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A new evening cruise will take place on Carlingford Lough next week bringing together six cross border business groups.
It's a collaboration between Newry, Dundalk, Drogheda, Kilkeel, Newry and Warrenpoint Chambers of Commerce and the recently formed South Armagh Business Improvement Group and it will see over 200 guests connect with each other.
The cruise takes place on Thursday 16th June in the stunning surroundings of Carlingford Lough. The main sponsors are Louth County Council whilst guests will be entertained by well know musician Henry Mac. Refreshments and food from local suppliers will be served. A small number of tickets remain and can be purchased via Eventbrite.
Julie Gibbons, President, Newry Chamber, commented “We are delighted to be involved in this special event. We have a long history of working in partnership with Dundalk Chamber. Over the last three years, our jointly organised annual Cross Border Trade Conference has been held virtually, so we were keen to get back to face to face networking.
“Our Chamber is all about connecting members with each other, with other businesses and key stakeholders. In this region, it is important that we come together and share ideas with each other. I am really looking forward to the event”.
Ticket prices for members of any of the Chambers of Commerce are £12 + booking fee, non members £24 + booking fee).
𝗣𝗜𝗖𝗞 𝗨𝗣: Greenore 6:45pm, Greencastle 7pm
𝗗𝗥𝗢𝗣 𝗢𝗙𝗙: Greencastle 8:45pm, Greenore 9pm
To book your place go to www.eventbrite.co.uk
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Over 170 representatives from six cross border business groups have come together to connect on an evening cruise on Carlingford Lough. The event was a collaboration between Newry, Dundalk, Drogheda, Kilkeel, Newry and Warrenpoint, Burren and Rostrevor Chambers of Commerce and the South Armagh Business Improvement Group. The event was made possible by sponsorship from Louth County Council.
Julie Gibbons, President, Newry Chamber, commented “We were delighted to be involved in this special night. We have a long history of working in partnership with Dundalk Chamber. Over the last three years, our jointly organised annual Cross Border Trade Conference has been held virtually, so we were keen to get back face-to-face.”
As part of her address on the night, Julie commented on the recent announcement by the British Government on the NI protocol by stating “I am sure that none of you miss the irony of partnering on this event with our close neighbours and friends literally in the middle of Carlingford Lough, where somewhere below us is the border that once again is the subject of such controversy and debate.
Almost all of the membership of Newry Chamber of Commerce & Trade are in favour of free and open trade, in whatever guise this takes, with the majority favouring the NI protocol as a mechanism to ensure that there is no hard border to inhibit north/south trade and to optimise east/west trade also.
As the business voice in the Greater Newry area with over 300 members, we have been lobbying hard on our members’ behalf to express this view, North, South, with the EU and in London at UK government cabinet level. So we are disappointed with this week’s Westminster announcement and what this might mean for Cross Border trade and the broader issues of political instability and a continued lack of certainty or clarity.
Particularly when we have so much potential to exploit, especially in this strategic location on the Dublin Belfast Economic corridor with some real traction being made by the eight signatory councils.
But on the ground, where it counts, I think if we look around at the businesses attending the cruise and the incredible partnerships we have forged, we are testament to the fact that regardless of the politics, all we want to do is progress, trade with each other and raise our communities’ standard of living.”
Guest enjoyed food from local Dundalk firm A91 Catering and featured the world famous Carlingford Lough Oysters. Guests also sampled drinks from Warrenpoint based Mourne Mountains Brewery and Newry based Two Stacks “Dram in a Can” whiskey. Whilst Egg Coffee in Crossmaglen supplied Donuts.
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Newry, Mourne and Down District Council is hosting a technology workshop on Big Data this Wednesday. The workshop which will be held at Newry and Mourne Enterprise Agency is part of a suite of support available to businesses through the Digital Surge Programme.
The workshop will benefit businesses that are interested in learning how Big Data can grow their business. The free workshop will be held at the Enterprise Agency, Canal Quay, Newry on 22 June from 9.30 am. to 1.30 pm.
The Digital Surge Programme is part funded by Invest Northern Ireland, the European Regional Development Fund under the Investment for Growth & Jobs Northern Ireland (2014-2020) Programme and the 11 Councils
Chairman, Cllr Michael Savage stated, “I am encouraging local businesses to attend the workshop as they will learn how their business can take advantage of data insights to improve decision-making, enter new markets, and deliver better customer experiences.”
Speaking on the importance of advanced technologies Charlie Tuxworth, The Digital Surge Programme Mentor explains, “This programme highlights levels of innovation that can be achieved by simply utilising transformative technologies that other people have invented”.
This Digital Surge Programme focuses solely on advanced technologies and their potential role in accelerating a business. It also appeals to those that are simply looking a baseline knowledge in these areas with guidance on how one or more could be implemented into its businesses processes.
Along with Big Data, the other technologies at the core of the Digital Surge Programme are Blockchain, the Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning, Data Analytics, Virtual Reality / Immersive Tech, and Robotics.
The workshop is for businesses from any sector including manufacturing, tradeable services, retail, tourism, hospitality, agriculture, construction, and social enterprises. You just need to open your mind on how advanced technologies can pivot your business model!
Register now via: newrybigdata
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Around Noon, the award-winning food-to-go manufacturer, has secured a new contract to supply sandwiches from its TWELVE Handmade in County Down range to Marks & Spencer stores across the island of Ireland. This represents an agreement worth £3.5million in retail sales.
TWELVE sandwiches are produced in County Down using ingredients from across the island of Ireland.
The sandwiches on sale in M&S include Chicken & Handmade Irish Stuffing, Chicken & Bacon on Irish Malted Bread, Baked Irish Ham & Cheddar, BLT with Ballymaloe Relish, Chicken & Ham Club, and a Chicken Caesar Wrap.
Around Noon Sales Director Philip Morgan said: “We proposed supporting M&S’s current offering with products produced on the island of Ireland, made with Irish ingredients.
“We developed a small range of products that would exhibit provenance - as an example the bread and the chicken are produced on the island of Ireland.
“M&S have stores across the island and the ingredients come from both the north and south of Ireland as well. This is ever-more important for the M&S consumer here.
“Our Twelve ‘Handmade in County Down’ range has had a very successful resonance with the M&S shopper,” he adds
Eddie Murphy, Trading Director, Marks & Spencer, Island of Ireland, said: “We are extremely impressed by the quality and provenance of the ingredients that Around Noon sources and by the quality of service they provide. Working with Around Noon is helping us strengthen our supply chain and provide really high-quality products for our customers across the island.”
M&S currently has 26 sandwich lines for sale in all its 38 stores across the island of Ireland, and it has plans to expand its Twelve range with Around Noon.
Around Noon has been in business for over 30 years and employs over 400 people. It already supplies a broad range of high-quality chilled, hot, frozen and bakery products to customers including forecourt, convenience and multiple retailers and cafes throughout the UK and Ireland.
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Newry Chamber of Commerce & Trade has joined forces with Visit Belfast, Invest Northern Ireland and Tourism Northern Ireland to launch a new ‘Ambassador Circle’ for the Newry, Mourne and Down district, enlisting local champions to help promote the city region to a global audience and attract high profile business events.
The Visit Belfast initiative has already successfully attracted a network of over 1,200 leading academic, medical and business professionals who work in partnership with Visit Belfast to attract prestigious national and international conferences to Belfast, Derry-Londonderry and the wider region.
The Ambassador Circle brings together business and academic leaders in advanced manufacturing, technology, life and health sciences, food and drink and financial, professional and business services to help identify, target and attract key business events and conferences.
It also includes five new advisory panels made up of nominated business and academic leaders which are specifically focussed on the key sectors where Northern Ireland has existing and growing strength. The panels will play a strategic role in identifying and securing business events that could be hosted in Northern Ireland that are aligned to the Department for Economy’s 10X Vision.
Established over 20 years ago by Visit Belfast, the Ambassador network has generated more than £400 million for the economy since it was established.
Julie Gibbons, President of Newry Chamber of Commerce & Trade, said “Newry is well known for its strong, vibrant and forward looking business community and for its readiness to work collaboratively for the benefit of the local and regional economy.
“Working with Visit Belfast, Invest NI, Tourism NI, Newry, Mourne and Down District Council advances our aims to support local business growth and development in every sector, including hospitality and tourism, while raising the profile of the Newry City region at home and abroad.
“The Ambassador Circle launch in Newry is an exciting development and I encourage business leaders in every sector to get in touch and to get involved to ensure that this landmark initiative continues to deliver on the success it has achieved.”
Many of Newry’s leading local and international business names supported the launch at the city’s Canal Court Hotel including sports analytics company STATS Sports, data group FD Technologies and MJM Marine.
Gerry Lennon, Chief Executive of Visit Belfast said the launch of the Ambassador Circle in Newry marks a new era of expanded collaboration between tourism, economic development, education and research which will be a game-changer for tourism recovery and development.
“Launched by Visit Belfast two decades ago, the Ambassador programme has been instrumental in driving Belfast’s global, award-winning reputation for delivering successful business events while raising the city and region’s international profile.
“Business events drive revenue for the tourism and hospitality sector, but crucially they help to promote the region as a place to work, live, study and invest and I’m delighted that Newry is supporting this important, strategic partnership to continue the great work which has been achieved.
“Crucially, the majority of business events come to Belfast and Northern Ireland through the support of a local ambassador which is why our strategic partnership with Invest NI and this milestone launch in Newry is important to continue this success at a local and regional level.”
Strategically-located on the Dublin-Belfast Economic Corridor, Newry, Mourne and Down District Council have ambitious plans to drive Newry and the wider district’s economic growth.
The City Deal investment will see almost £200 million injected into the Newry, Mourne and Down District Council area. This will provide a massive boost to the local economy and will be truly transformative for the district. It will see investment in a world class tourist facility in the Mournes, regeneration of the Newry city centre and will advance the Newry Southern Relief Road, improving connectivity across the island.
Welcoming the launch of the Ambassador Circle, Chair of Newry, Mourne and Down District Council, Councillor Michael Savage, said the new partnership would be instrumental in showcasing the Newry, Mourne and Down District, and Northern Ireland, as a compelling destination in which to meet, invest, live work and study.
“Celebrating 20 years as a city this year, Newry is a warm and welcoming destination with ambitions to fully realise its potential as a significant regional economic powerhouse which is future-focused on business growth, regeneration and investment.
“Joining forces with Visit Belfast, Invest Northern Ireland and Tourism Northern Ireland to officially launch a dedicated Ambassador Circle for our district will harness the huge support of local leaders in business, research and academia to power a new era of prosperity, growth and local, national and international recognition for a confident city and district that delivers for every visitor.
“I am confident that together we can advance our strategic plans to drive growth, innovation and investment that benefits the district and wider region while showcasing our local strengths, talent and skills.”
Check out more information on the Ambassador Circle in the video below.
Mark Bleakney, Invest Northern Ireland’s Southern Regional Manager, said the initiative supports the organisation’s plans to build strong foundations for the local economy and the Department for Economy’s 10X economic vision for a decade of innovation strategy.
“Invest Northern Ireland is committed to supporting economic and business growth in the area. Hosting business events provides an opportunity to showcase the local area as a place to invest and do business. This can lead to legacy benefits such as helping to grow trade, stimulate innovation and attract investment through contacts made at business events. The Ambassador Circle provides a great opportunity to raise the profile of Newry, and support the local economy, by attracting more business events to the area.”
As part of the initiative, local businesses are now being invited join and to pledge their support by holding their own business events in Newry, supporting the development of local industry events and by encouraging customers, suppliers and the wider diaspora to develop or attend local events.
For more information on how we can help you bring your conference, meeting or event to Northern Ireland or on how to become an Ambassador, please contact Sarah Gribben at Visit Belfast sarahgribben@visitbelfast.com and for more information visit www.meetbelfast.com/ambassadorcircle.
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Nestled in the heart of the community in Poyntzpass is Rice’s Hotel. Established in 1798 when the village was a bustling hub of markets and fairs, Rice’s Hotel was then one of 4 busy hotels frequented by passing business people. Fast forward to 2022 and they still get asked if they have rooms available for an overnight stay. Today, it’s a busy Pub & Restaurant featuring a mix of traditional and modern dishes, plus a host of seasonal specials.
Brothers Gavin and Ronan Walsh took over the reins of this popular establishment in 2007 and this year celebrate 15 years in business. Having worked across the globe and in several local businesses perfecting their trade, the brothers decided in 2006 that it was time to start their own business. With Gavin’s experience of managing high profile bars and Ronan’s experience running well renowned kitchens the pair were perfectly placed to go out on their own.
Luckily, they came across Rice’s Hotel and knew that it was exactly the type of building, location and community that suited their vision. Co-Founder Gavin Walsh says of the time “We have very fond memories of the early days in Poyntzpass. We were still settling in, increasing our staffing levels while working crazy hours ourselves, but it was worth it. The atmosphere in the place was just brilliant, the customers were loving the food, having great craic and responding well to the service from the front of house team. It was a dream come true for Ronan and I, to think that we were creating this as a team was phenomenal.
We are extremely proud to say that many of our regular customers, many local, but some not so local, are coming to us from the beginning. We’ve seen their families grow up, grandchildren being born, generations of families attending our monthly quiz night, it’s very rewarding. It’s been a tough couple of years for hospitality businesses, but our loyal customer base has supported us immensely through this time and for that we are forever grateful.”
Ronan Walsh, Co-Founder added, “We wouldn’t be celebrating this wonderful milestone without our team either, some of whom have been with us since the early days. We have a team of highly skilled, dedicated and extremely loyal people. They work exceptionally hard every day to deliver excellent quality food and service in a very busy environment. When you work side by side with your team on a daily basis you become very close, and we’re lucky that we have a great bunch of people by our sides.”
Rice’s Hotel is open Tuesdays – Sundays from noon for food, drinks, private parties and corporate hire.
For further information about Rice’s Hotel please log onto riceshotel.com
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Newry based cruise ship outfitting company MJM Marine has announced the re-launch of their annual golf day tournament in aid of Air Ambulance Northern Ireland./p>
Teaming up with key suppliers and sponsors both locally and within the international cruise industry, the Golf Day is being held on Friday 1 July at Warrenpoint Golf Club and will raise vital funds for the services of Air Ambulance NI, MJM Marine’s Charity of the Year 2022.
Speaking at the launch event, Chris Rodgers, Finance Director, MJM Marine, thanked supporters for their contributions; “MJM Marine has a strong commitment to supporting our local community and we are delighted to partner with Air Ambulance as our Charity of the Year and raise vital funds towards the delivery of their essential, life-saving services throughout Northern Ireland.”
Chris continued, “The past two years have been challenging for charities in terms of fundraising, so it is great this year to be in a position to bring back one of our most popular events, the Golf Classic. The support from our supply chain has once again been overwhelming and we look forward to meeting the teams on the course for a brilliant day of golf and raising vital aid for such a worthy cause.”
Amy Henshaw, Air Ambulance NI, said, “We were delighted to welcome MJM Marine and some of the principal sponsors to the Air Ambulance Base in Lisburn to launch the MJM Charity Golf Classic in support of our medical trauma and emergency services. It costs £2 million per year to run our service and fundraising events such as these are crucial to keep our operations running effectively. We are thrilled by the fundraising efforts from everyone at MJM Marine and can’t wait to see what the rest of the year will bring.”
There are still a few team slots available, so if anyone is interested in taking a Four-ball on the day, contact alastair.chambers@mjmmarine.com
MJM employees across the business have also taken part in various other fundraising activities throughout the year including coffee mornings, cruise raffles and the Mash Direct Belfast City Marathon.
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Chris Hazzard MP recently met with Tony McKeown, Chief Executive of Newry Chamber of Commerce & Trade alongside South Down party colleagues MLAs Sinéad Ennis and Cathy Mason to discuss economic priorities in South Down. Write a comment
Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Chairperson, Councillor Michael Savage has accompanied a delegation of nine businesses on a Trade Mission to Dublin, as part of the Sales Acceleration Programme.
The Sales Acceleration Programme is a collaborative initiative between Newry, Mourne and Down District Council and Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council. It provides assistance to SMEs to explore, target and convert new sales opportunities in the Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland or Great Britain markets, via workshops, 1:2:1 mentoring and trade missions.
In total the businesses conducted 33 sales meetings during the Trade Mission to Dublin. Prior to the trip, sales prospecting was conducted by each of the businesses to secure pre-arranged meetings with Dublin based businesses. Mentoring was then provided to the participants to help with pitching their products or services to the potential clients.
Chairperson, Councillor Michael Savage said, “Trade Missions are a fantastic opportunity for businesses to meet potential new contacts and forge links for the development and growth of the participants. I am delighted with the engagement of all involved and particularly the skills and confidence the business owners have developed. Having spoken to the businesses, they are very much encouraged by the future cross border trade they have secured as a result of their attendance.”
Civic duties conducted in Dublin included meetings with Dublin Chamber of Commerce and an appointment with Lord Mayor, Alison Gilliland at the Mansion House, in a bid to explore the potential to maximize business opportunities. Given the geographic links Newry, Mourne and Down District Council has as a border region, it is keen to promote new opportunities with Dublin based businesses and continue to forge links to promote growth and development in readiness for exporting.
With 99 businesses already benefiting from the Sales Accelerator Programme to date, 50 are based in Newry, Mourne and Down and aim to create 121 jobs within the district. For more details on the Sales Accelerator Programme see https://nmdbusiness.org
Alternatively, call 0330 137 4000 and ask to speak to a member of the Business Development team.
The Sales Accelerator Programme is part-funded by Newry, Mourne and Down District Council, Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council, Invest NI and the European Regional Development Fund under the Investment for Growth & Jobs Northern Ireland [2014 – 2020] Programme.
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