lisburn bowl, operations manager, aoife loughran...

Issue 49 - August 2018 | www.edamedia.co.uk | Tel: 028 9751 1002

The Club won a staggering 13 medals across a number of closely contended singles, pairs and doubles events in the sports of Badminton, Bocce and Football.

Bocce athletes Claire O’Neill and Oliver Magee won well-deserved Gold medals in both the singles and pairs events with There-sa McMahon also winning Gold in the pairs as well as collecting a Bronze in the singles. Christopher Parker was also awarded Gold in the pairs and a 4th place in the singles.

In badminton, Sarah Lou-ise Rea and Ben Hayward topped the table with Gold medals in the singles and mixed doubles with Adam Smyth winning Gold in the men’s doubles and 4th in the singles.

Footballers Daniel Ten-nyson and Joe McVarnock then rounded off the medal

success with a keenly con-tended Bronze medal and 4th place.

Alderman Porter, said, “I would like to congratulate all the athletes and volun-teers for their tremendous achievements at the Special Olympics Ireland Games. Everyone has performed to the highest standard and has proudly represented Team Ulster and Lisburn & Cas-tlereagh at such a prestigious competition.”

CELEBRATING MEDAL SUCCESS

Alderman Paul Porter, Chairman of the Council’s Leisure & Community Development Committee has congratulated local athletes from Lisburn 2gether after their successful medal tally at the Special Olympics Ireland Games in Dublin.

The campaign aims to tackle negative connotations of people with a learning difficulty and to highlight that with the right support people with a learning disability can excel in em-ployment. Targeted at em-ployers, ‘This is Learning Difficulty at WORK’ will feature across billboards, buses, TV and online to showcase real beneficiar-ies of Stepping Stones NI achieving real success at

work.Thirty two year old

Michael Byrne from Lis-burn was supported by Step-ping Stones NI to gain new skills and secure a work placement with Lisburn Bowl in 2017. Michael impressed his employer so much that he was offered a permanent post as recrea-tional assistant after a work placement organised by the charity and he is now re-garded as a valuable asset to

the Lisburn Bowl team.Lisburn Bowl, Operations

Manager, Aoife Loughran comments “Michael is a committed and dedicated member of our team. We worked with Stepping Stones NI to make reason-able adjustments to working conditions and environ-ments and Michael has excelled. We have seen the true value of working with Stepping Stones NI as we have gained a valuable

member of staff. I would strongly encourage other employers to consider of-fering work placements in partnership with Stepping Stones NI. The team are extremely knowledge-able and supportive of the people they support. We are delighted to support the campaign and to supporting diversity in the workplace.”

NEW CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED TO HIGHLIGHT HOW PEOPLE WITH

LEARNING DIFFICULTIES ARE EXCELLING IN EMPLOYMENT

Lisburn Bowl, Operations Manager, Aoife Loughran with Michael Byrne from Lisburn.

Specialist support and training organisation, Stepping Stones NI, have launched a new campaign to highlight how people with learning difficulties are excelling in employment.

Continued on Page 2

The Lisburn Advertiser Issue 49 - August 2018

Translink briefing for Lisburn & Castlereagh Reps Local Translink bus and rail managers have engaged directly with political representatives to discuss passenger transport in the Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council

area.

Pictured L-R are: Cllr Nathan Anderson (DUP); Pat Catney MLA (SDLP); Cllr Uel Mackin, Mayor of Lisburn and Castlereagh; Martin Lundy, Translink Service Delivery Manager; Emma Isaac, Translink Assistant Service Delivery Manager; Cllr John Palmer (UUP); Brendan Gallagher, Weavers Cross/Belfast Hub Community Engagement Manager; Cllr Hazel Legge (UUP); Ald. Stephen Martin (Alliance) and Gemma McMurray, Assistant Rail Service Delivery Manager, Translink. Missing from the image are Cllr Amanda Grehan, Deputy Mayor of Lisburn and Castlereagh, Cllr Johnny McCarthy (SDLP) and Edwin Poots MLA (DUP).

Michael is excited to feature in the campaign and comments, “I have gained so much confi-dence and I absolutely love my job at Lisburn Bowl. It is great to feel part of a team and to work with brilliant people. I feel responsible and in-dependent through the support I have received from Stepping Stones NI and my manager Aoife. I hope that employers can see the potential of people

Continued from Page 1

with a learning difficulty through the new outdoor campaign as I am proof that it works.”

Employers are encour-aged to register their in-terest in the campaign by logging onto the Stepping Stones NI website www.steppingstonesni.com or contacting the Employ-ment Services team on [email protected] / 028 9266 6404.

Stepping Stones NI have been in operation for twenty years and work across Lisburn, Castlereagh, Down-

patrick, Newtownards, Craigavon, Newry and Armagh. The multi award winning charity provides specialist sup-port to people with learn-ing disabilities, learning difficulties, Autism, ADHD and Dyslexia to gain meaningful train-ing, qualifications and employment.

The service is part funded though the North-ern Ireland European Social Fund Programme 2014 – 2020 and the Department for the Economy.

The special ‘Meet the Manager’ event provided a platform for discussion around a wide range of transport matters, including: bus and rail service per-formance, bus shelter maintenance, connectiv-ity between Lisburn and Dundonald, local serv-ices, as well as infor-mation on fares, future

ticketing arrangements and the forthcoming Glider service in Bel-fast, which is likely to be of use to local com-muters once it goes live in September. Much discussion also centred on the proposed Bel-fast Hub and Weavers Cross development in Belfast, a highly ambi-tious project, aiming to

regenerate and improve a large tract of Belfast city centre and alter the dynamic of travel, both within Northern Ireland and on a cross-border basis and becoming Northern Ireland’s main transport hub.

Speaking after the event, Martin Lundy, Translink’s local Serv-ice Delivery Manager, said: “These sessions are invaluable in terms

of providing local representatives with an update on local bus and rail services. We were pleased to wel-come a range of local MLAs and councillors to Lisburn Bus Depot in order to learn more about how Translink is working hard to make public transport your first choice for travel in Northern Ireland.

“We would once again

like to thank local repre-sentatives for attending this ‘Meet the Manager’ session and are grateful for their continued sup-port as we work hard to deliver attractive public transport services for everyone.’’.

For further infor-mation on local bus and rail services and travel offers click www.translink.co.uk or tel-ephone 028 90 66 66 30.


Ciara Cormican, 17, from Lisburn, was an-nounced as one of the winners of the festival’s first-ever Quilter Che-viot Award, winning a new camera and having her work displayed in an exhibition at the Cultúr-lann McAdam Ó Fiaich Irish language cultural and arts centre on the Falls Road in Belfast.

The Quilter Cheviot Awards were presented in recognition of the achievements and future promise displayed by participants from the festival’s workshops.

Sponsoring the awards Sam Cussins, Events and Sponsorship at Quilter Cheviot In-vestment Management, remarked on the calibre of emerging photograph-ic talent in Northern Ireland.

“We’re incredibly proud to have supported Belfast Photo Festival this year to programme such an extensive and varied range of work-shops, exhibitions and

LISBURN TEEN’S PHOTOGRAPHY GOES

ON DISPLAY IN BELFAST A promising young visual artist from Lisburn has won an award as part of the

2018 Belfast Photo Festival Compact, in association with Quilter Cheviot Investment Management.

Pictured are Ciara Cormican (left), 17, from Lisburn, and Mollie McKay (right), 15, from Lurgan.

more across Belfast for both the seasoned pho-tographer and budding young artist alike. It’s fantastic to see Ciara’s work on display for the public to see. Dur-ing the workshops she demonstrated a keen interest in the artform and produced fantastic pieces of art that could hang proudly from the walls of any gallery in

the city. “The festival attracts

some of the most dis-tinguished names in international contempo-rary photography, but it also brings to light the wealth of talent that exists here in Northern Ireland. Our Quilter Cheviot Award contin-ues this commitment to encouraging and recog-nising emerging talent

and we’re delighted to announce Ciara as one of the first winners of the award.”

Belfast Photo Festival Compact is supported by National Lottery funding through Arts Council Northern Ire-land, Quilter Cheviot In-vestment Management, Belfast City Council and Alexander Boyd Displays.

In 1918, on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, an armistice was declared between the Allied na-tions and Germany in World War I.

Councillor Nathan Anderson, Chairman of the Council’s Corporate Services Committee, speaking about the planned repairs, said:

“Every Armistice Day and Remembrance Sunday veterans, serv-ing and former armed forces personnel, family members and residents visit our war memorials as a mark of remembrance for those who have lost their lives through war.

“The Council will be repairing its war memorials in Lisburn, Glenavy, Hilden, Hillsborough and Moira in preparation for the 11th November 2018, the 100th An-niversary of Armistice Day. We will also be

inscribing the names of those who lost their lives in the line of duty that have recently been provided to us by relatives.

“It is very important to the Council that it acknowledges the bravery of our Armed Forces, both veterans and serving person-nel; and the Council does this in a number of ways throughout the year. I hope that all our residents will respect these war memorials in the years ahead as they were erected to mark the wars that scarred our past; and to remem-ber the bravery of the local men and women who fought in them.”

The Rt. Hon. Sir Jef-frey Donaldson MP and Alderman James Tinsley, the Council’s Veterans Champion, joined Councillor An-derson at the Lisburn War Memorial to view the progress of the re-

Council Prepares War Memorials For

Armistice DayLisburn & Castlereagh City Council is repairing war memorials across the Council

area in advance of the Centenary of Armistice Day.furbishment work.

Lisburn & Cas-tlereagh City Council would like residents throughout the area to take part in their own way in the traditional two minute silence on

the 11th November 2018 at 11.00am. This marks 100 years to the minute from Armistice Day, which essentially brought an end to four years of fighting during World War I.

The Lisburn Advertiser

©The Lisburn Advertiser is published by EDA Media, No 14 Windmill Business Park, 19A-31 Windmill Road, Saintfield. BT24 7DX - This Paper and its contents are copyright and no part may be reproduced without the priorpermission of the publisher. All Calls are recorded for training, quality and control purposes. Tel: 02897 511002 - Fax 02897 511008 - Email: [email protected] - Visit: www.edamedia.co.uk

Issue 49 - August 2018

Alderman William Leathem, Chairman of Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council’s Development Committee announces a two-day Health & Wellness fair, in partnership with Paula Phillips from Hollywood Health and Rita McAlonan from Child & Adult Therapeutic Services.

Get Well And Heal At Our Health And Wellness Fair Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council, in partnership with local providers; Child & Adult Therapeutic Services and Hollywood Health, is holding a free two-day Health and

Wellness Fair on the 23rd & 24th September at Lagan Valley Island, Lisburn. Speaking at the launch of

the Fair, Chairman of the Council’s Strategic Com-munity Planning Partner-ship, Alderman William Leathem said: “I am excited to announce that over two days in September we will be bringing a host of ex-

perts, speakers, demos and Therapists under one roof to help people of all ages get well and heal. Nowhere else will you find so many specialists and the latest technology aimed at restor-ing your mind and body. I fully understand how dif-

ficult it can be to deal with poor health as I have lived with Fibromyalgia and ME for a number of years now, however, I also understand that there are non-medical routes available for healing that really do help.”

Rita McAlonan from Child & Adult Therapeu-tic Services discusses the range of services that will be available at the Fair: “This is a wonderful op-portunity to discover tools and techniques which can aid healing and promote your own wellbeing. I am delighted that we will have a room full of Therapists and experts showcasing the most up-to-date technol-ogy and practical advice that you can implement straight away. There will be a strong focus on improv-ing your mental health and

how to stay in good mental health. We are particularly pleased to have the An-dromeda Bio-resonance Computer system which is

a very sophisticated soft-ware system providing us-ers with a computer-aided health check. Other areas that will be covered include

support for children and young people with behav-ioural challenges, Kinesiol-ogy, Matrix Re-imprinting, Nutrition and Diet and

practical skills for dealing with stress and anxiety, to name a few. If you have been suffering from poor health or feeling generally

unwell this is your chance to change this, so please take some time and invest in your health. It will defi-nitely be worthwhile.”

The free Health and Well-ness Fair will feature expert talks, workshops, one-to-one consultations and you will also get the opportunity to purchase health and well-being products from local providers. Statutory or-ganisations as well as local healthcare providers will also be present.

The opening times of the Fair are: 1:00pm - 6:00pm on Sunday 23rd September and 10:00am – 7:00pm on Monday 24th September and it will be held in La-gan Valley Island, Lisburn. Entry is free, however any donations received by visi-tors will go to the Mayor’s Charity, Cancer Fund for Children.

For further information on the Health and Wellness Fair visit www.facebook.com/ wholebeingwell beingapproach/ or www.facebook.com/LisburnCas tlereagh and register your interest in the event.

The Holocaust Pro-gramme will include two preparation workshops for the participants in advance of a four day residential visit to Poland. It is es-sential that all participants are available and able to travel to Poland during the months of September and November 2018. After the trip there will be two post-programme workshops to develop an exhibition to launch on Holocaust Memorial Day in January 2019.

This capacity building programme is suitable for those active in the fields of culture, identity and history within all commu-nities in the Lisburn Cas-tlereagh area. There are a limited number of places available with a maximum of three participants per organisation eligible to apply. All participants must have the consent of their organisations before applying.

Alderman Paul Porter, Chairman of the Council’s

Call for Participants in the Council’s Holocaust Programme

Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council will be running a ‘Holocaust Memorial Day Programme’ from September 2018 to January 2019 and is encouraging local community and voluntary group members to sign up.

Leisure & Community Development Committee, speaking about this new programme said: “The Holocaust Programme is a three-part project designed to improve understand-ing. It is appropriate that this Good Relations programme will study the Holocaust, one of the world’s most terrible periods in history which should never be forgotten.

“During the four day residential to Krakow and the surrounding areas, the programme partici-pants will be encouraged to challenge prejudice, promote tolerance and em-brace cultural diversity. In today’s society is it very important that the dignity of everyone is respected and that there is no accept-ance of discrimination, prejudice, racism and in-tolerance. This is a strong message that resounded around the world after the Holocaust. I am sure all the participants on this programme will remember the experience for years to come and find the visit meaningful.”

To apply for the Holo-caust programme please forward to Lynsey Gray, the Council’s Good Rela-tions Officer a one page motivation letter, proof of ID, a short description of your organisation’s activi-ties and the contact details of two referees.

All applications must be received by 12 noon on Friday 17th August by email to lynsey.gray@lis burncastlereagh.gov.uk


The scheme will further improve the physical ap-pearance of the gateways to Lisburn City Centre which will include the upgrad-ing of pavements in Castle Street, Railway Street, Bachelors Walk, Antrim Street, Bridge Street and Seymour Street as part of Council’s regeneration initiative to provide a high quality attractive City Cen-tre environment.

The Department for Communities is investing approximately £1.5 mil-lion in this project with the Council investing a further £1 million.

Alderman William Leath-em, Chairman of the Coun-cil’s Development Commit-tee said: “The Council are looking forward to seeing the upgrade of pavements that will further enhance the `Streetscape` of the City Centre.

“This is a significant investment in Lisburn City Centre, by both the Council and the Department which will complement other public realm work already completed in the city that created a wonderful new events space where visi-tors enjoy the free events programme alongside the attractive water and light-ing features. By improving linkages to other areas across the City we hope to

CONTRACTOR APPOINTED TO DELIVER FURTHER IMPROVEMENTS

TO LISBURN CITY CENTRE Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council has recently appointed Civil Engineering

Company FP McCann as the contractor for Lisburn Linkages, the next phase of the City Centre Public Realm scheme.

Alderman William Leathem, Chairman of the Council’s Development Committee is pictured with Louise Warde Hunter, Deputy Secretary at the Department for Communities; Enda Shields from FP McCanns, the contractor appointed for the Lisburn Linkages project; and Ciara Lappin from Dorans Consultants.

make it a much more ac-cessible environment. It is good to be at the stage of having an experienced contractor such as FP Mc-Cann on board and ready to start.”

Louise Warde Hunter, Deputy Secretary at the Department for Communi-ties added: “The Council’s

appointment of the contrac-tor is a key step in deliver-ing further improvements in the city centre. These works will improve the linkages and connectivity between key developments such as Castle Gardens, Market Square and Bow Street Mall and further im-prove the quality of experi-

ence for the city’s residents and visitors by creating a more attractive and safe area to work, shop and re-lax. This work along with the ongoing shop frontages scheme is transforming Lisburn city centre and the Department is pleased to support this ongoing regeneration.”


During his term as Mayor 2016/17 Coun-cillor Bloomfield MBE raised over £90,000 for the premature baby charity.

Speaking about the Award, Councillor Bloomfield MBE, said:

“I am surprised and humbled to receive this

Highly Commended award. I chose Ti-nyLife as my charity because I know from first-hand experience the vital support that it offers local families.

“My grandson was born eight weeks pre-maturely; and for the family this was a diffi-

FORMER MAYOR RECOGNISED FOR FUNDRAISING EFFORTS

At the recent Institute of Fundraising NI Awards ceremony Councillor Brian Bloomfield MBE received an award for his partnership with local charity, TinyLife when he was Mayor of Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council.

portance of giving tiny babies every opportu-

nity to thrive and learn. I believe that there has

been an increase in the uptake of its services

and the number of vol-unteers as a result of

all the awareness rais-ing done through my role in the Council. I am extremely proud of everyone who worked with me as part of my Charity Committee during my mayoral term. Lastly I would like to thank my wife Rosalind for her sup-port during all the charity events and my mayoral term.”

Councillor Bloom-field MBE raised money from a number of events throughout his mayoral term such as: Lisburn City Old Vehicle Club Vintage Car Run, Lisburn Half Marathon & Fun Run, Twilight Night by Fairylight, a Tesco Bag Pack, a Fireworks Display at Thiepval Barracks, Carol Sing-ing in Bow Street Mall, a Charity Table Quiz, a Charity Golf Day, a Ladies Vintage Tea Evening and many more.

Brian Bloomfield MBE and his wife Rosalind are pictured

with Barra Best.

Competing with choirs from all across Ireland and beyond, they won the musicals category and were run-ners-up in the Ladies’ Choir Class.

These successes came hot on the heels of the choir’s tri-umphs at the Bangor International Choral

Festival in April. Here they won the Ladies choir class, the sacred music class and the Isobel Reid cup for the performance of the afternoon.

The choir ended the year with a sold out concert in the Great Hall Stormont as guests of Paul Givan

MLA, where we were joined by Clara Schu-mann Frauenchor – a ladies’ choir from Berlin.

The Choir’s musical director, Lisburn mu-sic teacher Kirsty Orr, said, “We are all very proud of our achieve-ments. They are the result of dedication

LISBURN CHOIR TRIUMPHS IN ALL-IRELAND FESTIVAL

The members of Lisburn Harmony Ladies’ Choir returned victorious from the Mayo International Choral Festival in Castlebar.

and hard work on the part of all our choir members.”

Lisburn Harmony was formed by Kirsty Orr in 2010, as there were no community choirs in Lisburn at the time. The choir is made up of 70 ladies from all walks of life, ages and stages, and prides itself on its cross com-munity, all-inclusive ethos and its eclectic repertoire.

The Choir meet every Wednesday night in Brownlee Primary School, Lisburn from 7.30 to 9.30 and are keen to welcome po-tential new members in September.

So if you’ve always had a yearning to stretch those vocal cords, come along and give it a go! You won’t regret it. You don’t need to go through an audition, but you do need to love singing! Check out our Face-Book Page for more info and performance videos.

For media enquiries contact Margaret Mann on 07786 166550, or for information on the choir contact Kirsty Orr on 07516 240393.

cult and uncertain time. He is fit and strong now and the support offered to my daughter and her husband both at the hospital and at home was simply superb.

“The incredible amount of £90,497.69 was raised thanks to the generosity of residents and groups within the Lisburn Cas-tlereagh area. I am de-lighted that this money is helping TinyLife to continue to offer services and support to the six babies born too soon every day in Northern Ireland. It was a pleasure to work with the TinyLife team during my term as Mayor and this char-ity will always have a place in my heart.

“It was also a pleas-ure to have the oppor-tunity to champion the good work of TinyLife and ensure everyone I met understood the im-


They adopted ‘Making Sad Dogs Happy’ as their official slogan and, in re-cent years, they have been doing just that, matching hundreds of sporting breed dogs with new, country-living, owners who can provide them with active lifestyles and loving human families.

Their passion and love of dogs were recognised with the presentation of a pres-tigious Country Sport & Country Life Award, made in recognition of outstand-ing contributions to country sports and heritage.

They were nominated for the award by proud

re-homer Robin Whiteside who adopted his dog, Lucy, from the charity. “Lucy came to Wendy and Sam as an unloved, gangling and pretty miserable dog. Thanks to their care, her life has turned around. Now she has a glossy coat and a permanently wagging tail and looks like what she is: a happy, healthy dog. We were delighted to take Lucy into our home and to-day she is a great retriever who just loves her work in the field, a great companion and a much-loved family pet. I am delighted to say a special thank you to two great country-people who

TALE OF HAPPY DOGS EARNS AWARD

Dog-loving Dunmurry couple Sam and Wendy Willoughby have earned honours as the force behind the local charity ‘Gundog Rescue & Rehoming’.

have put real happiness into the lives of dogs and their new owners and I congratu-late them on this award and recognition of their contri-bution to animal welfare.”

Albert Titterington, Director of Great Game Fairs of Ireland, added his congratulations, saying, “The relationship between a gundog and his owner is uniquely special and it gives me real pleasure to see how Robin has devel-oped such a strong bond with Lucy, a dog who owes her fresh start in life to Sam and Wendy’s love of ani-

mals. A happy tale for all concerned!”

Wendy and Sam Willoughby are pictured receiving the award from (Centre) Paul Pringle, NI Editor of Irish Country Sports & Country Life magazine and web portal. Adding their support are proud dog owner Robin Whiteside and Black Labra-dor, Lucy, now a contented member of the Whiteside household.

The Irish Game Fair is supported by TourismNI and Antrim & Newtownab-bey Borough Council.


SERC hosted international students Patricia Quintano Gutierrez and Carles Ramos Guillen from FEGREPPA College, they are pictured with Novelli at City Quays Executive Head Chef Jim Mullholland.

Spanish exchange students cook up tasty dishes at Michelin-star

chef led restaurant South Eastern Regional College (SERC) has recently played host to two Spanish

students as part of an international placement programme funded by Erasmus+. Patricia Quintano Gu-

tierrez and Carles Ramos Guillen, aged 18 from FEGREPPA College, a specialist bakery and patisserie college based in Valencia, Spain, had the unique opportunity to come to Northern Ireland and experience a new culture, try new cuisine and experience life at Novelli at City Quays, the 120-seater restaurant in the new AC Hotel Belfast.

Over the course of their 10-week work placement, the students got the opportunity to work with Novelli at City Quays Executive Head Chef Jim Mulhol-land. The duo prepared pastries and desserts as well as experienced life in a flagship kitchen and the production of a very varied menu.

SERC International Studies Manager Sharon Browne explains: “The aim of the exchange project was to provide opportunities for the stu-dents to develop profes-sional skills and English language proficiency, as well as increase the students understanding and tolerance of other cultures.”

Sharon went on to explain the programme further, “Over the course of their placement, the students got the opportu-nity to experience amaz-ing new insights, from learning a new culture, cuisine and language, to making new friends from diverse ethnic and national backgrounds.”

Novelli at City Quays Executive Head Chef Jim Mullholland has been

working with SERC for twelve years to help train the next generation of chefs with the restaurant currently employing three apprentices from SERC.

Feedback has been very positive with Jim saying that he was ‘very impressed’ with both the skills set of the students and their work ethic.

SERC developed the partnership with FE-

GREPPA to exchange students over the next two years through Er-asmus+, the EU pro-gramme for education, training, youth and sport supported by the European Commission. This visit is just one in a series of work place-ment programmes, which will see SERC students completing work place-ments in countries across Europe.

Whilst the work con-tinues for the full re-presentation in spring 2019, Hillsborough Castle is now staging daily tours of the spec-tacular State Rooms and majestic grounds for the

summer season. Discover stories of

celebration, entertain-ment, diplomacy, and negotiation as expert Explainers guide you through a 45-minute tour of Hillsborough Castle’s

Summer Tours at Hillsborough Castle

In July Hillsborough Castle reopened to visitors following a nine-month closure which saw Historic Royal Palaces continue its ambitious project to transform the Castle, opening the building and its fascinating history to the widest possible audience.

captivating history and stunning State Rooms. A guided tour includes access to all the State Rooms that make up this elegant Georgian home, including the grand Throne Room, relaxing State Drawing Room, Lady Grey’s Study, State Dining Room, Red Room and Stair Hall.

A guided tour ticket also includes access to Hillsborough Castle’s world famous gardens. Explore over 100 acres of ornamental grounds, peaceful woodland, meandering waterways and picturesque glens. Garden explorer maps reveal some of the gar-den’s unique features, including the Yew Tree Walk, Moss Walk, Ice

House, Pinetum and the Quaker Burial Ground. These special gardens provide a place to un-wind, contemplate, socialise and seek inspiration, capping a memorable day out for the whole family.

Hillsborough Castle tours operate daily, un-til 30 September 2018. For more information and to buy tickets visit h t tps : / /www.hrp .o rg .uk/hillsborough-castle/explore

Castle Tours: Tours operate dailyThree tours per hour

– commencing on the hour, 15 minutes past and 30 minutes past

First tour 10:00, last tour 16:00 (until 30 Sep-tember 2018)


Have you ever been told that pain is just a part of life? Worse yet, that you are get-ting old and should just accept it, because there is nothing else that you can do? If you are aged 35+ and suffer-ing from chronic knee pain, then this article contains important in-formation for you.

Gavin Noble, one of Northern Ireland’s leading knee pain spe-cialists has written a special report all about knee pain. The goal of the report is to pro-vide people who suffer from pain in the Lagan Valley community, important information to make better, more educated decisions about their health and wellness.

So many times people are told to just rest or take pills, as if these are the only ways to manage pain. This is simply not true. A lot

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After 25 years as a teacher, I trained to become a Clinical Hyp-notherapist attaining a Diploma in Solution Focused Hypnotherapy and a Hypnotherapy Practitioner Diploma.

Solution Focused Hypnotherapy is a com-bination of psychother-apy and hypnotherapy. It uses practical and well researched strate-gies, based on the latest neuroscience, to help people make significant changes in their lives. This ‘positive mind-set’ therapy focuses on what you want to achieve in your life. It is incredibly effective, as instead of dwelling on the problem itself or your past issues, this modern hypnotherapy is about looking, and moving, forward.

It can help with anxi-ety, depression, anger, panic attacks, insomnia, OCD, addictions, fears, pain, heartache, weight loss, stress, sports/in-terview/exam perform-ance and many more issues.

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This will enable you to accept the positive sug-gestions I make.

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The Woodland Trust’s Nature’s Calendar project is already re-ceiving records of ripe berries, hastened by the recent heatwave. But the dry weather could spell danger for this year’s wild fruit crops, and the animals that feed on them.

So far the Trust has received 59 records of blackberries ripen-ing, and six records of rowan berries ripening. The baseline average for these events is 27 August and 1 September respectively. The earli-est sightings this year have come in around two months earlier than usual.

While the official berry records added to Nature’s Calendar are mainly from England and Wales, a glance would suggest that the Northern Ireland coun-tryside isn’t far behind. The charity, however, needs local people to add their observations to this online project, in order to get a clearer

Berries are ripening - but is this a warning for

wildlife? Wacky weather could mean early berry batches, but browning and weakened trees – warns Woodland

Trust.picture of seasonal changes right across the UK.

These early changes in summer scenery could have consequences. If the dry, warm weather continues, the lack of water could mean that berries may be smaller or drop from trees and shrubs. Migratory birds like fieldfare and red-wing (arriving around October) could be left with less food if the resident wildlife has taken their share first. Furthermore, trees may tint earlier as they try to preserve water and can also be more susceptible to threats such as tree pests and diseases.

Dr Kate Lewthwaite, citizen science manager for the Woodland Trust, said: “It may be the height of summer, but because of the recent weather, we’re already anticipating signs of autumn. Although we’ve only had a small number of berry records so far, the heat will only

encourage more fruit to ripen, and leaves on trees may also start to change colour.

“Given the implica-tions this may have for the berry crop and other species in general, we would urge the public to report the first seasonal events they see to Na-ture’s Calendar.

“Citizen science is vital in informing our view of changing sea-sons. This year spring suddenly burst forth in April after being sub-dued by snow in March. Now, it will be interest-ing to see how other seasonal timings and species are affected for the rest of 2018.”

Nature’s Calendar is a continuation of sea-sonal recordings which date back to the 18th century. By recording the timings of natural phenomenon, thousands of people have enabled Nature’s Calendar to be-come the leading survey into how climate change is affecting UK plants

and wildlife. The chari-ty is currently appealing for more recorders from Northern Ireland, where records are scarce.

To find out more about Nature’s Calendar and become a recorder, visit naturescalendar.wood landtrust.org.uk


Ingrid Freeburn, who runs the Slimming World group at Ballymacash Primary School that Bet-ty attends, says, “A lot of people beyond retirement age who join the group express concerns that they may not be success-ful - they feel that it will be harder to lose weight because of their age and because they aren’t as active as they used to be. This really isn’t the case because Food Optimis-ing works no matter what age you are! Although we do encourage mem-bers to increase their exercise levels if they can, at the end of the day, without making healthy eating changes, exercise has little or no effect on weight loss unless you are engaging in a signifi-cant training programme where you are burning off very large amounts of energy. So, embrac-ing our amazing healthy eating plan works, even if you cannot do much activity, and many older people find that once they have lost a bit of weight, they have more energy and are more likely to be able to go out for a stroll or a swim.”

Before her retirement, Betty worked as a bus driver for Ulsterbus, and she is very proud of the fact that she was the first female bus driver in the company! Her love for

YOU’RE ONLY AS OLD AS YOU FEEL!

Betty Scott from Lisburn has proved that age really doesn’t matter when it comes to losing weight, having lost 4 stone despite her advanced years.

driving is still evident, as now at over 80 years of age, she continues to drive a motor home and enjoys travelling to visit friends and family.

Weight was never an issue for Betty until she was diagnosed with diabetes. It proved impossible for her to control it by diet and eventually ended up on insulin. Betty found the condition hard to con-trol, and that’s when the pounds started to pile on. Before she knew it, she was struggling to bend over to put her shoes on and mobility was becom-ing an issue. Her grand-daughter encouraged her to join her local Slim-ming World group and she hasn’t looked back since.

Ingrid explains, “Type 2 diabetes is often linked with overweight and obesity. It develops if the body can’t make enough

insulin to function ef-ficiently or if the body’s cells don’t react to the insulin that is produced. There are various stages of treatment and the condition can be man-aged by losing weight and adopting healthier lifestyle habits alone, or through a combination of diet plus medication. It accounts for around 90% of all people with diabe-tes. People with diabetes are encouraged to follow a healthy, balanced diet that fits perfectly with the flexibility that Food Optimising offers. With its generosity and free-dom of choice for plenty of healthy food options, Food Optimising puts members in control of the foods they eat and when they eat them. This makes it easy for mem-bers to fit in any personal advice on diet they have been given by their dia-betes care team.”

Since Betty joined the group at Ballymacash, she has lost 4 stone and says she feels like a new woman! Betty says, “I am a very plain eater, I enjoy normal dinners with potatoes, meat and vegetables. I also like hearty foods like soups and stews and I do oc-casionally like to have something sweet but now I know that I can enjoy things like that in moderation and still lose weight. I eat the way my great-grandmother ate. I don’t like spicy foods, just plain cooking but learning the little chang-es in how to shop, cook and eat has made all the difference. The level of insulin I have to take to help control my diabetes is now one-third of what it used to be and my doc-tor is delighted.”

Betty also loves the friendship and fun at the group each week and says that she looks forward to seeing all her friends there every Wednesday evening.

Ingrid’s group runs on Wednesdays at 5.30pm and 7.30pm in Ballyma-cash Primary School, Brokerstown Road. If you would like to find out more about Food Optimising and live in another area, visit www.slimmingworld.co.uk to find your closest Slim-ming World group.

Betty before joining Slimming World.

Betty now, 4 stone lighter.

If you have a weak-ness for freshly pro-duced farm food, you now have a great op-tion. If you are in or around Lisburn, get in touch with Evans Farm Shop for more on how we can help you meet your needs. As a qual-ity farm shop in this area, you can depend on us for all your farm supplies.

When you need fresh fruits and vegetables, you need to rely on a reputable and qual-ity store. At Evans Farm Shop, we stock a variety of fresh produce, both local and imported to fit all your needs. Get in touch with a member of our team to discuss your needs. We also supply plants and flow-ers, house and garden plants, as well as fresh and local produce.

If you are looking for fresh flowers daily, then visit Evans Farm Shop in Lisburn or call for local flower deliveries. We also supply special-ist flowers with a large variety of foliage. If

EVANS FARM SHOPFor quality farm shop produce in Lisburn, Stonyford, Drumbo, Hillsborough and

Mazetown, look no further than Evans Farm Shop.

you are looking for that special occasion flower arrangement for birth-days, anniversaries, sea-sonal celebrations then Evans Farm Shop can supply you with these.

If you require a steady

supply of firewood and logs for your house or garden, you need a reli-able supplier. Seek out Evans Farm Shop when you need farm prod-ucts for the house and garden in and around

Lisburn.187 Moira Road, Lis-

burn, Co. Antrim, BT28 1JA. Open Monday-Saturday, 8am-6pm

Tel: 028 9266 6507Visit www.evansfarm

shop.co.uk


Our examination results are on an upward trend with all-time highs being reached at both GCSE and A level in recent years. Most importantly, we know that we add value to students’ learning. En-suring that students of all abilities make progress be-yond expectations is what we are most proud of as a school. At the end of their studies the vast majority of our students go on to study at university level across a broad range of courses.

Academic success is based on ensuring that students follow the cor-rect curriculum pathway, one that is best suited to their abilities and career aspirations. Alongside the traditional subjects such as Mathematics, Physics and History, we have expanded our curriculum in recent years to include other courses like Criminology, Life and Health Sciences and Travel and Tourism.

Whilst Sixth Formers are encouraged to develop as independent learners, they

Hunterhouse College Sixth Form

The Sixth Form at Hunterhouse is a vibrant community within the College and students join us at Post-16 level from many schools across the greater Lisburn area and beyond.

do so in a supportive en-vironment. Students have regular meetings with their designated Mentor to discuss their academic progress and further guidance and advice is provided by a wide range of staff.

This is what our Sixth Form students say about

us:“You will always be

supported by your teach-ers and your peers and en-couraged to do your best and be your best.”

“I transferred from my previous school to Hunter-house to study at A level and it was the best deci-sion I have made. Every-

one was very welcoming and helpful. I found it easy meeting new friends and the subjects are very enjoyable.”

“My transition from GCSE to A level has been smooth and I received exceptional guidance regarding A level subject choice.”

At Active Lifestyle Fit-ness we have no age re-striction. We have younger members, especially peo-ple recovering from injury or surgery, although most of our members are from a mature age group.

Even if you have never exercised in a gym before, you will find our motor as-sisted exercise system easy to use. It is always fully su-pervised, with someone on hand to advise you, as eve-ryone’s needs are different.

There are twelve motor-assisted exercise machines. Each machine has a dif-ferent function, and club members complete a full circuit in just 30 minutes by which time the whole body has been exercised. Motor assisted exercise is fun and anyone can do it, as you are sharing the workload with the machine.

Some of the benefits include better joint mobil-ity, improved sleep quality, easier weight management, improvement of fitness and strength leading to less risk of falls, increased mobility and greater independence. There are also potential psychological benefits, promoting good mental health, reducing stress and depression and improving self-esteem and overall wellbeing.

These are low impact, easy to use, gentle to mod-erate exercise machines and therefore are suitable for people of all fitness lev-

EVERYONE NEEDS AN ACTIVE LIFESTYLE

The human body responds to exercise, no matter what the age. There are a range of physical, psychological and social benefits. It is never too late to start.

els, and will help sufferers of arthritis or lower back pain.

Shepherd, R (1997) states, “A regular pro-gramme of moderate exer-cise is a very appropriate recommendation for almost all older adults. Moreover, there is no known pharma-cological remedy that can so safely and effectively reduce a person’s biologi-cal age”. Exercise will not only increase your life ex-pectancy but improve your quality of life.

70-72 Antrim Street, Lis-burn, BT28 1AU.

For more information, or to book a free trial, phone us on 02892 669 342

Email: [email protected] Website: lisburnac tivelc.co.uk

The appointment comes after a highly competitive recruitment process to re-place the outgoing Gordon Gough, who is retiring.

Mr McQuillan takes up the post next month and will oversee the organisa-tion which represents a total of 28 Local Enterprise Agencies across Northern Ireland.

Prior to his appoint-ment, Michael McQuillan was the Director of the Business Institute at the Ulster University Business School.

An entrepreneur by background, he co-founded ‘The Streat’ coffee chain in 1999 expanding it through franchising which led to an acquisition by a major food distribution company.

Announcing his appoint-ment Nicholas O’Shiel, Chair of Enterprise NI commented: “We are thrilled that Michael has joined us as our new Chief Executive.

“Michael brings with him the experience that comes with the real-life chal-lenges of being an entre-preneur which is essential in understanding the needs of start-ups and growing businesses.

“This is an exciting appointment for us at En-terprise NI. The strength of candidates that came forward was exceptional and Michael with his im-

Enterprise NI Formally Announces New Chief

ExecutiveEnterprise NI has formally announced Michael McQuillan as its new Chief

Executive.pressive track record stood out, making him the ideal person to lead the organisa-tion into the future.

“We know that Michael has the vision and ambition to sustain and grow the number of new businesses we are assisting through our local enterprise agen-cies, who in turn are work-ing with thousands of en-trepreneurs enabling them to succeed.

“Already, through the likes of the Small Busi-ness Loan Fund and the Start Up Loan Fund we have supported local businesses to the tune of nearly £10milion over the past number of years. Our

ambition is to develop this, and we are confident that under Michael’s leadership we are in a strong position to do so.”

He added:“We’d like to express our gratitude to the outgoing Chief Executive, Gordon Gough, for his many years of service with Enterprise NI. We wish him well in his retirement.”

On his appointment, Michael McQuillan, the new Chief Executive of Enterprise NI commented: “As an organisation which promotes and nurtures entrepreneurship, I am thrilled to have been ap-pointed to Enterprise NI.

“Throughout my career

I have been passionate about the development of the Northern Ireland skills agenda and the importance of local businesses being the bedrock for economic stability and growth. Along the way, I have had the privilege of mentoring an extensive list of SMEs, helping them to grow and develop.

“Over the next few weeks and months, my pri-ority is to get out and meet with all the local enterprise agencies that we represent across Northern Ireland to look at how we can further develop the magnificent work and support that is currently being delivered.”


Each Sunday is from 3.30 – 4.30 pm and Monday – Fridays 8 – 9pm. Please note there will be no event on Monday 27 Aug, due to the Bank Holiday.

Interesting life stories, singing items and rel-evant messages from the Bible will make up the pro-gramme. Don’t miss Friday 31 August which is a special musical evening with the men’s group ‘Grace in Har-mony’ or Monday 3 Sep-

tember when author Averill Neilly shares her story enti-tled, ‘proving God through illness and bereavement’.

It is approx thirty years since The Faith Mission held a similar outreach in a mar-quee in Crumlin, so please give the team a welcome as they call at your home with a personal invitation.

These events are open to everyone in the community and admission is free. We look forward to seeing you.

Mission Crumlin ‘18A team from The Faith Mission plan

outreach events in Crumlin Integrated College from 26 August – 9 September.

The Hill of the O’Neill in Dungannon provided the perfect backdrop as a record 70 parks and green spaces in Northern Ireland received their Green Flag Award for

exceeding tough environ-mental standards for green space management and visi-tor facilities. The Green Flag Award is an internationally recognised certification for

Record Number of Parks Achieve the Green Flag AwardEnvironmental charity Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful has revealed an ever growing number of parks and green spaces that

have been awarded a prestigious Green Flag Award. environmental quality man-agement for parks and open, green spaces and is growing from strength to strength.

For the 2018/19 season, Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful saw a continued increase in public parks, gardens, country parks, cemeteries and green spaces meeting the demanding standards.

There were 9 first-time winners this year across all participating council areas, including: Belmont Cem-etery in Antrim and New-townabbey Borough Coun-cil; Loughgall Country Park and Portadown People’s Park in Armagh City, Ban-bridge & Craigavon Bor-ough Council; Connswater Community Greenway and Half Moon Lake in Belfast City Council; Broadmeadow in Fermanagh and Omagh District Council; Moat Park in Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council; Hill of The O’Neill in Mid Ulster Dis-trict Council and Kilbroney Park in Newry, Mourne and Down District Council.

Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful also celebrates The Green Flag Community Award and The Green Herit-age Award for sites which conserve, enhance and help people enjoy the heritage value of the site. Rathfern Activity Centre and Toome Linear Park received their first Green Flag Commu-nity Awards and Ballyeaston Church Ruin received its third Green Flag Commu-nity Award; these sites are managed and maintained by volunteers from the local communities. Belfast Botan-ic Gardens and The Mall in Armagh receives their first Green Heritage Award with Antrim Castle Gardens and Sentry Hill Historic House and Visitor Centre receiving their third Green Heritage Awards; these sites celebrate and promote elements of their heritage that make their site unique. There are now more places than ever for the public to enjoy high quality outdoor spaces in Northern Ireland.

This year 48 sites in the

Republic of Ireland have also received the Green Flag Awards, further highlight-ing the growth of this top quality award. In Ireland the scheme is managed locally by An Taisce, the National Trust for Ireland.

The Green Flag Awards are judged annually by green space experts, who volun-teer their time to visit ap-plicant sites and assess them against eight strict criteria, ranging from horticultural standards, cleanliness, sus-tainability and community involvement.

Dr Ian Humphreys, Chief Executive of Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful said:

“We are delighted to be celebrating another record-breaking year for the Green Flag Award scheme.

We are proud to have so many wonderful green spaces in Northern Ireland for people to experience, and encourage the public to head outdoors.

The Green Flag Award is a sign of a well-managed, clean and safe park and with

many people increasingly relying on their local park as a place to exercise, relax and have fun, quality green space has never been more important.

Research shows that peo-ple will only visit a park if they perceive it to be clean and safe; and the Green Flag Award is an easy way for the public to see at a glance that their park meets the highest standards.

All the flags flying this year are a testament to the efforts of the hundreds of men and women, both staff and volunteers, who work tirelessly to maintain the high standards demanded by the Green Flag Award.”

If you are interested in finding out further informa-tion about the Green Flag Award or other programmes run by Keep Northern Ire-land Beautiful please e-mail us on enquiries@keepnorth ernirelandbeautiful.org call us on 028 9073 6920 or check out our website www.keepnorthernirelandbeauti ful.org.

One customer in a recent review described him as “a jewel in the crown”. Paul, from Dromore, states, “ Many Cleaning Doctor customers will be very familiar with the premier carpet, curtain and upholstery cleaning divi-sion already provided by father and son duo David Gamble Snr and Jnr. Add to that the Home Cleaning division operated by sisters Kate and Sue, and it’s clear to see there is a strong brand identity in the area. Now Cleaning Doctor Net-work is offering an even more comprehensive range of services. My division takes care of all your ex-ternal cleaning and mainte-nance requirements.”

Paul also emphasises that his external cleaning and restoration services are for everyone, “Whether your property is a modest home, a grand house, a luxury hotel or a busy commercial

“A Jewel in the Crown...” in Lisburn & Mid Down

Cleaning Doctor Paul Clayton reports that clients are absolutely delighted with the range and quality of his new external cleaning and maintenance services he is providing.

site, my services are de-signed to greatly enhance the external appearance and add value to your property.

“At Cleaning Doctor, we recognise that every property is different, so you will receive external cleaning and maintenance that is designed to suit your specific requirements.

I provide the following services:

• Outdoor cleaning and maintenance services to keep domestic and com-mercial properties looking like new.

• Driveway cleaning and sealing with the Rolls Royce of external cleaners and sealers, I’m your lo-cal Registered SmartSeal Contractor.

• Specialist cleaning and treatments to get rid of moss, mould, algae and other unsightly surface growths and problems.

• Our high and low level, water-fed pole window cleaning system uses the ability of pure water to evaporate off glass without leaving a mark or stain.

• Gutter vacuuming and fascia and soffit clean-ing: unsightly deposits are effectively removed by Cleaning Doctor using our state-of-the-art cleaning systems.

• Patio, path and stone cleaning. Grime, dirt, al-gae and mildew can leave your home looking tired and rundown. Cleaning Doctor has the solution to cleaning all your outside areas plus so much more...

“Using superior ma-chines and products. Every job (big or small) is sensibly prices and backed up with my 100% risk-free satisfaction guarantee.

“If you want to restore your outside areas and en-joy them to the max, call me NOW. I will discuss a tailor-made programme that will be just right for you and your budget. The you can relax and enjoy your beautifully restored property even more – that’s my guarantee.”

You can contact Cleaning Doctor Paul Clayton via telephone on 07725 303 093 OR 028 9278 9236 OR engage with him on Facebook.

Paul Clayton.

We have now added great stews and broths with potatos and other locally sourced ingredients. Our range of products is sup-plied to local shops, res-taurants and supermarkets across the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland.

We have grown from a ‘one man with an idea and a

love of good, down to earth food’ operation to today employing several people to make and supply our gastro-nomic products.

Ingredients & Gastronomy

Morrow Foods always has a focus on delivering good quality gastronomic prod-ucts that are free from addi-

HISTORY OF MORROW FOODS

Morrow Foods was established in 1996 and has been making the very best pates ever since.

tives and preservatives. We also work closely with local suppliers, ensuring that only the best ingredients are in our pates, soups and stews. To ensure freshness to our customers, everything is freshly made each day, and is usually delivered on the day they are made!

Our MissionAt Morrow Foods, we

believe everybody has the right to eat pure, unadulter-ated quality gastronomical foods, and that’s why every-thing we produce from now to the end of time is of great quality.

Our founder, Graham Morrow, brings inspiration and innovation. He has been awarded by both Tesco & was also a Supplier of the Year award from Sainburys. Indeed when Sainsburys were opening up in North-ern Ireland Morrow Foods were specially sought as suppliers having previously popular pate (in those days) with customers of the high-

class Supermac.We are passionate about

buying local and supporting other local businesses.

Rick Stein, the famous chef, very highly praised our pate saying it had ‘a very homemade quality and better than he himself could make’ and we recently have been head-hunted to sup-ply a speciality pate to the Caribbean.

Our products are readily available both online and in-store in large retailers, in-cluding Asda, Tesco NI and Sainsburys. We also supply numerous delis, restaurants, hotels and smaller shops.

We have recently secured a listing in NISA stores throughout England.

In terms of our interac-tive, online audience and share of voice, Morrow Foods have a substantial Facebook following of 2.2K followers, comprising of many loyal customers, spanning throughout the nations with 5 start reviews.


The Food Fair has grown in popularity among trad-ers and consumers alike as a key date in Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council’s summer events calendar. This year’s event will ben-efit from additional fund-ing from the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs’ North-ern Ireland Regional Food

Programme, with new features added to the event programme.

Popular features from previous years will be retained, with an extended artisan food hall, chef demos, café bar, street food and picnic village. This year an ‘edutainment’ element will be added to the line-up featuring expert

SPECIALITY FOOD FAIR RETURNS TO MOIRA DEMESNE BIGGER AND BETTER

Speciality Food Fair will return to Moira Demesne on Saturday 18th August for its fourth year with a focus on local artisan food with sustainability and preservation of food a key focus for 2018.

talks, workshops and mas-terclasses for both adults and children.

Reflecting on the popu-larity of the Speciality Food Fair, Alderman Wil-liam Leathem, Chairman of Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council’s Develop-ment Committee said, “We are delighted to welcome the return of the Speciality Food Fair to Moira for its fourth year. We are very pleased with the growing interest in the event from award-winning producers based within the Council area and further afield. Pro-duce will be on offer to suit all tastes and dietary re-quirements, so we hope to see many local visitors as well as foodies from across Northern Ireland celebrate the top-notch produc-ers and products against the stunning backdrop of Moira Demesne.”

Producers from varying artisan backgrounds will take part including Ab-ernethy Butter, Ke Nako Biltong, Krazi Baker, Harnett’s Oils, Burren Balsamics, The StillHouse Moira, Crumbs Vegan Bakery, Bara Bakehouse, Ispini Charcuterie and Bal-lyriff Buffalo among many others.

Head of DAERA’s Re-gional Food Programme, Louise Millsopp said, “I am delighted that the De-partment is providing sup-port to the Council’s Speci-

ality Food Fair through the Regional Food Programme this year. The event will be a fantastic showcase of Northern Ireland’s local, award-winning, agri-food industry highlighting the quality, innovation, crea-tivity and entrepreneurship that exists across the food and drink sectors. I’m sure it will be a really enjoyable day with something to suit all the avid foodie enthusi-asts among us.”

Enjoy the great outdoors at the Food Fair

Set amongst the lush backdrop of Moira De-mesne’s stunning parkland, guests will enjoy plenty of opportunities to indulge their interests, whether it is chatting to produc-ers or going along to the chef demos in the Kitchen Sessions, or to one of the expert talks. There will be plenty of options also to enjoy speciality treats al fresco, whilst relishing in live entertainment from lo-cal musicians.

As always, the street

food village and picnic area will be a primary outdoor feature at the Food Fair with an even greater choice on offer, reflect-ing Northern Ireland’s burgeoning gourmet street food scene. Guests are en-couraged to get acquainted with emerging faces on Northern Ireland’s gourmet street food scene, includ-ing Dickie D’s Grilled Cheese, Fionnbobs Food Wagon, Burger Republic, The Hatch as well as more established names such as Pheasantshill Farm.

Plenty to quench guests’ thirsts

The Café Bar will also return, serving both alco-holic and non-alcoholic beverages suitable for all ages, with local apple juice, cordials, craft beers,

ciders, and spirits. Speci-ality coffees for those in need of a caffeine fix will be served up alongside teas and hot chocolate. The StillHouse will up the ante in the café bar, bringing a taste of what is on offer in their newly created Distill-ery Bar located a stone’s throw away in Moira village.

Fun for the whole family with children’s workshops and Kitchen Sessions

The popular Kitchen Sessions will return to this year’s Speciality Food Fair in addition to fringe events featuring leading chefs and experts. Award winning Moira chefs, Chris McGowan of Wine & Brine, Danni Barry of Clenaghans Restaurant and Stephen Jeffers of Forest-

side Cookery School will lead the charge with Chris focusing on a modern twist to traditional food preserving, Danni giving a workshop on foraging and incorporating your finds into your home cooking and Stephen offering a skills masterclass in addi-tion to cooking a dish from his new cookbook.

‘Edutainment’ will once again be the key focus for all interactive family fun activities, encouraging kids to learn about the natural world around them and to get involved in planting their own food. Interactive activities will include bug hotel making, observa-tional beehives, beeswax wrap making, all as 30-minute workshops run-ning from 10am-3pm. For a full schedule go to the Visit Lisburn Castlereagh website.

Entry and parking to the Speciality Food Fair is free and will run from 10am – 6pm on Saturday 18th Au-gust. Access for disabled visitors is provided.

For more information on traders and a full pro-gramme of events visit vis-itlisburncastlereagh.com or follow Visit Lisburn Cas-tlereagh on Facebook.com/enjoylisburn, Twitter @VisitLisburn and Instagram @visitlisburncastlereagh.

Pitured is Aoife Lavery; Louise Dornan, Crumbs Vegan Bakery; Alderman William Leathem, Chairman of the Council’s Development Committee; Barbara Hughes, The StillHouse; Fionnbarr Teague, Fionnbobs Food Wagon and Alanagh Chipperfield, Ke Nako Biltong.


The opening of the lo-cally owned store, marks a major milestone for the £10 million Lisburn development, which will see this impressive, high spec, retail outlet form the heart of the scheme’s village centre, serving hundreds of households in the area’s wider series of residential developments.

Bill Porter, founder and owner of Porter & Co, said the aim of the development was to cre-ate a village feel by cre-ating a mix of residential and retail offerings with the builder’s trademark, high-end, Georgian style:

“We’re delighted to welcome EUROSPAR to its new Wallace Village location. We pride our-selves on the quality of homes we develop, with an attention to detail both inside and out. However, it is also important to us that we create a com-munity and village-like environment for residents to enjoy. This leading EUROSPAR with high-end Quails butchery, Mauds ice-cream and barista bar offering, is a fantastic example of how the right retail element in a mixed-use scheme like this can help build a bud-ding community.”

Mark McCammond, Retail Director at Hend-erson Group, added:

“This new store is great news for the local community. With a wide range of fresh, local pro-duce and great prices as well as additional serv-ices and promotions, EU-ROSPAR is a one-stop shop that has everything customers need – right on their doorstep.”

Located adjacent to Thaxton roundabout at the intersection of Boomer’s Way and Prince William Road in Lisburn, the Wallace Village EUROSPAR, oc-cupies the ground floor

Porter & Co marks major milestone at £10m development as EUROSPAR opens at Wallace

Village Lisburn Multi award-winning builder, Porter & Co, has completed the first phase of its latest development,

Wallace Village, as it handed over the keys of the new 8,000 sq. ft EUROSPAR and adjoining eight-pump petrol station to tenants, Henderson Group.

Bill Porter from Porter & Co (left) is pictured with Mark McCammond (right), Retail Director at Henderson Group.

of a 22,000 sq. ft, three-story building, which has been finished in Porter & Co’s signature rumble brick, natural slate and period-style detailing. The remaining space within this building will encompass office space, an impressive penthouse apartment, plus a fully spec’d Porter & Co show home.

Fionnuala Brennan, Relationship Manager at First Trust Bank, which provided part investment

support for the develop-ment said;

“We are delighted to support Bill and the team at Porter First Land on this significant investment, which will play a key role in the development of Wallace Village. Having worked with Porter First Land for a number of years, we know the importance they place on quality, craftsmanship, as well as service delivery - making them the perfect devel-

oper for a project such as this. At First Trust Bank, we are always keen to find ambitious partners and provide the best fi-nancial solutions to help bring their vision to life. We are sure Wallace Vil-lage and the surrounding community is looking forward to visiting the new EUROSPAR, and we are proud to have supported this key com-mercial development.”

The first phase of the scheme took just eight-

een months to complete, with all work carried out directly by Porter & Co’s own highly skilled workforce.

Phase two of the high-end, village-style development is currently underway, which will see seven townhouses, twelve apartments and five smaller retail units added to the existing mix of residential and com-mercial property and is expected to be completed throughout 2019 /2020.


Ambassador Jill Morris wanted to have the tradi-

tion of Irish linen show-cased at this celebration

event which was themed ‘UKItalyCulture’. At the

MUSEUM DISPLAYS ITS HAND SPINNING TALENTS AT THE QUEEN’S BIRTHDAY PARTY IN ROME

The Irish Linen Centre & Lisburn Museum (ILCLM) was honoured to be invited to represent Northern Ireland at the 92nd celebrations of the Queen’s birthday in Villa Wolkonsky, the official residence of the British Ambassador to Italy in Rome.

pleased to have had the opportunity to showcase one of the unique cultures of our history, handloom weaving and hand spin-ning, at this prestigious event attended by guests from business, political, military, academic and cultural fields as well as Embassy and NATO officials.

The guests engaged in conversation with Gillian who told them about the work of the Council and the traditional skills and resources within the IL-CLM. Some of the guests will be travelling to North-ern Ireland later in the year and plan to visit the ILCLM to view first-hand the work and resources they heard all about in

Rome. The Council looks forward to welcoming

them to the Lisburn Cas-tlereagh area.

Gillian Topping, Assistant Education Officer from the Irish Linen Centre & Lisburn Museum showcasing her talent at hand spinning.

event Ambassador Morris highlighted the bonds unit-ing Britain and Italy and showcased their respective excellence in technology, fashion, food, music and art.

Gillian Topping, Assist-

ant Education Officer from ILCLM attended the event on behalf of the Council; and showcased her talent at hand spinning to the 2,000 guests.

Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council is very


The free exhibition marks the bicentenary of the birth of Lisburn’s landlord Sir Richard Wallace (1818-90), and explores his life, reputation and many gifts to Lisburn, from The People’s Park (now Wallace Park) to the Wallace Fountains. The exhibition is open Monday to Saturday, 9.30-5pm.

Using prints, letters, books, rare artefacts and sculptures the exhibition tells the story of Wallace’s early life in Paris and his in-heritance in 1870 of the vast fortune and art collection of the 4th Marquess of Hert-ford. Wallace used his new wealth, first, for struggling Parisians during the Franco-Prussian war (1870-71) and, second, for the benefit of the tenants on his Irish estate up until his death in 1890. His philanthropy was renowned. With the donation of his col-lection to the nation in 1897, Wallace forever linked Lis-

Sir Richard Wallace’s Lisburn Legacy Is Explored In A Major New ExhibitionThe ‘Sir Richard Wallace Exhibition: the life and legacy of a philanthropist, art collector and landlord’, was officially opened by Alderman Paul Porter, Chairman of the

Council’s Leisure & Community Development Committee at the Irish Linen Centre & Lisburn Museum.

burn to one of the world’s greatest art collections, the Wallace Collection.

At the launch the Mayor, Councillor Uel Mackin, remarked that ‘Sir Richard Wallace’s legacy in Lisburn is still evident today’ from the ‘many building projects he funded, to the gift of the People’s Park, later renamed Wallace Park’.

The Mayor also drew attention to Sir Richard’s

popularity as a landlord, noting that ‘after his death in 1890 Lisburn erected the Wallace Monument in his honour’ and in recognition of ‘his generous interest in the town’.

Alderman Paul Porter commended the museum for mounting the exhibition and commenting that “Sir Rich-ard Wallace’s many contri-butions to the Lisburn area deserve to be recognised on

this, the 200th anniversary of his birth.” Adding that “there is a fantastic range of artefacts on display in the exhibition, including rare letters signed by Sir Richard and four clocks gifted by Wallace to locals. Also on display for the first time are a number of beautiful sculp-tures from Castle House, Wallace’s Lisburn residence. I would encourage residents to visit this exhibition.”

The exhibition runs until 31 December 2018. For more information, visit: http://www.lisburnmuseum.com/Wallace

Highlights of ‘The Sir Richard Wallace Exhibition’ include:

• The rich history of the Seymour-Conway family as Lisburn’s landlords

• Dioramas of the Hert-

ford Estate in the 18th cen-tury, and Sir Richard’s first visit to the estate

• Unique 3D-printed Wal-lace Fountains

• Rare sculptures and objects from Castle House, never displayed in public before

• Original Artefacts gifted by Sir Richard Wallace

• Explore Wallace’s Lis-burn legacies, from Union Bridge to Wallace Park, the Market House and Assembly Room to the magnificent Courthouse

The exhibition is part of a wider programme of events and activities celebrating the bicentenary of the birth of Sir Richard Wallace across Lisburn & Castlereagh, for more information visit: https://www.lisburncas tlereagh.gov.uk/wallace

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L-R Emma Bailie and Nikita Harron Specsavers Spectacle Wearer of the Year Regional Finalists.

LISBURN AND DROMORE LOCALS ARE IN THE FRAME

FOR A DOUBLE WINSpecsavers Lisburn is celebrating not one but two regional finalists in this year’s Specsavers’ Spectacle Wearer of the Year

competition. Nikita Harron and Emma Bailie have been chosen from thousands of proud glasses wearers as a finalist for the nationwide competition.

colleagues are delighted that our customers felt confident with their choice of glasses so much so that they decided to take part in the competition. It demon-strates that our Frame Styl-ist has chosen frames that reflects their personal style and they are proud to wear their glasses as a fashion statement. We wish them the best of luck in the next round of the competition.”

The awards were launched by Steps star Claire Richards earlier this year. If they triumph in their age category, Emma and Nikita will meet Claire and rub shoulders with many other celebs at the glitzy awards ceremony at London’s 8 Northumber-land Avenue in October.

There are five age cat-egories – 16-24; 25-34; 35-44; 45-59 and over 60, plus a Facebook favourite voted for by the public. All age category winners will win a VIP makeover, with one overall winner taking home the ultimate accolade in specs wearing.

Nikita, shortlisted in the 16 - 24 category from Dromore and Emma in the 35 – 44 category from Lisburn could follow in the footsteps of last year’s Award winner, Love Island hunk Alex Miller, winning £10,000 and the chance to mingle with the stars at the annual Spectacle Wearer of the Year Awards.

Glasses wearers across the UK and Republic of Ireland have been show-ing off their specs style by sharing their selfies online throughout the spring and summer.

Both regional finalists were invited to visit their local Specsavers store in Lisburn to receive a bot-tle of champagne, a cer-tificate and a £125 glasses voucher.

Emma Bailie said – “I can’t believe I was selected as a regional finalist for my category, I honestly

didn’t think I would get this far. I have always been proud to wear glasses es-

pecially since getting my recent pair of blue frames. Glasses make me feel more confident and they are a versatile fashion accessory.

Emma added, “I am also proud to support this year’s competition’s regional charity, Kidscape, as it em-powers and supports young people affected by bully-ing, which no child should face no matter what they look like.”

Nikita Harron said – “Hearing that I was short-listed for my category was fantastic! I love wearing

my glasses as it is a unique way to express your per-sonal style, especially at work as I wear a uniform.

Nikita added “I have been entering the competi-tion since 2011 because I like to support the charities involved each year and if I get to the next stage I would like to be a role model for young people who may feel self-con-scious or have been bullied for wearing glasses.”

Jill Campbell, Director of Specsavers Lisburn said – “Myself and my


Let me introduce my-self, my name is Susan Jackson and I am the owner of PartyBoxPix-ies, now based in Lis-burn. I was born and brought up in the town and attended school in Lisburn and Belfast and entered into a career in Human Resource Man-agement for ten years, with a major multi Na-tional retailer. What I always loved about my job was the organisa-tion, planning, creativity and thinking outside the box of different ways of working. Then, as hap-pens sometimes, an acci-dent caused me to make a change to my path.

I had no idea at that time what I wanted to do but never lost the passion for all the things I thrived on at work. Having a young son and always being involved in friend and family cel-ebrations and events, I always seemed to be the one doing the organising and enjoying it while everyone else seemed to find it all stressful. And so PartyBoxPixies was born from home on a very part time basis. The idea of the name was I could source and deliver the party in a

CELEBRATE WITH PARTYBOXPIXIES

Have you ever found organising a celebration or event stressful because you just don’t know where to go to pick up the bits and pieces you need?

Find out if the majority of the human traffic in the area falls under your targeted consumer base. Good demographics include age, professions and household income. By figuring out the nearby demographics, you’ll be able to know how well your product will sell in that vicinity.

You can save on the cost of location analysis by looking at where your competitors are. Fast food chains usually situ-ate their businesses right next to each other be-cause of human traffic. Seeing where your com-petitors are located gives you a good gauge about the feasibility of doing business in the area. It is then up to you to en-gineer your business to draw more customers to your store.

Make sure your shop front is visible from major roads and can eas-ily be located. Visibility does not mean that you need to be right in the heart of the activity.

Your business may be visible and offering a great product, but it is also important that your

customers have easy ac-cess to it. A good loca-tion should have several nearby parking spaces and petrol stations to cater to those who drive.

Another consideration is the availability of IT infrastructure. When you’re looking at po-tential locations, ask the landlord for information about communications wiring, such as whether the space is connected to a fibre-optic network or has a high-bandwidth In-ternet connection. These can be essential for some businesses. Even if you do not require them now, they will be good to have as your business expands.

Consider all costs in-volved when choosing a location. Does it cover the cost of building maintenance, utilities and security? If the loca-tion is remote, you may also want to factor in the additional marketing costs it would take to enable customers to find you. Modifications, such as painting, redecorating and renovation also cost money. One way to get help in determining how

Choosing The Right Business Location

Ultimately, the place you choose to situate your company could determine whether or not your business makes it. So here are some tips you can follow to help you decide on the perfect location for your business.

much rent you should pay is to find out what similar retail businesses are paying.

Make sure that any space you’re looking at has enough power for your business needs, both in terms of the number of power outlets and the capacity of the circuits.

If you plan to work in your store, think about the time it will take to get there from home. If you spend much of your time travelling to and

from work, the commute may overshadow the ex-

citement of being your own boss.

box effectively being the pixie who made it happen. Over the last 6 years I have established a very successful busi-ness through the power of social media and word of mouth and have now taken it to the next level with the new retail shop in Lisburn.

So if you have an event

or party coming up, then why not call in and see our huge range of par-tyware and balloons for all budgets. With a very friendly team always on hand to help our motto is Anything Im-agineable is Possible at PartyBoxPixies.

Find us at 7 Bon Ac-cord Terrace, Lisburn.


Alex Wallace, Safety Officer at NIE Net-works, has visited thousands of children in primary schools across Northern Ireland this year to deliver the NIE Networks’ Kidzsafe programme and wants parents to remind their children about how dangerous electricity can be.

Alex says, “During the school holidays, as our young people head out to play, they need to know that they could be injured or killed if they interfere with or try to climb overhead power lines or try to get into substations.

“Interfering with our electricity network, can prove fatal, so we’re appealing to parents and

Stay Safe This SummerThe holidays are here and NIE Networks is keen that everyone across the country

has a safe summer by staying away from electricity equipment.

Alex Wallace and Suzy Sparkz.

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guardians to spend time talking to their children

about the dangers. Fol-lowing simple advice

and being aware may just save a life.”

Alex continues, “If you spot anything you think is unsafe, call us and we’ll send out our emergency crews. If your football, frisbee or anything ever gets inside a substation, call us on 03457 643 643 and we’ll get it for you, remind your friends and always look out for them as well.

“Our general advice is keep out of empty or derelict buildings, and don’t climb trees, fly kites, or drones near our overhead power lines.”

Contact NIE Net-works 03457 643 643 or visit our nienetworks.co.uk for more informa-tion about how to stay safe.

NO IFS OR BUTTS FOR ANTRIM ENTERPRISE AGENCY!

NI Water has donated a waterbutt to the Antrim Enterprise Agency for their outdoor planting area.

Waterbutts are a great way of harvesting rain-water, which can then be used to water plants or wash windows.

We get plenty of rain in Northern Ireland but this rainwater has to be cleaned at our treatment

works before it goes into the taps. Using a waterbutt to catch the rain is just one way we can all have play a part to ensure there’s enough water for eve-ryone now and in the future.

You’d be surprised how much water we all use on a daily basis, 153 litres per person sounds like a lot, how-ever, much of that is sent back down the drain. Why not give our water calculator

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Visit niwater.com for advice and tips on what you can do to save more water; every drop counts!

The Lisburn Advertiser Issue 49 - August 2018SUMMER LIVING

MODERN KITCHEN IDEAS – SIMPLE UPDATES FOR

YOUR HOMEYour kitchen is the heart of your home, so you deserve to create an amazing space for your family to

enjoy. However, it’s not always easy to come up with modern kitchen ideas that won’t break the bank. Create a Feature Wall

with Chalkboard PaintAdding blackboard

paint to a feature wall in your kitchen is such an easy way to update your kitchen. Not only does it look really cool, it can also be used for practical purposes. You’ll never forget to buy milk again if you can write your shopping list on your kitchen wall!

Make sure that you choose a high-quality chalkboard paint to work with. Chalkboard paint tends to be oil based, so make sure you ventilate your kitchen properly before you start paint-ing. Open as many doors and windows as you can. Wipe down the wall that you wish to paint. Make sure that it is clean and smooth. You may need to sand it down.

Always make sure that you apply a coat of primer before you start using chalkboard paint. You will need to allow this to dry completely before you continue painting. For the best re-sults, make sure that you use two coats of chalk-board paint. You should leave at least 24 hours between coats to make sure that it dries prop-erly. It’s easy to paint with chalkboard paint, just make sure that you initially paint against

the grain to cover a wide area quickly. Immedi-ately after, you should apply more paint. This time, paint alongside the grain. This method will give you good coverage and a smooth finish.

Once you have com-pletely covered the surface, you will once again need to wait for the wall to totally dry. To be on the safe side, wait at least two to three days before you start to write on the surface. Otherwise, you could smear the paint. You can use any kind of chalk on chalkboard paint. To re-move your writing, sim-ply use a damp sponge or a cloth.

Invest in Modern Kitchen Splashbacks

Splashbacks are a part of your kitchen where you can really get crea-tive. Bright colours and bold patterns can look fantastic here. But, what exactly is a splashback? Essentially, a splash-back is just a protective surface, that prevents grease, water, and food from staining your kitchen wall. They can usually be found behind hobs and sinks.

Despite their func-tional purpose, kitchen splashbacks can be incredibly stylish. The best bit is that updating them is cheap and easy

to do. If you are on a tight budget, you might want to avoid investing in a stainless steel, glass, or granite splashbacks. Cheaper choices such as acrylic or tiles can work just as well as the more expensive options.

Adding colour to your kitchen is an easy way to update and refresh the space. Choosing a bright splashback is a great idea if you want to incorporate more col-our into your kitchen. If you have a particular accent colour that you have incorporated into the rest of your kitchen, you should definitely in-clude this colour in your splashback design.

In order to create a more modern kitchen, you can’t go wrong by choosing a light blue or bright green splashback. If you are working to up-date a small kitchen, you should avoid opting for a dark splashback. Darker colours can make your kitchen appear smaller.

If you go down the tile route, why not hire a tiler to help you? They can advise you on the best materials to use and they will be able to sig-nificantly speed up the installation process.

Embrace Open Shelving

Open shelves may seem like a risk. Some

people fear that exposing their bowls, cups, and mugs may look crowded and cluttered. How-ever, if it’s done right, exposed shelving can transform a kitchen. It creates a sense of open-ness. They are especially useful if you have a nar-row or cramped kitchen.

It’s very easy to upcy-cle your old kitchen cup-board and turn them into open shelves. Firstly, use a screwdriver to remove the doors. Once you have removed the doors, you’ll get a better un-derstanding of what the wood is like underneath. The doors are likely to have left holes behind, so make sure you fill them in.

For the best results, you should thoroughly sand down the whole cabinet. If you are work-ing with old cupboards, you might need to re-paint them. Prime the wood first, then apply at least two coats. Just like your splashback, shelves and cupboards can be repainted to fit your new colour scheme.

Illuminate Your Kitch-en by Mixing up Your Lighting Styles

As with bathrooms, kitchens can sometimes suffer from poor light-ing. Fluorescent strip lighting is all too com-mon, and it can very

quickly make your kitch-en look dated. Of course, it’s important to consider safety features in the rooms that are exposed to water. However, this doesn’t mean that you have to compromise on style.

Properly lit kitchens often combine different types and styles of light-ing. Different areas of your kitchen will require different types of light-ing, even if you only have a small kitchen. Layering the types of light will give you the best results.

Small LED lights dot-ted around your ceil-ing will add warmth to your kitchen. Keep your lighting aligned with the edges of the room. Add lighting parallel to your cupboards and work surfaces. This will make sure that your whole kitchen is illuminated. These lights will also ensure that dark corners are eliminated.

If you have an open plan kitchen with a seat-ing area, don’t forget to illuminate this part of your kitchen too. You can get more crea-tive with your lighting choices in the dining area of your kitchen. Us-ing hanging lamps and lampshades can make your kitchen look and feel more homely.

Death Valley, Cali- fornia, USA currently

EARTH’S HOTTEST PLACESNorthern Ireland has had a pretty good summer, and we have welcomed the heat, but spare a thought for the places that

have really got it bad. Here are some of the hottest places on earth.holds the record for hottest air temperature ever recorded. The desert valley reached highs of 56.7 degrees in the summer of 1913, which would appar-ently push the limits of human survival. Average temperatures today reach 47 degrees during summer, and it’s the driest place in the States.

Aziziyah, Libya. The former capital of the Jafara district, 25 miles south of Tripoli,

used to claim the title of hottest place on earth – in 1922 the temperature was re-corded as a sweltering 58 degrees. However, it was stripped of its title in 2012 when me-teorologists declared this invalid due to a number of factors, including the fact that the person who recorded it was inexpe-rienced. However, the town still regularly ex-periences temperatures of over 48 degrees in

midsummer.During the year, there

is virtually no rainfall in Wadi Halfa, a swel-tering city located on the shores of Lake Nu-bia in Sudan. June is the hottest month, with average temperature highs of 41 degrees – the hottest temperature ever recorded there was 53 degrees in April 1967.

Timbuktu, Mali. This city on the south edge of the Sahara is even hot in winter,

reaching average highs of 30 degrees in Janu-ary. The hottest tem-perature ever recorded was 49 degrees.

Bandar-e Mahshahr, Iran. This swelter-ing city hit the second highest heat index on record – the heat index combines air tempera-ture and relative hu-midity. Bandar-e Mah-shahr registered a heat index of 74 degrees in July 2015. The hottest recorded temperature there is 51 degrees.

You may read-ily agree that the beach has a calming effect, but did you also know that being at the beach can have a dramatic effect on your health and well-being and can even change your brain.

The prefrontal cortex, an area of the brain as-sociated with emotion and self-refection (as well as other functions) has been shown to be engaged when ocean sounds are played. Scans taken by scien-tists of participants of studies that were ex-posed to ocean sounds and traffic noises proved that this was the case.

The peaceful feeling we get at the beach could be a result of mo-lecular changes that are happening in our bod-ies. The ocean’s waves produce negative ions.

Negative ions acceler-ate our body’s ability to absorb oxygen. They also balance levels of serotonin; a chemical produced by the body that is related to mood and stress. This is one reason why being at the beach have been linked, by scientists to positive mental energy and a general overall sense of health and well-being. It may even make us sleep better.

The reason the beach has such a calming ef-fect on us could be be-cause of the sound the waves make. The most relaxing and pleasant sounds to listen to are those that have predict-able wave patterns. The sound should also be middling to low pitch-es, soft in volumes and harmonic frequencies at regular intervals. The waves of the ocean tick all of these boxes.

The Beach and your Brain

Have you ever spent a day at the beach and come back home feeling relaxed and rejuvenated?

They are regular and soft to listen to.

There is a stress hor-mone called cortisol. Some noises, such as traffic and airplane noise can cause this hormone to be released. When this hormone is release health problems such as ulcers and heart disease can occur. The calming noise of the ocean works to de-crease cortisol levels. In this way the ocean can have a positive effect on our overall health and may pre-vent potential health problems.

The flat plane of the ocean’s surface may also give us a sense of security and safety. Neuroscientist Michael Merzenich says that humans feel safe when they are in places that are not complex. In for-est humans need to be weary of predator ani-mals; in the cities there are crooks and villains to be wary of; however, at the beach we can see for miles and this gives us peace of mind. There are no potential threats to think about.

So next time you see it is a nice sunny day outside why not take a trip to the beach? You will be doing yourself and your body a world of good.


Water WiselyIf you are not an

early morning person, prepare to become one, as this is the best time of day to water your garden. Many plants will wilt under a hot sun, even if the soil is moist. Examine your plants first thing in the morning when it’s cooler. If they are wilt-ed, go ahead and water, and water deeply, as this encourages roots to grow deeper and get away from the hot soil surface.

Avoid wetting plant

leaves when possible, as wet leaves encour-age disease. Using a sprinkler system will obviously wet the leaves, so do this in the early morning when leaves may already be wet with dew; the foliage will dry early and reduce the risk of disease.

Watch your garden for an “indicator” plant, which is the first plant to wilt as the soil becomes dry. You will know to water when that particular plant has droopy leaves.

The first to wilt is usually a cucumber or squash, because the big leaves quickly lose lots of moisture. On a very hot and sunny day, however, these big-leafed plants will wilt a little in mid-day no matter what, but a healthy plant will recover quickly in the cooler evening.

Weed OftenAny gardener who

has fought a battle with weeds knows how strong and overbear-ing they can quickly become. Just like

vegetables, weeds get thirsty, and they will compete with domes-tic plants for valuable water. While you are watering in the early morning hours, make a habit of checking the rows for weeds. Throw them out of you garden before they become troublesome.

MulchMulching around

your garden plants with grass cuttings, straw, or shredded leaves provides a bar-rier between the hot sun and the soil, keep-

KEEPING YOUR GARDEN HEALTHY ALL SUMMER

No patience for a wilting garden? Follow these beat-the-heat growing tips:

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ing the soil cooler and preventing it from drying out too quickly. Be careful to keep the mulch loose; don’t lay it on too thick or allow it to become compacted, as that will prevent precious wa-ter from reaching soil underneath.

Pick Ripe FruitThat’s kind of the

whole point of garden-ing, right? Gardeners do this anyway, but it

is especially impor-tant in extremely hot weather. Ripe fruit demands a lot of water from plants—think juicy tomatoes and wa-termelons—so reduce the stress on a plant and harvest produce on a regular basis. Re-member to also remove damaged fruit; they will not recover but will continue to drain water from the mother plant.

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Hotel Market Continues To Heat UpThe weather is not the only hot news in Northern Ireland this summer. Hotel expansion continues to heat up with more rooms opening, so much so that the 9,000 room

barrier was smashed in June 2018. Belfast is currently

undergoing a major ex-pansion in hotel rooms. Between new builds and expansion projects at existing hotels, the city is expected to in-crease from 8,000 to 10,000 rooms in total by the end of 2018.

As a result, hotel ex-pansion has been a reg-ular news feature this year with Northern Ire-land’s largest hotel, the Grand Central, open-ing with 300 rooms in June, swiftly followed by new brand, Hamp-ton by Hilton, adding a further 178 rooms to Belfast’s burgeoning hotel stock.

Janice Gault, Chief Executive, Northern

Ireland Hotels Federa-tion (NIHF) says:

“It has been an in-teresting year to date with an action packed first six months. There are now 142 hotels in Northern Ireland and over 1,000 rooms have come on stream since January 2018. By this time next year we anticipate expansion will tail off. However, visitor numbers have increased and this has been borne out in the performance figures from STR. These show that occupancy in Northern Ireland is pretty much on a par with 2017 at 74.4% and demand for rooms is up 5.9%.”

Janice continues: “The summer season is going well with anecdotal evidence suggesting an increase in both European and

Northern American visitor numbers. Hotel properties in Northern Ireland have also seen considerable invest-ment over the last

number of years and this is being reflected in a better room rate in all areas. A number of trends are starting to emerge but it will

be several months be-fore the market adjusts to new supply levels. Room rate has held up well and although oc-cupancy levels have had a couple of stut-ters, in general the in-dustry has coped well with an unprecedented situation.”

Belfast is where the majority of the expan-sion has taken place. The city has seen five new hotels open in under a year, with expansion projects to increase capacity at a number of others.

Gavin Carroll, President of the NIHF comments:

“In the Belfast mar-ket there has been a bit

of a wobble in terms of occupancy levels. There is certainly a bigger challenge for those selling rooms in the city. On a positive note, tourist numbers are up and we are pleased with the year so far. Room rates have held up and the increase in supply should help the city attract larger confer-ences and events in the future. It is difficult to forecast what the com-ing months will bring. The NIHF has been working with STR, the leading benchmarking company to produce a reliable forecasting model for Northern Ireland, which will

launch later in the year. This will be an invalu-able tool for hotels in particular and for those involved in any aspect of tourism.”

In Northern Ireland, the hotel sector contin-ues to remain buoyant and bullish. Belfast has experienced the strong-est growth in terms of occupancy and average daily rate. The market in Derry-Londonderry is also set to expand by similar percentage lev-els with new projects starting to appear in other locations. The majority of projects are in the 4-star category with many offering a uniquely Northern Ire-land experience.

DOWN THE HATCH! REFRESHING DRINK

IDEAS FOR THE SUMMERHere are some tasty ideas the whet your appetite... They could be great additions

to a garden party.Summer Melon

Slushies. Whatever your flavor preference — Watermelon-Lime, Honeydew-Ginger-Mint, or Cantaloupe-Basil — these fruit slushies will

keep you happy.Strawberry Colada

Smoothie. What’s the secret to creating the per-fect texture for these too-pretty-to-drink smooth-ies? Using Greek yogurt!

MODERN DECKING IDEAS TO SUIT ANY GARDEN

Decking Ideas for a Sloped Garden

Many people wrongly assume that decking won’t work in a sloped garden. Of course, a sloped garden will be trickier than a flat gar-den. However, if you are ready to take on the challenge, raised deck-ing is a great option for you.

So, what are the pros and cons of laying raised garden decking?

Pros: Raised decking can provide an attrac-tive focal point for your garden. If you want to sit in your garden and enjoy the views, a raised deck is an ideal choice. Raised deck-ing also allows you to avoid the issue of rotting which is preva-lent with ground level decking.

Cons: Raised deck-ing is trickier to install. This means that the cost of a raised deck can sometimes be far great-er than ground level decking. So if you’re searching for budget garden decking ideas, a ground level deck may be a better option. If you are considering raised decking remem-ber to plan out whether you will need steps. If your raised decking is quite a bit higher, then installing garden deck-ing steps is a must.

Dark Wood Decking Ideas

Some decking ideas look beautiful online, but they can be hard to maintain in the long run. Staining and

discolouration can be particularly annoying if you are trying to main-tain garden decking. Thankfully, dark wood decking helps you to avoid many of these issues.

Of course, if you are building a new deck you can opt for a dark wood. If you already have a deck made from a lighter wood, you can stain the old deck to modernise and update it. Choose a wood stain that also promises to preserve the wood un-derneath. This will save you time in the long run because you won’t have to excessively maintain and repair the deck.

So, if you are look-ing for decking ideas that won’t require lots of aftercare, dark wood decking could be per-fect for you. Opting for a darker wood will also look great in win-ter, whereas a lighter wood tends to suit the summer months more. If you are unsure about where to begin with staining, why not con-sult a deck staining spe-cialist before you start? They will be able to advise you on the right products to use and how to prepare your deck for staining.

Decking Lighting Ideas

Lighting is one of the key areas where you can get really creative with your deck. The right lights transform your garden decking into a space that looks just as great at night

as it does in the day. Decking lighting allows you to entertain guests or just chill out in your garden once the sun goes down.

Lights that are embed-ded in the wood are a very popular way to add light to a new deck. There are several key benefits to adding lights to your deck. Firstly, this lighting tends to be safe if you have small children, as it avoids using visible wires. Secondly, the bulbs don’t tend to be too bright, so the lighting will subtly complement your deck and it won’t be intrusively bright.

Even better, decking lights tend to be fairly cheap. So, once your new deck is in place, adding embedded lights won’t break the bank, but it will make your new build look stylish. Lights also make your deck far more versatile, because you will be able to sit out on in dur-ing the day or night.

How to Make a Bright Decking Paint Work

Plain, varnished garden decking looks beautiful and classic. However, you can run the risk of building a deck that looks boring and uninspiring. So, if you are more interested in unique decking ide-as, adding a colourful decking paint could be right for you.

Sometimes adding colour to furniture can make people nervous. It’s understandable

that you might want to avoid garish colours that will fade consider-ably over time. Your deck is likely to receive heavy footfall, so you might want to con-sider that when you are choosing your colourful decking paint. Make sure that you apply a couple of coats of paint to make sure that your deck stays fresh.

Colour makes a huge impact in a garden. A brighter deck looks es-pecially striking in the sunny summer months. If you want something bright but still fairly neutral, you might want to choose a shade such as light blue.

Bear in mind that paint will look very difficult on different types of wood. So, do a patch test on a piece of the same wood before you cover your new deck with paint. If you are looking for colour inspiration, consider the colours that are already in the garden. If you have previously planted flowers in your garden, you can compliment them by matching the colour of the deck to your plants.

Whatever shade you go for, you need to make sure you are us-ing appropriate decking paint. Make sure that you choose a paint that can withstand moisture and offers your wood some protection. Opt for a garden paint to make sure that you get great results that last a long time.

Grapefruit Citrus Sparking Cocktail. This sparkling mocktail will give you all the buzz, without the hangover. Serve these at your next girls’ night and see how fast they fly.

Lemon Drop Cream Soda. Grab those lefto-ver lemons from your fridge and put them to good use. This satisfy-ingly sour lemon drop cream soda is for people who don’t have a sweet tooth.

Simple Strawberry Granita Lemonade. Serve these Sicilian-inspired dessert drinks at your next barbecue to make guests feel like they’re on vacation (in Italy, no less!).

Piña Colada Mocktails. This recipe calls for co-conut everything — wa-ter, milk, and cream. The only thing that’s optional (but advised) is the fes-tive Pineapple cup.

Pomegranate Beet Smoothie. Grab a pair of gloves before you make this drink — beets tend to stain the skin. But the purple tint is definitely worth it.

Roasted Peach and

Strawberry Fizz. If you can’t resist the combina-tion of peach and straw-berry flavours, this fizzy drink recipe will be your new summer favourite.

Mocktail Blackberry Spritzer. Take advantage of berry season with this easy-to-make drink you’ll love sipping on all summer.

S t r a w b e r r y - L e m o n Punch. You can prep this refreshment in large or small batches, but you’ll definitely want it ready to go because there’s nothing quite like the taste of fresh fruit and sweet lemonade on a summer day.

Strawberry Limeade Slushies. Whip out your blender, and you’ll have a delicious and fresh summer drink in minutes.

Watermelon Cooler. Kids love watermelon — making this the perfect drink to serve at family-friendly barbecues and summer parties.

Double Apple Iced Tea. If your kiddos love apple juice, then they’ll really love this unique twist on iced tea made with a va-riety of fresh apples and juice.


Before you sign up for a series of yoga ses-sions, you’ll want to be assured that yoga will help you achieve new levels of flexibility. Or perhaps you are not yet convinced. Here are a few of the ways choosing yoga for flex-ibility can improve your abilities.

Yoga stretches your muscles and your joints. Simply the act of doing yoga poses will help loosen your muscles. You may see an im-provement even after just one class! That’s not to say yoga is easy but rather that yoga is an effective option when it comes to im-proving flexibility.

Yoga poses specifical-ly target different body areas. Since yoga has so many moves, you can create a routine that will help you focus on key areas that might need improvement. Whether it’s the hamstrings, your hips, or even your shoulders, you can pick the poses that will give you the most benefit in these areas. You can also stick with a gen-eral routine for all-over improvements.

You can take your time with your work-outs. If you are feeling stiff and sore, moving too quickly can cause you damage or injury to these areas. Yoga is well-suited to these needs because of the slow pace and ability to customise what you do in each session. This means you can ease into yoga.

You may want to start with one class a week and increase the fre-quency as your muscles become ready for the challenge.

Yoga is about the journey to becoming

flexible. Being perfect in each pose is not the goal of yoga. It is about attaining new levels of fitness and flexibility. So take the time on your mat to stretch, breathe, and take the first step on your journey to flex-ibility. All you need is your willingness and some comfortable yoga clothes.

Yoga For Flexibil-ity – Why is Flexibility Important?

Flexibility is how we manage to complete many daily tasks, so it’s important to maintain a certain level in your body to feel confident no matter what life holds in store for you. It can also be a point of concern as we age and start to lose some of this natural flexibility. This can affect our mobility in ways that we don’t anticipate. Maintain-ing your flexibility and muscle strength is key to your health and well-being.

Health BenefitsIncrease your flex-

ibility to build strength. If you notice stiffness, it could be a result of a lack of strength in a cer-tain area of your body. A sore hip could be from the overcompensa-tion for a weaker side. This can cause balance issues and tired mus-cles, especially as one side of your body works harder than the other. So working on your flex-ibility can improve how your whole body feels.

Counteract the ef-fects of ageing. As we age, we naturally lose our strength and speed. There isn’t much we can do about that, but yoga can help keep up levels of flexibility! Regular yoga practice will keep you moving freely and comfortably.

YOUR GUIDE TO YOGAHow Can Yoga Improve Your Flexibility?

Drink plenty of wa-ter even if you do not feel thirsty. If your doctor normally limits your fluids, check how much to drink during hot weather. Avoid al-coholic, hot or sugary drinks including tea and coffee (they can make dehydration worse). If you go outside, carry a bottle of water with you.

Stock your fridge with cold water and freezer with ice. Drink cold drinks and eat smaller cold meals such as sal-ads and fruit.

Wear light coloured, loose fitting clothes made from natural fi-bres like cotton. Stay out of the sun. If you

must go outside, apply sunscreen, wear a hat.

Plan your day around the heat – avoid being outdoors during the midday sun. Put wet towels or cool packs on your arms or neck or put your feet in cool water. Take cool show-ers or baths.

Minimise physical activity, do all house-hold chores early in the morning when it is coolest. Cool your house by closing win-dows, shutting curtains and blinds, opening windows at night if you can to let in cool air. Use air-conditioning if you have it. If you don’t have air-condi-tioning, spend time in a

cool place like a library, shopping centre or cinema.

Know which room in your house is the coolest. If there is no power or you can’t get to an air-conditioned space, spend time in the coolest part of your house. Use your stove and oven as lit-tle as possible. Visit or telephone elderly friends, neighbours and relatives, at least once a day. Check that they have water in the fridge. Encourage them to drink. Help them to find the coolest room in the house. Con-sider taking them to a cool place (e.g. shop-ping centre, library or

cinema).Take particular care to

keep children cool and get them to drink lots as they won’t often do this by themselves. Never leave babies, children or animals alone in a car even if the air-condi-tioner is on. Know who to call if you need help.

Follow your doctor’s advice if you have any medical conditions. If you feel unwell, seek medical advice from your doctor or nearest hospital. Keep an eye on the weather forecast.

Make sure food that needs refrigeration is properly stored. De-frost foods in the fridge, not on the kitchen bench.

Continue to drink plenty of fluids so your body can get back in balance. Take time to rest and recover as cop-ing with extremely hot weather can be very tir-ing. Go to your doctor if you feel unwell after the heat has passed.

Open windows and doors to let your house cool down but make sure you don’t com-promise the security of your home. Contact family and friends to see if they have coped during the heat and if they now need help with anything. Think about how well you coped during this time of ex-treme heat and what, if anything, you would do

KEEP YOUR COOL IN THE HEATKeep in mind these messages when it gets a bit hotter this summer.

differently next time.Make any changes in

your home so it will be more comfortable for

you during another time of extreme heat.

Help Soothe pain.Improving your flex-

ibility can also soothe

pain. If you have a chronic pain condition speak to your doctor

about whether yoga could be a good option for you.


Pictured, tour guide Aaron McIntyre with attendees during one of the summer tours.

STEP BACK IN TIME THIS SUMMER WITH CLIFTON HOUSE TOURS!

Tales of Belfast’s Original Poor House and More.CLIFTON House, the

home of Belfast’s first charitable organisation, the Belfast Charitable Society, is set to host a series of unique tours, offering an insight into Belfast’s original Poor House and telling the story of the interesting

yet turbulent history of years gone by.

The Clifton House and Cemetery tours run every Friday from the 22nd June to the 31st August, mid-week tours for Clifton House only are also available from Monday to Thursday

ing about the trials and tribulations of Belfast’s renowned history.”

From touring the

grounds of the stunning Georgian building of Clifton House, set in tranquil landscaped gar-

dens, to walking among the graves of the most famous people in Bel-fast’s history including

Mary Ann McCracken, Valentine Jones and Dr William Drennan, the Clifton House tours

during the summer months.

These unique tours of-fer you the opportunity to walk in the footsteps of the famous Joy and McCracken families, led by knowledgeable and enthusiastic tour guides who delve in to history and divulge the secrets of Belfast’s past.

Paula Reynolds, chief executive of the Belfast Charitable So-ciety and Clifton House comments, “For those amateur historians among you or for those who want just want to spend an hour or so discovering Belfast of old then this tour is for you. Returning for the summer, the Friday af-ternoon tours examines Belfast’s early history from reformers to revo-lutionaries. Extremely knowledgeable, pro-fessional tour guides will welcome you and ensure you enjoy learn-

welcome you and ask you to channel your in-ner historian and learn more about Belfast’s rich history.

“To date some several thousand visitors have been through the gates since August 2016, however, there are still many people who don’t know the history of Bel-fast and that of Clifton House and the Belfast Charitable Society.”

So why not spend an afternoon enjoying something a little differ-ent this summer!

Tours take place at Clifton House and Cem-etery every Friday at 3pm at a cost of £9.50. Daily tours of Clifton House only also take place from Monday to Thursday during July and August at a cost of £6.50. Booking is ad-visable by phoning 028 9099 7022.

For more information, visit: cliftonbelfast.com.

The second goose, like the first, was reported to DAERA as part of its dead wild bird surveil-lance programme, and was submitted for testing at the Agri-Food and Bio-sciences Institute (AFBI), where initial testing has indicated avian influenza, sub-type H5N6.

The Chief Veterinary Officer for Northern Ire-land, Dr Robert Huey, said: “This latest case in a wild bird further emphasises the require-

ment for all bird keepers to remain vigilant and to critically review their biosecurity measures, for example, feeding and wa-tering birds under cover to help reduce the risk of their poultry coming in contact with wild birds. It is important that flock keepers report early any suspicions of disease.

“While it is not unex-pected to find another case of avian flu in a wild bird in close proximity to the confirmed case and

Chief Vet stresses importance of biosecurity and vigilance against avian flu

The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) confirmed that a second wild greylag goose, found in

the risk to poultry re-mains low, it is important that flock keepers remain vigilant and it is essential that we take the neces-sary steps to protect our poultry industry, interna-tional trade and the wider economy.

“I continue to encour-age strongly all bird keep-ers to register their flocks. This will ensure they receive the latest informa-tion from the Department and also allow them to be contacted in an avian disease outbreak enabling them to protect their flock at the earliest opportunity. I would also encourage bird keepers to subscribe to the Avian Influenza text service by simply texting: ‘BIRDS’ to 67300”.

Bird keepers visiting waterfowl sites such as lakes and ponds should also take measures to prevent disease spread to back yard flocks through contamination of footwear with wild bird

faeces.Advice from the Public

Health Agency is that the risk to public health from the virus is very low, however, the general public is advised to take appropriate biosecurity precautions before touch-ing or picking up birds that are dead, or appear to be sick or dying. Further advice can be found on the DAERA website.

The Food Standards Agency has confirmed that Avian Influenza does not pose a food safety risk for UK consumers. Thoroughly cooked poul-try and poultry products, including eggs, are safe to eat.

Members of the public are encouraged to report dead waterfowl (swans, geese or ducks) or gulls, or five or more dead wild birds of other species in the same location, to the DAERA helpline on 0300 200 7840, Mon-Fri 9.00am to 5.00pm.

Lurgan Park, County Armagh, has tested positive for H5N6 Avian Influenza.


If you are looking for a tyre garage in Belfast and the surrounding areas, you’ve come to the right place.

At Fosters Tyre Serv-ices Ltd, we supply and fit all types of tyres from all the leading brands. Whether you need budg-

et tyres or performance tyres, we have a set of tyres to suit your every need. We also stock and supply a full range of high grade branded part worn tyres, which are fully pressure tested to EU standards. Our ga-rage is fully equipped to

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New & Branded Partworn Cars,Vans & 4x4 Tyres

The panel appreciated the originality of the tour which celebrated the 60th anniversary of Fiat 500 last year.

The tour landed in Cannes, Munich and Madrid, recreating 1957 with extras in full cos-tume, shops and vintage Fiat 500s.

Until now the project has collected 11 na-tional and international accolades.

The NC Awards cer-emony took place in Teatro Elfo Puccini in Milan last week. Each year, key names from the marketing and commu-nication worlds join the panel for these awards - created by ADC Group publishers to celebrate integrated marketing communications in Italy. This year, the “Fiat 500 Forever Young Experi-ence” Project won a prestigious gold medal in the “Best Event” and “Best Guerrilla Market-ing” categories.

The tour has collected 11 national and inter-national accolades until now, including the cov-eted “GrandPrix 2018”.

Created by the Ideal agency, the project re-produced 1957 in three cities - Cannes, Munich and Madrid - to celebrate the 60th birthday of the Fiat 500 and recreate a genuine journey through time. Each leg of the tour expressed the local culture of the chosen lo-cations. It ended in Ma-drid with a jaw-dropping event featuring nearly one hundred actors and extras in full costume, charming vintage shops representing some of the best Italian-made fash-ion, food and design, and classic Fiat 500 cars.

The undisputed star of the “The Fiat 500 For-ever Young Experience” Project was the 500 spe-cial edition dedicated to the 60th anniversary. The numbered limited edition paraded like a movie star along the seafront at Cannes - the French town famous for its International Film Fes-tival - and was greeted by thousands of tourists who never stopped pho-

FIAT 500 TRIUMPHS AT THE “NC AWARDS 2018

The “Fiat 500 Forever Young Experience” Project wins the gold medal in the “Best Event” and “Best Guerrilla Marketing” categories.

tographing it. It received the same kind of ovation on the distinctive Wiener Platz in Munich - one of the Bavarian city’s most famous locations with a small permanent market and nearby Hofbräu-haus beer-cellar. Over seven thousand visitors thronged in the lively Calle Jorge Juan da Calle de Serrano - one of Madrid’s biggest urban entertainment areas - lighting it up with flashes from their cameras and smartphones as they photographed the car as well as the splendid set created to showcase the timeless Italian icon.

The new 500 Collezi-one enjoyed a similarly warm welcome. Its own European tour ended a few days ago in Madrid after having touched Milan, London, Berlin and Paris, which are the international capitals of fashion, style and art. The 500 Collezione, the thirteenth special edition to be launched over the past eleven years, mod-elled on these prestig-ious catwalks. The Fiat 500 has always been a trendsetter which, while remaining true to itself, has been re-interpreted over the years. It has been linked to a number of iconic brands from the worlds of fashion, luxury yachts, art and sport, to name a few, in an array of special editions cre-ated to explore unusual territories for a city-car. The prestigious selection features a number of trib-utes to the iconic Fiat, such as the 500-60esimo

the first four months of 2018, in its eleventh year, the 500 broke its

own record with over 74,000 cars sold in Europe.

and Anniversario ver-sions, launched last year to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the great little car.

Launched in 1957 and asserted over the years as the symbol of mass motorisation in Italy, Fiat 500 was reborn in 2007 when the new model debuted - and went on to become a global phenomenon. This is demonstrated with over two million cars sold in over 100 countries worldwide. Over 80% of sales are outside of Italy and the 500 has been the best-seller in its segment in Europe since 2013. In the first four months of 2018, the 500 was the market leader in nine countries (UK, Spain, Belgium, Switzerland, Portugal, Austria, Hun-gary, Croatia and Slov-enia) and in the top three in seven others (Italy, Germany, France, Swe-den, Slovakia, Romania and Bulgaria). Also in

Thierry Neuville scored a clean sweep of stage wins to overhaul a 3.9-sec-ond deficit to Sébastien Ogier to win the rally by 0.7-seconds, one of the closest finishes in WRC history.

Hayden Paddon finished the rally in fourth overall with Andreas Mikkelsen picking up two drivers’ championship points for fourth in the Power Stage.

Hyundai Motorsport has taken a dramatic victory in Rally Italia Sardegna, the seventh round of the 2018 FIA World Rally Champi-onship (WRC).

Hyundai Motorsport has taken a dramatic victory in Rally Italia Sardegna, the seventh round of the 2018 FIA World Rally Champi-onship (WRC), as Thierry Neuville and Nicolas Gil-soul stole a last gasp win with a sublime perform-ance on the final morning.

The Belgian crew started the day with a 3.9-second deficit to leader M-Sport Ford’s Sébastien Ogier, but a perfect Sunday morning with four stage wins, including the Power Stage, allowed them to steadily catch and pass the Frenchman.

They took a memorable result by mere 0.7-seconds after 313.46km of com-petitive Sardinian stages. In one of the closest fin-ishes in WRC history, it actually matches the same minuscule gap by which Neuville beat Elfyn Evans in the 2017 edition of Rally Argentina.

The result is Hyundai Motorsport’s third win of the 2018 season and tenth in its WRC history. It

marks the team’s second victory in Rally Italia Sar-degna following Neuville’s triumph in 2016, and the fourth Sardinia event in succession where it has finished on the podium.

Four stages were con-tested on Sunday morning with two runs through the 14.06km Cala Flumini and 6.96km coastal Sassari-Argentiera tests. There was no respite for any of the crews with tense battles throughout the field. While Neuville and Ogier battled it out at the front, Hayden Paddon was able to de-fend his fourth place from Mads Østberg with a solid Sunday, securing his best result of the season so far.

One-time rally leader Andreas Mikkelsen wres-tled two consolatory driver points for finishing fourth in the nerve-wracking and competitive Power Stage.

With victory, Hyundai Motorsport has extended its grip on the manufactur-ers’ championship with 212 points, an increased gap of 28 points to M-Sport Ford in second. Neuville’s five additional points for Power Stage success saw him take the maximum available for the weekend and increase his lead in the drivers’ clas-sification to 27 points over Ogier.

Since its WRC debut in 2014, Hyundai Motorsport has now taken ten victories and a total of 40 individual podiums. As the 2018 season passes its halfway mark, the team now heads into the summer break with an opportunity to re-flect on a hugely success-ful season-to-date.

Hyundai Motorsport has taken the third win at Rally Italia SardiniaHyundai Motorsport has taken its third win of the 2018 FIA

World Rally Championship (WRC) season on a thrilling final morning at Rally Italia Sardegna.

Michel Nandan, the Team Principal had this to say: “I am completely delighted, as are all mem-bers of the team, with this incredible victory. It was truly a perfect win for Thierry and Nicolas. The battle with Ogier started on Saturday and the inten-sity of that only increased. I was on the edge of my seat all Sunday morning, and the Power Stage was a superb piece of entertain-ment for all fans. To take our third win of the season in such exhilarating style is the ideal way to head into the summer break. We have had a faultless opera-tion all weekend, thanks to the hard work of our team on site and in Alzenau. Hayden and Seb have taken their best result of the season in fourth, while Andreas also picked up some points in the Power Stage. It was a memorable battle with Sébastien and M-Sport Ford which will undoubtedly go down in the WRC history books. We came here hoping to defend our lead of both championships but instead we have extended it – the perfect weekend!”


Thrill Seekers Required To Zip Across The Lagan For Action Cancer!

The exciting event will see participants take flight from a 30 metre platform and soar at speeds of up to 25mph across the River Lagan in order to raise money for Action Cancer, Northern Ireland’s leading, local cancer charity.

which offers free mam-mograms to ladies aged 40-49 and 70+ outside the age range of those invited by the NHS breast screening programme. Ju-liet took on the challenge of zipping across the Lagan for Action Cancer in April 2017 and heartily recommends the event:

“It was Action Can-cer that detected my breast cancer, and they discovered it before I could have felt a lump or found it myself. I would not have been due to be screened for another five years by the NHS and with no obvious signs of something being wrong, I know that my visit to the Big Bus has been critical to getting an early diagnosis.

My cancer was caught early; l believe Action Cancer saved my life. I’d come across the Zipline event on Facebook and I knew I had to do it! Myself and four friends completed the zip line challenge together raising over £2,000 for Action Cancer. The event was perfect.”

For further informa-tion or to register visit www.actioncancer.org, contact Action Cancer on 028 9080 3349, or email [email protected]

Every year Action Can-cer provides a range of local cancer detection, prevention and support services which costs £4m annually to fund. The unique breast screening service delivered by Ac-tion Cancer is available to women aged 40 – 49 and over 70 who fall outside the NHS screening range (50-70).

Action Cancer also pro-vides therapeutic support in the form of counsel-ling and complementary therapy to those living with cancer or supporting a loved one with their di-agnosis and this is avail-able to both adults and children from age 5. A peer mentoring service is also available for people dealing with their diag-nosis. Other therapeutic support services include acupuncture, scar therapy, physiotherapy, yoga and pilates, one-to-one and group life coaching and educational events.

In addition, the charity has an excellent Health Promotion Programme providing education and awareness on how to min-imise the risk of cancer through practical health and lifestyle choices and M.O.T. health checks. These services are avail-able from Action Cancer

House in Belfast and regionally in selected venues across the coun-try. Breast screening and health checks are avail-able regionally on the Ac-tion Cancer Big Bus, sup-ported by Supervalu and its independent retailers.

The registration fee for this event is £48 per person and participants are encouraged to raise a minimum of £100 in sponsorship, which will go towards the delivery

of Action Cancer’s key services.

Lynn Sanderson, Treks & Activities Executive for Action Cancer said: “Our Zip Line Challenge is a unique and daring event that offers a fantas-tic way to raise money for a local charity while hav-ing a laugh with friends.

“The money raised through this challenge will help to deliver Ac-tion Cancer’s life-saving services to prevent, detect

and support those af-fected by cancer across Northern Ireland.

“We encourage fami-lies, friends and work colleagues from across Northern Ireland to get involved and register to-day for our fantastic Zip Line Challenge.”

Juliet McFarland was 45 when her breast cancer was detected on board Action Cancer’s Big Bus, the charity’s mobile breast screening unit,

It is illegal to bring certain food and plant products into the coun-try. The Department of Agriculture, Environ-ment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) is further urging anyone travelling abroad not to bring any animal or plant products home to avoid these risks.

Chief Veterinary Of-ficer, Robert Huey, said: “As we come into the holiday period, and many people are travel-ling abroad, we are again highlighting these risks.

“The greatest risk is to our agri-food industry and our environment, as any introduction of pests, diseases and non-native species can have a potentially devastat-ing impact. Ecosystems can be disrupted with significant knock-on effects on agriculture and the local economy. Imports of meat or meat products, milk and other dairy products are banned from most coun-tries outside the EU.

Illegal products will be seized and destroyed and anyone caught carrying prohibited items risks prosecution and a fine.”

Diseases such as foot-and-mouth cause serious economic impacts and can be brought into Northern Ireland via infected products of animal origin. Animal-related products may also pose a risk to human health from diseases, residues or contaminants. Such diseases and pests can have a disastrous effect on livestock, crops or the environment.

Jim Crummie, Act-ing Director of Plant Health, added: “It is not just animal products which pose a danger, fruit and vegetables may also carry pests that can infect plants. We are ask-ing people not to bring plants, seeds or plant products back from their holidays.

“It may seem innocent to take home an attrac-tive flower, or some

seeds for the garden, but, unknowingly, pests and diseases can be present. There is also a risk that non-native species may be introduced that can have potentially cata-strophic consequences on agriculture, horticul-ture, forestry and the en-vironment if unchecked. The simple message from us is: ‘Don’t risk it - leave it behind’. Please do not bring home plants, seeds, fruit, veg-etables or flowers.”

For detailed informa-tion on what can and cannot be brought into Northern Ireland, call the DAERA Portal In-spection Office on: 028 9442 6822 or contact: a l d e rg r o v e . p o r t a l @daera-ni.gov.uk.

You can also visit the nidirect website here: https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/bringing-food-and-plants-north ern-ireland.

DAERA maintains an inspection presence at all of Northern Ireland’s main ports and airports.

Disease: Don’t Bring It Home From Holiday Holidaymakers are being warned about the risks of

importing animal or plant disease to Northern Ireland.


The charity has partnered with the Public Health Agency to give away thou-sands of earplugs as part of its #dontlosethemusic hearing health awareness campaign and is encourag-ing concert-goers to get involved on social media.

Hearing loss and tinnitus are common amongst those in the music industry, af-fecting stars such as Chris Martin, Roger Daltrey and Liam Gallagher. However, many fans aren’t aware that over-exposure to loud lev-els of noise for prolonged periods can cause perma-nent hearing loss and/or tinnitus. A live gig, which can be as loud as 110 decibels, is safe to listen to for just two minutes. But by simply wearing a pair of earplugs, music lovers can listen safely for much longer.

Charity to give away free earplugs at Custom House Square & Belfast Vital

Volunteers from charity Action on Hearing Loss will be out in force during the summer concerts at Custom House Square and Belfast Vital to encourage music fans to protect their hearing as part of a unique campaign to prevent avoidable hearing loss.

Legendary DJ Carl Cox, who performed at Belsonic in June, got on board with the campaign, telling his 1.8million+ Facebook fans

to look after their ears. Game of Thrones star Conleth Hill was also pic-tured wearing the charity’s earplugs.

Jackie White, Direc-tor of Action on Hearing Loss Northern Ireland, said: “We’re so excited to have this unique opportu-

nity to help prevent avoid-able hearing loss at Custom House Square and Belfast Vital. We’ve got lots of fun photo props for fans to use, as well as ponchos in case it rains, and of course free earplugs to encourage everyone to protect their hearing. Thank you to our amazing volunteers who have been vital in this campaign and to the Public Health Agency who are supporting us.”

Erin Moore, who volun-teered at the Carl Cox and Eric Prydz concerts at Bel-sonic, said: “As someone who is profoundly deaf, I have enjoyed working with other volunteers to raise awareness of looking after our hearing. I have made new friends, had so much fun and learned about the different noise levels which have a serious impact

on our hearing. I already can’t wait to volunteer at more of the concerts this summer!”

Action on Hearing Loss is encouraging fans to wear earplugs as they take off 15-20 decibels on average, which brings the volume down to a safer level. The charity’s other top tips in-clude standing away from the speakers, taking a five minute break every hour and staying hydrated, as dehydration and alcohol can make the hair cells in your inner ear more vulner-able to damage.

For more information about the #dontlosethemu-sic campaign, visit www.actiononhearingloss.org.uk/dont-lose-the-music, follow the charity on Fa-cebook, Twitter (@hear-inglossNI) or Instagram (Action on Hearing Loss

NI), or message Action on Hearing Loss Northern Ire-

land on Facebook to take part in a music quiz.


There to enjoy the spec-tacle as guests of Defence Relationship Management were 88-year-old Bangor man Thompson McNeice who, as a nineteen-year-old, served on board HMS Caroline, pictured with his daughter, Liz Adams.

The pair joined an audi-ence of guests represent-ing private and public sec-tor employers drawn from across Northern Ireland, invited to watch the Band of Her Majesty’s Royal Marines Scotland Beating Retreat. The military cer-emony dates back to the sixteenth century when it

was used to recall patrol-ling units to the castle they were defending. Originally the ceremony was known as ‘Watch Setting’ and the original call was beaten by drummers alone, with fifes, bugles, pipes and other instruments added in later years. Today the Beating Retreat is played out in ceremonial form only and is a showcase for the military musicians and personnel who take part.

On this occasion the honour of lowering the flag at sunset went to members of The Royal Naval Reserve, HMS Hi-

BEATING RETREAT AT HMS CAROLINEHMS Caroline in the heart of Belfast’s Titanic Quarter provided an impressive and historic backdrop recently for a ceremonial

Beating Retreat by the Band of Her Majesty’s Royal Marines Scotland.

bernia. Northern Ireland’s Royal Naval Reservists have long enjoyed close associations with HMS Caroline. Having seen service in both World Wars, this celebrated ship later became the static

headquarters and training ship for the Royal Naval Reserve based at Alexan-dra Dock in Belfast.

Today the now decom-missioned light cruiser, the last survivor of the Battle of Jutland, has been sen-

sitively and fully restored. At its new home in Titanic Quarter, HMS Caroline is now enjoying a new lease of life as a fascinating tourism and educational resource for the city.

Athene Gordon, Re-

Thompson McNeice is pictured with his daughter, Liz Adams.

gional Employer Engage-ment Director of Defence Relationship Management in Northern Ireland, which hosted the reception on board, said, “We were delighted to welcome so many guests for a presentation by National Museums Royal Navy followed by a stunning Beating Retreat and Cer-emonial Sunset. This piece of pageantry provided a fabulous showcase for the high standards of skills which are a trademark of our Reserve Forces, il-lustrating how the Reserve and Regular Forces work seamlessly together.

“This was also an op-portunity for us to thank some of Northern Ireland’s employers for the ongo-ing support they give to Reservists. Such support is greatly and genuinely appreciated and we are continuing to work with employers to develop part-nerships which will bring benefits to all concerned.


Diversity Mark NI Ltd, was set up by Women in Business to deliver the Charter Mark, it is the first of its kind and awards organisations for their commitment to progress on gender diversity. Busi-ness who have been rec-ognised today have com-mitted to steps to address areas of unequal gender representation at all levels: removing obstacles faced by women at key points of career development; implementing structural and cultural changes that will help advance gender diversity; and putting in place a strategy and action plan to affect change.

Nichola Robinson, Chair of Diversity Mark NI, Di-rector at Bombardier com-mented, “We are delighted to award 11 organisations with a Bronze Gender Diversity Charter Mark. These organisations within their applications have shown a real commitment to implementing inclusive growth and cultural shifts within the workplace.

“The Charter has enabled organisations to

TOP LOCAL BUSINESSES RECOGNISED FOR

THEIR COMMITMENT TO GENDER DIVERSITY

Eleven local businesses have been acknowledged for their commitment to advancing gender diversity in the work place, receiving Bronze Gender Diversity Charter Marks.

identify and reflect on in-stitutional barriers facing women which impact pro-gression on the career lad-der. Through this, organi-sations have also taken steps to progress the over-all diversity and equality

agenda and improve the working environment for all employees.”

Roseann Kelly, Chief Executive at Women in Business commented, “In 2016 Women in Business launched its first mani-

festo and one of the four main pillars was Diversity. We appointed Male gender diversity champions who, together with Women in Business, have delivered the Diversity Mark NI. We are inspired and reas-sured that such impres-sive progress has been made over the past year. I would encourage other in-novative and progressive organisations to sign up, not only will they be doing the right thing, there is a correlation between gen-der diverse companies and better bottom line results.”

Organisations who have been awarded a Bronze Charter Mark have been selected by the very dis-tinguished Diversity Mark NI Independent Assessors panel which included.

Judith Gillespie, former Deputy Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, Kieran Harding, Business in the Community Director, Deborah Lange, Board Member at Invest NI and Belfast Harbour Commis-sion and Dianne Foster, Baker Mc Kenzie.

Ballybeen tenant John Anderson (right) can relax thanks to a new pilot garden maintenance service from Inspiring Enterprising Garden Maintenance and the Housing Executive. Pictured, from left, are horticulturalist Stewart Ferguson, Inspire CEO Mark Brotherston, gardening trainee David Dawson (19) and Pamela Johnston, NIHE.

Budding Social Enterprise is a Cut Above the Rest

Inspiring pilot project upskills jobless while tackling gardening challenge.A unique pilot project

is bedding in for residents in East Belfast, thanks to a special scheme from In-spire Business Centre and the Housing Executive.

Inspiring Enterprising Garden Maintenance is a fledgling social enterprise which combines upskill-ing for local unemployed with delivery of an es-sential service for tenants who need help with their gardens.

At the end of the 6 month pilot, it is hoped the project demonstrates enough promise in terms of em-ployment potential and ad-dressing community need that it blossoms into a sus-tainable social enterprise.

“We offer a garden main-tenance service for tenants who cannot do the job themselves due to age or physical incapacity,” said Dr Mark Brotherston, CEO of Inspire Business Centre, the enterprise development agency behind the project.

“The aim is to train unemployed local people in basic tasks like grass cutting and general garden maintenance and to offer this vital service in part-nership with the Housing Executive to tenants who would otherwise find it difficult or impossible to maintain their gardens.

“We have been going for a couple of months now,

cutting the grass for 12 households in Ballybeen once a month while equip-ping our budding garden-ers with the right skills to take them on a pathway to employment.”

Inspire Business Centre, which has been grow-ing businesses and social enterprises at Dundonald

since 1995, aims to build on the success of the pilot by setting up a bespoke Garden Maintenance Acad-emy to facilitate upskilling opportunities.

Pamela Johnston from the Housing Executive said: “This is an inspira-tional project which we were very happy to sup-

port in Ballybeen through our Community Grants scheme.

“The pilot programme is delivering great ben-efit to the local community, particularly our elderly and vulnerable tenants, and we believe it has the potential to grow into a viable social enterprise.”

Nichola Robinson (left), chair of Diversity Mark NI, and Roseann Kelly, chief executive at Women in Business

lisburn bowl, operations manager, aoife loughran...

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