensure there are no covenants which may prevent the siting and/or use of a moveable structure on the premises.
8. Owners and operators of licensed premises should also remain wary of any Article 4 directions which local planning authorities may make to restrict the operation of this permitted development right.

Please do not hesitate to contact Jamie Childs at jamie.childs@howespercival.com if you wish to discuss the implications of these new permanent permitted development rights or any other planning or licensing law matter affecting the operation of your premises.

Howes Percival has a dedicated Leisure and Tourism team who have been advising clients in the leisure and tourism industry for over 25 years. Howes Percival’s team includes solicitors specialising in regulatory, property, employment, planning, licensing, intellectual property and commercial law so are well equipped to advise owners and operators of licenced premises on any legal issues they have.

© Howes Percival LLP

The information on this site about legal matters is provided as a general guide only. Although we try to ensure that all of the information on this site is accurate and up to date, this cannot be guaranteed. The information on this site should not be relied upon or construed as constituting legal advice and Howes Percival LLP disclaims liability in relation to its use. You should seek appropriate legal advice before taking or refraining from taking any action.

August 2022 sees the first Wide Skies and Butterflies festival heading to Raynham Estate The festival’s name gives a shout-out to the big wide-open skies of Norfolk that have inspired poets and artists for centuries. And the Swallowtail butterfly – seen in the logo, is native to Norfolk, and is said to represent life, hope, endurance and change We think that sums it up perfectly… Wide Skies & Butterflies is about music, family, inclusivity, joy, and inspiration. It’s a safe place where people can come together to embrace and celebrate under our wide Norfolk skies of Raynham Estate! If you’d love a festival where you can enjoy a diverse range of live music from big names and local bands, dancing, local food and culture, comedy, the arts, equality, pride, camping, glamping, and safe activities for the children, then WS&B is for you. Abbie Panks, Head of Events and Marketing at Raynham Estate commented “There is a lot of excitement around the festival, and is a great way for us to showcase Raynham to those who may not have visited before. The line up is a fantastic, varied mix of artists and that coupled with the array of comedy, teen and childrens areas all makes for a festival to keep all ages entertained and a great addition to the East Anglian festival scene” Artists announced so far include The Vaccines, Hot Chip, James, Editors, Scouting for Girls, Cast, Natalie Imbruglia, Sleeper, The Levellers,  Bimini Bon-Boulash, Faithless, Norman Jay MBE and lots more still to announce so keep your eyes peeled! Wide Skies & Butterflies takes place at Raynham Estate on August 5th – 7th 2022. See you here! If you are interested in hosting an event at Raynham, contact abbie@raynham.co.uk or call 01328 863746

East Anglian chartered accountants, Larking Gowen, is the headline sponsor for the first ‘Wired for Success’ Masterclass. The event, organised and hosted by The County Wire, will take place on 24 March at Trinity Park, Ipswich. Wired for Success brings together entrepreneurs and business owners from across the region, eager to stay up to date with the latest trends and tech in marketing and business, exploring innovative ideas and case studies, and the chance to network with their peers. The full-day event provides a series of main-stage, keynote speakers, from companies including Microsoft, Larking Gowen, The Bridge Marketing and more. The speakers will share knowledge and skills, aimed at increasing business productivity and profitability, with exclusive access to insights, resources, and expertise. There will be plenty of time at the end of each session for questions and answers. During the day, ‘Partnership Programme’ associates, each recognised as experts in their industries, will offer informative and interactive workshops. These bookable workshops are limited to 25 guests (included in the ticket price) and are aimed at generating valuable ideas for delegates to take away and implement in their own businesses. There are plenty of workshops to choose from whether you want to develop your 12-month IT strategy, make digital finance work for you, learn how to run adverts on Facebook or develop an understanding of the importance of corporate photography, plus much more! Becky Ames, a partner at Larking Gowen, explains, “We’re extremely proud to sponsor this new and exciting event, which will offer something fresh to the local business community. East Anglia has always been a hive of entrepreneurial activity and Larking Gowen are committed to helping local businesses grow and prosper. This Masterclass event is a great opportunity for business leaders to get together and learn from one another. Understanding finance, maximising the impact of great marketing, and embracing digital developments in all areas of business, are such critical components to growth and success.  The topics, skills and ideas covered at this event will be invaluable to those that attend.” Larking Gowen will present a talk on ‘The lifetime of your business’ highlighting key points to consider from starting up, right through to planning for exit, and their follow up workshop will focus on whether your digital systems are working for you, and how you can optimise the features to benefit your business. You will devise an action plan to take away and use in your business to boost your digital solution for future success. Hana Dickinson, Founder and Managing Director of The County Wire adds: “Larking Gowen is a fabulous partner for this event. As experts in their field, and a key member of the local business community, Larking Gowen have been instrumental in bringing this event to life. Our shared objective of delivering a valuable source of inspiration, knowledge and skills for the business community is very exciting indeed.” Other businesses involved on the day include Simply C Photography, Wiro Agency, GLO and Two Point Zero IT. Places at Wired for Success are exclusively limited to 100 guests and pre-booking is essential. Lunch and a goody bag is included in the usual ticket price of £25, but CLICK HERE to book and receive 10% off!  You can learn more about this exciting new event, with its networking and learning with influential speakers, immersive workshops and exciting opportunities, by visiting www.thecountywire.co.uk.

The Norwich Western Link’s design is being refined, to minimise the impact on woodland where a roost of protected barbastelle bats has been identified. A report to the county council’s cabinet says it is being amended, following evidence from expert surveys organised by the council – which is part of the usual design process for major road projects. The council intends to provide more detail on project timescales and costs in June. Councillor Martin Wilby, cabinet member for highways, infrastructure and transport, said: “There is strong support for the western link, as it will reduce journey times and emergency service response times, cut rat running through communities and boost our economy. “We follow a very thorough process with major infrastructure projects and detailed ecological surveys, conducted by accredited experts, are part of this. “In the light of the evidence gathered through our surveys, we are working with our contractors, Ferrovial and WSP, to refine the route. “We have always said we would deliver the project in an environmentally responsible way and this is further evidence of that commitment. “It’s important that we get this right and provide the best possible road for Norfolk. We intend to provide more detail in June.” The report says: “The Norwich Western Link project aims to achieve biodiversity net gain on all applicable habitats. Extensive ecological surveys were undertaken in 2019 and 2020 and this information formed part of the ecological baseline data used to develop the scheme design. “In the summer of 2021, a suite of further bat surveys was carried out to support the understanding of bat activity. All surveys have been carried out by accredited experts and have included bat trapping and radio-tracking fully agreed with and licenced by Natural England. “Following analysis of the data obtained from the 2021 surveys, it was determined that there is a roost location used by a maternity colony of barbastelle bats (that has a significant level of environmental protection) near to part of the proposed road alignment. ‘Therefore, as part of the ongoing scheme design development, work is currently being undertaken to assess, refine and develop the relevant length of the route alignment of the scheme and to assess and address the need for mitigation to minimise the impact of the scheme on the relevant area of woodland.” A map indicating the route refinement is included in the cabinet reports and the council intends to provide further detail on the route and project costs at the cabinet meeting on June 7. For further details about the Norwich western link, see www.norfolk.gov.uk/nwl Cabinet will consider the report when it meets at 10am on Monday, 7 March. Watch the meeting, live or afterwards and read the report at https://norfolkcc.cmis.uk.com/norfolkcc/CalendarofMeetings/tabid/128/ctl/ViewMeetingPublic/mid/496/Meeting/1800/Committee/169/SelectedTab/Documents/Default.aspx

Akcela – the Norwich based business incubator and management consultancy has no less than three UEA project teams supporting businesses for this year’s NBS Exec-MBA final projects. As originally reported, the UEA consultancy teams are supporting Origin Hope, Eido Research and TechEducators on their continued growth plans, with projects ranging from a market segmentation and go to market strategy, to a full stakeholder review and communications plan. This isn’t the first interaction between the Akcela team and the UEA, with a total of four of the six members of the Akcela Ventures management team completing their MBA with the UEA. Managing Director, James Adams, graduated from the MBA in 2018 and feels this is a perfect win-win-win-win for the companies, students, university and Akcela. “In business and society, you are always looking for opportunities where all actors in the transaction win. I really feel we have achieved that with this partnership. For the companies receiving the consultancy, they are getting consultancy from some incredibly talented and capable individuals. This isn’t a paperwork exercise or going through the motions. These are real-world, real-life consultancy issues that the companies are working through. The output is going to be put into action. So for the students, they are experiencing a live consultancy project. Putting to use their learnings from the last two years, with the support of the university and Akcela to drive great outcomes. There is an expectation, but there’s also the opportunity to really get stuck in and drive great outcomes.” “For the university, they continue to support local businesses, with the guidance of the Akcela team, who both understand the process with many having been part of it, but with real world experience in consulting some of the worlds largest companies. For Akcela, not only do we get to give back to the students with a real challenge and our support; we get an outside influence and challenges from a wide range of business backgrounds.” The projects will be running for several weeks including one week of intensive focused work within the Akcela Incubator. The teams will present back initial findings to the management teams, before producing a full report which includes findings, next steps and suggestions to explore further.

We value getting to know all about the clients we work with and the faces behind the brands and businesses. Naturally we expect you to want to know more about us too. To help with that, we’ll be bringing you regular insights into our team, sharing what they love about their work, how they spend their time outside of the office, and what book or film they’re currently immersed in. Our latest team chat is with art-loving Adele fan Pauline, who is a perfect example of mature student success. NAME – Pauline Lifton ROLE – HR Consultant Where do you live? In a small village on the outskirts of Colchester And who with? Husband – David, Son – Rhys, who is at Uni, plus two labradoodles, Elfie and Teddy, and two cats, Glinda and Cookie. Tell us a little about your career background: I have always enjoyed roles that required working and supporting people. In my life, before becoming a mum, my career was within Facilities Management with roles at Colliers International, Westminster Council and Universal Music. After a short career break, I returned to work and HR seemed a natural choice and progression for me. However, to ensure that I had credibility in my role, I undertook my first HR qualification in my forties and I am currently in my final year of a Level 7 Postgraduate Diploma in Human Resource Management. I have over 15 years’ experience in HR and feel that I am able to offer appropriate advice, guidance and support to managers and leaders within the organisations I have worked, due to my own knowledge and experience of being on their side of the fence. My skills have continued to develop in all areas of employee relations, organisational change management, policy maintenance, recruitment, as well and mentoring and coaching managers and employees to achieve their required outcomes. What do you most enjoy about your particular professional role? I have always enjoyed working in HR, being able to build positive working relationships at all levels. What attracted you into the world of HR? One of the things that drew me to MAD-HR was their PARIS values (passion, accountability, results, integrity and simplicity), as this is in total alignment with how I wish to be viewed as a HR Professional, so to be working with a team that share those values, is really exciting. Do you have a pet peeve about how others perceive your job? That HR is something to be fearful of. For me HR is about building productive relationships, working in collaboration with managers, employees and leaders, in support of resolving issues or concerns, and in the management and delivery of change. If you hadn’t gone into this type of work, what else were you destined to do? I love the arts, so I think I would have liked to have worked in theatre, maybe in the background somewhere, production or stage management. What one key thing do you feel people should know about MAD-HR that might surprise or delight them? While we may be a small team, we are lucky to have a wealth of experience between us, to draw upon, and to support each other as well as the organisations we work with. What are you most looking forward to in the year ahead for MAD-HR? Challenging myself and working with many new organisations and people. How would your colleagues describe you? Approachable, with a willingness to support and promote positive outcomes. Outside of work, do you have particular things you like to do or places you like to go regularly? I love to go to the theatre, which I have very much missed during the COVID pandemic. So for now, I settle for a good book, and listen to music in my summer house. Do you volunteer, and if so, where and what drives you to do so? Due to my studies, I don’t have much free time at the moment, I have however, previously been a school governor and charity treasurer, in support of my local community, to give something back to those who supported our family, when we moved to the area. When I finish my current studies, I am hoping to return to volunteering as a Student Mentor to mature students returning to education. I feel quite passionate about this, as having experienced the impact and how hard it is to juggle study, work life and home life, I would like to support others through this positive process. What do you love most about living in this part of the world? Having grown up in London, I truly appreciate living in the middle of farmland and fields, the peaceful days, the walks along the seafront and the trips to the country pubs! Watching my son grow up in the village and local community has been a blessing, that not all are fortunate to experience. How do you like to spend a day off? A day in London at the theatre with my boys or a relaxing Spa Day. Currently reading: Apart from the many Human Resource Management Books I am reading for my studies, I love to read autobiographies and books about real life experiences. I’m currently reading a Dawn French book, which brings true life experiences as well and fun and laughter. Currently listening to: Adele’s new album. I was lucky enough to see her on her last tour and I also have tickets for the 2022 tour. I am fortunate to have been to many concerts over the years, especially during my time at Universal Music. While I have seen some amazing performers, Adele stands out in the crowd, so I am really enjoying her new music. Currently watching: I live in a house of Dr Who and Marvel geeks, so my TV is often dictated by them! However, when I get some alone time, I am currently re watching Downton Abbey.

On Friday 25th February, Norwich High School for Girls hosted its inaugural Culture Day. As part of the school’s Undivided initiative, we are dedicated to promote inclusion, diversity and real change, and hosting a Culture Day was one of the excellent suggestions that our Antiracism and Inclusion Group came up with. It was an exciting and enriching day, aimed at celebrating each other’s cultures and spreading awareness. Activities on the Friday included a food market at breaktime, selling baked goods and chai tea, as well as lots of activities at lunchtime including an Indian Dance performance and workshop, cultural school displays, a henna stall, an origami stall, and lots of types of music.   https://www.norwichhigh.gdst.net/language-and-culture-week/