Written by Lee Hart, Head of Knowhow Energy Overview Headlines: ✓ Gas and Electricity Wholesale prices are lower. ✓ EU Gas Storage levels are a healthy 64% full. ✓ LNG deliveries continue to arrive in Europe. Since our last Energy Report, Gas and Electricity Year Ahead Wholesale prices are lower. Milder temperatures and the opportunity to increase EU Gas Storage levels to 64% full compared to last week’s 62%, is one reason why Gas and Electricity prices have continued their downward trend. The target of 90% by November seems to be achievable, assuming we are able to divert Gas into Storage during the warmer months. We are still receiving good supplies of LNG which are replacing some of the reduced Russian Gas flows. Energy markets are very conscious that LNG may begin to head towards Asia as the Chinese economy grows beyond expectations. Wind’s contribution to generation over the last week fell to just 16% compared to 21% in April, requiring the use of more Gas at 39% and an increase of Electricity imports from the continent, which accounted for a high 18% of supplies. As we saw in 2022, if France has more issues with their Nuclear reactors, then imports will fall and we will have to rely more heavily on expensive forms of domestic generation. The Met Office forecast for the remainder of the month suggests temperatures will be at seasonal norm with the possibility slightly stronger winds. Wholesale prices are currently in the region of a fifth of the peaks we saw in 2022, but still show a premium against 2020 and early 2021. It is generally considered unlikely that we will see those low levels for some time. There has been little price movement over the last four months, although there is a downward trend for annual contracts starting in 2023 and 2024. Concern remains that an unexpected event, which has not been factored into costs, could once again see increases, so we would advise discussing your options for contracts ending in 2023 with Indigo Swan. Read the full report below
As Gold Partner Sponsor, TaxAssist Accountants will promote its brand to thousands of businesses across the UK at major industry awards. James Mattam, TaxAssist Group Business Development Director, has also been invited to the judging panel and will be presenting an award at the ceremony at Wembley Stadium on 1st December 2023 on behalf of TaxAssist Accountants. “We are always keen to champion small and medium enterprises and are delighted our clients are able to enter the awards with a TaxAssist discount. We know there are thousands of talented businesses within our client base who have every chance of entering and winning,” said James. “With representatives from more than 1,200 small and medium sized businesses expected to attend the event in Wembley, it will provide an opportunity to support and share in our vision to raise the profile of industrious, hardworking and enterprising businesses nationally. “Business awards are a sought-after accolade of achievement, a veritable endorsement of success in business which offers exceptional marketing and PR opportunities, as well as increasing credibility and standing in the eyes of peers and customers. This is a fantastic initiative for both our target client market and the TaxAssist brand and we look forward to taking part and showcasing the wide services our accountants offer.” For more information about the National SME Business Awards please visit their site here http://www.smenationals.co.uk/ A TaxAssist Accountants franchise can provide the systems and support you need to be successful and stand out from the crowd. If you’re interested in finding out more about building a practice, buying an accountancy practice or converting an existing practice to TaxAssist Accountants, call 0800 018 8297 or submit an enquiry here to register your interest. May 2023
This programme is funded by the UK Government, and delivered by Barclays Eagle Labs.
The Digital Growth Grant Ecosystem Partnership Programme aims to boost the growth of UK tech start-ups and scaleups for the next two years. Successful applicants will access an ecosystem connecting them to business growth experts through dedicated programmes and mentoring. The Digital Growth Grant objectives are defined as:
Deliver support services to the digital sector, particularly in transformative/emerging technologies. These services should address key challenges faced by a wide range of tech companies from the seed funding stage to series A/B, their first or second round of financing.
Grow regional support networks for tech startups and scaleups. Activities should deliver concrete improvements in three areas: investment, innovation and business growth. Support should be tailored to local needs and tech specialisms, and should be developed in partnership with local bodies and existing tech groups.
Ensure founders and firms can access digital entrepreneurship and investment readiness training, with tailored advice to help develop their skills to start and grow a tech business
Clearly signpost startups and scaleups to existing initiatives in the private and the public sector across the UK that can help them access finance, talent and markets.
The programme is backed by a £12 million UK government grant. There is a minimum request of £50,000 per application, which must be fully utilised and funded activity must have been completed by March 2024. Applications close 31 May 2023 Find out more here
A new Chief Executive has been appointed to run iconic landmark The Forum in Norwich city centre. Chris Gribble, the Chief Executive of the National Centre for Writing based in King Street, will take over The Forum Trust, which runs The Forum building and Norwich Science Festival amongst a rich mixture of other events including coordinating the county’s Heritage Open Days programme. Chairman John Fry said: “We were delighted to get such a strong field of applicants which reflects the success of The Forum and the high regards it’s held in across Norfolk and beyond. “The Forum has very quickly become established in people’s minds as a place for everyone to visit and enjoy. We have a clear strategy to reduce our environmental impact, to widen the reach of The Forum’s activities and to continue to maintain and develop the building ensuring we make a real impact on the economic life of the city and beyond. “I have no doubt Chris’s background and expertise will help with all of that and look forward to what he, The Forum team and our many partners come up with to continue to build the impact and the reach of The Forum’s activities.” Chris Gribble said: “It’s a real honour be taking on the Chief Executive role at The Forum and I’m very excited to get going in the autumn. The Forum lies at the heart of Norwich and Norfolk’s public life and as it approaches its 25th anniversary, the team and partnerships that have been behind its success have a wonderful opportunity to celebrate that first quarter of a century and look forward to the next. I can’t wait to start the conversations with all those who visit and use The Forum to explore what the coming years might look like.’ He succeeds Tim Bishop who has been in charge of The Forum for the last 11 years. Tim Bishop is a former Editor of the Evening News, BBC Radio Norfolk and BBC Look East. Tim Bishop said: “It’s been a privilege to be involved in such a fantastic place with a great team and the huge opportunity to make a real difference in the city. “I was very fortunate to take over such a successful place thanks to the pioneering work of The Forum’s founders, notably my predecessor Robin Hall who got The Forum built on time and on budget which was a huge achievement. “Those rock-solid foundations have allowed us to develop the offer to the public and The Forum is now part of the life of the city to the point it’s difficult to imagine Norwich without The Forum. “Working with our partners we created the Norwich Science Festival, which has now become a much loved and anticipated event at venues across the city centre and is waving the Norfolk and Norwich flag nationally showing we are both a lovely heritage city but also at the centre of some ground-breaking scientific research. “Since 2016, The Forum has been coordinating the county’s Heritage Open Days programme which is the biggest and most successful event of its kind outside London. And we’ve built a wide range of other inspiring events that are very much part of the Norfolk calendar – notably the Norfolk Makers Festival, Run Norwich and the always bustling Norwich Games Festival. “I think getting Run Norwich off the ground was the trickiest event to get started I’ve ever been part of, dwarfing some of the national events I was involved in as a journalist from the coverage of Princess Diana’s funeral to the events marking the 2012 Olympics across the region. “I look forward to visiting The Forum in my retirement and seeing what Chris and the team do next.” The Forum is 20 years old and was created in partnership by Norfolk County Council, Norwich City Council and the then Millennium Commission which provided around £80 million of funding to create a Millennium Project for the East of England alongside the Eden Project in Cornwall, the O2 and the Millennium Bridge in London amongst others. The Forum gets no regular public funding and is run by an independent Charitable Trust. Image provided by The Forum
Our new 2023 catalogue, with a host of new products for your business, is now available. You can request a copy at https://www.esedirect.co.uk/t-digital-catalogues.aspx, or take a look at our innovative new digital interactive catalogue. This useful tool enables you to scroll through the pages online or navigate quickly to the section you need. You can click on a product code and select ‘more info’ to get more details and a closer look at the product you are interested in, and even click through from there to the relevant product page on our website to make a purchase. We’ve also added the ability to create a list of your favourite products, to share pages with colleagues, to print pages you need or to download a copy of the catalogue. Take a look at https://bit.ly/ESEcatalogue2023 or call us on 0808 258 1182 for more information.
Above: A poster about the new survey. Credit: Greater Anglia Train operator, Greater Anglia, has launched a new customer satisfaction survey to help improve passengers’ journeys. The ‘We’re All Ears’ survey gives customers the opportunity to leave feedback about every aspect of a specific journey, including but not limited to, the provision of information, the helpfulness of its team or general comments about stations and trains. Using intelligent software, the survey system categorises the responses and asks extra, more detailed, questions on areas that customers identify as needing attention. The survey asks a small number of open and closed questions in order to best understand customer perceptions. Greater Anglia’s Head of Customer Experience, Neil Atkin, said, “We’re looking to use the information from our new survey to better understand what the recurring issues are, make appropriate changes and so provide a better service. “We want to continually improve in the areas that customers tell us are most important. “The more passengers that complete the survey, the more insight we’ll have to enable us to do this.” The survey can be filled in anytime, anywhere and only takes a few minutes to complete. It can be reached through greateranglia.co.uk/allears or by scanning the QR codes at stations. A direct link to the survey will also be available soon through Greater Anglia’s WiFi portal.
East Anglian firm, Canham Consulting, has announced that it has transitioned to an employee-owned business, with the formation of an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT). An EOT is a trust established for the purpose of holding shares in a company on behalf of and for the benefit of the employees of the company The move comes after the business, which provides support to homeowners, fellow construction professionals, the public sector, and many private businesses, considered various succession options, including a management buyout and trade sale. The primary objective of any future ownership model was to build on the culture and provide longevity to the business. This transition ensures that the ethos of the business will continue for generations to come. The employees at Canham Consulting are excited about their role in the ownership model and how they can all work together to drive the firm forward and continue to be a leading business in Norfolk. Managing Director, Rob Panter, is hugely excited about the future of the business, stating that he is delighted that the employees will all share in the ownership of the business and continue to play an active part in developing Canham Consulting. The company is committed to continued growth, both within East Anglia and beyond. Transitioning to employee ownership has only been possible with advice and guidance from specialists in this field. Our Corporate Transactions and Tax Advisory teams provided governance, tax, and financial advice throughout the process. Legal advice was provided by Leathes Prior Solicitors. The team involved gathered on 28 April to make the transition official. James Lay, Corporate Transactions Partner at Larking Gowen, said, “An EOT is a great succession route for the owners of Canham Consulting and their team of employees. It will further reinforce the company’s people-first culture and independent status. It’s been a real pleasure to work with the shareholders and management to help make this viable option a successful reality.” The Larking Gowen teams prepared a valuation of the shares in the company, advised on the qualifying conditions for the EOT, provided guidance on the structuring of the sale to the EOT, obtained tax clearances for the transactions from HMRC, and reviewed the legal documentation to ensure that it properly implemented the transactions.
Emira was voted ‘New Car of the Year’ by both motor retail managers and AM judging panel
AM Awards from Automotive Management Online, recognise and celebrate motor retail excellence, market-leading vehicles and business leadership
Award received on behalf of Lotus by Geoff Dowding, Executive Director, Commercial Operations
Lotus Emira, the last Lotus petrol-powered sports car collected another accolade by being named as ‘New Car of the Year’ at the annual AM Awards 2023, held in London this week. To win The New Car of the Year Award, the Lotus Emira was voted for by both motor retail managers and the AM judging panel: “Clearly the Emira is being seen as a fantastic start of a new chapter for Lotus and its dealers. It is the most accomplished Lotus road car yet, balancing a high level of driver engagement with the practicality of an everyday sportscar, and our audience – including dealers with rival brands – is now certainly very excited about the Lotus brand’s future. Emira will certainly attract new customers to Lotus and this will giv e the carmaker great foundations for growth,” said Tim Rose, editor, AM Online. Receiving the award on behalf of Lotus, Geoff Dowding, Executive Director, Commercial Operations said, “The Emira has won a number of accolades around the world, but this award from AM is particularly special as it was voted for by the well informed AM judging panel and a discerning automotive industry, including retailers, dealers and senior management. Not only is the Emira is a brilliant sports car and the best in breed but also this award reinforces the confidence and excitement that the industry has for Lotus as it rapidly moves towards the EV future with the Lotus Evija and Lotus Eletre.” Geoff Dowding, Executive Director, Commercial Operations for Lotus (centre) with Charlene White, ITV News presenter + awards host and David Paterson Managing Director of award sponsor Supagard Powered by either a 3.5-litre supercharged V6 engine or a 2.0-litre turbocharged ‘i4’ through a manual, automatic or Dual Clutch Transmission, the Lotus Emira accelerates to 0-60mph in 4.2 seconds before reaching a top speed of 180mph. The Emira is manufactured at Lotus’ global HQ for sports car and hypercar operations in Hethel, Norfolk. Subassembly manufacturing for the lightweight and high tech aluminium chassis is at Lotus Advanced Structures in Norwich. The Lotus Emira is one of three high tech performance cars built by Lotus, along with the Eletre, the world’s first all-electric hyper-SUV and the Evija, the world’s first all-electric British hypercar.
Norwich’s Lady Mayoress says clothes bought from a charity shop have helped her look the part during an “extraordinary” year. Julie Keane, who volunteers at the East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH) store in Unthank Road, has been in the prestigious role since May 2021. Her partner, Cllr Dr Kevin Maguire, is Lord Mayor of Norwich but his term ends on 23rd May. Normally the position only lasts for a year but it was extended to two because of Covid. Julie says it has been a whirlwind year but she has enjoyed carrying out her duties while also helping in the shop every Tuesday afternoon. “I’m a retired nursery teacher and started volunteering when the shop reopened after the first lockdown,” said Julie, who was speaking during EACH’s Be the Difference campaign – a fortnight-long drive to recruit more volunteers for its 46 shops. “I was concerned that so many charities had reduced funding during the pandemic and wanted to help. “The shop itself is lovely, with all the outfits arranged by colour. “The staff are very creative in their presentation and I always notice the window displays and the way the store is changed to keep it fresh. “I’ve found working at EACH really useful for getting appropriate clothes for my role as Lady Mayoress. “It’s been a real boon and if ever I’m complimented on what I’m wearing, I always tell people where I got it from.” The Lord Mayor is the first citizen of Norwich and represents the people of the city, alongside the Lady Mayoress. Julie and Dr Maguire recently enjoyed one last big date, having been invited to a Buckingham Palace Garden Party on 9th May. “The first year was quite subdued, but this year has been extraordinary,” said the 67-year-old, who wore a fascinator bought at Unthank Road. “We celebrated the Queen’s Jubilee with various activities, including lighting a beacon. “The Lord Mayor’s Procession in July had the Jubilee as its theme, so we wore crowns. Then, very sadly, we had the death of the Queen and the Lord Mayor read the Proclamation of the new monarch from the steps of City Hall. “For the Coronation, we attended a service at the Anglican Cathedral and another at St Peter Mancroft. “We often go to church services and I was honoured to read a lesson in the Cathedral at the EACH Christmas Carol service. “Unfortunately, it all ends for us when a new Lord Mayor takes over on 23rd May. “However, I’ve already suggested to his wife that, if she needs them, she’ll find some lovely clothes at Unthank Road!”. Julie feels a strong connection to EACH and partly due to personal circumstances, because son Iain died in a canoeing accident when he was at university in Wales, in 2000. He was 19 and just days away from coming home to Norwich for Christmas. “It’s often hard for parents to talk about children they’ve lost – not because of our pain, but because of the reaction of the listener,” said Julie. “Other people imagine the loss of their own child and are so upset they shut the conversation down very quickly. “I haven’t visited The Nook yet, but I imagine that’s one of the strengths of the hospice – that there are people who’ll always understand. “To be truthful, it hadn’t occurred to me until recently that my loss had anything to do with my support for EACH. “It was a sort of ‘ah ha!’ moment, but then it seemed obvious. Thinking things through gave me insight into why I might have chosen to work for EACH.” Julie says volunteering suits her personality and would recommend it to anyone. “I’m a very chatty person so often work on the till,” she said. “I love talking to customers, but, having lost a family member recently, I’m also aware that sometimes people are bringing in items they’re clearing from the house of someone who’s died. “We handle those donations with particular care. “I was talking to one man about a table centre piece he’d brought in after clearing his parents’ house. “He said it was always used for parties, but he wasn’t sure if anyone would want it. “I told him it would be popular and that we’d certainly be able to sell it. “He went away happy, but, just as we were closing, he knocked on the door and asked if he could have it back. “Talking about how his parents had used it had brought back memories and he realised he wasn’t ready to let it go.” Julie, who has two surviving children, also loves working for a children’s hospice because of her career working with youngsters. “I retain my interest and love to see them playing in the children’s area,” she said. “I particularly like telling families about the free children’s books we give out in the school holidays. “It’s fantastic but while I find my volunteering both fun and engaging, I never lose sight of the reason we do it.” EACH relies on voluntary donations for the majority of its income. This year alone it needs to raise £6.5 million from its Retail operation, which includes stores across Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Essex and a busy Retail Distribution Centre, in Thetford. For more information about volunteering, speak to a member of staff in-store or contact volunteer services on 01223 205183. Alternatively, email volunteerservices@each.org.uk
Hosted by our new CEO, Simon Gray, we invite you to join us for a light lunch and bubbles, where we’ll toast to the success of this year’s campaign and reducing the prevalence of youth homelessness in Norfolk and Suffolk. A fantastic opportunity to meet members of our team and learn more about our vital work across the two counties while enjoying a nibble or two. We are delighted to partner with the Norfolk Chamber of Commerce for our 2023 Norfolk campaign, who will be using their extensive network of contacts to promote this important cause to the business community. We also give thanks to our campaign sponsors, Birketts. Places are limited so book early to avoid disappointment! Best wishes, Stephanie & The Events Team Agenda: 12.30 – 1pm: networking, bubbles, soft drinks & nibbles served 1-1.20pm: speeches – Welcome speech w Simon Gray – Q&A w Housing & Homelessness Service Manager 1.20-2.30pm: networking, bubbles, soft drinks & nibbles served FAQs – There is no parking available on site but there are plenty of carparks nearby. Please get in touch if you have accessibility needs. – All dietary requirements will be catered for. Norfolk Sleep Out takes place on Friday 6th October 2023 at The Cloister at Norwich Cathedral. Learn more and secure your spot here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/norfolk-sleep-out-2023-tickets-611169653887