Member News

Freebridge Community Housing Fund doubles donations to West Norfolk groups hit by Covid-19.   Freebridge has agreed grants double the amount normally paid out to local community groups and organisations in West Norfolk to mark the 10th anniversary of its Community Fund.   Thirteen projects across West Norfolk have benefitted from grants this year, with each being awarded amounts up to £1000.   This year Freebridge raised the amount available to the fund to £10,000, double the £5000 that is normally offered, to mark the fact that they’ve been providing this money to groups for a decade.   The fund gives local groups the opportunity to apply for the money to support community and voluntary activities that meet the needs of the community within West Norfolk.   The final decision on which groups are awarded the grants is made by a panel of Freebridge tenants and employees.   The panel specifically aims to support groups that: • Promoting health and wellbeing, • Tackling disadvantage, • Supporting local solutions to local needs, • Promoting community cohesion, • Developing sustainable and supportive communities, and • Improving the environment.   This year, the successful projects that will be funded include the provision of additional Covid-19 safety equipment to allow Access, a group that supports migrants across east Anglia, to plan for re-opening their office and restarting face to face appointments.   Supporting Family Action to continue providing allotment sessions at the Discovery Centre for people with mental health concerns or learning disabilities.   And covering the cost of additional training on domestic violence, substance misuse and wellbeing for those working at the Pandora Project.   One of the groups getting support is the Wells Community Hospital Trust. They will use the money to provide transport for people to get to their Fun & Forgetfulness sessions which are for people living with dementia, memory loss and cognitive disorders, their carers and families and people who are isolated or experiencing loneliness. Many of their visitors come from nearby villages such as Docking, Brancaster and Burnham Market.   Samantha Taylor, General Manager, said: “We serve a rural population with a higher than average percentage of older citizens and low-income families, many adversely affected by the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. Affordable, accessible, safe and reliable transport is essential for our community if they are to be able to access the opportunities they need to live well for longer.”   Freebridge Chief Executive, Anita Jones, said: “Freebridge is committed to supporting community groups across West Norfolk and the fact that we’ve now been doing this for 10 years is something we are very proud of. Over the years we’ve helped many groups across the area and since the fund began back in 2010 have provided over £50,000 in grants to them. “These groups make a real difference to the lives of our tenants and the wider community and we know that this year, perhaps more than ever before, they may need an extra helping hand.”

Following the results of The State of Content Survey 2019, which provided a fascinating insight into public attitudes towards content, Method Marketing has launched an updated question set for 2020.

The first survey, which kicked off in August 2019, was designed to find out how people felt about the quality of written content across a range of platforms.

Covering topics such as spelling, punctuation and grammar, the survey investigated the impact of textual errors on consumer trust and spending behaviours.

The 2020 question set will reveal whether attitudes have changed over the past year, as well as the potential impact of Covid-19 on content marketing in 2021.

Take a look at 2019’s results

Says Method Marketing founder Lucy Mowatt: “Last year’s results gave us a great insight into people’s feelings towards content.

“The majority of respondents said they would be less likely to spend money with an organisation that has mistakes on its website, especially those that operate in the education, financial services or legal sectors. This has obvious ramifications for sales and profitability. We want to know if the trend holds true in 2020.

“This year, we’re also asking marketing professionals whether investment in content marketing will change in the light of coronavirus. We want to understand the potential impact of the pandemic and recession on the discipline.”

Take part in the survey here.

The Franchise Marketing Awards announcement follows TaxAssist being shortlisted for the Franchisor of the Year accolade.

The Franchise Marketing Awards shortlist, which celebrates exemplary marketing support within the franchise industry, has recognised the proven and comprehensive marketing package which TaxAssist Accountants provides to its franchisees.

This includes initial sales and marketing training, TV and digital advertising, a national lead generation service, national and local social media activity, local marketing advice and planning, a centralised email service and guides for pricing and profitability among many other initiatives.

As the coronavirus pandemic took hold, the TaxAssist Support Centre team were quick to provide additional support and an enhanced service, working tirelessly to ensure every franchisee had the resources they needed to effectively communicate with and assist their clients through the crisis.

This has included a COVID-19 Business Support Hub on the website to share news, articles, Q&As, videos and webinars, timely and increased social media posts and client guides covering key Government announcements and more than one million emails in total sent to clients from the centralised mailing system.

James Mattam, Group Business Development Director, said: “We’re delighted that our marketing initiatives and COVID-19 support measures have been recognised by the Franchise Marketing Awards and testament to the hard work put in by our team at the Support Centre, who work so effectively to assist our network of franchisees and, in turn, their clients.

“The coronavirus pandemic has been completely unprecedented, and the Board of Directors made a bold decision in April to pause the national marketing payments required from the franchisee network for three months. As a franchisor, we have contributed more than £200,000 directly into the national marketing budget to protect the network from any potential downturn and keep the advertising momentum going.

“The extra work that was put in during the lockdown has already started to generate a huge amount of brand loyalty from our client base. This has developed new advocates for our brand who are recommending our services by sharing their experience of how we’ve helped them through these challenging times.

“All of this activity has generated over 5,100 qualified inbound leads this year and we were able to sign up more than 500 new clients during the height of the ‘lockdown’ period from March to May. On top of this, our entire network sales for June have resulted in a year-to-date increase of 4% over 2019, demonstrating the resilience of the TaxAssist franchise model and our strong culture to support our network no matter what happens.”

TaxAssist Accountants will be competing with 11 other well-known franchise brands in the category before a judging panel of industry experts, with the winner announced at The National Franchise Virtual Exhibition on Friday 2nd October 2020.

If you are interested in finding out more about TaxAssist Accountants, monthly Virtual Discovery Days are being held, where you can spend a day with the team to find out more about the business opportunity and support on offer. Click here for more information

British food processing equipment manufacturer Fabcon Food Systems has marked its fifth anniversary after growing internationally and securing contracts with over 100 customers.

Fabcon Food Systems was officially founded in September 2015 by industry expert Trevor Howard and food engineering specialist Andrew Peek – with the pair having worked together for several years on various global food processing contracts.

The firm, which is headquartered in Norwich, has since built a team of 25 specialists designing and supplying bespoke British-built fryers, distribution systems and seasoning lines to food manufacturers in over 20 countries and continents including the UK, mainland Europe, the Middle East, Australia and Africa.

They have also become well known for their energy-efficient batch and pellet fryer designs which, along with their product handling systems, have helped accelerate the Fabcon order book.

Trevor Howard, managing director of Fabcon Food Systems said: “To be celebrating our fifth anniversary is an incredibly proud moment not only for myself, but for the whole team here at Fabcon.

“We have worked incredibly hard behind the scenes to deliver the British-built machinery and systems manufacturers want, and to promote and market ourselves in every corner of the world.

“I am also delighted with our growth and how we have built our credentials with customers in the snacks, fresh, chilled, frozen, confectionary and pet food industries. That shows our machinery and track record has been noticed, is trusted, and can provide solutions for so many.

“We want to build on our successes over the next five years as we continue to maintain our reputation, expand further, and keep delivering designs which will help all food producers to operate efficiently and innovatively.”

In 2008, Fabcon was also recognised for its growth across several international markets by winning the International Expansion of the Year Award at the Barclays Entrepreneurs Awards.

Anglian Water are delighted to invite you to one of our regional stakeholder engagement events on Thursday 15th October 10:00-11:30. 

We will be facilitating a discussion with senior stakeholders from a range of organisations and government on how we collectively deliver the post-Covid levelling up agenda, sustainable investment and support for our vulnerable customers in the East of England.

As a supplier of a vital public service, Anglian Water are guided by our Purpose to bring environmental and social prosperity to the region we serve through our commitment to Love Every Drop.  Our priorities throughout the coronavirus crisis have been to keep water flowing to our customers, to protect and support our employees and to offer help and advice, as we have always done, to customers in financial difficulties.  However, as we look ahead as the nation starts to build back in recovery from COVID-19, it is important to discuss our collective priorities for the region and look forward to hearing your views.

The events are 90 minutes and will be hosted on Zoom to enable round table discussions and dialogue.  We will share our investment plans for your area and are keen to hear on how you would like to be involved going forward as we embark on developing our next business plan.

Please RSVP here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/116381477131

If you are unable to attend the event most relevant to your area, or have any further questions then please get in touch at public.affairs@anglianwater.co.uk and we can arrange for you to attend on an alternative date. 

BDH Tullford is delighted to announce that its new range of fun face shields is now available to order.

Made at the company’s facilities in the heart of Norwich, they’re designed to make PPE feel less alien to children as lockdown conditions continue to lift. Available in a range of designs, BDH Tullford can deliver visors to addresses across the UK. 

Since the beginning of lockdown, BDH Tullford’s teams have focused on helping clients across the UK adapt to new ways of working while keeping their teams and customers safe.

The company very quickly started supplying masks to the NHS and the introduction of themed visors are a natural next step. From dentists and opticians to shops and restaurants, the themed visor is a simple way to soften the appearance of PPE by adding some fun graphics.

Made from a single sheet of clear plastic attached to a head band, the themed face visors are:

• Lightweight: They’re just a few grams heavier than their Economy Face Shields.

• Hygienic: As a single sheet of plastic, there are no joins or edges to harbour germs.

• Branded: You can add your company logo to the headband.

• Cost-effective: Get in touch for a quote.  

Says Director James Fox: “We’re delighted to introduce themed face visors to our range. Many of us at BDH Tullford have children who dislike the appearance of PPE, so we wanted to find a solution to the problem. These new visors are a fun, simple and inexpensive way to make children feel welcome and safe in a range of environments.”

Call BDH Tullford on 01603 620780 to place your order.

Charlie Walker has opened a new walk-in small business tax and accountancy shop on 129 High Street in Huntingdon, to operate alongside his existing one in Bedford.

Charlie Walker, like all TaxAssist Accountants, has been incredibly busy over the last six months, helping his over 200 clients to navigate their way through the coronavirus pandemic. However, keen to continue with his planned expansion, he has now opened his second shop in Huntingdon. “It really was the perfect shop in the perfect location and will provide the ideal environment for me to meet with potential and existing clients,” explains Charlie.

“Both of my shops are open for clients to walk-in and we provide hand sanitiser, wear masks and have installed protective screens for face-to-face client meetings, although we also offer telephone and online meetings for those clients that would prefer this method at this time. Our aim is to be as flexible and helpful as possible. Do get in contact if you’d like a free initial consultation.” Charlie is looking positively on the future for his and his clients’ businesses. “Clearly the pandemic has caused a huge global shock, but with my services very much in demand, I believe now is the right time to expand, so that more businesses can benefit from our expertise.”

Knowing that there is a desperate need for guidance and support right now, Charlie recently jumped at the chance when he was offered his own monthly, one-hour radio show on Huntingdon Community Radio after a number of appearances as a business contributor on BBC Three Counties Radio last year. He hopes to have a local business section, as well as a national business update and special guests each month. The show is due to begin in the Autumn. “I’m passionate about helping the businesses in my area and I’m looking forward to having the opportunity to offer the benefits of my business and accountancy experience, face-to-face, online and now via the air waves!”

If you are interested in finding out more, Charlie’s website is www.taxassist.co.uk/Huntingdon

Staff safety solution Safepoint has announced its new partnership with the Anglia Farmer Group (AF Group) – the UK’s leading farmer-owned buying group – to offer a tech-based safety solution to protect their members working within the farming sector.

Supported by Comm-Tech, a leading supplier of business communications, who are assisting with the sales and support, members who will now be able to sign up to Safepoint’s service directly through their AF Group account.

Michael Simnett, Communications Projects Lead for the AF Group, says:

“We have been looking for a system that gives farm owners and farm managers the ability to look out for the welfare of their staff, especially during tasks undertaken whilst working alone. Mental health and farm safety are key areas within the farming industry with owners looking out for the wellbeing of their staff. The Safepoint system is very user friendly, easy to navigate and a perfect for all types of memberships of our AF members”.

This month also sees the launch of Safepoint’s GuardianPlus service providing a dedicated 24/7 emergency response team on hand to manage any emergency situations for those businesses that have signed up to the plan. Based in East Anglia, Safepoint’s GuardianPlus Response Centre is a fully accredited state-of-the-art monitoring and alarm receiving centre (ARC), manned by a team of highly skilled and qualified experts, trained to deal with emergency situations.

Callum Coombes, CEO, says:

“Our goal at Safepoint is to make protecting your staff so easy and accessible that there’s no reason not to do it. Up until this point, businesses were responding to emergency alerts internally when using Safepoint, so we wanted to take this responsibility off their hands. This makes 24/7/365 real-time staff protection as easy as just downloading an app to your phone, there’s really nothing else that you have to do”.

Since 2019, Safepoint has successfully raised nearly £300,000 of investment with new funding secured this round through SFC Capital, University of East Anglia and New Anglia Capital. Officially launching a year ago. Safepoint’s innovative technology has helped hundreds of workers stay safe across a number of sectors including agriculture, health & social care, property and offshore / shipping.

For more information about Safepoint visit www.safepointapp.com

One small step for your organic order, one giant step for Goodery

July was a BIG month for Goodery as we took a huge leap forward in our journey with a new fulfilment centre. Exciting times – we wanted to share how it all came about.

We did it!

On the 20th July 2020, Goodery started up in a commercial unit in north Norwich. This followed a six-week sprint to find a suitable location, and then procure and assemble the essentials for our new fulfilment centre. It began with us striking lucky in meeting Jerry Fuller from Dencora, a commercial property company who like to see startups get going. So, we got a great deal in the leasehold and set to work getting the other things we needed in place.  

Setting-up a fulfilment centre in record time is a bit like doing a jigsaw against the clock, where the pieces are not only unfamiliar but there is no exact picture to fit them to. Everything we did was visualised on a piece of paper, checked against the physical dimensions of the available space and estimated to give us a starting shot at the best layout to optimise the processes we would encounter once we started running.

Keeping your organic fruit and vegetables fresh

The first major piece to be designed was our cold room. This is a critical part of our infrastructure and it took a few iterations to get a layout. Again, we were very fortunate to work with Darren Page from Coldlink to resolve the design.  Our cold room is now big enough to accommodate 4 pallets-full of produce as well as shelving for loose goods and have an overall footprint that allowed easy access from other parts of the operation. Those parts include a goods-in area, goods-out area, box storage, wholefoods storage, packing area, coffee area and office. Yes, we built an office in there too, in three days!

Getting the basics right – always focused on sustainability

There was also the need to rewire the electrical mains distribution board to accommodate our requirements which will include charging points for our soon to be delivered electric delivery vans. Yes, Goodery is living up to its aim to do zero emission ‘last mile’ deliveries to all our customers. We’d like to give a big thanks to all those that helped us get there including the great service offered to us by all the trades we employed, including DJ Electrical, AFR Plumbing and L&S Ceilings and Partitions.  

We searched the country for the things we needed and made a roadtrip to collect them from places like Kings Lynn and Coventry just to save time. In all, there were about 100 pieces of the jigsaw that had to fit together as seamlessly as possible to achieve our targets.

Let’s grow together

In other words, we are working to become as efficient as possible in order to deliver the freshest organic food in the most affordable way to our customers. We hope you are as excited as we are about doing all this in an ecologically positive way and we look forward to a collaboration that also builds a resilient local economy.

Martin Murray has opened a new walk-in tax and accountancy shop on 7 Memorial Road in Walkden, Worsley.

FCCA-qualified Martin Murray has been incredibly busy over the past six months assisting clients with furloughing claims, grant applications and advice from his home. He is now pleased to advise that he has opened a new TaxAssist Accountants shop servicing the Manchester, Bury, Salford and Wigan areas.

Martin explains: “It’s been challenging to finalise the shop fit out during the COVID-19 pandemic, but it looks fantastic and I’m pleased to be able to welcome new and existing clients to the shop, which is in a central location with parking close by.

“We provide a comprehensive tax, accountancy and advisory service and can talk through a range of software solutions to help clients select the right package for their needs.

“In the shop we provide hand sanitiser and wear masks for face-to-face client meetings, although we also offer telephone and online meetings for those clients that would prefer this method at this time. I’d encourage anyone interested in finding out more about our services to contact us for a free initial consultation.”

A COVID-19 hub has been created on the TaxAssist website with all of the latest news and guidance, and clients are kept up-to-date via text messages, emails and webinars, explaining the latest government announcements and how it affects them.

For more information about Martin’s services, visit his website https://www.taxassist.co.uk/walkden

Register your place here!

In this week’s episode James and Mark consider what differentiates great businesses from good businesses. In their usual informal but informative style they come up with 3 valuable tips drawn from the likes of Gary Player, Sir Clive Woodward and Roy Keane, whilst Mark confesses to a mild case of Tsundoku. 

Listen here, or download on Apple Podcasts!