Business Eye April May 2019

Issue 188 April/May 2019 £2.50 Voted best Business Magazine in Ireland 2005 and Magazine of the Year for Northern Ireland

Wilsons Auctions...

From Bling To Bitcoin Features:

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Emma Meehan & Down Royal’s New Era

ICONIC

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ASM… New Home & New Horizons For Fast Growth Firm

HISTORIC

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UNIQUE

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Tom Verner & The Momentum Group…

Expert Partners On R&D

TITANIC VENUES BELFAST T I TA N I C V E N U E S B E L F A S T. C O M

Contents

April / May 2019 ISSUE 188

Cover Story

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Wilsons Auctions… From Bling To Bitcoin

Specials

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Terminating Employment Amicably Julie Anne Clarke, Employment Law Partner at Elliott Duffy Garrett, looks at how compromise agreements are a highly effective means of ending employment relationships on agreed terms for both parties.

Operations Director Peter Johnston and Head of Asset Recovery Aidan Larkin talk about Wilsons Auctions’ latest diversification into the highly specialist world of cryptocurrency auctions, a direct development from the NI-based company’s global reputation as a leader in the disposal of criminal assets on behalf of government departments and police forces.

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Fail To Plan. Plan To Fail

Sport & Venues

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Emma Meehan… Charting Down Royal’s New Future

Stuart Carson of Rainbow Communications looks at how clear planning is required when it comes to plotting your organisation’s communications needs... just as it is required in every other aspect of running a business.

CSR... Feelgood Factor Or Essential For Business Today Business Eye takes its annual in-depth look at the world of Corporate Social Responsibility. It is a luxury, a bolt-on for today’s leading businesses, or is it an essential for business life and a real contributor to the health of any organisation? We investigate with the help of some of Northern Ireland’s leading players.

The future of Down Royal Racecourse, Northern Ireland’s premier horse racing venue and one of a handful of Grade 1 tracks on the island, might have looked uncertain last year... but it was always secure, says the venue’s new Chief Executive, Emma Meehan.

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ISA’s For A Brand New Year

Research & Development

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The Momentum Group... Expert Partners For R&D Tax Credits

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This June, employers across Northern Ireland are being encouraged to sign-up to the Active Travel Challenge for a healthier and more environmentally-friendly commute in the annual Bus & Train Week organised by Translink.

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Art, Science & The Secret Of Success

Accountancy

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ASM... New Home & New Horizons For Fast Growth Firm

Hamilton Architects, based in Belfast’s historic Linen Quarter, have been combining art and science for nearly half a century, creating buildings which reflect the way we have lived, or want to live, our lives.

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Insight:Out... Pension Specialists Continue To Grow

Accountancy firm ASM is targeting further growth after five years of expansion in turnover and staffing levels after its move to impressive new offices in Belfast city centre. Director Brian Clerkin takes up a story of rapid growth in a highly competitive marketplace.

Regulars

The specialists at Fairstone Financial Management (NI) provide some tips and advice on what to look out for in ISA investments over the coming financial year. Are IDA’s still regarded as safe havens in a turbulent financial marketplace?

Get On Board For Bus & Train Week

When it comes to Research & Development Tax Credits, introduced by the Government to help encourage R&D amongst companies here, there are plenty of grey areas. But a Bangor-based specialist company is helping increasing numbers of local companies to add tax credit revenues to their bottom lines. Business Eye catches up with Tom Verner, Managing Director at Momentum.

For East Belfast based financial services firm and pension transfer specialists Insight:Out, the past year or so has been one of continued growth in terms of clients, staff numbers and physical space.

Eye on Communications

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Eye on Charity

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Moving On

Eye on Interiors

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Eye on Hospitality

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Eye on Digital

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Eye on Tourism

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Women In Business

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Eye on Motoring

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Eye on Training

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Eye on Skills

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Editor Richard Buckley Commercial Director Brenda Buckley

Business Development Manager Ciara Donnelly

Design Hexagon Tel: (028) 9047 2210 www.hexagondesign.com

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Since our last print edition, Brexit has been kicked into touch for the summer months, a kind of extended Brexit break, following which we’ll return to the same old arguments and same concerns and worries come the autumn months.

Comment

“Make no mistake. This is an English battle being fought by an English electorate. The Scots take a very different view.

And here in Northern Ireland, it’s entirely likely that we’ll elect one pro-Brexit and two antiBrexit candidates to Strasbourg”

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orthern Ireland’s local council elections have duly taken place and, for once, they turned out to be a bit more interesting and nuanced than usual. There was a distinct swing in some areas towards Alliance and the Green Party, which can’t be bad news for those of us of a progressive political viewpoint. But at the top of the electorcal league table, nothing has changed too much. The DUP and Sinn Fein still call the shots.

Was there a significant enough change for us to sit up and take notice? Yes, there probably was. There’s something in the air, but the obvious rider to that it that it’s only in the air in certain areas. That’s Northern Ireland for you.

The Brexit postponement and the local council elections have now been superceded on the local news agenda by a rather lack lustre resumption of the inter-party talks at Stormont. It all seems a bit flat and predictable and that could be for one of two reasons.

Either there’s little change of any progress being made and the main parties are still as a far apart as ever, or (and this is the optimist’s view) the parties are keeping the lid on the discussions in an effort to avoid media speculation and in the real hope that they will make progress. You pays your money and takes your choice, as the old saying goes.

But there is a large and very ominous looking cloud building up on the horizon.

We didn’t think that we’d be taking part in them, but the European Parliament Elections will be taking place on the 23rd of May. Locally, it looks a bit like a five-way fight for three seats, with Diane Dodds of the DUP and Martina Anderson of Sinn Fein in the box seats and the threesome of Colum Eastwood, Naomi Long and the Ulster Unionist Party’s Danny Kennedy scrapping for Seat No. 3. Maybe it won’t turn out like that, but it looks like a fairly solid bet.

Richard Buckley EDITOR Irish Magazine Editor of the Year 2005

If the local council elections the other week are anything to go by, Naomi Long must be hopeful of capturing a European first for the Alliance Party, snatching the seat away from the Ulster Unionist Party who had a bit of a meltdown at the polls just recently.

But, whilst Northern Ireland’s homespun election might be fairly predictable, plenty of people are expecting all sorts of fireworks across the Irish Sea. Even his political opponents (and there are many of them) expect Nigel Farage and his new Brexit Party to win a truckload of seats.

The Lib Dems, taking a very clear and pointed anti-Brexit stance, might be able to win a few more seats than usual but both Labour and the Conservatives could take a pasting. The fact that the Tories aren’t engaging in the electoral battle shows that they know what’s coming.

Cue Nigel Farage and the Brexit Party.

Cue embarrassing scenes in the European Parliament when he and his assorted Little Englanders take their seats. Cue a whole load of pressure on what’s left of the Government to move towards as hard Brexit.

Make no mistake. This is an English battle being fought by an English electorate.

The Scots take a very different view. And here in Northern Ireland, it’s entirely likely that we’ll elect one pro-Brexit and two anti-Brexit candidates to Strasbourg.

Will we be dragged into the Farage farrago?

There’s nothing we can do to avoid it. And that’s what makes the whole mess so desperately sad.

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Eye on News

Businesses Urged To Sign Up For Career Encode Earn As You Learn A recent initiative by nine companies from Mid Ulster, the North West and North Antrim to join forces in a unique collaboration to address local IT skills shortages has proved such a success that they are now calling on nine more companies to come on board for the next phase of the programme.

(l-r) Bronagh Gallagher from Maghera, who has secured a Career Encode apprenticeship with FP McCann; Camilla Long, Career Encode facilitator; Brian Law, IT Manager, FP McCann; Ronan Rafferty from Dungiven, who has also secured a Career Encode apprenticeship with FP McCann; and Barbara Greer-Sayer, HR Manager, FP McCann, Maghera.

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he businesses, all of whom invest heavily in IT, collaborated with Northern Regional College to launch Career Encode, an innovative Earn As You Learn Higher Level Apprenticeship in Computing for school leavers.

Over 85 school-leavers and individuals considering a career change applied, exceeding all expectations. Due to the high calibre of applicants a total of 10 apprenticeships have been offered and are due to begin as early as June 2019.

The nine participating companies

are Specialist Joinery Group and FP McCann, Maghera; Bloc Blinds, Magherafelt; CDE Global and Mallon Technology, Cookstown; Kilrea-based Acorn IT Solutions; Coleraine based Spatialest; Randox, Crumlin; and Toomebridge-based SDC Trailers Camilla Long, Director of Bespoke Communications, which specialises in training and leadership development, is acting as an independent facilitator for the nine employers, explains why more companies should embrace innovative approaches of this nature to plug the skills gap: “Recruiting new staff, and in particular IT staff, is one of the major challenges

facing businesses today. The companies who took part in the Career Encode pilot were finding it increasingly difficult to find the right skills in their local area. As a result, they decided to take steps to develop their own labour force via this innovative Earn as You Learn HigherLevel Apprenticeship in Computing.

“We had a phenomenal response to the launch of the initiative.

Over 85 young people applied, and the calibre of the applicants was exceptionally high. The young people who were interviewed were interested, engaged, motivated and willing to learn. There is clearly a need for opportunities of this nature.”

Eamon Larkin, Director of Newrybased architecture Milligan Reside Larkin which designed the scheme, added: “Our team worked with Warrenpoint Port to sensitively design an extension to the former office building without impinging on the status of the existing building.

“It is an exciting project to be involved in as it will add to the vitality of Warrenpoint Town centre and complement other recent developments in the area.”

The project is part of a £4m capital investment programme that also includes the reconfiguration of internal

port infrastructure, a new road layout, and additional plant and equipment.

Clare added: “Demand for our services is growing year-on-year. By continuing to invest in our facilities, we can ensure the Port is best placed to capitalise on that growing demand for the benefit of port users, our customers, our community and the wider economy.”

Building work on Town Dock House will be carried out by Newry-based firm Killowen Contracts and is expectedto take six months to complete.

Landmark Investment For Warrenpoint Port Work has commenced on the redevelopment of the landmark Town Dock House at Warrenpoint Port, the flagship project in the harbour’s £4 million capital investment programme.

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he building, which fronts onto Warrenpoint Town Square, will be returned to its former use as the main harbour office, re-establishing a direct interface between the port and the town centre.

Clare Guinness, CEO, Warrenpoint Port, said: “As a key local employer, Warrenpoint Port has long-established historic links with our town and the surrounding area.

“The redevelopment of Town Dock House, an iconic building at the heart of our town centre, will build on those links and provide a major regeneration

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boost that we can all enjoy.

“The relocation of the administrative offices is just the first phase of our plans for the Town Dock, however. We also look forward to progressing plans to open up the dock to the public by creating new openings in the wall and railings to allow access from the Town Square to the water’s edge at the marina.”

The Town Dock House works will include a complete refurbishment of the existing building and an extension which will provide additional office space and board room facilities.

Eye on News

Danske Partners with Parenting NI on Wellbeing Seminars Danske Bank has teamed up with local charity Parenting NI to develop a series of parenting seminars for employees.

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pen to all Danske employees, the monthly seminars are facilitated by a professional practitioner from Parenting NI and cover a range of topics such as digital parenting, raising your child’s selfesteem, sleep and work-life balance.

Orla King, Senior HR Manager at Danske Bank, explained: “Many of our colleagues are parents, guardians or grandparents so we are delighted to

work with the team at Parenting NI to offer expert advice on a range of relevant issues. The initiative forms part of our support for employee diversity and wellbeing and follows the launch of our new suite of Danske Families policies, which includes Grandparents Leave, Adoption Leave and an extensive range of flexible working options, including reduced, compressed, term-time and part-time working.”

Orla King, Senior HR Manager at Danske Bank with Maeve Bouvier from Parenting NI.

Parenting NI is a local charity promoting positive parenting by providing support, training and information on family issues, and influencing policy, provision and practice at all levels.

Maeve Bouvier from Parenting NI added: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with Danske Bank to support their parent employees. In

today’s society the demands of work and family responsibilities can often impact on parents’ and carers’ happiness, and therefore ability to fully focus on work. Parenting NI are heartened by employers such as Danske Bank who respond to the needs of working parents in supporting them, and help to shape a workplace for an evolving workforce.”

Eye on News

Major tech investment for The Workspace Group One of Northern Ireland’s largest and most successful social enterprises, The Workspace Group, has laid the groundwork for a new era of business growth after investing in a major transformation of its telecommunications network that will support more than 37 businesses and 226 employees in Mid Ulster.

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artially funded by the UK Government’s Gigabit Voucher Scheme and completed in partnership with Northern Ireland’s largest independent telecoms services provider, Rainbow, the company has rolled out a new super high-speed digital and data network that gives it instant access to cloud-based services.

The investment provides the award-winning group and the companies located in their business parks with superfast and reliable broadband to improve digital data flows, file and resource sharing and reliability while also dramatically increasing the number of ways in which they can communicate effectively with their client businesses and customers.

By converging its landline network with the new high-speed network, The Workspace Group will also start to benefit from greater efficiencies, allowing on-the-go communications, greater productivity, reliability and flexibility. Cost savings from the investment will start to accumulate straight away.

Headquartered in Draperstown, Mid Ulster, but operating from 14 locations across Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland and Great Britain, The Workspace Group provides business support services and almost 100,000 sq. ft of office and industrial space to a wide variety of new and growing small and medium-sized

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businesses in their business parks in Draperstown and Magherafelt.

Adele McIvor, Marketing & Business Development Manager for the Workspace Group, said: “Northern Ireland’s SMEs remain the lifeblood of our local and regional economy and are vital for maintaining and growing employment and supporting communities. It’s our mission to continue to encourage and support them to set up, grow and prosper and to continually invest in their future.

“We are delighted with the transformation achieved and by the confident expertise shown

by Rainbow Communications in delivering this major project with us and for their continuous support in helping us to achieve our objectives.”

The company appointed Rainbow Communications, one of the leading independent telecommunications companies in the UK and Ireland, with over 10,000 business customers and over 45 percent of Northern Ireland’s Top 200 Companies, to partner with them on the project.

Stuart Carson, Sales and Marketing Director at Rainbow said: “SMEs across Northern Ireland are fast realising the full range of benefits which the transition from in-house data and systems management to cloud computing presents. Aside from the capacity benefits which allow organisations to grow, it’s highly efficient, it saves

Adele McIvor, Marketing & Business Development Manager for the Workspace Group celebrates the major transformation of its telecommunications network with Sales and Marketing Director at Rainbow, Stuart Carson.

money and it’s a sure-fire way of future-proofing in uncertain times.

“With old-style ISDN lines becoming defunct in only a few years, the time to plan ahead is now. We are delighted that Workspace, which is visionary in its outlook and committed to growth, engaged us to spearhead this important project and we look forward to working even more closely with them in the years ahead.”

Established in 1985, The

Workspace Group in addition to providing business support services and business property through Workspace Enterprises, is involved in recruitment, training and employment initiatives, energy efficiency and heat recovery through subsidiary companies MYM Recruitment, Network Personnel, Homeseal and ThermTech.

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Eye on News

Alpha Group Delivers Largest-Ever Office Solutions Contract

(L-R) Colin Shaw, WDR & RT Taggart, John Healy, Managing Director of Allstate Northern Ireland and Chris Ingle-Finch, 1080 Sales Director are pictured in Allstate’s NI headquarters in Mays Meadow, the largest single office space to be developed in Northern Ireland in the last 15 years

Belfast-based workplace solution company, 1080, is celebrating the completion of a two-year contract to supply and install the largest single office space to be developed in Northern Ireland in the last 15 years.

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llstate’s 140,000sq ft headquarters which were built in Belfast’s Mays Meadow to accommodate its growing workforce is that office.

The contract, which was awarded to 1080 - part of The Alpha Group was the biggest and most complex in the company’s history. It required the delivery of 38 shipments of office furniture by 40ft shipping containers over a four-month time frame. The innovative design solution spanning six floors included

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height adjustable desks, sociable workspaces, focus zones, breakout areas, lab spaces, enclave booths, flexible training spaces, kitchen areas and an on-site cafe.

The new office space reflects the local needs of a forward thinking, dynamic IT firm, while sitting comfortably with Allstate’s global head office in Chicago. 1080 worked in tandem with award winning multi-disciplinary design practice, WDR & RT Taggart, the main contractors O’Hare & McGovern and

Universal Business Installations to co-ordinate the complex installation.

Colin Shaw, WDR & RT Taggart, commented on the project, saying: “This building is the result of a seamless collaboration between ourselves and 1080. 1080 produced a furniture specification of extremely high quality that suited and blended seamlessly with the architecture that we were creating for the internal spaces. To create the perfect environment for staff was an amazing achievement and quite overwhelming to see how it all worked together, like a swiss watch - perfect.”

Chris Ingle-Finch, 1080 Sales Director, added: “Mays Meadows represents one of the most forward thinking and employee centric design schemes

that we’ve ever worked on. A number of areas were specifically designed to facilitate greater staff collaboration and informal meetings in open spaces, fitted out with high quality furniture which, quite simply, helps employees feel at ease and comfortable in their working environment.

“There truly is no other work space like this anywhere else in Northern Ireland. Allstate is a great business asset for the Northern Ireland economy and we are delighted to have been such an integral part of the project.”

Speaking on behalf of Allstate about the new office space, John Healy, Managing Director, Allstate Northern Ireland said; “The building delivers a stimulating, collaborative working environment that is fitting for our organisation.

1080 took time to understand our requirements and delivered to the highest standard. The impressive design fits the requirements of our world-class organisation, supporting our employees in defining, delivering and maintaining technology now and for the future.”

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Eye on News

Northern Ireland on course to meet Renewable Energy Sources for Electricity Target

NIE Networks Managing Director Paul Stapleton with budding engineers of the future Charlie Hume and Eva Hume launching the company’s presence at Balmoral Show 2019.

With the Renewable Energy Sources for Electricity (RES-E) target set for 2020, latest figures show that 38% of the total annual electricity consumption in Northern Ireland is being generated from local renewable sources, meaning the region is on course to achieve the ambitious 40% target set.

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IE Networks, which has played a critical role in meeting the RES-E target by providing the connections for the renewable sources, is also forecasting an estimated 110,000 electric vehicles and more

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than 50,000 heat pumps will connect to the distribution network here by 2030.

Launching the company’s presence at this year’s Balmoral Show, Paul Stapleton, Managing Director for NIE Networks, noted that the target would not have

been achievable without the invaluable support of agricultural and rural based customers.

“Carbon reduction targets, renewable energy, electric vehicles and heat pumps are placing new and increased demands on our network so at such a critical time for the energy industry it is very encouraging that we are on course to meet the RES-E target.

“Meeting the target wouldn’t have been possible though without the partnership of our customers, particularly those in the agricultural industry.

Our statistics indicate that our rural based customers here

are generating the equivalent of a large power station worth of renewable energy which is a remarkable contribution.”

Climate change legislation has created significant growth in Low Carbon Technologies and in turn major change is required in how the electricity industry manages and operates the network.

Currently operating as a Distribution Network Operator NIE Networks is responsible for the distribution of electricity from the transmission grid to homes, businesses and farms.

However, the network, which was designed to facilitate the flow of electrical energy towards the customer, is now experiencing significant energy flows in the opposite direction.

Consequently the company is set to evolve into a Distribution System Operator facilitating a low carbon future for Northern Ireland and placing downward pressure on electricity bills.

Paul Stapleton, continued; “We still have work to do and our Innovation Strategy is about meeting the low-carbon future challenge head on by seeking to provide, faster, cheaper and smarter connection solutions.

“We want to hear from our stakeholders and customers on exactly how our future model and operating structures will evolve and so we are seeking their views through our current consultation which remains open until 20th May. “Critically these changes will incentivise customers to manage their demand and bring new opportunities by facilitating those who want to be prosumers - customers who wish to consume, produce and be flexible with their energy.”

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Eye on News

Tourism NI Awards Five Stars To Game Of Thrones Tour

Pictured from L to R at Carnlough Harbour are Samantha Corr, Quality & Standards Manager at Tourism NI, George Grimley, Director of Irish Tour Tickets, Rachael Diamond, Irish Tour Tickets and Tommy Muldoon, Irish Tour Tickets.

Tourism NI has awarded Irish Tour Tickets five stars for its Game of Thrones tour of film locations across Northern Ireland indicating that the tour offers an outstanding visitor experience.

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orthern Ireland is home to twenty six publicly accessible Game of Thrones filming locations which attract tens of thousands of fans from across the globe including North America, India, China, Australia and Great Britain.

Tourism NI estimates that 350,000, or 1 in 6, out of state leisure visitors are influenced to visit Northern Ireland by the series, generating approximately £50

million for the local economy.

Taking in the best of the Game of Thrones filming locations across the north Antrim coast, the fully guided tour has seven designated stopping points including Carnlough Village, Cushendun Caves, Dunluce Castle, Giant’s Causeway, Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge, Larrybane and the Dark Hedges.

Samantha Corr, Quality & Standards Manager at Tourism

NI commented; “Tourism NI is delighted to award five stars for Irish Tour Tickets Game of Thrones Filming Locations Tour and we commend the whole team on their hard work. By joining the Visitor Attraction Grading Scheme, and continuing to drive standards, Irish Tour Tickets are helping to send a strong message to visitors about the quality of visitor attractions and experiences available within Northern Ireland.”

“Irish Tour Tickets has thoroughly embraced the Game of Thrones phenomenon and worked hard to provide a unique way for visitors to immerse themselves in Northern Ireland through a perfect mixture of stunning scenery, intriguing local history and opportunities for fans to experience their

favourite scenes from the show.”

Commenting on his award George Grimley, Director of Irish Tour Tickets said: “Irish Tour Tickets is delighted to achieve the five star rating from Tourism NI for our Game of Thrones Filming Locations Tour. We have worked with Tourism NI over the past two years to get to this stage and could not have achieved this without the hard work and determination of the Irish Tour Tickets team.”

“We firmly believe in the grading scheme from Tourism NI as we see the visitor experience as the most important factor in our industry.

Irish Tour Tickets will continue to work with Tourism NI to improve our Game of Thrones tour as well as our other tour products and tours in development.”

Eye on News

Tourism NI Holds First Ever International Golf Tourism Convention Twenty seven golf tour buyers from a range of international markets have been in Northern Ireland to take part in the first ever Golf Tourism Convention hosted by Tourism NI.

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he convention, which took place at the Slieve Donard Resort & Spa, allowed golf industry representatives to participate in 540 pre-scheduled one-to-one appointments and a variety of networking opportunities with golf tour buyers from markets including the USA, Canada, Germany, Sweden, Denmark and the UK. The convention was part of a six day programme of activity with delegates

also networking with local golf industry representatives, experiencing award-winning golf courses and seeing what Northern Ireland has to offer as a golf destination.

Commenting on the Golf Tourism Convention, John McGrillen, Tourism NI Chief Executive said; “The reputation of Northern Ireland on the international stage as a tourism destination has grown significantly in recent years and golf has played a very important role in that.”

Pictured at the opening day of the event were: Aine Mangan, IAGTO; Tim Willerton, Premier Golf Travel; Dave Redmond, Epic Golf Travel and Leanne Rice, Golf Marketing Manager, Tourism NI at the Slieve Donard Resort & Spa.

“In the last five years, golf tourism revenue has grown by over 50% and in 2018 alone we welcomed over 124,000 golf visitors, contributing £42.6 million to the local economy.”

“With The 148th Open at Royal Portrush in July set to raise our profile to even greater heights, the Golf Tourism Convention is a timely opportunity for international golf buyers to learn about what makes Northern Ireland such a special destination for golf.”

Participating golf tour buyers, along with a number of golf journalists also in Northern Ireland this week, will take part in a familiarisation trip that included playing at Castlerock, Royal Portrush, Portstewart, Galgorm Castle, Dunmurry, Ardglass and Royal County Down Golf Clubs. The trip took them from Belfast and along the Causeway Coastal Route as they experienced popular visitor attractions and enjoyed local hospitality during their stay.

Finding The Perfect Fit Key To Success For Award-Winning Local Digital Agency It has been a busy awards season for Northern Ireland’s digital industry with the Digital DNA awards following hot on heels of the DANI Awards earlier in the month.

Managing Director of Robinson’s Shoes, Kenny Brown and Eyekiller’s Creative Director, Jamie Robinson

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oth evenings proved highly successful for Bangor based Digital Solutions agency,

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Eyekiller, with four major wins including the coveted DANI “Best Agency” title and also three wins across ecommerce

categories for work with Suki Tea, Wave & Wake and Robinson’s Shoes.

“It’s been a successful set of awards for the Eyekiller team and we are proud to receive the industry recognition. The shortlisted projects in each category were all extremely competitive so to come out on top is an excellent result and testament to the hard work that we put into creating each one of our tailormade projects,” says Eyekiller founder and Creative Director, Jamie Robinson.

With the online marketplace continuing to grow across almost every sector, it’s no surprise that there is a constant demand for agencies to produce ever more sophisticated ecommerce solutions.

“The technology behind ecommerce in particular is evolving at a constant pace, keeping up with it and identifying where the opportunities are for our clients is key and for this reason we attribute much of our success to our excellent long-term partnerships with our clients,” explains Jamie.

“Ecommerce and indeed all digital

projects work best when there is a strong client/agency partnership, creating those relationships has not only helped gain industry recognition for our work but also increased our turnover for almost 50% since 2017.”

Amongst the winners at the Digital DNA’s was Robinson’s Shoes who have seen their online revenue has increased by 53% since they started working with Eyekiller.

“Online sales has become a major growth area for our business and we attribute much of the success to the strong relationship we have developed over the years with our web agency, Eyekiller, not only in terms of design and development but also working closely with their experienced digital marketing team,” says Kenny Brown, Managing Director at Robinson’s Shoes.

Building strong client relationships has not been limited to the Irish and UK markets, Eyekiller has been forging successful partnerships in the USA recently completing a contract for New York based arts venue, Symphony Space.

Eye on News

ESF Completes £600k Dubai Arena Project Newtownabbey-based Environmental Street Furniture (ESF) has completed their largest contract to date at the new state-of-the-art Dubai Arena, supplying a range of customised street furniture and security products in a deal worth £600k.

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nown for their awardwinning exporting capabilities, which include some of the world’s largest theme parks and government organisations, ESF supplied over 700 products to the project including bollards, benches, tree grates and litter bins.

Speaking about ESF’s work at the impressive new arena, Managing Director, Alan Lowry said, “Dubai Arena has been ESF’s largest project to date and we’re delighted to have contributed to what is sure to be one of Dubai’s most popular tourist attractions. Having the opportunity to showcase our products to the millions of tourists, estimated to be 25 million per year by 2025, is a great achievement for a small company from Northern Ireland.

“We supplied a number of products, most of which were manufactured in Northern Ireland, including security bollards to go around the perimeter to ensure its protection as well as benches, litter bins and tree grates.

“A greater focus is being placed on perimeter security across the globe due to the increase of attacks, especially where large crowds gather, so it’s important to ensure each product installed at the Dubai Arena is fit for purpose. All ESF’s security bollards are PAS 68 tested and certified and due to our recent acquisition of Sentry Posts, we have the technical ability to design and deliver a global project of this scale.”

Alan continued, “We have been very fortunate to deliver a number of projects across the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in recent years with our street, themed and solar powered products, including IMG Worlds of Adventure, Warner Brothers Park and Global Village.

We are hopeful to continue that growth, with the addition of our security products, throughout the UAE and Middle East in the months and years ahead.”

Both the Department for International Trade (DIT) and Invest Northern Ireland were instrumental in enabling ESF to quote for this prestigious project at Dubai Arena.

Speaking about ESF’s work at Dubai Arena, Swathi Sri, Head of Territory – India, Middle East and Africa at Invest Northern Ireland said, “We are delighted to see the ESF team build on their recent

successes in the UAE and to work on such a significant project as the Dubai Arena. Northern Ireland has a world class reputation for design capabilities, and ESF’s success stands as a testimony to their commitment to high-class quality and ongoing innovation.”

Dubai Arena, officially named the Coca-Cola Arena following a ten-year deal with Coca Cola, is due to open in June 2019 and will span half-a-million square feet. The multi-purpose arena, located at City Walk, will have the capacity to accommodate 17,000 people and will host a

variety of events all year round.

ESF has experienced an array of global success since breaking into the export market in 2013. In 2018, the company supplied products to 22 countries globally and opened their first American office, which will allow them to better service their American customers.

Alan Lowry has also been announced as a finalist in the prestigious Institute of Directors ‘Director of the Year’ awards where he is shortlisted in both the International and Innovation categories.

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Eye on Law

Compromise Agreements – Terminating Employment Amicably?

By Julie Anne Clarke, Partner, Employment Law, Elliott Duffy Garrett the discussions that take place to reach a compromise agreement can be undertaken on a “without prejudice” basis. This means that any statements made during a “without prejudice” meeting or discussion can not generally be used in a court or tribunal as evidence. If there is no existing dispute between the parties the “without prejudice” basis does not apply and the employer, in particular, should exercise caution and seek legal advice, before commencing discussions.

For a compromise agreement to be legally valid the following conditions must be met:

Like any relationship, the relationship between employer and employee can sometimes go sour.

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here are dispute resolution techniques to try to get the relationship back on track, such as mediation, however sometimes the preferred solution is for the parties to go their separate ways. Compromise agreements are legally binding contracts which can be used to end the employment relationship on agreed terms.

The main feature of a compromise

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agreement is that they waive an employee’s right to make a claim to a court or tribunal on the matters that are specifically covered in the agreement. In return for this waiver, usually the employer agrees to make some form of payment to the employee and/or to provide other benefits such as an agreed reference.

If there is an existing dispute between the employer and employee

t *U NVTU CF JO XSJUJOH t *U NVTU SFMBUF UP B QBSUJDVMBS DPNQMBJOU or proceedings (it has to specifically state the claims that it is intended to cover, “full and final settlement of all claims” will not be sufficient); t 5IF FNQMPZFF NVTU IBWF SFDFJWFE advice from a relevant independent adviser on the terms and effect of the agreement and its effect on the employee’s ability to pursue that complaint before a tribunal; t 5IF JOEFQFOEFOU BEWJTFS NVTU have a contract of insurance covering the risk of a claim by the employee in respect of loss arising from that advice; t *U NVTU JEFOUJGZ UIF BEWJTFS t *U NVTU TUBUF UIBU UIF BQQMJDBCMF statutory conditions regulating the compromise agreement have been satisfied Often, the independent adviser will be a solicitor. Whilst not a legal requirement it is common practice for the employer to make a contribution towards the employee’s legal fees.

As well as settling actual or potential claims a compromise agreement can cover other matters important to the parties such as:

t 3FGFSFODFT t 1SPUFDUJOH DPOGJEFOUJBM JOGPSNBUJPO t 1PTU UFSNJOBUJPO SFTUSJDUJPOT or restrictive covenants; t 3FUVSO PG DPNQBOZ QSPQFSUZ t 1FSJPET PG HBSEFO MFBWF t 4IBSF PQUJPOT QFOTJPOT bonuses & loans; t 3FTJHOBUJPO BT EJSFDUPS PS other company officer and; t "O BHSFFE MFBWJOH BOOPVODFNFOU It is usual for the employer to instruct a solicitor to draft the compromise agreement and to negotiate final terms with the employee’s independent adviser.

Compromise agreements often include confidentiality provisions referred to as Non Disclosure Agreements (“NDAs”).

The use of NDAs has been a matter of national debate since the Harvey Weinstein scandal and the #MeToo global movement which followed.

A review of the use (and abuse) of NDA’s is ongoing. The UK government is consulting on new measures to prevent the misuse of NDA’s with the consultation to end on 29 April 2019.

NDA’s can be beneficial to both parties provided they are not misused. It is usual for an NDA to exclude disclosure made under the Public Interest Disclosure legislation (“whistleblowing”), when seeking legal advice or other disclosures required by law. An NDA should not be used to hinder an employee from reporting a crime to the police or disclosing information in any criminal proceedings.

Compromise Agreements can be an effective tool to bring the employment relationship to a relatively amicable end.

Julie Anne Clarke Partner Employment Law

BOOSTING YOUR BUSINESS FROM THE INSIDE OUT Successful companies understand it’s just as important to communicate their values and purpose to staff, as it is to engage the wider community in which they do business.

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Eye on Sport

Emma Meehan...

Charting Down Royal’s New Future The future of Down Royal Racecourse, Northern Ireland’s premier horse racing venue and one of a handful of Grade 1 tracks on the island, might have looked uncertain last year....but it was always secure, says the venue’s new Chief Executive.

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mma Meehan arrived at a deserted Down Royal on the 2nd of January this year with a large bunch of keys but little else. The venue had hosted its traditional Boxing Day meeting a few days earlier under the outgoing stewardship of former tenants, the Down Royal Company of Horsebreeders. At the turn of the year, the old guard departed and course owners Merrion Property Group took over the reins.

“When I arrived here at the start of January, the former staff (only one member of staff made the transition to the new regime) had gone and I wasn’t sure which key worked in which lock,” she smiles.

It could all have been a bit overwhelming. But you get the impression that Emma Meehan wouldn’t be easily overwhelmed.

A Newry native, she’s been steeped in the racing industry in Ireland for the past 14 years, having been an integral part of the team at Dundalk Racecourse, Ireland’s only all-weather track

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and a dual venue for both horse and greyhound racing. In fact, Emma led a team which secured Horse Racing Ireland funding for the development of Dundalk’s £35 million all-weather stadium.

“I suppose I always liked the thought of running my own racecourse, so when this opportunity came up, I didn’t have

to think about it for too long,” adds Emma, a Queen’s University graduate who started her career in the communications sector locally.

She’s prepared for a contrast between Dundalk and Down Royal.

“At Dundalk, between greyhounds and an all-weather horse racing track, we had race meetings all the time. It was pretty much

non-stop. Here at Down Royal, by contrast, we have 12 race days a year and we’re aiming to increase that to 13 by 2020 or 2021.”

Back in January, she had almost no time to get her thoughts and plans together before the pressure was well and truly on. “We had a meeting to plan for the 29th of January so we had to hit the

Eye on Sport

ground running. It wasn’t easy but we did it and the praise and congratulations we received from the whole racing industry made all the hard work worthwhile.”

Since then, Down Royal has hosted its traditional St. Patrick’s Day meeting and another on the early May Bank Holiday Monday.

Emma Meehan’s first job, apart from learning how to open all of the doors around the sprawling Down Royal complex, was to recruit sales and marketing, hospitality and grounds staff to keep the place running. With two or three meetings successfully delivered, it gets easier but there’s plenty on the horizon.

The racecourse still has its two biggest meetings to come – the two-day summer flat racing meeting in June which includes the big Magners Ulster Derby and the two-day National Hunt festival in November.

The former operators of the racecourse departed at the end of December leaving only the fixtures and fittings for the Merrion Group when it took over. Emma Meehan and her small team had to start afresh when it came to Down Royal’s many corporate supporters… local companies and organisations who sponsor and take

corporate boxes at racing events.

“We’re really pleased that 90% of the organisations who supported racing here before have indicated that they’ll be back with us,” she says. “That’s very encouraging.”

The Merrion Property Group, she says, has a long-term vision for the Down Royal site, and as a company it is prepared to invest in that future.

The group is owned by Dublin-based property developer Michael Roden.

costs against the turnover, it can look a bit frightening.

“That’s why we’ve got to work hard to bring in more corporate supporters, and it’s also why we need to sweat the assets here at the site. We’ve got really good facilities here, including a main function suite that can seat 500 people. We need to be able to use it for non-racing events and outside of race days.”

“We’ve got to work hard to bring in more corporate supporters, and it’s also why we need to sweat the assets here at the site. We’ve got really good facilities here, including a main function suite that can seat 500 people. We need to be able to use it for non-racing events and outside of race days.

Like most Irish racecourses, it depends to a large extent on media rights (fees for the transmission of races) for its ongoing survival. But corporate support is also extremely important. “The operating costs at a place like this are vast,” Emma Meehan says simply.

“When you see those operating

She’s all too aware that Irish horse racing attracts a few distinct ‘tribes’ – the ordinary punters, the horse owners, breeders and trainers and the corporate guests. “The secret for us is that we have to appeal to all three,” says Emma. “It’s not always easy but it’s what we have to do.”

Apart from the core business of making sure that every

forthcoming meeting is a success, Emma Meehan and her team face other challenges.

One thorny issue lies around payments due from the Horse Racing Fund. Operated here by the Department of Agriculture & Rural Affairs, it collects fees paid by on and off-course bookmakers and is supposed to pay these to Northern Ireland’s two racecourses at Down Royal and Downpatrick.

“Because of the change in operator here, we need a legislative decision to free up the money and that can’t happen in the absence of a devolved administration. So, we’re effectively missing out on hundreds of thousands of pounds which went in the past towards boosting prize money and attracting the best horses to come to Down Royal.”

Legislative problems aside, Emma Meehan isn’t short of confidence that Down Royal can retain – and enhance – its place at the very heart of Northern Ireland sporting and business life.

“Look, it’s really hard to beat a day’s racing,” she says. “Twenty five minutes of interaction with guests and friends followed by five minutes of action out on the course.

It’s easy to see why horse racing and business go so well together.”

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Eye on Cover Story

Wilsons Auctions...

From Bling To Bitcoin Peter Johnston admits that when Wilsons Auctions first branched out into police forces and government work seven years ago or so, he didn’t realise how much it was going to change the face of the business.

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he company, locally owned and with its operations base in Mallusk, had already grown to become one of the biggest independent auction houses around the UK and had successfully expanded from its Northern Ireland base to the Republic of Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England, but that growth had been on the back of its core business back then.... the sale by auction of motor vehicles, plant and machinery.

“Now we’re working for a number of big government departments and we’re working on behalf of a lot of the UK’s police forces when it comes to proceeds of crime asset disposal sales and have returned over £100 million back to the exchequer,” says the Group Operations Director at Wilsons Auctions.

“In fact, we’ve become the acknowledged experts in the sale of criminal assets. Our Head of Asset Recovery, Aidan Larkin, travels the world talking to government representatives and police forces about how we can turn the proceeds of crime anywhere in the world into cash reserves for the country in question.”

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Aidan Larkin takes up the story.

Belfast-based but not often in his home city these days, Larkin has been asked to talk at a series of major conferences on asset disposal all over the world, and his travels have taken him as far afield as the USA, Malaysia, elsewhere in the Far East, and – most recently – to Malta and Kosovo.

In fact, he reckons that he’s set foot in somewhere between 60 and 70 countries over the past couple of years, which makes for a lot of Air Miles.

But both Larkin and Peter Johnston are quick to add that Wilsons Auctions clear expertise in the disposal of criminal assets has led to another development that no one at the company could have seen coming over the horizon.

The company recently staged its very first auction of seized bitcoin, the cryptocurrency that has rapidly become the currency of choice for criminals all over the world.

The origins of the historic auction lie in Belgium. Over 100 Bitcoins were seized in 2015 by Belgian police in a major drug trafficking case. Two Belgian nationals were

suspected of selling drugs on the dark net. Transactions were paid by cryptocurrency and transferred to currency wallets found on a computer of the prime suspect.

“We were chosen to auction the assets ahead of companies in the Netherlands, France and Belgium, thanks to our expertise in managing and selling complicated seized assets across the globe,” says Aidan Larkin.

“The auction was a big success for us, and it’s helped to prove our view that a live public auction – with online and physical bids – is the most open and transparent way to sell off these assets. In the event, we received more than 6,300 bids from bidders located in 97 different countries.

Wilsons Auctions didn’t just auction the cryptocurrency. It offers a full service – as with other criminal assets – that include recovery, storage and the sale of assets.

In the past, more tangible assets have ranged from properties and luxury cars to watches, jewellery, yachts and – in at least one case – horses.

“We’re working for a number of big government departments and we’re working on behalf of a lot of the UK’s police forces when it comes to proceeds of crime asset disposal sales and have returned over £100 million back to the exchequer.”

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Eye on Cover Story

Different national governments take different attitudes to seized criminal assets. In some European countries, for instance, the proceeds of crime can be seized and sold before the conviction of a suspect. Here in the UK, it’s a bit more complex than that and usually requires a conviction first.

In the UK, largely, the sale of criminal assets is outsourced to specialist companies, with Wilsons Auctions having emerged as a clear market leader.

“At the end of the day, we’ll treat cryptocurrency in much the same way as we’ll treat a seized Ferrari or an expensive watch. The main difference for us is understanding the unique complexities around recovering and storing the asset when we are dealing with cryptocurrency for example,” Larkin adds.

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“At the end of the day, we’ll treat cryptocurrency in much the same way as we’ll treat a seized Ferrari or an expensive watch. The main difference for us is understanding the unique complexities around recovering and storing the asset when we are dealing with cryptocurrency.”

“I heard a South African lawyer and UN Advisor on Asset Management say that private sector asset management

including managing crypto currency and what Wilsons Auctions offers, is the logical progression for governments dealing with criminal assets, saying it’s the evolution of asset management using private sector companies.”

Wilsons Auctions works closely alongside the international Financial Action Task Force, an intergovernmental organisation founded in 1989 on the initiative of the G7 to develop policies to combat money laundering.

More recently, its mandate has expended to include the financing of terrorism.

“So we know that we’re in a unique position in this very specialist marketplace,” adds Peter Johnston. “We’ve built up a lot of expertise over the years, we can offer our clients

a full service from recovery and storage through to sale, and we’re very happy to talk to interested parties and providing as much advice as we possibly can.”

Next step forward, potentially, is for Wilsons Auctions to break into the US marketplace. US Marshalls have already been active in the sale of cryptocurrency recovered from criminals but has preferred a sealed bid auction system up to now.

For Aidan Larkin and Wilsons Auctions, an item high on their list of priorities is to argue the case for live auctions to the American authorities.

The sale of criminal assets, and the sale of cryptocurrency in particular, has necessitated a major £1 million plus investment in IT infrastructures and security at the Mallusk-based firm, already no stranger to complex security measures around some of the more tangible criminal assets it deals with.

Away from criminal assets, Wilsons Auctions maintains its core business of vehicle and machinery auctions at its various UK and Ireland sites, and it works alongside major organisations like the International Association of Insolvency Regulators, being asked to present its asset management model at the body’s international annual conference in Belfast this September for the first time.

“It’s fair to say that a lot of the customers who come here to buy a car have no idea of the breadth and scope of what we do as a company,” adds Peter Johnston. “The company is achieving an annual hammer total in excess of £310 million and has become a market leader in so many different aspects of the auction business, whether its quarry equipment from Australia or bitcoins from Las Vegas.

“We don’t always shout about it. In fact, we prefer to let our success be our noise.”

Eye on Communications

Fail to plan. Plan to fail.

As the recent weeks have shown, there’s one thing more certain than Brexit and that’s more uncertainty – and while the warnings to businesses to prepare for the worst and hope for the best look set to be ramped up yet again, it really is important to remember that not everything a business needs to prepare for can be traced back to Brexit.

By Stuart Carson, Rainbow Communications

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ocal, national and international economic uncertainty, rising fuel prices, exchange rates, skills shortages, rate rises, and inflation are just some of the ‘usual’ things businesses have had to deal with for many years.

Though Brexit has brought these back into focus, businesses have always had to plan and adapt to protect themselves.

So as we continue to wait for postBrexit clarity, we’re still likely to know very little about the government’s strategy and what it plans for some time yet. And will that provide all the reassurances we’re looking for? On the evidence of what’s gone before, that seems unlikely.

My advice? Focus on what you can change now for any eventuality.

Future-proof your business with built in capacity to allow for greater innovation, better productivity and cheaper costs.

Every business in every sector should always be reviewing where it can improve and take the practical steps they need that will allow it to grow and stay relevant – and competitive.

Don’t lag behind on technology: In today’s world, countless technologies exist that help improve exposure, encourage communication, and can cater to specific needs. It empowers

business owners to achieve what they set out to do and allows them to be creative and productive. Businesses that want to stay relevant know that they must incorporate new technologies into their company’s growth strategy.

Get digital ready: The best way to combat challenges is to develop a company-wide digital transformation strategy. Digital technologies are transforming industries in completely new and different ways, offering major improvements in delivery, efficiency and safety, as well as new and better ways to interact with customers. Digital transformation initiatives are built on new platforms including mobile, cloud, analytics and social technologies and businesses that continue to transform are still seeing the benefits – including improved client interaction and retention.

Get Cloud ready: There are trends that improve businesses and there are trends that are so innovative that they change the game altogether.

Incorporating Cloud computing is game changing. The best thing about this technology is, it is extremely flexible, scalable and implementable to every SME. Cloud computing allows

businesses to access their information and software virtually, creating a global way of accessing your data any place, any time. With no need to replace existing hardware, the cost benefits are huge – as is the capacity, security, flexibility and reliability obtained.

Work smarter: Embracing new communication technology provides multiple options for improvement and flexibility. From video conferencing to team conference calls on-thego, there’s no waiting around for a free meeting space to push your plans along. With new integrated communications systems linked to the Cloud already widely used, flexible working is now also more achievable for everyone who needs or demands it.

Build a better culture and staff morale: Most of your staff already use advanced tech in their daily lives – from advanced smart phones to apple watches and internet-on-the go. As a forward-thinking business, perhaps now is the time to embrace new and creative ways to connect colleagues and customers with better, more productive ways of working that suit your staff and your business.

While many businesses fear change and some can be set in their ways, when it comes to running a modern organisation fit for future, ‘if it’s not broke, don’t fix it’ just won’t wash anymore.

Embracing change and exploring the huge benefits, cost and efficiency savings on offer, is key to a positive start and ushering in new growth.

It may not be easy to decide when to take advantage of change, but given the challenges and uncertainties ahead, and by taking the time to ask the right questions and keeping on top of what’s happening in your industry, the time to take a closer look at the options is now. The answers are already available so there’s no need to wait.

Stuart Carson is Sales and Marketing Director at Rainbow Communications, Northern Ireland’s largest independent telecom provider. For more information on its full range of services, including bespoke solutions, visit www.rainbowcomms.com

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Eye on Leisure

£2M investment in a funfilled venue for all ages in West Belfast Sam Butler talked to David Raymond of Colin Glen Park about plans being implemented to create an exciting leisure venue in Belfast for local people and especially tourists.

David Raymond, chairman, Colin Glen, left, with chief executive Colin O’Neill

Ireland’s first toboggan course and longest zip line are part of £2 million investment in the environment and leisure facilities now underway at Colin Glen Park in West Belfast.

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he investment aims transform the area, boost employment and create other opportunities, especially in tourism, for the entire community.

The imaginative regeneration project is being spearheaded by the community-based Colin Glen Trust which manages the 200acre forest park, extensive sports pitches and a nine-hole golf course with a state-of-the driving range.

Projects now underway include Ireland’s first toboggan course and the longest Zip Line and are set to turn the park into a

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major attraction for visitors from here and particularly tourists.

The trust’s pioneering and visionary work with the local community and its future plans for the area have already won backing from the Environment Agency (NIEA) and the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) in the shape of an unprecedented 999-year lease of the park’s unique lands.

Through investment DAERA and other bodies, including Belfast City Council, are weighing in behind the Trust`s vision

Businessman David Raymond heads the board which benefits from the commitment and expertise of elected community representatives and business people. David has a clear vision of Colin Glen’s potential to enhance the local community and contribute to the wider Belfast economy especially in terms of adventure and leisure tourism.

“Gaining the 999-year lease has been a tremendous boost for the Trust; it has demonstrated the confidence which both DAERA and NIEA have in our ability to manage the park effectively and to drive its long-term development for the benefit of people throughout this community.

“We have a successful track record in preserving the local environment over many years and enhancing this important asset for the benefit of local people,” Mr Raymond says. “This long term lease gives us the stability needed to invest in the park’s longterm sustainability and development.”

“They trust us and our commitment to work in partnership with them and a wide range of other bodies to both manage and enhance the park as a community asset.

“We have invested extensively in enhancing and managing the overall environment, nurturing the park’s flora and fauna in what is one of the city’s biggest ‘green lungs’ and ensuring easy access for people to experience and enjoy all the amenities.”

“Our unique Gruffalo Trail, for instance, is extremely popular with families. The park provides facilities for walking, cycling, and orienteering and operates a fitness Suite where people can tailor their programme to meet their requirements. There’s a Park Run every Saturday that

attracts people from many parts of the City and beyond. It’s long been a popular location for walkers as it’s the gateway to the hills overlooking Belfast, and the views over the city are simply stunning.”

“We want people of all ages to enjoy and value the Park. We are mindful that the Park is for everyone and we aim to invest in the asset in partnership with and for the benefit of the community,” he adds.

“The Trust will continue to develop its’ already widely acclaimed programmes to assist young people in particular, gain skills that can and have led to worthwhile employment on-site or elsewhere in Belfast and further afield. Other amenities in the pipeline include Ireland’s longest Zip Line, a Toboggan rail, Mountain Bike track, covered all weather sports pitch, and a Visitor/Heritage centre.”

“We are already involved with organisations such as the Prince’s Trust in helping young people gain essential skills for employment and for life,” Mr Raymond continues.

“Our youth programme focuses on skills increasingly in demand including environmental leadership and management as well as outdoor and leisure pursuits.”

“Often working in partnership with local community organisations, our aim is to boost confidence and self-esteem among young people.

Several participants subsequently gained employment at the Park”.

Another important feature of our programmes is that many are cross-community focused. The further development of the park as a community-based enterprise, Mr Raymond believes, will lead to even greater employment for local people.

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Eye on News

BUSINESS TRAVEL IS BOOMING IN BELFAST Business leaders across Northern Ireland have joined George Best Belfast City Airport to hear about the growth and importance of business travel to and from Belfast.

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osted in partnership with the GTMC (Guild of Travel Management Companies) at the Merchant Hotel, the event focused on how business travel to and from Northern Ireland acts as a catalyst for economic development, along with the opportunities this brings for those in the meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE) sector.

“With international companies such as Allen and Overy and Citigroup investing millions in Northern Ireland, the rate of people travelling for business, both inbound and outbound, will continue to rise”, said Ellie McGimpsey, Aviation Development Manager at Belfast City Airport.

“Belfast has been named the number one city for ‘business

friendliness’ to small and medium enterprises and this is resulting in more and more people travelling into Belfast for business reasons.

“Business tourism is also booming, with Belfast being named the Best Events Destination in the 2018 Conference and Incentive Travel (C&IT) Awards.

“With such a growth in inbound travel, we felt that it was the right to update our many stakeholders in the business community about Belfast City Airport’s investment and commitment to serving this important market segment.”

Ellie continued: “Belfast City Airport is ideally positioned for business travel in Northern Ireland, with a recent £15 million investment into its facilities and an average security time of only six minutes.

Pictured in W5 are (L-R): Judith Harvey, Head of Education and Public Affairs; Wendy Langham, Head of Social Affairs and Eric Porter, Chairman at The Odyssey Trust.

“51% of our 2.6 million passengers are travelling for business and we have a route network designed to meet their needs, along with individual products to make their trip as hassle-free as possible. For those travelling into Belfast for business meetings, conferences and events, Belfast City Airport provides an unrivalled location, just five minutes from the heart of Belfast.”

“It is important to us to work closely with local travel management companies such as Selective Travel,

Beyond Business Travel, and Hannon Travel, to best meet the needs of their many frequent business travellers who choose to use Belfast City Airport for their business journeys.”

The GTMC works together with its members and industry partners to raise the profile of the vital role of business travel on the broader economy. Joining forces with Belfast City Airport will bring about increased business opportunities, especially within the corporate travel community.

ECOMMERCE CAN PUT NI COMPANIES ON TRACK FOR INTERNATIONAL SUCCESS Over 100 local businesses who attended Northern Ireland’s first ever dedicated e-commerce conference, eComm Live 2019, heard that retail-based businesses who invest in e-commerce are far more likely to see growth in international markets. eComm Live 2019, which is supported by trade body Retail NI, is aimed at retailers – including both those already selling online and those who are keen to start - digital agencies, ecommerce professionals, entrepreneurs and marketeers.

Speakers from the ecommerce community who shared their experiences of selling online included Paul Stewart founder of MyBaggage. com, David Johnson from Outside In, and Jill Robb from Origin Digital.

The event, which will took place today at the Life Church in Belfast, was founded by entrepreneur and experienced digital marketing professional Kevin

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Traynor, to provide a resource for the growing number of businesses selling online in Northern Ireland.

“With so many aspects of our daily lives moving online, including shopping, eComm Live 2019 is an important event to bring to Belfast to highlight the online opportunities there are for Northern Irish businesses. It is estimated that ecommerce revenues hit £69bn in the UK last year and we want to see more local businesses getting a share of that,” he said.

“As this is Northern Ireland’s first dedicated ecommerce, it was important to look at issues affecting companies who rely on e-commerce in the

(L-R) Roger Percy from Percy Group, Grianne McGarvey from IRP Commerce, Paul Haslam from Web Bureau and Kevin Traynor from eComm Live.

region and how ecommerce could help SMEs expand their markets and compete on the international stage.”

Mr Traynor added: “Take luggage shipping service ‘My Baggage.com’ as an example. When Paul Stewart, the founder, first started out he was working

out of his parents’ home. Now has four members of staff, shipping to more than 40,000 international routes. NI businesses continue to punch above their weight and eComm Live hopes to inspire more to do so by equipping them with the tools they need to succeed.”

Eye on News

Political Challenges Continue To Impact NI’s Suffering Construction Sector Local construction activity continued to fall amidst a lack of publicly-funded building work in Northern Ireland during the first quarter of 2019, according to the latest RICS and Tughans Construction and Infrastructure Market Survey. regarding public-funded work.

“Northern Ireland continues to feel the effects of the challenging political circumstances, and whilst te imminent threat of a no-deal Brexit has clearly receded, investors appear to be continuing to proceed with some caution,” he adds.

David Jones, Head of Real Estate, Tughans said: “The challenging, and much publicised, retail landscape is no doubt reflected in the drop in private commercial activity, and it is

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owever, the one sector that stood out from a positive perspective was private sector house building, with a net balance of 29 percent of Northern Ireland respondents pointing to rising workloads in this area, which was above the UK average.

Public housing, public non-housing and infrastructure all continue to see declines in activity however, along with commercial construction activity.

As a result, Northern Ireland was one of only two UK regions where the balance of surveyors reported an overall decline in workloads. Once again, Northern Ireland was also the only region where surveyors reported business enquiries falling.

Comments from surveyors suggest that the current political landscape,

with no local administration operating and Brexit uncertainties, have lent to the present situation as public spend is limited and investors are proceeding with caution.

On a slightly more positive note - at the end of 2018, the 12-month outlook in terms of workloads was flat but this has risen to a more positive level, albeit below the UK average.

On the other hand, Northern Ireland is the least optimistic in terms of 12-month forecasts for employment prospects and profit margins.

Jim Sammon, RICS Northern Ireland Construction spokesman, said: “House building remains the positive story, but the local construction sector continues to be faced with an unsettling overall picture, particularly

no surprise that the political situation continues to be felt regarding work that is dependent on public funding.”

“Private house-building, on the other hand, continues to be an area of real strength in the market with the demand for new build properties.

But those in the sector will be hoping for more widespread growth in the quarters ahead, and to see more decisions being made around public investment in infrastructure and other projects”, he adds.

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Eye on News

Tourism NI Reveals Shortlist for 2019 NI Tourism Awards Tourism NI has published the shortlist of nominations for the 2019 Northern Ireland Tourism Awards, in association with Diageo.

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he winners will be announced at a gala awards ceremony on Thursday 30th May in the Georgian splendour of the Palace Demesne, Armagh.

The prestigious awards recognise and reward outstanding performers in the tourism industry from across the country over the last twelve months. Categories include Best Use of Digital Technology, Best Hotel stay, Best International Experience and Tourism Entrepreneur.

Commenting on the shortlist, Tourism NI Chief Executive John McGrillen said: “This year marks the 41st year of the Northern Ireland Tourism Awards

ceremony and we are delighted to showcase very best practice within the industry. The tourism industry presents a huge opportunity for our economy in the years ahead and standards are rising rapidly to meet the needs of a diverse range of visitors from around the world”.

“It is important that we recognise businesses and individuals who have delivered outstanding tourism experiences and have contributed to the £2.9 million spent every day by visitors to Northern Ireland. I congratulate all nominees and look forward to celebrating their success on 30th May.” Lord Mayor of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon, Cllr Julie Flaherty, said

Pictured at the launch of the awards in January at the Palace Demesne, Armagh, are Tourism NI Chief Executive John McGrillen and Julie Flaherty, Lord Mayor of Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon Council.

“Sincere congratulations to all those businesses, initiatives and events that have been shortlisted for the Northern Ireland Tourism Awards 2019. We are looking forward to the awards and to welcoming everyone to the Palace in Armagh to celebrate the many achievements and well-deserved accolades”.

Speaking at the launch of the awards in January, Paddy McKenna,

Authentic NI Experience of the Year – Site Based

Best NI Event or Festival Experience

Antrim & Newtownabbey Borough Council - Antrim Castle Gardens

Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival 2018

Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council - Armagh Georgian Festival RSPB Rathlin West Light Seabird Centre Authentic NI Experience of the Year – Tour, Trail or Immersive Armagh Cider Company

Balmoral Show - Royal Ulster Agricultural Society

Féile an Phobail - Féile 30 - A Community Celebration of Global Culture

Best Digital Marketing Campaign Fermanagh Lakeland Tourism - Seasonal Digital Marketing Campaign Nerve Centre - Derry Halloween W5 - Dinosaur Encounter

Hughes Craft Distillery - Distillery Gastropub & Gin School NI Tourism Entrepreneur of the Year Sean McLaughlin - Fullerton Arms Hotel Gareth Murphy - We Are Vertigo

Best Use of Digital Technology to Improve the Visitor Experience Belfast City Council - Hello Maritime Mile National Trust - Introduction of online timed ticketing system for Carrick-a-Rede

Keith Reilly - Montalto Estate Albert Titterington - Country Lifestyle Exhibitions (CLE) Ltd. NI’s Best Guesthouse / B&B Stay Baytree Boutique B&B

Causeway Coast Foodie Tours - Catch and Sea Tour DC Tours

Commercial Manager for Diageo Northern Ireland, commented; “These Awards are an opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the individuals, businesses and initiatives who have proven to be significant economic drivers for the Northern Ireland economy at a time when we really need it. “ The shortlist, below, includes nominations that are contesting in more than one category.

Most Promising Authentic NI Event or Festival Experience

Peartree Hill B&B Rooms at Rue

Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council - Armagh Food & Cider Festival

NI’s Best Hotel Stay

Open House Festival Bangor

Bishop’s Gate Hotel

Outdoor Recreation NI - Giants Causeway Coast Sportive

Bullitt Hotel Bushmills Inn

Stendhal Festival Best International Experience of the Year Derry City and Strabane District Council - Derry International Hallowe’en Festival 2018 National Trust NI – Giant’s Causeway Visitor Experience Odyssey International - ITA Leaders of Excellence

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NI’s Best Self Catering Stay NI Food & Drink Experience of the Year Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council - Armagh Food & Cider Festival Country Lifestyle Exhibitions (CLE) Ltd. - The Food Festival

Ballygally Holiday Apartments Killyhevlin Lakeside Hotel and Lodges Larchfield Estate

Eye

onCorporate Social Responsibility

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Eye on CSR

Community, Commitment And Passion Makes Up The Millions For Henderson Retailer’s Charity Efforts T In the years since retailer and wholesaler Henderson Group was established, there are clear and tangible results which show their contribution to community, employment, charitable organisations, and commitment to local industries and the environment is more than just a tick-box CSR exercise.

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o the Group, its retailers and staff, there is a clear energy which runs throughout all of their actions, whether its group volunteer days with local schools to learn about their careers or climbing a mountain in aid of one of their charity partners. Every action that the Group and its employees make, matters and makes a difference for those on the receiving end of it.

Henderson’s EUROSPAR and VIVOXTRA brands have just

announced they have smashed through the £1,000,000 mark for their charity partner, Cancer Fund for Children – the first corporate partnership to reach such a milestone for the organisation, which has been running since 1973 and partnered with Henderson’s for the past eight years.

Bronagh Luke, Head of Corporate Marketing at Henderson Group says the milestone is a testament to the drive their retailers have for the charity; “We have 67 EUROSPAR

and VIVOXTRA Community Supermarkets across Northern Ireland, and each has contributed significantly towards this total – and not just in pounds and pence.

“Over the years, team members have been unbounding in their support for the charity and are always keen to be part of worldwide treks and community fundraisers as many have had their own experiences of childhood cancer where lives have been inexplicably changed.

Eye on CSR

Bronagh Luke, Head of Corporate Marketing at Henderson Group

“They know that their time and efforts really make a difference to those that the charity helps, through their support services and their respite centre, Daisy Lodge in Newcastle, Co. Down and that is why they have always gone the extra mile. They are our million-pound makers.”

The past eight years have seen teams take on treks from Slieve Donard to the Great Wall of China, launch the ‘Hug in a Mug’ recipe book which was sold at all outlets with 100% of sales going to the charity, as well as in-store fundraising and local events. By 2016, five years in to the partnership, the £500,000 milestone was met.

In 2017, the first ever Community Coffee Morning was launched and surpassed all expectations, raising almost £40,000 in one morning. In the same year, another £250,000 was added to the total and £750,000 was celebrated.

The event that broke the Group through the £1m mark was the third annual Community Coffee Morning in March 2019, which has become the charity’s biggest corporate partner event. Across 60+ outlets, teams laid out traybakes and offered coffee and tea all in return for a donation, with many ensuring a host of family fun throughout the morning. It raised an incredible £62,545.63.

Bronagh continued; “We reach every community in Northern Ireland through our stores, which

is why it is important for us to ensure we have strategies in place to be able to give back and work hard for our neighbours.”

In real, tangible terms, £1,000,000 could provide over 1,000 families (or 5,000 individual family members) with a therapeutic short break to Daisy Lodge or provide 555 families (or 2,775 individual family members) with support from a Community Specialist in the family home to help alleviate isolation and fear.

Bronagh added; “To have reached this incredible figure only spurs our teams on to keep going for Cancer Fund for Children.

They are an organisation that is clearly making a difference to the lives of those affected by childhood cancer, and we’re very proud to be part of their story.”

In 2008, Henderson Group launched Tomorrow Matters. This would be the Group and all of it’s company’s guide and written commitment to their People, Place and Planet going forward.

As one of the biggest employers in Northern Ireland, the Group’s corporate responsibility encompasses community initiative support and sponsorship through their retailers as well as support

“We reach every community in Northern Ireland through our stores, which is why it is important for us to ensure we have strategies in place to be able to give back and work hard for our neighbours.”

for career initiatives with local schools, colleges and universities.

The aim is to continue to develop the business in a way which is beneficial to both staff and customers, while having a positive impact on society as a whole.

The Group has supported numerous charities over the years, and includes Marie Curie, Tearfund, NI Hospice and the Simon Community as its partners alongside Cancer Fund for Children.

Retailers in every community also support smaller, on the ground initiatives that are making strides for several causes, from local

family support to beach cleans and countryside tidy ups.

There are also now over 220 Automated External Defibrillators fitted outside SPAR, EUROSPAR and VIVO stores and supermarkets in every town across Northern Ireland. This was an initiative set up in 2015, spearheaded by Bronagh Luke and supported by NIAS and the Chief Medical Officer for Northern Ireland, Dr Michael McBride.

It is the largest network of these lifesaving devices that are available 24/7 in Northern Ireland.

Bronagh continued; “Whilst we’re hugely proud to have installed that many, it is also important to ensure staff and members of the community are trained in CPR, which is why we have worked with NIAS to train up thousands over the past few years.”

Henderson Group has set a standard for Corporate Social Responsibility in Northern Ireland and will continue to remain conscious and vigilant to support evolving needs from employment to sponsorship and charitable giving here.

Their impact will be felt for years to come, showing that Tomorrow does Matter.

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Eye on CSR

Diageo Leads The Way In CSR Investment Diageo is a global leader in beverage alcohol bringing consumers a collection of brands including Guinness, Harp, Baileys, Smirnoff, Johnnie Walker and Tanqueray.

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iageo Ireland employs around 1,200 highly skilled people across five operations, including brewing, production of liqueurs, marketing, sales and commercial support.

In Northern Ireland, Diageo is an

integral part of the community as a major exporter and employer with a significant economic footprint.

The company employs more than 330 people across three sites including the Baileys global facility at Mallusk, a bottling and packaging

plant in east Belfast and the corporate HQ in Belfast city centre.

Claire Hutchinson, Corporate Relations Manager, Diageo Northern Ireland said: “Sustainability and responsibility are integral to Diageo’s ambition to be the best performing, most trusted and respected consumer products company in the world.

In Northern Ireland, we play our part in achieving this through our corporate social responsibility agenda which focuses on

providing leadership in alcohol in society; helping to build thriving communities and reducing our environmental impact.

It is through our committed work in these areas that Diageo has achieved gold level CORE, Business in the Community’s Responsible Business Standard and Northern Ireland’s only corporate responsibility accreditation.

CORE has provided us with formal recognition, both internally and externally, while helping to focus our efforts on continuous improvement.”

Maura Forbes from Diageo is pictured collecting the company’s Gold CORE Award from Lisa McIlvenna, Deputy MD of Business in the Community at the Responsible Business Awards in June 2018.

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Eye on CSR REDUCING ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT –

Pictured at Diageo’s Beer Packaging facility in Belfast with the new packaging is Manufacturing Excellence Manager Graeme Pollock and Quality Manager Mary Devlin.

Three priorities underpin Diageo’s Sustainability & Responsibility Strategy:

LEADERSHIP IN ALCOHOL IN SOCIETY – Diageo is committed to helping reduce alcohol related harm in society through dedicated programmes and partnership and collaboration with others.

‘Smashed’ is Diageo’s global programme dedicated to preventing underage drinking around the world. The programme has been delivered to over 28,000 school students across Northern Ireland since 2016.

Led by Collingwood Learning and sponsored by Diageo Northern Ireland, Smashed is a theatre based programme to educate young people on the dangers of underage drinking in a way that is creative, engaging and hard-hitting. The initiative looks to empower young people by equipping them with the information, awareness and confidence to make responsible choices around alcohol.

The programme combines a live theatre production presented by

professional actors accompanied by interactive workshops, evaluation and teaching resources for schools, which have been endorsed by The Council for the Curriculum, Examinations, and Assessment in Northern Ireland.

Diageo is also a sponsor of the PSNI funded RADAR facility (Risk Avoidance Danger Awareness Resource) in Belfast Harbour Estate, which aims to help raise awareness of the risks associated with underage drinking.

BUILDING THRIVING COMMUNITIES – Diageo is committed to helping build thriving communities by empowering the people within our value network, including our own employees.

Diageo has recently announced fully paid 26-week equal parental leave for all UK employees.

From 1 April 2019, parents employed by Diageo in the UK are eligible for the same fully-paid 26 weeks, retaining benefits and bonuses regardless of gender, sexual orientation or whether they become parents biologically, via surrogacy or adopt.

The ambitious move is part of Diageo’s leading work to support gender equality and to create a fully inclusive and diverse workforce, where barriers to career progression are removed and talent is retained and nurtured.

The offer is open to all of Diageo’s 4,500 employees across the UK. The new policy also strengthens the support for parents as they return to work including the option of keeping in touch days, parental coaching, flexible working policies and access to free independent counselling.

Locally, Diageo’s charity partner is Orchardville, a registered charity and social enterprise committed to changing the lives of people with learning disability and autism. The charity believes that with the right support, any individual with a learning disability or autism can reach their full potential and achieve their employment aspirations.

Fundraising is a key element of the partnership but it’s also about working together, whether through providing placement opportunities; carrying out mock interviews or providing Diageo employees with autism awareness training.

Diageo is committed to helping reduce environmental impact by working with our partners to support local, sustainable and responsible sourcing.

In a bold sustainable move, Diageo is investing £16m to reduce the amount of plastics used in its beer packaging by removing the plastic ring carriers and shrink wrap from its multipacks of Guinness, Harp, Rockshore and Smithwick’s.

Diageo’s bottling and packaging plant in Northern Ireland will be the first site that will be up and running with the new packs, with the business investing £8m in its facility in East Belfast.

The new packs will be on shelf on all beer brands in the island of Ireland from August 2019 and from Summer 2020 in Great Britain and the remaining export markets. Currently under 5% of Diageo’s total packaging is plastic and this change will reduce Diageo’s plastic usage by over 400 tonnes annually.

The multi-can packs will be replaced by cardboard packs, which are sustainably sourced, recyclable and fully biodegradable. Individual cans are fully recyclable, including the widget which is contained inside cans of Draught Guinness.

Oliver Loomes, Country Director of Diageo Ireland, said: “Managing our environmental impact is important for the planet and the financial sustainability of our business. For 260 years Guinness has played a vital role in the communities around us.

We already have one of the most sustainable breweries in the world at St. James’s Gate and we are now leading the way in sustainable packaging.

This is good news for the environment and for our brands.”

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Eye on CSR

The Business of Corporate Social Responsibility Corporate Social Responsibility has become more than just ‘a nice to do’ for businesses, with many recognising it has the potential to go beyond providing some positive public profiling for their company.

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t is no longer enough for companies to focus solely on profit margins and revenue streams, to be sustainable there is a need to integrate and give back to the communities they are operating in.

Integrating into a community and contributing to good causes can provide a more positive and engaging workplace for employees. Instilling a strong corporate social responsibility culture throughout an organisation will help in creating a more productive, thriving atmosphere. The same activity can also lead to other business benefits, including the development of new partnerships, attracting or retaining investors as well as employees.

We have seen over the last number of years, how issues such as the skills gap and recruitment have proved problematic for many businesses in NI. Companies have had to look at ways of making themselves more attractive to employees, particularly given competition from the Republic of Ireland and parts of the UK. One area many businesses have prioritised is their ‘purpose’, how they are addressing key social and environmental issues - essentially make themselves accountable to customers, clients, employees and external stakeholders. 86% of millennials believe that a businesses’ success should be defined by more than financial performance.

At BDO Northern Ireland, support for corporate social responsibility has been long standing, with a range of initiatives not only raising money for important and worthy activities but also providing an opportunity to reflect and reinforce business culture and its values. Every two years the BDO NI CSR committee announces their support of one charity around which the fundraising activities during this time will focus.

This committee has membership from across the business, from partner’s right through to support staff.

Carol Malcolmson, Partner at BDO NI said: “Corporate Social Responsibility is as much a part of what we do in our Belfast office as any other service we provide to clients and we treat it with the same level of importance. We have witnessed first-hand, how it can have a positive impact on employees, the business has developed strong relationships with partners we have supported over the years and we look to continue this for many years to come”.

“It allows employees to undertake a different level of creativity, particularly when it comes to deciding on the main fundraising ideas or organising fun and interactive events. There is a freedom within our CSR Committee, with ideas being openly discussed, giving employees a sense of ownership”.

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BDO Staff (L-R) Catherine Maguire, Libby McGuiness and Hannah Heaney deliver adapted clothes to the Children’s unit.

BDO Director Pamela Gillies and Ciaran Ward of HSBC present Anna McDonald of the Children’s Cancer Unit Charity with a cheque for £16, 673-the amount raised at the charity Fashion show in March.

Employee buy-in and ownership of activities is a critical feature of the firm’s approach. Every two years, potential charitable partnerships are firstly nominated, and then selected by staff ballot.

BDO Northern Ireland signed a two-year partnership with The Children’s Cancer Unit Charity in June 2018 and within just one year reached their initial twoyear target of raising over £20K. The much needed funds will go towards supporting staff, patients and families in the Children’s Haematology and Oncology Unit at the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children.

The Children’s Cancer Unit Charity founded in 1984 and exists to support the work of the Unit, which is the only place in Northern Ireland where children

receive specialist treatment for cancer. The Charity helps provide funds for essential equipment, additional provision of staff and other family support measures.

Some of the activities undertaken by the BDO NI team in the first year of the partnership included the Belfast Marathon Relay, Christmas fayre, busking, charity fashion show and a clothing initiative, which gifted a collection of specially tailored clothing to children who were ill.

It is participating in initiatives like this that has helped make BDO an employer of choice in the local market and fostered an office environment that supports the development and retention of talent. In fact, half of the firm’s partners joined from university and the opportunity to take part in corporate social responsibility activities that make a real difference to people’s lives can be decisive in graduates decision to start their careers with BDO NI. Carol finished, “It is easy for businesses to get fixated on the operational side of their business, which is understandable, particularly at a time of such uncertainty for our businesses. It is important; however, that they take some time to assess their contribution to the communities they are working in. They will in turn see both a personal and business return in their investment of resources.

BDO Partner Carol Malcolmson (far right), with Rebecca McKinney, fashion show host (second from right) and Jacqueline Wilson (middle) from the Children’s Cancer Unit Charity.

Eye on CSR

Liberty IT recognised as Centre of Excellence in Wellbeing

Liberty IT, the Belfast and Dublin-based technology arm of Liberty Mutual Insurance, has received an excellence in wellbeing award by Great Place to Work®.

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his is a UK-wide recognition for organisations with excellent wellbeing practices, as perceived by employees, and tracks six key dimensions that drive a culture of wellbeing including mental and physical health, fulfillment at work and interpersonal relationships.

Talent and Development Manager, Emma Mullan, said:

“I am delighted we have received this recognition, not only for the many initiatives organised by our dedicated health and wellbeing committee, but for our culture and working practices too. We are proud to be able to offer employees flexible working options, health insurance, mental health awareness and much more,

alongside fitness classes nutrition workshops and even a workplace choir; we think about the whole person and encourage our employees to achieve balance.

“Recognising that employees have different needs at each stage of their life, we aim to support them wherever we can by offering study leave, parental leave, career breaks and preparing for retirement workshops for example. We continue to evolve and develop these initiatives to ensure they meet the needs of our employees.”

In 2015, Liberty IT created an internal employee committee, LIT Balance, dedicated to health and wellbeing with the aim of running initiatives to help employees lead a balanced life both within the workplace and at home. Upcoming plans for 2019 include Pilates, health checks, financial planning and meditation.

To find out more about Liberty IT and their workplace culture, visit www.liberty-it.co.uk.

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Eye on CSR

Marathon runners from SDC Trailers and MDF Engineering pictured with Nadine Campbell and Rosalind Cole from Age NI. Front L-R: Stephen O’Kane, Enda Cushnahan, Nadine Campbell (Age NI) Nuala Mullan, Kelly Rogers, Marie-Claire Collins, Jane Millar, Rosalind Cole (Age NI) Briana Teague. Back L-R: Brendan Conway, Chris McPolin, Jimmy Cassidy, Oran O’Kane, Cathal Doyle, Frank McGuigan, Declan O’Doherty

SDC Trailers raise £70,000 for charity partner Age NI and announce partnership with Action Mental Health Local semi-trailer manufacturer, SDC, have raised over £70,000 during a two-year charity partnership with Age NI, the leading charity for older people in Northern Ireland.

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mployees of the SDC Group, including MDF Engineering in Antrim, raised the funds through payroll giving and other fundraising activities, the group had three teams in the Belfast Marathon and two full marathon runners; Jimmy Cassidy (SDC) and Chris McPolin (MDF).

Nadine Campbell, Head of Fundraising at Age NI said: “We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone at SDC Trailers and MDF Engineering for all their support for Age NI over the past two years. The amount raised is absolutely phenomenal and is testament to the hard work, commitment and enthusiasm of all staff in supporting us through payroll giving, donations and a range of fundraising activities. Funds raised will help us to provide a range of advice, care and support to older people across Northern Ireland, helping them to stay independent, connected and inspiring them to love later life.”

Funds raised by SDC Trailers have helped to support Age NI’s wide range of services for older people in Northern

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Ireland, including providing support to older people through its Advice and Advocacy Service and range of Care and Wellbeing services. In addition to fundraising activities, the partnership generated greater awareness of the charity’s services and engagement with the local community during a health check and information day hosted by SDC. Commenting on the collaboration, SDC’s CEO Enda Cushnahan said: “The SDC group appoint a new charity partner every two years so that we can make an impact in different sectors and use our reach to raise awareness where possible.

I am delighted that the partnership with Age NI has been so successful, raising over £70,000 to support the charities activities, our employees have embraced the partnership and have made a highly positive contribution to the services for older people in Northern Ireland.”

SDC have nominated Action Mental Health as their new charity partner for 2019 - 2021. The Action Mental Health Group are a local charity which works to enhance the quality of life

and the employability of people with mental health needs, or a learning disability in Northern Ireland. SDC’s team were impressed by the wide range of services provided by Action Mental Health and are kick starting the collaboration during Mental Health Awareness Week from 13th – 19th May, with a representative from the charity visiting SDC’s facilities to raise awareness of the services that they provide.

Enda added: “I am pleased that we will be working with Action Mental Health and providing support towards an illness that is particularly prevalent in Northern Ireland. As one of NI’s largest employers, we have a responsibility to promote healthy well-being, both within the company and in the wider community, we are looking forward to building a strong relationship with Action Mental Health over the next two years and highlighting the support and services that are available.”

The partnership will encompass various fundraising activities as well as employee / community wellbeing initiatives and work with local schools to encourage uptake of the charity’s ‘Healthy Me’ and ‘Provoking Thought’ programmes, which promote social and emotional wellbeing to children and young people in local schools. These emotional resilience programmes are essential to

building a more resilient youth, fostering healthier work places for the future and creating a more caring and nurturing environment for generations to come.

Jonathan Smyth from Action Mental Health welcomed the new partnership saying: “We are absolutely thrilled to have been selected as the new charity partner for SDC. For many years mental health faced great stigma and was rarely discussed in workplaces or elsewhere, so to see a large employer such as SDC take on the challenge of promoting positive mental health both in the workplace and in wider society is hugely encouraging.

AMH’s specially trained project workers provide mental health and emotional resilience training to organisations and schools across Northern Ireland and the support from SDC and their employees will help to carry out this vital work.”

SDC employ over 800 people with 3 manufacturing facilities in Northern Ireland in Toomebridge, Magherafelt and Antrim, as well as facilities in Mansfield and Sutton in England.

They are the UK and Ireland’s largest manufacturer of semi-trailers for the road haulage and logistics industry, with an output exceeding 8,000 units in 2018. The manufacturer recently opened a new Sales centre in Sutton following a £7million expansion at their Co. Antrim Headquarters last year.

Eye on CSR

Insight.Out Financial invests in charity partnership with Action Cancer East Belfast based company, Insight.Out Financial, has pledged to raise vital funds for Action Cancer, Northern Ireland’s leading local cancer charity, through an exciting campaign of fundraising activities scheduled for 2019.

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stablished just over three years ago, Insight.Out is a financial planning company whose services include pension transfers, SSASs, investments, financial and tax planning, and protections, and helping clients to achieve their financial goals.

One of the company’s goals for 2019 was to establish a charity partnership with a Northern Ireland based charity. Following a survey of staff, the company elected to partner with Action Cancer with the team at Insight.

Out hoping to raise £5,000 throughout the year. These funds will help Action Cancer screen an additional 62 ladies aged 40-49 and 70+ or provide another 42 counselling sessions for local people affected by cancer.

The fundraising partnership will help raise funds to support a range of cancer awareness, prevention and support services including Action Cancer’s unique breast screening service, which aims to detect cancer earlier.

Speaking at the launch of the partnership, Managing Director of Insight.Out Financial, Jayne Gibson, said: “Insight.Out Financial is thrilled to announce its charity partnership with Action Cancer.

As a Northern Ireland company, we are really proud to be able to work with a charity that directly supports people in this region who are affected by cancer by raising money that creates and maintains services that save lives and resources that comfort, reassure and support those living with cancer.”

Lucy McCusker, Corporate

Fundraising Manager, added: “One person every hour is diagnosed with cancer in NI and Action Cancer provide a range of services to support local people through their cancer journey.

We’re delighted to be working alongside Insight.Out Financial and we would encourage the public to get behind their ambitious fundraising campaign.

“The team at Insight.Out has planned an exciting range of fundraises, from static cycles, to a Great Gatsby evening, to taking part in our Bra Walk on Friday 14th June in Belfast City Centre. We are so grateful as these funds will undoubtedly make a huge impact to our early detection and prevention work”.

Action Cancer’s mission is to save lives and support people affected by cancer. The charity provide free digital breast screening for women aged 40 - 49 and 70+ (outside the NHS screening range), M.O.T. health checks for men and women, and health and lifestyle advice on the Big Bus, a mobile unit which travels to 225 locations throughout Northern Ireland each year. Last year Action Cancer screened 9,729 ladies, for every 1000 screenings 5- 6 women have their cancer detected when it may have gone unnoticed.

To support Insight.Out Financial in its fundraising initiatives visit www.insightoutfinancial.com, @InsightOutFin on Twitter or search for Insight.Out Financial on Facebook for further information, alternatively, you can contact Lucy McCusker from Action Cancer lmccusker@actioncancer.org.

Jayne Gibson, CEO InsightOut Financials and team launch an exciting new fundraising partnership with Action Cancer. Employees at InsightOut have committed to raise £5,000 for Action Cancer with their first event - a Gatsby themed dinner dance taking place at Sapphyre Restaurant on Friday 14th June 2019. For more details contact Lmccusker@actioncancer.org

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Eye on Charity

Siofra Healy, Director of Philanthropy at the Community Foundation.

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Eye on Charity

Community Foundation encourages charity donors to give tax efficiently and make the most of giving.

As we start out on another tax year, the Community Foundation which provides donor services and advice on charitable giving in Northern Ireland is encouraging donors to give tax efficiently and add value to charitable donations.

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ommenting on this planned approach, Siofra Healy, Director of Philanthropy at the Foundation, says; “I am regularly asked about the best way to make a charitable donation and this will generally depend on a number of circumstances; the person’s interests, values and motivations, amount they want to give, timeframe, intentions and causes they wish to give to, and their personal circumstances. Donors are increasingly savvy and people planning a special gift want to know that their donations are well managed and making an impact. This is where well-planned tax efficient giving can make a difference. For example, someone thinking of making a donation to a cause, doing so in a tax efficient way could increase the value of the donation, and in certain situations substantially reduce the tax bill.”

“Gift aid is the most widely known and used mechanism for tax efficient giving and if you pay income tax or capital gains tax, this government operated scheme enables registered charities to claim back 25p for every £1 donated to that charity. As a donor, you need to make a gift aid declaration and ensure enough tax has been paid for the charity to make the claim. In addition, higher and additional tax rate payers can also benefit further Discussing the benefits of Gift Aid for higher and additional tax rate payers, Siofra adds; “Firstly, the donor can claim back the difference between the basic tax rate (currently 20% plus rate paid, either 40% or 45%) and it is often surprising to higher and additional tax ratepayers that giving a £5,000 donation to charity

(at 40% tax rate) actually only costs them £3,750 and the charity gains £6,250, after gift aid is claimed.”

Secondly, a charitable gift could reduce the top rate of income tax, particularly if total income, before making a charitable gift falls marginally into the higher or additional rate tax band.

The tax relief for higher rate tax payers is even more beneficial for those who fall into the ‘60% tax trap’. There is a band of income that is tax free up to the annual personal allowance. If the adjusted net income exceeds £100,000 the personal allowance is reduced by £1 for every £2 of income in excess of this limit so someone with adjusted income of £123,700 or more will not be entitled to the 2018/19 £11,850 personal allowance. When this happens that slice of income between £100,000 and £123,700 is taxed at an effective tax rate of 60%. By making a charitable donation this will reduce the level of net adjusted income, so a person just above the £100,000 limit giving to charity could bring their adjusted net income below that limit, preserve the personal allowance, and effectively get tax relief on the donation at 60%.

This concept of adjusted net income also applies to the High Income Child Benefit Charge which claws back child benefit via the tax system if either partner has adjusted net income of more than £50,000.

The child benefit is clawed back on a sliding scale until, at £60,000, all child benefit is lost. Making charitable donations is one way of reducing the adjusted net income below £50,000 so that child benefit is preserved.

A lesser known fact about gift aid is that in some circumstances the opportunity exists for a donor to carry back a claim to the previous year. The decision to carry back has to be made on or before the selfassessment return for the earlier year and, in any event, before 31 January following that year so donations made between 6 April and the following 31 January can be carried back.

“I recently advised a donor who received a legacy and wanted to give this to the causes his loved one cared about. If the donation was made in one financial year it would have exceeded his gift aid capacity, but by using the carry back scheme, unused capacity from the previous year enabled him to give through the Community Foundation and for charities to receive maximum benefits,” Siofra advises.

A note of caution; not all donations are eligible for gift aid, anyone unsure should check with the charity or a tax advisor before making a claim or a declaration, e.g. company donations, donations on behalf of someone else, donations where no tax has been paid or where a benefit is attached are not generally eligible for gift aid. Siofra added that “The The amount claimed under gift aid by registered charities in the UK annually is substantial at over £1.2b and goes a long way in funding the charity sector yet, HMRC have reported that £600m goes unclaimed every year! If you are eligible to claim gift aid and you haven’t done so, imagine the impact and difference this could make to your favourite charity.

Gifting of assets (shares, land and / or property) is less popular however it is another great way to give tax efficiently and can often be a smart financial decision. Relief is available for ‘qualifying investments’, and land, where the asset is donated or sold to a charity at less than the market value.

Individual circumstances can vary but it’s worth noting and knowing that there is no capital gains tax payable

on land, property or shares you donate to charity. In addition to the capital gains tax relief there can be a deduction from net income of the net benefit to the charity, plus incidental costs (broker or legal fees), less any disposal proceeds or other benefits received on disposal. With both capital gains tax relief and income tax relief applicable, this form of donation can be one of the most tax effective ways to give to a cause. Whilst only applicable to qualifying shares listed on a recognised stock exchange, and land, the actual rate of relief will depend on individual circumstances and differ depending on whether the shares are donated outright to charity, sold by the donor and the proceeds donated to charity, or sold at under market value to charity.

“Unlike gift aid, Tax relief through gifts of shares, land or buildings must be claimed within the year of the donation and cannot be carried back.

Seeking advice from a tax expert is advisable as share giving can be flexible over many years, partly sold and partly donated or sold for capital gain and then gift aided over a number of years, depending on what works best for an individual’s circumstance and the charities benefiting. Another consideration is that many charities, particularly smaller, local groups do not accept shares as donations and rather than forfeit this relief a donation through for example the community foundation may be an option. Studies have shown that tax reliefs are not a motivation in itself to give to charity and have little impact on a donors decision to give to a charity, however they do and can maximise a gift to charity and thereby encourage more generosity. Most donors want to maximise their giving and a planned approach can make a donation go further, but there is no one size solution to fit all and expert advice is crucial when it comes to higher earners and those with more complex tax arrangements,” Siofra concluded.

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Eye on Communications

Stay ahead of the Telecoms Curve with The Barclay Group

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Eye on Communications What does 2019 hold for the telecoms industry?

VoIP has been a key buzz term for many companies in the past 5 years and it is those businesses taking the leap who are reaping the benefits. Staying ahead of the curve when it comes to your telecoms technology is one of the most important things businesses should be investing in. After all, this is what keeps you connected to your customers, suppliers and employees. The UK’s largest charity working with older people, Age UK has recently made the decision to upgrade their telecoms infrastructure and is already seeing the many benefits of the Barclay VoIP system.

What was the driving force in your decision to switch to VoIP? As a charity, our goal is to provide a service to those in need completely free of charge. This means we have to keep our costs as low as possible. The biggest driving factor in our decision to make the switch to VoIP was the cost saving aspect offered by The Barclay Group. We had previously been paying £25 per user per month with another provider and the switch to Barclay VoIP meant we were able to reduce our monthly outgoings to just £10 per user. That’s a 60% decrease in our monthly costs which is huge for an organisation like ours where every bit makes a massive difference to the service we can provide.

“Security and confidence in the system was something that was at the forefront of our decision to move to Barclay’s over other VoIP providers. The quality in the platform meant it was a no brainer to go with the Barclay VoIP product. The relationship and support we were given throughout the entire process, from sales through to implementation and training, was refreshing and unique. Barclay’s account management team and the help from our product manager meant we were kept in the loop at all points of the process.”

As a recurring customer, Age UK, are one of The Barclay Group’s biggest customers, also holding

their mobile contracts with the company. Managing Director, Britt Megahey emphasises, “Our range of offerings means customers can have a complete communications package from one provider, streamlining their processes and facilitating decision making. A unique aspect of our business is the ability to offer customers products and services under one single bill. This is something that other providers do not offer.”

How many people are there in your organisation using the Barclay VoIP system?

“We currently have around 100 people using the Barclay VoIP system, however, this is expected to increase in the future. We employ large numbers of call handlers so the ability to easily add additional users to our system is a real bonus.”

Barclay VoIP is equipped with a customer portal that enables companies to add and remove users instantly. Ideal for growing businesses, the platform puts control into the customer’s hands.

Full training is provided upon implantation to give customers working knowledge of the system and the flexibility to change elements when needed.

What feature have you found to be the most useful for your business?

“As well as fundraising initiatives, public funding is a major source of our income to help with the

day to day running costs of the charity. To secure this we must provide adequate data to show the need for our services in the community and how we handle our daily activities. Due to the nature of Age UK, the majority of our duties involve call handling for an advice/helpline. This means creating reports on how we handle our incoming calls and enabling each call to be recorded.

The Barclay VoIP reporting tool allows us to do exactly that.

We can analyse various data including the number of incoming calls, on hold times, missed calls and other essential KPIs. “The reporting tool allows us to collate all of our data on call handling and present this to the board who decides on the allocation of funding. The reporting also enables us to streamline our processes, making the customer experience smoother.

In an organisation where we are expected to provide instant help to those in need, being able to monitor our hold times is essential. We can make more informed decisions as to how the organisation operates and handles incoming calls as this is something we are always trying to improve to provide the best possible service.”

Britt Megahey highlights, “Creating a system that works for individual companies is something we do very well.

Providing customers with the knowledge and understanding of the product allows them to get the very most out of the system.”

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Eye on Communications

What has been the biggest benefit of switching to VoIP? “We simply couldn’t choose just one. From a cost point of view, Age UK has seen a massive reduction in the telecoms outgoings. The money we have saved on this can now be used to provide those in need with a better service, whether that be in employing more call handlers or providing the resources to create more face – to – face befriending services.

60% saving is a huge amount for any charity and this was a major decision making factor for us when choosing to make the switch.

“The flexibility and reliability of Barclay VoIP creates a platform that both our customers and we can rely on. In an environment when quick response is key, the Barclay VoIP system gives us the ability to react quickly and adapt while having peace of mind that we are able to offer our customers the services they need.

“The reporting element has also made a major impact on the charity as it simplifies the funding process. The data collected from these reports will

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significantly help in allowing us to make better decisions and obtain adequate funding.”

“There are many benefits to switching to a VoIP system including the cost savings, flexibility allowing businesses to be more versatile and react quickly to change, however one thing that is unique to The Barclay Group is our extensive training and after sales support. This is an element that we pride ourselves on and encourage our customers to fully utilise,” says Britt.

How easy was the installation process?

“This was something we were slightly apprehensive about as our services are essential to our customers however Barclay’s couldn’t have done a better job. We had a team of engineers leading the install and implementation phase. The process was also supported by a desk based account management team and product manager who contacted every end user upon set up. The team’s knowledge, communication and friendliness made the whole

process completely seamless.

“Once implemented, full training was provided to every end user of the system and any questions we had were answered. Our business is handled by a dedicated account manager meaning we have one point of contact for any further information we may need.”

How has VoIP helped with future infrastructure?

“The system has significantly improved the running of operations within Age UK. Going forward we now have a platform that is unique to our business needs and provides us with the infrastructure to streamline operations. The installation of the system means we are now able to report effectively on our operations and create flexibility within our organisation to respond quickly.”

“The Barclay VoIP system was designed to put the customer back in control of their communication systems. We wanted our customers to be able to make changes when and where necessary without having the frustration of waiting on an engineer. Of

course, if requested, we are always available to help our customer with anything they may need, however offering the ability to monitor and make changes accordingly is a major benefit of the Barclay VoIP product,” says Britt.

With increased flexibly, decreased monthly costs and an array of beneficial features, it is clear why VoIP has been a major talking point for many businesses in recent years. Creating a system that puts the user back in control means businesses are able to react quicker, be smarter and provide better services to their customers while saving huge amounts of money in the process.

For information on Barclay VoIP’s features and benefits visit our website below. www.barclaydigitalservices.co.uk Or Tel: (028) 90 960 365

Eye on Finance

Tom Verner & The Momentum Group...

Expert Partners For R&D Tax Credits

When it comes to Research & Development Tax Credits, introduced by the Government to help encourage R&D amongst companies here, there are plenty of grey areas.

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or a start, plenty of companies out there simply don’t realise that the tax relief exists, or that they may be eligible to benefit from it. And, even when realisation dawns, companies and even their accountants can fail to negotiate the complex rules and procedures.

In a nutshell, R&D Tax Credits

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were introduced by the Government in 2000 to make UK companies more competitive in the global marketplace by incentivising and encouraging firms to invest in the development of innovative products and services.

They can be claimed by any company liable for corporation tax and, as far as increasing numbers

of local firms are concerned, they’re a valuable source of funding.

HMRC figures show that Northern Ireland companies claimed a total of £55 million in R&D Tax Credits last financial year. But we’re way behind the curve. The £55 million total represents a mere 3% of total UK claims.

Here in Northern Ireland, one Bangor-based company is a clear market leader when it comes to advising local companies on R&D Tax Credits and guiding them through the bureaucratic maze.

The Momentum Group was established back in 2009 by local

entrepreneur Tom Verner, who swapped a high-flying career in sales management in the entertainment sector to fill a gap for dedicated, professional advisory services around R&D tax relief.

“I started out back then as more of a business performance consultant, advising a range of clients on how to increase their bottom line,” he takes up the story. “While working with a client company, I came into contact with an English firm advising on R&D Tax Credits. They helped my client to successfully apply for substantial relief and it started me thinking that someone

Eye on Finance

“Our particular skill lies in being able to identify activities that might be considered routine or normal but do in fact qualify for this tax relief. And our results speak for themselves.”

needed to do it here....and do it well.

“For the next couple of years, I went into apprenticeship mode, learning all I could about R&D Tax Credits. Then we started to develop and grow Momentum. Nowadays, we’re a team of 14 specialists, we’re still growing, and we’ve carved out a niche for ourselves working with a wide range of forward-thinking companies and accountants of all sizes here in Northern Ireland,” he says.

Momentum, he says, works on a 90:10 principle. “We do 90% of the work and we only expect our clients to look after the remaining 10%.”

For businesses here investing in innovative products, new software solutions or advanced production processes, R&D Tax Credits are a significant source of funding.

But they’re also the most underclaimed form of corporation tax.

“Even the name is a bit misleading,” says Tom Verner.

“It implies that the payment is in the form of a credit against future taxable profits. But it’s also available as a cash payment, which a large proportion of companies choose to take it in this form.”

If claiming R&D Tax Credits were easy, most companies would do it themselves. But the procedure is not that straightforward.

“HMRC’s guidelines for the R&D Tax Credits are complex and any misunderstanding can lead to claims being submitted for activities that are ineligible.

“And, on the other side of the coin, many companies overlook activities that actually do qualify for relief,” adds Tom Verner. “R&D Tax Credits are a bit like an iceberg.

The perception of what qualifies is usually only a fraction of the reality that lies beneath the surface.

“Every claim has to be supported by a detailed technical report, spelling out to HMRC that the project meets the guidelines. This can be a time-consuming and challenging process. And this is

where our team of experts comes in.

“We’ll sit down with a potential client, we’ll do the due diligence and, if the projects and associated expenditure meet the criteria for this purpose, we’ll prepare the necessary technical and financial reports to be filed directly with HMRC. Our team includes R&D technical analysts, finance experts and business consultants, all immersed in the area of R&D and tax relief.”

R&D Tax Credits, says Tom Verner, extend from sectors like construction, engineering and waste management to food & drink, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals and everything in-between. “It’s not all about people in white coats,” smiles Tom Verner. “R&D Tax Credits are open to more sectors that most people think.

“Our particular skill lies in being able to identify activities that might be considered routine or normal but do in fact qualify for this tax relief.

“And our results speak for themselves. We’ve examined hundreds of companies, identified eligible R&D activities for each and have achieved a 100% success rate ranging from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of pounds.” The average UK claim under the scheme is £61,000, but Norther Ireland claims are at an average of £46,000!

Momentum works closely with an increasing number of accountancy firms here in Northern Ireland, including some of the bigger players in that field.

Accountants, according to Tom Verner, have an understanding of R&D Tax Credits, but understand that by engaging with a specialist R&D Tax Credit advisory firm will almost certainly deliver a much greater benefit to the client due to their in-depth knowledge of what qualifies and what does not and its resources of technical analysts.

“We find that a lot of local accountancy firms will provide initial advice to their clients and then call us in to do the hard work,” he says.

And he advises local companies to be wary of some other ‘specialist firms’ operating in the same field. “We’ve heard of businesses being contacted by advisers who promise that almost everything they do qualifies. That’s a stark warning that all is not as it might seem.

“When it comes to choosing your R&D Tax Credit partner it pays to be cautious. Do your own due diligence before you sign on the dotted line. Ask for references and take time to look closely at what’s included in the fees.

It’s also worth remembering that you’re dealing with HMRC, and due to the increase number of R&D Tax Credit claims in recent years, claims are facing greater scrutiny. This could result in large penalties if prepared incorrectly. “HMRC has identified and prevented £300 million in fraudulent R&D Tax Credit claims last year alone. So it’s crucial to work with a partner who will get it right and support you all the way.”

Momentum is a member of HMRC’s R&D Consultative Committee and applies the highest professional and ethical standards to its day-to-day work.

“It’s not just what we do. It’s how we do it,” says Tom Verner.

“We act with rigour and integrity in everything that we do, and our team of R&D analysts, accountants and consultants will work tirelessly to put the money you are entitled to back into your business.”

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Eye on News

Wilsons Auctions signs contract with Malta’s Asset Recovery Bureau Wilsons Auctions has signed a multi-year contract with the Asset Recovery Bureau Malta to provide asset recovery and disposal services for assets seized under local proceeds of crime legislation.

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he UK and Ireland’s largest independent auction company and a leading advisory service for worldwide government and law enforcement agencies, will provide technical assistance through its dedicated online portal as well as in the management, disposal and valuation services to the government body in a first of its kind facility for all criminal assets including cryptocurrency, luxury cars, jewellery and high-end goods.

Wilsons Auctions Asset Recovery Department specialises in providing asset management services for government

and law enforcement agencies across the world, managing a global portfolio of criminals seized assets.

This is the second successful European contract won by Wilsons Auctions this year, having successfully won a contract with the Belgium Government in February which saw the world’s first auction of Bitcoin by a private company.

Speaking of the contract, Wilsons Auctions Group Operations Manager, Craig Walker said, “We are delighted to have been entrusted by the Asset Recovery Bureau Malta to assist them in managing and selling seized assets to ensure we generate as much revenue as possible and return as much money as possible back into the public purse.

“This contract is further endorsement of our online portal that can be used to manage assets anywhere in the world, ranging from car manufacturers to Insolvency Practitioners and government agencies. This solution takes the hassle out of asset management and allows us to manage their assets wherever

Wilsons Auctions Head of Asset Recovery, Aidan Larkin (second right) and Group Operations Manager, Craig Walker (far right) meet with representatives from the Asset Recovery Bureau Malta as they announce the multi-year contract to provide asset recovery and disposal services for assets seized under local proceeds of crime legislation.

they are in the world and provides a world-class sales service and a solution to ensure their assets are sold for the highest possible, while we deal with any complexities that may arise,” he added.

Aidan Larkin, Wilsons Auctions Head of Asset recovery said, “The Asset Recovery Department and Wilsons Auctions as a whole, prides itself with the ability to deal with the most complicated and contentious assets wherever they are located in the world from crypto assets to gold bullion and more. We have a dedicated online platform and using this technology and our extensive experience

in this field we are able to provide solutions to our clients for some of the most complicated assets in the world.”

Wilsons Auctions is a leading auction company with over 80 years of experience building skilled knowledge in an extensive variety of assets. The Asset Recovery Department works with 17 countries worldwide realising assets from cryptocurrency to supercars, luxury watches and designer goods and in recent years has realised over £100 million worth of seized assets for government agencies, law enforcement agencies and insolvency practitioners.

THREE NEW EATERIES SET TO OPEN AT THE JUNCTION T The Junction Retail and Leisure Park has announced the imminent arrival of three new food and beverage offerings, alongside approved planning permission for a series of developments to the scheme.

Pictured (L-R): Leona Barr, centre manager, The Junction and Craig Stewart, senior asset manager, Lotus Property

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he exciting new additions, American restaurant chain TGI Fridays and a brand-new Starbucks Drive Thru, will complete Phase 1 of the scheme’s food and film zone. The popular eateries will join the previously announced Nando’s, with all three set to open towards the end of 2019.

Construction is due to commence next week at the Antrim-based scheme and will be the next phase in making The Junction Northern Ireland’s largest shopping and leisure destination, as part of an overall £30 million redevelopment plan. Innovations to the site will include a new tree lined entrance road, a feature public square and an extensive new landscaping plan.

The Junction retail park was bought by Lotus Property in 2016.

Commenting on the announcement, Craig Stewart, senior asset manager of Lotus Property, said:

“We are delighted to receive confirmation of our new TGI Fridays and Starbucks Drive Thru, as well as planning approval to continue with the implementation of our masterplan at The Junction.

“Our plans are set to transform the retail and leisure offering in Antrim, bringing a range of new brands to the area for the first time.

“From our initial outline planning approval in December 2017, we have worked behind the scenes to push ongoing generation at the site, which has seen new retailers such as McDonald’s, Intersport, Bonmarché and Beauty Outlet to the scheme, as well as the announcement of Nando’s which is set to arrive in 2019.

“Construction work will begin in early May as we embark on bringing the next phase of this major regeneration project to fruition.”

Eye on Training

Skills & Apprenticeships...

Belfast Met Takes Up The Challenge Many of us have an outdated image of what apprenticeships mean and how they fit into today’s world of work. Modern day apprenticeships range across a surprisingly wide array of sectors and disciplines, and there’s clear evidence that they’re being chosen as a proven route into employment by a fast-growing number of young people.

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elfast Met, a further education college that certainly hasn’t let the grass grow under its feet in recent years, is an establishment at the very forefront of the continued development of skills and apprenticeships.

The college has set up its own Centre for Skills & Apprenticeships, offering a range of pathways to help students advance their education and career across a broad range of professional and technical areas.

A dedicated CfSA team brings a wealth of industry experience in providing high quality learning solutions for employers and students alike and helps Belfast Met to play a pivotal role in helping local employers to build up their workforces.

Mark Dorman is the team’s Employment Engagement Manager. “We asked a wide range of businesses here in Northern Ireland about their requirements, from very small companies up to much larger organisations,” he says. “And we’ve designed the programmes that we offer around those requirements.

It’s as simple as that, and it’s all about employer engagement.”

“The concept of an apprenticeship hasn’t changed. An apprentice works in a local organisation and receives off-the-job here at the college, for one or two days a week typically.

“In each case, we’ll meet with the learner and his or her employer to discuss training needs and then develop a training programme. We’re with each learner every step of the way through the process.”

And, of course, for the learners themselves, there is one very distinct

and important difference between an apprenticeship and a traditional college course or form of learning.

They’re being paid by their employer as they continue to learn...

For those who associate apprenticeships with technical disciplines like plumbing, electrics and joinery, the array of apprenticeship programmes available through Belfast Met will come as something of a surprise.

The old favourites are still there, of course, but they’re joined by apprenticeships in subjects within areas such as business administration, hospitality, retail and IT infrastructure.... to mention just a few.

Apprenticeship programmes at Belfast Met’s three main campuses at Titanic Quarter, Millfield and Springvale last for anything from six months to two years depending on the subject area and eventual qualification, and each on blends classroom and project-based learning along with on the job experience.

“Apprenticeships, by their very nature, have to be practical and they have to focused on the learner attaining employment at the end of the programme.”

Belfast Met’s extensive Skills & Apprenticeships Programme ranges across six key sectors:Futures – a six-month part-time programme leading to a Level 2 OCN in Personal Success & Wellbeing with an incentive payment of £8 per day of attendance.

College Connect – a 26-week programme focusing on employability skills, essential skills and personal and social development.

Skills For Industry – another 26-week programme covering key areas such as construction, manufacturing, health & social care, hospitality and retail.

Training For Success – apprenticeship programmes across technical areas such as brickwork, hairdressing, joinery, motor vehicles and plumbing.

Apprenticeships NI – full two-year apprenticeship programmes covering a wide range of professional areas

ranging from printing to professional cookery and from food and beverage services to financial services.

Higher Level Apprenticeships – a brand new series of apprenticeship programmes with a range of new subject areas awaiting final approval.

“The key to all of these programmes is that they’re geared to meeting the needs of the employers that we work closely with,” adds Mark Dorman. “We work closely with quite a number of larger-scale employers here in Northern Ireland, including big organisations like Tesco, Primark and McDonalds as well as some of our leading manufacturers.”

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Eye on Transport

Employers urged to sign-up to the Active Travel Challenge as Bus and Train Week Gets Underway

Under starters orders: (l-r) Lynda Hurley, Safe and Sustainable Travel Division, Department for Infrastructure; David Tumilty, Health and Social Wellbeing Improvement Manager, Public Health Agency; Una Carson, Employee Support Officer, Translink; and Krysten Maier, Active Travel Officer, Sustans; are pictured at the launch of the Active Travel Challenge in Belfast city centre.

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Eye on Transport This June, employers across Northern Ireland are being encouraged to sign-up to the Active Travel Challenge for a healthier and more environmentally-friendly commute.

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ranslink has joined forces with the Department for Infrastructure, Public Health Agency and Sustrans to launch the new initiative, which coincides with Bus and Train Week 2019, Translink’s annual celebration of public transport, which gets underway on Monday 3rd June.

Now in its’ fourth year, Bus and Train Week is one of the highlights in Translink’s year, a Northern Ireland-wide celebration of bus and train services featuring a number of promotional fares across all services – Metro/ Glider, Foyle Metro, Ulsterbus, Goldline and NI Railways - to encourage even more people to try the bus and train and build stakeholder support for public transport and the vital role it plays in the economic success of the region and improving quality of life. With over 84 million journeys recorded on Translink services during 2018/19, there’s never been a better time to use public transport and boost your active travel credentials!

Throughout June, employers are asked to encourage staff to leave the car at home and walk, cycle or take public transport for at least some of their journeys to, from and during work. Participants log their ‘active travel’ journeys online and can compete with colleagues and other companies to see who makes the most journeys.

Each week in June will have a different ‘active travel’ theme with a range of prizes and incentives up for grabs to motivate employees to join the challenge.

Encouraging organisations to get involved, Translink’s Employee Support Officer, Una Carson, said: “Following the success of Translink’s Corporate Challenge over the past three years, which has seen employers encourage staff to use the bus or train for their daily commute, we have set the bar even higher in 2019, joining with partner agencies

to deliver a month-long active travel challenge that kicks off with our annual Bus and Train Week celebrations on 3rd June.

“Research shows that people who take public transport are more active, clocking up additional steps and burning more calories as they walk to and from the bus or train. By incentivising staff to travel more actively throughout June, employers can help improve the health and wellbeing of workers, alongside reducing traffic congestion and creating better air quality for everyone who lives here.”

Steven Patterson, Sustrans Delivery Manager, said: “Many commuters spend a large chunk of their day sitting in traffic jams.

We believe you can combine active travel into all or part of your daily commute. We are really keen to attract the ordinary, mainly sedentary worker to take part and enjoy the difference getting active as part of your daily routine can make to your life. The Active Travel Challenge is a great way to get started.”

Brendan Bonner, Assistant Director of Public Health, Health Improvement at the PHA, said: “This partnership initiative is a fantastic opportunity for workers across Northern Ireland to use the month of June to try out active travel as a means of commuting to work and we would encourage people to embrace active travel as part of their daily lives.

“Building active travel into your working day through walking and cycling can help contribute to meeting the Chief Medical Officers’ recommended amount of physical activity of 150 minutes each week.

“Research shows that people who are physically active can reduce their risk of developing chronic conditions including heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, cancer and respiratory conditions.

It can also improve sleep, help maintain a healthy weight and reduce stress and anxiety.”

Lynda Hurley, Safe and Sustainable Travel Division in the Department for Infrastructure, said:“Encouraging people to make sustainable travel choices is a key ambition in the draft Programme for Government and the Department is committed to working collaboratively with others to increase the number of people walking, cycling and using public transport.

There are many benefits in choosing active travel options – to your health, the environment and your pocket! Many people continue to use the private car for what are relatively short journeys. In fact, around one third of all journeys that we all make every day are less than two miles – a distance that could be walked or cycled. A further one third of journeys are less than five miles. One small change can make a big difference.

Challenge yourself to get active and start enjoying the benefits.”

Challenge registration is free and there are a range of fantastic prizes up for grabs including shopping vouchers, sports watches and Translink tickets.

Find out more about signing-up to the Active Travel Challenge by visiting https://atc.getmeactive.org.uk/ or email challenge@sustrans.org.uk. Keep up-to-date with all the latest ATC action on social media using #GetMeActiveNI. You can find out more about Translink’s Bus and Train Week 2019 promotions and special fares by visiting www.translink.co.uk or following @Translink_NI

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Eye on Design

Art, Science and the Secret of Success

The ground-breaking DAERA building

Hamilton Architects, based in Belfast’s historic Linen Quarter, have been combining art and science for nearly half a century, creating buildings which reflect the way we have lived, or want to live, our lives.

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cattered around the city, in constructs of concrete and glass and metalwork, Hamilton’s designs form part of the fabric of a place that has succeeded in reinventing itself out of both the glory and the ashes of its past.

It seems obvious, then, that architects have a significant role to play in giving people here a different way of looking at their surroundings – and giving the rest of the world an alternative lens through which to view Northern Ireland.

“Architecture is important as an expression of the cultural values of the society which produces it,” said Paul Millar, Partner. “Good design says something not just about who we are now, but who we would like to become – how

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we want to live and work and play.

“Buildings have to be accessible and functional, of course, but they should also convey a sense of place and time as unique as a fingerprint. If you look around our city, you can see this is something which our forebears not only understood, but also celebrated.”

Hamilton’s designs are ubiquitous …

Kingspan Stadium, NI’s National Football Stadium at Windsor Park, Riddel Hall, the Ulster Museum, Crumlin Road Gaol, Crescent Arts Centre, Olympia Leisure Centre, Enniskillen Castle Museum and Pier Head Ferry Terminal, Liverpool.

The most modest project they have probably ever undertaken is Port Moon Bothy, a refurbished fisherman’s

NI National Football Stadium

cottage on the Causeway Coast.

One of the most outstanding is the stunning new history-making DAERA Headquarters building at Ballykelly.

DAERA, impressive though it is, will soon be eclipsed by a new, ongoing project: the £65m transformation of the City Campus for Canterbury Christ Church University by an 18,000sqm state of the art Science, Engineering, Technology and Health teaching facility.

Hamilton won the contract to deliver this prestigious scheme against stiff national competition and it is one of over 20 education contracts, including South West College in Enniskillen, currently on their books.

It’s been a good year for the practice, with multiple new contracts secured inside the last 12 months. These include Newry Theatre and Civic Hub; Marketplace Theatre, Armagh; Bird College, London; Institute of

Eye on Design DAERA Headquarters

Enniskillen Castle Museum

Olympia Leisure Centre

Canterbury Christ Church University STEM facility

Technology, Tallaght; and conservation management planning for Binevenagh & Coastal Lowlands heritage sites.

In addition, other projects ongoing include Southwest College, Castlewellan Forest Park Restoration, Desertcreat Early Works, Ealing Council social housing, Specsavers, Methodist College Belfast, and a whole host of education campuses from Crossmaglen to Letterkenny.

Partner Mark Haslett said: “We don’t tend to shout a lot about what we do, but it is fair to say that in recent decades Hamilton have designed or conserved some of the most important structures in Northern Ireland and beyond – everything from stadia and universities, to hospitals and museums.

It was, perhaps, the sort of success story the late Alan Hamilton had in mind when he founded the practice in east Belfast in the early 70s, when it carved a niche for itself in social housing. Projects in the health sector, then the sports, conservation, commercial and retail sectors, followed.

The move to bespoke offices in Joy Street happened in 2011 and today the business is looking beyond the

“We don’t tend to shout a lot about what we do, but it is fair to say that in recent decades Hamilton have designed or conserved some of the most important structures in Northern Ireland and beyond.”

“I think one of the reasons we have been so successful, and why so many clients keep coming back, is that we really listen to them. We do not let professional vanity get in the way of giving clients the best version of what they actually need, working to budget and in harmony with the local environment.”

shores of Northern Ireland with an office in Broadgate, London, and projects in the south-east of England.

The practice’s expertise has been recognised in five stunning designs which have been shortlisted in four categories in this year’s RICS Awards, which take place at the end of May. Hamilton projects shone in four of

the eight categories: Community Benefit, Design through Innovation, Regeneration, and Tourism & Leisure.

Paul said: “We are delighted that our design expertise in a myriad of disciplines – everything from conservation to innovation – has been recognised by the judges. It is a bit of a cliché, perhaps, but our success really is down to team effort.”

The Partners are ably assisted by a highly skilled multi-disciplinary team of 35 senior associates, architects, architectural assistants and technicians.

Given their ongoing success in winning new contracts, they are currently in recruitment mode.

Hamilton Architects celebrate their 50th anniversary in 2022. How we all do business may look a bit different by then, but Hamilton, with a steady eye on strategic growth and an ethos of listen, interpret, discuss and agree, will be ready for whatever the future brings.

For further information contact Hamilton Architects Tel: +44 028 9033 4250 E: design@hamiltonarchitects.co.uk

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Eye on Accountancy

ASM... New Home & New Horizons For Fast-Growing Accountancy Firm

L-R ASM Directors Caroline Keenan, Michael Williamson, Stephen Burns, Brian Clerkin, Michael Nixon, Nicola Niblock and Christine Hagan.

Accountancy firm ASM is targeting further growth after five years of expansion in turnover and staffing levels and its move to impressive new offices in Belfast city centre. In the midst of that growth, ASM also completed the acquisition of the former Belfast firm of Crawford Sedgwick.

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irector Brian Clerkin says that the acquisition is unlikely to be the last for the growing firm as he outlines its short to medium term future.

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ASM’s 70-strong Belfast team moved into brand new refurbished office space at the historic Glendinning House in Murray Street (adjacent to Royal Belfast Academical Institution) during

February. Sympathetically restored to the firm’s specifications and costing a substantial six-figure sum, the new offices are located in the building once used by former linen merchants Glendinning McLeish & Company.

“We spent a couple of years finding the right offices and then making sure that they were brought up to our standards,” says Brian Clerkin. “But we’re delighted with the result. We think that the new offices portray what we are trying to do as a firm.

Our clients and visitors are very impressed with the outcome.”

ASM has six offices on the island of Ireland – in Belfast, Dungannon, Magherafelt, Newry, Dundalk and Dublin – which gives the firm a comprehensive coverage of the island. “We’ve seen a lot of growth in Dublin over recent years,” Brian Clerkin adds. “And, outside of the island, we’re working on GB-based projects through our association with a UK-wide group. Our reach also extends to the US and Australia where we have delivered services on behalf of major international clients.

“In addition, we’ve seen significant growth when it comes to higher value

Eye on Accountancy

Glendinning House

corporate finance transactions,” he adds.

The firm, which has almost 200 staff across its network of offices, is stepping up its marketing activities on the back of its move to new Belfast offices by launching a campaign that includes its first venture into billboard advertising.

ASM provides its core audit, tax, advisory and forensic accounting services to the wider market, but Brian recognised that building up a significant degree of sectoral expertise would help the firm develop specialist knowledge not offered by other firms.

“Locally owned businesses are expanding through research, technological development and exporting, while inward investment companies with international reach are developing knowledge-based applications and solutions which also require support in tax, corporate finance and international trade disciplines.

Tourism too has been growing rapidly and we have the experience in this arena to advise on development, operations and corporate finance.”

“Looking at our wider assurance services, we have developed our profile and footprint in the provision

ASM office and ASM reception area

of outsourced internal audit services to public sector bodies across the island and with local government and charitable institutions, while our forensic accounting department is very well established in the marketplace and continues to expand in terms of revenue and head count, in line with all of our services”.

That’s about the image that we project, but it’s also about elements such as work life balance, flexible working and career progression.”

In common with other firms in the sector, ASM has witnessed the growth in the number of school leavers starting their accountancy careers immediately after leaving full time education.

“We’re locally based, locally focused and locally owned. And we think that makes us flexible and fast moving as well as a firm with a clear understanding of this region, its economy and its challenges”

Like any sizeable accountancy practice, ASM has to make sure that it recruits and retains the right people and creates career opportunities for them. Brian Clerkin underlines the fact that recruitment and retention is increasingly important.

“Like most other firms, we’ve had to increase our focus on promoting the business to potential employees.

“As a firm, we’re proudly independent,” he adds. “We’re locally based, locally focused and locally owned. And we think that makes us flexible and fast moving as well as a firm with a clear understanding of this region, its economy and its challenges.”

Having settled into its new Glendinning House offices, the firm has also continued to embrace

new technology. “The thing that we’re seeing, especially now that we’ve moved into new offices, is that we need so little storage space compared to a few short years ago.

Everything has gone paperless and this actually helps us provide a more cost effective and efficient service.”

Brian Clerkin is a firm believer that it’s the quality of work that sets a good accountancy firm apart from the rest. “We have a highly experienced team of professionals that have worked in a range of industries before returning to, or joining, practice.

Consequently, we will have faced and addressed many of the challenges that our clients are likely to encounter.

Providing advice and guidance from that perspective is priceless.”

And he’s confident about the future prospects for ASM. “Our first six months of 2019 are 25% up on the same six months last year, so that’s a very positive sign. There is an element of cautiousness in the marketplace, but we’re confident about the business community here and its prospects for the future - just as we are about our own prospects.”

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Eye on Investments

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT ISAs IN 2019/20

The rules around ISAs (or individual savings accounts) change relatively often and different types of ISA rise and fall in popularity depending on where savers consider the most competitive place to put their hardearned money.

ISAs are a great way to save because of their tax efficiency.

You don’t pay income tax or capital gains tax on the returns and you can withdraw the amount any time as a tax-free lump sum.

Because of their tax efficiency, there are set limits on how much you can save using ISA accounts.

The 2019-20 tax year is an interesting year for ISAs because the main annual allowance isn’t increasing. The yearly total you can invest in an ISA remains at £20,000. This means that the ISA limit remains unchanged since April 2017.

Remember that all ISAs don’t have the same allowance. For Help to Buy ISAs, you can only save

a maximum of £200 a month, on top of an initial deposit of £1,200. Lifetime ISAs (LISAs) have a maximum yearly allowance of £4,368, on top of which you benefit from a government top-up of 25% of your contributions.

One ISA allowance that is rising (slightly!) is the Junior ISA, increasing from £4,260 to £4,368. This means that relatives can contribute slightly more to a child’s future, in a savings account that can only be accessed when they reach 18. Junior ISA accounts are rapidly gaining in popularity, with around 907,000 such accounts subscribed to in the tax year 2017/2018. Great news for the youngest generation!

THE VALUE OF INVESTMENTS AND INCOME FROM THEM MAY GO DOWN. YOU MAY NOT GET BACK THE ORIGINAL AMOUNT INVESTED. PAST PERFORMANCE IS NOT A RELIABLE INDICATOR OF FUTURE PERFORMANCE.

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Stocks and Shares ISAs are also gaining more popularity, with an increase of nearly 250,000 in the last tax year. On the whole, though, the number of Adult ISA accounts subscribed to in the last year fell from 11.1 million in 2016/17 to 10.8 million in 2017/18.

For investors with Stocks and Shares ISAs, Brexit uncertainty has understandably created cause for concern. In this scenario, your best course of action is to make sure that your investments are properly diversified around the globe. Speak to your financial adviser if you are unsure about what you can do to reduce risk during any post-Brexit turbulence.

They’ll be more than happy to help.

If you have any questions around this topic, please feel free to get in touch with us directly. T:02892 605 088 E: info@fairstoneni.co.uk

Eye on Personal Finance

Insight.Out...

Pensions Specialists Continue To Grow For East Belfast based financial services firm and pension transfer specialists Insight.Out, the past year or so has been one of continued growth in terms of clients, staff numbers and physical space.

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he company, led by Managing Director Jayne Gibson, has grown to a headcount of 11 dedicated specialists and is rapidly outgrowing its Holywood Road offices. As a result, Insight.Out has concrete plans in place to move to brand new office space elsewhere in the area within a year or so.

“I think it’s fair to say that we’ve grown a lot faster than we would have imagined,” says Jayne Gibson, who heads up a team comprising of acknowledged specialists in the field of defined benefit pension transfer.

Most of the firm’s clients are employees planning to leave or leaving defined benefit company

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or public sector pensions with cash sums to invest.

“The financial services marketplace is always changing and evolving,” says Jayne Gibson.

“In particular, the regulatory aspects of the market are complex and really need an expert eye.

But the fundamentals of what we do remain the same. We’re helping our clients to come out of employment, sometimes long-term employment, and make the investment decisions that they want to make.

“They do need a bit of specialist help to do that. It might sound like a simple enough process but there are plenty of pitfalls out there to catch out the unwary. There’s no

doubt that pension transfers can be seen by some so-called advisers as a means of making money.”

Jayne points to the British Steel pension scandal to illustrate her point. Back in 2017, Indian conglomerate Tata announced a restructuring of British Steel’s £14 billion pension fund to keep its loss-making operations afloat. But thousands of British Steel pension scheme members found themselves targeted by ‘vulture’ financial advisers.

She goes on to add that Insight.Out’s clients, and today’s investment customers in general, tend to be a lot more knowledgeable than they used to be. “We find that our clients come

to meet us fairly well prepared,” she adds. “They tend to have done their research on us as a firm of advisors, and on the wider pensions and investment market.”

The financial advisory marketplace, she reckons, has been altered by the increase in government-led regulation and by the sheer cost to advisers of professional indemnity cover.

Insight.Out has been making plenty of investments itself.

Not only has it invested in new members of staff and in extra space at its East Belfast offices, but it has also invested in a bespoke client management software system based around the US-developed Zoho product range.

Eye on Personal Finance

“Zoho has been great for us although we still have a bit of development ahead of us,” she adds. “It’s a CRM system that can be customised to suit a particular business model and way of working, and that’s what appeals to us as a company. But it’s also making sure that we can keep on top of our workflow and make sure that we look after our clients’ needs even more effectively.”

As the firm has grown and developed, more and more direct clients have been added – as distinct from clients referred by banks and other sources – and Insight.Out has also been stepping up it’s marketing and PR activity, working in partnership with its Co. Down based communications agency, RNN Communications.

“It’s important to get our message out there,” says Jayne Gibson, “and we can’t expect to do that purely on the back of the work that we do for our existing clients. What’s more, we don’t want to be limited geographically to Northern Ireland.

We know that we can be working with clients all over the UK.”

“It’s up to us as professionals to demystify the pensions marketplace and everything that surrounds it. At the end of the day, we’re talking about pounds and pence, and how to manage money.”

Insight.Out has also signed up to work alongside NI-based charity Action Cancer over the coming year and beyond, with a £5,000 initial fundraising target already in place.

“We’ve been involved in a number of sponsorships and other initiatives in the past few years, but we decided that we’d like to get involved in an initiative that our staff, even our clients, can buy into, and with a charity that everyone knows and supports.

“Some of our team have signed up for Action Cancer’s Bra Walk in June, we’ve got a Great Gatsby themed evening in the

pipeline for this summer, and we’re looking at a number of other events along the way.”

Jayne Gibson says that she continues to enjoy doing the job that she does. “Our clients’ best interests are at the very heart of what we do,” she says. “With that in mind, I really enjoy talking to our clients and finding out a bit more about their lives and their stories.

“It’s up to us as professionals to demystify the pensions marketplace and everything that surrounds it. At the end of the day, we’re talking about pounds and pence, and how to manage money.

“Listening, and talking, is a big part of what we do, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

To get in touch visit: www.insightoutfinancial.com or call 028 9590 2280

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Eye on Hospitality

2019 NIHF Hotel Receptionist of the Year Winners Announced

The winner of the ‘Hotel Receptionist of the Year’ was Micheál Farrell, from the Bishop’s Gate Hotel in Derry-Londonderry. This is history in the making as he was the winner of the most promising category in 2013. The reception team at Bishop’s Gate had further cause for celebration as they also won the ‘Hotel Reception of the Year’ category. The ‘Most Promising Hotel Receptionist of the Year’ award went to David Goodwin from Titanic Hotel. L-R Gary Kennedy, Bishop’s Gate; David Goodwin, Titanic Hotel Belfast; Micheál Farrell, Bishop’s Gate and NIHF President, Gavin Carroll.

The winners of the eagerly anticipated 2019 NIHF Hotel Receptionist of the Year Awards have finally been revealed. After months of deliberation, the awards were announced by compere, Pamela Ballantine, at a glittering awards ceremony on 2nd May 2019 in the Hilton Hotel, Templepatrick.

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he high volume of entries from receptionists across Northern Ireland lends itself to the immense talent and skill within the profession, as well as the high esteem in which the Awards are held.

A staggering eighty-eight entries were received for the competition, which is organised by the Northern

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Ireland Hotels Federation (NIHF), and is now in its 15th year.

The competition has three award categories; Hotel Receptionist of the Year, Most Promising Hotel Receptionist of the Year (for those with under one year’s experience) and a team category, Hotel Reception of the Year.

The winner of the team category

is determined by a mystery shopping process, while individuals competing for the receptionist of the year titles have to participate in a series of challenges set

by Life Adventure company.

The winner of the ‘Hotel Receptionist of the Year’ was Micheál Farrell, from the Bishop’s Gate Hotel in Derry-Londonderry.

This is history in the making as he was the winner of the most promising category in 2013. The reception team at Bishop’s Gate had further cause for celebration as they also won the ‘Hotel Reception of the Year’ category. The ‘Most Promising Hotel Receptionist of the Year’ award went to David Goodwin from Titanic Hotel.

The general consensus from all the judges is that the industry is in good hands given the exceptional level of candidates. One of the judges said: “It was an honour to act as a judge this year. The receptionists that I met were outstanding which made judging very difficult. Their passion for the role was clear and the desire to give guests the best possible experience was evident. It’s great to see such skills in Northern Ireland and I think our visitors are in very capable hands.”

The competition which is organised the Northern Ireland Hotels Federation has run successfully since 2004, growing in popularity year on year.

Eye on Hospitality

L-R Compere, Pamela Ballantine; David Goodwin, Titanic Hotel Belfast, winner of the ‘Most Promising Hotel Receptionist of the Year’ category; NIHF President, Gavin Carroll; Donna Stafford, Ibis Belfast Queen’s Quarter, runner up and category sponsor, Sharon Power Cowley from Net Affinity.

Compere, Pamela Ballantine, pictured with L-R David Goodwin, Titanic Hotel Belfast, winner of the ‘Most Promising Hotel Receptionist of the Year’ category; NIHF President, Gavin Carroll and Micheál Farrell, Bishop’s Gate Hotel, Derry-Londonderry, winner of the ‘Hotel Receptionist of the Year’ category

L-R Roisin McColgan, Amanda Doherty, Micheál Farrell, Gary Kennedy, Bishop’s Gate; NIHF President, Gavin Carroll; Louise Kearney, Tourism NI; Laura Davies, Bishop’s Gate and compere Pamela Ballantine.

Causeway Hotel in Bushmills is awarded runner up place in the prestigious ‘Hotel Reception of the Year’ team category. L-R Claire McMahon, Anne-Marie Burton, Lee Dunlop, Sheldon Beggs, Ruby Scott, and Gomer Lasaga.

Belmore Court & Motel in Enniskillen is awarded third place in the prestigious ‘Hotel Reception of the Year’ team category. L-R Carl Woods, Angie McDaniel, Maeve Somerville, Shane Goan and Terry McCartney.

Emer Gallagher from Shipquay Boutique Hotel in Derry-Londonderry is pictured with her team celebrating third place in the ‘Hotel Receptionist of the Year’ category. L-R Megan Kelly, Laura Curran, Emer Gallagher, Rory Cregan and Johanne Ferguson.

Grand Central Hotel Team (L-R) Ciaran McManus; Aisling Magee; Sammy Bulgatz, runner up in the Hotel Receptionist of the Year category; Gemma Reilly and Stephen Meldrum.

L-R Kirsty Kelly, Right Revenue; Gary Kennedy, Bishop’s Gate; NIHF President, Gavin Carroll; Louise Kearney, Tourism Northern Ireland and compere Pamela Ballantine.

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Eye on Events

The new Porsche 911 unveiling at Porsche Centre Belfast On Friday 29th March the next generation Porsche 911 was officially launched at Porsche Centre Belfast.

The local dealership was overwhelmed by the interest and support from 400 of customers, friends and family for the much anticipated next generation of this iconic sportscar.

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osting the event were Peter Mahon, General ManagerOperations Porsche Cars GB alongside Centre Principal Carl Russell, who introduced the new Porsche 911, before attendees were then free to experience the car for themselves.

Entertainment was provided by the Ulster String Quartet who delivered the ideal relaxed backing track to an enjoyable and successful evening.

The car itself took centre stage as the latest incarnation, now in its eight generation took another bold step forward. It has been reinvented inside and out for the a whole new

L-R Steven Biggerstaff (Service Controller), Conor King (Sales Manager), Carl Russell (Centre Principal) and Paul McConaghy (Aftersales Manager).

generation, while still keeping faithful to the design principals that has made the 911 the ultimate everyday sportscar for the last 50 years.

To find out more about the new Porsche 911 visit: http://www.porschebelfast.co.uk, contact us on 028 9038 9999 or follow us on facebook here https://bit.ly/2Udb3Lk

L-R Brenda Buckley (Business Eye), Karen Shields, Harry Shields (Managing Director of Polypipe Ulster) & Richard Buckley (Business Eye).

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When we look to the future, we see ourselves looking back.

The new 911. Timeless Machine.

Porsche Centre Belfast 90 Sydenham Road Belfast BT3 9DJ 028 9038 9999 info@porschebelfast.co.uk www.porschebelfast.co.uk

911 Carrera S official fuel consumption (WLTP): combined 10.4-9.9 l/100km (27.2-28.5 mpg). CO2 emissions (NEDC equivalent): 205 g/km.

Figures are intended for comparability purposes. The fuel consumption you achieve under real life driving conditions and CO2 produced will depend upon a number of factors including the accessories fitted after registration, variations in driving styles, weather conditions and vehicle load.

Eye on Women in Business

Lesley O’Hanlon Heads Up New ‘Yes You Can’ Programme for Women in Business

Lesley O’Hanlon has recently been appointed as the new Head of Programmes with Women in Business - an experienced learning and development professional with over 10 years’ experience of programme management, Lesley is ideally positioned to deliver Women in Business’s exciting new ‘Yes You Can’ Programme. We caught up with Lesley as she embarks on her new role.

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am delighted to have joined the Women in Business team as Head of Programmes, it is an organisation that both inspires and excites me and I am passionate about being part of a progressive team that really seeks to drive diversity and equip women with the tools and support they need to reach their full potential!

My first task has been to launch the three year ‘Yes You Can’ Programme which seeks to promote female enterprise, increase the numbers of women considering starting a business and encourage existing female entrepreneurs to grow their businesses.

This is truly innovative as it is the first

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female entrepreneur programme to be delivered across Northern Ireland and it’s a wonderful opportunity for female entrepreneurs to achieve their dreams.

The programme is funded

by Women in Business, Invest NI and the 11 councils.

We launched the programme at the Women in Business Annual Female Entrepreneur Conference on International Women’s Day, where over 350 inspirational women were encouraged to “Be Bold”, the conference theme. During the conference, we were inspired by a range of incredible women including international speaker, Tracy Schmitt; Co-Founder of

Green & Black’s, Josephine Fairley and businesswomen and Dragon on RTE’s Dragon’s Den, Chanelle, Lady McCoy. However, the event also offered us an opportunity to launch ‘Yes You Can’ through a pitching competition, with a £20,000 prize fund up for grabs.

Six regional winners from across Northern Ireland were selected from over 258 entrants for their innovative ideas and entrepreneurial spirit.

These six entrepreneurs from a diverse range of business backgrounds were announced at the event from 36 regional finalists and awarded with £3,000 each. Then the exciting bit! The regional winners took to the stage to pitch their business ideas to the audience of over 350 women.

Votes from the delegates crowned Sarah McAnallen the overall winner and she was awarded with an additional £2,000. This money will support the development of her business which offers independence for many who have suffered from an illness. Her innovative product, Ezi-Sock allows individuals to put on socks in a seating position without needing to bend down.

The ‘Yes You Can’ programme is a really exciting opportunity for female entrepreneurs from all sectors and at all stages of their journey to benefit from support, mentoring and advice. Over the three years of the programme, female entrepreneurs from across Northern Ireland can benefit from a range of motivational and supportive events and programmes including: Imagine It, a bootcamp for women at the pre-start stage who have a business idea or who wish to explore career options; Explore It, an initiative which targets women who have not started trading; Sell It, a residential to inspire women already trading and; Local Female Networks, where those attending will be motivated by keynote speakers and will benefit from facilitated networking with likeminded women. There has never been a greater need to support female entrepreneurs, the recent Alison Rose report on Female Entrepreneurship reported that “up to £250 billion of new value could be added to the UK economy if women started and scaled new businesses at the same rate as UK men”.

With such a wide range of opportunities from women at all levels, I would encourage woman to rethink their business needs and take advantage of all of the benefits that this programme has to offer. As Head of Programmes, I am committed to making a meaningful and long-term impact for the women in our network and indeed for those who are indirectly impacted by the work we do and the impact we make at Women in Business.

Putting aside the political mayhem, this is a really exciting time for women in Northern Ireland and we must continue to motivate and inspire each other through collaboration. When a woman is empowered to be the best she can be, there is undoubtedly a positive ripple effect and I feel invigorated to be part of delivering a stronger and more innovative business environment here in Northern Ireland.

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Eye on Skills

Could NI Be Headed For A Skills Brexodus?

Cathal O Donnell, Regional Director at Brightwater

Described as the mass exit of individuals, particularly EU nationals, and corporations from the UK, there’s no doubt ‘Brexodus’ has the potential to cause major disruption to the economy if the critics’ fears ring true.

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s with many of the potential negative outcomes from Brexit, it would seem that due to Northern Ireland’s unique geographic, economic and political status it could have more to lose than most when it comes to a possible Brexit-influenced migration.

Some commentators have suggested that the political impasse, the seemingly neverending Brexit uncertainty and the scaremongering of a hard border will tempt both NI natives and their EU counterparts to relocate South of the border where they can remain part of the EU. Our close proximity to the Republic

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of Ireland could make this a more appealing and easily-actioned option as workers navigate the ongoing Brexit ambiguity.

Of course this skills retention problem is nothing new. Northern Ireland has been here before with the well-documented Brain Drain - the phenomenon which was heightened during the Troubles whereby the brightest and best students would leave to study elsewhere and never return. This is a trend which has lessened to varying degrees in the peace years with many returning home when they start a family. Nevertheless, it is still an issue which could return.

Reassuringly, at Brightwater a skills Brexodus isn’t something we have seen taking hold in Northern Ireland. Our clients are naturally cautious and have been making any preparations they can. Despite job opportunities and good pay, a move South still has many other factors to take into consideration, such as housing costs, health and education fees and the overall cost of living. And whilst UK cities like London, Manchester and Bristol rate highly among young, skilled professionals, we haven’t noted a significant change in the pattern and volume of migration there.

Understandably, Brexit remains high on the agenda for firms and candidates alike as they look ahead to the economic landscape. Whilst uncertainty surrounding business deals and decisions about recruitment may have slowed things somewhat as

we approached the original endof-March deadline, the recurring theme among firms here is a desire to keep going and progressing with their business plans and therefore continued recruitment which helps build confidence in the job market.

We have also seen many of our clients, particularly in the legal services and manufacturing sectors, significantly invest in Northern Ireland in recent years and they are committed to their teams here and won’t be making knee-jerk reactions based on what-ifs.

This progressive and determined mindset is heavily influenced by the high volume of SMEs represented in Northern Ireland’s private sector, who can’t rest on the laurels of large multi-nationals and quite simply need to get on.

With this in mind, it’s important that businesses don’t waste the time afforded by the recent delay and do as much prep as possible. Despite the 31st October extension, there still remains significant uncertainty about the actual outcome of the EU referendum and despite it looking less likely, the risk of no-deal has not been excluded from one of the many possibilities.

The reality is that no-one knows the outcome of this long-debated change or how it will directly or indirectly impact the job market and those in it.

In fact, any impact is unlikely to be felt instantly and will take a number of years before the real effect is felt. All we can do is work hard to ensure we have the best possible people for the job at hand and continue to build businesses to retain the great talent here.

Eye on Tourism

TASTE OF TOURISM SUMMIT The Taste of Tourism Summit, organised by Northern Ireland Hotels Federation (NIHF), took place in the Culloden Estate and Spa during April.

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he Summit was an opportunity for businesses to hear firsthand from a lineup of specialist speakers, who have used food and drink to attract new customers, improve profits and enhance their reputations. Attendees at this year’s Summit had the pleasure of meeting renowned Michelin star chef, Galton Blackiston, who gave an insight into his thirty-year career, his

fascination with fish and his thoughts on industry issues. The event was sponsored by Tourism Northern Ireland, Invest NI, and Tourism Ireland along with a range of local suppliers.

The Taste of Northern Ireland Gourmet Dinner was supported by Bunzl McLaughlin and the artisan food market was supported by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs.

L-R Garrett Power, Neil Devlin, Stephen Meldrum, James McGinn, Dan Binchy and Joseph O’Byrne, pictured with the Taste of NI Gourmet Dinner Compere, Pamela Ballantine.

L-R Eileen Hall, Cavanagh Free Range Eggs and Jen Guiney, Invest NI.

Inspirational Michelin chef, Galton Blackiston, meets the chefs from Culloden Estate & Spa.

The Telegraph’s acclaimed food critic, William Sitwell, speaks about the changing face of food with Taste of Tourism compere, Jo Scott.

Food Futurologist, Dr Morgaine Gaye, presented her expert vision of food in the future.

L-R Catherine McKeever, Long Meadow Cider and Siobhan Sherry, Enterprising Monaghan.

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New Job. New Opportunity. New You. Eye Moving On

graftonrecruitment.com

Business Eye Banner Ad.indd 1

14/01/2019 11:57:32 1 Ashleigh Allen has been appointed Financial Director at ASG & Partners. Ashleigh has been with the company since 2006 previously holding the position of group financial controller.

2 Andrew Webb has been appointed Chief Economist at Grant Thornton.

Andrew will lead the firm’s economic advisory services to its broad base of clients across Ireland, drawing on more than 20 years’ experience providing economic advice and commentary to public and private sector organisations. Meanwhile, 3 John Lavery has been appointed Associate Director, Economic Advisory at Grant Thornton where he will provide advice and insight to a range of public and private sector clients.

1 Ashleigh Allen

2 Andrew Webb

3 John Lavery

The Royal College of Speech and Language 4 Therapists (RCSLT) has appointed Ceara Gallagher as the new Head of the RCSLT in Northern Ireland.

Ceara has over 23 years’ experience as a highly specialised speech and language therapist in the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust.

PR and content agency Smarts Communicate has 5 appointed Jennie McCurry as a Communications Director. Jennie joins from Dublin creative agency JWT Folk where, as Group Account Director, she was the driving force behind successful integrated campaigns for brands such as Vodafone, Diageo and Unilever.

4 Ceara Gallagher

5 Jennie McCurry

6 Claudine Owens

6 Claudine Owens has been appointed Portfolio Manager at Clarendon Fund Managers. She spent 12 years working in Corporate and Business Banking where she managed a varied portfolio of business clients. In her new role, Claudine will be responsible for the monitoring and portfolio management of 50+ active companies.

Mash Direct to your Door T

Mash Direct has launched an ecommerce site bringing the Co. Dow’s firm’s award-winning vegetable side dishes direct to your door.

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he County Down based farming enterprise are pulling out all the stops taking vegetable preparation to a new level of convenience. You can now order their farm fresh vegetables from the comfort of your own home and have it hand delivered to your door. Having control over the farm and the factory, the busy lifestyles of the Hamilton family sparked the need to create a buying opportunity for those who struggle to buy from the supermarket every week. From traditional favourites to more contemporary dishes, their range offers something for everyone and is 100% Gluten Free with no artificial nasties. Getting your five a day has never been so simple!

Mash Direct are passionate about growing heritage varieties of vegetables that are steam cooked to perfection to retain the flavour and nutritional content of the vegetables

as well as replicating the taste and texture of homemade food. As part of their ecommerce launch, they will be selling ‘Mash Boxes’ which are made up of a selection of their products to complement all eating occasions, providing optimum value and convenience. Whatever your appetite and occasion, you can trust Mash Direct to get it right.

Chief Operating Officer at Mash Direct Jack Hamilton said ‘Busy lifestyles are now influencing buying decisions and more and more families seek convenience in their meal prep but don’t want to compromise on taste, quality and nutrition. By creating an opportunity for consumers to purchase online, it will save even more time for families, elderly and young professionals across the entire week. We are very excited to kick start our ecommerce site across Northern Ireland and soon to make it available across the UK.’

New Job. New Opportunity. New You. graftonrecruitment.com

Business Eye Banner Ad.indd 1

14/01/2019 11:57:32 7 Also at Clarendon Fund Managers, Chris Trotter has been appointed Investment Manager at Clarendon Fund Managers. He has seven years of experience in M&A and Software having previously worked for PwC in London. In his new role, Chris will be responsible for the management and delivery of investment into Northern Ireland’s growing SME market.

8 And Stuart Gaffikin has been appointed Investment Manager. Having worked at Bank of Ireland and BDO, Stuart’s new role will see him manage and deliver investment opportunities to a wide range of Northern Ireland-based SMEs.

7 Chris Trotter

8 Stuart Gaffikin

9 Graeme Bennett

9 Graeme Bennett has joined the team at IPC Mouldings as General Manager. With over 25 years’ experience working in the manufacturing sector across a range of industries, Graeme brings his expertise of managing multi-functional departments to provide world class business and engineering operations to the award-winning IPC Mouldings. With significant expertise in implementing change and developing teams, Graeme will drive the strategy for growth within IPC. 10 Lita Notte has been appointed Group Marketing Manager of UCIT. She has previously worked for Aer Lingus, Bank of Ireland, Ulster Bank and RBS Group. In her new role, Lita will be responsible for the charity’s brand and marketing strategy.

10 Lita Notte

11 Shane Webb has been appointed as Head Groundsman at Down Royal Racecourse. He has an excellent racing pedigree bringing with him over nine years’ experience in the industry, having worked as Racetrack Groundsman at The Curragh Racecourse and Assistant Track Manager at Leopardstown Racecourse, as well as completing a short stint at Royal Ascot before moving to Ballydoyle Racing.

11 Shane Webb

Lagan Seahorses in Tune for Charity The close harmonies and melodic tones generated by one of Belfast’s top male voice choirs aims to raise the roof – and vital funds for the NI Children’s Hospice – at a headline show at The Waterfront Hall complex on the 8th June.

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he Lagan Seahorses, a 50-strong group of local business men has been supported by local tech company, Neueda as part of its bi-annual fundraising bid.

Under the leadership of Musical Directors, Melissa Murray and Audrey Gillian the crosscommunity choir will bring a sense of nostalgia to the Waterfront’s BT Studio with a repertoire of music from across the decades.

“We’re thrilled to be back at The Waterfront’s BT Studio and our

members have been investing a lot of time and energy into the rehearsals,” said Audrey.

“The NI Children’s Hospice is such an important charity, and everyone is totally focused on making this an engaging and memorable night for all.”

Paddy O’Hagan, Neueda COO added: “We’re delighted to sponsor the Lagan Sea Horses choir for its third Waterfront concert. We have close connections with several members of the choir and a long-standing relationship

Audrey Gillian, Musical Director, Peter Russell (l) and Noel Brady (r), committee members of the Lagan Seahorses Male Voice Choir, share a vocal session with Heather Weir, CEO Northern Ireland Hospice and Paddy O’Hagan, COO of Neueda to launch their fundraising event on 8 June at the Waterfront Hall Complex.

with the NI Children’s Hospice, a fantastic charity that does amazing work for local families and children. We’re looking forward to a great night which will raise much needed funds for this very deserving charity.”

All funds raised will benefit

the work of the NI Children’s Hospice which provides specialist round-the-clock care to children living with terminal illness as well as supporting their families.

Tickets are on sale from the Waterfront Box Office priced at £12.50.

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Eye on News

Are You The Next Young Business Leader Of The Year?

The search is now on for the 2019 award recipient to follow in the footsteps of 2018 winner Gregory Bradley, Managing Director of BLK BOX and to be crowned Northern Ireland’s Young Leader of the Year.

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ponsored by Herbert Smith Freehills, the “Young Leader of the Year” Award is presented to an outstanding young professional (under 40) who has shown exceptional leadership skills and demonstrated continued commitment to personal development (both their own and that of others). Nominations for the award must be submitted by 12 noon on Friday 17th May. Entrants can be self-nominated or alternatively nominated by a third party who considers that the entrant meets the relevant criteria. Online entries can be made via www.youngleadersni.org or by emailing info@youngleadersni. org to request an entry form.

In 2018, the judges of this

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(L-R) Gregory Bradley won Herbert Smith Freehills Young Leader of Year Award 2018 presented by Lady McCoy at Young Leaders NI Conference.

prestigious award noted that winner Gregory demonstrated a compelling combination of ambitious passion for his business on a global scale and a keen desire to develop and invest in his team; some of the key attitudes of any strong leader that judges will be looking for in 2019.

Speaking on the 2019 search, Young Leaders NI Chair, Jenna Mairs said: “These awards not only celebrate aspiring individuals at the forefront of leadership performance but shine a spotlight on best-in-class practices. This year’s conference will focus on overcoming adversity and our speakers will share their experiences and advise on how to overcome, address and conquer difficult situations in order to demonstrate sound leadership.

Each year the calibre of entries improves, and it is great to see past winners go from strength to strength in their career.”

Lisa McLaughlin, Director of Herbert Smith Freehills’ Belfast office, commented, “Herbert Smith Freehills is delighted to be

sponsoring Northern Ireland’s Young Leader of the Year award for the eighth successive year. Across our global firm, we are committed to recognising and developing the talent of our young leaders. We are also invested in recognising the energy and entrepreneurial skills of the young leaders in our local community. Winning the Award, and indeed being recognised as a shortlisted candidate, is a fantastic platform from which aspiring leaders can raise their profiles and showcase their talents and areas of expertise.”

Lisa continued: “At Herbert Smith Freehills, we appreciate that success comes not only from hard work, skill and resilience, but also from developing the ability to spot opportunities that others don’t and having the courage to be disruptive and cultivate innovative ideas. These are the types of qualities we will look for in this year’s winner, in addition to a demonstrable commitment to encouraging a culture of inclusion and positivity in the workplace”.

This year’s winner will be

presented with the winner’s trophy at the Young Leaders Conference on 14 June and will have the opportunity to further develop their leadership skills by receiving a complimentary place on one of three leadership training programmes offered

by Queen’s William J Clinton Leadership Institute.

Taking place on Friday 14th June at Riddel Hall, Belfast, the conference will bring together more than 220 young leaders to share best practice and learn from established business leaders and from each other. The event is sponsored by Herbert Smith Freehills, reception sponsor EY and associate sponsors AKFP Group and VANRATH. This year’s keynote speaker is Welsh International and Heineken Cup rugby referee, Nigel Owens.

For more information on the Young Leader Award, conference speakers and to buy tickets please visit the YLNI website via www.youngleadersni.org.

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Eye on News

Bavarian BMW Named as BMW Retailer of the Year Agnew Group’s Bavarian BMW Belfast dealership has claimed the prestigious Retailer of the Year award at the German car manufacturer’s annual awards event which took place last month.

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eld in Lisbon, the BMW Retailer of the Year Awards handed a total of 11 accolades to the UK’s best franchised operators, but Bavarian BMW in Belfast secured the top spot on the night.

As well as claiming the overall accolade of BMW Retailer of the Year, Bavarian BMW also claimed the BMW Retailer of the Year Marketing Champion award, capping off a hugely successful night for the Northern Ireland team.

Discussing the achievement Joe Rogers, Head of Business for Bavarian BMW, said:

“We are absolutely thrilled to have won the BMW Retailer of the Year award for a record fourth time! The team has been working diligently across all aspects of the business to deliver exceptional service and to receive this accolade simply acknowledges the effort that they invest day and daily to exceed customer expectations. I want to congratulate and thank the team. I’m really proud of them.”

Joe adds: “The awards are a great way of benchmarking service provision.

Considering all the various disciplines of the business are assessed means you need to take a holistic look at what you

Graeme Grieve CEO BMW UK (second from right), presenting Joe Rogers, Head of Business Bavarian BMW (second from left); Philip Murphy, Aftersales Director Bavarian BMW (left) and Keith Craig, Sales Director Bavarian BMW (right), with the national BMW Retailer of the Year award.

do. From the moment someone walks into the dealership you are considering the service they receive when browsing, right through to how information is communicated throughout the journey.

Every step of the process is critical.”

There was further recognition on the evening for the Bavarian BMW team when they won the BMW Retailer of the Year Marketing Champion award.

Commenting on this success Keith Craig, Sales Director for

Bavarian BMW, said: “We aim to make it as easy as possible for customers to find out about new technologies, exciting offers and new vehicles. We consistently use customer feedback to refine the ways in which we share information. Our website’s functionality is also tailored to ensure customers can access services at a time that suits them. It’s brilliant to win this award as it reinforces that we have a great team here in Belfast”.

DIVERSITY RINGS IN NEW SERVICE Diversity, one of NI’s largest interpreting and translation companies, has just launched the first in telephone interpreting service in Northern Ireland offering clients access to over 250 supported languages via a simple telephone call.

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atering for clients in the public and private sectors, and to individuals, Diversity, headed up

by Bulgarian native, Paolina Hawthorne, has invested over £25,000 in the service following increasing interest for ‘on demand’ interpreting.

Established in 2010, Diversity has grown into a major player in the translation and interpreting sector, delivering services to over 1700 clients in the past nine years, and training individuals to become accredited interpreters.

The company now operates a database of 500 fully qualified interpreters offering 66 different languages, with 40 full time

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registered linguistics currently dedicated to the interpreting of Arabic in Northern Ireland. The launch of the new telephone interpreting service will significantly expand Diversity’s language offering.

Commenting on this latest investment into the new telephone interpreting service, Managing Director of Diversity, Paolina Hawthorne adds: “Over the phone interpretation is one of the most convenient forms of interpretation available to businesses thanks to its convenience and cost-effectiveness, however until now there has been a gap in the market for an easy-to-use, reliable telephone interpretation service provider.

“Our new service will be available

Paolina Hawthorne, Managing Director of Diversity

24/7, enabling clients to instantly access hundreds of languages from qualified interpreters. This is especially important in connecting community groups, emergency services and many others at a time when they need it urgently, and opens the path of communication between foreign nationals, organisations and businesses.”

Paolina Hawthorne established Diversity, aged 26, in 2010, following a period of delivering freelance interpreting and translating services for businesses.

The company is recognised for the

exceptional quality of its services and clients include the public sector, and NI businesses who export across the world.

Diversity specialises in the provision of accredited training programmes and to date, Paolina has personally trained over 350 people to become interpreters. The company is the only business to operate a Chartered Institute of Linguistics exam centre in Northern Ireland.

For more information visit www. diversityni.co.uk | Diversity’s telephone interpreting service is available via calling 02890 473 737.

Eye on Internet

Is digital tech the new single-use plastic?

By Gareth Dunlop, Fathom.

A number of powerful global forces have resulted in us living in an unprecedented era of unintended consequences.

Consider two of the most pressing environmental issues of our time – the challenge of plastic waste in our oceans, and man-made climate change accelerated through carbon emissions from the combustion engine.

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hen Mancunian electroplater Alexander Parkes pioneered 66 patents between 1841 and 1890, to do with the cold cure process for vulcanizing rubber (into derivatives of plastic), labeled by a peer as “one of the most valuable and extraordinary discoveries of the age”, he simply couldn’t have known how his chemical genius and the forces of globalisation would come together to threaten sea turtles, seals, sea lions, whales and dolphins with extinction over a century later.

Similarly, when Samuel Brown, Jean Joseph-Etienne Lenoir, George Brayton, Nikolaus August Otto, Gottlieb Daimler, Rudolf Diesel all contributed to the evolution of the combustion engine in the 19th century, they couldn’t have guessed that only 125 years later there would be a billion cars, according to the International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers.

For some time, I have grown increasingly concerned that the world’s leading digital product designers are standing in the same shoes that Parkes and Brown et al stood in over a century ago, on the cusp of impacting life on the planet in as-yet unimagined ways. There is a major and critical

difference, however, between then and now – while the consequences of digital technology may be just as unintended, we have far more evidence available to us to help us predict what they might be.

Unintended but entirely predictable, therefore.

Two recent news stories have further exacerbated this feeling of unease.

In April 2019 the BBC reported that the UK’s data watchdog was suggesting limits on letting U18s “like” content on Facebook and Insta, and was seeking to ban Snapchat’s streak feature. As the borderline tech-addicted father of a not-borderline tech-addicted pair of teenage children, I would enthusiastically support these measures without equivocation.

Sheryl Sandberg was in Dublin earlier this year to visit an antibullying initiative. This surely proves we live in an age where satire can’t be more impactful than reality. In this alternative universe, why not get Roy Keane to visit and endorse an anger management initiative? Or perhaps former Uber CEO Travis Kalanick could be appointed at government level to encourage businesses to do more to tackle sexism?

Sandberg presides over a platform which is staggeringly

efficient at removing offensive non-revenue-generating content, but moves at glacial speed at curating revenue-generating fakenews or clicks, likes and comments.

The god of the tech age is engagement. It demands of its followers in the design community that they build product which increases time on a specific app, frequency of use and type of use.

Drunk and high on the revenue potential of its business model which depends on these things, it would seem that no technique is deemed unsuitable in their pursuit.

Generating outrage seems to work well.

Jealousy, fear (FOMO for our younger readers), and guilt all play their part.

Bullying does its best to contribute to the effort.

It’s clear that the user’s time and attention (and personal profile and behavioural information where available) is now the product, sold (literally) to the highest bidder.

We have known forever that “the market has no soul” but this market sits in our pockets and can be accessed with a swipe at any time of the day or night. It is a powerful force.

In the early part of the 21st century, protecting our oceans and our planets is one of the major

challenges humankind faces. We are living with the consequences of the actions Parkes and Brown et al, but attribute no blame to them as they simply couldn’t have predicted the impact of their work. A century hence, when our great grandchildren and their children are looking back at us, we will have no such excuse.

It’s time that the digital product design industry, of which I am a proud part, started embracing not just human-centred design, but to cite Emilia Palaveeva’s phrase humanity-centred design.

Gareth Dunlop owns and runs Fathom, a user-experience consultancy which helps ambitious organisations get the most from their digital products by viewing the world from the perspective of their customers. Specialist areas include UX strategy, usability testing, customer journey planning and accessibility.

Clients include BBC, Bord Bia, firmus energy, Kingspan, AIB and Tesco Mobile. Visit Fathom online at fathom.pro

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Celebrating life, every day, everywhere

DRINK RESPONSIBLY The BAILEYS, GORDON’S, CAPTAIN MORGAN, SMIRNOFF, GUINNESS, SMITHWICKS, CARLSBERG and HARP words and associated logos are trade marks © Diageo 2015.

Eye on Events

Victoria Square Links Accountancy With Action Cancer Accolade for Bryony

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orthern Ireland’s leading retail destination, Victoria Square, has announced a one-year charity partnership with Action Cancer, aiming to raise £20,000 through a mix of activities and campaigns over the coming 12 months.

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Pictured launched the partnership are (l-r) Victoria Square Marketing Manager Jenny Craig, Events Co-Ordinator Rebecca Henderson and Lucy McCusker, Corporate Fundraising Manager, Action Cancer.

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he Danske Bank Accountancy Award was recently presented to Bryony Gray at Danske Bank’s headquarters in Belfast. Bryony, who is a Trainee Chartered Accountant working in Assurance at PwC, was awarded the annual prize for achieving

the highest marks in Northern Ireland in the 2018 Institute of Chartered Accountants Ireland (ICAI) Final Admitting Examination.

Bryony is pictured receiving her award from Danske Bank’s Chief Financial Officer, Stephen Matchett.

Celebrating life, every day, everywhere

DRINK RESPONSIBLY The BAILEYS, GORDON’S, CAPTAIN MORGAN, SMIRNOFF, GUINNESS, SMITHWICKS, CARLSBERG and HARP words and associated logos are trade marks © Diageo 2015.

Eye on Events

Richard Pengelly, Permanent Secretary, Department of Health Northern Ireland and former BBC presenter Sir Martyn Lewis, a Northern Ireland Hospice Ambassador.

NI Hosts Dementia Conference

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orthern Ireland has welcomed speakers and delegates from across the world for the inaugural International Conference for Palliative and Dementia Care.

The Conference, hosted by Northern Ireland Hospice, focused on how palliative and dementia services must work in partnership to care for people with end stage dementia and their carers.

Approximately 1,400 of the total 15,000

deaths in Northern Ireland each year are directly attributed to dementia. With an aging population, it is expected 60,000 people in Northern Ireland will be living with dementia – more than three times the current number.

The Conference was opened by Department of Health Permanent Secretary Richard Pengelly (left), pictured with Northern Ireland Hospice Ambassador Sir Martyn Lewis, who was also present for the 3 day event.

Judith CameronUK Female Undergraduate of the Year.

Queen’s student named UK Female Undergraduate of the Year

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Queen’s University Belfast Mechanical Engineering student, Judith Cameron, has won the UK Female Undergraduate of the Year award.

The TARGETjobs Undergraduate of the Year Awards is an annual competition to identify and celebrate the UK’s best undergraduates.

Judith, from Larne, County Antrim, is a Master’s student at Queen’s and is currently on a year-long placement with the Research and Development project management team at Stryker Belfast.

Judith faced tough competition to be

awarded the prestigious prize of Female Undergraduate of the Year, which is sponsored

by Rolls-Royce. Judith has secured a placement with Rolls-Royce as part of her prize.

The final shortlist of ten students for each award were invited to the awards ceremony in London in April, where the winners were announced.

Judith (centre) is pictured in London with event host Rachel Riley and Maria Kokkinou, Global Head of Talent, Leadership and Capabilities, Rolls-Royce.

Airport helps 800 pupils push the boundary

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00 children from schools in the Antrim, Crumlin, Templepatrick and Randalstown will benefit from a cricket coaching programme supported by Belfast International Airport.

The airport’s financial support will help Muckamore Cricket and Lawn Tennis Club provide coaching for each of the 19 schools signed up to take part in the mega coaching effort.

The primary schools will each receive up to 6 hours of coaching and secondary-level schools up

to 50 hours. The aim is to build basic cricket skills and enable the pupils to play in organised games.

The programme will culminate in a “Cricket Festival Day” at Muckamore’s playing facilities at Moylena.

Max McMeekin from Parkhall Integrated College helps Deborah Harris, PR & Marketing Manager, Belfast International Airport, Muckamore Cricket Club’s Head Coach, Bobby Rao and Chairman, Trevor Barnett, announce a new school cricket coaching programme supported by the airport.

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Eye on Law

TLT ‘counts down’ to office move with Susie Dent at spring drinks event

left to right, 1st row: Stuart McBride, David Pester, Katharine Kimber, Susie Dent, Judith Allen, John Wood, Bill Hull. 2nd row: Richard Houliston, Chris Crighton, Anna Vangrove, Maria Connolly. 3rd row: Fergal Maguire, Andrew Jennings, Andrew Webber, Nick Shenken, Kevin Murphy, Andrew Ryan.

Law firm TLT celebrated another year of success and the eve of its expansion into new offices at River House at its spring drinks event on Thursday 4 April 2019.

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Susie Dent

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he guest speaker was Countdown’s dictionary corner legend, Susie Dent, who entertained the crowd with stories from the world of language and business.

Following a welcome address from Katharine Kimber, partner and location head for TLT in Northern Ireland, and David Pester, managing partner at TLT, Susie gave a comedic slant on the evolution of language and the power that language can have in business, with

some fascinating examples of “disarming honesty”, humour and tribal language from leading brands.

The event took place in the Great Hall at The Merchant hotel, a stone’s throw from TLT’s new offices, where the firm has taken 12,000 sq. ft. of Grade A refurbished office space across the top two floors of River House with unbeatable views across the city.

TLT’s Belfast team has continued to grow, offering clients market-leading support in its key focus sectors including financial services, real estate, clean energy, digital and the public sector.

Katharine Kimber, partner

and location head for TLT in NI, says: “It was great to welcome so many of our clients and contacts from across NI to help celebrate another year of success and our move to River House. We’ve been investing in Belfast and this move is a sign of our ongoing commitment and how we’re continuing to embed our specialisms and services in the market, and grow the team.”

Eye on Law

Daniel McLaughlin (of Gravis Planning), Andrew Ryan (TLT), Richard Agus (of MRA Partnership Ltd), Richard Bowman (of Gravis Planning)

Wayne Blount-Powell ( of Mason Owen), Matthew Rowlands (Iceland Foods Limited), Fergal Maguire (TLT)

Kevin Murphy (TLT) & Ciaran Fitzpatrick (of Maneely McCann)

John McIlwaine (of Bruce Shaw), Kevin Francis (of Gordon Ingram Associates), Judith Allen (TLT), Darren Donnelly (of Valor Homes)

Oisin Lappin (of Maneely MC Cann) Patrick O’Hanlon (TLT) and Paul McCann (of Blue Sky Recruiting)

Ricky Martin (of Alive Surf School), Andrew Jennings and Robyn-Dee Herdman (TLT)

Katharine Kimber

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Eye on News

280 Room ‘family friendly’ Hotel Proposed for Titanic Quarter A 280 room “family friendly” hotel has been proposed for Hamilton Dock in Belfast’s Titanic Quarter. The proposal by JMK Group is planned to sit directly opposite the Titanic Belfast building.

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amilton Dock occupies a key site adjacent to Northern Ireland’s premier visitor attraction, Titanic Belfast, just 10-minutes’ walk from Titanic Quarter to Belfast’s main retail district.

100 family rooms have been included within the proposed new hotel to meet the growing demand from visitors to family focused attractions at Titanic Quarter including; Titanic Belfast, W5 and the SSE Arena, WeAreVeritgo, SS Nomadic and HMS Caroline, and other attractions across the city.

The new 280 room hotel, designed by award winning Belfast architects RMI Architects, will open in the summer of 2021, and although a brand has not yet been confirmed JMK Group’s current brands include Hampton by Hilton, Seraphine and Holiday Inn operating across both the UK and Ireland. This Titanic Quarter site will be its first investment in Northern Ireland.

A spokesperson for JMK Group explained: “This project is about making a strategic investment in Belfast’s tourism sector, meeting the increasing demand from families

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who see Belfast and Titanic Quarter as a family friendly destination. We believe that the growth of the tourist sector in Belfast and Northern Ireland has an exciting future.

“Titanic Belfast is among the leading tourist destinations in the world so we are confident that tourism will continue to be an engine of economic growth for Belfast and that is why we are investing in that future, tailoring our offer to the needs of the city.

“JMK group will be able to bring a wealth of experience in the tourism and hospitality sector to Belfast. We already have a presence in the Republic of Ireland, in Dublin and Waterford as well as a lot of experience in the London hotel market.”

More than 20,000 people live, work, study and play in Titanic Quarter daily. It has become Europe’s largest waterfront development attracting over 1 million visitors every year.

Brian Kelly, a director at the project’s planning consultants, Turley also commented: “As part of the master-planning team for Titanic Quarter, Turley

is very excited to be part of this exciting project. We are delighted that a leading UK hotel developer has chosen Titanic Quarter as its first location in Northern Ireland.

This major investment will support the area’s successful evolution into a world-class tourism destination, an international exhibition and conferencing location and a hub of local, national and international business and education.

“Tourism is a key driver of Belfast and Northern Ireland’s economy and Titanic Quarter is home to three of Northern Ireland’s top five visitor attractions, Titanic Belfast, SS Nomadic and W5. Since 2012 Titanic Belfast has attracted over 5 million visitors from across 145 countries and was awarded the

accolade of ‘World’s Leading Tourist Destination’ at the prestigious World Travel Awards in 2016.

The JMK Group own upmarket boutique hotels in London and Ireland. The JMK Group and have been investing in hotels and hotel sites across Ireland since 2013.

Their Dublin projects include the redevelopment of Findlater House on O’Connell Street into a 198-room Holiday Inn Express, which opened in 2016, and a 421-bedroom hotel which is under construction near Dublin Airport. With an estimated 4.9 million overnight trips in Northern Ireland in 2017 and expenditure associated with these trips estimated to be £926 million, JMK Group expressed confidence that demand will continue to grow.

Eyeon Motoring

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dfcbelfast.co.uk

Eye on Motoring

10 IMPORTANT QUESTIONS WHEN CHANGING YOUR CAR OR VAN

We’ve put together 10 important questions to ask yourself when looking for that new car, van or addition to your fleet to help with the decision making process.

1 Who am I dealing with?

Make sure you are dealing with a reputable company. DFC have been in the contract hire/leasing and vehicle management business since 1989. Over 85% of their customers renew with them.

2 How does the funding work?

You may have your own funding lines with your bank but why use this up? DFC use major European funders who give the most competitive funding rates.

3 How do I know I’m getting a good deal?

DFC and their business partners purchase over 50000 vehicles every year. This means that DFC can offer some of the most competitive business and personal contract hire rentals available in the fleet market.

4 How much are you willing to pay upfront?

How much are you willing to put down to get on the road? Hire purchase and PCP tend to require a higher deposit whereas most lease agreements have a lower deposit. We at DFC understand cash is the heartbeat to any business therefore we want to get you on the road as easy as possible so you can spend the money you save to grow your business instead. We believe in long-term relationships.

5 How much are you willing to pay monthly?

It’s unlikely you’ll buy a vehicle in one payment, and if you do it will most likely be through a loan therefore you’ll have to pay the loan back

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in monthly instalments including interest.

Leasing can have lower monthly payments compared to loans. Why? With contract hire you only pay for the depreciation of the car.

6. How much driving are you doing?

If you’re doing high mileage it might seem worthwhile buying outright through a car loan or hire purchase, but wait a second. With higher mileage, depreciation accelerates and ultimately you have a much lower residual value. Therefore, you could end up paying more in the long term if you buy.

7. How are you using the vehicle?

Is the vehicle for personal or business use?

If a lease is for business a proportion of the cost can be deducted from your taxes. Interest on car loans however isn’t deductible.

8. How long you want the vehicle for?

If you want a drive a new vehicle every few years leasing is a convenient option for you. At the end of your lease you simply return your vehicle. You can then start with another brand new one.

9. What type of vehicle do you need and want?

What type of car or van do you need? What do you want? Most dealerships are committed to one or two manufacturers so don’t necessarily offer you much choice. Whereas, DFC is Northern Ireland’s largest independent vehicle management company which means we can source you any make or model you want.

10. Do you want to reduce running costs?

It’s brilliant getting a great offer, but does it mean much if you’re still spending a fortune on running costs?

Have you thought about using vehicle tracking technology or in other words telematics? DFC has an exclusive partnership with RAC Telematics which means you can access powerful tracking technology on top of your contract agreement.

Through telematics you could save up to 15% on fuel through more efficient driving and reduced idling time or you could save up to 50% on accidents and breakdowns by promoting better driving behaviour to name a few benefits.

INTERESTED?

If you’re interested in leasing any make or model get a FREE, no obligation quote today call us on 02890 734222 or if this has got you asking questions about contract hire, fleet management, telematics or buying contact us on sales@dfcbelfast.co.uk or call 02890 734222

For used VAT qualifying vehicles visit our website...

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Eye on Motoring

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Local Company Local People Local Service

DFC is Northern Ireland’s only major independent locally owned Vehicle Management Company.

For over 25 years DFC have supplied, funded and managed cars and vans.

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Eye on Motoring

Summer Driving Tips from DFC t Less power - If your car seems more lethargic in summer, this is probably because the air is warmer and less dense, giving the engine a little less “oomph”.

DFC are Northern Ireland’s premier vehicle management company and we know a thing or two about cars.

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t’s now the time of year when we start making long journeys in hot weather and we know that driving in the summer can have its challenges... high temperatures can make your car behave differently.

Roads are also often busier, especially during school holidays, on airport and port approaches, and in and around popular tourist

destinations. So before you head off here’s a few driving tips to keep you safe and moving.

Modern cars largely cope fine with summer weather and driving conditions.

However, a few things can crop up – some are nothing to worry about, while others you should be mindful of.

Don’t worry about: t Pools of water under your car These are caused by condensed water from the air conditioning system t Smoke from air vents - Unless the smoke is acrid, it’s just water vapour produced by the air conditioning unit that hasn’t had time to condense. t Roaring from the engine bay - This is the cooling fan turning on and off

Local Company Local People Local Service

On the flipside, you should be aware of the following: t Tyres – high temperatures and under-inflation exacerbate existing damage and weak spots, increasing the risk of punctures. Before setting off, check tyre condition and pressures on your vehicle, as well as anything you might be towing. t Overheating – check your coolant reservoir, look for wet or white marks on coolant hoses and listen for the fan when your engine is idle. If you think anything’s amiss, have it looked at ASAP. t Fuel efficiency – use a roof box and close windows on the motorway to reduce drag; start air conditioning when doors and windows are closed, and turn it off when the car has cooled; and increase tyre pressure if you’re carrying extra passengers. t Glare – keep glass clean, repair scratches and chips, and wear non light-reactive sunglasses.

If you have a DFC vehicle and need any advice please contact our Operations Department on 02890 734222 or Annette in the Customer Care Department. If you don’t have a DFC vehicle why not let us quote for your next car or van? We supply all makes and models at great monthly rentals.

Give us a call to find out more or visit our website at dfcbelfast.co.uk

DFC is Northern Ireland’s only major independent locally owned Vehicle Management Company.

For over 25 years DFC have supplied, funded and managed cars and vans.

We are confident we can provide a cost effective solution for your business or individual needs.

Call us today for more information on our car and van offers on 028 9073 4222 or email sales@dfcbelfast.co.uk

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Eye on Motoring

Motoring with Derek Black dbmotoring@btinternet.com

LATEST BMW X3 BEEFS UP ON THE DRIVER APPEAL FACTOR!

Since it first appeared in 2003, the X3 has grown in size, sophistication and technology.

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he go-to engine for most buyers in these parts is the familiar 2.0-litre, four-cylinder turbo diesel.This has developed into a beefy 187bhp power plant which has plenty of urge and flexibility, yet it is quieter than most of its competitors.

Acceleration to 62mph takes just

8.3 seconds, more than enough for most of us and impressive for this size of machine. The 2.0-litre diesel also scores on efficiency. It is rated at up to 53mpg on the combined cycle with emissions from 140g/km.

Other power choices for the more demanding driver include the famous BMW straight six engines. The smooth diesel 30d six has 261bhp and just eats up the miles with ease. The ultimate performer is the 335bhp M40i. This petrol six can do the 62mph sprint in 4.8 seconds!

There are several choices of suspension, starting with nonadjustable steel springs which are stiffer on the M40i versions to cope with the added power. Adjustable dampers are available as an option worth considering for improved comfort.

Being a BMW, the X3 keeps the driver in mind and provides a more enjoyable experience than you would expect

from a bulky SUV. Refinement is also the keynote of the roomy interior.

The seats grip you comfortably on the bends and visibility is great.

The X3 got a five star rating in the Euro NCAP crash tests as you would expect from the brand. All models have six air bags, automatic emergency braking and a tyre pressure monitor.

If you add a driver assistance pack you also get lane assist, blindspot monitor, rear cross traffic alert and traffic sign recognition.

The ‘starter’ SE trim just gets better with every new model that is launched.

You now get lots more as standard including climate control, cruise control, auto headlamps, auto wipers, 18-inch alloy wheels, front and rear parking sensors and a reversing camera.

The latest X3 has to be rated as one of the best and most drivable of the larger SUVs. It is priced from £39,120 depending on engine and specification.

FORD’S KUGA REACHES FOR THE SUV STARS WITH SPORT ST! Audi has its S-line models, BMW has its Msport and Mercedes its AMG, so why can’t Ford join the promenade by extending its ST badge to models like the Kuga? They have done it but it is stretching the envelope on a practical everyday SUV.

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o lumber a 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine with a chunky SUV body, allwheel drive and an automatic transmission is to ensure it will not give of its best. Okay, they have turned up the turbo to produce 176PS but it still takes 11.4 seconds to reach 62mph from rest. Add mpg of 29mpg at best and emissions of 205g/km and it is clear that this model is unlikely

to find its way onto many fleets.

Do not despair, for Ford also offers less pretentious Kugas with more frugal and cleaner engines. There is a 1.5 turbo diesel rated at 54mpg with emissions of 136g/km for a starter. Still, with only 120PS it is going to be on the sluggish side and has only front-wheel drive.

However the 2.0-litre TDCi does the business with 150PS or 180PS depending on your budget. It is good for up to 54mpg combined with emissions of down to 137g/km. That will make a good compromise for the accountant!

The Kuga is good to drive and gives a good mix of comfort and handling, better than some SUVs. It is not the biggest but not the smallest either with a useful boot.

The four-wheel drive diesel can

tow up to 2.1 tonnes braked.

There are a load of trims and options on the new Kuga and this stretches the price span from just under £23K to more than £36K. My car sported 19-inch alloys, panoramic sunroof, part leather stitched trim, active park assist,

keyless entry, 8-inch screen for sat nav with Apple and Android connections and the rest. But I expect that many buyers would skip some of these features for a more realistic price tag.

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dfcbelfast.co.uk

Eye on Motoring

Motoring with Derek Black dbmotoring@btinternet.com

Hyundai World Firsts With Fuel Cells And Driverless Cars!

Hats off to Hyundai for leading the way both in fuel cell electric vehicles and in driverless cars!

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fleet of their next generation fuel cell electric vehicles has completed a self-driven 118 mile journey from the South Korean capital Seoul to Pyeongchang at speeds of up to 110km/h - a world first.

The three Hyundai cars that made the historic trip are based on the

NEXO fuel cell EV scheduled to be released in Korea next month. To start the historic drive, the ’cruise’ and ‘set buttons were pressed on the autonomous-driving steering wheel of each car - they immediately switched to self-driving mode and began the 118 mile journey.

On the highway, the vehicles moved in response to the natural flow of traffic, making lane changes, overtaking manoeuvres and navigating toll gates using Hi-pass, South-Korea’s wireless expressway payment system.

Under the bonnet there is a reaction between hydrogen and oxygen in the fuel cell stack with the only tail pipe emission being water vapour. The NEXO has a target range of 500 miles on a single charge of hydrogen and takes only five minutes to refuel.

Not surprisingly, these developments have been viewed

with interest in Germany where the Audi Group and Hyundai Motor Group have announced a multi-year patent cross-licensing agreement, covering a broad range of fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) components and technologies.

Under the new partnership, the world’s fifth-largest auto-making group and the German premium car maker will make joint efforts in developing FCEVs, to lead the automotive industry to a more sustainable future.

The deal aims to benefit Hyundai and Kia in Korea as well as Audi and the whole Volkswagen group which includes SEAT, Skoda and Bentley.

Little has been heard about Fuel cells recently since they were hailed some years ago as the elegant solution to green motoring since the only exhaust emission is water vapour.

Now we can see a way forward in their use to power electric cars. As for the driverless cars - words fail me!

SEAT GOES BIG WITH ITS NEW TOP OF THE RANGE SUV! What’s in a name? The SEAT Tarraco, called after an old Spanish city south of Barcelona, is the third largish SUV from the VW group. Like the Skoda Kodiac, it has similar essentials to the Tiguan Allspace but there are subtle differences.

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he car carrying the VW badge costs more but may hold its value slightly better.

The Skoda one may be more keenly priced and more comfortably sprung while the SEAT equivalent claims to be a bit sportier to drive. Seven seats (well five plus two in adult terms!) are provided and all-wheel drive and automatic transmission are optional.

Built in the Wolfsburg factory in Germany there is no mistaking the quality feel of the new SEAT flagship and it has the group’s latest

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technology including a 10-inch digital instrument panel . While the intriguing 1.5 TSI petrol engine which can shut down two cylinders when not needed to save fuel is available, the evergreen 2.0 TDI is still the default choice for business buyers - at least until a hybrid option becomes available next year.

With the ‘cooking’ 150PS version of the turbo diesel, the big SUV can make 62mph in under 10 seconds which is respectable enough and you can get a 190PS version if

you really want more grunt. But I suspect that the less powerful TDI will win the popular vote.

With emissions of 129g/km and combined consumption of up to 48mpg, the six speed manual 150PS TDI is the most tax friendly version of the Tarraco. If you add the seven speed automatic and/or four-wheel drive then the returns are slightly lower.

The Tarraco certainly has a more

sporting feel than its siblings. It has 20-inch alloy wheels as an option but these make for a fidgety ride on some surfaces. Premium features include an 8-inch central display, sliding and reclining second row seats, a top view reversing camera, electric tailgate and park assist.

Priced from just over £28K before haggling, the Tarraco offers a roomy and well finished large SUV at more competitive prices than some.

When it comes to From a fleet of one looking after your vehicles, to a fleet of many, we’re driven. we’re here for you.

Whatever your company requirements, be it one car or many Whatever your company requirements, be it one car vehicles, at Fleet Financial we pride ourselves on managing your or many vehicles, at Fleet Financial we pride ourselves needs, so you don’t have to. on having the right solution for your business.

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