Member News

Digital Marketing Executive Wanted

Looking for an exciting challenge delivering highly effective digital marketing and playing a key role in a growing marketing agency?

We’re looking for a Digital Marketing Executive to join our talented and professional team.

Full Mix Marketing

Established in 2016, we’ve already delivered success for clients across many sectors and have gained a reputation for being one of the region’s most effective marketing agencies.

We deliver a full mix of marketing – from complete strategies and delivery, through to individual elements of digital, creative and offline marketing. We’re experiencing particular growth in digital services.

A Future50, RAR Recommended and IoD award-winning company, we’re looking for an enthusiastic individual who shares our passion for continually developing and delivering results.

The Role

Working alongside our directors and other specialists, you will help create and deliver digital marketing, including projects and long-term campaigns.

Depending on skills and experience, the role will include:

• PPC management – including paid search, display and social media ad campaigns
• SEO delivery – including analysis, structural improvements and fresh content
• Social media delivery – including planning campaigns and creating content
• Online performance tracking – including Google Analytics
• Contributing to website design – including design, build and user experience

Though a strong understanding of digital marketing is vital, you will receive support to develop your skills to provide online activities that create the strong results our clients expect.

Initially an Executive, you’ll have a genuine opportunity to quickly progress, help shape our future and share in our success.

The role is based in Cringleford in Norwich.

The Person

Essential

Experience delivering one or more elements of digital marketing

• Analytical, decisive and a confident communicator
• Well organised and able to effectively plan own workload
• Driven, dependable and keen to learn

Desirable

• Experience managing Google Ads and other PPC
• Thorough knowledge of SEO and Google Analytics
• Experience delivering social media
• Graphic design or copy writing skills
• Website design knowledge including WordPress, HTML and eCommerce platforms
• Business, marketing or digital qualifications (e.g. degree, CIM, Google Garage)

To apply, email info@fullmixmarketing.co.uk or visit https://www.reed.co.uk/jobs/digital-marketing-executive/36534841

Larking Gowen Corporate Transactions remain top of the league and have been ranked joint first in the latest report from Experian Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A).  The team have advised on twelve deals for the East of England making them one of two firms ranked as the most active financial advisors in the East of England.

James Lay, Partner at Larking Gowen and head of Corporate Transactions says,

“We’re absolutely delighted to feature prominently once again in the Experian Market IQ league tables for the volume of deals completed. These results demonstrate our high level of experience and expertise within our growing Corporate Transactions team.”

It is equally pleasing to see similar success across the seven other member firms in our national association, MHA, particularly MHA Broomfield Alexander and Tait Walker both ranking most active financial advisors in their respective regions of Wales and the North East of England. It just goes to show the strength in depth in terms of deal expertise and market intelligence that we’re able to call upon for the benefit of our clients.

You can read the full report here. 

Photo credit Sylvaine Poitau. Left to right; James Lay, Kate Baines, Ian Nelson, Matthew Laxton, Jack Minns  

Trading Standards are warning businesses in Norfolk about emails circulating claiming to be from ‘Companies House’. The email, with the title ‘Company Report’, says ‘We are aware that some of the charges you may have been expecting on September’s invoice are missing’ and that ‘It is expected that these charges will be shown on your next company report’ The email then offers a link to access ‘uploaded invoices/document related to your account’ These emails are not from Companies House and clicking on the link will attempt to download malicious software. You can report suspicious emails received to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or by using their online reporting tool. Sign up to Trading Standards business alerts at www.norfolk.gov.uk/business/trading-standards/scams

Orchard Toys celebrated their working relationship with Norfolk Industries by inviting their team for a tour and awards presentation to commend them on packing 100,000 units.

Norfolk Industries started working with Orchard Toys at the end of 2017 to help them out in their busy period with packing and making up product for their bestseller Shopping List game. The relationship has grown from strength to strength, with Orchard Toys’ Managing Director, Simon Newbery commenting:”It was very important for us to find a provider who can consistently deliver a high quality of service that matches our own standard of packing. Norfolk Industries have demonstrated their ability to do that and we hope that this acknowledgement of the 100,000th unit is the first of many milestones.”

Norfolk Industries help adults with a range of physical and mental disabilities across Norfolk to gain training and skills to prepare them for the world of work. This is all undertaken from their offices and factory in Norwich, which employs 7 members of full time staff as well as a team of 16 volunteers. Despite their relatively small team, the company have produced 100,000 Shopping List games in the first 9 months of 2018, as Orchard Toys gear up for the busy festive season.

Norfolk Industries Manager Sharon Tooke is thrilled with the experience employees have had packing for Orchard Toys: “There are so many benefits for our employees packing Shopping List. The tasks involved are repetitive and straightforward but also challenging enough so that people can share the workload and learn the full process step by step. For example, some of the employees have difficulty at first making up the boxes. To minimise frustration, we will move this task to someone else until they feel confident enough to take on a new challenge and responsibilities.”

As a company whose educational products (in particular Shopping List) benefit children with learning disabilities, Orchard Toys are proud to say that they are now also packed by adults with learning disabilities.

Following on from the success in previous years, Leeway Domestic Violence & Abuse Services will be launching their Christmas Campaign, collecting donations for those experiencing domestic abuse living in refuge and the community.

The charity currently has seven refuges across Norfolk, and many residents will have fled domestic abuse with very few personal belongings.

The aim of the campaign is to spread some festive cheer to some of the service users, allowing them to have an enjoyable Christmas.

Leeway have created a list of items that are accepting including toys and games, arts and craft materials, toiletries, and tins of biscuits and chocolates.

A full list of items can be found on our poster, but  are only able to accept gifts that are new, unopened and not gift wrapped, due to health and safety regulations. Any individual or business interested in fundraising for the charity is also welcome to get in touch.

There are a couple of drop-off points for people to deliver any donations to which include the Norfolk Chamber of Commerce Office, and the charity is very grateful for the support of the businesses and organisations that are supporting our campaign. Leeway had a fantastic response last year and are hopeful that the campaign will be just as well supported this year.

Mandy Proctor, Chief Executive of Leeway, said: “I’m always amazed at the amount of generous donations our Christmas Campaign receives from individuals, organisations and community groups. These donations, no matter how small, can help to put a smile on the faces of the women and children receiving support, both in our refuges and living in the community, at such a difficult time. Many of the women and children who stay at our refuges arrive with very little or nothing, so the smallest little gift can make all the difference for them.”

Based in Great Yarmouth, British Metal Treatments has more than 60 years experience in galvanising techniques and powder coating, working for multi-national engineering companies, power suppliers, local authorities and independent fabricators.

The management buyout enabled the existing managing director, David Cowley to buy the company from its owners; Camellia Plc. Camellia plc is an international group, with a global family of diverse companies with a 130-year heritage employing approximately 80,000 people worldwide. The management buyout enables David to continue running the business, which he has done for a number of years, and to build upon the company’s impressive history. As an important part of the supply chain to a number of sectors, the business has had good performances in recent years and with new opportunities, David is looking to capitalise further. 

Matthew Downing, a Partner at Spire and led the transaction said “It was great working with David on the acquisition. It is always good to see individuals that have run businesses for a number of years being rewarded for all their hard work and taking their first steps into ownership. David is relishing the challenge and we wish him the best of luck.”

David Cowley stated that “Matthew and the team at Spire were excellent. It was the first time I have been in this position and the team at Spire kept me well informed throughout the process and were proactive in ensuring the transaction got over the line. I am now really looking forward to taking the business forward and building on the great reputation it has already established”.

HSBC plc supported the transaction and, Lovewell Blake provided Corporate Finance advice through their Head of Corporate Finance, Matt Crawley. It was Matt who brought the deal together and David Cowley added “Matt’s advice was invaluable for me being able to do the deal in the first place; he supported me right from the beginning to the end. I am looking forward to continuing to work with Matt and the team at Lovewell Blake going forward”.

Matthew Downing led the team advising on the transaction. He was supported by Howard Bailey who advised on the Commercial Property aspects and Shaylie McKay, a Paralegal in the Corporate and Commercial team.

The voting for the PickYourselfUK Small Business Entrepreneur of the Year 2018 award starts today, I need to get as many clicks on my link as possible – I’d be really grateful if you could take a moment to click here: https://bit.ly/pippashaw Thank you!

The Maids Head Hotel in Tombland, Norwich, is staging a special dinner party hosted by ‘John Paston’ on Thursday, November 22, to mark the first mention of the the hotel’s name in a Paston letter dated November 22, 1472.

The evening will feature a three course dinner in the historic Oak Room, with medieval music from Hexachordia, readings from Paston Letters and contemporary poetry inspired by the Paston story. John Paston will also cut a special birthday cake.

Guests arrive at 7.30pm, with dinner served at 8pm and will be greeted by John Paston, performed by Rob Knee of the Paston Footprints Project and Paston Heritage Society, who will be master of ceremonies for the evening. Other costumed members of the Paston Heritage Society will be on hand to do the readings.

The letter, which mentions the Maids Head, will be read in full in middle English. Guests will hear John Paston advise: “if he tery at Norwyche ther whyls, it were best to sette hys horse at the Maydes Hedde.”

Tickets for this celebration of the Maids Head Hotel’s heritage and the Paston Footprints project cost £35, t. 01603 272007, events@maidsheadhotel.co.uk .

Christine Malcolm, General Manager, the Maids Head Hotel said: “We are proud of our heritage and are very pleased to be working with the Paston Footprints project to bring this special period in our history to life.”

The Maids Head Hotel’s site has a long history; initially the location of the first palace of Bishop Herbert de Losinga in the late 11th century, it became home to an inn called the Murtel Fish or Molde Fish Tavern, whose origins are lost in the mists of time. The first mention of the inn in Norwich records was in 1287, when the landlord, John de Ingham accused Robert the fowler of stealing goods. The Murtel Fish was an important inn, hosting Edward the Black Prince in the mid 14th century, after he had taken part in a jousting competition in Norwich.

The Paston letter of 1472 confirms that the name of the inn had changed to the Maids Head. The core of that 15th century inn stills exists. The hotel’s restaurant is located in the inn’s courtyard, and the Yard Bar and Best Beauty are in rooms which date from the period. Bedrooms above the old courtyard also date from the 15th century. 

Paston Footprints is a collaborative project between numerous local partner organisations, including the Paston Heritage Society, the University of East Anglia and the Norfolk Record Office. The Heritage Lottery funded three-year project is highlighting the remarkable story of the Paston family and the times they lived through. 

The contemporary poetry, which will be read at the Maids Head’s birthday,features in In the Footprints of the Pastons, a Paston Footprints book, which takes readers on a walk round Paston Norwich. The book is on sale at Jarrold Norwich.

Norwich, the county town of Norfolk, was until the Industrial Ages the second largest city in the UK, after London. While it can no longer claim second city status, it remains home to over 200,000 residents and has been declared one of the UK’s ‘Fast Growth Cities’. 

As one of the top 10 fastest-growing places in the UK, Norwich’s historic city centre is witnessing considerable development. A stand out project within this regeneration is Orbit Homes’ £70m development, St Anne’s Quarter.

Featuring 437 high quality apartments and houses, built in five phases of construction, the project’s developers required a durable waste water management system that would be cost-effective to install while also ensuring reliable performance for years to come. To meet the brief, drainage sub-contractors Flood & French worked with Wavin to develop a solution employing its HDPE range.

Expert solutions for multi-occupancy projects For the first phase of the project, involving 190 apartments, a drainage solution was required for a car parking area which would be able to withstand heavy vehicle traffic and unpredictable weather. With residents living in close-proximity over multiple floors, it was also crucial that the system could withstand frequent use without risk of failure. In addition, Flood & French needed to adhere to strict budgets and timescales, working quickly and efficiently to install the system.

While a cast iron system had originally been specified for the car park, Flood & French identified that Wavin’s HDPE range would offer a number of additional cost and performance benefits and enlisted the support of leading plumber’s merchant, Graham. A complete soil, waste and vent system of pipes and fittings, manufactured from high-density polyethylene, Wavin HDPE is a light-weight system which offers extraordinary chemical resistance in combination with a high flexibility level and great impact resistance.

Colin French, Director at Flood & French, explains: “One of the first challenges we faced was creating a drainage system that would be suitable for use in a busy car parking area. With the heavy traffic and vibrations this area would be impacted by, the project needed a strong, durable and flexible solution.

“We worked with Wavin to develop a technical submission proposing the use of its HDPE system. The range offers several benefits that made it particularly suitable for the car park area. For example, it’s ideal for assemblies subjected to vibration, as its elasticity gives the pipes a high impact strength. Temperature was also a key consideration in the partially exposed undercroft. In the cold winter months, we knew that HDPE would be able to withstand temperatures as low as -40°C and freezing of internal water.”

When it came to ensuring efficient and effective installation, the Wavin HDPE range also met the brief more effectively than cast iron. Colin French continues: “From an installation point of view, the project involved time and space limitations which meant we required a robust system that could be installed quickly. Wavin HDPE offered a range of benefits over the alternatives – from ease of transporting around site to flexibility in how we jointed the system.”

A key advantage of Wavin HDPE is that it can be welded (both by butt welding and with electrofusion joints), thereby providing a perfectly sealed system. The connection seals are quick-fit coupling and the expansion joint seals remain resistant to waste water. As the seals are produced from an elastomer, it guarantees sealing and durability even in extreme conditions. The light-weight nature of the system also means it can be more easily transported to and handled around site than cast iron alternatives.

The technical and design support offered by Wavin also ensured the effectiveness of the overall project. Wavin worked with the contractor to develop AutoCAD designs and a full Bill of Materials for all eight blocks of the project, to enable highly accurate product ordering and the minimisation of wastage.

Colin French continues: “The technical design support from Wavin has meant we’ve been able to be ultra-efficient with time, budget and space, while also providing a solution that will be robust for many years. As work progresses on the project, we’re continuing to work very closely with Wavin, which is helping us to deliver on time and within budget.”

Steve Skeldon, Product Manager for Above Ground Drainage, Wavin UK, said: “When working on developments that are restricted with regards to time, cost and sometimes space, the margins for any issues, delays or misunderstandings become very tight, but the end-user is always front of mind. Our HDPE range will providing long-lasting results that ensure residents benefit from durable and effective waste water solutions for years to come.”

For more information on choosing the best solutions for waste water management, visit: www.wavin.com/en-gb/Catalogue/Waste-water

If you have any questions please contact Neil King:

Neil King Technical Sales Manager – Above Ground

T: +44 1249 766600 M: +44 7966 333 628 E: neil.king@wavin.com  

M+A Partners is pleased to launch its fourth annual Owner Managed Business (OMB) Survey. The aim of our annual OMB survey is to canvass the opinion and sentiment of leaders and directors from owner managed businesses across our region.  This survey will take no longer than 8 minutes to complete, and all responses will be treated confidentially.  Following the close of the survey at 23.59 (GMT) on 21 December 2018, one respondent will be selected at random to receive a Jarrolds Traditional Christmas Hamper.   Click to take the OMB survey

The whole team at Tudor Lodge Consultants is thrilled to announce that we are working with North London based business Vapox, a boutique vape shop in London. Working across their digital presence, website design and Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) strategy, Vapox have a strong desire to move into the ‘vape’ market across London and the Home Counties.

Helping thousands of people quit smoking, kicking their nicotine habit, the Vape and e-cigarette industry has taken off in the UK over recent years, with Vapox a player in the market in North London and beyond.

What We are Doing

With the Vapox website being based on a custom-designed content management system (CMS), the challenges with the website vary from what may be expected with other websites. The initial challenges include needing to apply development and design knowledge to their custom-built website, whilst maintaining the cleanest and most effective SEO practise to propel the site up Google and other search engines.

We are therefore working on the following aspects of the Vapox website:

Website Speed – As an e-commerce website, users spend a great portion of their time browsing and reading up on specific products, making a purchase towards the end of their journey. Being able to browse the site unimpeded and with minimal effort is crucial to both leads as well as the SEO of the site, with Google favouring quicker, more responsive websites. We have worked to optimise the code of the website, reduce unnecessarily large file sizes and make the site much more mobile friendly, all of which are positively contributing to its overall speed and performance.

Meta Data – One of the fundamental and primary factors a website needs when it comes to SEO is its meta data, which includes each page’s meta title and meta description. Vapox previously had no meta data associated with any of its pages. We have therefore provided bespoke meta data to each and every page to ensure they and the site as a whole are crawled and therefore ranked properly and highly by search engines.

Brand Recognition and PR – In recent times, something that Google in particular have been very keen on is the building of a brand and the brand recognition a site receives. Hence, we have been working with numerous publications and online magazines within their industry to provide the Vapox brand and website with PR and publicity to increase its reach and presence online.

Online Targeting – With Vapox targeting a specific market, it has remained important throughout our work to target the right audiences and so we continue to conduct thorough, industry-specific keyword research to identify and then target the best areas for Vapox’s business.

Gnaw chocolate supports East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices as their Charity of the Year.

As part of their National Chocolate Week celebrations, Norfolk chocolate manufacturer, Gnaw has donated lots of yummy chocolate to EACH’s three hospices in Quidenham, Milton and at The Treehouse in Ipswich. 

Gnaw have chosen EACH as their Charity of the Year 2018-2019 and the chocolate donation seemed an obvious choice during Chocolate Week which runs from 15th – 21st October. 

“We take our role in our local community seriously and we like to get involved wherever possible. We receive many charitable requests a day, it became hard to keep up. We decided that if we focused our charitable giving to just one organisation, that we could do more for that charity”, explains Matt Legon, Gnaw’s Founder. “We have lots of exciting ideas of how we can support EACH and the families it supports in turn across the year”.

EACH provide vital care for children and young people with life-threatening conditions, and support for their families, across Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Essex.

EACH has outgrown their Quidenham hospice, in Norfolk and is now building the nook, a new facility which will transform children’s palliative care for the county. To make this vision a reality, EACH need to raise £10 million.

Sophie Mayes from EACH commented, “We’re delighted to be working closely with Gnaw this year; they’ve already given their support to a local team of climbers who completed the six highest peaks in the UK in just 20 hours (quite an achievement!) and this chocolate donation will be sure to raise smiles”.