Local News

People over 50 who are not currently working, are in rural areas, probably female, and thinking of returning to work, training or self employment; have the chance to try out a range of rural jobs from brewing beer to bee keeping, making bread and grafting trees under a new 6 month FORWARD project we are running in Norfolk and north Suffolk.

We are delighted to be able offer local people, free opportunities to try out what its like to be involved in the rural economy. FORWARD has two strands; one giving opportunities for work experience and another providing craft workshops using a variety of media; from digital photography to working with clay or making jewellery. A list of some of the opportunities is at the end of this article.

We are now inviting applications from people wanting to take advantage of the workshops or work experience, which are happening across Norfolk.
Financial help
The project offers help with the cost of travel and some other expenses, applicants must not be economically active and the project is aimed at benefiting people over 50 years of age in particular, but not exclusively
To apply or for more information please telephone us on 01603 424102 or email us at info@producedinnorfolk.com

Craft training is 5 weeks of 3 hours; work experience is a minimum of 3 half days
Work experience opportunities available include
Brewing, Catering, Bread making, Pastry making, Horticulture, Recipe Development,  Retail and Office Administration, Digital photography, Picture framing, IT,  Reception duties,  Animal husbandry
Craft Workshop opportunities include
Silk paper making,  Tile decoration Jewellery Design and making, Lamp Making, Lead work and stained glass, Bead making, Painting, Printing, Printed textiles, Digital photography  IT, Working with clay, Hat dressing.

Forward is funded by the European social fund and supported by the  learning and skills council

Jane Miller

Managing Director

Produced In Norfolk

www.producedinnorfolk.com

www.shopinnorfolk.co.uk

info@producedinnorfolk.com

01603424102

Room 5

Melbourne House,

Arminghall Close

Norwich

NR3 3UE

Registered in England No. 05338671

Norfolk Trusted Trader – 1 July 2009

Norfolk Trusted Trader – the new scheme that helps consumers avoid the cowboys. Launches on 1 July - for further information go to www.norfolk.gov.uk/trustedtrader

Vehicle Matching – 2 June 2009

Norfolk County Council Trading Standards and the Office of Fair Trading are warning Norfolk residents who are advertising their vehicles for sale to be wary of cold telephone callers who contact them to say they have a buyer. They will then charge a fee of between £80-£90 to put buyer and seller in touch with each other. However, in many cases there is no buyer and any money paid is lost.

For further advice and information please contact Consumer Direct on 08454 04 05 06.

Door to Door Collections – 26 May 2009

Norfolk County Council Trading Standards have received further enquiries concerning leaflets put through people’s doors offering to take clothing and other items. This method and the leaflets are similar to those used by some charities. Some of these leaflets come from commercial organisations. There is nothing illegal in such practices providing the leaflet makes it clear the commercial nature and the items collected are used as stated. We would recommend that people read any leaflet fully and to decide exactly to whom they may wish to donate any goods. If you have concerns over any such leaflets you can contact Norfolk County Council Trading Standards through our partners Consumer Direct on 08454 04 05 06.

Share Dealing Calls – 26 May 2009

Norfolk County Council Trading Standards has received enquires concerning unsolicited telephone calls from organisations abroad offering to sell shares people have. Our advice is to take extreme care before becoming involved with such organisations and to use well established businesses for buying and selling shares. You can report any suspicious firms who contact you by visiting the Consumer Information section of the Financial Services Authority website at www.fsa.gov.uk

Mail Order Scam – 5 May 2009

Norfolk Trading Standards are aware of a mail order 'scammer' who has advertised in numerous newspapers throughout the UK. Often the advertisements do not give the name or address of the business.

Items being offered are laptops, cameras, mobile phones etc at discounted prices. Consumers responding to the advertisement have paid money directly into bank accounts and not received goods.

Norfolk Trading Standards advises that you find out who you are dealing with before sending money to businesses. You can check the details of businesses through Companies House.

Further warning on bank scam – 16 April 2009

Norfolk pensioners have been targeted in a telephone scam by a bogus bank official attempting to obtain details of their bank accounts.

The man claims to be working for Lloyds TSB Customer Care and says that £200 has been taken from their account and that he needs their bank details. The man definitely does not work for any bank.

Norfolk County Council Trading Standards Service advises everyone not to give any account or personal details over the phone.

Money Transfer Scam – 27 March 2009

Norfolk County Council Trading Standards has become aware of another scam to defraud people out of their money. The scam follows the pattern of similar ones in the past. The victim is contacted and asked that if they are sent some money in the form of cheques they would forward the money, less a commission to another person. The cheques arrive and the victim pays them in to their bank account. Before the cheques have cleared the victim is contacted by the scammer and asked to transfer the money straight away. The victim does this via a system which may make it difficult to trace the person involved and who is likely to be outside the UK. A few days later the victim’s bank advises the cheques have bounced and thus the victim has lost the money they have sent.

In difficult economic times people may be more tempted to get involved in such situations. Norfolk County Council Trading Standards advice is not to be any part of them. You will lose money and it will be virtually impossible to recover it.

Bank Charges Scam – 19 March 2009

A consumer near King's Lynn has received a telephone call from a person who claimed to be from his bank. She said that they were prepared to offer him £350 as a rebate for bank charges he had incurred. To claim the rebate, he was asked to make a payment of £49.99 to process some credit checks.

The consumer refused to make the payment, and the caller then hung up. Trading Standards have advised that the call seems to be a variation on the 'advance fee fraud' scam, where a fraudster asks for an up-front payment so that they can make a larger payment back to the consumer. Once the consumer pays up, they will never see their money again; instead, they are likely to be approached by other fraudsters seeking further payments for larger sums of money.

If you are contacted by telephone by someone who claims to be from your bank, then it is safest to take the person's name and extension or department number. Then, ring the bank back on the customer service number which appears on your bank statement. If the call was genuine, then you should be reconnected to the department which had telephoned you.

Beware of money scams disguised as jobs online – 3 March 2009

A Norfolk resident has recently responded to a job advert posted online offering to pay up to £30 an hour. She was told she would be accepting payments from UK based customers for goods sold from abroad. She was sent a cheque from her first ‘customer’ and asked to deposit it in her own bank account. However, when trying to deposit the cheque the bank realised it was fraudulent and called the Police.

Whilst this was obviously distressing, the Bank’s actions are likely to have saved the lady from losing a lot of money as part of a scam. Had she been able to successfully deposit the cheque it is likely she would have been told to send part of the payment to a bank account abroad, keeping the remainder as her ‘commission’. The Bank would then discover the cheque was fraudulent and take the money back from her account and she would remain liable to her bank for the amount she transferred.

Both adverts involved a common scam known as the advance fee scam. This involves someone wanting to pay you a cheque or receive a money transfer into your own bank of a large amount. There will be a genuine sounding reason for this such as you share a similar name to someone who has died or you will be acting as a UK agent to accept payments for a company based abroad. You will be told to send part of the payment to another bank account and keep the remainder as your ‘payment’. Your bank will then discover the transaction was fraudulent and retrieve the money from your account. You will remain responsible for the amount you paid to the third party.

Norfolk Trading Standards has this advice to consumers:-

Beware of job adverts posted on free internet sites that do not contain details of what you will need to do and instead ask you to email them for details. Any response that is asking you to receive cheques or money transfers into your own account is likely to be a scam, no matter how genuine or plausible the explanation given is. If you receive such a response you should simply delete it and not respond.

If you or anyone you know has been affected by such a scam please contact Consumer Direct on 08454 04 05 06 or visit www.consumerdirect.gov.uk

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WHAT’S ON OFFER AT OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTRES

€ We can validate benefit claims, photo copy forms, and forward all relevant documents to the right department for you

€ We can help with Council Tax arrangements

If you’re moving in, moving out, setting up a Direct Debit payment or need to make a debit card payment

€ We can validate concessionary travel passes documentation

For Senior Rail cards we require a debit card payment and a photograph we can then issue your card whilst you wait. For concessionary bus passes we can take your photo using a webcam in Attleborough, Swaffham, Thetford & Watton, in Dereham we can scan your photos. In all our centres we can update your details whilst you wait, you will then receive your bus pass within 10 working days.

€ You can report fly-tipping, abandoned vehicles, missed bins, request bulky waste collections and garden waste bins.

€ We can provide Council information, leaflets and application forms We are extending our hours in Swaffham, we will be open on Thursday & Friday mornings starting

2 July. We will keep you informed of any extra services being offered throughout our centres and we always welcome your feedback. Forms and an on-line survey will be available in August 2009.

ATTLEBOROUGH

Community and Enterprise Centre, Church Street,

Monday to Thursday 9am – 4.30pm

Friday 9am – 4pm

closed for Lunch 1pm ½ an hour every day

DEREHAM

Michael Chaplin House, Station Road,

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 9am – 5pm

Wednesday 9am – 4.15pm

THETFORD

Breckland House, St Nicholas Street,

Monday to Thursday 9am – 5 pm

Friday 9am – 4.30pm

SWAFFHAM

Town Hall, London Street,

Monday 9am – 4pm

Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 9.30am – 1pm

WATTON

Wayland House, High Street,

Wednesday 9am – 4.30pm

Friday 9am – 4pm

closed for Lunch 1pm ½ an hour both days