Member News

 LAST CHANCE TO Enter the Clean & Green Awards 2024! 

East Anglia Clean & Green Awards sponsored by UEA 

Are you making a positive impact on the environment? The Clean & Green Awards is your opportunity to showcase your sustainability efforts and be recognized for driving change in East Anglia.

We’re looking for individuals, businesses, and organizations who are leading the way in sustainability, whether through energy innovation, circular economy practices, biodiversity protection, or reducing carbon emissions.

Categories include:
 Energy Innovation Award
 Circular & Recycling Award
 Sustainable Workplace of the Year
 Net Zero Award
 Biodiversity Protection Award
 Educational Trailblazer Award
 Game Changer Award
 Community Champion of the Year

+ many more….

This is your chance to celebrate your achievements and inspire others to take action for a greener, more sustainable future.

 Submit your entry today at and join the movement for positive change. Entries Close Sunday 15th December!

#CleanAndGreenAwards #Sustainability #GreenInnovation #EastAnglia #EnvironmentalLeadership #BeTheChange

This year, we’re taking the stress out of the season and wrapping Christmas up in the most festive competition of the year: Win Christmas! 

With over £2,500 worth of prizes, this incredible giveaway has everything you need to make your festive season magical. From luxurious gifts and Christmas essentials to memorable experiences and indulgent treats, our Win Christmas prize bundle features products and experiences from every corner of our store. 

What’s in the Prize?   

Our Christmas bundle is designed to cover every festive need – minus the turkey! For a sneak peek at what you could win and how to enter, click here 

As a proud member of the Norfolk Chamber of Commerce, enjoy an exclusive discount of up to £200 on a range of premium travel services when you book by 1st March 2025 (T&C apply). Whether you’re planning a dream getaway, a guided tour, or a special event, I’m here to make it stress-free and unforgettable.

From flights and accommodation to cruises, attraction tickets, and tailor-made holidays, every detail is covered with the personal touch you deserve. As an ABTA Bonded & ATOL Protected travel specialist, your peace of mind is my top priority. Book now and take advantage of easy payment options like Direct Debit.

Contact:

Phone: 01760 357004

Mobile/WhatsApp: 07599 954810

Email: yana@explorertravelholidays.co.uk

Website: yana.explorertravelholidays.co.uk

Social: Yana at Explorer Travel Holidays on Facebook | Boryana Fishlock on LinkedIn

It’s a heart-breaking truth that one in ten children endure sexual abuse, a suffering they should never have to face. You have the power to make a difference by sponsoring a room, providing a safe haven where we can offer support to help them navigate their trauma and reclaim their childhood.

What your sponsorship includes:

• Your company name and logo will be displayed on a plaque in the room
• You will receive a sponsorship certificate to display in your office
• Updates on the projects over the next two years which are shareable on social media, mailings, newsletters and company communications
• VIP invitation to our open day this summer
• Opportunity for 3 members of your team to join us for the painting day
• Your company name and logo to be featured on the website
• Social media exposure including a sponsor feature post
• Half price to renew your sponsorship in two years’ time

2 Year sponsorship for £750

We’re thrilled to announce our new space within a supportive community hub! Once a historic family residence, it’s now part of a collective of charities and social enterprises. This move allows Brave Futures to expand our vital support for young survivors of sexual abuse. We’ve chosen a tree theme to represent our connection to nature and community, with each name holding a unique meaning that reflects the work we do.

Rooms that are available for sponsorship are:

Maple which represents strength

Magnolia which represents healing

For more Information Please contact rachael@bravefutures.org 

In November 2023, Jarrolds & Sons Limited, more commonly known in the retail space for its award winning department store in the heart of Norwich, took a step into the world of logistics and joined the UK’s largest independent parcel delivery network, The APC, and from there, Jarrolds Logistics was born.

Jarrolds & Sons Limited is a privately owned business that was established in Suffolk in 1770, before moving to Norwich in 1823. Originally famous for its department stores, over the years, Jarrolds has expanded its business empire and now comprises retail, property, training, marketing and business services and more recently, logistics.

Jarrolds embraced the opportunity to acquire local business, RDM Distribution Limited, which had been a part of the APC delivery network for over 20 years, after seeing that The APC’s core values and the focus on quality and service aligned with the Jarrolds & Sons brand.

The delivery firm services local businesses within the NR postcode area, and has retained all employees from its previous owner who have already built strong relationships with customers in the local area.

Tom Burdett, Group Director of Finance and Strategic Operations said: “We knew we didn’t want to miss an opportunity to be a part of the UK’s largest independent delivery network whose core values aligned so perfectly with ours. The focus on quality and customer service that The APC has was a really key point for us in making our first move into the logistics space.”

Providing a complete customer experience.

The acquisition was the start of Jarrolds’ investment into logistics solutions, focused on providing a high quality e-commerce service throughout the entire customer journey.

The brand continues to grow from strength to strength, and has been recognised in a number of prestigious awards including being awarded the Outstanding Achievement Award at EDP Business Awards and Best Independent Department Store at the Drapers Independent Awards 2024.

The firm’s revenues are now stronger than pre-Covid, in spite of the challenges the high street and the wider retail sector is facing, a point that Jarrold’s puts down to the continued loyalty they have built with customers over the years.

Jarrolds Logistics has already begun to invest in expanding and redeveloping its warehouse, which will enable the business to offer warehousing and fulfilment services to new and existing customers, in addition to its next day delivery offering.

Tom commented: “We wanted to enhance our offer to customers and provide a complete end-to-end service from warehousing and fulfilment, offering retail space in our stores and e-commerce space on our website, to delivering the product during the final mile to consumers. Our customers can feel confident knowing they are receiving the quality of service they know and love throughout the whole customer journey.”

Giving local SMEs a national presence

In addition to the many service offerings under the Jarrolds & Sons portfolio, the business is also committed to supporting the local community and local SME businesses.

Throughout the year, Jarrolds hosts business community events; welcoming guest speakers, hosting panel discussions and opening miniature markets, inviting suppliers, corporate customers and local entrepreneurs in and around Norfolk, giving people the opportunity to network with fellow local businesses and showcase their products.

As part of Jarrolds’ ongoing commitment to nurturing Norfolk’s SME business community, it also announced the launch of the Jarrolds Growth Fund earlier this year, investing in a number of local businesses. The fund will be available again in 2025, with a launch date to be announced soon.

Jonathan Smith, Chief Executive at The APC, said: “Welcoming Jarrolds Logistics into The APC network last year made perfect sense. Our shared values and commitment to supporting and championing SME businesses across the UK – offering them a unique and accessible national network that connects them to opportunities and helps drive their growth and success – is, and always will be, in the core DNA of both our businesses.”

Find out more about Jarrolds Logistics: https://www.jarroldslogistics.co.uk/

In celebration of The Benjamin Foundation’s 30th anniversary, Johnny Bakewell, a Paramedic from Humbleyard GP Surgery, will row 3,000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean. Johnny will row for 12 hours a day in what will be an physical, and emotional, challenge.

The Benjamin Foundation works with young people across Norfolk & Suffolk who face significant barriers to their ability to thrive, and whose need for help is often hidden or ignored.

By donating to this challenge, you will have a positive impact on young people and help create stronger, empowered individuals who finally feel supported to overcome challenges in their own lives.

Donate here: https://www.justgiving.com/page/johnny-rows-forth

We’re running a Winter Appeal for our Breaking Barriers service, which works with children in the East of England who have a parent in prison (of which there are more than 190,000 in the UK).

Our practitioners help children who are going through a traumatic time and are often struggling in school, becoming detached from their remaining parent at home and exhibiting signs of stress and anxiety.

We give them ways to cope with the trauma and maintain their bonds with the parent in prison (which is also proven to help prevent the prisoner from reoffending when they are released).

It’s a really powerful service that has a huge impact on the children it works with – and is especially important at Christmas when children can really miss their mum or dad who is in prison.

Click here to find out more

We are delighted to announce that Watsons has been awarded the prestigious title of Lettings Agency of the Year 2024 at News on the Block’s  in London. Being honored with this national award highlights the expertise, professionalism and unwavering dedication of our lettings team in supporting landlords and tenants alike.  

Celebrating Excellence in Property Lettings

News on the Block’s Property Management Awards celebrates excellence in property management, highlighting companies in our industry that consistently provide outstanding service. To be acknowledged at this national stage is a privilege, reflecting the Watsons  unparalleled dedication to our clients.  

At Watsons, our letting agent team is at the core of our success. They ensure local landlords and investors can expect: 

Industry-recognised standards: we are long-term members of theand  showing our commitment to providing professional and knowledgeable service. 

Local market knowledge: with a track record in local letting agents and property managers, our regional expertise helps us to find landlords quality tenants fast. 

Stress-free services: we provide a complete service encompassing all aspects of residential lettings and property management, allowing landlords to relax whilst we maximise rental incoming. 

Legal protection: our property professionals are fully committed to compliance, offering peace of mind that both landlords and tenants are fully protected from existing legislation and any new legislation introduced. 

Winning Lettings Agency of the Year 2024 is a testament to the dedication and expertise of our entire team. This achievement reflects our commitment to professional property management and providing exceptional service to our clients, always striving for excellence in every aspect of what we do.

A Commitment to Our Clients 

Receiving this award reinforces our mission to remain a trusted partner for landlords and tenants across England.  

Landlords can rely on Watsons to manage their properties with the highest levels of efficiency and care, while tenants receive a professional and responsive service that meets their needs.  

Conclusion 

We extend our heartfelt thanks to News on the Block for this incredible recognition, to our team for their tireless efforts, and our clients for their ongoing trust in us to provide the support and expertise needed.  

Together, we look forward to another successful year of delivering outstanding property lettings services across the UK in 2025.  

Contact Our Team

Whether you’re letting your first property or seasoned investor, you can rely on Watsons to manage your property portfolio with excellence. For more information about our lettings services, contact us today: 

Lettings
18 Meridian Way, Meridian Business Park, Norwich, NR7 0TA
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Landmark city-centre venue, The Forum, has been working hard to boost its environmental credentials by working with local waste recycling company Anglian. Results from the first 12 months of the partnership have seen great progress with all waste being processed locally, achieving 71% recycling and 0% going to landfill.

Anglian bins to collect dry mixed recycling and general waste were put in last June, helping staff and visitors in The Forum to do their bit to ensure as much waste as possible can be recycled. A total of 24.98 tonnes of waste has been collected from The Forum in the past year, including four tonnes of food waste from within The Forum and Library offices. General waste and recycling collected by Anglian is sent for processing locally at its 10-acre licensed facility in Norfolk. Food waste is sent for anaerobic digestion at a nearby plant, which uses it to generate power for homes in South Norfolk.

Monthly reporting provided by Anglian has enabled The Forum to closely monitor and benchmark its progress. Looking ahead to the next 12 months, The Forum is keen to use these figures to further increase recycling rates as the partnership develops.

Built in 2001, The Forum has welcomed close to 25 million visitors and is home to one of the busiest libraries in the country. It is also a cultural hub, providing a whole host of free events every year.

Rowan Whiteside, marketing and communications manager at The Forum, said: “The Forum Trust is an independent, self-financing charity, which prioritises sustainability and is committed to reducing the environmental impact of the organisation. The partnership with Anglian has enabled us to be much more accountable with our waste – we can see where it’s going and what happens to it, as well as getting monthly reports on our recycling rates, and exploring opportunities to reduce our waste further. As a local organisation, we are pleased to be working with Anglian, a Norfolk-based supplier who processes our waste right here in the county.”

Jamie Parker, key account manager at Anglian Waste Recycling, said: “We are delighted to be working with The Forum as one of the city’s most popular venues, helping to manage their waste journey and doing our bit to support their sustainability goals.”

Alongside improving its waste recycling processes, The Forum is also undertaking a range of additional sustainability measures such as upgrading to LED lighting, which has already reduced energy use by 12.6%.

Anglian Waste Recycling offers a free waste audit for businesses looking to achieve their sustainability aims, reduce the impact of waste on the environment and save money. To find out more, see

2024 saw the launch of the East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices Business Circle. A membership that connects businesses across East Anglia to help support local children and their families.

Our members enjoyed events at Bedford Lodge in Newmarket, Royal Norwich, Porsche Centre where some took to the roads and test drove a Porsche, Mocktail Making at The Carpenters Arms in Cambridge, a beautiful evening with private garden tours at Helmingham Hall in Suffolk and our signature event our Business Supporter Supper at the Jockey Club Rooms. 

By joining the Business Circle your membership could help a Clinical Nurse Specialist provide expert nursing and symptom management care for 40 hours.

We are already looking forward to 2025 which is going to be another exciting year. For more details or to become a member please get in contact with the Corporate team at corporate@each.org.uk.

 represents teacher who secures a damages award in excess of £3/4m.

The Claimant, at the time of the accident, a 37 year old teacher sustained a concussive head injury from a falling object at work.

As a consequence she developed vestibular symptoms which included vertigo, occipital headache, photophobia, phonophobia, osmophobia, which satisfied the criteria for Migraine Variant Balance Disorder, Post Traumatic Migraine with vestibular symptoms and Benign Paraxysmal Positional Vertigo. The neuropsychologists in the case agreed that the Claimant’s symptoms would meet the criteria of Functional Neurological Disorder with anxiety and depression.

It was the Claimant’s case that she suffered a Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in a medically complex case involving experts in neurology, neuropsychiatry, neuropsychology and audio vestibular medicine.  The injury sustained prevented her return to work at the time of settlement, although there was some scope for further improvement. Whilst she had not returned to work at the point of settlement, employment experts (less regularly instructed these days) agreed that, after some further treatment, she had some residual earning capacity which the Claimant conceded at £16k pa.

The Defendant local authority funded rehabilitation through regular interim payments, although at the same time instructed surveillance operatives to film the Claimant over the course of the case. Whilst that evidence was underwhelming and in many ways favoured the Claimant’s case, once deployed it had a negative impact upon the Claimant’s mental health and response to rehabilitation efforts due to the perceived intrusion in her private life subsequent fear of being followed.

The Claimant underwent rigorous scrutiny from medical experts on both sides. The Defendant sought to undermine the Claimant’s credibility and their instructed neuropsychologist considered that the claimant met the criteria for a Probable Malingering Neurocognitive disorder, having exaggerated her symptoms and fabricated psychological dysfunction, notwithstanding the fact that that the Defendant’s own instructed Audio-Vestibular expert finding that there was an organic explanation for her symptoms. It is worth noting that the neuropsychologist was alone in his conclusions and whilst alluding dishonesty though disclosure of the reports and surveillance evidence were not so bold as to put forward a positive case that the Claimant was malingering.

The case concluded approximately 6 weeks before trial for a sum exceeding £ ¾ M including claims for future income based upon Ogden 8 principles and involving lost career progression as analysed by the employment experts.

When care proceedings are issued in the UK, a Children’s Guardian from(Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service) is appointed to represent the best interests of the child or children involved. This Guardian, independent of any local authority, family members, or other parties, works to ensure the child’s welfare is at the forefront throughout the legal process.

What Is a Children’s Guardian?

The primary role of a Children’s Guardian is to protect and advocate for the child’s best interests in care proceedings. Appointed by CAFCASS, they play an impartial role, offering an independent perspective distinct from the interests of local authorities, parents, or others involved. They investigate the child’s circumstances thoroughly, meeting with the child, parents, carers, social workers, and other relevant professionals.

Key Responsibilities of a Children’s Guardian

Children’s Guardians ensure that the child’s voice is heard and that the Court understands the child’s wishes and feelings, even if these differ from what others believe is best for the child. This includes:

• Meeting with the Child and Relevant Parties: Guardians engage with the child, parents, carers, social workers, and other professionals to gather comprehensive information about the child’s circumstances.
• Ensuring the Child’s Wishes and Feelings Are Represented: They make sure the Court understands the child’s preferences, even if the Guardian disagrees with the child’s desired outcome.
• Preparing a Report for the Court: This report includes the child’s wishes, the Guardian’s recommendations, and an assessment of whether the local authority’s proposed care plan is in the child’s best interests.

Legal Representation and Independent Advice

In certain cases, if a child has sufficient age and understanding, they may choose to instruct a solicitor independently. Hatch Brenner’s qualified Children Panel solicitors can represent both children and Guardians, offering specialised legal support in care proceedings to ensure that every child’s rights and welfare are thoroughly protected.

Recommendations to the Court

Based on their findings, Children’s Guardians may recommend specific court orders that they believe will best support the child’s welfare. These orders can include:

• Care Orders, Placement Orders, Supervision Orders, and Special Guardianship Orders: Guardians recommend these when they believe such orders are in the child’s best interests.
• Suggestions for Additional Family Support: They may advise for added support for the family or adjustments to the care plan if needed to meet the child’s needs.

How Hatch Brenner Supports Children and Guardians

At Hatch Brenner, our solicitors are qualified members of the , trained to represent children and Guardians in care proceedings. We are committed to ensuring that every child receives fair representation, and their rights and best interests are safeguarded.

Our expert work closely with Children’s Guardians to provide guidance through complex care proceedings, ensuring that the voices of children are heard, understood, and respected.