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"You know the wee faces, when you can see them and you know just to leave them alone, and they are standing, they're practising and they're marking through it and they do it and it's just like ..."
Catherine Hughes doesn't get finishing her line before she and the other half of Newry Dance and Cheer Company, Danielle Hughes-Quinn break into screams of glee and laughter. Catherine continues "They're so proud of themselves. It's that pride. I think it's that pride and their confidence - when you see someone come to this that can't even look at you"
Both agree that dance is a great confidence booster for both children and adults.
Get ready to Social Dis-Dance at NDCC Dance
The pair run Newry Dance and Cheer Company and have moved into new premises at Carnbane in Newry. Catherine teaches at St Paul's High School, Bessbrook. She is a PE and Dance Teacher as well as being head of Year 14. Danielle has taken dance schools in St Mary's High School and St Pauls as well as working for Galaxy Coaching. As Danielle says "It couldn't be a better partnership, she's one of my best friends"
Catherine says Newry Dance Company is 16 years in the making. "We are well established in the Newry area. Danielle was a student of mine both in St Paul's where I teach, and did GCSE Dance with me. She also came to my private dance classes Newry Dance at Newry Sports Centre so she's kind of 'home produce'
"We have another teacher Turlough O'Neill and he also was a past pupil of St Paul's where I taught him his GCSE and A Level Dance, and then he did his degree in Dance and he has ended up teaching here too." Catherine's sister Patrice Murphy is also involved, dealing with the parents.
Catherine adds "We are very community based. We are not all about elitism. We are not about going to the big competitions all the time and getting firsts. We are more about taking part, getting involved and making sure we have got a well rounded kid. You are getting confidence, you are getting social interaction"
Newry Dance and Cheer Company started off in Newry Sports Centre and when council moved to their new facility, they moved with them, but this new opportunity presented them with the option of moving to their own place. They were approached by Jamie Robson, Robsons Family Karate, along with Me Time Studio, who do Yoga and Pilates and the three groups have block timetabled the premises between them.
Danielle and Catherine have done a lot of competition work between them. This year the Ulster Fitness and Dance Championships went online and Newry Dance and Cheer Company took many of the awards.
Inspiration
As to why she does it Catherine has no doubt "It has been my life. It's all I've known from I was four. I think I danced before I could walk. It's all I know, It's all I've ever done, and dancing led me into being a PE teacher. I'm only there because of my love of dance."
Inspiration came from several areas Catherine explains "It came from within. I would say it came from an old dance coach of mine, Evelyn Watt who is now deceased. She died at the very young age of 42 and she was my main inspiration going forward. Also there is a very prominent figure in all of this dancing background - Ann Black from Bessbrook. She was a lady that was with me from the very start, when Danielle was a little 'poppet' Ann Black would have been my confidant and mentor and was always there for me. She is now retired from St Paul's High School."
Danielle adds "I'm the same. I've been dancing from I could walk. I always loved dancing and music. I just love seeing the happiness children get out of dancing. This doesn't seem like a job to me. I say I'm going to dance, I don't say I'm going to work. It doesn't seem like a job, it's been my life from I could walk"
Classes
NDCC have something quite unique here and they know there are so many opportunities in dance. They have something to offer everybody whether you want to take part for the fun of it, to attain qualifications or to take part in competitions.
The dance company have now added grades to their offerings. Catherine says "We have got grading and vocational examinations for all our students. For anybody from the age of three, which is our Pre-School Early Years course they can do a Speech and Drama grade.
"All these grades will eventually equal up to UCAS points for university and this can go on their forms. So we can work our pupils through Speech and Drama, Public Speaking, Jazz, Musical Theatre which is singing and movement and maybe move to our Dance styles, contemporary, ballet, jazz, commercial, tap.
Catherine adds "Then there's our fun classes, for kids who do not want to do grades, who do not want to do competitions. TikTok - We have got another pupil of mine from school, Moya Quinn who's a TikTok sensation, thousands of followers and she's just turned 17 and she will be taking our TikTok classes. We are the only dance school south of Belfast that offer Cheer Leading. You've got your cheers, you've got your vocals, your pom poms, your dance elements, your tricks and your lifts."
Danielle Hughes-Quinn adds "We also offer a mummy and baby class. We take babies from 14/15 months accompanied by a parent/adult and it's all about fun. It's on a Friday morning at 10. We are now offering classes for babies from 14 months right up to adult classes. We offer adult fitness mixed with Zumba, Yoga, stretches and Pilates."
Speaking about their adult classes Catherine says "We fuse everything together. Core work and strength, conditioning and toning are combined with a fun element, some cheesy dance routines as well thrown in, and your Zumba and we end with Yoga Stretches and a wee bit of Pilates and a cool down.
"We are for the family. We have children coming to us that have got learning and behavioural difficulties and we cater for all of those needs. We also link in with vulnerable groups as well in the Newry and Mourne area. We would prefer them in here than not here."
The fun classes are very important but they also want those children who want to be pushed. Catherine explains "We have gifted and talented dancers here and we have to make sure we cater for those children as well as cater for the children who have learning disabilities or those with learning needs. We are trying to be all encompassing."
Catherine and Danielle decided to look for a professional dancer to give the children another role model, somebody who they might look up to, that they might aspire to be like as well, which saw them take on a new teacher to teach technique in tap, modern, drama and contemporary to their competition dancers.
Catherine explains the importance to themselves of constantly improving and to this end the reason they have taken on a new teacher, Debbie Mercer who has first class honours in Musical Theatre "She is going to take our gifted and talented dancers who want to be in the competitive teams and she is going to give them a little more edge. Basically to take us to more competitions and raise our standards a bit. We are all learning. When you stop learning there is something wrong. Danielle and I are always looking ways to learn, informing ourselves." Catherine says.
As Danielle adds "We want to be the best we can be"
Zoom Classes
With Covid-19 the dance school now offers classes via Zoom. Catherine explains "While we are here teaching our classes in studio, there is a big overhead screen and if there is any child for whatever reason, if there's a vulnerable adult in that house or if they are feeling sick that day and they can't attend, they can still attend at home and take part in the class. They will be able to see everything that's going on.
Dance Parties
As well as Halloween, Easter and Summer Camps NDCC do parties for birthdays, confirmations, holy communions etc, both at home or at their new premises.
Danielle adds "I would have went to peoples houses or maybe they were in a community centre and I would have been entertainer. We do any style of dance that they want. We'd ask if there's any favourite songs that they want us to do their dancing to. We offer face painting, nail painting, if parents want party bags we do everything. Parties are available from 14 months up."
Fully Trained
Newry Dance and Cheer Company are fully trained, qualified and insured. Staff are Covid-19 trained via Royal London College and qualified through professional teaching organisations. They have been contracted with the Health and Social Care Trust going into community centres for recreational dancing, hip-hop, modern and jazz.
Olympics
Dancing for the Northern Ireland Dance Team for 12 years Catherine got to perform in the opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympics in London. She has danced in the Winter Gardens in Blackpool as well as the Royal Albert Hall, and adds that she also did an advert for Ards Shopping Centre for their Easter and Christmas promotion, to much mirth from Danielle.
Term 1 Timetable
Adult Classes
Wednesday
Studio 1
6.30 – 7.30pm: Adult Dance/Fitness
Friday
Studio 1
6.30-7.30pm: Adults Yoga Dance/Fitness (We will be adding more adult fitness, zumba, dance and yoga classes to our timetable and all will be confirmed within the next 2 weeks).
Achievement Awards and Grades are available in the following areas
Performing Arts
Musical Theatre
Singing
Acting
Public Speaking
Dance
Commercial
Street
Jazz Dance
Tap Dance
Ballet
Lyrical
Contemporary
Tuesday
Hall 2 P1-P3:
3.30 - 4.30: Recreational Dance and Medal Award Class
Hall 2 P4-P7:
4.45-6.45pm Medal and Star Award
4.45-5.45: DANCE/Contemporary/Commercial
5.45-6.45: Modern/Aerobic/Street
Wednesday
Studio 1
4.30-5.15pm: TIKTOK MANIA
5.30 - 6.15pm: Boys Hip-hop
6.30 – 7.30pm: Adult Dance/Fitness
Thursday
Studio 1
Teen Dance 4 – 6.30pm
Recreational Dance, Freestyle, Jazz/Musical Theatre, Dance Aerobics and Commercial
Friday
Studio 1 – Parent and Toddler Class
10-10.45am: Me and My Mini Toddler Class
This class operates as an 8 week course at £40 per child (this price has been already discounted)
Studio 1
6.30-7.30pm: Adults Yoga Fitness
Studio 2
4.45-5.45pm: Primary Modern technique
(Compulsory for all primary school aged dancers on competition teams)
Studio 2
6-7pm: Secondary Modern technique
(Compulsory for all secondary school age/adult dancers on competition teams)
Saturday
Studio 2
9.30-10.15am: Recreational Preschool Ballet
Meeting Room and Zoom
-Speech & Drama Grades (according to age & in small groups of 4)
9.15-10am
10.15-11am
11.15-12am
12.15-1pm
Private 1 to 1 sessions are also available upon request.
Studio 2
10.30-11.15am: Musical Theatre Preschool/P1-3 Competition Class
10.30-11.15am: Musical Theatre P4-P7 Competition Class
Studio 2
11.30-12.30: P4-P7 Street Cheer Competition Class.
Studio 1
12.45-1.30: TIKTOK MANIA
Studio 2
12.45- 1.30: Primary Ballet (grades/exam class)
Studio 1
1.45-2.30: Preschool/P1-P3 Street Cheer Competition Class
PRIVATE 1 to 1 Tuition
We have Private 1 to 1 tuition in dancing/singing/drama available on Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday. These slots fill up extremely fast, so we recommend you book your place asap.
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Registration
Newry Dance and Cheer Company are based at Unit 7 Springhill Road Carnbane Industrial Estate, Newry. Registration is now open through email and newcomers are welcome. To register or for more information contact NDCC at newrydancecc@gmail.com
Facebook NDCC Danceand Instagram @newrydanceco
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Abbey Insurance and Autoline Insurance have joined forces to become AbbeyAutoline from today (1 September 2020).
Julie Gibbons is a well-known figure in Newry business and is now Managing Director of the newly combined insurance broking business, which has become the biggest insurance broker in Northern Ireland. AbbeyAutoline now has 22 branches province wide and employs 470 staff.
Earlier in the year, all the staff from the former Abbey branch in the city were relocated to the Autoline HQ at Ashtree Enterprise Park, which has just been rebranded as AbbeyAutoline.
Julie Gibbons said, “This is one of the most significant moves in the local insurance industry in decades. As a combined business, we are very excited to bring AbbeyAutoline customers in Newry, South Down and Northern Ireland-wide a broader range of products, which encompasses competitive Car and Home Insurance, along with Travel, Van, Motorbike, Taxi, Farm and Business Insurance.
“As AbbeyAutoline, while we will be bigger, we will remain firmly focused on delivering the same trusted, expert, personal customer care that has successfully grown our two businesses for almost five decades.”
All current policy holders can be assured that their existing policies are unaffected by the move.
Visit www.abbeyautoline.co.uk for information.
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Agri-food business, ABP Food Group has appointed Mr. Chris Martin as a non-executive director to its Board.
Chris has over thirty five years’ experience of working in retail and consumer facing businesses in Great Britain and Ireland. Formerly CEO of Musgrave, he was best known for operating the Supervalu, Centra and Musgrave marketplace brands in Ireland and Musgrave’s retail and food service operations in Spain.
Prior to this he was CEO of Mothercare plc, Group Finance Director of Storehouse plc and had various roles at PizzaHut and ASDA. Chris is a chartered accountant, fellow of the Institute of Grocers and a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.
ABP employs 11,000 people across 51 manufacturing sites, two of which are situated in Newry and Lurgan. It also holds a 50% stake in Linden Foods as a result of a joint venture with Fane Valley.
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Translink has carried out an internal review to reduce operating, overhead and management costs, targeting £20 million, whilst maintaining front line services.
This review is a necessary step towards ensuring a sustainable public transport network to support communities, the environment and the economic recovery in Northern Ireland post Covid-19. Translink are also are proposing withdrawing from the Ulsterbus Tours business due to the long-term impact of Covid-19 on the tours market.
Chris Conway, Translink’s Group Chief Executive, explained “The Covid-19 economic impact has left public transport globally in a very challenging funding situation. Translink welcomes the response from the NI Executive and Department for Infrastructure with emergency Covid-19 funding, however it is important to recognise the impact that Covid-19 will have on revenues for some time to come. We are targeting savings of £20m and as such, we have had to make some very difficult decisions.
“We aim to reduce the impact to employees as far as possible and are committed to maintaining front line services. As a result, these changes will have a minimal impact on frontline operational employees’ jobs, who continue to deliver scheduled bus and train services. However, in driving improvements to internal processes, we anticipate it is likely there will be a number of redundancies in management and overhead functions.
“We will be starting a process of consultation with employees and trade unions over the coming days.
“Public transport will have a vital role to play in Northern Ireland’s green and responsible recovery and this review, alongside wider Government support will ensure we can deliver on this”, Chris concluded.
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Over 90 delegates, businesses leaders, elected representatives, stakeholders and media joined firmus energy for its 10th annual energy market briefing on Thursday 24th September. Participants joined the live session to hear from some of the leading voices in the energy and financial sector who provided an insight into current energy trends, opportunities, challenges and the wider impact on the local economy.
firmus energy has over 50,000 customers in its Ten Towns network area and currently supplies more than 100,000 domestic and business customers across Northern Ireland. The gas supply and distribution company held its first firmus energy market briefing in 2011 which has since become a highlight in the energy sector’s business calendar.
firmus energy Chairman, Dr David Dobbin CBE hosted a panel of industry experts including Bord Gais traders Joe Egan, Niamh O’Dwyer and Stan Linehan who spoke about energy market trends, European gas storage levels and the impact of geopolitical events as well as Northern Ireland’s gas prices.
Ulster Bank Chief Economist Richard Ramsey was also present to provide commentary on the Northern Ireland economic recovery, government interventions and the financial impact of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
As part of the event Michael Scott, Managing Director at firmus energy provided an update on the business. He said:
“Our energy market update provides an important opportunity to hear from some of the leading industry voices in the energy and economic sector and we are pleased that participant numbers continue to grow. We are also delighted to have been able to use the event to launch our first annual stakeholder report.
“In recent months firmus energy’s business has reached some significant milestones – supplying our 100,000th customer and growing the Ten Towns natural gas network to over 1,700 km.
“We have delivered sustained growth on an ongoing basis. Our original business plan was to connect around 2,000 customers a year but we’ve more than trebled that and are currently delivering in excess of 6,000 new gas connections each year.
“By the end of 2022 Northern Ireland’s natural gas infrastructure will have passed over 550,000 properties. This presents an opportunity to expedite the conversion to natural gas of a further 230,000 properties and realise a total carbon reduction saving of 1.7million tonnes of CO2 each year.
“firmus energy also has multiple opportunities to extend our network into new towns and villages such as Crumlin, Glenavy and Portstewart, all of which represent significant investment.”
Key themes of the briefing included the role of natural gas in a zero carbon future, the impact of the ongoing pandemic on energy supply and demand, and the growing importance of LNG in the global gas market. Delegates also had the opportunity to take part in a Q&A hosted by firmus energy director Paul Stanfield.
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Newry based Re-Gen Robotics has invested £1.5 million in the last 12 Months in securing additional plant, helping it to expand the company's services.
An additional Zone 0, explosion proof, tank cleaning robot, an ADR certified jet/vac tanker and new auxiliary equipment have been purchased, in order to keep up with demand.
The firm, which is revolutionising safety in the oil tank cleaning industry with its remote controlled, ‘no man entry’ robots, has also recently recruited a new sales and marketing executive, as part of its ongoing expansion plans.
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Newry Chamber of Commerce along with seven other business organisations from across NI have written to the First and Deputy First Ministers to implore the Executive to resist placing the local economy in another lockdown again, fearing that doing so, without the same degree of financial support available earlier this year, will result in business closures and job losses.
In a joint statement, Newry Chamber along with Belfast Chamber, Causeway Chamber, Derry Chamber, Hospitality Ulster, Manufacturing NI, NI Retail Consortium and Retail NI said “We are all well aware of the huge challenge before the Executive as it continues to respond to the coronavirus pandemic. Equally, it has been a really tough time for businesses in many sectors of our economy with both employers and employees facing into an uncertain future.
Throughout the crisis created by COVID-19, businesses have stepped forward and played their part. We understand how Ministers may have to introduce additional measures to help in the fight against the virus however, we have come together to ask that they carefully consider the impact that each of their actions have on businesses and their staff and we especially implore you to resist placing our economy in any type of lockdown again.
It is absolutely clear that the Executive does not have the financial firepower to offer the kind of levels of support previously available to businesses during the last lockdown. Our fear is that a lockdown without sufficient support for businesses will result in closures and a considerable number of job losses and that devastating economic impact is something we urge Ministers to have at the forefront of their minds.
The Executive has an enormous task but we encourage them to work with business to find solutions that ensure that when we get through this crisis, as we will, we can retain jobs, keep businesses open and have an economy that is strong and capable of growing again”.
The Letter
Arlene Foster MLA and Michelle O’Neill MLA
First Minister and deputy First Minister
Stormont Castle
Stormont
Belfast
Dear Arlene and Michelle
We hope this letter finds you both well.
Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, businesses across Northern Ireland have stepped forward and played their part in combating COVID-19. Whether it was pivoting to produce PPE to help health and care workers, investing millions in their premises to make them safe for staff and customers, remaining open throughout the crisis to serve the public or willingly closing their doors without knowing when they might open and start trading again, firms in every part of our region have not shirked their responsibilities in this crisis.
No one underestimates the magnitude of the challenge facing the Executive as it responds to the virus. The challenge for our economy is an equally daunting one with many businesses facing a very uncertain future.
Whilst we appreciate that Ministers may have to consider additional actions to curb the spread of COVID-19, we, on behalf of the thousands of businesses, who between them employ tens of thousands of people, urge you to carefully consider the impact that each has on business and we especially implore you to resist placing our economy in any type of lockdown again.
We note that the Economy Minister has stated that we cannot afford another lockdown and we agree with this assessment. Forcing businesses to close once again, coupled with the fact that financial support on the scale of that seen earlier this year is unlikely to be made available either by the Government or the Executive, would, in our view, have a hugely devastating impact on the local economy and set recovery back quite considerably.
To be clear, it is our fear that the undeniable consequence of a decision to enter into another lockdown, with no ability to respond financially, would be that many businesses, who have endured the extreme difficulties of the past 6 months, simply would not survive and would be forced to close resulting in a considerable number of job losses.
We do not envy the enormity of the task before you and fully appreciate the importance of protecting public health, but we ask that you keep our concerns in mind so that we can retain jobs, businesses and an economy that is strong and capable of growing again when we have, as we will, come through this current crisis.
We hope that you agree that over the course of this crisis, business has exhibited a willingness to work closely with government and we would once again reiterate a readiness across the key sectors of our economy and in all parts of our region to work with the Executive to find solutions to the problems we face
Yours,
Simon Hamilton, Chief Executive, Belfast Chamber
Stephen Kelly, Chief Executive, Manufacturing NI
Karen Yates, Chief Executive, Causeway Chamber
Colm Shannon, Chief Executive, Newry Chamber
Redmond McFadden, President, Derry Chamber
Aodhán Connolly, Director, Northern Ireland Retail Consortium
Colin Neill, Chief Executive, Hospitality Ulster
Glyn Roberts, Chief Executive, Retail NI
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Built environment software experts Bluezone Technologies have invested over £685K in their latest innovation at the company’s Newry based hub. The investment will facilitate round the clock monitoring and control of Legionella and waterborne bacteria.
Bluezone Technologies is a specialist software solutions company that develops unique and innovative products for the management of compliance, supply chain, health and safety, inductions and eLearning.
The ‘no touch’ Legionella management system consisting of BluezoneTemp and BluezoneFlo, which sit on the company’s Internet of Things (IoT) platform Bluezone24, incorporates sensor technology to remotely monitor water temperatures and provide real time intelligent analysis to the devices of those responsible for their occupants’ health and wellbeing through Bluezone24, all without human interaction.
Bluezone Technologies has a reputation for creating operational efficiencies through their software and their well-established Bluezone24 platform for managing the organisational, contractor and compliance requirements of buildings and assets. This includes an existing legionella management module with mobile application and utilises the latest Internet of Things (IOT) sensor technology to remotely monitor environmental comfort such as humidity, carbon dioxide and asset tracking.
Applying the over 60 years’ industry experience of Directors Adrian Byrne, a Co. Down native, and industrial microbiologist Pat McDonald, Bluezone Technologies have vast experience of what it takes to ensure a healthy built environment. The duo were quick to recognise that technology was the way forward and set about developing a solution with their many years of knowledge to guide them.
Pat McDonald, Technical Director commented: “Legionella control and monitoring is still largely focused on paper-based procedures, however the appetite for an easy to install sensor alongside a user-friendly platform with quick reporting dashboards was clear.”
“By rolling-out Bluezone24 across their facilities, forward-looking companies are leveraging a proven, purpose-built Legionella management solution to ensure their compliance and achieve a measurable return on investment. More and more companies are being driven by data, including the industries we come from. BluezoneTemp and BluezoneFlo can be installed in new builds and retrofitted with minimal intrusion and without any required access to buildings’ IT data networks, and those who are responsible for environmental or Legionella in their building will now have a wealth of data – delivered right to their mobile phones if needed – to support or guide their decision making.”
The latest releases coincide with recent concerns from the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI) over a potential increase in Legionnaires’ Disease, an illness caused by the growth of Legionella bacteria in water systems not adequately managed. BluezoneTemp operates on the basis that managing Legionella risks is best achieved through monitoring and controlling the temperature in water.
During the Covid-19 pandemic many buildings were closed or largely unused for an extended period of time allowing water systems to become stagnated. Stagnated water is a potential breeding ground for Legionella and is prevented by running water outlets in a process known as flushing. BluezoneFlo automates this process.
Explaining how Bluezone24 works Adrian Byrne, CEO said, “At a minimum, BluezoneTemp captures daily temperatures and transmits the data via the world’s largest IoT network to the cloud hosted Bluezone24 platform. It is here the true intelligence and efficiencies of the platform are seen. Property and facilities managers can clearly see out of range temperatures and can plan any remedial work they may need to carry out. Coincidentally, they can do this through other add-on modules in the same platform including assigning contractors to a task.”
“We were already in the latter stages of R&D with an automatic flushing unit in early 2020, but following the coronavirus outbreak, the need for such a device, and the technology to support it, accelerated. The BluezoneFlo device complements its temperature-taking counterpart by automatically flushing an outlet and reporting back to the platform, creating true autonomy. Vitally, the platform records these events in digital form with a complete asset history, and perhaps more importantly during these times, there is no physical visit required to that asset or site.”
For industries wishing to ensure a world-class legionella monitoring programme, Bluezone24 offers the next stage in digital transformation across their operations. Existing clients include local authorities, financial institutions, and pharmaceutical companies. One of Bluezone24’s first clients, AIB, installed the sensors across its branches for guaranteed compliance, reliability and security.
For more information on Legionella management using Bluezone24 visit WWW.BLUEZONE24.COM
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