An unpredictable start to 2018. The New Year is now well underway and I hope you all had a relaxing Christmas and a Merry New Year. Whilst we are still in the middle of winter, after Christmas it is almost impossible not to start looking forward to spring, the time of year to hatch out new projects and to start implementing all the new plans which you were developing on the run up to the festivities. Most companies have their end of financial year either at the end of the calendar year or the tax year, meaning there is always a lot of activity getting paperwork together and trying to find the receipt for the Christmas Party. Last year was very unpredictable in terms of business performance and confidence. For a large part of the year most businesses just got on with things, almost choosing to ignore the political turmoil which was going on around them. This year looks at least for the first 6 months a similar picture, with downgraded growth predictions, and claims of low productivity. As the Brexit negotiations start to work through this year, hopefully the picture will become clearer and business confidence will strengthen, enabling us to address the productivity issues with vigour and determination.
It is with this in mind I am looking forward to Norfolk Chambers annual MPs event. In previous years our MPs have done the region proud, with a large number of them holding ministerial positions, the annual event allows Chamber members direct access to our MPs across all parties in an informal surrounding. This is always an excellent opportunity to ask questions and hear the views of the people who represent the region, in what is clearly going to be one of the most important political 12 months. This year’s event is to be on the 2nd February and I do hope as many of you can come along as possible, to what is always one of the highlights of the Chamber events calendar. I am also pleased to see in this copy of the Norfolk Voice, Chris Sargisson our CEO outlining his plans for the future direction of the Norfolk Chamber. Chris has the full backing of the new Board, which is also featured within this copy, providing a wide range of business experience across all of the key sectors. The year is already looking like an exciting one for the Chamber and I do hope that you will all join with us to make 2018 a year to remember for Norfolk business success!
Jonathan Cage
President, Norfolk Chamber of Commerce
Christmas Breakfasts 2017. In December, the Chamber delivered three Christmas breakfasts across Norfolk, offering members a chance to attend a festive networking event at a venue nearest to them. We hosted the business breakfasts with a festive spin at luxurious venues in Great Yarmouth, Norwich and West Norfolk.
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A47 Alliance update breakfast. On Thursday 9th November, over 60 delegates joined us for a business breakfast at the Great Yarmouth Racecourse. The morning was started off by Chris Sargisson, Chief Executive of Norfolk Chamber of Commerce. He highlighted that the Norfolk Chamber are fully supporting the dualling of the A47. Once breakfast was served David Powles, Editor for the EDP, facilitated the presentations and discussions from the A47 Alliance campaign. Outlining the A47 Alliance’s plans for the future, Cllr Martin Wilby, Chair of the A47 Alliance and David Cumming, Principal
Infrastructure Growth Planner for Norfolk County Council, highlighted how improvements to the A47 would impact Norfolk businesses in the years to come. The morning was concluded with Q&A session with a panel including Cllr Martin Wilby, David Cumming and Nova Fairbank, Public Affairs Manager at Norfolk Chamber of Commerce. Questions included: ‘How can businesses support the campaign to dual the A47?’
First up we had the Great Yarmouth breakfast which took place at the Town Hall where a wide range of members came to meet new businesses. The morning was hosted by East Coast Hospice, who guided guests through a morning of breakfast and festive networking activities, including a ‘guess the intro’ Christmas music game. Next up, was the Norwich edition. Over 140 guests came to The Holiday Inn for a morning hosted by The Big C who encouraged the room full of Chamber members,
dressed up in their finest festive attire, to take part in activities such as Christmas Pictionary! To round up the Christmas breakfasts, members from the West Norfolk area came to network at Knight’s Hill hotel in King’s Lynn. The morning was hosted by East Anglia Children’s Hospice, who managed to make everyone feel festive enough for a game of charades – a real ice-breaker! Across all three breakfasts, guests were extremely generous and brought along gift donations for each of the charities involved with the breakfasts in order to support their causes. If you are interested in attending one of our business breakfasts in the new year, please visit our website: norfolkchamber.co.uk/events or email events@norfolkchamber. co.uk.
The next Great Yarmouth Business Breakfast is Thursday 18th January. Find out more at norfolkchamber.co.uk/events
Contact Nova Fairbank about how you can help support future A47 improvements: nova.fairbank@norfolkchamber.co.uk
Norfolk Chamber of Commerce
NORFOLK VOICE • THE MAGAZINE OF NORFOLK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018