Suffolk Branch

Welcome to the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) Suffolk Branch web pages; here you will find information relating to the FSB's Policy and Campaigning work in Suffolk and some specific details of our local branch events.

The FSB is all about giving a coordinated and powerful voice to small businesses, so it is really important that  you tell us about the issues affecting your business and that you contribute to the current campaigns by telling us any relevant information that  you hear about.

We hold regular meetings (see Suffolk Events) where we discuss current issues and plan new events; these are 'open' meetings in that all members are welcome to attend, so please come along.

We also hold member events (which are a combination of networking, social and informative content) and we participate in a number of local community events, for example the Suffolk Show where we have a large stand where members are welcome to visit, relax and speak to other members and guests.

Remember, it's your FSB so make your voice heard so that we can make the voice of small business in Suffolk heard!

I look forward to meeting you

Christopher Soule

FSB Suffolk Branch Chairman

Networking On The Menu

Members of the Suffolk Branch met at Jimmy's Farm on 29th February to take part in an evening of sausage tasting, beer tasting, networking and sausage making.

The evening had been organised by Sarah Stockings and Katie Carman, both event management students from University Campus Suffolk. The event was an essential part of their studies and David Baker, branch Vice Chair, provided mentoring support for them to assist with a very successfully organised event.

Jimmy's farm proved to be an excellent venue and the staff provided a demonstration on the art of sausage making which involved a number of willing volunteers rolling-up their sleeves to mix the ingredients together and produce a sausage from the machinery. This caused great hilarity as the old adage of ‘too many cooks' came to mind.   The farm manager responded to a series of questions from the audience about the work on the farm to save the Essex pig and how their marketing strategy had been developed around this principle. He explained the problems he faced in terms of competition from factory farming techniques and cheap imports but also described the success they were having in the diversification of the farm and the awards they were winning for their sausages.

Greene King provided a range of beers that they had selected to accompany a range of speciality sausages prepared for tasting. This was a gastronomic treat with everybody sharing their taste preferences.   The evening was capped off by Members getting to carry out some useful networking and an opportunity to stock up on some wonderful ‘bangers' in the farm shop.

Keep In Touch

• Do you receive the bi-monthly regional newsletter, East Anglia Voice?  If not, please email us to receive it.
• Do you get our regular email newsletter, East Anglia Business News notifying  you of forthcoming events and items of importance in your area?  If you don't and would like to do so, please email our Regional Organiser, Jeanette Thurtle, for instructions for activating your email preference link.

Support the Better Broadband for Suffolk Campaign

We have been campaigning for over three years for better broadband for the County and you can read more about on The FSB Suffolk Broadband page but we also need your support to further the campaign so please sign-up here

Campaigning for better banking terms for small businesses

We have been extremely active recently with our campaign for better banking terms for small businesses. This culminated in a forum comprising most of the major High Street Banks, the local MPs and businesses held at Lyndford Hall near Thetford in January. Read the report on this forum

Suffolk Branch Meetings – a change in venue

You'll find the list of dates for our regular Branch Meetings on the Suffolk Events Page and we would stress that these are open meetings so any members can attend (you will just need to book first). We have also changed our regular venue for these meetings and they will be held at Igneous in Needham Market – Directions to Igneous

Suffolk Police Direct 

A useful website for all your day to day crime information for both home and business is Police Direct

Consumer Champion Network