Popular local Radio Presenter Steve Bradley has decided to hang up his headphones and dig out his lifejacket as he cruises off on a new business venture, Serenity Charter.

Steve, who is also the Pitch Announcer at Carrow Road for Norwich City matches, has called time on a 20 year radio career, which included helping to found 99.9 Radio Norwich, to pursue a passion for boating and the Norfolk Broads.

Based around the Horning and Wroxham areas, Serenity Charter will offer Steve’s clients a chance to enjoy the Norfolk Broads in absolute luxury and style on-board his sleek new sports cruiser.

“Boating and the Norfolk Broads have been passions of mine since childhood and after six years at 99.9 Radio Norwich, I needed a new challenge and saw this as an ideal opportunity to start a business combining the things I love” said Steve.

Already a boat owner, Steve upgraded to a 34ft Sealine S34 luxury cruiser and having completed his professional skipper qualifications, Steve is now ready to charter people looking for something different and extra-special in Norfolk.

“Run-of-the-mill self-drive boats are common place on the Norfolk Broads, but I felt there was an opportunity to offer a more desirable, imposing, refined and bespoke experience” Steve explains, adding “on board Serenity Charter our guests, can completely relax and enjoy the Broads fully, without the hassles of dealing with mooring or river traffic. We offer complimentary champagne on arrival and even your own private musician should you desire. Each cruise is bespoke to the guest, ranging from a business meeting venue, birthday celebrations or a romantic sunset cruise with acoustic musician - we can tailor our services to fit the occassion.”

To find out more about Serenity Charter and the packages available visit the website www.serenitycharter.co.uk or email steve@serenitycharter.co.uk.

The Broadland Business Forum, which is run alongside the Broadland Online Business Directory enjoyed a day on the Broads on Wednesday 25th April, when they met at the Norfolk Broads Yacht Club for the quarterly breakfast forum.

Alongside the chance to hear from some top speakers on tourism in Broadland, including Barbara Greasley of Norfolk Broads Tourism and former Radio Norwich DJ Steve Bradley, members also had the opportunity to enjoy Wroxham Broad with a trip out on boats provided by the speakers and the Yacht Club.

The Norfolk Broads itself, is looking to expand its global appeal with a raft of initiatives, which were announced by Norfolk Broads Tourism Chairperson Barbara Greasley during the Broadland Business Forum at the Norfolk Broads Yacht Club.

“The Norfolk Broads is a jewel in the crown for this part of the world. James Berresford, CEO of Visit England vacationed on the Broads with his family in 2011 and will return this year and we need to ensure that others follow his lead. That is why we set-up the Broads Tourism Forum in 2005 and are continuing to grow our links with local businesses. Recently we have pioneered the Broads Quality Charter, which works with local eateries to promote locally prepared food and are expanding the Broads Outdoor Festival for 2012” announced Barbara.

Barbara also asked local businesses to get involved with the Broads and announced the new ‘Nuture the Broads’ fundraising initiative. “We are acting to safeguard the future of the Broads and are looking to raise funds specifically for protecting the Norfolk Broads unique character. We are working with local business to promote the scheme and are running initiatives such as a £1 donation on every hotel booking, to help safeguard a valuable resource”, adding “in 2009 the Norfolk Broads attracted over seven million visitors, who brought over £419m into the local economy, we want to ensure that this number grows each year whilst the Broads remain the uniquely special place they are today.”

The Broadland Business Forum also heard from former Radio Norwich DJ Steve Bradley, who has recently hung up the headphones after 15 years on the airwaves to set-up a luxury charter business on the Norfolk Broads.

Steve, who has recently passed his professional boat skipper qualifications, gave an example of how local businesses working together can maximise the benefits the Broads ever-increasing profile brings. “We work very closely with Horning Ferry Marina and the local eateries and hospitality venues along the Broads, to launch and of course at the end of a long day on the water, there is no better place to retire to for a meal and a nightcap than a local watering hole. It is a two-way relationship and everybody wins.”

Whilst the Broads are seeking to build their national and international profile, local people aren’t being forgotten, with local sailing clubs also opening their doors to encourage as many people as possible to experience the beauty that is on their doorstep.

“There are people who have lived their whole lives in Norwich and have never been on the Norfolk Broads” insisted Norfolk Broads Yacht Club Rear Commodore Malcolm Kemp. “The days of having to be interviewed before you are allowed to become a member are long gone and we are keen to encourage as many people as possible to enjoy Wroxham Broad. To celebrate the Diamond Jubilee on the 2nd June, we will be hosting an Open Day for members of the public to come along and try out the activities on offer. We also have seven wherries visiting the Broad, completing the spectacle.”

Broadland District Council also used the event, featuring over 70 local business leaders, to announce a new Environmental Business Network, designed to allow businesses to share best practice, to improve the economic and sustainable performance of local business. Kirsty Burns from the Council stated “we want this forum to be very interactive and provide a platform for businesses to ask questions of the Council’s environmental team and liaise with each other to boost business performance.”

The Broadland Business Forum is part of the BOLD Directory Group, which covers over 11,000 businesses across Norfolk. The Forum brings together over 70 local businesses at a series of events, to foster closer links between the public and private sectors across the region. For more information on how you can become part of this burgeoning business community, please contact Robert Ediker on 01603 702374.

The Broadland Business Forum, will drop anchor at the Norfolk Broads Yacht Club for a business breakfast on Wednesday 25th April.
Hot on the heels of the recent post-budget breakfast which saw local MP Chloe Smith as keynote speaker, the forum will now focus on tourism in Broadland and ways that the local business community can maximise the potential return from the influx of visitors the area receives each year.

Barbara Greasley, keynote speaker, chair of Broads Tourism and co-owner of Broads Tours will  update the forum of 2012 plans for tourism both on the Norfolk Broads and across the county as a whole.

Former Radio Norwich DJ Steve Bradley will feature amongst the speakers. Steve will tell businesses why he has left a lifelong career he loved, to launch a luxury boat charter on the Norfolk Broads. Known to many as the voice of Norwich, Steve is now a fully qualified boat pilot and will be launching his new venture on Norfolk’s waterways in the coming weeks.

Self-proclaimed Canoe Man, Mark Wilkinson will also be advising members on how to make the most of the Norfolk Broads and the beauty of Broadland in building a successful business in the area.

Post breakfast attendees will be able to enjoy networking onboard a choice of river transport, providing an ideal and unique opportunity to get to know one another and enjoy the jewel Norfolk’s tourism crown.  
 
Parking and mooring at the venue will be available on the day.

2011 was a highly eventful year at The Lively Crew, so put your feet up and get a cup of tea as we look back over the year that was 2011:

January
 January saw two new staff members joining the team. Andrew Lawn joined as Marketing Manager, following working on the campaign to keep Tesco out of his hometown of Sheringham. Andrew was joined by Robert Ediker who started a year's Apprentice scheme while he completed an NVQ in Customer Service from Broadland Council Training Services. During the coming 12 months, Robert would prove a very driven, talented and ambitious member of the team and will be joining the team permantly in 2012.

February
In February we were delighted to win a contract with South Norfolk Council to supply the area with a dedicated Online Business Directory, similar to those we were already managing from Breckland and Broadland District Council's. The new Directory was officially launched in June with a free business networking event, which also kicked off a year of quarterly Business Breakfast Forums for the area.

March
During March we undertook the official reckie ahead of the Disabled Motoring Alps Challenge in June. The reckie highlighted just what a mammoth undertaking the Alps Challenge would later prove to be, but was invaluable as a result.

April
During April we oversaw the official rebrand of national disabled motorist charity Mobilise, to Disabled Motoring UK. We were delighted to have managed the re-brand from start to finish, including developing a long-term business plan to re-model the charity, appeal to a younger generation and reverse declining membership numbers. We were also responsible for designing the new logo and accompanying stationary and managing the process of re-branding. Since the name change we are delighted that member numbers have increased and we have been able to attract new celebrity supporters and ambassadors to the charity, including motor-racing star Nicolas Hamilton.

May
May saw another permanant arrival to The Lively Crew staff, with Jodie McGill joining as Business Development Executive. Jodie has taken on all aspects of the BOLD Group and our Online Business Directories and has become an integral part of the business communities in Breckland, Broadland and South Norfolk.

June
The month that saw the Alps Challenge. Joined by celebrities including Ade Adepitan, Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson and Nicolas Hamilton, we managed the challenge from long before the official start line at the Queen's House in Greenwich, down through England, across France and over the Swiss Alps, before returning North, through France once more and up to the finish line opposite the House's of Parliament in London. The event was a huge success and generated huge awareness of the charity both at home and abroad.

June also saw us launch the third of our Online Business Directories in South Norfolk.

July
In July we were delighted to launch our new logo and website, to better reflect our sustainable, environmental and socially responsible company ethos. To celebrate the new website we are continuing to offer a free marketing diagnostic to all businesses looking to ensure their marketing is measurable and working for them.

August
To help spread the message of sustainability and cutting waste, our Director Valerie and Business Development Executive Jodie McGill headed to the Peterborough Green Festival to talk to businesses and consumers about our environmental products in Fresh Pod and Enviro Pod.

September
In September we oversaw the official Disabled Motoring Awards Ceremony at the Goodwood Revival Festival. The Awards were to celebrate and recognise the achievements of disabled people and organisations, who have contributed to a better day-to-day life for disabled individuals across the United Kingdom. Winners, which we helped judge, came from right around the UK, including Scotland and Northern Ireland and included motor-racing star Nicolas Hamilton, Cambridge City Council, Peatlands Park and mobility scooter display team the Red Wheelies.

October
Two Business Breakfast Forums kept us busy in October with both Thetford and Broadland business leaders meeting to discuss the latest business news and developments in their respective regions.

November
During Movember our Marketing Manager undertook Movember and raised over £100 for Prostate Cancer whilstmaking himself look seedier than a flower in Spring. The whole team got involved, partly through their generous sponsorship efforts but primarily by making sure Andrew felt as ridiculous as he looked and pointing this out to all they could

December
Throughout December we ran Light for Life events for our Charity of the Year; Star Throwers. By attending numerous Christmas light switch-on events across Norfolk, we helped raise a massive £1,115.43p for the cancer charity based in Wymondham.