ForestsideLife
Welcome from Lee Cutler, Centre Manger, Forestside Welcome to the fourth edition of Forestside Life and once again, I am delighted to tell you about our new and exciting initiatives at Forestside, where we are committed to contributing to and supporting our local communities. In addition to sponsoring events to encourage community involvement, we pride ourselves in developing our own unique events in association with local schools, community groups, businesses, charities and our customers. The newly introduced Music on the Mall initiative is proving to be a huge success with young musical talent from schools across the province taking part in a singer/songwriter competition, which then through our sponsorship of the Belfast Nashville Songwriters Festival, provides an opportunity for our winners to perform with a range of international stars. Along with our own Special concert on mall and a programme of ongoing entertainment ‘Under the Tree’ at Forestside, we provide entertainment and enjoyment for our shoppers at Forestside. This initiative is just one of the many great schemes run by the centre for the development of young people in the fields of art, engineering, business skills, food and catering and life skills. Our Forestside Food Festival is another great opportunity for young and old to sample and taste local and international cuisine, prepared right on the mall. Our latest Forestside Life booklet is packed with activities with something for everyone. I look forward to welcoming you to Forestside and do hope you will take part in some of our great activities.
Yours sincerely
Lee Cutler Lee Cutler Centre Manager
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Forestside Life
is a programme of initiatives and opportunities for all our customers, local schools, community groups and businesses. Our aim is to clearly demonstrate our commitment to enhancing and improving the community where we live, work and relax in and also to help educate all involved, while enjoying the experience they are taking part in.
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Forestside Fundo
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Marie Curie Walk 10
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Food Festival
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Christmas at Forestside
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Teacher of the Year
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Moos on the Mall
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Primary School Planters
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Young Enterprise and Young Designer
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Young Engineer and Young Chef
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Music at Forestside
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Team Forestside and Events
Private and Co All Rights Reserv
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Forestside Grand Fundo For the last three years, M&S have organised the Grand Fundo event for their staff in aid of Action Cancer. Grand Fundo is a fundraising event for staff, family and friends to cycle or walk with all proceeds going to the nominated charity. This year, M&S kindly agreed to let Team Forestside, our customers, families and friends get involved. It was a great family day out on Sunday 24th July with the walking group led by M&S and a thirty mile cycle ride (or 60 miles for the more serious riders) led by Team Forestside riders, then back to Forestside for refreshments, music and face painting on mall. Forestside’s charity partner Marie Curie also benefited from the proceeds as well as Action Cancer.
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We were delighted that friends from 2 local cycling clubs, Castlereagh and Phoenix came along to take part with friends and family. With much support already promised for next year, we know it is going to be bigger and better so we would like to invite everyone to come along and join another great event at Forestside. For any further information contact the helping hands desk on the mall at Forestside or email: helpinghands@ forestside.co.uk
Marie Curie Walk Ten event Marie Curie has teamed up with Forestside to launch its 2016 Walk Ten event which will take place on Friday 9 September in the grounds of the Stormont Estate – start time 7pm. This year’s event will be supported by Forestside Shopping Centre. This is the first time the Marie Curie Walk Ten event will have a headline partner. Lee Cutler, Centre Manager commented, “This year we decided to get fully behind the event. Our aim is simple; to make the ‘2016 Walk Ten’ the best ever by encouraging as many people as possible to participate and in turn helping to raise more money for Marie Curie.” Walk Ten event is now in its sixth year, during which time it has raised over £500,000. This money has had a huge impact on people, and their families living with a terminal illness and has enabled Marie Curie to continue to deliver its nursing service in the community and at its specialist hospice based in East Belfast. Walk Ten is a great excuse to get together with friends, family or colleagues for a beautiful 10K walk around the Stormont estate. Participants take part at their own pace and we actively encourage walkers to bring a picnic, so they can relax and enjoy the live entertainment and firework finale after their walk. Registration for Walk Ten is now open. Walkers can sign up by visiting www.mariecurie.org.uk/walkten or for more information call 028 9088 2060 or visit the helping hands desk at Forestside.
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Forestside Food Festival The Forestside Food Festival is a 10 day festival, celebrating food from Forestside and beyond. It truly is a ‘Festival of Food’ with daily demos at our purpose built demo kitchen on mall from our own head Chef Stephen Jeffers and a host of celebrity and guest chefs, demonstrating a mouth-watering range of local and international dishes. As well as cookery demonstrations, there are tastings, competitions and challenges, highlighting the best of local food, culinary expertise and local products, as well as daily entertainment and fun. There will also be live ‘Cook – offs’ on mall with the best local chefs of all ages being challenged though three unique competitions to find: - The best amateur chef - The best professional chef - The schools challenge There will also be a range of local producers and cafes showcasing their exciting offerings on selected days throughout the festival. Keep an eye on our website www.forestside.co.uk in the food section, for details of what’s on each day.
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So why not put the dates in your diary now – 4th to 13th November 2016 and come along, join the fun and eat and drink the best local foods and drinks we have here in NI! 6
Christmas at Forestside
Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas at Forestside, without Santa and Mrs Claus arriving in time to meet all the boys and girls and have lots of magical fun-filled days as Christmas approaches. On Friday 25th November, Santa and Mrs Claus will be arriving, along with Rudolph, who will be pulling the sleigh accompanied by a parade of festive characters and carol singers. There will be fun and festive entertainment galore – with something for the whole family to enjoy. Santa will once again be accompanied by around 20 Harley Davidson Motorbikes, police outriders, cartoon characters and magicians, along with his sack, packed full of goodies and treats. Full details will be available on www.forestside.co.uk
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Primary School Teacher of the Year
2016
To support Forestside’s commitment to local schools, the centre sponsors ‘The Ni4kids Family Awards – Primary School Teacher of the Year’ category. The Ni4kids Family Awards reward and celebrate family superheroes from across Northern Ireland who put families first. The individuals and organisations who go above and beyond the call of duty to help families with young children. People say teaching is a vocation not a job. In every school there will be a special teacher who deserves high praise for their devotion to the children in their class and their school. The Forestside Primary School teacher of the Year award celebrates the vital contribution that teaching staff make to our community every day and recognises teachers who not only inspire school children, but put in much more than a 9 -3 day and help make their school a better place to be. 2016 winner is Fiona McGoldrick, Loughview Integrated Primary School, Belfast, pictured with Lee Cutler, Centre Manager, Forestside and the Minister for Education Peter Weir MLA Look out for details of this year’s Awards on www.forestside.com and make sure to nominate your teacher or visit www.NI4kids.com/familyawards.
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Moos on the Mall The Forestside ‘Moos on the Mall’ are now an important part of life at the centre. Local schools do a fantastic job in the creative decoration of the moos each Halloween and Spring, with so many of our customers commenting on how bright and cheerful the moos are and what a fantastic job the children do in preparing them. Thanks to all the pupils and teachers who get involved and help make the Halloween Moos as scary and spooky as ever and the Spring Moos so colourful and bright. The Moos are one of our most valuable fundraising tools for the vital charities that Forestside partners up with every year so we, along with the charities involved, really appreciate the effort that has gone into decorating them. The ‘Moos on the Mall’ Art project is held twice a year, but sometimes if there is a special event, they make guest appearances. Forestside will deliver the mini Moos to those schools, community groups or organisations who have applied and are chosen to take part, along with materials to help paint and decorate the Moo. Once decorated, the Moos will be mooo-ved back to Forestside, to graze on the Mall. Any school, community group or organisation wishing to take part in the ‘Moos on the Mall’ art project, should contact Margaret McClelland at Forestside on Tel: 02890 494995 or email: margaret@forestside.co.uk
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Primary School Planters The Forestside Life – Primary School Planters project, supported by Sainsburys at Forestside, is a unique learning experience for primary school children. It is designed to help children understand and appreciate the process of growing flowers, fruit and vegetables and also to enhance the environment in which the children learn, play and relax, through the planning and development of their very own school garden. As one teacher commented, “It’s lovely to watch the children developing and understanding the growth process from seed to bloom and then harvest. They have so much fun as well in this ‘hands on’ experience and enjoy getting everything prepared and harvested in time for the School Fayre.” Running a school garden requires not only horticultural knowledge but also “people skills” and common sense. Other useful qualities are enthusiasm, organisational capacity and a flair for creativity. What do Schools and pupils have to do? Schools are asked to keep a scrapbook, pictorial record and/or an online blog to show the work
undertaken during the various stages from planning the garden to preparing the planter boxes, choosing the flowers, shrubs and vegetables, planting, caring and tending and all the various stages along the process. This allows the children to plan, participate, observe closely and recall what they have done, to get a sense of direction and achievement. Most importantly, the children have fun in doing it all themselves and clearly see the success and results of all their hard work. Forestside and Sainsburys’ Support Forestside will provide participating schools with 3 planters and will arrange to have them filled with soil. Our landscape gardener is happy to provide gardening and growing tips to the children and schools. Sainsburys at Forestside will also provide a support pack with gardening tools and utensils, plants, seeds, compost and other related equipment. Any primary school interested in becoming involved and who would like further details should contact Margaret McClelland at Forestside on Tel: 02890 494995 or email: margaret@forestside.co.uk
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Secondary Schools Young Enterprise Scheme The search is on again to find the best Young Entrepreneurs in our local schools. The Forestside Young Entrepreneur of the Year competition, not only recognises the best entrepreneurial flair and talent in the competing teams, but offers several students the opportunity for work experience in live situations with some of our top retailers at Forestside. The scheme, run in conjunction with Young Enterprise Northern Ireland, through their Young Enterprise scheme is a six month enterprise programme for 11 to 18 year olds, from schools in the Belfast and South East area, which culminates with the winning school and overall individual winner being crowned in Forestside.
Schools Young Designer of the Year This exciting school’s initiative allows students to promote the programme & systems design work that they produce for examination purposes. The competition gives students and schools the opportunity to showcase their skills to over 100,000 people at Forestside. The competition is judged on a number of criteria, with fantastic prizes for the school and pupils. For further details or if you or your school would like to be involved, please contact Margaret McClelland at Forestside on Tel: 02890 494995 or email: margaret@forestside.co.uk
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Young Engineer of the Year The Young Engineer of the Year competition is aimed at engaging pupils in post Primary schools in engineering projects and encouraging GCSE technology uptake. Schools and pupils are invited to build, prepare and race a 1/10th scale remote controlled car at a dedicated schools Grand Prix, which will be held annually.
Young Chef of the Year The young Chef of the year is a competition run during the Forestside Food Festival in November and is open to young people of secondary school age. Entrants have to plan and prepare a dish and then take part in a ‘Live Cook-off’ on the mall, under the watchful eye of resident chef, Stephen Jeffers. For further details of both competitions or if you or your school would like to be involved, please contact Margaret McClelland at Forestside on Tel: 02890 494995 or email: margaret@forestside.co.uk
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Music at Forestside Forestside’s latest venture was born out of our decision to allow young singers to come on mall to busk while customers were shopping, where they were safe and sound. Fairly quickly we realised there is a huge amount of young original talent in Belfast and a large number of young people who are capable of writing their own material. All these young people needed was a location and vehicle to help them on their way. Through working with Panarts Belfast Nashville Songwriters Festival and with the cooperation of AER and Dootdoot Music, we launched
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The Forestside Schools Song Challenge - a competition on mall to find the best young local singer songwriters capable of playing on stage at the Belfast Nashville Festival in March. Fifteen young people entered the competition and we were astonished at the standard of original music. The first three received cash prizes and in addition got to share the stage at Belfast Nashville Festival with Sam Wickens, Jim Lauderdale and Sonia Leigh. They all loved the experience as it gave them the chance to network and share experiences with Grammy award winning international artists.
‘Forestside Unplugged’ To help develop the emerging stars and following their incredible performances at Panarts Belfast Nashville Festival, we hosted ‘Forestside Unplugged’. A live gig on mall in aid of Marie Curie where 12 out of the 15 young people performed live in front of their friends, family, guests and other artists. It also gave our guys an opportunity to meet each other and gave each one their chance to be a headlining act.
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‘Forestside under the Tree’
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We have followed up the success of the venture with ‘Forestside Under The Tree’ live sessions, where we professionally record each young person’s original track and give them a mixed and mastered sound file and video file to use as a marketing tool. We have also just launched Forestside SoundCloud and Forestside Youtube channels to share our growing list of talented young artists.
songwriters who are forging a career in the music business. These guys will offer help and advice gained from their own experience. We also provide training, advice and guidance on radio interviews, video recordings, sound and home studio recording techniques. Anyone interested will be welcome, just get in touch with us if you would like to attend any of these sessions.
‘Under The Tree’ sessions will continue throughout the year as well as monthly ‘Unplugged’ sessions in Caffè Nero with Sam Leeson, an established local singer/songwriter. We will feature guest appearances from established local
https://soundcloud.com/ forestside-underthetree
Check it out on:
https://www.youtube. com/channel/ UC4qohwbJ99SYJXQX5MC5BvA
Our next big Project Our next big project is to launch the next young singer/songwriter competition in October 2016. We will also be taking as many of our artists as we can forward to the Song Academy Young Songwriter competition which is a UK wide competition searching to find young original artists from around the UK. One of our artists has already been selected in the top ten entries for this competition, so success is out there and within your grasp. Please do not hesitate to get in touch if you would like your talent to be
given a chance to be heard. All we ask is that you are local, can play live and you have written at least one original track. If we agree that you have talent, we have sound engineers, video professionals and a host of opportunities to get you noticed in the music world and we will do everything in our power to help you gain the recognition you deserve. Contact Lee Cutler, Centre Manager at Forestside on Ph. 028 90 494990 or email: helpinghands@forestside.co.uk
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Team Forestside from strength to strength Team Forestside is a group of Forestside management, staff, customers and friends who take part in events to have fun, raise money for charities and enjoy the camaraderie and friendship of all those involved. Every year it continues to grow with not only more people taking part, but new and exciting events being added. The calendar of events and fun days for the year ahead is already filling up with running, walking and cycling events, dog walks and family events, as well as charity challenges and community events. The distinctive Team Forestside’s kit is now appearing all over Northern Ireland and beyond. We are always looking for new members, so no matter what level of ability or fitness you have, if you are interested in joining Team Forestside, please contact our Helping Hands desk on the mall. Full details of all events will be posted in the Forestside Life section at www.forestside.co.uk Lap the Lough Titanic 10K Charity Dog Walk in Belvoir Park with Assistance Dogs NI Forestside Lite Lites Forestside Youth team Team Forestside/Castlereagh Youth Team Event North Down Coastal Challenge Co-operation Ireland Maracycle Grand Fondo Ciclovia
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A warm welcome awaits from all our retailers. Thanks for your support for our charities throughout the year
www.forestside.co.uk