Member News

One of the country’s leading housebuilders, Barratt and David Wilson Homes, has opened its regional headquarters for a brand new division at Norwich’s Broadland Business Park. Barratt and David Wilson Homes Anglia has taken a 7,220 sq ft Grade A suite in the Lakeside 300 office building on a 10-year term. The office currently accommodates 40 employees as part of the homebuilder’s new division, with an additional 45 staff members based onsite. The Lakeside 300 building has just undergone a complete modernisation and refurbishment to incorporate a range of new facilities including electric vehicle charging points and exceptional energy efficiency, with an EPC A rating achieved throughout the building. Barratt and David Wilson Homes is one of the most active housebuilders in East Anglia and currently has sites under construction in locations including Sprowston, Cringleford, Horsford and Watton. Simon Wood, Managing Director at Barratt and David Wilson Homes Anglia, said: “We’re thrilled to have opened the doors to our new divisional office at Broadland Business Park. The location provides us with excellent access to our developments across Norfolk and the new set-up will help us grow and thrive as a brand new division.” A number of the region’s major companies are located on Broadland Business Park, including fellow housebuilders Lovell Partnerships and Persimmon Homes, along with businesses such as Lovewell Blake, Gardners Books, Start-rite Shoes, TaxAssist Accountants, Delta Fire, GAP Group, Marsh, Broadland District Council and South Norfolk Council. James Allen, partner at agents Roche Chartered Surveyors, said: “We are delighted that Barratt and David Wilson Homes Anglia has selected Broadland Business Park for its location. Lakeside 300 provides ideal accommodation for a business of the size and standing. “Lakeside 300 has received a very healthy amount of interest since the completion of its major refurbishment this year. It is very good news that Barratt and David Wilson Homes has now moved in; we have several other live enquiries for many of the remaining suites in the three-storey building. “Despite two years of a challenging market, it is encouraging to see such buoyant interest in high quality Grade A office accommodation in Norwich and we are looking forward to securing more lettings during the early part of 2023.” Broadland Business Park, which is located at the junction or the A47 and A1270 Broadland Northway, offers both Grade A offices and prime development land for industrial and logistics uses. Broadland Business Park’s sole agents are James Allen and Graham Jones at Roche Chartered Surveyors, 01603 619876, jamesa@rochecs.co.uk and grahamj@rochecs.co.uk. More details and a video of the Park are at www.broadlandbusinesspark.co.uk.

Spirited schoolchildren looked the part when hosting a colourful fun run for charity. Pupils at Poringland Primary School sported crazy hairstyles and odd socks and raised more than £1,000 for East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH). Their school is less than a mile from The Nook – the EACH hospice opened by The Princess of Wales in 2019 – and 450 children took part, from Nursery to Year Six. “As a school, we’ve supported The Nook since plans were first drawn up to build a hospice in our community,” said teacher and Fundraising Lead Carrie Hayes. “However, we haven’t been able to do any whole school fundraising until now, because of Covid. “That’s why it was so lovely to be able to host this fun run, which was organised by our Year Five and Six councillors Olivia Gough, Beth Hoadley, Tom Kirk and Sam Rudd. “At the end of January, they went to The Nook and met EACH Community Fundraiser Ellie Miller. “After a digital tour of the building, they learned what goes on there and why fundraising is so important.” Inspired by their visit, Olivia, Beth, Tom and Sam led assemblies to explain to the school why they wanted to have a fun run to raise money for The Nook. They decided everyone could either have crazy hair or wear odd socks. “On the day, they were in charge of leading classes to their starting position,” added Carrie. “They were absolutely brilliant and supported all the children by giving them high fives or running alongside them. “They enjoyed being part of the organising team and were a credit to our school, as were all those who took part.” The school raised £175.88 in cash, as well as £707 online. With Gift Aid, it took their total to more than £1,000. “We’re so grateful to our young friends at Poringland Primary School, as well as their parents and carers and all the staff,” said Ellie. “They worked so hard to organise the fun run, got in the spirit on the day and gave so generously. “It was a pleasure to meet the children earlier this year and I’m so pleased their event was such fun and so successful.” Image credits EACH

• Output saw significant declines in January driven by falling consumer demand across the services sector
• Business optimism remained effectively static as service sector pessimism battles with renewed optimism from manufacturing businesses thanks to waning input price pressures
• Employment Index falls to lowest point in over a year as hiring intentions drop amid rising inflation and economic headwinds

Business optimism stagnated in January as output significantly declined and firms cut back on hiring staff, according to the latest Business Trends report from accountancy and business advisory firm BDO. For the third time in just six months, all four of the Indices tracked by the report – Output, Optimism, Employment and Inflation – fell simultaneously. BDO’s Output Index which tracks economic growth, experienced a sharp decline for the fourth consecutive month, as a 3.45-point fall brought it down to 89.15, remaining well below the crucial 95-point threshold between expansion and contraction for the second consecutive month. This overall decline in output was driven largely by the Services Output Sub-Index which registered a 3.85-point dip in January as the cost-of-living crisis weakened consumer spending and demand across the services sector. This marks its lowest level since March 2021 when the economy was about to reopen following the third national lockdown of the COVID-19 pandemic. Dips in services productivity were also reflected in optimism across the sector. The Services Optimism Sub-Index fell by 0.23 points in response to inflationary pressures expected to heighten economic pressures facing businesses in the coming months. In contrast, January saw the Manufacturing Optimism Sub-index end nine consecutive months of decline, increasing by 0.25 points. Diminishing input price inflation slowed declines across manufacturing output for the first time in four months – bolstering business confidence across this sector. However, this turning point wasn’t enough to outweigh the net-pessimism across the services sector which led to an overall dip of 0.01-points in BDO’s Optimism Index to stand at a 91.88, remaining in negative territory for the fourth consecutive month. Responding to the net declines across Optimism and Output, BDO’s Employment Index fell to its lowest reading since December 2021. Weakened hiring intentions led to a drop of 1.02-points as firms expect to cut back on plans for recruitment in the months ahead. BDO’s Inflation Index witnessed a significant 3.75-point drop as it fell to 114.16, its lowest point since March 2022. The gradual easing of price pressures has marked a shift across the Input Inflation and Consumer Inflation indices driven by recent falls in wholesale energy prices. Despite this fall, inflationary pressures remain historically elevated. Peter Harrup, partner and head of BDO in East Anglia, said: “A net decline across the Optimism, Output and Employment Indices, coupled with historically high levels of inflation, suggests the outlook still remains bleak for businesses, with hiring intentions at their lowest levels in over a year and ever-increasing economic headwinds driving threats of a recession. “With a new Department for Business and Trade in place and a Spring Budget on the horizon, there is space in Government to consider how best to offer firms a helping hand. Businesses need the right support in place to ensure they can weather the challenges ahead and focus on continuing to drive the growth of the UK’s economy.” Image provided by BDO

Revealing Warren’s new brand identity and website, Will Bridgman, Managing Director, says: “After 33 years growing the business, we wanted our corporate identity to convey Warren’s evolution into a modern, full-service. advanced manufacturing partner with a focus on engineered innovation. Warren’s purpose is to help our clients succeed by bringing their projects, such as high-value architectural engineering and electro-mechanical machines, to market, with speed and precision.” The logo is bold and distinctive, in composition and colours, reflecting Warren’s creative strength and dynamism, including its employees’ energy and enthusiasm. The new website is also clean and easy to navigate, reflecting Warren’s commitment to strong design thinking. The new brand recognises that clients now simply call the firm ‘Warren’ (although the legal entity remains Warren Services Limited). New brand designed, developed and deployed by creative agencies in Norfolk and Suffolk Will Bridgman says: “Our old brand identity served us well but no longer conveyed the strength of our brand reputation, technical promise and progressive personality. We wanted a new brand identity that our employees could take pride in and that our clients would recognise as distinctively Warren. We are delighted to have worked with creative agencies from Norfolk and Suffolk on this branding project.” Over the last 33 years, Warren has become an integral part of the regional business community. Clients, suppliers and partners see it as a local employer of choice and a passionate champion for apprenticeships, skills and East Anglia’s economy. Will Bridgman says: “We are ambitious to continue offering local people interesting and fulfilling careers, working with amazing, innovative clients from across the UK and overseas.” Warren was pleased to work with three local creative agencies on this project: brand design by Starfish Ltd, Norwich; copywriting by Business Writers Ltd, Norfolk; website build by Bellüber Ltd, Suffolk. Will Bridgman says: “Thank you to Nick, Huw and Steph for all their work bringing our ideas to life.” Notes to editors: Developing skills for the future Richard and Sharon Bridgman founded Warren in 1990 and initially employed three people in part of the old school in Feltwell. Within 15 years, Warren had moved into the first of its two factories on the Fison Way industrial estate in Thetford. It now has 80,000sq ft of advanced manufacturing and engineering facilities and employs 80 people, including apprentices. In 2018, Richard Bridgman received an OBE for ‘Services to Training Young People’ in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list. In 2021, Warren won Make UK’s Midlands & East of England Developing Future Talent Award for its response to the lockdown education crisis and longstanding commitment to apprenticeships. Will Bridgman, Managing Director, says: “Warren is committed to building an engineering and manufacturing workforce of the future. We work with education providers across East Anglia to inspire people to pursue careers in the industry. We have apprenticed more than 60 people and up-skilled many others through in-work programmes, many now hold key positions in Warren, and 50% of our directors started as apprentices with Warren or elsewhere.” Sustainability in business Warren is also committed to helping the UK reach Net Zero by 2050. To that end, it has installed 827kW of solar generating capacity on its factory roofs and converted its entire fleet, including forklift trucks, to electric vehicles. This has put it on target to be Carbon Neutral by the end of 2023. For further information, please contact: Will Bridgman, Managing Director, will@warrenservices.co.uk Mobile 07798 666281 Richard Bridgman, Founder Owner, richard@rawner.co.uk Mobile 07798 666280 Images provided by Warren Services Ltd

A volunteer with a passion for people says helping out in a charity shop gives her the perfect opportunity to make friends and stay physically and mentally active. Ann Seaman gives up Thursday afternoons and every Sunday to support East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH). She volunteers in Norwich’s Bowthorpe Road shop and has been part of the fabric there since December 2019. Ann would recommend it to anyone and assures new recruits they will be given a warm welcome at any EACH store in the city – Bowthorpe Road, Aylsham Road, Plumstead Road and Unthank Road. “I love it because it keeps me active – physically but also in terms of keeping my brain ticking over,” said the 74-year-old. “I enjoy the mental stimulation and having to think about things. “I always find it satisfying seeing how many steps I’ve done at the end of my day. “If I was at home, I’d sit around more but here there isn’t the opportunity and I enjoy that. It’s good for me and I feel it keeps me young. “I do a bit of everything but particularly love tagging and sorting donations. I’ll also go on the till. “It makes me feel brighter and happier and I find it rewarding, giving something back to the community.” Ann, who lives with husband Geoffrey in Costessey, loves the social aspect of volunteering and is a self-confessed “people person”. During her working life she took visitors around the former Rowntree Mackintosh chocolate factory in Norwich, which closed in 1994. She also worked in the shop there, in addition to spending many years working for Norwich Union. “My husband often jokes that if something moves, I’ll talk to it,” said Ann. “I’m a real people person and it was something I enjoyed during my working life. “I love chatting and meeting new people and always think that if you can’t be pleasant, why bother?” Ann, who has a daughter and a granddaughter, volunteered in the Bowthorpe Road Arthritis UK shop before EACH moved into the premises in February 2018. She took a well-earned breather before coming back and helping out just before Christmas 2019. “I missed it and would definitely recommend it to others,” she said. “It gets you out and about, around others, and I’d definitely advise anyone to give it a try. “People think it has to be a huge commitment but that isn’t the case and just a morning or afternoon a week can make such a difference. “There are a range of roles and all help is gratefully received. We’re pleased to hear from people and can fit in around their busy lives.” EACH supports families and cares for children and young people with life-threatening conditions. It has three hospices, including The Nook, in Framingham Earl. The charity relies on voluntary donations for the majority of its income and this year alone needs to raise £6.5 million from its Retail operation, which includes stores across the region in addition to a busy Retail Distribution Centre, in Thetford. To find out more about volunteering in Norwich, speak to a member of staff in-store or call 01603 301475 (Aylsham Road), 01603 732874 (Bowthorpe Road), 01603 438105 (Plumstead Road) or 01603 613058 (Unthank Road). You can also contact volunteer services on 01223 205183. Alternatively, email volunteerservices@each.org.uk There are other ways to support EACH, including helping its facilities, events, fundraising and administration teams, or being part of the charity’s Help at Home service. Image credit – EACH

Chantry Place Norwich is teaming up with fashion retailer H&M in February to host a free talk on ‘Conscientious Fashion – a Sustainable Journey Within a Modern Trading Environment’ as part of Norwich Science Festival. From 12pm to 1pm on Friday 17^th February 2023, Paul McCarthy, general manager at Chantry Place, and Molly Ajeto, visual merchandiser at H&M, will be at Sir Isaac Newton Sixth Form College in Norwich to discuss their journeys to a more sustainable future. A lot has been done to make Chantry Place as sustainable as possible, from reusing coffee grounds to installing solar panels, with Paul sharing the Centre’s journey so far. Molly will cover H&M’s sustainability goals and ambitions and share examples of fashion campaigns in H&M that use sustainability ‘innovation campaign’ and ‘metaverse campaign’. Paul McCarthy comments: “We all need to play our part in tackling climate change where we can, and Chantry Place is working towards being carbon neutral by 2030 across our whole operation and any new developments. Our free talk with H&M will appeal to anyone interested in sustainable fashion and who wants to know how we can all work together to do our bit. We are also playing host to a Museum of Plastics exhibition at Chantry Place during February Half Term featuring a Fantastic Plastic Litter Arcade, where families can explore the interactive exhibits, and contribute potential solutions to the plastics problem.” The Conscientious Fashion talk is free to attend, but tickets need to be booked in advance via: https://norwichsciencefestival.ticketsolve.com/shows/1173637153 Chantry Place is one of the sponsors of Norwich Science Festival. To find out other exciting free activities taking place at Chantry Place, visit: www.chantryplace.co.uk

We’re Celebrating Women in Business this International Women’s Day4th – 11th March | The Place Discover King’s Lynn, the town centre’s Business Improvement District, is acknowledging International Women’s Day this March with a short programme of events designed to recognise, celebrate and empower women in business in King’s Lynn. Vicky, BID Manager, says: We have a huge pool of talented and experienced women in business in King’s Lynn and we want to celebrate them and learn from their career experiences. All too often we look outside for advice and inspiration, yet we have a wealth of expertise and knowledge right here in King’s Lynn. Many of our independent businesses are led by women, several or our large national retailers have women at the helm, and there are a host of female directors and partners in our law and accountancy firms, not to mention a female CEO of the Borough Council and our largest housing association, Freebridge. International Women’s Day provides a great opportunity to pause and applaud their achievements and draw on their experiences to inspire and encourage younger women. An event being held on the 8th March – IWD itself – will bring together a panel of these talented women and allow attendees insight into their experiences of the workplace. Hear their stories, ask for their advice, and together discuss how workplaces are doing – or can do – right by their female employees. The IWD panel event will be held in The Place from 12:00pm – 2:00pm. The Panel will commence shortly after 12:00pm followed by a light lunch and networking at 1:00 pm. If you’d like to join in and celebrate our town centre’s female talent, please RSVP: info@discoverkingslynn.com. In addition to the event on 8th, we will be hosting a celebration of local, female entrepreneurs and micro-business owners. On the 4th March, inside The Place, you’ll find a range of businesses showcasing their handmade wares, including local, female beekeepers, chocolatiers and crafters. Pop in between 10am and 4pm to browse a lovely selection of food and craft items and chat to these women about their unique business stories and experiences. Another IWD event falls on the 7th March at 12:30pm, and will again be hosted in The Place. This short breathwork session being led by local mental health nurse-cum-yoga teach, Toni Markham, has been organised with town centre workers in mind, and offers participants a window of relaxation in their otherwise hectic schedules. The easy-to-practice breathing techniques shared by Toni will help attendees to calm their minds and nervous systems, setting them up for a more focused and productive workday! Come alone or bring a colleague,                                                                        please RSVP to:info@discoverkingslynn.com. International Women’s Day provides the perfect opportunity to not only celebrate women’s achievements in the workplace, but to showcase exemplary employer initiatives and support too. In the build up to Discover King’s Lynn’s events, and over the course IWD week, the BID will be asking local women about their experience of work. They’ll collect responses anonymously via a digital form with the hopes of collating a short report on what King’s Lynn business do well in supporting their female colleagues, and feasible areas of improvement. Vicky says: As a BID, our role includes supporting Town Centre businesses to be the best that they can be, so we’re keen to hear what our businesses do well to support women in the workplace and hear if there is scope to do things differently and maybe better. We will collate responses and share good practice examples. If you would like to contribute, keep an eye on our social platforms! The International Women’s Day celebrations will end with a pop-up event hosted in The Place by Soroptimist International on the 11th March, from 10am – 4pm. Along with a display of inspirational women from King’s Lynn History, the Soroptimists will be joined by a range of other businesses and community teams. If you would like more information about any of the events mentioned in this press release, please visit our website www.discoverkingslynn.com, or email us at info@discoverkingslynn.com.

Join the discussion at our next Masterclass. Wednesday February 22^nd Most of the time our focus is on the current environment – what is happening in the economy, in politics and in the markets in the short-term. At Chadwicks we’re equally interested in the long-term ‘mega-trends’ that will shape our future regardless of what is happening in the short term. This session takes a step back to look at the bigger picture and consider how we might meet the challenges presented by the long-term mega-trends. 5 years ago we deep-dived into the long-term demographic, environmental and technological trends driving change in the world. A pandemic, war, Brexit, and few other events later, we’re diving again to see how they’ve changed (if at all). In this session, Radostina Dencheva reflects of the findings from her 2018 paper and brings us up to date before handing the baton to Dr Saul Humphrey who will look at ways the effects of these long-term trends are being addressed in the built environment. While these are important issues for investors, they are, arguably, existential issues for all of us. Date:                      Wednesday 22^nd February Time:                      6pm – 8pm Venue:                   The Enterprise Centre, UEA, Norwich. NR4 7TJ (light refreshments & superb cake will be served) Register your place: Latest Masterclasses (chadwicks.co.uk)

A new community shop is being set up in Norwich to help people who are struggling financially or at risk of food or fuel poverty. The shop in Earlham is being established as part of the Nourishing Norfolk Project, with funding from Norfolk Community Foundation, and has been set up as a community interest company with the help of regional accountancy firm, Larking Gowen. One of the founders, Carole Jacques, who is Head Teacher at Earlham Nursery School, said the NR5 postcode the shop will serve is an area of very high deprivation, and there’s a pressing need to help local residents with food security. “When lockdown came, there was a big focus on access to food from a number of groups, including students, families, working people and retired residents. Since the cost of living crisis, food poverty has just escalated,” Carole said. “When we started looking into setting up the shop, we realised that to get funding we’d have to become a community interest company. Fortunately, we were able to get help from Larking Gowen, and without that support we wouldn’t have been able to get set up. “They helped us with the paperwork and gave us clear guidance about our roles and responsibilities,” she continued. The community shop will be in a room at the nursery school which is currently used as a staff common room and has separate access. People in need of support will join as members. They’ll have access to cheaper food and professional help in a number of areas including employment, health and budgeting. “We see the impact of food and fuel poverty every day from our children at the nursery, even though they’re very young. This has been our motivation to set this up,” Carole said. Giles Kerkham, head of the Not for Profit Team at Larking Gowen, said: “This project is about getting food and support to people in Norwich who need it. We were delighted to help by setting up the community interest company. “It’s been about discussing the intended benefits for the community and how they achieve them, while keeping the wording of their documentation simple, usable and effective. Having the community interest company will protect the committee members and give confidence to supporters and funders. “As an independent regional practice, our role in supporting the wider community is extremely important to us. As part of this wider commitment, we’re proud to be one of the founder members of Norfolk ProHelp, the network of professional firms who commit to providing free, quality advice to the not for profit sector. We were very pleased to be able to accept this project to make sure that the community shop is set up in the best way to ensure its sustainability.”

Love West Norfolk Day returns on 14 February and people are being asked to highlight why they’re proud to live, work or visit here. Also, what their favourite spot is and why.

The sixth Love West Norfolk Day will provide an opportunity to highlight online the natural beauty of West Norfolk as the theme remains celebrating and protecting our beautiful west Norfolk environment. Cllr Sam Sandell, Cabinet member for People and Communities, said:

“We’re giving residents and the many people who visit here the opportunity to put a spotlight on what they love about our beautiful part of the world by keeping the green Love West Norfolk theme this year. “I hope to see people, organisations and businesses get involved online on 14 February by showcasing the best of our area, the need to protect it and what makes it so special. Don’t forget to use the hashtag #LoveWestNorfolk.”

What’s your favourite spot in West Norfolk and why do you love it? It could be a green space, garden, walk, sunrise or more. This Love West Norfolk Day, people are being invited to share their images of beautiful west Norfolk scenery and to tell us about it through social media channels. It is your chance to showcase our area to the rest of the world. King’s Lynn Park Run participants will show their support with their #lovewestnorfolk park run on Saturday 12 February. Judith Berry, one of the Park Run Directors, said:

“Over 200 people come to the Walks to take part in the weekly event, we certainly appreciate the green space we have here in town.”

Pictures of the runners will be included on Love West Norfolk social channels. People can also join in by taking ‘one step’ towards protecting their local environment, such as by picking up one piece of litter. And, anyone wishing to organise a community litter pick on Love West Norfolk day can – subject to availability – access Love West Norfolk litter pick kits from the borough council. It is be hoped that once again social media will be filled with the #lovewestnorfolk hashtag on Love West Norfolk day as people join in the celebration and share pictures and comments. Organisers are keen to hear from both individuals and organisations who also may wish to highlight why where we live is so special. A Love West Norfolk day engagement pack is available online with all the ways that people can join in with this year’s Love West Norfolk Day. The Love West Norfolk campaign is organised by the Borough Council of King’s Lynn and West Norfolk and is supported by other local organisations. Anyone wishing to find out more about the day, including getting involved, can follow the Love West Norfolk social media channels:

• Twitter: twitter.com/lovewestnorfolk
• Facebook: facebook.com/LoveWestNorfolk/
• Instagram: instagram.com/love_west_norfolk/

And here’s how you can get involved:

• Follow and get involved via the social media channels. Tell us what you love about west Norfolk using the hashtag #lovewestnorfolk
• You can also share your pictures and what you love about west Norfolk across our social media channels using the hashtag #lovewestnorfolk
• Get involved in Love West Norfolk day on 14 February, an opportunity to celebrate west Norfolk across social media. During the day, we want you to share your views, your pictures and your stories about west Norfolk using the hashtag #lovewestnorfolk
• We are also looking for good news stories and case studies which we can share. If you would like to get involved, please contact us via one of our social media channels

The resource pack is available to download from here: https://www.lovewestnorfolk.co.uk/love-west-norfolk-resource-pack/

Written by Lee Hart, Head of Knowhow Energy Overview What does this mean for me? Headlines: ✓ Gas and Electricity Wholesale prices have fallen further. ✓ EU Gas Storage levels are a reduced 70% full. ✓ More LNG shipments should be available from February with Freeport due to reopen. ✓ EU Gas Storage levels are 96% full. As of the 6th of February, Gas and Electricity Year Ahead Wholesale costs were lower, when compared to last month’s report and back to levels seen in 2021. Oil struggles to find price direction and has fallen from $82 to $81 per barrel, hitting a high of $88. It is thought the members of OPEC+ are unlikely to change the current productions levels, in an attempt to inflate the price. Although EU Gas Storage levels have reduced from 84% to 70% over the last month, it remains a positive position compared to the concerns through 2022, when it was feared restrictions on use may need to be enforced. Thoughts are already turning to the requirements for winter 2023/24. LNG deliveries continue to be made and can now be shipped direct to the new German facilities. Additional supplies are also expected soon as the US Freeport LNG terminal is due back online shortly, following the fire last year. Gas is an expensive form of Electricity generation and sets the Wholesale price, despite the high contribution of much cheaper Wind. A market review is looking at how Renewables could be priced separately, but in the meantime has seen the government increase Green generator’s tax, to help fund some of the support measures in place. The Met Office forecast is for seasonal norm temperatures and regional windy conditions at times in February. Read the full report below

A new community shop is being set up in Norwich to help people who are struggling financially or at risk of food or fuel poverty. The shop in Earlham is being established as part of the Nourishing Norfolk Project, with funding from Norfolk Community Foundation, and has been set up as a community interest company with the help of regional accountancy firm, Larking Gowen. One of the founders, Carole Jacques, who is Head Teacher at Earlham Nursery School, said the NR5 postcode the shop will serve is an area of very high deprivation, and there’s a pressing need to help local residents with food security. “When lockdown came, there was a big focus on access to food from a number of groups, including students, families, working people and retired residents. Since the cost of living crisis, food poverty has just escalated,” Carole said. “When we started looking into setting up the shop, we realised that to get funding we’d have to become a community interest company. Fortunately, we were able to get help from Larking Gowen, and without that support we wouldn’t have been able to get set up. “They helped us with the paperwork and gave us clear guidance about our roles and responsibilities,” she continued. The community shop will be in a room at the nursery school which is currently used as a staff common room and has separate access. People in need of support will join as members. They’ll have access to cheaper food and professional help in a number of areas including employment, health and budgeting. “We see the impact of food and fuel poverty every day from our children at the nursery, even though they’re very young. This has been our motivation to set this up,” Carole said. Giles Kerkham, head of the Not for Profit Team at Larking Gowen, said: “This project is about getting food and support to people in Norwich who need it. We were delighted to help by setting up the community interest company. “It’s been about discussing the intended benefits for the community and how they achieve them, while keeping the wording of their documentation simple, usable and effective. Having the community interest company will protect the committee members and give confidence to supporters and funders. “As an independent regional practice, our role in supporting the wider community is extremely important to us. As part of this wider commitment, we’re proud to be one of the founder members of Norfolk ProHelp, the network of professional firms who commit to providing free, quality advice to the not for profit sector. We were very pleased to be able to accept this project to make sure that the community shop is set up in the best way to ensure its sustainability.” Image provided by Larking Gowen