The fireworks display in Norwich was well attended and enjoyed by people of all ages. There were some minor technical issues with the second display causing a 20 minute delay, but attendees remained in good spirits. Funds raised from the event will be donated to charities in Norwich. A man from Norfolk has become the first person in Britain to receive a revolutionary medical treatment for stroke recovery. The treatment, pioneered in South Africa, uses microchips implanted in the brain to stimulate nerve activity and has led to significantly improved outcomes for stroke patients. The man is already showing more rapid recovery than expected from conventional treatments. A local double glazing company won a large national contract, worth an estimated £10 million over

1. NEWSPAPER ARTICLES
Off WithA Bang!
The fireworksdisplayin Norwich organisedlast Friday
certainlywent off witha bang! The displaywas spectacular,
lightingup the nightsky with the sparkle and myriad colours
of the fireworks.
The eventtookplace in the gloriousgroundsof Broxbourne
Hall withthe lake providingaspectacularmirroredbackdrop
to the fireworks.The mildweatherhelpedtofosterastrong
familyatmosphere allowingall generationstoattendfrom
toddlerstothe grandparents.
Two separate displayswereputonbythe volunteers,the first
startingpromptlyat 7:30pm andlastingfora good15
minutes.There wasaslight problemwiththe seconddisplay
plannedfor8:30pm with technical difficulties causinga20
minute delay.Thisdidnotdeterthe revellershoweverwho
were full of cheerandstayed until the endof festivities.
A large bonfire wasinevidencefuelledby beamsscrapped by
the estate fromthe recentrefurbishmentof acollectionof
woodenouthouses. The drytimberprovidedaroaringflame
whichcrackledwithsparksand createda brightcentrepiece to
warm the revellers hearts.
Lots of refreshmentstallswere in evidenceprovidingbeverages
and burgers.The carnival attractionswere popularwiththe youngsters,whichincluded dodgemcars
and the BIG Wheel.
Amongthe revellerswasTonyHatch of Wroxhamwho attendedwithhiswife anddaughter,her
husbandandtwo children.MrHatch, 62, commented“we attendeveryyearandalwaysfindita
lovelynightoutwhichcanbe sharedby all the familywithsomethingtoenjoyforadultsand
childrenalike”.
The organisersstatedthatgenerousfundswere raisedonthe nightenablingsignificant
contributionstobe made to the deservingcharitable institutionsinNorwich.

2. Norfolkman receivesrevolutionarymedical
treatment
A Norfolkman, StevenClapes,has become
the firstman in Britain to benefitfroma
revolutionarymedical treatment for the
alleviationofstroke inducedconditions.Mr
Clapes,61, a builderfrom Norwich suffered
a stroke in October last year and became
the latestvictim of an increasingtrend of
early onsetstrokes.
Aftereffectsof the stroke include difficulties
withspeech,partial paralysisof one side of
the bodyand impairmentof some of the braincognitionfunctions.Conventional treatmentsathis
local medical centre have provided little improvementtoMr Clapes’conditionleadingtofrustrations
withlackof adjustmenttonormal life.
Dr AbbeyGilchristismedical directorof HellesdonHospital inNorwich,whereMrClapeswas
receivingtreatment.DrGilchrist,45, previouslypracticedNeurosurgeryata clinicinSouthAfrica
pioneeringresearchintoradical newproceduresforthe treatmentof stroke victims.One such
technique involvedthe temporary implantof asmall electronicchipintothe brainstemof the
patientwhichprovidesmicroelectrical signalstostimulateneurological cell nerve activity.
Treatmentof patientsina five yearstudyprogramme inSouthAfrica ledtosignificant
improvementsinthe qualityof lifeof stroke victimswitharapidreturntoalmostnormal life. She
was keento introduce these developmentstoBritainandsponsoredthe treatmentof Mr Clapesin
hislocal NHS hospital.
“My formercolleaguesinSouthAfricaundertookashortbutintense trainingexercisewithNHS
surgeonsenablingMr Clapestoreceive the treatmentlocally”,commentedDrGilchrist.“The
outcome forMr Clapeshasbeena much more rapidimprovementthanconventional treatment
methodswouldhave allowed”.

3. Local Company Wins National Contract
A local NorfolkDouble Glazingcompany, Spire Windows,has givena boost to the local economy
by winninga large contract last month for the refurbishmentofGovernmentbuildingsona
national basis.The contract involvesthe replacementof existingsingle glazedwindowsbydouble
glazingunits and associated upgradesto roof fascia and gutteringsystems.
CurrentlySpire hasa turnoverof twomillionpounds perannumandemploys35people in
Swaffham.The contractis estimatedtobe worthapproximately£10Mto Spire overtwo yearsand
providesastable platformforgrowth.Mike Davis,Spire ManagingDirectorcommented “this
contract representsamajorachievementfora small companysuchas Spire.Itis the resultof 18
monthsof hard work bya dedicatedbiddingteamwhomanagedtowinthe bidagainstsome
formidable opposition.The successisno coincidence,here atSpire we runa leansystemwhere our
tightcost control has allowedustomake the most cost effective offertosee off the competition.
Our qualitycontrol systemwasrigorously testedby the GovernmentAuthorityanditisencouraging
that theyhave developed the confidence toinvestinourcompany whichisrelativelyuntriedona
national scale”.
The successis estimatedtooffersignificantbenefitstothe local communitywithjobopportunities
for experiencedtradesmenandapprenticeshipsonofferforschool leavers.The indirectbenefitswill
extendtolocal engineeringandpartssupplybusinesses operatinginthe supplychaintoSpire.

4. Council Approves Northern Distributer Route Plan
Plans for the proposed Northerndistributor Route (NDR) took a significantstepforward thisweek
as a resultof a milestone decisiontakenbyNorfolk CountyCouncil.
Well knowntocitizensof NorwichandNorthNorfolk,the NDRproposal hasbeen hotlydebatedover
the last 2 years since the ideawasfirstmootedfora ringroad to bypassNorwich.Youwouldhave
had to be immersedinadeepsleep tobe unaware of the longstandingarguments raginginfavour
and againstthe proposal.
The proposalsrelate tothe constructionof a dual carriagewayroadnetwork runningfromNorth to
Westof Norwich, linkingupwiththe existingNorwichsouthern ringroadthusformingaNorth –
Southcity bypass. Benefitsinclude the reliefof trafficonthe Norwichcityouterringroad and the
significantreductionsintravel times betweenopposite endof the county.Relateddevelopments
include the zoningof landtothe perimeterof the roadleadingtothe constructionof 500 homes
crucial to the alleviationof local housingshortage problems.
Proponents of the road pointto economicgainsandthe creationof new jobsbyattracting industry
to the north of the county,an area previously perceivedashaving poortransportlinksto the restof
the country.Opponentspointtothe necessarydestructionof wildlife habitatsonthe route and
extratrafficspoilingthe charmandtranquillityof atraditional holidayingarea.
Inevitably,followingthe lengthy publicconsultationexercise carriedoutbythe council involving the
compilationof comprehensive informationpacksairedanddebatedat‘townhall’meetings, the
council finallyconvenedlastThursdayto exercise theirmandate andundertake the democratic
votingprocess.The sessionstartedmid-morningandthe debate ragedlongand hard withemotional
pleasonboth sides.Protestorsconvenedoutsidethe council buildingcreatingavibrant,noisy,but
goodnaturedatmosphere displayingplacardsexpounding the viewsof bothsides.
A motioninfavourof the planwaseventuallycarriedbya majorityvote of 42 to 27. Informal terms
thisdecisionratifiesthe proposal forthe NDR,considered‘anationallysignificantinfrastructure
project’,underthe termsof the PlanningAct(2008). CouncillorNormaDavis,whosupportedthe
proposals,commented “thisbringstoa conclusionthe greatestperiodof local publicengagement
since the historicsupportinhishome countyfor HoratioNelson’sseafaringexploits”.

5. Food Banks Report Increased Demand
The Terence Russell Trust, the charitable organisation dedicatedto improvinglivingconditionsof
familiesexperiencingdifficulteconomicconditions,hasreporteda 30% increase in demandduring
the last 6 monthsfor its support servicesin Norfolk.
The increase hasbeenparticularly evidentinthe charity’sfoodbanksite inNorwich.Familiesatthe
bottomof the economicscale are strugglingtomake endsmeet asthe recessionconditionscontinue
to bite inthis earnings sector. Mike Davisisthe co-ordinatorforNorfolkcountyoperations: “we
provide the basicsforfamiliesintroublebutwe rely ondonationsand canonlyprovide non-
perishable bulkfoodsandtinswhichfall shortof providinghealthynourishmentandabalanced
diet”.
The trend isprimarilydue tolocal firmscuttingback on operationsmeaningworkers have todeal
withconditionsof unemploymentor the needto accept zerohour contacts as an alternative tofull
employment. The large factoryfarmingenterprisesinNorfolktraditionallyprovide highlevelsof
employmentbutonlyatthe minimumwage levels.There hasbeenconsiderabledebate inrecent
timesaboutthe needtoincrease the level of the minimumwage to thatof a ‘livingwage’.This
proposal reflectsthe researchcarriedoutbythe Institute of EconomicAffairswhichhasestablished
that the current level of the minimumwage fallsshortof that requiredto supportthe broadrange of
expensesexperiencedby these familiesincurrentUKeconomicconditions. RichardEvans,MP for
NorwichNorthclaimsthata change islongoverdue: “whilstfirmsare conformingtothe letterof the
lawin providingthe minimumwage there isclearlyaneedforactiontosetthe legal thresholdatthe
livingwage level tohelpfamiliessurvive andprosper”.

6. Campaigners Demand Reduced Train Journey Times
Commuterswho regularly use the Norwichto London train are agitating for an improvementin
servicesand shorter train journeytimes. AbellioGreaterAngliacurrentlyholds the franchise which
runs hourly servicesto the capital withaverage journeytimes of1 hour 50 minuteseitherway.
JeremyHandleyissecretaryof the NorwichTrainCommutergroupandhas beenusingAbellio
servicesonthe London route since theirfranchise began9monthsago. Mr Handley,49,is a
freelance journalistwhose workbase is athome butneedsto visithisemployers’head office in
Londonup to 3 timeseach week. He said:“The highcost of livinginareasclose toLondon hasdriven
commutersfurtherafieldto seek locationssuchasNorwich whichoffermore affordable housing.
The current journeytime of 1 hourand 50 minutesmeansthatcommutingto Londonis notpractical
on a dailybasisandworksonlyfor people likeme whobenefitfrommore flexible working
arrangements. We knowthatresearchby rail transportindustrybodieshasshownthat a journey
time of 1 hour and15 minutesisachievable on thisroute byinvestmentinrail infrastructure and
trainrollingstock.Justimagine whata boostthiswouldbringtothe local area withthe influx of daily
Londoncommutersandtheirspendingpower”.
Local NorwichSouth Opposition MPAmandaJonessupportsherconstituents’campaignandhas
lobbiedatGovernmentlevelforinvestmentfundstobe allocatedforrail infrastructure
improvements onthisline.She hasalsochairedjointmeetingsbetweencampaignmembersand
representativesof Abelliotohighlightthe benefitswhichincreasedcommutertrafficcouldbring
withinvestmentinfastertrains toreduce journeytimes.“We have seenthese kindsof
developmentsundertakeninFrance andSpainwhere so-called‘Bullet’trainshave beenbroughtinto
service tosignificantlyshortentrainjourneytimesonimportantintercityroutes.These investment
schemes,albeitinvolvingsignificant up-frontcapital sums,have provedtoofferlongtermeconomic
gainsto the train companiesandincreasedconvenience tocustomers. Britain,whichhasaproud
track record of innovationsince the inceptionof rail services,isindangerof beingleftbehindbyour
continental partnersandrisksbeinglabelledthe ‘slow man’of Europe”.