Write a comment
ABP has entered into a new 5-year sponsorship partnership with Air Ambulance NI. In a first-of-its-kind branding agreement for Air Ambulance NI the ABP logo is now displayed on the charity’s helicopters.
The charity, along with partners at Northern Ireland Ambulance Service, provides the Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) for Northern Ireland. The HEMS team delivers world-class pre-hospital care at scene that can be the difference between life and death. Last year it was tasked on 692 occasions, an increase of 18.5% on the previous year. Road traffic, industrial or farm accidents make up the majority of call-outs for the Air Ambulance NI.
Commenting on the announcement, George Mullan, Managing Director of ABP in Northern Ireland said, “Air Ambulance NI provides a vital emergency service particularly to those living in rural and farming communities, where agricultural accidents account for up to 10% of call outs. Northern Ireland is incredibly fortunate to be home to this world class service, which has the ability to make a real difference in critical situations. We are delighted to support the essential work of the air ambulance service.”
Dr Gerard O’Hare, Trustee of Air Ambulance NI said, “We have the pleasure of working with corporate partners across multiple sectors, striving to deliver partnerships that align with CSR needs, resources and business drivers to achieve the £2m we aspire to raise annually. There is usually a farming related incident each week which has a massive effect on the individual, family, community, and society. As a leading business in the agri-food sector, ABP has been supporting Air Ambulance NI since the start of the service in 2017. We are extremely grateful to ABP for its significant contribution to the service Air Ambulance provides to the whole community.”
Claudy farmer George Haslet was a patient of Air Ambulance NI in June 2018 following a slurry accident. George said, “I was mixing slurry when I remembered I had pet lambs in with me so went to get them out. I got the first one and then have no memory. I am confident that without the quick services of the air ambulance and fact that they were able to induce a coma at the scene, I wouldn’t be here today. They saved my life.”
Air Ambulance NI is offering companies bespoke webinars about the service and how to become involved, bookable by phone on 028 9262 2677 or email info@airambulanceni.org
Write a comment
An early-stage tech business from Newry has secured a £75,000 proof of concept grant as the winner of a new competition from Techstart Ventures and Belfast Harbour, with support from BT.
Machine Eye will receive £75,000 of grant funding from Techstart, with Belfast Harbour providing an environment to develop, refine and test their innovations and BT also offering a package of support, including expert support and access to the 5G private network being developed in partnership with Belfast Harbour.
Machine Eye provides an intelligent safety system for agricultural and industrial machinery, which harnesses the power of Artificial Intelligence and computer vision to create safer workplaces. Like an airbag on a car, its “human protection platform” is designed to intervene in the crucial seconds before an accident occurs in an outdoor, industrial setting in order to save lives.
The competition, which provided an opportunity for innovative thinkers to submit ideas for new technology solutions, aligns with Belfast Harbour’s key strategic Smart Port ambition to stimulate innovation and keep its employees, customers and visitors safe using innovative digital solutions.
Brendan Digney, founder of Machine Eye, said: “Machine Eye aims to act as a safety net, providing protection for all those in primary industries, regardless of whether they are a worker or bystander. By analysing human and machine behaviour, Machine Eye acts ahead of time, identifying and preventing accidents before they've a chance to develop.
“We are really excited to have won the competition as it provides us with funding to deploy our proof-of-concept system, pilot hardware and develop capabilities further for practical commercial use. The opportunity to work alongside Belfast Harbour and BT, in the operational harbour environment will also be invaluable.”
Trevor Anderson, Infrastructure and Business Transformation Director at Belfast Harbour said: “We congratulate Brendan and everyone at Machine Eye on being chosen as our winner after a highly competitive process. At Belfast Harbour we are continually innovating to minimise health and safety risks and we could see the clear benefits of Machine Eye’s proposed solution being deployed in a port setting where pedestrians and heavy machinery operate in close proximity.
“Our 2035 ‘Port for Everyone’ vision sets out our goals to become a Smart port, and to support the development of the local economy through partnerships that encourage R&D, skills and innovation. Working with Machine Eye on this project is a perfect example of this approach in action.”
Kathleen Garrett from Techstart, said: “Machine Eye has a unique opportunity to work closely with the people who will use its product while it is still being developed. We have found that building early versions of products with the close involvement of a first customer can be really helpful. We are hopeful this initiative will help the company to accelerate its high growth potential.”
Mark Gibson, Business Development Director at BT in Northern Ireland, said: “Winning this competition is a fantastic opportunity to accelerate innovation and I would like to congratulate Brendan and the team at Machine Eye on their enthusiasm and well-deserved prize.
“As one of the largest investors of innovation in the UK, BT is delighted to be providing Machine Eye with access to our 5G network as well as offering our business expertise to help the company to develop and grow this innovative concept.
“5G can deliver massive benefits to business and industry. Not only will the network provide Machine Eye with ultra-fast speeds and the reliability needed to launch their business, but it will help improve operational efficiency and productivity, fast knowledge transfer and higher employee satisfaction and engagement. We look forward to working with Brendan and his team to support them as they grow their new business.”
Entries to the competition covered a number of innovations relating to lone working and industrial IoT, including worker biometrics, movement tracking, usage stats, productivity, maintenance and health and safety training.
Write a comment
Simply Fit Food, a supplier of convenience meals made from wholesome, natural ingredients, has secured a major deal to supply almost 70 Dunnes Stores in Ireland with a range of healthy meals.
Founded by Evelyn Garland and Luke Judge in 2016, the Drogheda-based business was acquired by Around Noon, the Newry-headquartered food-to-go manufacturer, late last year.
Its latest supply deal with Dunnes Stores will be the first major product launch as part of the Around Noon group.
Dunnes Stores will be the first major brand to stock Simply Fit Food’s new range of healthy meals, including its Veggie Chili, Pasta Arrabbiata and Thai Red Curry. Nutritious and convenient, they have been developed as a healthy option for consumers with busy, active lifestyles. All meals in the new range also come in at under 500 kcals.
In January 2019, Dunnes Stores was the first major retailer in Ireland to list the Simply Fit Food brand in its stores.
Simply Fit Food co-founder Evelyn Garland says: “Dunnes Stores will be the first retailer to stock our new healthy meal options which is a massive endorsement of our range. The new partnership with one of Ireland’s leading grocery retailers is a huge opportunity to introduce the refreshed brand to a significant customer base and is a major step forward for the Simply Fit Food brand as part of the Around Noon group.”
Around Noon has been in business for 30 years and employs over 300 people. It supplies a broad range of high-quality sandwiches, wraps, salads, fruit pots and cold-pressed juices to customers including forecourt and convenience retailers and cafés. In October 2020, it acquired Simply Fit Food which continues to trade under its existing brand within the Around Noon group.
In December, Simply Fit Food won the Rising Star Category of the 2020 Irish Food Quality Awards (IQFA).
For more information about the Around Noon group, visit AROUNDNOON.COM
Write a comment
Newry Chamber of Commerce & Trade has welcomed the announcement of opening dates for businesses as an important first step on the road to recovery.
Commenting on the Executive’s announcement, the Chamber’s Chief Executive Officer, Colm Shannon said: “Newry Chamber has been calling for the Executive to announce indicative dates for the reopening of retail, hospitality and close contact services. Today’s announcement is the beginning of a return to normality and a welcome boost for our local economy. The combination of close contact services opening on the 23rd April, and non-essential retail and outdoor hospitality on 30th April is good for the city centre. Hospitality and retail need each other and the experience from last year is that the town centre only starts to fully recover when hospitality businesses are open as well.
“It is good that the rest of hospitality has an indicative date of 24th May to plan for. We hope the conditions remain that will allow the Executive to confirm this date.”
Stressing the importance of shopping locally, the CEO said “Our businesses have been closed since before Christmas. They have been an essential part of our community for generations, and it is important that people shop local and support them. Since Christmas they have lost a significant amount of trade. By shopping locally, you are supporting the many people in Newry who depend on these businesses for their livelihood.
“As a business community we have invested heavily in the safety of our staff, our customers, and ensuring our businesses are safe spaces to enjoy the experience of being in our city centre.
“All our businesses know the importance of opening in a responsible way. They have been tirelessly working to ensure that their businesses can reopen safely. We don’t know how long COVID will be part of our lives, and until then, they will work with the wider community to ensure they remain open and that everyone can enjoy the experience of being back in our city centre.”
Write a comment
Aspiring entrepreneurs from Newry and surrounds have been reminded that there is only one week to go until the deadline to enter Northern Ireland’s most exciting competition for innovative start-ups.
Sean McManus from Burren made the final last year with his Truss Buddy invention.
Applicants to INVENT 2021, which closes to applications on Friday 23 April, will compete for an increased prize fund of £47,000 across five brand new awards categories, with a £25,000 first prize for the overall winner.
Organised by science and technology hub Catalyst with headline partner Bank of Ireland, INVENT is an annual celebration of the brightest new business ideas in the region, which supports, showcases and rewards the local innovations and proof of concept ideas that have the greatest commercial potential.
Categories for this year’s awards have been refreshed to resonate with global trends and help capture great ideas from across the full spectrum of innovation in Northern Ireland, while also aligning with the clusters Catalyst believes will drive the local economy in future. They include:
Each INVENT category winner will receive £5,000 – an increase from £3,000 in previous years – and the overall winner will take home an additional £20,000, giving an overall prize of £25,000. Additional prizes of £1,000 will be awarded to the best student application and the best elevator pitch delivered on the night of the INVENT Awards on September 30.
The competition, which aims to shine a light on the creativity of local entrepreneurs, last year attracted applications from more than 100 talented innovators and saw 12 finalists chosen to compete for prizes at the INVENT final. More than 1,500 people from around the world tuned into hear the entrepreneurs pitch at a hybrid event streamed live from the ICC Belfast.
The overall winner was KLAS-PDT Technology, which has developed a peptide based non-invasive therapy for metastatic melanoma, a type of skin cancer. It is used alongside current immunotherapies to increase their effectiveness at a reduced cost to the provider and less toxicity for the user.
Niall Devlin Head of Business Banking NI at Bank of Ireland, headline partner of the INVENT Awards, said: “The pandemic has accelerated innovation materially, in particular the design and adoption of technology solutions across all business sectors, including in our own business. We see this in our customers as many are reimagining and reshaping their businesses for the world, post pandemic. Whether it relates to remote working, e-commerce or health & wellbeing, businesses are striving to become more digital, more efficient and more sustainable for the future.
“Bank of Ireland UK is delighted to partner on INVENT 2021, with new categories and an increased overall prize fund providing a unique opportunity for innovation and entrepreneurial talent in Northern Ireland, which is recognised as a key stimulus for the regional economy.”
Kerry McGarvey, programme manager for INVENT, said: “We’re really excited about this year’s INVENT Awards and want to receive entries from entrepreneurs and innovators from across Northern Ireland.
“We’re confident that the new categories offer us the best opportunity to capture the energy and creativity of the next generation of founders who are aiming to solve real world problems, with the new Greentech category particularly relevant as sustainability becomes an increasing focus both globally and locally.”
For more information on how to apply for Invent 2021, go to WWW.INVENT2021.CO
Write a comment
JMK Solicitors have continued to hold their position as Northern Ireland’s Number 1 personal injury firm, marking their seventh consecutive year in the prestigious top spot. Despite the reduced volumes of both traffic on the road and active employment experienced in 2020, JMK were instructed by almost treble the number of clients than the next solicitors practice providing personal injury claims services.
Although the legal practice has branches in both Newry and Belfast, as a result of investment in technology they are able to provide services remotely to clients in any part of Northern Ireland. JMK were instructed in 1,557 cases last year according to recent figures obtained from the Compensation Recovery Unit, a division of the Department for Communities. These measures appear to show the recognition by the innocent victims of accidents that JMK Solicitors are lawyers that are committed to putting the needs of their clients first.
Managing Director, Maurece Hutchinson, said “Every year, our staff go above and beyond for our clients, ensuring that our Core Values are met and that we achieve the best possible outcome for those who have instructed us to resolve their case. We believe that the fact that JMK Solicitors have spent a seventh consecutive year at Number 1 is a direct result of our dedication to client care.”
JMK Solicitors commitment to their clients has led to their seeking and attaining the Lexcel accreditation, a Quality Mark for the legal profession administered by the Law Society which recognises firms that achieve excellence in legal practice management and client care.
During the 2020 Lexcel assessment, JMK Solicitors were praised for the consistent investment in staff and technology. The assessor said, “The company has continued to make ongoing efficiency improvements in the past year and points of particular note are the company’s rapid response to the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, launch of the bespoke Client App, and issue of the JMK Court Guide.”
Praising the leading law firm’s response to COVID-19 as “nothing short of excellent”, the assessors determined that operations “continued seamlessly” and said an internal staff survey resulted in high levels of satisfaction. The assessor said JMK was an example “not only to the legal sector…but all employers in the province”.
Speaking about JMK Solicitors’ widely publicised workweek reduction from 37.5 hours to 30 hours, the assessors concluded that the reduction in work hours without compromising output, performance or remuneration was “nothing short of an amazing achievement”.
Maurece Hutchinson said, “The effort and dedication of our staff, a heavy investment in training, the reduction of hours resulting in a four-day work week (with no reduction in salary) and an exclusive focus on personal injury and road traffic claims have allowed our firm to retain the honour of being the firm that ultimately sets the bar for the seventh year running. Our investment in marketing also led to our first TV advertisement airing in 2020. This focus has directly contributed to the continued growth and success of JMK Solicitors.”
JMK Solicitors is a practice which is accredited by the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL). The UK wide association has been fighting for the rights of injured people for over 25 years and has grown to become the leading, most respected organisation in this field. The JMK team includes Andrew Moore, Sinead Toal and Una O’Neill, who are accredited by APIL as Senior Litigators and Maurece Hutchinson who received the Fellow accreditation in 2019.
Established in 2003, JMK Solicitors assist clients from all over Northern Ireland. To contact JMK Solicitors, please call 028 9032 0222 or visit WWW.JMKSOLICITORS.COM
Write a comment
As we takes tentative steps back to ‘normal’ this week with all school children back in class, click & collect services expanded and an end date for non-essential retail to reopen within sight, Adrian Doran, Senior Residential Sales/Valuer Negotiator with Best Property Services reflects on the property market performance during COVID restrictions.
“Society has experienced huge upheaval in the past year since the outbreak of Covid 19 with significant changes to our lifestyle, how we work and where we live.
“Whilst we took a few weeks to adapt to the lockdown changes in those initial weeks of the pandemic, overall the property market has remained busy - and there are some notable ‘COVID’ trends coming through - Specifically changes in the type of client looking to buy and also a change to clients’ key requirements for a new home,” Adrian explains.
Looking at house prices in NI from 2019 to the end of 2020,The NI Price Index has reported an annual 5.3% increase. Adrian says the agency, with a head office in Newry, has certainly continued to see that trend during the early months of 2021 with in excess of £10m in gross residential sales achieved.
The average NI house price currently is £147,593 while Newry Mourne Down average house price sits at £159,305 according to the latest survey figures.
Despite huge levels of uncertainty in the general economy, the property market continues to perform well. Whilst property is considered a sound investment despite economic changes, Adrian and the Residential team at Bests attribute the peek in demand to the working from home directive.
Coming Home to Northern Ireland
Adrian said: “We’ve noted an increase in the level of enquiries from people from NI who’ve been working ‘away’ and have a desire to return home. This is supported by data from the Irish Central Statistics Office who have reported the greatest number of people returning to the country since 2007.
“My colleagues and I have recently agreed properties to clients returning from London, Dubai, Australia and America. Typically these clients have discovered that through COVID work place changes, they can work remotely and are no longer tied to living in large cities where their parent company is based. In discussion with them, they view NI as a much more affordable place to buy and they are more likely to be able to afford a property that meets all their family requirements.”
Work From Home & Home-school
The work from home directive and home schooling arrangements has also made a lot of local families consider their own living arrangements, and often lack of space, outdoor space, office space etc has driven a demand for larger properties.
Adrian reports that the top requirements for buyers now are:
Active First Time Buyer Market
First Time Buyer market continues to be very active market, Adrian says, with the attraction of low mortgage rates. In many instances clients have been able to make a larger deposit as a ‘positive’ result of no social, holiday or leisure spending.
“Despite this, there are challenges to getting onto the property ladder. Frustratingly, the current market in this region is undersupplied and available property is some 30% less than the level we would normally see at this time of the year compared to the same quarter in previous years,” he says.
“This undersupply of homes has resulted in multiple bidding being the norm. In fact, 60% of Best Property resales so far in 2021 have had multiple bidders and in many cases have exceeded the guide price.
“Looking forward to the rest of 2021, we still see the local market being competitive with demand likely to outweigh supply for the foreseeable future,” Adrian adds.
At Best Property Services we are always enthusiastic to talk to you about all your property needs. If you are considering a move in the property market, please feel free to get in touch.
1 Comment
Around Noon and the Henderson Group have invested over £80,000 to enhance and innovate the dailyDeli lunch on the go range, in light of consumer shopping changes during lockdown and as restrictions lift.
A recent Food to Go report* noted the changes in shopper behaviour around lunchtime purchases due to the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting lockdown. The report by Lumina Intelligence found that while 34% of people are planning to continue to work from home in the future, 38% will seek out ‘at-home to go’ alternatives from local stores for their lunch.
Henderson’s fresh team has collaborated with Around Noon in Newry to develop the newly revamped range of sandwiches, wraps, salads and snack pots to capture this opportunity for growth within the market.
As the average consumer becomes more demanding, Gareth Chambers, CEO of Around Noon says such requirements have been considered throughout the creation of the products.
“We are carefully considering what shoppers want to eat. The rise in consumers turning to veggie and vegan diets, or taking a flexitarian approach, has seen us develop products that makes it easy to maintain various lifestyle choices.
“Also, with weather improving and restrictions easing we wanted to further enhance the dailyDeli range and give consumers even more choice when planning their perfect picnic.”
Sustainable packaging is a key focus for businesses and consumers alike, and therefore the company has invested in fully recyclable labels, sandwich and wrap boxes with all salad and snack pots made from 50% recyclable material, which are also fully recyclable.
The new look brand now includes two new sub-ranges to create 12 new products; Nice and Simple uses key simple ingredients to provide great value for money, while the Choice range brings a selection of Under 400 calorie, vegan and vegetarian options of sandwiches, wraps salads and snacks to please every food mood.
Neal Kelly, Fresh Foods Director at Henderson Group which owns the SPAR, EUROSPAR and ViVO brands in Northern Ireland said working with adaptable local suppliers will always allow them to react to market changes quickly; “Over the past year with more and more shoppers choosing SPAR and EUROSPAR for all of their shopping occasions, we have closely monitored the shift in consumer behaviour and identified opportunities to grow our lunch on the go options.
“It is this need for forward thinking and quick turnarounds that makes our working with local suppliers such as Around Noon even more important. Adjusting our products to fit the market is crucial to the success of our retailers, and whether working from home or back in the office, we know consumers will continue to seek out ‘to go’ lunch options. It’s more important than ever that we provide a broad range of quality food to go options to fulfil their daily needs.”
The new dailyDeli range will be available in over 130 SPAR, EUROSPAR, ViVO and ViVOXTRA stores and supermarkets, including all Henderson Retail operated outlets.
Write a comment
A year on after the start of COVID 19, Newry Chamber of Commerce & Trade has launched a campaign to celebrate COVID Heroes in the workplace.
Launching the campaign, Chamber President, Emma Mullen-Marmion said “This high-profile campaign will run across all our social media channels. We want to recognise all the employees in Newry, Mourne and Down who have gone the extra mile to keep their businesses going through the last year.
“Many businesses have been forced to close by the restrictions. Despite this, many have displayed incredible determination, spirit, and innovation to keep their businesses afloat through immensely difficult times. Those that remained open have worked around the clock to keep food on our tables and deliver the essential services we need.
“We want to recognise all of these workers. Our social media campaign is an opportunity to say a big thank you for their commitment and dedication, through what has been a difficult time for them and their families. The campaign will recognise the inspirational leaders; employees who have gone the extra mile; workers or teams who have helped in the community; or the innovative employee who developed a new idea to keep the business going.
“There are no categories and no limits to the type of employee or employees who can be nominated. We want to hear about anyone who has made a difference. It is an opportunity for the business community to say thank you to their staff who have given so much in the past year.
“The campaign will run from 20 April for a month. It is easy to nominate someone. Just follow the links from Newry Chamber’s social media channels and website. Every nominated employee will be profiled on our social media channels. At the end of the campaign, we will have a role of honour for anyone who was nominated.”
For further information or to make a nomination, visit newrychamber.com or theirsocial media channels.
 |
 |
 |