Month: November 2024

Bury St Edmunds-based organisations are being encouraged to think local with their Christmas rewards and incentives as new employee research is unveiled showing strong local support.

Showing support for local businesses could be a secret weapon to boosting workplace motivation, according to new research backed by the Our Bury St Edmunds Gift Card.

The research found that 94% of employees believe it is important that the organisation they work for supports local businesses. 97% said they would feel more engaged/motivated if their company showed they care about local and their community.

Driven by Our Bury St Edmunds BID, the Our Bury St Edmunds Gift Card is part of the Town & City Gift Card initiative delivered by Miconex. Fintech Miconex undertook the research with over 4000 employees, organisations and consumers in August 2024.

The Our Bury St Edmunds Gift Card can be spent with over 70 town centre businesses, giving employees choice, which was key for respondents in the survey. 89% of employees surveyed said having choice in their rewards and incentives was important to them.

When it comes to the reward staff would like to receive, gift cards maintained their popularity with employees, with 83% preferring to receive a £50 gift card (tax free) than £50 cash through payroll (taxed). 97% would like to receive a gift card from work that can be spent with local independent and national businesses.

The research also suggested other opportunities to boost staff motivation, such as seasonally based rewards and unexpected rewards. According to the research, winter is the worst time of year for staff motivation, with just 14% of people saying winter is when they feel most motivated, followed by summer (17%), autumn (25%) and spring (43%).

Asked whether an anticipated or unexpected reward was more motivating, 56% of respondents in the survey said an unexpected reward from their workplace would motivate them more. In addition, 50% of respondents said they don’t feel valued by their employer and 69% think their employer could improve their reward and incentive offering.

New technology introduced by the Our Bury St Edmunds Gift Card in October 2024 allows organisations to send digital Town & City Gift Cards online to multiple recipients at once, either immediately or on a future date.

Business Support Manager for Our Bury St Edmunds BID Mike Kirkham said: “Support for local is at an all-time high with employees. They want to support local and if their company shows their support for local too, it makes them feel more positively about their firm, boosting motivation. Choosing the Our Bury St Edmunds Gift Card for staff rewards this Christmas is an easy way for firms to make a tangible investment in their staff, and in their local community too, as all cards have to be spent right here in Bury St Edmunds. What’s more, as they offer unbeatable local choice, it aligns to what employees want from their workplace rewards.”

Colin Munro, managing director of Miconex said: “Boosting employee motivation is an ever present aim for organisations, so much so that 60% of organisations in our research said they expect this to be their main objective in 2025. The research presents a number of opportunities for Bury St Edmunds organisations to boost staff motivation by looking at their rewards and incentives differently, from the time of year they are offered to rewards that help employees to feel appreciated and valued, and rewards that demonstrate the organisation’s commitment to supporting local. Organisations could also use the Trivial Tax Benefit to offer unexpected, and potentially more motivating, rewards.”

To purchase corporate gift cards visit https://corporate.townandcitygiftcards.com/.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year – and that means the Our Bury St Edmunds’ Christmas Window Competition is open with the chance to win a fabulous hamper just by voting for your favourite festive display.  Every year, town centre businesses compete for the prestigious Our Bury St Edmunds Shield presented by the Business Improvement District (BID) organisation.

Launching today (Monday November 25), the free to enter competition is offering a prize of a festive hamper worth up to £150.  Just visit the Our Bury St Edmunds website where voting remains open until Sunday December 13.  The winning business will be announced shortly afterwards along with the winner of the hamper drawn from all those who’ve cast a vote.  

Mike Kirkham Business Support Manager at Our Bury St Edmunds BID said: “Last year’s winner was the beauty and make up salon Edit Clinic in Risbygate Street and it was the first time that owner Victoria Last had decorated a shop window for Christmas, so a real achievement.  Our businesses always do the town centre proud and put so much hard work into their shop windows with all of them looking wonderfully festive.

“If you are coming into the town centre for some shopping or meeting up for a coffee or night out, then do have a wander around looking at all those seeking your votes.  Together with the town centre lights and decorations it really is beginning to look a lot like Christmas.” 

A full list of participants and further information on how to vote is available by visiting www.ourburystedmunds.com.

Two additional reverse vending machines have been installed in West Suffolk following an initial six month trial.

Earlier this year West Suffolk became the first council in the country to get behind an initiative to increase recycling and support local businesses.

The council teamed up with Love Newmarket Business Improvement District (BID), Our Bury St Edmunds BID, The Guineas Shopping Centre, Abbeycroft, Eastern Education Group, and Trovr to deliver four reverse vending machines.

Thanks to an enthusiastic response from the local community two more machines have been added; one in Haverhill Leisure Centre and another in local insurance broker Howden Bury St Edmunds. These join the machines already installed in The Guineas, Newmarket Leisure Centre, West Suffolk College and Parkway Multi-storey.

Trovr, the company supplying the machines, uses a smartphone app to incentivise recycling through points-based rewards. Residents can earn points by recycling at the designated machines, redeemable at local and national businesses.

With the goal to increase recycling rates of single use drinks containers and reduce litter, it is positive that a total of 12,640 items have been recycled via the machines so far.

The UK government has announced that from 2027, a Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) is to be introduced across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. By working with Trovr, West Suffolk residents will be ahead of the curve in using such a scheme.

Cllr Gerald Kelly, Cabinet Member for Governance, Regulatory and Environment at West Suffolk Council said, “I am thrilled that Trovr has expanded the reverse vending scheme in West Suffolk. This was a unique opportunity for the council and partners to lead the way in environmental innovation, promoting recycling with impressive results. It is fantastic to see the local community’s enthusiastic support for the project, a promising sign as we look toward the national rollout of the Deposit Return Scheme and other recycling initiatives to bolster our environmental resilience.”

Nick Yeatman, Chief Executive Officer of Trovr said “At Trovr, we’re thrilled to see the community’s enthusiasm for recycling and how well the reverse vending machines and Trovr app have been received in West Suffolk. This expansion is a testament to the local commitment to sustainable practices. By making recycling easy and rewarding, we’re not only boosting recycling rates but also helping to create a cleaner, greener future. It’s exciting to see West Suffolk residents embrace this innovative approach ahead of the UK’s upcoming Deposit Return Scheme.”

Jonathan Turner-Smith, Branch Manager at Howden Bury St Edmunds, said: “At Howden, we use insurance as a powerful force for good. As well as helping you find cover for the most important things in your life, we also take pride in supporting our local community and the causes that matter. We’re delighted to have partnered with Trovr and West Suffolk Council to host one of the new reverse vending machines at our Bury St Edmunds branch. Together, we can encourage sustainable habits and contribute to a cleaner, greener future for everyone.

Mark Cordell, Chief Executive Officer, Our Bury St Edmund said “The first machine in the multistorey car park has been a success but I think a more centrally located machine will be used even more. I am delighted that BID business, Howden Insurance, have taken up this opportunity, which was offered to all of our members”

Warren Smyth, Chief Executive Officer of Abbeycroft said “It’s fantastic that we have been able to work with West Suffolk Council and TROVR to install a second machine at Haverhill Leisure Centre. This comes after the recent success for the installation at Newmarket Leisure Centre which has been very popular, enabling customers and the local community an easy opportunity to recycle bottles and cans. We look forward to continuing this successful partnership.”

Dog-lovers have voted a Suffolk town the most dog friendly in the UK. At an awards ceremony in London this afternoon Bury St Edmunds was named the UK’s most dog friendly town after winning silver and the crown for English towns last year.

The DogFriendly Awards recognise and reward dog friendly places and pet businesses that go the extra mile for the benefit of the UK’s 12.5 million dogs and their owners. Winners of the DogFriendly Awards in each of the categories are chosen by public vote.

With more pet owners now taking their pooch on holiday with them, Bury St Edmunds has developed its own dog friendly scheme to help visitors and residents easily identify where their four-legged pal is made welcome. Around 140 shops, eateries, places to stay, attractions and more have signed up to the scheme meaning they can display a blue paw print logo sticker and water bowl.

Chief Executive of Our Bury St Edmunds BID, which now includes the town’s official tourism brand Bury St Edmunds and Beyond, Mark Cordell said: “It is fantastic that Bury St Edmunds not only reached the finals for a second successive year, but has gone one better and is now the most dog friendly town in the UK. On behalf of all the businesses, thank you to everyone who voted for us.

“With Bury St Edmunds welcoming dogs in many of our businesses, there are a lot that go the extra mile offering items on their menus, free snacks for dogs and more. It means that residents and visitors know that they can stay longer in town and don’t have to leave their four-legged member of their family at home because many of our local accommodation businesses offer dog stays too.

“In addition, this last year the town’s tour guides have started to offer dog friendly tours to visitors and St Edmundsbury Cathedral, which is also dog friendly, has even published a dogs of the Cathedral calendar for 2025 so there are even more reasons for waggy tails all round.”

Jon Kay, from Camp Tails Doggy Daycare, who founded the town’s dog friendly scheme with help from Bury St Edmunds Town Council, Our Bury St Edmunds BID, and Bury St Edmunds and Beyond, added: “I was honoured to represent Bury St Edmunds at the awards ceremony again and so proud to receive the award on behalf of local businesses and a passionate group behind the scenes going over and above to make our canine chums welcome. It was an amazing day although we had our fingers and paws crossed right up until the announcement. I’d like to thank everyone who voted for us and recognised all that Bury St Edmunds does to be dog friendly.”
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For more information about Bury St Edmunds Dog Friendly Scheme visit www.dogfriendlybse.co.uk or watch the video on YouTube, which gives a real dog’s eye view of the town.  For more details about other things to see and do and where to stay visit www.burystedmundsandbeyond.co.uk.

For more details about other things to see and do and where to stay visit www.burystedmundsandbeyond.co.uk

A fabulous Snow Lion is bringing the magic of Christmas to Bury St Edmunds for the town’s annual Christmas Lights Event on Thursday November 14.  The traditional free admission event, packed full of entertainment and fun activities, will be the first chance to see this year’s illuminations as dusk falls on the town centre as well as a chance to meet some favourite seasonal characters.

The event promises an afternoon and evening of family entertainment and attractions, organised by Our Bury St Edmunds Business Improvement District (BID), with something for all ages.  The Cornhill and Buttermarket will be full of stalls, featuring crafts and gifts as well as those supporting charities and local good causes.  Charities taking part this year include Boomerang’s Pet Foodbank, Upbeat Heart Support and many other local organisations.  It’s an opportunity to do some Christmas shopping, meet Santa or enjoy fairground rides which will include a big wheel and a helter-skelter.

Our Bury St Edmunds BID has been organising the Christmas Lights in the town for over a decade.  Chief Executive Mark Cordell said: “Every year we like to bring something different to our Christmas Lights Event and this year is no exception as we welcome the stunning Snow Lion and the Red Queen as well as a number of other characters and entertainers. Bury St Edmunds Round Table are helping us ensure that Santa and his sleigh, along with the elves will be here too.  It’s a lovely reason to spend some time in town, perhaps do some shopping, have something to eat or drink or just enjoy the attractions and fairground rides.”

Throughout the afternoon and evening the stage entertainment will include a magician, Theatre Royal pantomime characters from Aladdin and the choir from St Mary’s Church as well as much-loved performances from local schools and colleges. The Snow Queen, Ice Princess and their Snowman friend will be among the crowd to meet fans of all ages.

All the lights in the displays use the most energy-efficient LED bulbs and the time they remain on is carefully managed to conserve energy.

The Our Bury St Edmunds Christmas Lights Event runs from 3pm to 8pm and is supported by ShopSafe.   More information is available at www.ourburystedmunds.com and on social media @ourburysteds.