We work with clients to deliver results – our approach to consultancy is to work closely with the client throughout an assignment to ensure that our service meets their needs in full. Whilst we normally work to a formal contractual agreement with clear deliverables, we are also happy to work on a call off or open book responsive basis if this better meets your needs.
We offer a very responsive service and can usually act very quickly when the need arises. As principals in our own business we understand the importance of speed and that work cannot always be planned a long time in advance. Regardless of whether you require a quick opinion or a major project report we pride ourselves on meeting deadlines and deliver all projects on time and within budget. Much of our work is sensitive and having worked on boards and in senior management roles ourselves we understand the need for confidentiality.
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We are pleased to support AgriTech East, of which we are members, in their drive to develop the UK’s leading agricultural technology cluster across the East of England. We are also pleased to support the work which the Local Enterprise Partnerships deliver and are linked to the New Anglia Growth Hub as a business advocate and support Greater Lincolnshire LEP on the agri-food sector.
Lynn Chairs West Norfolk Leader Group http://www.norfolklags.co.uk/west-norfolk and Martin Chairs the Fens Leader Group https://cambsfensleader.wordpress.com/applying-for-grant-funding/ , both of which make grants to small rural and agri-food companies. We would encourage anyone with a project idea which needs funding to get in touch with us and the Leader teams as we maybe able to help with you projects.
Consultancy sectors
With a strong background across the agri-food, rural and green economies, public and skills sectors we are able to work on a wide range of projects. We specialise in working across sectors and helping you to make connections which add real value to your company or project. The services we offer include:
We have worked on projects with leading research centres such as the John Innes Centre, UEA, University of Aberdeen, Cranfield University, University of Lincoln and the University of Portsmouth on applied research where we use our knowledge of the commercial and research sectors to help translate new science into successful technologies. This often includes working with scientists to assess the market potential for their science or to develop communication materials to communicate their science to industry.
This has included work on projects including:
With a background in the delivery of education from ‘A’ levels to Further and Higher Education we are passionate about the need to develop education and skills programmes which meet the needs of both employers and students.
Norfolk Show CLA & CCA Breakfast Debate, June 2013 – The Role of Technology in Delivering Food and Environmental Security. Martin (far right) with Richard Anscombe (CEO Fram Farmers), David Lawrence OBE (Principal Easton and Otley College), George Freeman MP (Mid Norfolk MP and now Minister for Life Sciences), Harry Cotterell (President CLA 2011-13), Jim Godfrey (BBSRC Council)
Martin lectured at Writtle College from 1987-2004 on subjects including business management, international trade and EU policy. He also organised EU exchange programmes, delivered programmes overseas and hosted international delegations to the UK.
Martin still lectures part time at the National Centre for Food Manufacturing at the University of Lincoln. In addition to formal education we have been active in promoting and delivering industry short courses for over a decade and have worked closely with UEA Landskills (and the former Landskills East) teams in recent years to deliver management and leadership training for agriculture (mainly utilising RDPE skills funding),
Martin also wrote the bid in 2012-13 for the Edge Apprenticeship project which secured £1.4m from the Employer Ownership of Skills fund to deliver a programme to increase the number of higher level agricultural apprentices in the industry. This project is led by Anglia Farmers and Fram Farmers in partnership with Easton and Otley College.
Both Martin and Lynn have worked on the development of new degree programmes and conducted market research to focus these developments. We have also both worked for examining bodies including setting papers for GNVQ Land and Environment and ‘A’ Level Business Studies.
We have developed successful business plans and funding applications for funding from RDPE, ESF, Erasmus, the Big Lottery, Employer Onwership of Skills Fund and funds run by the former Regional Development Agencies. We have also facilitated the development of ERDF partnerships.
Whilst we don’t specialise in some related areas such as rural planning applications, we have associates who offer this service and can either include them in our project team or make introductions for you. We are also happy to work with your existing planning advisors to compliment their skills.
We also work with a range of clients on a retained basis to develop long term strategies and investment plans and then work with them to secure funding from multiple sources to facilitate these plans.
We don’t believe in policy for policy’s sake and our approach is therefore to focus on policy developments which can be delivered through the development of new ways of working, new partnerships, projects or processes. Policy development must lead to action and we always therefore insist on consultation and engaging those who the policy is targeted at, so it is deliverable.
We always start with an analysis of the evidence (economic, social and environmental) and always ensure that our policy recommendations are guided by the facts.
Our policy work has included developing local, regional and national strategies for investment in a range of areas including agriculture, food, technology and the rural economy.
In many cases our policy work has included running large consultations with the business and wider community, using face to face, telephone and online survey methods. We also believe in the power of setting out an ambitious vision to stimulate debate and engage people.
We have worked alongside management teams in the private, educational and public sectors to bring an external or specialist input to their decision making and organisational policy.
We really enjoy pulling complex and large projects together which challenge the way things are done and which establish new approaches to delivery.
Having worked in project development for over 20 years we have developed commercial, skills and applied research and technology led projects for a wide range of groups. This has led to successful bids for funding to grant schemes including those run by the Lottery, DEFRA, EU and Department for Education as well as local and regional government agencies.
We have a long track record of reviewing the delivery of government funding and designing new funding programmes. This has included schemes including those funded by ERDF, EAFRD and Redundant Building Grants as well as national rural programmes run by DEFRA, the Countryside Agency and others.
We have helped develop new programmes such as Rural Renaissance, Agri-Food Investment Programmes, DEFRA RDPE regional plans, Leader programmes and Skills Investment programmes.
We now work closely with LEPs, Councils and central government on this area with a particular focus on the application of technology to the agri-food sector and rural economic growth.