James Pinchbeck: More information in a year than Einstein had in his lifetime
“This article really is worth reading, pass it by at your peril”
By James PinchbeckMarketing Partner, Streets Chartered Accountants
How do you reach our to an audience that's already bombarded with information?
This article really is worth reading, pass it by at your peril
How often have you picked up a magazine, or other printed media, flicked through and not really read anything? Or put it down meaning to pick up later but never doing so? It is likely that the answer is yes and with a growing frequency.
Allegedly, as individuals we are now exposed to more information in one year than Albert Einstein had in his life time. Even Einstein, we would imagine, would find it a tall order to process such a bombardment of information. However, we seem to be in a world of instant news and information, with the digital age providing real time reporting and the sharing of stories.
Individuals are also able to create their own communication channels and news forums with the use of new technology. Perhaps one of the best illustrations of this was Donald Trump’s use of social media activity which created his powerful communication/news feed channel, bolstered by his distain and lack of engagement with the traditional media.
Politics aside, the information age creates a new set of challenges for businesses and organisations looking to communicate with their various stakeholders; customers, prospects and influencers alike. Grabbing the interest of the reader or person you a looking to engage with, let alone getting the information digested is increasingly tough. There is a growing frequency around communications being totally overlooked with none of the intended audience actually engaging with it.
What is the solution?
For most of us it must be to recognise the changing world – if we are still relying on the more traditional means of communication then perhaps it is time to change. Certainly there is a need to know and understand the channels of communication being used by those we are looking to communicate with.
It is also important to take on board that it is likely our audiences will be using more than one channel of communication. As such those channels used are likely to cut across our business and social life. Perhaps the other key aspect to look at is content, including the format and length of the communication.
Whilst content is now seen by marketers as key, keeping it short, relevant and attention grabbing is paramount. There is a need to not only publish such stories but also broadcast them with a mix of multi-channel marketing. Remarketing news and stories with message repetition can help to achieve engagement, as can encouraging followers to share information with their own networks.
Overall whilst the opportunity to share information has never been as great as it is now, the challenge of how to achieve effective communication and how to capitalise on the new information age still remains.
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James Pinchbeck is Marketing Partner at Streets Chartered Accountants, a top 40 UK accountancy practice. James, as a specialist in marketing professional services, is responsible for the development and implementation of the firm's strategic marketing as well as its engagement in the community it which it works and serves. His role allows him to capitalise on his broad interest in the national and local economy as well as his passion for enterprise. As part of his wider interest in enterprise, marketing and education, James is a board member of NBV – the East Midlands Enterprise Agency, an FE College Governor and a board member of the University of Lincoln’s Business School. He is also an Institute of Director’s past Branch Chairman.
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There have been 1,643 new coronavirus cases and 83 COVID-related deaths in Greater Lincolnshire this week – compared to 1,670 cases and 71 deaths last week.
Some 304 new cases and 17 deaths were reported in Greater Lincolnshire on Friday – the third day in a row with 17 deaths.
The government’s COVID-19 dashboard recorded 252 new cases in Lincolnshire, 28 in North Lincolnshire and 24 in North East Lincolnshire.
On Friday, 14 deaths were registered in Lincolnshire, two in North East Lincolnshire and one in North Lincolnshire. These figures include deaths both in and out of hospitals, as well as residents in hospitals outside the county.
NHS England reported six new local hospital deaths at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust, four at Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust (NLAG) and one at Lincolnshire Community Health Service hospitals. Some 51 hospital deaths have been recorded this week, compared to 48 last week.
On Friday, national cases increased by 40,261 to 3,583,907, while deaths rose by 1,401 to 95,981.
Lincolnshire health bosses estimate that 80-90% of new coronavirus cases in the county are now a mutant, more infectious strain of COVID.
Figures earlier this week said that by January 8, 59.2% of cases had confirmed the new virus — up from 36% by the end of 2020 — and now county leaders estimate the number to be even higher.
The COVID mutation that has taken over most new cases in Lincolnshire is not only more infectious, but also more deadly, it has been revealed.
NHS bosses are hoping to offer all care homes in Lincolnshire the first COVID vaccine dose by the end of the week. This comes as almost 5.4 million people have received jabs nationally.
Director of Nursing at Lincolnshire CCG Martin Fahy told BBC Radio Lincolnshire that about three quarters has been completed so far.
A single week in December saw Lincolnshire deaths reach 13 times the yearly average, explained local health bosses frustrated with COVID deniers.
Lincolnshire County Council’s Director of Public Health Professor Derek Ward explained that the week including December 14 would usually see an average of 23 deaths, but 2020 say 301 deaths that week.
In national news, there are no plans to pay everyone in England who tests positive for COVID-19 £500 to self-isolate, No 10 has said.
The PM’s official spokesman said there was already a £500 payment available for those on low incomes who could not work from home and had to isolate.
The coronavirus R number in the UK has fallen sharply since last week, suggesting the lockdown is slowing the spread of coronavirus.
The R, which refers to the number of people that an infected person will pass COVID-19 on to, is between 0.8 and 1 across the UK, according to the figures released by the Government Office for Science and the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE).
This means for every 10 people infected with COVID-19, they will pass the virus on to between eight and 10 others.
Lincoln City has taken the top spot with the highest infection rate in Greater Lincolnshire.
This week saw South Holland at the top which was put down to two outbreaks in care homes with up to 100 cases. South Holland has now dropped to third place in the region.
Greater Lincolnshire still remains way below the national average infection rate of 472.9, with just 217.3 per 100,000 of the population.
Here’s Greater Lincolnshire’s infection rate over the last seven days up to January 22 according to the government dashboard:
Greater Lincolnshire’s infection rates from Jan 15 to Jan 22. | Data: Gov UK / Table: James Mayer for The Lincolnite
Coronavirus data for Greater Lincolnshire on Friday, January 22
Greater Lincolnshire includes Lincolnshire and the unitary authorities of North and North East (Northern) Lincolnshire.
45,645 cases (up 304)
31,814 in Lincolnshire (up 252)
7,067 in North Lincolnshire (up 28)
6,764 in North East Lincolnshire (up 24)
1,760 deaths (up 17)
1,255 from Lincolnshire (up 14)
272 from North Lincolnshire (up one)
233 from North East Lincolnshire (up two)
of which 1,047 hospital deaths (up 11)
638 at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust (up six)
32 at Lincolnshire Community Health Service hospitals (up one)
1 at Lincolnshire Partnership Foundation Trust (no change)
376 in Northern Lincolnshire (NLAG) (up four)
3,583,907 UK cases, 95,981 deaths
DATA SOURCE — FIGURES CORRECT AT THE TIME OF the latest update. postcode data includes deaths not in healthcare facilities or in hospitals outside authority boundaries.
The COVID mutation that has taken over most new cases in Lincolnshire is not only more infectious, but may also be more deadly, it has been revealed.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said there is “some evidence” the new variant of COVID-19 which is more transmissible could have a “higher degree of mortality”.
However, he said all current evidence continued to show that vaccines remain effective.
Health bosses in Lincolnshire on Friday estimated 80-90% of new coronavirus cases were the new variant.
Boris Johnson told reporters that there were currently no plans to change lockdown rules saying “this is the right package of measures” and that it was down to people obeying the current lockdown and enforcement.
Mr Johnson was speaking during a press briefing on Friday where health bosses said 1 in 55 people now had coronavirus in England.
There are now more than 38,000 people in hospital nationally – 78% higher than the peak of the first wave.
Mr Johnson said: “We’ve been informed today that in addition to spreading more quickly, it also now appears that there is some evidence that the new variant, first identified in London and the south-east, may be associated with a higher degree of mortality.
“It’s largely the impact of this new variant that means the NHS is under such intense pressure.”
In response to questions over death spikes caused by the new variant he said: “Death numbers will continue to be high for a little while to come.”
Sir Patrick Vallance, the government’s chief scientific adviser, said there was already confidence the new virus spread more easily, but that it was unclear why that was.
He said there was no difference in terms of age range being affected.
Sir Vallance added the outcome for those in hospital with the new variant was the same, however, there was evidence “there’s increased risk for those who have the new variant, compared to the old virus”.
Early evidence suggests the difference shows 13-14 deaths per 1,000 infected as opposed to 10 in 1,000 for the original virus.
However, he added: “That evidence is not yet strong, it’s a series of different bits of information that come together to support that, and I want to put it into context as to what it might mean.
“But I’m stressing that these data are currently uncertain and we don’t have a very good estimate of the precise nature, or indeed, whether it is overall increase.”
He confirmed there was increasing evidence the new variant would be susceptible to the vaccines and studies of the Pfizer Biontech vaccine showed “very good neutralisation”.
“There’s increasing confidence, coupled with I think what is a very important clinical observation, which is that individuals who’ve been infected previously, and have generated antibodies, appear to be equally protected against original virus and new variant,” he added.
England’s Chief medical office Chris Whitty said there had been a “turning the corner” for the number of people catching the virus, adding it was coming down from an “exceptionally” high level.
A Lincoln couple will reopen their independent pizzeria at a new location on Friday night, with an array of main and signature pizzas and Belgian waffles.
Weirdough’s Pizza Emporium will open at Tap & Spile on Hungate from 5pm on Friday, January 22, but it initially started out as a charity project making Neo-Neapolitan pizzas.
Husband and wife team Matt and Rachel Barnes have lived in Lincoln for around five years and last year they wanted to do something to raise money for the NHS.
Matt starting to prepare a pizza. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Kneading the dough. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Matt used to work at a Lincoln school, but they were closed to most pupils for a few weeks in March, so he started working on a project and Weirdoughs Pizza Emporium was born.
It was initially run from The West End Tap from the end of last summer, but in January the pub announced it would not reopen again under its current management, so Weirdoughs had to find a new premises.
The base ready for the next stage of the pizza making. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Matt putting the pizza into the oven. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
The tasty pizza in the oven. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Adding the finishing touches to the pizza. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
All profits made from the food sold – just under £2,000 – went to the NHS. The couple also did some drop offs at the coronavirus ward at Lincoln County Hospital.
Matt was made redundant at the end of May and Rachel was due to give birth four weeks after that.
It was a hectic time for the couple as Rachel, who works at a primary school in Peterborough, would be on maternity leave and Matt would soon have no income.
The Margz main pizza – San Marzano tomatoes, mozzarella and basil. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
The Weirdough – San Marzano tomatoes, parmesan, Emmental, mozzarella, red onions, roasted red peppers, mushrooms, spicy Nduja sausage, rocket, balsamic glaze and garlic drizzle. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
As the pizzas were working so well and following feedback from customers, the couple decided to turn it into a business.
Dan Neale, who previously ran the West End Tap, has joined the Weirdoughs team of four as a pizza chef.
Or why not try a Create Your Own Weirdoughs Waffle? | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
The dough is homemade 24 hours ahead to make their special main and signature pizzas, while customers can also order a create your own Weirdoughs waffle.
The Belgian waffles come with a variety of toppings such as Kinder Bueno, Crunchie, and Galaxy Caramel, with sauces including white and milk chocolate, salted caramel and toffee, with ice cream.
Weirdoughs will open Friday to Sunday 5pm-9pm and Wednesday to Thursday 5pm-8pm for takeaway or delivery.
Pre-ordering is advised via Facebook or Instagram or by calling 07734 297 035, with the latter option preferred if it is after 4.30pm.
Owner Matt Barnes will help meet your pizza needs. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Delivery is available to the following areas: Ermine, St Giles, Monks Road, High Street, Bailgate, Boultham, West End and the city centre.
Weirdoughs will try and accommodate other areas too, but it may incur additional charges, while the takeaway will also be joining Uber Eats in the near future.
Weirdoughs will be based inside the Tap & Spile pub in Lincoln. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Once pubs are allowed to reopen again, customers at the Tap & Spile will able to order Weirdoughs food straight to their table and Matt said he can’t wait for people to able to experience it that way.