Member News

After an accident left her disabled, Laura Remblance took to crocheting to cope. She has now turned her hobby into a full-time, fully-fledged business thanks to MENTA’s free business skills training. Laura, founder of Lovingly Handmade Crochet, was nervous about starting a business. She creates lifelike ‘plushy’ cuddly toy versions of people’s pets. The plush toys are also purchased as memorial gifts after a pet has died. The 30-year-old didn’t know whether her hobby-turned-business venture would work. With health concerns and little idea of how to start a business, Laura decided to try MENTA’s start-up workshops as her initial approach to setting up had been directionless. She says, “The three, free courses and great business advice gave me confidence, knowing my unique products would sell, I could establish myself as a sole trader.” MENTA’s friendly business advisers inspired Laura to take her business seriously, without being overbearing in their approach. “Because of my disability, I am sensitive to criticism,” Laura says. “A put-down would have been a shut-down to my business. But this was not the case.” Alex Till, CEO of MENTA comments, “It is fantastic to hear such a success story developing from our business workshops. More than 500 people based in Suffolk and Norfolk have completed the 12 hours of start-up training and 270 have started their enterprises. The Start Right, start-up programme (which is unaffected by Brexit), is funded by the European Regional Development Fund.” Fiancée, Riccardo Veronese left work to care for Laura and as the demand for plushies grew, Riccardo took up his own crochet hook. He is now an integral part of this start-up which has expanded, selling via online platforms such as notonthehighstreet.com where the products reach a wider range of potential customers. The plushies take from 50, to 60 hours to complete and each one is unique with clients providing photographs of their pets as reference for Laura and Riccardo. As well as the plushy range, Laura sells other products that focus on inclusivity and diversity. These include bespoke, crocheted dolls and toys made to order as keepsakes. Despite her collection of crochet figures, Laura’s pet plushies are central to the heart of the business. For more details regarding MENTA’s free business skills training, dates and locations across Suffolk and Norfolk visit www.menta.org.uk and the start-up page or call 01284 760206. Lovingly Handmade Crochet can be found at www.lovinglyhandmadecrochet.co.uk

David Holliday of The Norfolk Brewhouse, recent winners of North Norfolk District Council, Best Small Business Award, will be speaking at Coffee Means Business, a monthly business to business event.

The relaxed and informal networking session will take place on Tuesday 16th April at the Prince of Wales Stand, Fakenham Racecourse and is open to all business people to attend.

David is a firm believer in the importance of collaborating with other businesses. One of the key ingredients in The Norfolk Brewhouse beers and lagers is Norfolk Maris Otter barley from Norfolk maltster, Crisp Maltings. The brewery has recently worked with another local business, Black Shuck Gin.

This month’s Coffee Means Business is organised by MENTA and GENIX in collaboration with Norfolk Chambers of Commerce and is supported by North Norfolk District Council.

Leanne Castle of MENTA said, “I encourage business owners, freelancers and the self employed to give Coffee Means Business a try. It’s a great opportunity to meet other, like-minded people over coffee and biscuits. Delegates comment on the friendliness and easy format of the mornings as they’re the ideal place to make new business contacts.”

Coffee Means Business is held from 9.30am until 11.30am, there are no membership or joining fees, just £5 per person, payable on arrival. Booking isn’t essential. North Norfolk District Council commissioned MENTA and GENIX in 2016 to organise and host Coffee Means Business in the north Norfolk area. They could see a need for a regular networking opportunity for businesses which didn’t involve expensive membership fees.

For more details regarding Coffee Means Business go to www.www.menta.org.uk or call 0800 096 3013.

The Government has issued guidance for business regarding metrology ( weights and measures) and product safety in the event of a no- deal Brexit.

Businesses should be aware of the guidance if they are involved in these areas.

Professional recruitment specialists Pure hosted its annual Norwich charity quiz night on Thursday 21st March, bringing local businesses and clients together for a battle of the brains which raised over £2,000 for Age UK Norfolk.

The fun evening, which has become renowned for its playful rivalry between local organisations, saw 27 teams take part to pit their wits against each other and to be crowned 2019 quiz champions. The teams included people from Booja-Booja, Shorthose Russell and Aquaterra Energy Ltd. The overall winners were a team from Norfolk Community Health & Care who were presented with a bottle of Champagne each. 

The event, held at the Mercure Hotel in Norwich, also included the annual raffle to help raise further funds. Prizes were donated by local businesses including BrewDog Norwich, Norwich Theatre Royal and Titchwell Manor Hotel. Wensum Tailoring also kindly donated a bespoke suit which raised £400 on the night.

Tom Earl, Director of Pure’s Norwich Office, said: “Our annual charity quiz is one of the main fundraising activities we hold as part of our commitment to supporting and taking part in the communities that surround us. It’s a fantastic way for local businesses to come together, support a good cause and to have fun at the same time. We are delighted to have been able to raise such a fantastic amount for this charity and the money will go towards providing life-enhancing services and vital support to people in later life. I would like to thank everyone that attended, donated and contributed generously to the event.”

Age UK Norfolk is an independent local charity dedicated to helping everyone make the most of life. The charity has over 70 years’ experience in supporting older people and their families living in Norfolk and providing services to inspire, enable and support older people. Its relationship with other Age UK charities enables it to share knowledge and expertise but Age UK Norfolk relies on local fundraising to provide its vital services across the county.

The funds raised were secured through the entry fee for each team, with the full amount being donated to the charity, and through the raffle of prizes donated by local organisations.

Northampton, Newcastle and Sheffield South-based TaxAssist Accountants franchises have recently celebrated this landmark anniversary.

The TaxAssist Accountants franchise has been operating successfully in the UK for 24 years. Three of its longest standing franchises, who recognised the potential of the business model in the very early days of the franchise’s inception, are now celebrating a milestone anniversary after becoming firmly established in their local small business communities.

Brother and Sister franchisees Keith and Katherine Loader’s Northampton-based practice has grown into a team of eight and has been operating from a shop in the town since 2008.

“Over the years the business has successfully navigated its way through many changes within the industry” said Keith.

“Recent years have seen the development of many cloud-based bookkeeping software packages, and numerous applications for tablets and smart phones. TaxAssist Accountants has partnered with companies such as QuickBooks Online, to find solutions to prepare its clients for these industry enhancements and for the next big challenge, Making Tax Digital.

“With the industry constantly changing, every small business should have the support and backup of an accountant like TaxAssist Accountants. I would like to thank the Directors and all of the staff at the Support Centre for their help and assistance over the last 20 years.”

Newcastle-based David Ingram is also full of praise for the franchise: “I’ve had a fantastic journey with TaxAssist Accountants since being made redundant and deciding to do something independently and suitable to my skills. 

“From the very first moment, I was impressed with the team at TaxAssist and the way they operated the franchise as a kind of family. There have been many changes of personnel over the years, but that family feel has stayed. At all times I have been very happy being a part of the franchise and look forward to many more happy years!”

Karl Sandall, Group Chief Executive, said: “My congratulations go to the three franchises celebrating 20 years of successfully operating their TaxAssist Accountants practices. The franchise and the accountancy industry in general have developed enormously over this time, and it is reassuring to hear that stalwarts of the network remain happy and engaged in continuing to develop their practices with us. More than 1/3 of the network has been with us for 10 years or more, and the longest serving franchisee at present has been with us over 22 years – a testament to our brand presence, training and support.”

The third franchise celebrating 20 years with TaxAssist Accountants is Sheffield South, operated by business partners Tim Cook and Robin Milnes.  

This case study shows how a situation as difficult as the death of a colleague can be a catalyst for positive change. Import Export Support (IES) have been working with Johnson Controls in Great Yarmouth for a couple of years and I hope other Norfolk businesses will find their story useful. Johnson Controls are a global leader in automated control systems and their Great Yarmouth facility designs and builds fire suppression systems. This means managing imports of components and chemicals from the EU, US and China and exporting systems around the globe.

1. What was the issue?     For many years, all the firm’s imports and exports at Great Yarmouth were the sole responsibility of one employee. However in 2016 his untimely passing at a young age not only had a devastating impact on his fellow colleagues but created a huge problem for the business, as no-one else knew his systems 2. What’s the solution?     IES were recommended to step in to fill the gap left by this tragedy, and our first job was to keep the company’s imports and exports moving.  Next, IES MD Tracey Renshaw set about identifying ways to improve processes and strategy. With the appointment of John Huxtable as Manufacturing Operations Director in 2017 things began to change. John says “I could see straight away that if the company didn’t make changes, the financial impact could be very great”.  Working with Tracey, the company have drawn up a long-term plan which includes new staff responsibilities and applying for customs authorisations including Inward Processing, Customs Warehouse, Customs Freight Simplified Procedures (CFSP) and Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) status. Tracey recommended appointing a Customs Controller to be the link between HMRC, management, internal departments and external companies. Reporting in to the Controller are the teams from purchasing, warehousing, engineering, shipping and sales who now have fully documented supply chain processes. John says “We needed a customs structure in place, not just one person” John and Tracey have also worked on plans for Brexit. Britain’s place in world trade is still unknown, but as John says “We’re well ahead of many other companies – we’ve got Tracey to thank for that”. 3. Did it work?     New processes to accurately classify products can potentially save a business hundreds of thousands of pounds and the opportunity to cut costs has been seized. John Huxtable says there are “Significant improvements in efficiency for the business. Tracey has done a really good job in this respect”. The risk associated with having one person running all Johnson Controls imports and exports has been mitigated. The company now has documented processes and the structure is embedded into the daily business activities, bringing clarity to the supply chain, streamlining processes, improving efficiency and reducing costs.   For more case studies, visit the Import Export Support site If you have question for Tracey Renshaw, click here

Despite the last century’s closure of the county’s iconic breweries, Norfolk has well and truly bounced back. There are now 44 breweries in the county, and a further 27 in neighbouring Suffolk.

A spate of recent awards has confirmed the status of the region as one of the nation’s top beer locales.

Brian Finnerty of the National Farmers’ Union, East Anglia said: “The best beers require the best ingredients and we are right in the heart of the best barley-growing region in the world. That’s where the beer supply chain starts.”

1. The inspirational Dawn Leeder won Imbibe’s Innovator of the Year. She and Phil Cutter of the Murderers co-founded Norwich City of Ale and have developed it into a leading force in the beer and pub world.
2. At the North Norfolk Business Awards, the maltsters Crisp scooped the award for business growth, having developed their support and service to craft brewers, making them into valued advisors as well as suppliers. By way of further testament, of the 33 winners at SIBA’s national Beer Awards, 20 of the breweries use Crisp’s malt.
3. At the North Norfolk Business Awards, Norfolk Brewhouse won the small business category, and a few weeks later a silver at the SIBA’s national Beer Awards. Then to add to its tally of success, the Hindringham brewery has just been named East of England Co-op’s Producer of the Year.
4. Lacons’ recent triumph was the winning of Champion Winter Beer of Britain for its Audit Ale. The award is from the Campaign for Real Ale.
5. Wolf Brewery was another winner at SIBA’s national Beer Awards, taking home a gold for ‘Sirius Dog Star’.
6. Green Jack Brewing also did well at SIBA’s national Beer Awards – winning a bronze medal for ‘Lurcher’.
7. At the International Brewing Awards Woodforde’s went for gold with ‘Volt’ 

“It’s widely acknowledged that cereal growers in our region produce the finest quality barley, including the celebrated Maris Otter variety,” said Brian.

“The East of England remains a centre for this crucial crop, thanks to its combination of soil composition, climate and farming expertise. This ensures that barley grown here meets the exacting standards of maltsters such as Crisp.”

Much of the barley malted by Crisp is on the company’s historic floor maltings. The malt is then used by the region’s brewers to produce exceptional beers.

Adrian Dyter, managing director of Crisp says, “The 200 plus farmers who supply us are – literally and figuratively – true experts in their fields. The quality of grain they produce allows us to create exceptional malts. In the hands of skilled craft brewers, these result in beers packed with flavour and character.

“We are so very lucky to have City of Ale to showcase the amazing beers brewed in the area. The ten-day celebration has had a big impact over the years, inspiring many other city-wide beer festivals, and earning well-deserved recognition for Dawn and Phil. They were the first to create a city-wide beer festival back in 2011 – and the event has gone from strength to strength.”

All of the recent award-winners will be at the City of Ale launch on Thursday 23rd May celebrating the excellent ales that they have – in some measure – helped to bring to pub-goers. City of Ale runs from 23rd May to 2nd June, with nearly 50 pubs taking part, running events, being part of the Ale Trails, and serving the region’s fabulous beers.  

Tidy desk, tidy mind, may not be an ancient adage, but nor is it an old wives’ tale that a cluttered workspace affects productivity and therefore has a negative impact on profitability. If your desk resembles a landfill site, here are our top five reasons for decluttering:

Make a good impression

It’s not just your bosses who will notice if your desk always looks like you just emptied your bin over it, your colleagues will too. Technology company , Brother UK, carried out a Workplace Organisation Survey, where they quizzed more than 2,000 UK office workers to uncover the effect that a disorganised desk can have on everyday life. 20% of professionals surveyed said that a workmate’s messy space had a negative impact on how much they were able to get done in their working day. Untidiness can affect people’s perception of you; 40% of the office workers Brother talked to said that they thought a messy desk must mean that their workmate was disorganised, and, when it comes to their perception of junior colleagues, the stat shot up to 75%. That’s bad news for those just starting out in their career who want to make a good impression on their team but just can’t seem to keep their clutter under control.

Look after your health

Many of Brother’s survey-takers admitted that their messy desk negatively affected their mood, with 31% saying it increased their stress and a massive 49% that it changed the way they felt about going to work each day. But it’s not just mental health that suffers. Workplace equipment can be 400 times dirtier than the average toilet seat, and if your desk is covered in clutter, you or a contract cleaner is going to have to move everything to clean it properly and remove all those lurking germs.

Work more efficiently

If your desk is in a mess, it stands to reason that you are going to struggle to find things. Whether that’s a memory stick, a specific file or maybe just your pen, every minute you spend looking for items isn’t just an unproductive minute, it’s also a distraction that interrupts your train of thought. You’re also more likely to flit from one task to another if there are reminders spread all over your workspace. Just as a plethora of open tabs on your PC will send you off on more tangents than you will find at a geometry convention, so will an abundance of paperwork or Post-it notes.

Save money

It’s easy for stuff to get lost when it’s buried amongst a tonne of junk. One in five of those surveyed told Brother they’d misplaced something of value thanks to their disorganised workspace, with 17% losing an item worth somewhere between £50 and £200. Proof that being messy can be an expensive business!

Get that promotion

30% of Brother’s survey-takers said they believe that a tidy desk is part and parcel of presenting a professional image at work, and one in ten bosses admitted that a messy workspace could well make them think twice about promoting one of their employees. So, if you’re hoping to scale the career ladder or get a raise, it may be time to de-clutter.

Embrace a clear desk policy and spend the last five minutes of your workday tidying away those files. You’ll start the next day more positively, you’ll stay healthy, and you may even get promoted!

To find out more about our daily office cleans and other contract cleaning services call us on 01206215300.

The Group’s credit review reflects strong operating margins and solid financial management practices.

Credit Agency Moody’s has issued Flagship with a A2 (stable) Credit Rating in its latest report, published 20 March. The review highlights the Group’s strengths of strong operating margins, simple corporate structure and a strong regulatory framework.

The Group were awarded the joint highest qualitive score for financial management amongst all Moody’s UK rated housing associations (HAs). “Flagship’s governance continues to remain a key strength, and this is reflected in the score card. The Group benefits from its steady and long-term growth plan. Its prudent business planning assumptions and robust multi-variant stress testing also demonstrate good governance, whilst effective management has led to a continued reduction in both voids and arrears”, Moody’s said.

Flagship’s strong operating margin of 42% puts it among the most profitable entities in the credit agency’s portfolio of HAs. The Group is also expecting to make efficiency savings related to the recent merger with Victory Housing Trust, with an estimated cost reduction of £16million over the next five years.

Chief Financial Officer at Flagship, David Armstrong is delighted with the results and says: “This is a great platform to support our goal of solving the housing crisis in the East of England”.

A leading regional accountancy and business advisory firm has been awarded Platinum Partner status by cloud accounting platform Xero.

Larking Gowen, which has offices throughout Norfolk and Suffolk, now has Platinum status for both Xero and QuickBooks, which was awarded last year.

Martin Bugg, of Larking Gowen, said the status on both platforms is awarded for a high volume of clients using the software. As a result, the firm has invested in making sure its team is fully trained to assist clients using either software.

“We have now reached the highest service level for the two top products in the market, which means that our clients can have the confidence that we’ve got a team of people who can help them with Xero and QuickBooks,” he said.

“We can provide continuity for those firms which are already using this software. Otherwise getting your company data onto the packages can be straightforward with our help.”

By 1 April 2019, most VAT registered businesses in the UK must submit VAT digitally. Other businesses need to do so by 1 April 2020.

Mr Bugg said: “Although Making Tax Digital is mandatory for VAT registered businesses, there are a number of advantages. Business owners can have a greater understanding of their day-to-day financial status, with instant access from any form of device which makes timely decision making easier.

“It also means your record-keeping is more robust, and ensures all expenditure is recorded in real time.

“Our advisors will start by getting a clear understanding of your business, and then recommending the most appropriate software. Once you are set up we can support you with regular checks to ensure the correct information is going into the system.”

Larking Gowen also provides “bolt-on” packages such as Chaser, which is an automatic credit control system, and Receipt Bank for receipt management.

“Because of the access Making Tax Digital gives a business owner to real time financial status, it connects well with our business advisory service to help create more efficiencies and well-informed decisions,” said Mr Bugg.

For more information, please call Martin Bugg on 0330 024 0888 or visit www.larking-gowen.co.uk

Whilst away on business in the Netherlands, Leon Davies was inspired to create his zero-emission Taxi Company. Working as an offshore oil and gas technician, the importance of using a sustainable, renewable energy source is integral to his business philosophy.

Using his own renewable energy from Zero’s own solar panels and storage batteries he brought the concept of 100% electric and zero emissions to Norwich.

Leon’s company is going strength to strength, with a nomination from the Norwich & Norfolk eco awards in the small/medium business category – the awards ceremony is this Thursday and we wish him and his amazing team every success for the nomination and his growing business!

www.zerotaxis.com

Abate Pest Management Services of Morley near Wymondham has been crowned the Small Company of the Year at the British Pest Management Awards (BPMA). The awards ceremony took place last week during PestEx, the UK’s largest trade exhibition and conference for the pest control industry, held at London ExCeL. Abate Pest Management was shortlisted for the award along with five other UK pest control companies.

Abate Pest Management Services celebrates its 20th year of operations next month and recently they achieved EN 16636 CEPA certification, which is the European quality standard for pest management services. This was added to their triple ISO for quality and environmental and accreditations with CHAS and Safe Contractor for health and safety.

The company also operates to BRC, M&S, Tesco, SALSA, Soil Association, Organic and Red Tractor standards, which allows the business to service food grade operations.

During the past 12 months, Abate has seen a significant uplift in contracts, especially businesses within the food chain, Housing Associations and delivered a number of specific bird proofing projects. Like most pest control businesses, the summer of 2018 influenced growth in the domestic market with a record number of wasp nest emergency call outs.

Recently Abate also announced their UK franchising plans to build a network of Pest Management operations throughout the UK. Currently they service clients in Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire and have operational work in parts of Essex, Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire, making it an ideal time to expand.

Jon Blake, Managing Director of Abate, said, “We are delighted to have won this award which was independently judged by a select panel of industry experts. The 20 years of hard work has paid off and we are looking forward to our continued future growth. It doesn’t happen without a team and I am proud of everyone at Abate, especially my wife Jill who has supported and encouraged me to succeed.”