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Women Magazines are now frontline who are risking their lives day and daily supported our fundraising efforts. available as digital downloads from our during the Covid-19 crisis. Many of you contacted us because you are unable to website www.localwomenmagazine.com Like everyone we have been humbled by the work leave your homes and couldn’t get out to buy Local priced at just £1 each. done by NHS workers during this pandemic and we Women - now you can have it delivered digitally For the months of May and June the proceeds from wanted to do whatever we could to support them. direct to your device. the downloads will go directly to the Health Trusts The Local Women team have volunteered their Why not download a copy of Local Women? Tell in Northern Ireland – so, by reading the magazine time to produce the magazines for the ﬁve areas your friends to download it too - and let’s raise as online you are supporting the NHS workers on the of the country and our advertisers have fully much money as possible for the NHS!

I’m so ready for things to go back to normal. Every day I can see little changes, shops beginning to reopen, the roads getting busier, people returning to work. Things are moving fast now and it’s only a matter of weeks before lockdown will be a distant memory – well, for the time being. Sometimes it feels a bit overwhelming. Because the uncertainty continues for mums in particular as we ponder a future of part time schooling and a lack of available childcare. Yes, of course I know, childcare is a problem for both parents not just mums… but I think we all know who the bulk of childcare falls to! While it’s a blessing to be safe and healthy, the stress and emotional upheaval of keeping children occupied and trying to homeschool sometimes feels like an uphill battle. There have been days when I haven’t even got dressed, never mind run about the place baking bread and enthusiastically teaching my reluctant son how to count to 100 in French. There have been weeks when homeschooling has been nonexistent, days of gaming, days of TV, hours, and hours of doing not very much at all. But we continue. And we try to make sense of this new normal – I hate that expression! I try not to think too far ahead to the autumn term when schools might only open for a few days a week. Facing the unknown is tough, particularly when it comes to our children. They have missed out on so much already. But every day things improve; life is moving on. School will return full time one day – won’t it?! Until next month,

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THE LESSONS LEARNT…FROM MUM Castlederg’s Johann Muldoon tells Local Women how the unwavering support she received from her mum Patricia set her on the road to success and inspired her to set up an online forum where women can support each other.

By Lisa Smyth

hey say there is nothing like a mother’s love.

And that is certainly true for the bond between Johann Muldoon and her mum, Patricia. Growing up in Castlederg, Johann was bullied by her classmates and even picked on by her teachers and through it all, Patricia was her biggest champion. When Johann was nine, Patricia found the money to pay for her to attend Omagh Academy – setting her on the path to happiness and success. Over the years, Johann has gone on to prove her doubters wrong and she now juggles her time between raising her three children and taking her Moneymore-based business to a global level. Despite how busy she is, however, Johann is now channelling her efforts into setting up a charity aimed at helping and empowering women – and unsurprisingly the inspiration for Platform NI is Patricia. She said: “My mum was such a big influence on me, she was a community psychiatric nurse and she spent her life helping people. “When I was small, she used to take me out to work with her and she would always explain to me that you should never judge anyone. “She had unfaltering confidence in me, unfaltering loyalty to me. “I remember going to a cross country race event when I was 12 and I hated cross country, I’m more of a sprinter, I prefer fast results.

“She said to me, ‘someone has to come first, and it might be you’, and that’s always stuck with me. 8 | Local Women Magazine

ƒ Johann became the first woman in Northern Ireland to receive an MBE for architecture

“Everything I’ve done since then; I’ve always thought about what she said to me.” Tragically, Patricia died when she was just 55 years old, and Johann has felt her loss every day since then. “It was sudden, she had breast cancer when she was 42 but she had recovered from it and it had never come back,” continued Johann, mum to Conn (5), Erin (4) and two-year-old Jack. “However, it was oestrogen dependent and they removed her ovaries and her womb, and she went through the menopause very quickly as a result. “After that she developed epilepsy, it caused quite a few problems, she also had vertigo.

ƒ Johann is constantly inspired by her mum

“Within three months it was the largest private group of its kind in the country and now has over 8,000 members.”

“She was on medication for the epilepsy as it was quite severe and then she had a seizure in her sleep and that’s when she passed away.

So, she started to work towards launching Platform NI.

“It was horrendous, it was the thing I always feared because she was always my safety blanket, when things went wrong, she fixed them, she made things better even just by talking about them.

Johann continued: “I’ve been involved in many groups myself over the years, but there were none that fitted across the board, for those retired, stay at home, business people, professionals, there were all quite specific, but I wanted to give a voice to all women irrelevant of their situation.

“I still feel the loss now, it’s always there, I constantly think about her in some way or another. “It’s not in a negative way, I’m not sitting around crying, but I’m aware of the loss and what impact she had on my life.” Johann knew that she wanted to do something to honour her mum, but it wasn’t until the death of a dear friend in September last year that she began to put her plans into action. “I went to see her in Omagh Hospital, and we spent time together talking about our lives,” said Johann. “We’d had great fun with each other over the years, we had great stories that will never be told. “When we were talking, she mentioned ƒ Johann is on a mission to help other women

“The stories which have been shared and the positivity which the group has created, down completely to the women within it, led me to about how I spoke at my mum’s funeral and establish the charity.” she said I could have such great influence It has a number of objectives – in particular, than I think possible. Johann is keen to address issues relating to “She said it because even though my heart was childcare, retraining, and mental health and breaking, I was able to get up and speak from the well-being. heart about my mum. “I’m looking forward to seeing change happen “I’d never thought about it in that way and then and being part of the process. when I left, I knew it was the last time I would “I’m working with a number of other women, see her, and I was walking out of the hospital and who are successful, who represent different I was so upset. groups of women, and we’re working to develop “I was thinking about her and my mum, these befriending and support groups. two, wonderful women, who had achieved such “One of them is Maureen Owens, who has wonderful things in their lives, and their stories were being lost, no-one would know how great worked and run two businesses and is also an administrator for Families Moving On, set up they were. after the Omagh bomb. “It was then that I decided I was going to “They are all amazing women and they’re do something, and I went home and set up a committed to making a difference. Facebook page called ‘‘The lessons learnt’. ƒ Castlederg woman Patricia Muldoon

“It’s such an exciting time and I’m really excited “I wanted to set up a forum where women could lift each other up, where they could speak about what we will be able to achieve. honestly and support each other. “People have been saying to me I must be mad “I have always written things down and I because of all the work it’s taking, because I started posting bits and pieces and learning more already have my business and the kids, but I love about Facebook and quite quickly the group proving people wrong. started taking off.”

“It’s even more exciting because it’s a legacy to In fact, Johann was overwhelmed by the success my mum and everything she did for me. of the page, which she said demonstrates the “My job as an architect is about legacy, having unmet need for women across Northern Ireland. children is about legacy and now, so is the charity.” Local Women Magazine | 9

HOW TO BEAT LOCKDOWN SKIN WITH YOUNIQUE SKIN RITUAL DAYS THE EXPERTS AT YOUNIQUE AESTHETICS ARE HERE WITH SKIN RITUAL DAYS TO KEEP YOUR SKIN LOOKING GOOD WHILE NORMAL LIFE IS DISRUPTED.

boredom and for comfort. Being at home so much also can mean we are increasing the time we spend with our electronic devices. “Tablets, computers and phone screens create damaging radiation that is reﬂected back on to our skin.” Aileen, Younique’s senior skin therapist, says the stress of being in lockdown and having normal routines changed could also be behind skin problems. She says: “Bad skin is often caused by stress. Your body creates cortisol under stress (especially stress you have no control over) which in turn leads to oily skin and break outs, also swelling and rashes.

When lockdown was announced, many of us thought it would be a chance to give our skin a break. No make-up for weeks, more opportunity for sleep, less exposure to pollution without the daily commute. Surely, we should all be glowing and dewy by now?

in our skin and it can be upsetting to see all our hard work go down the drain.

So, our Younique experts are here to explain the phenomenon of ‘lockdown skin’ – and help But, judging by the social media messages us understand why being coming through about your skin concerns inside and doing nothing and asking about products on our online isn’t necessarily the best shop, it seems it hasn’t quite worked out thing for our beauty regimes. like that for a lot of us! Aine, Younique’s Clinical Loads of us are actually ﬁnding that our skin Director, says diet could be is breaking out, and is oily, dull or dry during one of the key culprits. lockdown. This is an added stress that we She says: “More people really don’t need right now. I’m sure you are likely to be snacking due to will agree, a lot of us have invested heavily

She also agrees “Poor diet is another signiﬁcant factor. What many people do not realise is that the gut and the skin are interconnected. If you are overeating or stress eating this can often lead to eczema and rosacea.” Another key issue that Aileen highlights is potential dehydration. Are you drinking enough water now you are working from home? And are you drinking the right kinds of liquids? “Dehydration can be from two factors; not drinking enough water and drinking too many cups of coffee, tea or sugary beverages which will dehydrate your

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skin,” says Aileen

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“If dehydration is your issue, have a bottle of water by your bed – as soon as you get up drink it, use a water app to remind yourself to drink water and don’t ignore it,” she adds. “Replace tea with hot lemon water.” As well as making a big effort to stay hydrated, there are other things you can do to try to limit the effects of ‘lockdown skin.’ During lockdown Aine says we should be avoiding too much reﬁned sugar and chocolate, because they will dehydrate the skin and can cause breakouts. She says: “Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, they will nourish your skin with a lot of vitamins, also eating plenty of dried fruits will help because of their high ﬁbre content and antioxidants.” “Please make sure you are protecting your skin with a combination of Vitamin C and SPF to bounce back more than 80% of UV rays,” she adds. “Despite some people having very limited time outside, make sure you use at least factor 40+ on your skin as the UV rays coming from the windows are enough to age your skin and create pigmentation.” Aine says that the extra time at home may also make people head to the garden to make the most of the sunshine. “Sunshine is a fantastic source of vitamin D, but never sit out without protecting your skin from the UV rays and try to avoid sitting for periods of 30 minutes or longer between 11am and 2pm.” Make the most of self-isolation to work on your skin texture. Aine recommends using a prescribed medical grade retinol once or twice a week, for optimum results. “This accelerates new skin production. Even if we peel and have redness, we don’t have any events or parties to attend.” It is important to use SPF protection alongside retinol products and start with a low concentration. Aine adds that lockdown is a great opportunity to work on your overall wellbeing, which can help to make your skin better too. “Relax and make time for meditation and exercise,” she says. “Your skin will thank you for it! Trust me.”

The Younique Ambassadors are working hard at home with their special skin ritual skincare kits, which can all be purchased on the Younique’s Online Shop and delivered free of charge to the safety of your home. Younique’s ambassadors are: Talented beauty, Jordan Humphries from Q Radio, who will be using the AlumierMD collection. Online sensation and owner of Sugar Coating Nails, Ingrid Graham, who will be using the Younique Clinical kit. International business woman, Gemma Garrett, who will be using SkinCeuticals products. These ladies will share the success of their skincare journey with you. All you have to do is follow them on their social media pages to ﬁnd out how they are getting their glow on during lockdown. And to help you on your lockdown journey, we are giving you the chance to win the skincare kit used by your favourite ambassador. Simply go to Younique’s social media platforms and look for the #youniqueselfcareskincare competition.

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THANK YOU TO OUR

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As things slowly get back to normality, Local Women Magazine pays tribute to the wonderful health care professionals in our communities who have worked tirelessly to keep us all safe during the pandemic. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

Local Women Magazine | 13

“CARING DOESN’T FEEL LIKE WORK”

Rathfriland Domiciliary Care Worker, Susanne McCabe, has been working hard during the pandemic keeping her clients safe and now she is training to be a nurse. that everything was going to be okay.

Some people are born to be in a caring profession and Susanne McCabe from Rathfriland is a wonderful example of a true professional.

“Some of the older people were very anxious about what was going to happen. They were worried we weren’t going to come out to them anymore. I had to reassure them that we would be continuing with their care.

Having worked as a Domiciliary Care Worker throughout the pandemic, the 20-year-old is now planning on becoming a nurse. Susanne works in the community with elderly clients and those with physical and mental disabilities, delivering care plans.

ƒ Susanne and her family

However, she sees her role as more than just a job and has built relationships with her clients who she describes as “like a family.”

“There are changes of course. It takes longer to get ready to go into a house because you have to change completely into PPE. It cuts back on the time we have with our clients, but we have to stay safe “It was important that I did my best for my clients. Over the years I have grown so attached to many of them. I just want them to feel comfortable and not to worry.”

Susanne says: “I can honestly say I love my job. I wouldn’t want to do anything else.

Susanne’s work has inspired her to start studying for a nursing degree and she will be following in the footsteps of her mum Colleen who has been nursing throughout the crisis.

“Throughout the pandemic it’s been hard watching my friends all off on furlough while I have often worked seven days a week. But I don’t mind really. I l love what I do.”

But she intends to combine her work as a carer with her Open University degree.

When Susanne left school, she knew she wanted to go into a caring profession, but she didn’t want to go to university.

“I wouldn’t want to go to college full time, I want to continue working as I enjoy my job.

“I wanted to get started straight away. I found my job as a Domiciliary Care Worker and have never looked back. “Most days it doesn’t feel like a job. I visit lots of regular clients and I have built up an amazing relationship with many of them. I love helping and making people feel safe. It’s the perfect job for me.”

“It can be tough, but it is so rewarding. During the pandemic people have finally seen what carers like me do. We don’t get credit very often, so it was nice to be appreciated. “However, the work itself is so worthwhile that it is reward enough.”

But of course, Coronavirus has made Susanne’s job more difficult and she has had to adapt to lot of new safety measure to keep herself and her clients safe. Many of her clients are in vulnerable groups and so she has to wear PPE and received training on new safety protocols.

ƒ Susanne McCabe from Rathfriland 14 | Local Women Magazine

And, while she was anxious about the threat of the virus, she knew she had to reassure her clients

ƒ Susanne can’t wait for lockdown to end

“THERE ARE SO MANY UNSUNG HEROES”

For Glengormley nurse Linsey Sheerin, working through the pandemic was a surreal time but one she found extremely rewarding. It is International Year of the Nurse, but at the start of 2020 Linsey Sheerin wasn’t expecting any congratulations or praise for the job she loves.

ƒ Linsey Sheerin from Glengormley

Who would have believed that just a few months later, nurses and other NHS workers would be receiving rounds of applause on doorsteps across the nation? Mum-of-one Linsey from Glengormley, who is Service Manager at the Emergency Department of the Royal Victoria Hospital, has always enjoyed being a nurse. And she says she is proud to have been part of a team that worked full time under intense conditions during the pandemic. She explains: “If one good thing comes out of this, it is that nurses and health care professionals are getting the long overdue recognition they deserve. “I have never witnessed such dedication and teamwork and it makes me so proud.” Like all of us, it was in January when Linsey first began to hear rumours about the Covid-19 pandemic sweeping China. Towards the end of that month there were serious concerns that it was only a matter of time before it hit Northern Ireland. “We monitored the situation, but it didn’t

seem real until we saw it in Italy. At that point we knew we had to get ready. “We started to learn more about the virus, and we received training and took part in simulations. Everything swung into action very quickly. There are so many unsung heroes who worked round the clock to reconfigure the department to adhere to social distancing and to enable us to isolate people presenting with symptoms.” As the department geared up for the big changes about to happen, at home Linsey had to explain to her daughter Zoe that if things got bad, she might not be coming home for a long time. “At first there was such a sense of the unknown. No one knew what was going to happen. We were preparing for something, but we didn’t know what was going to happen. The waiting was hard, it made us all feel very anxious.

ƒ Linsey with her daughter Zoe and husband Neil 15 | Local Women Magazine

“I had to explain to my daughter that I might have to stay at the hospital. In work we all made preparations for that. No one knew if we would

have to sleep at the hospital or what was going to happen.” The anxiety experienced by the staff was also felt by patients. Many people attended hospital as they were convinced, they were displaying symptoms of Covid. “All the anxiety was heightened by having to get used to the full PPE that was now required. It’s very different working with colleagues in PPE as often you don’t even recognise them and communicating can be an issue. “Waiting for the storm to hit was tough but we were prepared. We got used to the new way of working. “Our team became closer and, in fact, we became closer with many of the other staff in the hospital. We became like a family. “Everyone pulled together and, although it was surreal, we got used to the new normal. “Right now, there is still a lot of work to do. We are busier than ever, and the work continues. “People can be reassured that if there is a second wave, we are ready. This time we will be even more prepared and can deal with whatever is thrown at us.” Local Women Magazine | 15 Local Women Magazine | 15

“I’M PRIVILEGED TO BE PART OF A FRONTLINE TEAM” Ballymoney nurse Colleen Morrison joined in the frontline battle against Covid-19 when she provided support to care homes.

If you had told Colleen Morrison at the start of the year that by April she would be working back on the frontline in a residential home, she wouldn’t have believed you. But for the dedicated Ballymoney Community Manager, the Covid-19 crisis has seen her move back into frontline nursing and, although it has been a tough time, she describes her new role as a ‘privilege’. Before the pandemic, the nurse of almost 40 years was working in a community management role, overseeing a team of health and social care professionals in the Ballymena and Antrim area. Although she found her job rewarding, it was a far cry from the busy days on the ward she remembered as a trainee nurse back in 1983. Colleen, 58, was able to use everything she had learned on the wards and community over the years, plus her extensive management experience, to play her part in the fight against Coronavirus in the care home sector. When it was revealed that care homes needed support to fight the pandemic, Colleen didn’t hesitate to volunteer herself. She explains: “I knew I needed to go into the homes myself. If I had an elderly relative, I would want to know that they were safe. It was important to see for myself what support the staff needed.” Mum-of-three Colleen organised a group of fellow health and social care professionals to go into local care homes to help support the staff through the unprecedented crisis. “I know the amazing work the carers in these care homes do. They have always gone above and beyond to look after their patients, but no one could have predicted what was about to happen. It was completely overwhelming. “I wanted to make sure we weren’t taking over; we needed to support their work and find new ways of working to keep staff and residents safe.” 16 | Local Women Magazine

ƒ Jessica and Emily with their mum Colleen. Jessica is a doctor working in a Covid Ward (right) and Emily is a chemical engineer (key worker - middle) working on respiratory drugs for a major pharmaceutical company (GSK.)

Over the past few weeks Colleen and her team have been working in various care homes throughout the area to offer help to staff who have been left to cope with a healthcare crisis that no one could have predicted. Her team including nurses, social workers, occupational therapists, psychology and mental health staff went into the homes to look at all aspects of care. “Basically, we wrapped a team round each home. Carers have a different job from nurses but we share the common bond of caring and compassion. Many of the carers regard their residents as family and they never hesitate to go above and beyond to look after them.” “During the Covid period it meant adopting new infection controls and protocols for both staff and patients.” “Although it has been years since I have been in frontline nursing, it was great to get back in and use my skills to help out. My team were just fantastic. It is a wonderful example of integrated working and an amazing team effort.” Colleen has the utmost respect for carers who have been tasked with a very difficult job over the past few weeks and months. “At no point did we take over, that wasn’t

ƒ Colleen Morrison from Ballymoney

ƒ Colleen’s yeldest daughter Kerry who is married with two boys Charlie and Harry. She is a medical secretary in Causeway Hospital.

our job. We were simply there to support. We had to help the carers adapt to a new normal and deal with the correct use of PPE and increased infection control. “I am so proud to be part of team that was able to help and do our bit. I feel very proud to be a nurse and it is so heartening see the good work people are doing. “I would like to reassure people that the situation is under control, and we are ready to go back into the care homes at any time should the situation arise. “It has been a tough few months but so worthwhile. Community care is a great place to work and I feel this situation has brought out the best in so many people.”

“I AM PROUD TO BE A NURSE”

Inishcarn nurse Patricia McDade’s working life was turned upside down as she set up a Covid Ward at Mid Ulster Hospital to help fight the pandemic. Managing the Covid Ward at Mid Ulster Hospital has given Patricia McDade a renewed pride in her profession and total appreciation of the wonderful colleagues who are part of her team.

ƒ Patricia with her daughters Kia and Dominique

Pre-pandemic mum-of-two Patricia from Iniscarn near Draperstown worked in management as a lead nurse at Mid Ulster Hospital and looked after a team of health care professionals as well as a 21-bed rehab ward. But in matter of days, Patricia’s working life was turned upside down as the hospital prepared for the Coronavirus pandemic. Patricia explains: “It started to gather pace around St Patrick’s Day. Obviously there had been lots of talk about the pandemic but around that time was when we knew things were going to change for us at Mid Ulster.

patient at all times.

“We needed to quickly convert the rehab ward into a Covid Ward. Everything needed stripped out and refitted within a matter of days. “It all happened so fast. The patients in rehab had to be fast tracked – thankfully most of them were able to return home and we had to get ready for something that we really couldn’t imagine. “While the refurbishments were being done, we had to carry out training programmes. Some of the people working with us had never worked on a ward before so we adopted a buddy scheme to help them bed in. “I can honestly say I have never seen such a dedicated team. Every single person working

ƒ Patricia with friends from her running club.

“Obviously with the restrictions on visitors we had to find ways of helping the patients keep connected with their families and we used iPads and Zoom calls so they could communicate. ƒ Patricia McDade from Iniscarn

on that ward was vital from domestics, porters, nurses and doctors. “Everyone pulled together so well, and nothing was too much trouble. It was a difficult time but there was something uplifting about seeing people working together for the good.” During the months of May and June, the Covid Ward at Mid Ulster became busy. And Patricia says it was teamwork that pulled them through those dark days. “We became like a family and I am delighted that we had so many success stories coming out of that ward. Covid is such a terrible illness. Everything happens so fast. A patient would be fine in the morning, maybe with just a loss of appetite. By teatime they would have gone down badly. It comes on so fast which means added pressure on staff who need to be with the

Every nurse does their best. We all think, ‘what if this patient was my mum?’ And it helps us to be the best we can.” Patricia says she is proud to be a nurse and honoured that she and her team were able to run the ward. However, as the situation improves, she says she would like to see the ward return to a rehab facility. “I am confident that if a second wave comes, we are ready. I feel well prepared. We were able to act very quickly last time so now we know exactly what needs done. “I had tremendous support from my senior management team in particular director Phil Hughes, A/D Karen Harvey and Wendy Longshawe and I can’t thank them enough. “Now, I would very much like to get back to normal and while the situation is not over, I would like to urge people to be calm and sensible. “We are in control now and I am proud to say that I am a small part of the team that helped.” Local Women Magazine | 17

“THE GREATEST CHALLENGE OF MY NURSING CAREER”

Staff Nurse at Altnagelvin’s Cardiology Ward, Lyndsey Nelis, has worked hard throughout the Covid-19 crisis keeping her patients safe. It was spring when Lyndsey Nelis from Derry realised that she was about to face the biggest challenge of her nursing career.

ƒ The rainbow of hope wall done by all the children of cardiology staff

As news of the Covid-19 pandemic spread across the nation, and in particular the dreadful news coming Italy where mortality rates were rocketing, it was clear this new virus was getting closer to home. Lyndsey says: “I knew it was only a matter of time before I was about to be fast tracked into the biggest challenge of my nursing career to date.” Working in an acute cardiology setting has its fair share of challenges on an average day, but Lyndsey says that what the ward experienced earlier this year was something completely different. It was a steep learning curve - they had no previous experience of Covid-19 or how to manage it, no way of knowing how quickly it was spreading, no previous experience of how to swab patients for Covid, but most importantly for Lyndsey and her colleagues, they had no previous experience of how to manage a cardiac arrest in this situation.

ƒ Lyndsey and husband Ronan

18 | Local Women Magazine

Thankfully the decision was made for all staff to take showers before and after work, wash their hair after every shift before going home and to change clothes and shoes before leaving the ward to help minimise the spread and everyone adhered to these new set of rules. As the situation unfolded, policies and procedures on the way to care for patients changed rapidly, sometimes on a daily basis, adding to the general stress on the ward. ƒ Lyndsey, Ronan and Dáirsaí. Patients were no longer allowed to have face Lyndsey explains: “Cardiac arrest is a scenario to face contact with family members which was which can be chaotic at the best of times and a another added pressure on staff. rapid response is essential for keeping a patient “Morale was low, and patients were frightened. alive or bringing them back to life. This scenario As a ward everyone worked together and now came with a lot of new challenges, on and protected each other to make the ward was a off the ward. safe environment for our patients. “There was a great fear, that even though I would be wearing PPE at work, I could still bring the “I could not be prouder of the cardiology team virus home to my family or pass it on to vulnerable I am part of. Behind every good team is a great leader and ours is Sister Marie McGrellis who members of the community. from day one made sure the ward had everything “At one point the option to leave my husband it needed to get through this pandemic, with and child and stay in temporary accommodation patient and staff safety her main goal. was suggested. At a time of such uncertainty, the last place I wanted to be was away from my “It feels great to say we have survived and if a nearest and dearest, but I didn’t want to make second wave is to come, we know our cardiology ward is ready to survive it once again.” them ill either.”

Brighter days are coming, so it’s the perfect time to introduce a little pink into our colour schemes, with accents of blush and splashes of fuschia. Hi everyone, It’s been another month in lockdown which is tough for us all – but on the upside at least we have plenty of time to have a look at our homes and contemplate how we would like to change them. There’s nothing quite like spending 24 hours a day in your house to make you decide that you need new colour palettes. This month to cheer us all up I am introducing pink into my schemes – it is such an uplifting colour and one I know lots of people adore. So many people ask me for pink in their colour schemes – it never seems to go out of fashion and retains its popularity.

been designed for my clients, they love pink and

But a note of caution, there is a ﬁne line between stylish accents of rose, salmon and coral and a Barbie palace! Pink is such a nice colour to team up with grey and white. I love mixing different textures and fabrics in my design projects to create depth and tone. For the perfect backdrop, wallpapers by Designers Guild, Casamance and Tim Wiman are gorgeous. Paint colour is important, as there are 50 plus shades of grey to choose from - it’s important to get a grey that suits the pink you love and has the right tone. Colour consultations are so important at the initial stages and will save time and money. It’s good to invest and get it planned out and perfect for you as a base.

as you can see,

it doesn’t have to be conﬁned to a bedroom and

can

used

throughout your home. Pink gives any room a boost and reminds us that there is light at the end of the tunnel. Looking to the future, my new studio in Lisburn is opening as soon as it’s safe to go back out and I can’t wait to get started on this new project. Currently I am working from home and can provide you with a full interior home consultation to give your home a new look when lockdown ends. Looking forward to welcoming you all back soon.

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Local Women Magazine | 19

LOCKDOWN SAVED MY LIFE For Local Women columnist Lesley McGarrity, lockdown forced her to pause and re-evaluate a busy life that was making her ill.

nce the storm is over, you won’t remember how you made it through or how you managed to survive. You won’t even be sure whether the storm is really over. But one thing is certain. When you come out of the storm, you won’t be the same person who walked in. I am not sure about all you guys, but the pause button could not have come at a better time for me personally. I was spending all my time running around so much, working on one thing after another. Until one point, when I was like, “Am I doing enough, or am I doing too much?” Now, I can confidently say I was doing far too much. But, upon reflection and taking into mind something my old boss Jonathan Doherty, CEO of Rutledge Recruitment and Training used to say from time to time, “Is all your running around and hard work productive or are you just a busy fool?” I would love to ask each one of your reading this that questions because the stark reality is many of us are busy fools at times. Thankfully for me on this occasion, all my effort with my work and personal life were productive, that saying, it came at a very heavy cost! My running around, chaotic lifestyle and burning the candle at both ends, resulted in a very unpleasant Mild Heart Attack, just weeks before the lockdown started and guess what? That still didn’t slow me down, it just meant I was now dependent on blood pressure medication for the rest of my life! Yes, you are right in thinking, I was seriously on a path to self-destruction. So, it may sound selfish, as I know this pandemic has caused and is still causing heartbreak to many families, but it could not have happened at a better time for me and I actually believe it has saved me and made me reflect on the bigger picture around me. While normal life still seems far away, I can promise you we are getting closer to the other side of lockdown. This realisation is a relief for some, including myself, because to be honest I am going insane working and living from the same space, day in and day out. I don’t

20 | Local Women Magazine

much stuff on TV and online platforms, that we often find ourselves swimming or should I say drowning in nonsensical information. For the last couple of months, we have all been psychoanalysing everything and everyone in our lives. Which means we are now the masters at knowing where we have been going wrong in our lives to date, and we also know by now what we need to do to change that. If you don’t have all the answers to your new life after lockdown, that what have you intend to continue on the self-destruct path I been doing these last weeks?? was on, but I am naturally loving, fun and Whatever you have been doing I suppose the tactile person, with a short span of attention. main thing you should be thankful for is, you So, I have to be inspired constantly and I need have survived it! You may have done that in physical interaction. your individual way, whether it be through I like to surround myself with positive like- exercise, maybe it was eating and drinking minded people, so I am most definitely on an your way through it - one thing is for sure, the exciting countdown now, just waiting like a end of lockdown is coming. caged animal to be fully released back into the So, If you haven’t already started planning , wild. I know it’s not the same for everybody you need to from this day for the new normal and for some it’s a daunting and unnerving life you are going to be living. Make your time, as we prepare for life after lockdown changes now, this is a fresh start for everyone and what is going to be the new ‘normal.’ But, so start as you mean to go on and remember I for one have enjoyed the pause button, but I that “failing to plan, is planning to fail” - so am refreshed, firing on all cylinders and ready start changing your destiny now. to hit play again in the game of life! I would like to wish you all a happy ‘new However, it’s not going to be an easy smooth normal” life. transition back as nobody really knows how to prepare for the ‘new normal.’ We watch so

Lesley xx

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“TRUST THE WAIT, EMBRACE THE UNCERTAINTY. WHEN NOTHING IS CERTAIN, ANYTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE.”

As lockdown eases Local Women columnist and blogger Hollie Campbell urges a little patience and self-reflection. Change can be risky, it can be difficult, but it grateful etc. Many of us lost our jobs, many of can also be beautiful, and it will always show us struggled, but as the weeks went by, I kept reminding myself I’m healthy and I’m alive. you more of yourself. From March we began to appreciate our health care workers more so than we ever did, we saw every health care and social care workers as our hero’s, not the pop stars or the footballers and the other multi-millionaires. We went through all the feelings - confused, We saw our neighbours, our friends, family worried, annoyed, angry, happy, thankful, members and people in our local community as the real hero’s in the world! I sincerely hope this stays this way and it is a pity it took a global pandemic to realise this, but may we never forget it. From March all of our lives changed - it didn’t matter how rich you were, how poor you were or what size of house you lived in, your life changed in some way. It was out of our control and there was nothing any of us could do.

I myself worked in a care home as part of my HND care practice course (work experience) years ago. As part of my course I worked for six weeks in the setting and I continued it after part time for several months. I left that place a different person - the respect and dignity that I felt for every care worker in those care homes safe, be patient and let’s look forward to a was very different to before. I’ve never been in better future. a job so tough but also so rewarding. Love I am a blood donor and have been for many years now. An extremely rewarding and free thing to do for many others. Every time I donate, I think, “how many lives did my blood just save?” Please consider becoming one - it’s the most amazing feeling. It’s a good way of saying thank you to all our health care workers and to everyone in general as it is going to help someone somewhere. Someone’s child, someone’s daddy or mummy. There are better times ahead, for now, keep

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Local Women Magazine | 25

Semi-Permanent Make-up Artist & Micro Needling Specialist ‘Enhance your features and look up to 10 years younger’

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“LOOK AFTER YOURSELVES – AND MOISTURISE!” Natacha McMahon from Changing Faces By Natacha is looking to the future and can’t wait to welcome back her clients when Lockdown ends.

t has been a strange few weeks for everyone, but while we have been in Lockdown, semipermanent make up artist and facialist, Natacha McMahon has been working hard to ensure her clients are looking after themselves. Natacha, who owns Changing Faces By Natacha, is in demand across the country for her microneedling skills, as well as her semipermanent make up work - and her clients cannot wait until it is business as usual again. While she has been unable to work, Natacha has been keeping in touch with her clients via social media and she makes sure to answer every message she receives. And she has already got a lengthy waiting list for when Lockdown is eased, and she cannot wait to get back to work. She says: “I’m really looking forward to welcoming back my clients. Many of them have become friends over the years and I am really missing them. “I know it’s difficult for those clients who are used to having microneedling once a month, but I tell them all the same thing – keep moisturising! “And my permanent make up clients have all been warned to use a strong SPF because we have had such sunny weather. The bright sun can fade semipermanent make up - so wear your sunscreen. “Just because you can’t get in to see me doesn’t mean you can ease up on your home skincare. Look after your skin and I will get all your treatments sorted as soon as I can!” Meanwhile Natacha has used her free time to study new government guidelines on social distancing and hygiene which she will incorporate

into her working practices. Hygiene and safety have always been top of Natacha’s salon protocols and she recently took a course on new sanitation and disinfection practices. She is now fully up to date on all the new legislation and is ready to get back to work as soon as it is safe to do so. Natacha has also used this period of Lockdown to become more fit and healthy. She has been walking and running and getting out and about in the fresh air. She said: “I have made the most of the lovely weather and I would encourage all my clients to get out and enjoy the fresh air. Your mental health is so important at this time. We need to look after ourselves.”

Payment Plans & Gift Vouchers Available

Semi-Permanent Make-up Artist & Micro Needling Specialist T: 078 9404 9928 | E: changingfacesbynatacha@gmail.com Keep an eye on our social media for upcoming courses. Local Women Magazine | 27

SHE’S GOT INFLUENCE!

Armagh woman and style queen Denise Curran tells Local Women how she built up her hugely successful fashion blog and events business.

BY MAUREEN COLEMAN efore social media influencing really took off, Armagh woman Denise Curran was making a name for

herself as a fashion blogger with a keen eye for style. An occupational therapist by day, Denise’s love for all things fashion led to her working occasionally as a model and organiser of fashion shows in her hometown. The shows grew over time, with boutiques throughout Armagh approaching Denise to take part. The numbers of guests attending grew too, from 50 at her debut show to around 900. Denise injected her creativity into the extravaganzas, incorporating dance routines and audience participation. “I did A Level art at school, so I’ve always been creative,” she says. “I used to go into local charity shops and do a ‘Gok Wan,’ putting together outfits from those shops and styling them up against designer looks, then asking the audience to vote for which one they preferred. The shows were really successful. “I suppose that’s how I got recognised in fashion circles and suddenly, shops were coming to me, wanting to dress me. Then someone suggested I start up a blog to help promote brands on social media and build up my own following. “Fashion blogging wasn’t really a big thing at the time and certainly was not heard of in a small place like Armagh, but it

28 | Local Women Magazine

Xxx

“I make a point of interacting with my followers every day. I try to reply to every message. The way I see it is that if they take the time to contact me, I should show my appreciation by responding. I wouldn’t be a good influencer if I didn’t.” seemed like a good idea to have a platform “I make a point of interacting with my where businesses could approach me in a followers every day. I try to reply to every professional manner.” message. The way I see it is that if they take Denise, 35, who lives in Belfast and has been dating professional golfer Michael Gallagher for several years, set up her blog, Denise Curran Styling and Events, on Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat. Over the last four years Denise has built up a loyal following of 25,000 followers across all three platforms. On average she has a weekly reach of 100,000 across all three, with impressions of over 500,000.

the time to contact me, I should show my appreciation by responding. I wouldn’t be a good inﬂuencer if I didn’t.” Denise, who inherited her father’s business acumen, says her family has been extremely supportive about her blog, they particularly

Xxx

nothing more than dressing up, doing her make-up and feeling good about herself.

love its fashion element . Spending much Her style is ‘changeable,’ depending on her of her time in her work uniform, she enjoys mood. Sometimes it’s casual but quirky, other times elegant. Her style inspiration is Victoria Beckham, whom she admires for

As Denise works four days a week in occupational therapy, she devotes her one day oﬀ, evenings and weekends to her blog and events business. But she always sets aside quality time to spend with Michael. He’s on hand to help out with the blog as the eye behind the camera. And as someone who runs the Irish Junior Open Events, he is well placed to give her advice and assist Denise with her events.

her clean lines and classic yet modern look.

While the blog began life as a fashion one, it’s since expanded into a lifestyle diary, with posts on everything from high street to designer styles, hotels to holidays, beauty to interior design. Her following is mainly female, ranging in age from 16 to 70, with her Instagram blog mainly dedicated to key fashion looks and trends.

colours and prints. I’d describe my style as

“A lot of the women following me want to know what’s new, what’s happening, what’s opening. It’s really a platform to showcase things like fashion and beauty trends, new restaurants to try out, great places to visit,” Denise says.

Snooty Fox, Dungannon and hat and bag

“I get asked for advice on everything from what moisturiser to use, the best venues for hotels or hen dos, what to wear to weddings. I’m out and about a lot as businesses like to invite me along to wear their clothes or dine at their restaurant, then I blog about the experience.

“I don’t always follow trends, but I do try to incorporate new ones into my style,” says Denise. “I like to mix and match. Over the years I’ve picked up some good investment pieces, like a Mulberry bag, but I also love a bargain from Primark, for example. “I think I’m quite brave with my fashion sense. I love coordinates and like to clash quirky but relatable.” Her eye for style recently caught the attention of judges at the Dublin RDS Horse Show. A regular at the races, Denise always hoped that one day she’d pick up an award for Best Dressed. Clad in a Solis London cream pleated cape style dress, from The from The Dress House, Newry, Denise was thrilled when she won the “Elegance is an Attitude” (Lady) award and Michael was named the male equivalent. “I love going to the races and try and get once or twice a year,” Denise says. “I’ve been to Killarney, Galway, diﬀerent places and have been shortlisted as a finalist a few Xxx

times, so to win the award at Dublin was really wonderful.”

Local Women Magazine | 29

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30 | Local Women Magazine

Local Women Magazine | 31

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CHERYL IS JUST FABULOUS! Rathfriland’s Noelle Lyons and her glamourous assistant Cheryl Greer spend their days making people look and feel amazing – and now Cheryl is a social media sensation!

By Stephanie Bell

un is at the heart of a very special beauty salon in South Down, where one staff member is fast becoming a social media star. Fabulous Beauty Studio in Rathfriland is run by local businesswoman Noelle Lyons and her glamorous assistant Cheryl Greer. Together the girls are proving that ordinary women can not only look good but feel fabulous -and it is not unknown for clients to find Cheryl strutting her stuff on her very own catwalk inside the salon. Cheryl (26) who has Down’s syndrome has helped put the salon on the map with her popular beauty blogs and hilarious online video diary. For Noelle (44) who lives in Kilcoo and is married to Aidan (49) an electrical engineer, the salon has proved a lifeline after a very low period in her life when she battled cancer. Noelle has been in the beauty business for most of her career and was also a successful dance teacher taking a team of line dancers to win All Ireland, European and World dance titles. She was 36 and trying for a baby and had started fertility treatments when she was stunned to be given the shocking news that she had womb cancer. She recalls: “Out of the blue I started to haemorrhage quite badly and had really severe stomach pains. when I was told I had womb cancer. It was life Cheryl came into the salon, I adored her and “It got to the stage when it was an effort to get changing and soul destroying dealing with the wanted to spend time helping to bring her on as out of a seat as I had so little energy and the pain diagnosis and also knowing that I would never be best as possible.” able to have children. was horrendous. Noelle had to undergo a full hysterectomy and, “We went to see a consultant privately and that’s

34 | Local Women Magazine

“I think that is part of the reason why when as she recovered, she started to put weight on.

It got to the stage when she felt uncomfortable going for beauty treatments. It was this feeling of being too overweight to get a spray tan which gave her the idea for her own salon. She explains: “I was always tanned and glamorous and loved red lipstick. When I put the weight on, I started to feel down and not so glamorous anymore. “I just felt when you went into a salon everyone was so young and skinny and beautiful and that give me the idea of opening somewhere for normal girls to come and feel good about themselves. “That’s where the name came from because I wanted everyone to be able to feel fabulous no matter what their size, or age and that is what we do. “ Her salon opened two years ago and Cheryl from Magheralin - who has become the heart and soul of the shop - was one of the first customers through the door and hasn’t left since. Noelle laughs as she recalls: “I was only open three days when Cheryl came in to get a treatment and she has been here ever since! “She is in every Wednesday and she is the boss! She is an amazing girl who loves her job and is very proud of it. “She loves her clients and has given them all nicknames after famous actresses - and she calls herself Jennifer Anniston. “We created a catwalk with lights for her in the salon so that she can do her turns, and everyone loves it.” Every Wednesday, Cheryl shares one of her beauty tips online and has gained a large following on Instagram and Facebook. Noelle continues: “People tune in for that and also to see videos of her catwalk, treatments too and what she is wearing. She calls it ‘Cheryl TV’. “We have had loads of invitations to beauty events because of her blog and it really has snowballed. People adore her. “Cheryl has followers from Cork, England and all over the north too - she has her own fan club. “Even when we walk through the town, people are shouting out ‘hello’ to Cheryl and she always has the biggest smile for them.

“Cheryl has followers from Cork, England and all over the north too - she has her own fan club.” While popping in for a treatment to Fabulous

been through a tough time and needs a lift, she will pack her beauty bag and call at their home to give them a free treatment. She adds: “I am just so grateful that everything has gone so well for me and if I can help anyone else going through a tough time then I am happy to do that. “I think when I was setting up the salon everyone thought I was crazy. “We are an ordinary wee salon where people can come and relax and have the craic and our reviews are amazing from people thanking us for making them feel fabulous.

“I’m still in shock at how well it has gone. It is is indeed a fun experience, Noelle is conscious “She is a real character who loves what she does, unbelievable the way it has happened, and our of people who because of illness can’t make it and everyone adores her. salon is nothing fancy, it is easy and comfy, and I to a salon. “Her online videos are a treat and people have just love it. For this reason, this big-hearted businesswoman just taken her to their hearts. “I am so thankful that the people of is dedicating some of her own time every Thursday “There’s never a dull moment and she loves Rathfriland have made me very welcome and to carrying out random acts of kindness. beauty and makeup and it’s amazing how her I have made some amazing friends. I wouldn’t blogs have taken off. “ If she hears of anyone in the community who has change it for the world.”

Local Women Magazine | 35

COME ON

EILEEN! From poetry festivals and school dramas to Hollywood films and prime-time television shows, Castlewellan’s Eileen O’Higgins has come a long way. But she’s still looking forward to learning more.

BY MAUREEN COLEMAN astlewellan actress Eileen O’Higgins still recalls the fear she used to feel minutes before going on stage as a child to recite

poetry in the Scór competitions.

Her mother’s side of the family had a keen interest in the arts and Eileen - one of six children – was encouraged to take part in various societies and drama clubs as well as the annual GAA competition which aims to promote Irish culture. Recognising that her daughter’s talents lay in recitation, Eileen was encouraged to take part, impressing the crowds with a poem. “Just before I went on stage, I would get so nervous and I wouldn’t want to do it,” she says. “But my mum knew me so well. She knew that I really wanted to but was just overcome with shyness for a few seconds, so she’d encourage me to go on. “She was right, of course, as mums always are. Once I’d get started, I’d love it. I realised quite early on that I loved performing.” While a pupil at Assumption Grammar School in Ballynahinch, Eileen toyed with the idea of studying Law after her A Levels. Again, it was the performance side of working a courtroom that appealed. Growing up in Castlewellan, she didn’t know anyone who had ever gone on to do acting and didn’t believe it was a viable career prospect for herself. It was in her teens she came across Cinemagic for the first time when she attended a masterclass at W5 in Belfast, involving a panel of television reporters. The 36 | Local Women Magazine

Red carpet ready.

school children were given an opportunity to step into the shoes of the newsreaders and see what it was like to present. It didn’t inspire any ambitions to go into television journalism, but it did help Eileen gain work placement in a film editing company in Belfast. On leaving school, Eileen left the family home and headed off to the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff, having decided to pursue acting as a career. She appeared in many stage productions and landed parts in the television mini-series Emma and film Enid. But it was her breakthrough role in the Oscar and Bafta nominated film of 2015, Brooklyn, that brought Eileen to the fore. In the romantic period drama, based on the novel of the same name by Colm Toibin, Eileen played Nancy, best friend to Saoirse Ronan’s character Eilis. In a case of art imitating life, the two actresses bonded on set and became close friends. It also marked the first time London-based Eileen worked at home in Ireland. Since then Eileen has gone on to star in BBC NI war-time drama My Mother and Other Strangers and appeared alongside Golden Globe winner Saoirse Ronan again in the film Mary Queen of Scots. The pair were recently

Eileen at the Cinemagic discussion on women in comedy.

“Just before I went on stage, I would get so nervous and I wouldn’t want to do it.”

reunited when they took part in a Cinemagic Eileen’s latest role sees her return to Ireland panel discussing the role of women in comedy, to star in the upcoming RTE series Dead Still alongside Derry Girls star Saoirse-Monica opposite Northern Irish actors Michael Smiley Jackson. The discussion was followed by a and Kerr Logan. Set in 1880s Ireland, in the screening of the comedy film Bridesmaids. Victorian era of ‘postmortem photography’, the six parter follows a renowned memorial “It’s weird but comedy is actually the hardest photographer (played by Smiley), as he thing to do for an actor,” says Eileen. “Everyone investigates the murders of his recently has a different idea of what humour is. It’s more deceased subjects. difficult to make someone laugh than it is to get them to empathise.

It certainly doesn’t sound comedic, but Eileen says there are moments of humour in the new “To be able to make someone laugh is a real drama. talent, I think. Sometimes it’s down to timing and good writing but some people just have a “The story line is so dark that you have to have natural ease.” light to balance things out,” she says. “There is a

comedy element to it, and we had so much fun filming it over a number of months. “I play the niece of Michael Smiley, the memorial photographer and when he takes a fall, I come to look after him and the business. A set of gruesome murders take place and along with the grave digger, we become embroiled in the drama. It was a very different role for me to play and I enjoyed every moment of it.” Eileen, who is a huge fan of the Channel 4 series Derry Girls and loves the fact it has been taken to the hearts of so many viewers across the water, says she is attracted to roles that challenge her. In a throwback to the anxiety she felt as a child before going on stage, she likes to feel the ‘fear factor’ rather than opting for the easy things in life. She is delighted that so many strong female roles are being written for the small and big screen and that she’s been given the chance to work with incredible women like Saoirse Ronan. Every day is a learning day, she says. So, if given the opportunity, who would she love to work with? “I’d go for Olivia Colman,” she says. “She’s amazing in everything she does, whether it’s a comedy or serious drama. It would be such an amazing learning curve to do something with her. She’s so good, you almost forget she is acting. She makes it look so effortless and you really believe she is the person she’s portraying.

Eileen and Saoirse Ronan in the recent historical movie Mary Queen of Scots.

“I’ve been on set before with someone with those abilities and it’s such a wonderful experience. I don’t mind what roles I take on, as long as they challenge me, I learn from them and I enjoy the experience.”

Local Women Magazine | 37

Laura & Stephen A Love Story galgorm.com

“It got to the stage when I couldn’t even look at myself in the mirror and I developed panic attacks whenever someone wanted to take a photo of me. I couldn’t even get a photograph taken with my dad at his last birthday party, not long before he died. It was his last birthday and I just couldn’t do it.”

HOW JAYNE GOT HER LIFE BACK…

Her confidence was left in shreds following an abusive relationship but Richhill mum-of-six Jayne Wright is learning to love herself again through fitness modelling, she tells Local Women’s Maureen Coleman Local Women | Feature | 39 Local Women Magazine | 39

ooking at this strong and stunning woman, it’s hard to believe that Jayne Wright was once so lacking in confidence, she refused to have her picture taken.

past, entered her first ever fitness competition confidence was rock bottom and I had never in Dublin. Not only was she placed in the had a picture taken with them as a result. I Beach Body category, but she won the Bikini was determined to build it up again so I could section for her age group – not bad for a give them memories.

It wasn’t just a simple case of being camera woman who had never worn a bikini on a shy; the Richhill mum-of-six was terrified quiet beach before, let alone on such a public about posing for photos, almost to the point platform. of being phobic. “I reached the lowest point of my life just Leaving her home in Kilmore at just 17, Jayne before my 40th birthday and I realised I had became embroiled in a relationship that to live for my six beautiful kids and learn to turned horrifically abusive. Her former partner love myself for them so I could be the mum not only subjected her to physical and sexual they deserved,” says Jayne. abuse, but severe psychological torture too; homing in on existing insecurities about her “I set myself two goals; one was to get my looks and destroying whatever self-esteem photograph taken with my children. My she had. Jayne

After five years, she managed to escape from his grip, but the impact of his words followed her around and had a devastating effect on her confidence. In the run up to her 40th birthday and having given up her job as a hospital auxiliary, Jayne felt hopeless, worthless and isolated. The mental trauma caused by those years of abuse hit her hard and she realised that if she was going to continue to live for her six children, it was time to face the demons head on and find her inner strength again. Just over a year ago, Jayne embarked on an intensive exercise regime and in November

“Secondly, I had never owned a bikini. I hadn’t even taken my kids to the swimming pool! I’ve always been slim, a size eight, but felt I wasn’t toned. I was a ‘fatty skinny,’ no muscle or definition and I didn’t like my body. But I know that all goes back to that relationship and the effect it had on my self-esteem. “Even before I met him though, I was selfconscious about my body. I remember being about 11 or 12 and a woman in a clothes shop saying to me ‘look at those thunder thighs.’ Looking back, it was an awful thing to say to someone at such a young age and it always stayed with me. I could never wear jeans and had a real issue with my bottom, which I kept covered all the time.” Jayne, who is now 41 and whose children range in age from 20 to two, became even more self-aware when she moved in with her ex-boyfriend in her late teens. After an initial charm offensive on his part to win her over, the abuse began, taking many forms. He was physically abusive, controlling and issued threats against both Jayne and her family if she hinted she might leave. She was locked in her house, only allowed out to go to work, to church or to visit her parents and he destroyed many of her private possessions. Not surprisingly, the abuse took its toll and Jayne was later diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder. She did manage to get away but when subsequent marriages broke down, she knew she was still dealing with the repercussions of the abuse. “He knocked everything out of me,” she says. “There were times in that relationship when I felt that I didn’t want to live any more. He was forever telling me I was ugly, that I was brutal. You begin to believe those things. “It got to the stage when I couldn’t even look at myself in the mirror and I developed panic attacks whenever someone wanted to take a photo of me. I couldn’t even get a photograph taken with my dad at his last birthday party, not long before he died. It was his last birthday and I just couldn’t do it.” At this point Jayne breaks down as she recalls the nightmare that her life was back then. Five years ago, she met her partner Gary –

Jayne is finally happy with herself

40 | Local Women Magazine

now fiancé after a recent proposal - and went on to have her two youngest children, Anna (3) and Sarah (two). Having two toddlers to look after, she decided to give up her job at Craigavon Hospital and this too was to have a detrimental effect on her mental health. “I guess I felt that I’d lost my identity,” she says. “I was stuck in the house all the time with little or no adult conversation or connection, except for Gary and his parents, who were great. “I also have a daughter who is diabetic and has epilepsy and was going through a tough time. There was so much going on and I struggled. “All those old feelings resurfaced, and I felt I had little purpose. Yes, I had my children, but I felt I’d lost Jayne. “I didn’t feel like a woman; I didn’t feel sexy or glamorous. I just felt that I was in mummy mode all the time. As my birthday approached, I knew I had to do something to get me back.” Jayne joined a local gym and began working out with a PT. As her body shape started to change, she felt her confidence improving too. When she moved to a new gym, she got chatting to another PT who had trained clients for NIFMA (NI Fitness Model Association) fitness competitions and he offered to work with Jayne too. “Nathan, the PT, told me he believed I could do it,” she says. “As I was driving home, I pulled

Jayne took up exercise

“I had 12 weeks then to get into shape.”

over to the side of the road and texted him The training and dieting were intensive, but ‘when do I need to start prepping?’. He replied Jayne was determined. On the nights her partner Gary played football, she stayed at straight away ‘tomorrow.’ home with the kids. Then on the nights that she trained, he looked after them. For a while, they were like ships that passed in the night, but Jayne was bitten by the fitness bug and seeing huge changes. Most importantly, the change came from within. She began posting on social media, even allowing her photograph to be taken and uploaded. This was a major milestone in her journey.

She’s now a fitness model

Jayne received a lot of positive feedback from people, telling her she’d inspired them to do something for themselves. Not everyone was so supportive though and when she was told by one or two critics that she was taking her fitness too far and was losing her looks, the old voices in her head threatened to destabilise her.

In the end, however, her newfound confidence held tight and when she stepped out onto that Dublin stage in her bikini, it was with a great sense of pride. She is now gearing up to enter her second fitness competition and is keen to show other people dealing with body hang-ups or lack of confidence, that if she can overcome these obstacles, anyone can. “I remember one day being with my dad near the end,” she recalls. “I had my head on his pillow, beside him. He said, ‘all I want is my wee Jayne back’. Well, I think she’s getting there. “It’s been a tough journey with highs and lows but in the last few months I really believe I’ve found the strength within me and I’ve finally learned to love myself from the inside out.”

Local Women Magazine | 41

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What Women Want

HELLO FROM THE OTHER SIDE… Lori Gatsi-Barnett from the JoinHer Network speaks to Louise Warde Hunter, Principal and Chief Executive of leading Further and Higher Education College, Belfast Met, about why women have what it takes to deal with a crisis.

Continents, and time zones are grounded and facing a new normal. This new reality has opened our lives in so many different ways. For the first time the whole world is in the same place and our experiences are exposing just how similar we all are. Everything has changed and for a while we have become aware of our limitations as we are not out and present everywhere, but living indoors for a moment, in this time. At the same time, looking from the window of the house, on either side we see how resilient people, families, friends and communities are. We have had to consider the value of life and the danger and uncertainty no one could have ever imagined. Looking out neighbours have taken on consideration for each other, vulnerabilities have been so evident and the appreciation for everyone on the frontline battling it out to save us all. The weather has been bright and sunny as if to tempt us to go beyond our back yard. Gardens and outdoor living spaces in our homes have provided a safe haven as with our children we plant and practice science projects that we certainly don’t want to ruin our floors. The sound of laughter, games outdoors, the aroma of barbecue days and the best staycations worthy of a travel agent family deal, is another aspect of this new normal that we presently face.

consistent and courageous response, whilst not losing focus and having decisive action plans. It has been beautiful to watch and applaud female leaders at work. Louise continues: “At this challenging time for so many, communication has never been more important to us in all the communities we are part of, whether they are our communities of family and friends, our local neighbourhoods or our communities at work. How we connect and engage on-line has changed and accelerated. From video meetings at work to the advent of the social media family quiz or the latest Tik Tok challenge, there’s a sense that whatever the world looks like, as we emerge from isolation, we have reinforced new lines of communication years ago when she was studying the qualities in our daily lives.” of successful leaders of change in the public Globally we are changing because in every sector, there was a clear correlation between the community, whatever its make-up, family, characteristics of good change leaders and the friends, our local neighbourhoods, or our attributes often associated with women leaders. colleagues at work, we all recognise that we The common denominators were an empathetic matter. In whatever we choose to stay connected, approach and sustained, good communication. we should reflect on what matters. Additionally,

Back indoors on a rainy day, home school and home office complete, those board games, puzzles, trivia and consoles! The competition between generations rages on to see who wins the challenges and who cheats! Winning at its best! For a brief moment we are all caught up living, creating memories and embracing belonging, unity and cherishing wellness and safety hidden within the house. By now we have all become so particular about cleaning standards, making sure everywhere is disinfected as we fight a The true test of leadership has been put on war with detergents. display with how different governments have “I have always been interested in how people responded to this pandemic. The evidence has cope with and manage change” says Louise been overwhelming that women have what Warde Hunter, the new Principal and Chief it takes to deliver in times of crisis. There Executive of leading Further and Higher is obvious confidence, calm processing of Education College, Belfast Met. She said, many information, swift delegation of duties and a

appreciate the finer things and make time to be present in the moment. Rekindle hobbies, rewrite songs and remake movie scenes, redesign our living spaces, hold dear our loved ones and plan for the future. Whichever side of the window we stand on, I’m confident there will always be hello from the other side.

For more information find us at joinher.co.uk Local Women Magazine | 49

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Loving Me Loving Life Learning to love yourself is the most important thing you can do in the quest to create the life you truly want.

ho remembers being taught how to actually love yourself? It is often commonly mistaken as arrogance or conceit. We often hear it as a criticism of others, “Look at her, she loves herself!” You can see some people physically squirm at the very mention of it, as for many it can feel so at odds with what they were taught as children. However, it is one of the most important things to learn in life, if not the most important. We are the only voice in our head, we are the one constant person in our life, regardless of what happens, so surely the relationship we have with ourself, is something we should at least think about. One of the problems I see is that in general most people’s understanding of ‘loving yourself’ means that they should tell everyone how great they are and act like they are better than others. Ironically those who do this usually far from truly love themselves. Learning to love yourself is about firstly getting to know yourself, moving towards acceptance of all parts of you, liking and learning how to love yourself, not just by how you feel about you, but in how you care for you. It is by taking these actions of self-love that we begin to permit ourselves to live more fully, by ensuring that all our needs are met, rather than using all our energy to meet the needs of others. The mindset shift I work on with clients is the reverse of this. By teaching clients how to respond to their own needs and to embrace their true self and permit it to shine through, regardless of what others think, this positively impacts on their relationships and the way in which people respond to them. It begins to look like real confidence without the need to make others feel less. Instead it inspires those around them to make similar changes in their own life. A lot of mothers are so overloaded with the pressures of modern living, to have and be it ‘all’, that they simply have long forgotten that they matter too. Ironically, the more they put their own needs further and further down the list, the more it affects them and their family. Quite often I tell clients to do the illogical. For example, when you have a long list of tasks to do

and unleash your inner potential. It is a 12 week programme consisting of weekly 1-1 Facetime or face to face sessions (once Covid-19 restrictions are lifted these will resume), weekly journaling activities, course materials and an initial mindset transformation, where we focus on exploring who you are and what you want from the course. I’m also an energy therapist, and can integrate this into the package, based on client needs and requests. In addition, I have a set up a ‘Mindset for Mums’ group providing weekly wellbeing ‘get togethers’ on zoom. These are free of charge thanks to funding from Garvagh Development Trust. The purpose of this group is to offer wellbeing and mindset tips for mums during COVID 19 lockdown. It is also to provide a network of support and non-judgemental space for mums to and feel overwhelmed, I advise them to take a support one another. I have decided to target this break, preferably by taking time to go outdoors, meditate or even take a nap; something which will group, as there are a lot of mums under immense pressure at the moment; juggling home schooling, relax the body and mind and recharge it. When setting goals and working out what we want working from home, and parenting, as well as trying to meet their own needs. from life, how can we begin to do this if we don’t know who we are. Most people define themselves I am also currently offering counselling and personal development mentoring via Facetime, by their job title or role in the family but have WhatsApp and telephone, which can be booked never even considered who or what is behind on a weekly basis. these titles. Make yourself a priority, nurture any feelings that When we begin to look more closely at this, we may begin to gain more clarity about what we truly surface, and seek professional support when you need it. want from life, not what we think we should do Ask yourself what would my life look like if I loved based on what we think will please others or the ‘rules’ and restrictions we have been placing in our myself more? What would I permit myself to be, do and have? own lives based on limiting beliefs. I believe we all have a duty to love ourselves, Stay well, so that in turn we have more to give to others. I Louiseanne can see that for a long time we have been taught to give and give to others to our own detriment, where as when we can meet our needs first, the For more information on the work help we can give others is much more sustainable. Louiseanne does, visit her Facebook The other thing I find is the happier I am, the more page: I want to spread it to others, as well as being more https://www.facebook.com/ capable to do so. lookwithin16 This has led me to put together the selfor email: louiseanneq@gmail.com development course ‘Loving me-Loving Life’. I offer a unique, tailor made programme supporting you in learning who you are and how to love yourself so that you can create the life you truly want Local Women Magazine | 51

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Local Women Magazine | 57

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THE MOOD OF DRESSING WHILE YOU WORK FROM HOME DURING COVID19. Hello, to all my readers this month I thought I would write about the mood of dressing for work during covid19 while you move from the ofﬁce to the comforts of your home as your typical workday. Once again, we challenge huge changes in our lifestyle and in our work environments. The coronavirus pandemic has forced most of us to work from home which has led to the tricky dress code when there is nowhere to go, so what do you actually wear to make your day

productive and help you feel motivated while you type up that memo, or take that business call . Just remember ladies that when you are feeling low, clothes always have the power to give us warmth and security especially at a time like this so ﬁrstly don’t opt for a pair of tracksuit bottoms and a hoodie, keep this wear 60 | Local Women Magazine

you have kept those pjs on ! Just remember our clothes can motivate us and establish a purpose to our working day environment.

for your afternoon walk plus you don’t want to get caught out with that all important conference call on Zoom, unless you opt for dressing from the top up otherwise known as “conference call dressing” keeping business on top and pyjamas on the bottom then you can easily cover up and your colleagues won’t notice any difference ! As we all face daily bad news and restrictions it is tough enough trying to work let alone start pulling out that ofﬁce skirt from the wardrobe and delving into your closet for your most stylish shirt , but in times of crisis it is so important to feel good and getting dressed can act as a form of self care , so what I suggest is when you get up in the morning , after your breakfast and before you settle down to opening up your laptop browse through your wardrobe and opt for a piece of clothing that makes you feel comfortable but productive , maybe this will consist of a nice blouse with a collar, a shirt , or just simply a smart colourful top that would look well on that zoom call ! Comfort is important too, and it is very easy to just throw something on in the mornings but you don’t want it to feel like its yesterday’s clothes so take out a nice pair of stretch jeans or classy comfortable elasticated waisted pants along with good footwear , trainers or soft ankle boots, try to avoid staying in your slippers unless

If you are looking for a little bit of a lift in your day try choosing bright colours to boost your mood, I find this really works for me and I have noticed that when my customers come to visit me instore at Gasp they immediately feel lifted when they try on colourful pieces especially during the spring summer season, so try bring this mood into your home office environment it will make such a difference to your day! If you are really feeling brave and you have always wanted to practice power dressing for work well now is the time to do this from the confines of your kitchen table, your colleagues won’t recognise you in that zoom call while you dress to impress with that powerful pinstripe blouse, tight knee length skirt with a slit up the side and red soled high heeled pointed shoes , YES you are in control of any difficult situation that may arise at work , you are ready bring it on !! Just on another note you may not all realise that I have revamped my online store www.gaspboutiques. com , we are taking all orders online with shipping direct to your door, I have had a little extra time to work on this while the boutique has been closed during this pandemic so please feel free to browse away and send me any queries you may have , I am more than happy to help you in any way that I can. I do hope you, your families, and loved ones are all keeping safe and I look forward to seeing you all again in store very shortly, it is trying times for each and everyone one of us , but I do believe we will all get through this as a nation and hopefully a successful covid19 vaccine will be approved shortly so we can all bring a little bit of normality back into our daily lives. In the meantime, Safe Safe everybody. Until Next Month Regards

Ann Doyle

Proprietor of Gasp Boutique Armagh Local Women Magazine | 61

“Nothing is more important than our family” Local Women catches up with Northern Ireland golf star Darren Clarke and his beautiful wife Alison, who are on lockdown thousands of miles apart and getting ready for a big family reunion.

By Kim Kelly

there aren’t many other people there.

“We really don’t know when flights will ight now, Alison Clarke should be resume. We chat daily and sometimes have soaking up the sun in the Bahamas family chats. Our children are scattered all with her superstar golfer husband over the world. Conor is here in Portrush Darren. with me, Tyrone is in Florida, Stuart is in As I am chatting to her, the beautiful model boss Belfast and Philip is in Baltimore, so it’s is indeed basking in the rays – but, she’s a little quite a task getting us all together, but closer to home in sunny Portrush, while Darren is it’s important to stay connected. thousands of miles away in their other home in “A few other guests at the resort are Abaco Island. stuck there with Darren and they have It’s been two long months since Alison and all been making the best of it, but at this Darren were together. When the lockdown was time I think anyone would rather be at announced back in March, it was too late for home.” Darren to return home to Northern Ireland.

Luckily there’s a golf course so Darren All flights in and out of the remote Abaco has been able to practise daily – but it’s Island in the northern Bahamas were cancelled just not the same as being at home in his and there he has remained ever since – trapped beloved Portrush. in paradise! “I’m in paradise, yes, but it’s really tough being away from Alison and the boys. I miss “Most people think they would love to be stuck on a tropical island for lockdown,” Alison laughs. them all so much and the tough part is not “Of course, it’s gorgeous but it’s very remote and knowing when things will get back to the new normal when we can physically see each other again.

ƒ Alison Clarke 64 | Local Women Magazine

“All the borders and flights got shut before I could either get home or bring the family here. We have been very fortunate that, so far, we have no cases of COVID on Abaco. However, all of the Bahamas has been on curfew and weekend lockdown to battle the virus so, my trips off property have been very limited. The golf course and practice facilities have remained open, enabling me to work hard on my game away from Flippers Beach Bar here!”

ƒ Alison and Darren with the Ryder Cup

So far summer 2020 hasn’t been what any of us expected.

ƒ Alison and Darren on their wedding day

Lockdown has tested us all – not being able to see family and friends, the uncertainty of work and, okay it may sound a little shallow, but the closure of hairdressers and beauticians has hit hard. For a woman known for her glamour and beauty, Alison hasn’t let a global pandemic stop her looking her best. Take one look at her Instagram pictures and you’ll see she looks better than ever. She’s got a tanned and relaxed beachy vibe going on – and it really suits her. People often ask me what Alison is really like – I think they have the impression that she is high maintenance and spends her days in a spa – absolutely not! us.

In reality the model boss and former beauty queen is an advocate of natural beauty. She’s a real girls’ girl, great fun and best of all – very practical!

“It is time to move forward in different ways. We won’t truly know the full picture until we re-open again. It is an interesting time for all of us, but we will adapt.”

“People are surprised that I am so low maintenance,” says Alison. “Under normal circumstances, I love Michele International for hair and Beauty Boulevard for my nails - luckily, the girls there have taught me lots. “I travel a lot with Darren and I can be away for weeks at a time. It’s important that I can look after myself because I don’t want to be relying on unknown hairdressers or beauticians.

And of course, one of Alison’s most asked questions is about the future of the Miss Northern Ireland pageant which has been put on hold until it is safe to go back to the bars for heats.

ƒ Darren who is currently in lockdown in the Bahamas

“I have learned to do a lot of my own beauty treatments when I have to. But I have to confess that I recently used a box dye for the first time since I was about 20! “I phoned Chantel from Michele International and told her what I was planning – she wasn’t thrilled of course but she talked me through it, and it worked out okay!

Eight girls have already been picked for the final, but the rest of the heats have been suspended. “Miss Northern Ireland will continue when it is safe to return to the bars and hotels. Things are uncertain right now, but we will definitely be back. “We are lucky that our current Miss Northern Ireland Lauren Leckey is so active and visible on social media. She is still the current title holder and is a great ambassador for the competition.”

ACA Models is currently closed. Obviously, as But before all that, there will be an amazing family reunion. As we slowly emerge out of much of the agency’s work relies on big events like “I’ve been giving my hair a rest and not drying it, so I’ve been enjoying a more natural, beachy the Irish Open or Balmoral Show, there is no work lockdown, new flights should be announced soon. for her team of models. look. Alison is monitoring the situation closely and “Lockdown is the time to embrace our natural watching as the fashion world undergoes a beauty and let it shine – we have no choice!” seismic change. And lockdown is clearly suiting Alison who “The fashion world is changing every day. is looking fit and healthy and more youthful than ever from her daily beach walks along the Brands like Gucci have announced that they are reducing the number of fashion shows a year from north coast. five to two. In essence fashion is now seasonless,” It’s certainly a change of pace from her usual she says. frenetic work lifestyle, organising fashion shows “Collections from spring 2020 are in warehouses and events and of course the Miss Northern – will they be brought out next year? Ireland pageant.

Whether the reunion is in Portrush or the Bahamas still remains to be seen. “It really doesn’t matter where we meet,” says Alison. “As soon as flights open up either way, we will be together. “Lockdown has been hard. I have seen almost no one in ten weeks. I have become an expert at grocery shopping online. I have been so careful as this virus is terrifying.

“But it has reminded me of the importance of family and made me accept a more stripped “Of course, this all filters down to us. Right now, These days beach walks have replaced meetings back lifestyle. and fashion shows – Alison’s days are spent we can’t even buy clothes in real life, only online. quietly catching up with admin and talking to The fashion world may never be the same again “We will all come out of this a little different and friends online. and obviously as a model agency this impacts on I don’t think that’s a bad thing at all.” Local Women Magazine | 65

COLOURFUL CLASSICS FROM KULAR FASHION

Hi everyone! We hope you’re all keeping well and staying positive through these testing times. Hopefully, we’re coming out the other side and ‘normal life’ isn’t too far away. This month’s column has been inspired by the now-famous NHS rainbows we’ve been seeing everywhere over the last few weeks. It’s been great to celebrate our key-workers and give them a muchneeded, virtual pat on the back for all the hard work they’ve been doing. Our Shoe-Floor Manager, Richard Lynch, created an amazing rainbow-balloon display which you might have seen if you were walking around the city.

Casual & Colourful Polo Ralph Lauren has a fantastic collection of colourful casual wear, from sweatshirts to t-shirts to loungewear.

Now is the perfect time to introduce some colour into our wardrobes, and no one does colour quite like Ralph Lauren. We have been working hard behind the scenes and are delighted to announce we have launched the Polo Ralph Lauren range onto our website. As some of you might already know, we have exclusively carried the Polo Ralph Lauren range in store, but we have now expanded and moved it online too. The Polo Ralph Lauren range is filled with classic pieces that every wardrobe should have. We’re going to show you some of our favourite colourful and casual pieces from the collection that will look great as we enter the Summer months. 66 | Local Women Magazine

Crafted from soft fleece for that perfect ‘lived-in’ look and feel, Polo created a range of sweatshirts in lots of lovely, bright colours. We love the hot pink and vibrant yellow, which would look great teamed with white or blue denim. These sweatshirts would give you that injection of colour that all of our wardrobes need at this time of year. One of the great things about Polo Ralph Lauren is its versatility. You can team these sweatshirts with shorts or a skirt now, or with jeans in the Wintertime. Our favourite has to be the rainbow-hued trim with the crochet detail on the left sleeve and the iconic logo printed across the back. You could treat your favourite key-worker to a lovely present and gift them the rainbowthemed sweatshirt.

Knitwear for Summer

Cool & Classic

Let’s face it, while the weather might be great at the minute, we don’t have long hot summer nights for too long here in Northern Ireland. Therefore, light knitwear can be bought and worn all-year-around.

Nothing says Ralph Lauren more than their classic Oxford shirts. The washed cotton is cut for an updated slim silhouette and finished with the signature embroidered Pony at the chest.

Made from soft Pima cotton and featuring a textural cable-knit motif, these short-sleeve sweaters are a stunning addition to your wardrobe and will carry you into the Autumn too. The bright striped version is a real eye-catcher; however, they do come in a range of muted pastel tones if you prefer something softer.

Coming in a range of colours, there will be a tone that suits your complexion and make you feel like a million dollars. Team it with a skinny jeans and trainers for the ultimate casual look now, or dress it up with a tailored trouser and court shoe for an office-appropriate ensemble later in the year.

Check out our new blog and keep up to date with all the latest news from Kular Fashion

www.kularfashion.com/blog Don’t forget you get 10% OFF your first order online plus FREE DELIVERY on all orders over £25 Ferryquay Street | Derry~Londonderry | 028 7126 1326 @kularfashion

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kularfashion Local Women Magazine | 67

FORGET HAIR LOSS NEW YEAR, NEW YOU!

SCALP MICROPIGMENTATION...

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW DOT MICRO IS A MULTI AWARD WINNING COMPANY THAT PROVIDES A FANTASTIC HAIR LOSS SOLUTION CALLED SCALP MICROPIGMENTATION. The clinic based in Holywood, County Down provides a non-medical hair loss solution. Scalp micropigmentation can be used to treat hereditary hair loss, and other forms of Alopecia and can even camouflage scars on the scalp.

My only regret is that I didn’t have it done sooner.” Don Allen

One of our valued clients

SO HOW DOES SCALP MICROPIGMENTATION WORK? Tiny flecks of ink are applied to the top layer of skin. These super tiny dots resemble shaved hair follicles or can look like the base of hair follicles under thinning hair. Mark Smith, the global multi award winning scalp micropigmentation artist can basically make thin hair look more

dense or can a give a bald guy back what actually looks like a full head of hair but shaved. It’s amazing. The great thing about scalp micropigmentation is that the results are almost immediate and can last many years before requiring a top up treatment.

WHAT CAN SCALP MICROPIGMENTATION BE USED TO TREAT? Scalp micropigmentation is also known as SMP or a hair tattoo. The treatment’s popularity is huge in the US and other parts of the world and now becoming a popular choice as a hair loss solution in Northern Ireland. SMP has many uses. It’s most common use is for men who have severe hair loss. However, It’s equally effective for giving the appearance of more density in thinning hair and so a

great option to men and women alike suffering from various forms of alopecia.

BEFORE

AFTER

In addition, it’s commonly used to camouflage scars on the scalp. These could be either small scars from minor injuries to large medical scars. The clinic offer free consultations with various treatment special offers on through winter and spring.

Give us a call today on +44 (0) 2895 570 001

SCALP MICROPIGMENTATION IS AN EFFECTIVE AND IMMEDIATE HAIR LOSS SOLUTION FOR BOTH MEN AND WOMEN THIS TREATMENT IS AN EXCELLENT WAY OF TREATING VARIOUS FORMS OF HAIR LOSS OR CONCEALING SCARS ON THE SCALP

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Dot Micro Award Winning Scalp Artist

THINNING HAIR

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See their latest results on Facebook and Instagram

Get an extra guest room, dressing room or new kids play area simply by installing natural gas

f you’re like the many others who are currently working from home at the moment you might be dreaming about how to get a bit more space at your place. Social media is awash with images of people having set up personal workstations in the most interesting of places, from the corner of kid’s bedrooms, to garages, to kitchen counters. Throw in the chaos of looking after kids, two parents working from the same house, a few dogs and cats, and suddenly home isn’t the sanctuary it used to be - in fact most houses are bulging at the seams. Of course, we are all doing the right thing to reduce the risks of spreading coronavirus, but sometimes, when juggling kids, deadlines, zoom calls and space issues, it’s understandable that things can get a bit fraught and tight! Well, did you know that natural gas might offer a solution? If you haven’t already got natural gas you can get more space at your place by installing it. That’s because when you switch to natural gas from oil you can get rid of the tanks in your roofspace, the hotwater cylinder in the hot press and the oil tank in the garden too – allowing you to reclaim a whopping c. 75sq feet of space from your home which opens up lots more space for new rooms and areas.

when the time comes to sell.

The opportunities don’t end there. With natural gas the hot water cylinder in the hot press is taken away which suddenly opens up possibilities for a brand new dressing room, laundry room or even a walk in shower.

CMY

K Lastly by installing natural gas you can remove the oil tank in your garden. Hello garden reDoes the idea of having an extra room appeal? design. Ever wanted outdoor space to sit, Removing the hot water tank and pipework relax, entertain or a place for the children to the peace of mind of never running out. You’ll from your attic could mean a loft conversion play? Now you can. also being doing your bit for the environment is possible. Converting loft space not only Simply, firmus energy natural gas is the by reducing carbon emissions by up to 50%*. provides extra space, whether for an extra ultimate home improvement. Not only do you So what are you waiting for? Find out if you living room, home office or bedroom and get more space at your place but you’ll get can get natural gas today by calling our bathroom, but even better, when done well, all the normal benefits too including instant customer servives phoneline on 0330 024 can add pounds to the value to your home heat, smart controls, endless hot water and 9000 or heading to firmusenergy.co.uk/gas. We also have a team of energy advisors who are ready and waiting to answer any questions you might have. Just head to firmus energy. co.uk, choose the energy advisor dependent on the area that you live, and give them a call. Want more space at your place? Choose firmus energy natural gas.

To date, over 100,000 customers have connected to natural gas with firmus energy and are enjoying the benefits that natural gas brings - from constant hot water, to more space in the garden, more efficient boilers to simply being a better choice for the environment. Homes and businesses interested in making the switch to firmus energy natural gas can find out more by calling 0330 024 9000 or visiting www.firmusenergy.co.uk • When compared to oil 70 | Local Women Magazine

More Space

% 0

C AN

FIN

D S 3 1s t m

20 *

e now d a

Upg r

at your place with natural gas

goodbye oil tank, ergy Our en rs adviso to dy are rea r call u take yo

hello kids play area Register your interest today at

firmusenergy.co.uk/gas

Local Women Magazine | 71

WIN WIN WIN

The ultimate home improvement with firmus energy and Tobermore

nstalling natural gas is the ultimate home improvement giving you More Space at Your Place both inside and outside the home! And this summer firmus energy has teamed up with paving and walling experts Tobermore to offer homeowners the chance to transform their home this year by winning the ultimate home improvement. If being at home more often over the last few months has inspired you to start your own home or garden improvement journey then this competition is for you. Up for grabs is ÂŁ1,000 towards installing natural gas and ÂŁ1,000 towards Tobermore paving as well as a personal landscape design consultation which you can use to help create your dream outdoor space.

Just head over to firmus energyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s website for full details of the competition

www.firmusenergy.co.uk/more-space as well as get ideas and inspiration for your home transformation. 72 | Local Women Magazine

Local Women Magazine | 73

74 | Local Women Magazine

Local Women Magazine | 75

For many children home isn’t a safe place… The amazing counsellors at Childline are hard at work during the pandemic. Belfast’s Denise Quinn explains that with children in crisis across the country, donating to the charity is more important than ever.

By Maureen Coleman

Co Antrim woman, who is a counsellor with Childline, has spoken about how she and her colleagues are continuing to support children and young people during the Coronavirus pandemic. Denise Quinn, from Belfast, has been a supervisor with the NSPCC-run service for around six months and is part of a dedicated team of staff and volunteers who are answering calls and email contacts at Childline’s Belfast base. Denise, who was a social worker for 11 years before joining Childline, has been granted key worker status with her colleagues at the Belfast base. Childline has 12 bases across the UK including two in Northern Ireland – Belfast and Foyle. The 38-year-old said: “Now, more so than ever, our children and young people need the service. We as adults are anxious and worried about the future and struggling to understand what is happening, imagine what that is like for a child. Their world has changed practically overnight. “The routine of going to school, seeing their teachers, playing with their friends, studying for exams that are no longer happening, and doing things that they enjoy, to instead being at home 24/7 perhaps with brothers and sisters they don’t get along with, and with parents who are themselves stressed, mean children are very vulnerable. We are very aware that already children are struggling with their mental health and don’t have the resilience and coping skills needed right now.”

in. We will be there to listen to them, to let them know they are important, to support them and keep them safe. Whether they are upset about not seeing their best friend, how anxious they are about not doing their exams, that they are frightened about their mum who is a nurse, or worried about when they will see their CAMHS worker again,

She added: “That’s where Childline comes Childline will be there.

76 | Local Women Magazine

“I am so very aware of the children and young people for whom home isn’t a safe place, either physically or emotionally, and for all sorts of reasons. These children are now more vulnerable than ever. There is no teacher to look out for them. No visits to the school counsellor. And no friends to spend time with. It is these children that I am especially worried about and who need to Childline to be there.”

“We will be there to listen to them, to let them know they are important, to support them and keep them safe.”

Denise and her colleagues at Childline are now urging the public to continue to support children during this challenging time. To adapt to the ever-changing situation, the NSPCC has launched its appeal ‘We’re still here for children’. Despite Childline having to close the night service for the first time and having a 30% drop in volunteer hours, due to counsellors having to self-isolate, it’s battling to still be there for children across the UK. The NSPCC is urging the public to visit its website and donate £10 to help fund vital services like Childline so the charity can continue to answer calls and be here for the young people who desperately need someone to talk to, especially when home isn’t a safe place. Between January 21, 2020 and April 8, 2020, Childline delivered over 2,200 counselling sessions across the UK to children and young people who were concerned about Coronavirus. Denise added: “Yes, it is hard to keeping going to work, when almost everyone else is staying at home. It’s hard when everyone is so anxious, but trying not to be. And it’s hard to leave my children knowing that many of their friends are being brilliantly homeschooled by parents and having lots of fun each day. But then I have that chat with a child who is anxious, or lonely, or frightened, and I am able to listen to them, and even if just for a short time, to help them feel safe. Then that guilt about my own children disappears. “No matter what lies ahead in the coming weeks and months, I know that Childline will be there. I feel very grateful to be part of a team of staff and volunteers who are continuing to come to work so that our children continue to have someone who will listen, someone who cares, and someone who will support them to keep safe.” In the past few weeks Childline has heard from children whose parents have lost their jobs and are under growing financial pressure, as well as from young carers struggling to look after their siblings whilst their parents fall sick with Coronavirus symptoms. Childline is also hearing from children who have had suicidal thoughts and talk about feeling trapped and isolated. To support the appeal, the NSPCC has launched a new television ad which features a Childline counsellor talking after a shift about the vital importance of the service. Young people can contact Childline on 0800 1111 or via 1-2-1 chat on www.childline.org.uk Childline also has a huge online community where children can get support from their peers on message-boards and use expert resources to help them through any issue they are concerned about. If adults are worried about children they can get advice from NSPCC practitioners on 0808 800 5000 or help@nspcc.org.uk The NSPCC is urging the public to visit its website and donate £10 to help fund vital services like Childline so the charity can continue to answer calls and be here for the young people who desperately need someone to talk to, especially when home isn’t a safe place.

Local Women Magazine | 77

U TURN FITNESS ACADEMY

FAKEAWAY RECIPES Dieting can be tough, in order to ease the transition we have developed a selection of healthier alteratives to our takeaway favourites.

Salt and Chilli Chicken INGREDIENTS

Calories: 371

•

2 x chicken breasts, sliced

•

1 x eggs

•

20g Ground Almonds

•

1 x pepper, sliced

•

1 x onion, sliced

•

1 x chilli, sliced (or 1/ 2 Tsp of Lazy chilli’s

•

depending on preference)

•

1 x tsp coarse sea salt

Carbs: 1.6g Fat: 19.8g Add cals for side ie Rice 154 cal per 100g

DIRECTIONS 1.

Pour some ground almonds onto a plate and add the teaspoon of sea salt to it – mix it through!

Take your strips of chicken and dip it in a bowl of beaten eggs, before rolling it in the Ground Almonds mixture – repeat until all the chicken is coated.

Cook the chicken at 200° for about 20 minutes or until you think it has cooked through.

While the chicken is cooking, stir fry (using fry light) the green peppers, onion and chillies.

When the chicken is ready, add it to the pan to combine it with the vegetables.

Serve with rice or noodles and devour.

CHICKEN BOX INGREDIENTS •

180g chicken breast cooked and

Calories: 379

•

shredded/cut into pieces

Carbs: 29g

•

200g homemade chips

Fat: 9g

•

Sea Salt

Protein: 43g

•

¼ tsp Paprika

•

¼ tsp Onion granules

•

Pinch of Sea Salt

•

Onions and peppers

•

Sauces - Skinny Co Sweet Chilli Mayo, Chilli

•

& Garlic Mayo

DIRECTIONS 1. Cook up chicken whether than be thinly sliced and fried or boiled then shredded 2. Cut up potatoes toss in tbsp of olive oil/coconut oil & Seasonings 3. Put in the air fryer and cook for 18mins at 170°(can be done in a normal oven also) 4. Once Chips, Chicken and veg are all ready plate up and cover in sauces and enjoy :)

Full range of sauces and protein available at Sport Health Nutrition Follow us on Facebook/sportshealthandnutrition45 78 | Local Women Magazine

OUR GIFT TO NHS STAFF

As a thank you to all our wonderful NHS staff we are offering full access to all editons of our cookbooks. E-mail seanakelly16@hotmail.com or dannyglenn1990@gmail.com and we will forward.

PROTEIN PANCAKES INGREDIENTS MAKES 2 PANCAKES •

30g Oats - blended into flour

•

Half scoop of protein (Vanilla, chocolate etc),

•

1 egg

•

Water 50g to 75g (depending on how thick of

consistency you like) ADDED TOPPINGS

spicy beef nachos INGREDIENTS SERVES 3

Calories: 338

•

180g 5% Mince

Carbs: 32g

•

2 x Wholemeal wraps

Fat: 8g

•

100g Passata

Protein: 33g

•

1 x tsp Lazy Garlic

•

1 x tbsp of Worcestershire sauce

•

1 x chilli, sliced (or 1/ 2 Tsp of Lazy chilli’s

•

Greek yogurt

•

Skinny Co Chocolate Sauce

•

Strawberries (mashed up to jam consistency)

DIRECTIONS 1. Blend oats into flour 2. In a bowl whisk together blended oats, protein and egg then add water 3. Melt a tsp of coconut oil in a pan and pour in half the mixture, cook for 2 to 3 mins until browning the flip and repeat 4. Add preferred toppings and enjoy Calories: 270 Carbs: 19g Fat: 9g Protein: 25g Add cals for toppings

depending on preference) •

1 x tsp coarse sea salt

•

1 x tsp Coconut oil

•

Skinny sauces Sweet Chilli Mayo & Garlic Mayo

• Can add onion & peppers SALSA •

1 red pepper

•

1 red/white onion

•

1 tsp Lazy Garlic

•

1 tsp Lazy chilli (add mo

•

re if prefered spicy)

•

2 tbsp passata

•

1 tsp of tomato puree

DIRECTIONS 1. Fry your mince in coconut oil with the garlic, Chilli and onions and peppers 2. Add in the rest of the seasonings with Passata & Worcestershire sauce 3. Make Salsa - Sweat off chopped peppers & onions add Garlic and Chilli stir well, Add in passata & tomato puree combine until reduced and serve 4. Serve with Skinny sauces Sweet Chilli Mayo & Garlic Mayo To make carb free swap out wraps for baby gem lettuce

www.uturn.fitness Follow us on Facebook/uturnfitnessderry Local Women Magazine | 79

with Anna Nelis

ey everyone, my name is Anna Nelis! I am 10 years old and I am currently living the worst part of my life EVER during Lockdown! I wish that Coronavirus would go away so that I could go outside and play with my friends. Instead I am stuck in the house with my two little brothers and my crazy parents. When is this going to be over? I have decided to write to all the fed-up children out there to give them ideas of what to do during Lockdown when you are bored. Hers is a list of my favourite activities that I have done so far:

A Little Bit More About Me

hen I was in P5, I found out that I am Dyslexic. I was sad because I felt like I was dumb and couldn’t even say the word! I was embarrassed to tell people. I still am, a wee bit. I know now that it’s okay to be dyslexic, because if everyone in the world was the same, life would be very boring. Plus, being dyslexic gives you superpowers! My brain works differently, so I can solve problems in ways that other people can’t. Did you know that Roald Dahl was Dyslexic, and he wrote books for a living? It’s amazing that he could write books that have been read millions of times even when he struggled to spell. Maybe next month, I will write a page in my Dyslexic language and see who can work it out

LOCKDOWN TASKS FOR YOU • Funny Face Art

• Making Fruit Salad • Planting Seeds • Making Plasticine • Baking my own Birthday Cake

MY FAVOURITE APPS FOR KEEPING IN TOUCH WITH FRIENDS 80 | Local Women Magazine

If you are Dyslexic like me, I would love to hear about your superpower! Don’t be embarrassed, be proud! Giota Beag Eile You can write to me in Irish or English as I go to an Irish Medium School. You can email me at reception@localwomensnews.com

Friends over the Fence

ife during Lockdown isn’t that bad, because I have made a friend over the fence. Her name is Hailie, she is nine and she is tall like me! In fact, we could be twins- our friendship was meant to be. We like all the same things, like, Harry Potter, Ferrero Rocher, Billie Eilish and our favourite colours are green and purple. Every day after our schoolwork is ﬁnished, we go outside and talk over the fence. I don’t even know what we talk about, but we have a good laugh and Hailie makes me happy. It is amazing the games that you can play over the fence if you have a good imagination. We play ‘Hide ‘n’ Seek’, ‘Heads or Tails’, ‘Four Corners’ and ‘Five Second Rule’. I love having a friend to keep me company during Lockdown, and when this all over, I am going to go straight next door and give Hailie a great, big hug! My Mum told me about a poem called, ‘Mending Wall’, by a famous American

Poet called Robert Frost that she had read in school. In the poem, Robert and his neighbour are ﬁxing the wall between their two farms, and the neighbour explains to Robert that, “good fences make good neighbours”. If it wasn’t for my fence, Hailie and I wouldn’t be friends as we wouldn’t be able to keep a safe distance from each other. Our fence splits us up, but it has made our friendship grow.

My Favourite Things

Hailie’s Favourite Things

FAVOURITE SINGER: Billie Eilish

FAVOURITE COLOUR: Purple

FAVOURITE AUTHOR: Tom Fletcher

FAVOURITE HARRY POTTER CHARACTER: Dobby

FAVOURITE HARRY POTTER CHARACTER: Lund Lovegod

FAVOUITE TIC TOC DANCE: Renegade

FAVOUITE TIC TOC DANCE: Unicorn

FAVOURITE TIC TOC INFLUENCER: Kouvr

FAVOURITE TIC TOC INFLUENCER: Avvanni

FAVOURITE FOOD: Kebab

FAVOURITE FOOD: Chinese Beef and Mushrooms with no Mushrooms

FAVOURITE DISNEY CHARACTER: Dumbo

FAVOURITE ANIMAL: Puppy

FAVOURITE ANIMAL: Elephant

FAVOURITE SCHOOL SUBJECT: Maths

FAVOURITE SCHOOL SUBJECT: Lunch Local Women Magazine | 81

TOP TIP WHY NO T USE PASTA F OR HAIR OR FOR A CURLY B EARD?

Funny Face Art

Making Art from rubbish This project was lots of fun because it was easy and creative to make and only uses materials that you have around the house. Any age can create a funny face, or any kind of face that you want, because they don’t have to be perfect. You can make a cross face, a happy face, a sad face, or even a surprised face. All that you need is:

• Cardboard • Paint • Tape or glue • Any extras that you want to add to it yourself.

Making Fruit Salad

We were asked to make a Fruit Salad as part of our homework from school, but I didn’t mind because I love fruit and it was nice and healthy. You can use whatever fruit you want and you can change what fruit juice you use. My Mum made it with us as we had to use a knife.

Ingredients: • Blueberries • Grapes • Kiwis • Strawberries • Pineapple • Apples • Pure Orange Juice •

Wash your fruit

•

Get an adult to help you cut the fruit

•

Add to the bowl and pour juice over the fruit

EAT!!!!!!

82 | Local Women Magazine

TOP TIP POUR YOGHURT OVER YOUR PORTION. YUMMY IN MY TUMMY!

•

Cut out a shape for the face from a cardboard box. (I got an adult to do this for me as the cardboard was hard to cut and you need to use sharp scissors)

•

Cut out shapes for the eyes, nose, mouth and ears, or any extra shapes that you want to add.

•

Draw a design or pattern on your face and then paint it.

•

Paint your shapes and leave them to dry.

•

Once all the paint is dry, stick your shapes to your face and DONE!

Planting Seeds

efore this dumb Lockdown started, my Grandad gave us seeds and pots to grow our own plants in our new house. I was happy because we sometimes plant in school and I love doing it. My Grandad gave us tomato seeds, sunflower seeds and Sweet Pea seeds. After a couple of weeks, they started to grow shoots out of the soil, so we replanted them in bigger pots and now they are flourishing. I can’t wait for the tomatoes to grow so that I can eat them. We have hanging pots on the fence filled with strawberry plants. One strawberry is already big, but it is green, sadly! I am keeping an eye on it every day so I can eat it before my brothers get it! It has been very sunny in our garden since quarantine started, so the plants are growing quickly without a greenhouse. We have an herb box and I am learning all the names of the herbs like Thyme, Rosemary, Coriander, Basil and Mint. I love gardening because you can get dirty and messy without getting in trouble. If you have been planting flowers or fruit and vegetables during Lockdown, then please send me your pics. TOP TIP PUT SOME STONES AT THE BOTTOM OF THE BIG FLOWERPOTS TO HELP THEM DRAIN PROPERLY.

Making my own Birthday cake...

This cake recipe is the best because it is really easy to make!

Before you start, preheat the fan oven to 180 degrees. •

Ingredients For the cake

• 225g/8oz plain flour • 350g/12½oz caster sugar • 85g/3oz cocoa powder • 1½ tsp baking powder • 1½ tsp bicarbonate of soda • 2 free-range eggs • 250ml/9fl oz milk • 125ml/4½fl oz vegetable oil • 2 tsp vanilla extract • 250ml/9fl oz boiling water

For the chocolate icing

• 200g/7oz plain chocolate • 200ml/7ﬂ oz double cream

Now, all that you need to do is put all the ingredients, apart from the boiling water, into one bowl. Once you have done that, mix with an electric mixer and pour a small bit of the boiling water in at a time. Put the mixture in the lined cake tins and put it into the oven at 180 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes. When you think the cake is ready put a knife or skewer into the middle of the cake and if the knife comes out clean then the cake is ready. You have to let the cake cool down in the tin before you decorate it

How to make the icing •

For my birthday cake I used the ganache icing that I have included in my ingredients list. It is just as easy to make as the cake and tastes so good! Heat the chocolate and cream in a saucepan at a low heat. Once it has all melted, put it in a bowl and whisk it until it is all shiny and thickened. You must leave it for 1-2 hours until it is thicker and ready to spread.

RECIPE TIP THE CAKE MIXTURE IS QUITE THIN, SO YOU NEED TO USE SANDWICH CAKE TINS AS THE SPRINGFORM TINS WILL LEAK.

Assemble the cake •

Remove the cakes carefully from the cake tins. Spread a little bit of the icing on one of the cakes and then place the other cake on top. Spread the rest of the icing around all the cake and then decorate it whatever way you want!

Instructions 1. In a large bowl, combine all of your dry ingredients (ﬂour, salt, cream of tartar) and mix well.

• 1 cup ﬂour • 2 tsp cream of tartar • 1/2 cup salt • 1 tbsp cooking oil • 1 cup cold wayer • 2 drops liquid food colouring (not compulsory)

2. Mix food coloring with

your water ﬁrst. Then add the vegetable oil and water

with food coloring

to a large pot Mix together.

3. Add the dry

ingredients to your

pot and mix well.

4. Cook over low to medium

heat until the dough starts to form and becomes dry.

5. Once it starts to form a ball together and looks fully cooked, take off the heat. Let the dough cool ﬁrst before touching.

6. Once cool, knead the dough for 5 minutes to make the dough soft.

Local Women Magazine | 83

84 | Local Women Magazine

SHOP ONLINE AT

www.shannonsboutique.com T: 078 7799 1350 | E: shannonsboutique19@gmail.com shannons_boutique1

@shansaccessoriesx

Local Women Magazine | 85

86 | Local Women Magazine

SHOP ONLINE AT

www.shannonsboutique.com T: 078 7799 1350 | E: shannonsboutique19@gmail.com shannons_boutique1

@shansaccessoriesx

Local Women Magazine | 87

88 | Local Women Magazine

LW WEDDINGS

Naomi

Daniel

BRIDE: Naomi Hall, from Coleraine GROOM: Daniel Farmer, from Burton Upon Trent WEDDING: 28/05/19 CEREMONY: Portstewart Baptist Church RECEPTION: Leighinmohr House Hotel HAIR: Tiffany Faulkner MUA MAKE-UP: Moods Hairdressing DRESS: Castle Couture Luxury Bridalwear FLOWERS: Pauline Reid Flowers HONEYMOON: Riviera Maya, Mexico PHOTOGRAPHY: Alexandra Barfoot Photography www.alexandrabarfoot.co.uk

Newry Street | Kilkeel | Co Down | T: 028 4176 2315

New Wedding List Service

Check out our new website for browsing, creating and managing wedding lists.

www.weddinglistni.co.uk

Local Women Magazine | 89

We want your Weddings! Relive your special day by seeing it in print.

Send your lovely wedding photos to weddings@localwomensnews.com and we will feature it in our magazine. It doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t matter when you got married. 90 | Local Women Magazine

LW WEDDINGS

Lindsay

Paul

BRIDE: Lindsay Holmes, from Bessbrook; Daughter of Norma and Paul Holmes, Bessbrook GROOM: Paul Gollogly, from Mullaghbawn; Son of Thomas and Rosaleen Gollogly, Mullaghbawn WEDDING: 20/09/2019 CEREMONY: Flagstaff Lodge, Newry RECEPTION: Flagstaff Lodge, Newry BRIDESMAIDS: Joyce Holmes and Abbie Holmes BEST MAN: Gary Bennett PAGE BOY: John Holmes PHOTOGRAPHER: Edel Fearon (E Media & Photography) HAIR: Julieann Fleming MAKE-UP: Tara Doran DRESS: Divinity Bridal FLOWERS: Denise Hanna

Newry Street | Kilkeel | Co Down | T: 028 4176 2315

New Wedding List Service

Check out our new website for browsing, creating and managing wedding lists.

www.weddinglistni.co.uk

Local Women Magazine | 91

92 | Local Women Magazine

LW WEDDINGS

Corina

John

BRIDE: Corina Ryan, Derry; Daughter of Janet Ryan and Arthur Kelpie GROOM: John Paul Devine, Derry; Son of Seamus Mc Bride and Margaret Devine DATE: 14/09/2019 CEREMONY: Steelstown Chapel RECEPTION: An Grianan Hotel. BRIDESMAIDS: Heidi Doherty, Ciara Kelpie, Melissa Rabette, Jennifer Coyle and Chantelle Simpson MAID OF HONOUR: Leah Devine BEST MAN: Sean Mc Cole GROOMSMEN: Philip Craig, Brandan Bradley, Lee Bradley, Josh Bradley and Mickey Devine PHOTOGRAPHER Gerard Gormley Photography and Eyecon Photography HAIR: Caroline Healy at Vanity MAKE UP: Lauren Carton DRESS: McElhinneys, Ballybofey FLOWERS: Groovy Ruby Ltd

Newry Street | Kilkeel | Co Down | T: 028 4176 2315

New Wedding List Service

Check out our new website for browsing, creating and managing wedding lists.

www.weddinglistni.co.uk

Local Women Magazine | 93

94 | Local Women Magazine

LW WEDDINGS

Rebecca Deaglán BRIDE: Rebecca McErlean from Bellaghy; Daughter of Gerard and Louise McErlean GROOM: Deaglán Lowry from Slaughtneil; Son of Mark and Thérèse Lowry WEDDING DATE: 20th July 2019 CEREMONY: St. Mary’s Church, Bellaghy RECEPTION: Slieve Russell Hotel BRIDESMAIDS: Debbie Tennyson, Erin McKernan & Aoife Jones BEST MAN: Rónán Lowry GROOMSMEN: Conall Lowry and Ryan McErlean PHOTOGRAPHER: 4Ever Photos HAIR: Kirsty Brady (Hair by Kirsty at Hidden) MAKE-UP: Hannah Murray Make-up & Brow Artist DRESS: Verona Bridal FLOWERS AND CHAPEL/VENUE STYLING: Happy Ever Vintage

Newry Street | Kilkeel | Co Down | T: 028 4176 2315

New Wedding List Service

Check out our new website for browsing, creating and managing wedding lists.

www.weddinglistni.co.uk

Local Women Magazine | 95

96 | Local Women Magazine

LW WEDDINGS

Kerrie Eugene BRIDE: Kerrie Tennyson from Clonoe; Daughter of Conor and Paula Tennyson GROOM: Eugene Ryan from Brocagh; Son of Eugene and Lilly Ryan WEDDING DATE: 05/10/2019 CEREMONY: Kingisland Chapel RECEPTION: Cabra Castle BRIDESMAIDS: Caroline Doris, Clare Tennyson, Olivia Mc Crystal BEST MAN: Don Ryan GROOMSMEN: Conor Tennyson, Ciaran Campbell PHOTOGRAPHER: Say Cheese HAIR: Stacey Carberry MAKE-UP: Catherine Fleming FLOWERS: Maura Quinn, Ardboe

Newry Street | Kilkeel | Co Down | T: 028 4176 2315

New Wedding List Service

Check out our new website for browsing, creating and managing wedding lists.

www.weddinglistni.co.uk

Local Women Magazine | 97

Using our architectural skills, the team at Gravity Architects are re-creating workplace layouts to maximise space and safety – and get you back to work With the Covid-19 crisis an ongoing battle, social distancing is of paramount importance. Never has ‘keeping apart to stay together’ been more important. But, as businesses gradually get the green light to reopen, the problem of how to keep employees and customers safe within your workplace is proving problematic. Going forward businesses need to ensure that safety is the number one priority and a significant change in how we operate as a society is underway. That’s why you need to ‘future proof’ your business to keep the spread of Covid-19 to a minimum so you can keep trading. But the new social distancing guidance is throwing up a myriad of problems for businesses who operate in confined spaces, or with many staff, or who are customer facing. That’s where UK and Ireland based Gravity Architects can help you. The team at Gravity Architects are using their specialist design skills to make sure your business is compliant and your staff and customers are safe. Architects work every day to maximise space in small buildings and are perfectly placed to show you space saving ideas. Years of design experience means that Gravity Architects have the ability to find solutions to your problems. They can help with office or shop layouts and show you the space saving tricks of the trade

that will make your business operate more means that we can help you ﬁnd solutions efﬁciently while staying safe. to your problems right now.

Liam Nelis said: “Architects test their skills every day working on ﬂoor plans of buildings to maximise function and utilise every inch of space. “We are well versed in working to strict guidelines and have the ability to cut through the red tape and get projects moving.

“Many businesses have said they feel their layout means they will never be able to open their doors again – but we believe there is a solution to every problem.

SHORT-TERM SOLUTIONS

MEDIUM-TERM SOLUTIONS

LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS

Our short-term solutions will ensure your business can start to operate at the earliest opportunity whilst maintaining safety for colleagues and customer.

Medium-term solutions will provide an opportunity to start operating with a higher level of staﬃng whilst maintaining safety and social distancing protocol.

Long-term solutions will maximise your operational opportunities whilst minimising the risk and disruption in the future.

“We will work with you to make your business work. We will ensure that your business is fully compliant with government guidance “There is nothing we love more than a so that we can all get back to work as soon challenge and our years of design skills as possible.”

For more information call on 028 7126 3206 or email Liam at lnelis@gravityarchitects.co.uk

www.gravityarchitects.co.uk 98 | Local Women Magazine

Where Quality Furniture Costs Less

DINING | LIVING | BEDROOM | SUITES GIFTWARE | OCCASIONAL FURNITURE

Opening Hours: Monday - Friday: 9:30am - 5:30pm Saturday: 9:30am - 5:00pm Sunday: Closed

47-55 Killyleagh Street, Crossgar, County Down, BT30 9DQ 028 4483 2880 www.whytesofcrossgar.co.uk

Local Women Magazine | 99