Kara Brown, an interior architecture and design graduate from University Campus Suffolk (UCS), has joined the design team at Anglia Factors.

Based at the firm’s head office and showroom in Martlesham, Kara will train under Daniel Barr and Adam Kerrison to design bespoke kitchens and interiors.

“I have been praised for my abiity to quickly understand and interpret a brief, so I’m looking forward to working with customers to design something totally unique to their taste and lifestyle. I’m really excited to get started and to learn from the team,” said Kara.

Daniel Barr, owner of Anglia Factors said: “We welcome Kara to the team. She brings with her enthusiasm, creativity and excellent drawing skills that we’ll help her to develop.”

: : PR agency Genesis PR has recruited a new digital and social media account executive, Alex Raymond. The appointment follows the agency’s move to larger premises at Orwell Landing in Ipswich at the beginning of September.

Alex joins Genesis with experience of delivering social media for business and the skills to identify opportunities and evaluate campaigns across digital platforms.

He graduated in 2014 with a degree in advertising and marketing from the University of Lincoln and developed experience in a London-based fully integrated advertising agency, a digital engagement agency and a professional film post-production agency. Before joining Genesis Alex had an in-house marketing internship at a prestigious hotel, golf and spa resort.

Alex said: “I’m extremely happy to be a part of an award winning agency in my home county. I’m really looking forward to developing my career with the team at Genesis PR and can’t wait to see what the future holds for me here.”

Director Penny Arbuthnot said: “Alex joined us on a paid internship and he quickly proved himself to be bright and capable, with a breadth of digital and social media experience which he could immediately apply to our clients. We are delighted to appoint him as a permanent member of the Genesis team as a digital PR executive.”

: : East of England timber and builders’ merchant chain Ridgeons has welcomed four employees to its “25 Club” in recognition of their continued service.

At an annual dinner, held at Chesterford Research Park, near Cambridge, the new additions joined 185 existing members to celebrate both 25 and 35 years’ of service.

Among the recipients at the event was James Norton, stock auditor in the inventory department at Mildenhall

Existing members Alan Stebbings, Peter Sievewright, Paul Middleton, Andy Peach and Shaun Allgood all received congratulations for their 35 years of service. Gary Stroud also received a special mention for his nine years as treasurer of the club, as well as Ken Miller who has been chairman for the past year.

Each member received a personal welcome to the “25 Club” from event host Gordon Ridgeon, before family director Amanda Smith, group deputy chairman Johnnie Sam and newly-appointed club president Rachel Anderson presented each with an inscribed pen and a framed special service certificate.

Director Gordon Ridgeon, said: “It’s tremendous to celebrate the achievements of new and existing members of our ever growing ‘25 Club’. The annual dinner continues to prove a great success, allowing us the chance to honour these employees for their long service and unquestionable loyalty.

“As a company built on relationships and with 780 employees, it remains integral to our success that we identify and celebrate the achievements of these dedicated individuals.”

: : A Brandon-based health and safety firm has taken on its first full-time employee after seeing its workload quadruple in the last year.

Mick Stanners started Brandon PAT Testing as a sole trader on a part time basis four years ago after suffering an industrial accident at his workplace. The firm aims to help companies improve and comply with health and safety legislation. After three years he was joined by wife, Tracy.

“It was just unbelievable”, says Mick. “I actually thought I was going to semi retire but the work just seemed to snowball.

“It was quite a shock to see how many companies needed the service and how many didn’t realise they had to have their appliances tested to comply with legislation and to keep their insurance valid.”

Dave Edson, the firm’s new employee, is the couple’s son-in-law.

“Dave has been a real saviour for us,” said Tracy. “He was helping out as and when he could to start with, so when he studied and took his PAT testing exams in his own time and passed with flying colours we were delighted with his ambition and offered him a full time position.”

In September, Brandon PAT Testing exhibited for the first time at the Menta Trade Fair in Bury St Edmunds.

: : Melanie Willis has joined Suffolk Community Foundation as business executive for communications.

Melanie has previously worked in public relations and communications roles for a private care home company, county councils in East Anglia, local NHS organisations and highway services contracts, so brings a wealth of local experience with her to the role.

With an English degree and post-graduate diploma in journalism, Melanie started writing for an accountancy magazine in London before turning to local PR roles in 2004.

Development director Tim Holder said: “Mel brings energy and enthusiasm to the team at a time when we are celebrating a decade of grant making in Suffolk.”

Melanie said she was looking forward to using her communications skills and experience for the benefit of community projects across Suffolk.

“Coming into work every day is going to be a joy; knowing that I am doing good work for great causes is a wonderful feeling,” she said.

Melanie was born and raised in Ipswich, attending Hillside Primary School, Stoke High School and Northgate Sixth Form Centre. She is married, has two young children and lives in Ipswich.

Suffolk Community Foundation, based in Wherstead near Ipswich, is an independent grant-maker to Suffolk local charities and community groups which are tackling disadvantage in whatever form it takes.

: : Three lawyers, Amanda Angel, Andrew Tubb and Keith Andrews, have been promoted at the Ipswich office of law firm Birketts as it promotes 17 staff across its four offices.

The promotions are across its four main disciplines, corporate and commercial, property, dispute litigation and private client.

Chief executive Jonathan Agar said: “The firm-wide promotions are an indication of the continued progress that is being made at Birketts. We now have over 500 partners and staff across our four offices and the firm was recently listed as 72nd in The Lawyer UK 200 having reported a record turnover of over £34.5million for the last financial year.

“To support our growth we continue to focus on attracting and retaining first class solicitors. Coupled with this talent is an unrelenting commitment to deliver consistently outstanding service to our clients, whether they are based within our immediate region, nationally or internationally.

“With an office move imminent in Cambridge, and our HQ moving in Ipswich in 2017, we have many reasons to feel confident about the future.”