Member News

Following the development of bespoke cyber security training services for a number of our clients it was clear that there was a need within businesses for courses and workshops that supported their cyber security journey from the very early stages, through to those with more developed positions still requiring some experienced support. Following a successful launch of 5 courses and workshops in September 2021 we will be continuing delivering them both in person and online in to 2022, expanding our offering in to new locations across the East of England.  From January we will be offering courses in Leicester, Peterborough and Cambridge in addition to the existing Norwich and Online courses. Our cyber and information security training is focused on providing training that also brings personal benefits to individual attendees in their broader lives and not just in the workplace.  Being built by our consultants who bring their real world experience of working within client businesses, the courses bring to life the very real risks facing today’s businesses, schools & charities. If in 2022 you have a focus on educating and upskilling your staff to create a more vigilant workforce, or you need to increase the levels of cyber security knowledge within your leadership team to enable better decision making, we are here to support you. Cyber security training not only achieves the above, it has the additional benefit of facilitating building a culture of security within your business.  With staff coming away from the training with changes they can make immediately, and business leaders feeling more informed and empowered the return on the investment will begin that same day. Our first set of training dates for 2022 are now live and bookings are open via our website.  You can read more about the individual courses by following the links below: Staff Awareness Training Business Owners and Leaders Training Incident Response Planning Workshop Preparing for Cyber Essentials ISO27001 Certification As we continue to invest in our training offering we are also exploring ways in which we can add more value to delegates who are maybe seeking CPD hours or points from the time they spend in training and personal development.  As we further develop our training services we are looking at building specific courses for industry sectors such as Legal, Finance, Healthcare & Charity.  If you are operating in these sectors, or feel that something bespoke for your sector would be useful, then please do get in touch with us for a chat.

Bonus Book-keeping Services, based in Great Yarmouth offer a customised bookkeeping, payroll and/or accounting service to all size and types of business, along with self-assement tax return preparation and submission. Following on from our recent move, we are now looking to recruit a part-time Senior Accounts & Payroll Assistant to join our small but dedicated team. Job Description Experienced accounts and payroll assistant able to undertake all payroll duties for multiple and varied clients and complete accounts from incomplete records. Prepare and submit MTD VAT returns and self-assessment tax returns. Previous accountancy practice/bookkeeping and payroll bureau experience preferred. Salary dependent on experience Part-time hours: 15 – 18 per week

A new book that captures people’s reflections on life during Covid-19 has been published to raise funds for NHS charities.   When The World Paused Again began life as a blog in March 2020, launched to capture people’s thoughts as the first lockdown began. A total of 75 people took part and the posts were subsequently published as a book in October 2020, raising around £600 for NHS charities.   Michelle Gant, Director of The Engaging People Company, set up the blog and the book: “Writing has always been cathartic for me, and it’s something that I have been able to turn to during difficult times, and journaling particularly has helped me to process thoughts and emotions.   “Which is why I thought an online journal – a blog – would be a fantastic way to help make sense of what was happening way back in spring 2020.   “I decided to open the blog up to others who might find it helpful too – and I was overwhelmed with the response. By the end of it, we had enough content for a book that we could publish to raise funds for our NHS heroes.”   That book was the first instalment of When the World Paused and Michelle thought that would be the end of the project. But when lockdown was announced again this year, she decided to reopen the blog.   “For many people it seemed that this winter lockdown was more challenging than the previous one and once again, I thought that writing could be a useful tool to help people process what was happening.   “This time, I wanted to look ahead more, and the focus was on what a pandemic taught us about living, helping people to find positivity in an uncertain and hugely challenging period of our lives.   “I invited last year’s contributors to take part again and many of them were keen to do so, capturing their reflections one year on from the last time they had written.   “But, it was also fantastic to see so many other people who hadn’t previously been involved want to contribute. When I closed the blog in June, 84 of us had taken part and shared our thoughts and feelings.”   This included contributors from Norfolk as well as from across the UK, from places such as London, Manchester, and Tyne and Wear. There were also writers from as far afield as Holland and Abu Dhabi.   And, the youngest contributor was Michelle’s daughter Thea who was aged five when she recorded her latest reflections in May this year.   “When I started the blog, I was conscious that I was also capturing a moment in time for my daughter. She will only have vague recollections of the last year and I wanted to record memories for her. But I also thought she would have something to say on this time of her life.   “And so I interviewed her – both this year and last – and I wrote down verbatim what she said. Her reflections, like so many in the book, moved me but made me laugh too.   “I am enormously grateful to all of the contributors who have taken part and shared their thoughts quite so openly. Reading their reflections was certainly a highlight of an uncertain time.”   The book, which Michelle describes as ‘moving, uplifting, and inspiring’ is on sale now priced £9.99 with all profits going to NHS charities.  When The World Paused Again: What A Pandemic Taught us About living: Amazon.co.uk: Contributors, Various, Gant, Michelle: 9798497942446: Books  

This week, James and Mark discuss a recent UK survey which revealed that 50% of workers, from management to shop floor level are secretly hoping for a ‘fire-break’ lockdown over Christmas, as they are facing burn out. For many, 2021 feels like it’s been a longer, more stressful year than 2020, as there appears to be more work out there for businesses than expected. They are facing the perfect storm of high demand and a recruitment crisis, so it’s no wonder teams are feeling the pressure. It’s important for business leaders to understand that many people will be facing personal challenges alongside work pressure, and it’s key for continuing success that individual stress curves are not breached for too long. James and Mark come up with their top 3 tips that can help you to prioritise your team’s health without damaging profits. We would love to hear what you think about the podcast, maybe you think you would be a great expert special guest, or there are topics you think we should cover – get in touch on podcasts@larking-gowen.co.uk Summary  Top tip 1: 03:30  Is the demand really there, or are your prices too low? Don’t cash in, but consider a review. Top tip 2: 08:30  Pareto Principle 80:20 rule. Can you afford to cut your client base to protect your teams? Top tip 3: 23:50  Be aware of your team members individual stress curves – have people been doing too much for too long? Show notes  The Pareto 80:20 Principle-  Overview, and Richard Koch’s Book – The 80/20 Principle, Expanded and Updated: The Secret to Achieving More with Less  Chris Mason interview: Business coach and founder of Mindshop– episode 20 of Impromptu Business Chat   Listen here!

A recent EDP article on SouthGate Packing, a fast-growing East Anglian packaging equipment firm are launching a major recruitment drive as it rides the wave of the e-commerce boom. Southgate Global in King’s Lynn has already boosted its team by 50% over the past three years to meet substantial growth in e-commerce business and has just taken on 11 new employees. It is in the process of recruiting for a further seven roles across IT, customer services and logistics to boost its 72-strong workforce. Senior HR Advisor To provide engaging and fit for purpose HR support to all stakeholders throughout the employee lifecycle Ecommerce Executive To grow the ecommerce business streams by improving and optimising digital channels Supply Chain Analyst To provide efficient and accurate stock levels with just in time delivery, yet maintain optimum stock to deliver customer WOW experience. About Us Southgate are evolving the industrial packaging and order fulfilment sectors through innovation, productivity and trusted product brands. Southgate are a family owned business, employing over 60 people across multiple disciplines. We adopt a ‘can do’ attitude with a collaborative approach.

Howes Percival has been named one of the top 200 law firms in England and Wales in The Times’ Best Law Firms 2022 list published on 4 November 2021. The list is based entirely on recommendations from thousands of solicitors across England and Wales who were asked to choose which law firms they would recommend for a number of categories covering business, public and private-client fields. Solicitors are not permitted to choose their own law firms or vote for any category more than once. This is the second time Howes Percival has been featured in the list, which has now been running for four years. The firm was commended for its expertise in commercial property, insolvency & restructuring and planning. Howes Percival’s Chairperson, Geraint Davies said:

‘We are really proud to be featured in this influential list for the second year running. Our listing is testament to the quality of work being produced across the firm and it’s fantastic to see the calibre of our people and their expertise being recognised by our fellow legal professionals.’

Norfolk geothermal innovators CeraPhi pledge to Armed Forces leavers • Great Yarmouth-based CeraPhi Energy vows to support armed forces leavers into new green careers. • More than 20,000 people leave the forces every year, many with transferable skills ideal for the 700,000 estimated new green jobs by 2030. • Reusing skills and disciplined mindset key to building a sustainable transition. CeraPhi Energy has pledged to recognise and embrace the valuable transferrable skills ex-military personnel bring to the renewable energy workforce by signing the Armed Forces Covenant. The CeraPhi team made its pledge at a private closed doors event at the Ministry of Defence (MoD) alongside Mission Renewable, set up to harness the wealth of talent and skills from the veteran community for careers in renewable energy, and Aker Offshore Wind. More than 20,000 people leave the armed forces in the UK every year, many with the skills, mindset and attitude the energy sector needs. An estimated 700,000 new green jobs will be created in the next decade. Great Yarmouth-based CeraPhi Energy, which also has bases in London, Houston, US and works across the world from its Norfol headquarters,  becomes that latest renewable energy business to vow to support armed forces leavers to move into green jobs, form communities in the sector, develop exemplars, mentors, and enable service veterans to help each other. Karl Farrow, CeraPhi CEO, signed the covenant with Lieutenant General Richard Wardlaw OBE MSc BEng MInstRE, MoD’s Chief of Defence Logistics and Support, on behalf of the MoD. Farrow said: “We are in a new era of reuse and sustainability. Reusing skills and disciplined ability is a key part of building a sustainable foundation and supporting transition. No one deserves more recognition that those men and women throughout the globe who served their countries, keeping us safe well and healthy in our daily lives. “I have been in a fortunate position to have been able to offer many of these ex-service personal from various nationalities an ability to transition from service to Civvy Street and we continue to support these combined efforts and look forward to working with the MoD and the Mission Renewable cause as we ourselves transition.” Mission Renewable is also working with the MoD to develop new supported pathways for service leavers, who can use MoD resettlement ‘credits’ to access funding for safety and technical qualifications needed to enter the renewable energy sector. James Cameron, Mission Renewable CEO, said: “These are early days for the Renewable sector, but what is clear is that ‘green’ careers will become a destination of choice for our service leavers and veterans. “As our nation moves to meet the challenges in sustainability, the fast growth of the renewable energy sector will need men and women of quality to power it.  Our Armed Forces community have much to offer, and by harnessing this national resource, industry too can benefit greatly. “Companies like CeraPhi are keen to tap into that potential.  From our work in other sectors, we’ve learnt a great deal about successful transition, and the power of advocacy, and it is now our responsibility to help promote these positive business behaviours in support of the renewable sector.” Photo captions: 1.  Karl Farrow, CeraPhi Energy Chief Executive Officer, signs the Armed Forces Covenant with Lieutenant General Richard Wardlaw OBE MSc BEng MInstRE, Chief of Defence Logistics and Support at the Ministry of Defence. 2. . Chris Sladen, of CeraPhi Energy’s advisory board and chair of the Geothermal Energy Advancement Association, with Lieutenant General Richard Wardlaw OBE MSc BEng MInstRE, Chief of Defence Logistics and Support at the Ministry of Defence. 3.  CeraPhi Energy sign the Armed Forces Covenant with Mission Renewable at the Ministry of Defence. Chief Exective Officer, Karl Farrow, second left; Gary Williams, Chief Operating Officer, fifth from left, and Chris Sladen, advisory board member and chair of the Geothermal Energy

Attleborough-based renewable heating expert Finn Geotherm, is celebrating two major landmarks – its 15th year in business and securing a total of £22million in Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) payments for customers who have switched to a heat pump for their heating. Established in 2006, the company was started by technical director David Alston, who first ran Finn Geotherm from a container unit on his father’s farm. An engineering graduate, David spotted the opportunity to bring heat pump technology, which was being widely used in Finland, to heat homes here in the UK. Today, the company has modern offices and a showroom just off the A11 and employs a total of 25 staff. In its 15 years, the company has installed more than 1,000 systems in properties ranging from two-bedroom bungalows and converted windmills to stately homes and even at the zoo in locations across East Anglia and beyond. Heat pumps are now widely accepted as one of the best low carbon heating systems available, with the Prime Minister’s Ten Point Plan committing to deploy 600,000 heat pumps a year by 2028. David Alston, technical director at Finn Geotherm, said: “I understood the massive potential of the UK heat pump market when I first started Finn Geotherm 15 years ago and we’ve steadily grown the company as more and more people see for themselves the many great benefits of having a heat pump for their home or business. For the Government to now announce these systems as the future of heating, marks the start of the next exciting chapter in Finn Geotherm’s history.” On its 15th anniversary, Finn Geotherm has also reached the huge milestone of securing £22million in Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) payments, which will be shared among the domestic and commercial customers for whom it has designed and installed ground and air source heat pump systems. The RHI is the current government initiative designed to reward people for switching to a more environmentally friendly form of heating. Administered by Ofgem, the scheme comprises the Domestic RHI for homeowners and Non-domestic (Commercial) RHI for commercial customers. Based on the amount of clean, green heat produced, both provide tax-free quarterly payments for seven years under the Domestic scheme or 20 years for Commercial. The Domestic RHI ends for new applications in March 2022 and will be replaced by the newly announced Boiler Upgrade Scheme. The Non-Domestic RHI ended in March 2021. As one of the UK’s longest established renewable heating companies, Finn Geotherm has been helping its heat pump customers apply for this tax-free incentive since it was first introduced in April 2014. The company has kept a log of all the RHI payments it has secured for its domestic and commercial customers and this has now reached a total of £22million pounds. Guy Ransom, commercial director at Finn Geotherm added: “To reach this incredible milestone of £22million in our 15th year of trading is testament to the hard work of the entire team at Finn Geotherm in installing these heat pump systems and ensuring our customers receive the maximum benefit of switching to clean, green heating. At a time when we all need to be doing our bit to tackle climate change, we could not be more proud of the role we play in helping people to choose a better method of heating.” For more information on ground and air source heat pumps and details on Finn Geotherm, visit www.finn-geotherm.co.uk.

One of the best ways to support the Norfolk countryside and farming community is by becoming a member of the Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association (RNAA). To become a member please email enquiries@rnaa.org.uk or call 01603 748931. We’re currently reviewing our membership fee structure which runs from 1st January – 31st December each year.

About the RNAA

The Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association works hard to ensure it meets the purposes of the charity: Through the Royal Norfolk Show and other events, we are committed to  promoting, understanding and supporting food, farming and the countryside in Norfolk. We do this through a variety of activities and events including:

• We give back to the local farming community through financial and other support to organisations who having a significantly impact the lives of those in the agricultural industry.
• We offer educational support and opportunities dedicated to sharing the important work of agriculture and food production.
• We support events and activities which are central to the Norfolk farming community and its development.
• The support of our members is central to ensuring the work of the RNAA continues and as well as being extremely rewarding, our members are critical to the work we do in the county.

By becoming a member of the RNAA, not only can you get involved in many of our events and activities, you will enjoy a host of benefits that are only available by joining us.

Benefits of being an RNAA member

• Invitations to and updates about events at the Norfolk Showground – as well as a range of discounts and exclusive opportunities.
• Access to our Young, Innovative, Enterprising, Learning and Developing (YIELD) Network and their exciting programme of events
• A variety of Members’ visits and events – enabling social, network and learning opportunities. Watch this space to find out more about what we have planned for 2021 and 2022
• Exclusive benefits with leisure and retail establishments – click here for list of benefits
• Discount on bookings at the Norfolk Showground – Norfolk’s Premier event venue including meeting rooms, commercial spaces, kitchens and parking.
• Regular updates on RNAA activities, events, news and opportunities exclusive to our members.
• Invitations to a range of interesting and informative events throughout the county.
• Long Service Awards for agricultural employees. Members can apply using an application form available here or by contacting the Show Office, please call 01603 731977.
• Farm members can purchase concessionary tickets for their agricultural workers.
• Entry to the Royal Norfolk Show on both show days including Priority forward parking, exclusive access to both the Members’ Enclosure and the Members’ Area of the Grandstand and Vice President members receive exclusive entry into the Vice Presidents’ Enclosure and Grandstand area.

  Membership Enquiries To enquire about RNAA new and existing membership please get in touch by emailing enquiries@rnaa.org.uk or call 01603 748931.

Turning Factor, a learning and development training provider with offices in Norwich, Cambridge and London, has joined the Future 50 as a partner for its 2022 programme. The company was founded in 2005 by Kathryn Horton, who previously spent 16 years at insurance giant Aviva – then Norwich Union – as a senior corporate trainer. Having seen her brother launch and build his own business, she was inspired to do likewise. “I left a very comfortable corporate role to start my business, but I also wondered whether I could build a business from a blank piece of paper that could eventually run independent of me,” says Kathryn. “That is my drive and ambition to achieve.” Like any business, Turning Factor has had its bumps over the past 16 years, but Kathryn is a firm believer that any successful business owner must experience, and learn, from failure. “You’re not an entrepreneur until you’ve built a few companies and maybe lost a few along the way, and If you haven’t experienced failure, you haven’t pushed yourself hard enough” she says.  “If I could wind back the clock and do anything different, I probably wouldn’t because of the experience I’ve gained building and running a business and employing people”. It’s this experience that informs the services that Turning Factor provides to clients, from large corporates to ambitious start-ups like those in the Future 50 programme. For more information vist their website https://www.turningfactor.com/

What does sustainability REALLY mean in practical terms for business, and what does the future look like? Mark breaks down what is currently happening in big business, and what still needs to be done at both corporate and SME levels. He’s currently writing a paper on how his business (Larking Gowen!) needs to tackle sustainability, and his sources are steering away from the ‘trendy stuff’. His personal research aligns with the reports coming from COP26, that businesses play a key role in improving the environmental outlook. In making it his mission to improve practices in his own business, his eyes have been opened wider and his mindset has changed. How do businesses become more sustainable, when considering the energy they use each day, which includes transport, consumables and more? GDP and economic growth can be at odds with sustainability if we don’t think smarter. Mark offers some great insights into how sustainability and profitability can really work together. If you are an expert in sustainability and the environment, particularly for business or know someone who is, we’d love to hear from you, with a view to inviting you to be interviewed on a future special guest episode. Speaking of experts, Mark asked David Attenborough to special guest on this episode. Did he get a polite yet resounding ‘No’ or will Sir David provide this week’s top tips…listen in to find out! We would love to hear from you – you can get in touch with us on podcasts@larking-gowen.co.uk If you enjoy this episode, please subscribe and whilst you are there, we would really appreciate a 5* review, as this helps other people find our podcast! Show notes Top tips • Energy use – 08:00 • Material efficiency – 16:13 • Accountability and B corporations – 22:00 Books Doughnut Economics – Seven ways to think like a 21st century economist Green Swans – The coming boom in regenerative capitalism The Ecology of Commerce Links Certified B Corporation – “Certified B Corporations are a new kind of business that balances purpose and profit. They are legally required to consider the impact of their decisions on their workers, customers, suppliers, community, and the environment” United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – “an urgent call for action by all countries – developed and developing – in a global partnership.”

This year we were wondering what would be an amusing thing we could do to raise some money for Children in Need? Fancy Dress? Jokes? Forfeits? All amusing, but not quite enough… so we decided that sending some Directors to work on our IT help desk would be far more amusing, for everyone else. So this Friday, the average age of the helpdesk team  will rise considerably due to our new additions, Kevin and James! It must be said that both are no strangers to providing helpful and friendly IT support and advice, but it also must be said that they were fairly well acquainted with Windows 95 and computer mice with actual roller balls inside. So if you call us this Friday, please do be aware, that the (older)newbies may pick up the phone or your support ticket, please be gentle! If either one of them tries the old “switch it off, switch it on again” trick be sure to report them to their line manager! Of course we are very grateful to Kevin and James for getting in to the spirit of things, so if you could spare a few pounds for Children in Need, it would  be greatly received. Please do click here to use our Justgiving link if possible.