Member News

Nine more business women have graduated from the highly successful Women’s Leadership Programme, run by professional recruitment specialists Pure to help support more women across Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and Cambridgeshire to develop their leadership style and progress on to more senior roles.

First established in 2014, Pure runs the Women’s Leadership Programme twice a year in conjunction with strategic HR consultancy People & Performance. It is designed to help organisations across the Eastern region to create a balanced talent pipeline and to ultimately achieve inclusive leadership at both executive and board level. This year’s programmes have coincided with the government announcing that the next review on improving female representation in leadership positionswill have an increased focus on getting more women into the senior managerial jobs below board level.

Lynn Walters, co-founder and director at Pure, said: “There has been a refreshing emphasis on people talking about increasing the number of female leaders, rather than just women on boards. This hasn’t just been from government ministers looking at large multinational organisations but also from many high-profile people in our region. For example, Richard Tunnicliffe, Director of CBI in the East, recently called on businesses of all shapes and sizes to look beyond boards and to help more women progress from entry-level to senior management positions. I completely agree. As a region, we need to take steps to build a pipeline of women progressing into leadership roles. This is the core reason we created this programme in the first place. Diversity is widely understood to be fundamental to the sustained growth of any business and having a more balanced talent pipeline will lead to increased future profits and help boost our regional economy.

“While it is fantastic that there are more female non-executive directors in the boardroom, the very nature of their roles makes it harder for them to be role models, as they are less visible within the organisation. This programme works with the organisation to develop inclusive talent and succession planning strategies, as well as removing any potential barriers or unconscious bias that could be preventing more women from progressing. It also supports women to become authentic and effective leaders.”

The latest business women to graduate from the Women’s Leadership Programme will join a growing alumni network of delegates, and their business sponsors, across the region. Research on the graduates from 2014 and 2015 showed that out of the 48 participants, over half have increased responsibilities within their existing role or have progressed on to more senior roles.

A special graduation event was held for the nine women at Swynford Manor in Newmarket on Thursday 10 November. The delegates and sponsors heard from guest speaker Jane Cooke, who up unto recently was HR Director of Abcam, and who has seen the organisation grow from around 50 to over 2,000 staff globally. She talked about maintaining an authentic approach, the importance of mentoring, and looking for opportunities to say yes to new projects and experiences.

Lynn Walters added: “Congratulations to all the latest graduates. I hope the programme will help them on their own personal journey to becoming some of the best business leaders of the future. I would also like to thank the employers who have sponsored our latest graduates. They are leading the way by taking proactive steps to develop their female talent and to examine their overall progression pipeline.”

The Women’s Leadership Programme includes four days of facilitated learning and two individual coaching sessions focused on building confidence and a plan, increasing strategic awareness and influence, and being effective and authentic leaders. The first Women’s Leadership Programme of 2017 will take place in January and March. For more information visitwww.prs.uk.comor email Lucy Plumb atlucy.plumb@prs.uk.com.

Pure has collected 622 shoeboxes filled with Christmas presents and essential items which will be distributed to children in need around the world as part of Operation Christmas Child by Samaritan’s Purse.

Not only did team members at the professional recruitment agency fill their own shoeboxes, they also ordered extra shoeboxes from the charity and encouraged other businesses across the Eastern region to get involved.

Joseph O’Sullivan, Manager of Pure’s Norwich Office, where the campaign was launched, explained: “At Pure we pride ourselves on supporting our local community and charity initiatives like this. As well as filling up shoe boxes ourselves, we decided to make it as easy as possible for other local people to get involved. We set up our offices as easy, central points for people to pick up or drop off shoeboxes, and arranged for members of our team to collect the boxes where needed.

Paul Sheldrake, Manager of Pure’s Ipswich Office, which supported the initiative as part of the #IpswichBig10 anniversary campaign, added: “We’ve been overwhelmed with the support we’ve received and have collected far more boxes than we ever could have hoped for. They may only be small, but they will have a big impact by providing gifts and much-needed items to children who may not receive anything else this Christmas.”

Each shoebox is filled with Christmas gifts, selected to suit a boy or a girl within age categories ranging from two to fourteen. They have also been packed with essential items such as hygiene products and school supplies. All 622 shoeboxes have now been passed to Samaritan’s Purse which will deliver them to children around the world this Christmas, including communities in need in countries across Africa, Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

Leading UK insurance broker Alan Boswell Group has been shortlisted for a top prize at the Landlord & Letting Awards 2016/17, which celebrates excellence in the private rental sector.

The company has been nominated for the Supplier of the Year Award because of its market-leading landlord insurance and commitment to superior customer service. The winner will be revealed at a ceremony at The Ricoh Arena in Coventry on November 29, where the Landlord of the Year and Letting Agent of the Year will also be named.

Mark Hutchinson, Director of PropertyNet.Media, which manages the event, said: “The Landlord & Letting Awards are the premier nationwide private rented sector awards in the UK, and it’s great to be able to recognise and reward the best in the industry. We congratulate Alan Boswell Group on being shortlisted and wish them every success for the next stage of the judging.”

Alan Boswell Group’s Director of Personal Lines, Heath Alexander-Bew, commented: “We’re proud to be one of the finalists and feel it reflects our dedication to delivering outstanding customer service. We’re really looking forward to celebrating our success at the ceremony – and are hoping that we get to take home the winner’s trophy!”

Norwich Research Park scientists have won a prestigious international award for a breakthrough that could help the fight against antibiotic resistance.

Prof David Russell from University of East Anglia’s School of Chemistry, in collaboration with Prof Rob Field from the John Innes Centre, were recognised for their method of performing a rapid diagnostic test to quickly identify bacterial pathogens.

At an award ceremony held at the Royal Society in London, the team was presented with a prestigious Longitude Prize Discovery Award which supports the development of a diagnostic device for anti-microbial resistance (AMR), one of the biggest challenges facing modern medicine.

Based on dipping a tiny sample into a solution of sugar labelled with gold, the system provides a quick diagnosis, with results being indicated by a rapid colour change. The simple ‘dipstick ‘ test is much faster than existing methods of testing, removing the need to send samples on for laboratory testing and allowing much faster decisions to be made about appropriate antibiotic treatment.

Profs Russell and Field started the company Iceni diagnostics, a joint spin-out from the John Innes Centre and the UEA based at the Norwich Research Park’s Innovation Centre, in 2014 in order to explore the potential of this new technology. They received seed funding from Iceni Seedcorn Fund at end of September as well as becoming a member of the socond cohort of Archant’s Future 50 .

They are one of 12 winning teams who will use the prize to develop their technology and compete for the coveted Longitude Prize, a challenge with a £10 million prize fund to reward a point of care diagnostic test that most fully addresses the global problem of bacterial antibiotic resistance.

Prof Russell said: “We are delighted to be awarded this prestigious, highly competitive award. This discovery award has given us further motivation that we are working on an important international medical problem and heading in the right direction to try and solve the problem of bacterial resistance to antibiotics.”

Prof Rob Field said: “It is great to receive recognition for our efforts to take basic science through to potential products for medicine and agriculture. The JIC-UEA team have been working on these topics for more than ten years, but it is with the establishment of our joint spin-out Iceni Diagnostics that we began to achieve the necessary momentum to translate academic discovery into end-user devices”

UEA vice-chancellor Prof David Richardson said: “Winning a Longitude Prize Discovery Award is a significant and prestigious achievement for Professors Rob Field and David Russell and all the team at Iceni Diagnostics.This is a young spin-out company from UEA and the John Innes Centre undertaking vital applied research to help healthcare professionals diagnose whether an infection is caused by bacteria or viruses within just 15 minutes. The benefits of this research are considerable and range from human health to agriculture.”

Prof Dale Sanders, director of the John Innes Centre said: “This award recognises the great potential of Professor Field and Professor Russell’s research. Once developed the diagnostic could dramatically reduce unnecessary use of antibiotics, helping to address the global threat of drug-resistant infections which are killing up to 50,000 people every year in Europe and the US alone. We are proud to host Professor Field’s laboratory at the John Innes Centre and congratulate him and the Iceni Diagnostics team on winning this award.”

For more information about Iceni Diagnostics visit: https://www.icenidiagnostics.com

As all our blinds are hand made to your measurements here in Norfolk, we can take bookings quite close to Christmas and still get them fitted for you in time for the big day!

If you wouldlike yournew blinds fittedbefore Christmas, you can order any timebefore 12th December. As you can see from the list, this date applies for venetian, roller and vertical blinds.

You will need to book an appointment for the measurements to be taken, and to discuss designs.

The easiest way to book is toclick here and book onlineor phone 01603 334047.

If you order after this date, we will make an appontment to install your new blinds in the New Year

Alternatively, vouchers make an unusual Christmas Gift, especially if the recipients are moving house or redecorating.

If you catch us onSmall Business Saturday(3rd December) you can buy a £100 voucher for just £50!

Come along to one of ourNorfolk showroomsfor a personal chat.

Would you pay an extra 8p per week to help fund your policing service?

A message from your Police and Crime Commissioner, Lorne Green:

As your PCC, I am responsible for setting our county’s policing budget, and with it, how much you contribute through council tax.

60% of Norfolk’s policing budget is funded by the Government; your council tax contributionmakes up the rest. With such a significant contribution coming from your pocket, I’m reaching out to all Norfolk residents for their views before I take my budget proposals to the county’s Police and Crime Panel early next year.

Please spare a few minutes to have your say. Takemyonline survey by Friday 9 December.

If you’d like a hard copy of the consultation information pack and survey sent to you, or require the information in another format, please get in touch.

You can also share your views by telephone on 01953 424455, by email toTellLorne@norfolk.pnn.police.ukor by writing to me at OPCCN, Building 8, Falconers Chase, Wymondham, NR18 0WW.

Read the budget consultation information pack

Take the online survey now

Production Bureau recently scoopedtwo Awards at the EVCOM Live Awards heldat Supernova inLondon.Pb were successful in two categories, AV/Production Supplier and Use of Venue. The Awards recognised the company’s execution of the Doosan Global Business Forum, held during July atThe Gleneagles Hotel . Pb transformed theresortstennis centre into a high specification conference space for the prestigous event.

Their reputation fordeliveringsuch creative production for a wide variety of high profile events during 2016, hasseen Pb togrowtheir team significantly. The company now employs 60staff across two sites in Norwich and Edinburgh.

Kevin McCloud’s visit to an awe-inspiring new house designed by Norwich-based Hudson Architects will be seen by millions of TV viewers on Thursday 24 November, as a contender for the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) House of the Year award.

Le Petit Fort by multi award-winning Hudson Architects features on Grand Designs: House of the Year, on Channel 4 at 9.00pm on Thursday 24 November.

With its breath-taking coastal views, Le Petit Fort is an outstanding family home situated on the west coast of Jersey and cleverly set within the retained walls of an earlier building. The house references nearby Napoleonic and WWII defences and provide a truly imaginative, carefully considered contemporary design of a style Hudson Architects have become renowned.

Anthony Hudson, director at Hudson Architects, said:

“Le Petit Fort was such an exciting home for the practice to design. We were able to create generous spaces whilst working with outstanding craftsmen and using such rich materials such as Jersey granite, timber and a special weathering steel known as Corten. We are thrilled to learn that it is in the running for the RIBA House of the Year Award and will be watching on Thursday to see what Kevin McCloud thinks of it. We hope that it will inspire other people to consider building their own home.”

Hudson Architects was founded by Anthony Hudson in 2002, and has grown into a talented 21-strong team with a skillset encompasses everything from cutting edge design to historic building conservation.

Known locally for a great many inspiring projects such as:

• OPEN Youth Venue
• Norwich University of the Arts ‘Boardman’ & ‘Cavendish’ House.
• Norwich Castle Keep designs.

Tech Nation 2016 provided the most detailed analysis to date of how the digital sector is driving economic growth, showcasing the innovation and energy of tech hubs across the UK.

In 2017 Tech City UK will take an even more in-depth look at how the digital economy is evolving, giving a greater voice to the UK’s tech communities and highlighting the considerable progress they are making.

To do this we need to hear from everyone who works or operates within the sector. So whether you’re part of a tech business, an academic, investor or another member of the ecosystem please take just seven minutes to complete the survey and share the link with your network.

Around 40 companies who complete the survey will be featured within the report as a case study!

Complete the survey here.

Microsoft are just one of the growing number of leading technology companies trying to crack the code of cancer using AI, but this big upcoming project is something that really impressed me.

On November 1st, I visited Microsoft’s Future Decoded Business Day 2016 at the ExCel in London. I sat in the Auditorium hearing about all the new really cool stuff going on at Microsoft where I learnt about the new project, of the most precise quantification to kill a cancerous tumour.

This AI looks through the pixels of a radiology scan, and does the job that would take a doctor 1-2 hours to segment the organs and allows the doctors to produce a quantitative analysis on which parts of the tumours are cancerous.

Microsoft’s goal here is not to replace doctors, but the capabilities of machines are to work as complements to the capabilities of experts.

This is just one of the many ways Microsoft are trying to “solve” cancer. Adding to the new Microsoft Research machine-learning project, aiming to absorb all documents and help predict which drugs and combinations can be most effective.

Although the research is still very early stages, Working with Artificial Intelligence, Microsoft are aiming to crack the code of Cancer for 10 years time.

We build a lot of things here at TVC but back in February our manufacturing department approached us about a very different project. Hearing of the return of the classic TV show, Robot Wars, they wanted to build a fighting robot!

Whilst we were too late to enter the first series presented by Dara O’Briain in the Spring, they were still inspired to put their skills to the test with the hope of making the second series. Competitions are also held around the country by the Fighting Robot Association, formed by the original roboteers of the hit 90’s show.

We’ve pleased to say that whilst operational requirements have slowed progression (our staff are completing this as an extra-cirricular project as it were), that things are beginning to move forward again and the base plate of the robot has arrived! There will be some welding going on this week so hopefully we should have something a bit more robot-like to share with you soon!

Let the welding commence!

Do you run or work in a tech or digital services company? Or do you provide services to the tech and digital sector? Whatever your involvement, Tech City UK wants to hear from you – today.

Norwich made it into the first TechNation report in 2015, which recognised the city as one of 17 nationally important tech clusters. Our neighbours in Ipswich joined us in the 2016 report, helping establish TECH EAST as an important part of the UK’s thriving tech ecosystem. Now we need your help to ensure the region puts in another strong showing for the 2017 report.

Tech City UK is conducting a detailed survey of the nation’s tech clusters between 17 November and 5 December 2016. It wants to hear from everyone involved in the tech community – from tech entrepreneurs and individual developers to those who provide services to the sector, whether lawyers, accountants, recruitment consultants or ad agencies. That includes the people who work in the companies,not just company representatives.

The survey will take you less than 7-minutes. In return, your company has the chance of appearing in the final report. Tech City UK will select around 40 companies from across the country to feature in case studies.

Please follow this link to complete the survey nowhttps://www.techcityuk.com/blog/2016/11/tech-nation-2017/

But don’t stop there…

Please also take a moment to share this survey with your business network on social media. Rememer to use the hashtag #TechNation on Twitter and Facebook. Because the more people who respond from Norfolk, the better it is for our region’s ability to attract talent, investment and jobs.

Thank you.

PS: Follow us on twitter: @HuwSayer / @Business_Write