Member News

We have amazing news! Three company pledges of £250 so far!!  Norwich Puppet Theatre is delighted to announce 3 companies have pledged to support our newly launched Passport to Puppetry Scheme. Thank you:

• Fosters Solicitors
• Osiris Technologies
• Misternic management consultants

Could your company be the next to help us achieve the critical mass of 10 pledges for just £250? Why would your company want to help this Christmas?

Many young people live in financially restricted households or difficult circumstances, unable to afford access to creative cultural experiences which can greatly improve children’s health and well-being, sense of aspiration and ambition.  With help from Norfolk Chamber of Commerce we are inviting local businesses to support the first wave of a new fund enabling Passports to Puppetry.  How it will work:

• Companies and individuals donate to our Passport Fund.
• The Passport fund will support the work of Norwich Puppet theatre and allow us to offer Passports to children, enabling them to share and enjoy the wonderful world of puppetry.
• 10 donations of just £250 will enable us to launch with 25 passports allowing access to 4 show and workshop events at Norwich Puppet Theatre at no cost to their families, growing to 40 or 50 next year.

Passports will be issued to a child, family or group most in need of some smiles and will be valid for 1 year. Choosing from the exciting and vast array of performances and workshops in our public programme, each passport holder, with an accompanying adult, will have the opportunity to journey into the magical world of puppetry. We are working with leading local charities and services to set up safe and secure connections between the families with children we aim to benefit and ourselves – Break, Benjamin Foundation, Nelson’s Journey and others. Chair of trustees, Nic Hopkins said, “Sponsorship will give children access to enjoyable, exciting and inspirational creative and cultural activities for free. Our supporters will make a major contribution the overall costs to make all this additional access to smiles happen.  Our partners will help us link to the right children and families and help us manage these sensitive relationships really well.” “Sponsors will share in the opportunities to use stories of involvement in Passport to Puppetry in their own publicity.  At the same time this scheme will help Norwich Puppet Theatre provide meaningful and enriching experiences for everyone.” Contact our lovely team via info@puppettheatre.co.uk or 01603 515564 to discuss Passport to Puppetry further. Find out What’s On this month and over the festive season at Norwich Puppet Theatre: https://www.puppettheatre.co.uk/whats-on We are always keen to welcome partners to a guided tour of our amazing venue to tell them more about our work and a range of ways to get involved!  We welcome all ideas about how companies and individuals might like to support or get involved with Norwich Puppet Theatre, one of Norwich’s treasured cultural gems.

Pure is proud to be one of only a few recruitment agencies to use competency-based interviews to assess potential candidates as standard. We see it as best practice because it brings significant benefits to helping us make great matches for our clients and candidates.

Our senior recruitment consultant Claire Bush recently shared her expert insight on using competency-based techniques at a breakfast session for HR professionals. Here’s just some of the ways in which it can make employers feel more confident and informed when making hiring decisions and some top tips for putting this approach into practice.

What are competency-based interviews?

Competencies are the personal characteristics which can contribute to outstanding, rather than average, performance in a particular job. They are the soft skills and personality traits such as communication, enthusiasm, teamwork, decision making and resilience – all of which can be hard to identify or measure.

Competency-based interviews, also known as structured or behavioural interviews, are used to help discover these transferable skillsets within candidates and how their abilities, behaviours and mindset could impact on their effectiveness in the role. The interview is set out to include questions which specifically target a particular skill or competency relevant to the role and the candidate is asked to share an example of how they used or demonstrated that particular competency in the past.

Why use this interview approach?

Competency based interviewing helps you to see beyond the candidates who just talk or look the part and provides a specific set of answers which can form the basis of a profile to measure candidates against each other. Asking candidates to share past examples of where they have demonstrated a particular competency, such as teamwork or resilience, is a strong predictor of their future behaviour in similar situations. It is far more factual than asking candidates hypothetical questions about what they might do if they were faced with a possible scenario. 

This approach also helps to prevent unconscious bias by taking away some of the subjectivity of a more traditional, biographical interview. It supports interviewers to stay open-minded, listen throughout, and not to be overly influenced by initial first impressions. For example, some candidates can come across very confident in an interview setting, but this doesn’t mean they are confident overall. If confidence is a particular competency you are looking for, it is important to delve deeper. The person you may have perceived as being a little subdued could be the one who provides the best example of when they have confidently challenged authority to influence a positive outcome. Whereas someone who had struck you as being full of confidence may not be able to give any examples at all. 

Our top tips

If you are looking to include competency-based interviewing as part of your recruitment process, here are some of our top tips:

• Don’t try and cover too much in one interview. Pick two or three competencies to ask about based on what is most relevant to the role and having read through the candidate’s CV.
• Remember it is good practice to explain to the candidate how the interview will be structured, and to tell them that you will be including questions which will ask them for specific examples of when they have demonstrated the competencies required.
• Do let the candidate know that you will be writing notes while they are giving their answers, so they know what to expect and don’t think that you are ignoring them.
• When you ask a competency question, give the candidate space to think. Reassure them that it is fine if they need time to think of an example.
• Make sure you give the candidate plenty of opportunity to talk. The purpose is to gain evidence from the candidate, so they should be doing most of the talking.
• Continue to ask questions to help elicit the most relevant information. As well describing the situation and their actions, you want to entice from the candidate the final outcome or impact. Prompt them with questions such as what happened next? What did they say as a result? What feedback did you get from the team?
• If a candidate really struggles to find an example, don’t leave them squirming. Move on to another question and come back to it later.

For more information about competency-based interviewing or support in finding the right candidate for a role, contact your local Pure office. 

One of the fantastic members of Norfolk Chambers of Commerce has flexible office space to let in NR1.

• Co-working office space
• 1 – 4 people
• Flexible competitive terms
• All-inclusive price
• Air conditioning
• Access to meeting room
• Few minutes’ walk to city centre
• Onsite parking available
• Shared facilities & kitchen
• 24-hour access to the building

A city-centre building with services including air conditioning, a shared kitchen and meeting room. Easy access to the inner ring road and links to all main arterial routes. Norwich bus station within 5 minutes-walk and 15 minutes Norwich to railway station. Flexible terms available in a variety of configurations to suit different occupiers. Suitable for 1 to 4 people – a small business or individual workers who need a desk. Car parking. Guide Price £375 + VAT per person/desk per month. For any enquiries and prices please call 01603 664665

“You can’t have one tiny sector of society designing everybody else’s world – it’s just not right. A plurality of views adds to the complex wonder that makes up our world”

Hannah Wooller is an Architect and the Managing Director of Norwich-based practice Hudson Architects.

I was deeply inspired by Hannah as she joined the practice. Her drive and determination were unmatched and she was a fantastic teacher. She always had time to listen to me and support me as an RIBA Part 2 graduate.

In a profession that is struggling to find ways to enable women to progress into management, Hannah is one of the many outstanding female architects that are shaking off traditional societal norms. These brilliant people are finding concrete solutions to enable women to thrive and to succeed in this difficult profession.

Unfortunately though, architecture (and the wider professions that design, procure and build our environments) have much more work to do to address these imbalances. And it isn’t just gender equality that needs to be improved. Diversity, ethnicity and social mobility (as Hannah discusses) also need to be addressed.

The AJ (Architect’s Journal) have made positive steps forward with their Women in Architecture programme and awards, but practices do need to take accountability for their brilliant people. They must ensure policies are in place to balance equality and diversity in the workplace.

The architects I know are some of the most talented, driven and passionate people on the planet. I was very grateful for Hannah taking the time to speak to me and for continuing to inspire me.

November 5th 2019

The Validation Centre (TVC) Ltd are delighted to welcome Jurgen Riemeijer to the company who joined us on 1 November 2019 as our Business Development Manager.

Jurgen will be based in The Netherlands and the experience he brings to this new role will be of immense benefit to the company and our international development. We wish him all the best and look forward to working closely with Jurgen over the coming weeks!

We are hosting a Cyber Security Conference at The Forum in Norwich this December, giving you the chance to hear from industry experts as to how you can overcome security challenges.

Our aim is to educate, not to create fear. We want to help you better understand why IT Security is a problem and issue for everyone in your organisation and how you can help your people to help keep you secure.

We have lined up a couple of fantastic speakers for the event and it will culminate in a Q&A panel where you can pose your questions.

But, to help us tailor the event I would love it if you could give me some feedback on how you feel about IT security and any questions you’d really like us to answer.

Thanks for your help.

To take part in this survey, please click here

AFI KLM E&M subsidiary is delighted to announce the signing of airframe maintenance contract extension with West Atlantic UK Limited.

Paris, Amstelveen, Norwich, 4th November 2019 – KLM UK Engineering are pleased to announce a further extension to its airframe heavy maintenance contract with West Atlantic UK Limited on their Boeing 737 Freighter fleet.  

Peter van der Horst, Managing Director commented: “We are delighted that West Atlantic UK Ltd have decided to continue to extend their heavy maintenance contract with KLM UK Engineering, we have been supporting West Atlantic UK Ltd for a number of years and look forward to continuing to work together in the future.”

Nigel Hiorns, Managing Director West Atlantic UK Ltd said: “Having been a customer of KLM UK Engineering’s for a number of years now, we are very pleased to announce the continuation of this working relationship and look forward to our fleet continuing its maintenance programme at the KLM UK Engineering facilities.”

About West Atlantic UK Ltd

West Atlantic UK Ltd is part of the West Atlantic/Swiftair group which is one of the largest European cargo operators with customers throughout EU. The UK airline operates a fleet of 23 Boeing 737-300 & 400 and -800 freighter aircraft and was the launch customer for the 737-800BCF (Boeing Converted Freighter).

The energy sector is undergoing a seismic shift as it reacts to the UK Government’s plans to be a net zero producer of greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.  With this in mind, SNS2020 will showcase presentations, speeches, meet the buyer sessions and workshops from industry leaders on the decarbonisation of the energy sector.

Simon Gray CEO East of England Energy Group, outlines why this theme was the obvious choice for SNS2020:

“This ambitious target will have far-reaching consequences for energy producers, long-term investment plans, supply chain engagement and the skills required for the next generation of energy producers. At SNS2020, we’re asking what effect these changes will have in the East of England, nationally and in the global energy markets.

As public opinion converges on the importance of decarbonisation, we are at a pivotal moment where real change is coming. With the East of England’s diverse energy mix, this region is at the very heart of these challenges – we will be spearheading the transition.”

On April 22nd and 23rd at the Norfolk Showground Arena, SNS2020 will showcase the latest developments and insights from leading businesses, politicians, industry leaders and futurologists as well as energy producers, their supply chain, skills providers, stakeholders and financial institutions.

For over fifty years, the East of England has been a volume producer of nuclear power and offshore gas. Over 50% of the entire UK’s offshore wind capacity is now installed off the East Anglian coast, cementing its place as a cornerstone of the UK’s energy networks for the next fifty years. This also puts the East of England at the heart of the solution to decarbonisation by 2050.

Decisions made following SNS2020 will have far-reaching consequences to the energy transition process for producers and the supply chain at large. The value of the East of England’s energy sector is estimated to reach £59.4bn by 2040. Tackling the challenges of decarbonisation head on whilst nurturing this valuable contributor to the UK economy requires fresh approaches and new technologies.

SNS2020’s speakers will be examining the potential for advances in the Southern North Sea gas basin, looking at opportunities including tight gas, gas-to-wire, power-to-gas and platform electrification. Also being investigated will be; possibilities for brown, blue and green hydrogen production, carbon capture and storage, the role of nuclear generation and the prospects for new nuclear projects in the region. With collaboration at the forefront, how can these sectors work together; are there economies of scale and can supply chains diversify to support these emerging technologies?

These questions and their solutions will be accompanied by passionate debate, industry presentations, panel sessions, workshops, breakout gatherings and one-to-one meet the buyer opportunities. SNS2020 will be the pivotal conference and exhibition for businesses leaders mapping the road to 2050 and its impact on their businesses and lives.

EEEGR invites anyone who wishes to participate as a speaker to visit https://www.eeegr.com/events/sns2020/?preview_id=18467&preview_nonce=255ff23468&preview=true and complete application form.

A local accountancy firm says medium and large private sector companies must be ready for new off-payroll working rules which come into effect from 6 April 2020.  

The same ruling was applied to the public sector in 2017 and now, to boost the objectives of the original IR35 legislation, HMRC is casting its net wider to the private sector.

Two decades ago, IR35 legislation was introduced to ensure that suppliers – working through intermediaries or personal services companies (PSCs) – paid similar levels of tax and National Insurance contributions to those paid by employees of the end user.   

The objective is still the same but, from 6 April 2020, responsibility for working out whether the rules apply will shift from the PSC to the end client and, where they do, the fee payer must deduct tax and National Insurance from payments made to the worker’s PSC.

If the end client is a small private sector organisation, the existing IR35 rules apply.  A private sector organisation is not small if at least two of the following apply:

   •  turnover of more than £10.2 million    •  balance sheet total of more than £5.1 million    •  more than 50 employees.

Samantha Melton, certified chartered accountant at Mapus-Smith & Lemmon, says many of the firm’s clients will be affected by this new ruling. “We are working with a number of clients to make sure they are ready for the new rules.  It is important to identify individuals within current workforces who are supplying their services through personal service companies and to determine whether the off-payroll rules will apply for any contracts that extend beyond 6 April 2020.  “Equally important to remember is that the underlying rules as to whether a worker is employed or self-employed have not changed and that these rules are still aimed at combatting disguised employment. Equally, workers should consider whether it is worth remaining off-payroll.” For help regarding these complexities and any other accounting queries, please contact Samantha Melton on 01366 383300.

Holidaymakers looking to fly from Norwich Airport for travel convenience have a new Mediterranean sunshine destination for Summer 2020. Antalya on Turkey’s Turquoise Coast is now among 20-plus direct international and domestic routes available from the airport.

Antalya runs from May to October through TUI , which is also introducing new 10 and 11 night holidays to Dalaman in Turkey, providing more duration options for customers. On the domestic front, Loganair is launching flights to the Atlantic surf resort of Newquay, Cornwall, from April to October.

Details of flights from Norwich Airport, which saw just over 543,900 passengers go through the terminal over 12 months to March 31, are now available in the Fly Norwich 2020 preview. Countries reached from Norwich include Bulgaria (Buglaria), Cyprus (Paphos), Greece (Corfu, Crete, Rhodes), Italy (Bergamo), Netherlands (Amsterdam), Spain – Balearics (Ibiza, Majorca, Menorca), Spain – Canaries (Tenerife), Turkey (Antalya and Dalaman) and, in the UK, Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Guernsey, Jersey, Manchester and Newquay.

From Amsterdam and Manchester, travellers have onward connectivity to more than 700 destinations around the world. There is also Lapland, an Arctic Experience and the Northern Lights. Loganair (domestic) and TUI (international) are the principal airlines at Norwich Airport, which is owned and operated by Regional & City Airports (RCA), part of Rigby Group plc.

Richard Pace, Managing Director, Norwich Airport, said: “Backed by RCA’s proven commercial and operational expertise, commitment to success is enabling us to connect East Anglia to many domestic, European and intercontinental destinations, providing essential links for holidaymakers and business.

“The Fly Norwich 2020 preview has the exciting new additions of Antalya and Newquay, along with the new 10 and 11 night holidays to Dalaman, ringing in the new decade.

“We are often told by passengers that they much prefer the convenience of their doorstep airport compared to the London airports, and we are proud to serve a catchment area of nearly 2.3 million people.

“Our economic input is also a proud one; we have 274 staff and support – directly and indirectly – 1,240 jobs, with approximately £70 million contributed to the local economy.”

He added: “There are routes which passengers, understandably, tell us they would like to see on Fly Norwich. Through RCA’s route development team, we talk with airlines and travel operators about what flights would attract sustainable customer demand.”

Norwich Airport is also a key hub for the southern North Sea offshore oil, gas and wind power industry, with nearly 96,000 passengers a year travelling offshore. Bristow, NHV and CHC are offshore helicopter operators at Norwich, with latest annual movements totalling 16,171, a figure indicative of the scale of activity as shift crews are flown to oil and gas installations and wind farms.

Nearly 4GW of offshore wind power is operational off the east of England, accounting for more than half of the UK’s current 7.5GW installed capacity. This figure is reportedly set to grow substantially, with Norfolk and Suffolk regarded as the epicentre for green energy production in the country. RCA, the UK’s leading regional airport operator in terms of scale and operation, also owns and operates Bournemouth, Coventry and Exeter airports and holds management contracts for Blackpool, City of Derry and Solent airports. XLR Executive Jet Centres, the growing fixed base operator business with operations at Bournemouth Airport, Birmingham, Liverpool and Exeter, are also operated by RCA.

Attleborough-based renewable heating company Finn Geotherm, has beaten off stiff national competition to win a prestigious award for its heat pump project at 17th century Raynham Hall near Fakenham.

Finn Geotherm won Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) Initiative of the Year in the Heating & Ventilating Review (HVR) Awards 2019. The awards have been championing innovation, excellence and achievement across the heating and ventilating industry for the past ten years and the HVAC Initiative category saw Finn Geotherm competing as the only installer alongside national heating manufacturers. Finn Geotherm was presented with the award for its ground source heat pump installation at Grade 1 Listed property Raynham Hall to replace its old and ineffective oil boiler.

Built in 1621, Raynham Hall is a spectacular property set in 5,000 acres. It is lived in by Charles, the 8th Marquess Townshend, who inherited the property in 2010. At £36,000, the annual heating bill was too expensive and the boiler desperately needed to be upgraded. Finn Geotherm specified and installed a ground source heat pump which has cut heating costs at Raynham Hall by 64%. The amount of energy consumed has been reduced by 72.6%.

Guy Ransom, commercial director at Finn Geotherm said: “We are absolutely delighted to have won this HVR Award for an installation which has made such a difference at Raynham Hall. Raynham Hall is an ideal illustration of the massive impact a heat pump can have in heating properties of any age or size. Heat pumps are so often overlooked as there is still the misconception that all homes must have a good Energy Performance Certificate rating or high levels of insulation installed for a ground or air source system to work effectively. This is simply not the case, as the installation at Raynham Hall proves. We hope that through initiatives such as these prestigious awards, we can encourage more people to consider heat pumps as a viable solution in the transition from fossil fuelled heating and the desperate need to cut carbon emissions.”

Continuing its awards success, this week Finn Geotherm has been announced as a finalist in the National ACR & Heat Pump Awards for its project at Raynham Hall, plus a heating scheme installed for housing association Flagship Group and the title of Installer of the Year. Winners of the National ACR & Heat Pump Awards will be awarded on 23rd January.

For more information on Finn Geotherm, visit www.finn-geotherm.co.uk 

Two night package now bookable for January, February and March 2020

The Norfolk Mead will be your cosy, luxurious base for exploring the unspoilt, wild beauty of both the Broads National Park and the Norfolk coastline.  Arrive on a Monday and relax in the the grounds of The Norfolk Mead. Enjoy Tea and Scones in our Lounge or Bar in front of our open fires. Indulge in a two course evening A la Carte dinner in our two Rosette AA awarded Restaurant, followed by a relaxing stay in a Deluxe room. Rise and shine on Tuesday for breakfast. After breakfast enjoy your tour presented by the amazing Helen Storer, Norfolk Photography Tours. Finish the day back at The Norfolk Mead with another relaxing two course dinner whilst you ponder the sights and delights you have captured on your photography day. Check out of your room on the Wednesday after enjoying a full A la Carte breakfast.  During the winter months, the landscape is stunningly fresh and bewitching. Following your photographic adventures, warm up by the fire and enjoy a delicious and innovative meal at The Norfolk Mead, made with the best local ingredients. Explore the unique surroundings of Norfolk through a lens. Package priced at £690.00 for two guests. Contact the team at The Norfolk Mead for more information on 01603 737 531 or via info@norfolkmead.co.uk.  Available to book for January, February and March 2020. Please note: Own transport required for the tour. Location maps will be provided.