Sister companies PolicyBee and DigiBee have taken on four new recruits.

Lisa Carr and Yasin Akdemir are now part of Ipswich-based PolicyBee’s sales team as account executives, and Connie Lee has joined the finance department as accounts and administration assistant. Bahram Hawksley is now e-commerce assistant for DigiBee.

The four new recruits, who joined the companiesin April, have successfully completed their six-month probationary period and are now permanent full-time employees, based at the office on Ransomes Europark.

Yasin and Lisa, who previously worked together at Legal and General in Ipswich, both applied for roles after meeting Kerri-Ann Hockley and Jane Aldous at a recruitment fair. The fair was held at Legal and General’s office to help employees find work after the closure of the Ipswich branch.

PolicyBee is a specialist insurance broker for small businesses and freelancers. As members of the sales team, Lisa and Yasin look after the customers, while Connie helps ensure the company’s finances are in order.

DigiBee looks after the website, e-commerce and marketing for PolicyBee, as well as a handful of other clients. Bahram helps ensure PolicyBee’s online quote and e-commerce process run smoothly for their customers.

Kerri-Ann, head of customer service at PolicyBee, said: “Our four new starters fit into the team perfectly; it’s like they’ve always been here. They are incredibly hardworking, and each of them is an asset.

“PolicyBee and DigiBee are both small teams, so personality is just as important as skills and talent. Luckily, these guys all fit the bill in that respect. The companies are always growing, so having more hands on deck will help us meet our full potential.”

: : Gail Cavender has been appointed as a beauty therapist at The Spa at Bedford Lodge Hotel, Newmarket, after taking 16 years out to take care of her children.

Gail began her career in beauty therapy after qualifying as a beauty therapist and hairdresser from West Suffolk College in 1991.

“It was my friend that started me thinking about the beauty industry again, even more so when she asked me to give her a massage. Once I had done it I knew that I wanted to go back,” she said.

“It’s hard work both mentally and physically, but so rewarding. Coming back to work certainly worked for me, it was surprisingly easy as the timing was perfect. I love my job and have had guests say that they can tell that I do. That’s very important to me.”

: : Agricultural advisors Cheffins has strengthened its rural and farming consultancy team with the appointment of Robert Childerhouse.

Robert, whose family farm near Thetford, will primarily work with clients across Suffolk, Norfolk and Cambridgeshire.

He joins Cheffins as a rural surveyor and farm business consultant following eight years in a similar role with Smiths Gore in Newmarket. Prior that he worked for Barclays Agricultural Banking in Norfolk and Suffolk.

Robert – whose family has been farming in the Brecks for nearly 100 years – is RICS and FAAV qualified and specialises in Basic Payment Scheme and Agri-Environmental Stewardship Scheme applications.

He also runs contract farming agreements, advises on grain marketing and handles farm property disposals and acquisitions, as well as planning applications for on-farm development projects, such as conversions of redundant farm buildings, new grain stores and residential housing schemes.

Robert, whose family grow sugar beet, wheat and barley and have a large number of outdoor pigs, said: “I’m delighted to be working within a multi-disciplinary team that holds a reputation in excellence throughout the region. My background in farming, along with strong knowledge of practical rural policy rules allows me to understand the key concerns affecting farm businesses.”

Robert has been a serving magistrate in Norfolk for 10 years – appointed at the age of 27, one of the youngest in the UK, while up until May this year he also sat on Breckland District Council.

In his spare time he enjoys raising money for St Nicholas Hospice in Bury St Edmunds. Last year he climbed Mount Kilimanjaro for the charity, while in May 2016 he is planning to trek the Inca Trail in Peru.

: : Document management services firm Box-it East has appointed Claire Brooks as its managing director.

Claire joined the small team in 2006 and has seen the workforce double and the company client base increase significantly over the years. This led to the business being transferred to a purpose-built facility at Risby, Bury St Edmunds in March 2012.

Owner David Midwood said: “Claire has been an integral part of the Box-it East team for the past 10 years and I have developed great confidence and trust in her abilities to lead my business.”

: : A former nurse from Haverhill who started a business to provide a specialist one stop shop for compression solutions has taken on the UK distribution of a unique stocking made from drinking milk.

To coincide with his new-look and newly branded Compression.Solutions business, Paul Moore has grown his range of compression stockings and application aids to include the revolutionary ‘milkteds’ which help prevent or relieve tiredness, early swelling, spider veins and mild varicose veins.

Paul, who has grown his online business over the last 11 years, said: “Compression stockings have long been associated with being hard to put on, itchy and scratchy.

“The milkteds offer a stylish and luxurious alternative while also benefitting from cutting edge technology.”

“The product is made from a milk fibre yarn mix – so drinking milk – and helps people from all manner of backgrounds, from travel to maternity, sport to recovery.”