Little Acorns Bookstore in Derry has been named Regional Bookshop of the Year at The An Post Irish Book Awards.
Established in 2011, Little Acorns Bookstore has an overall stock of more than 40,000 books and specialises in Irish-related subjects, authors and publishers.
The Foyle Street shop was named Ulster winner of the competition, with the other regional prizes awarded to Kennys Bookshop in Galway, The Company of Books in Dublin, Kerr’s Bookshop in Cork and The Maynooth Bookshop in Kildare.
Jenni Doherty, owner of Little Acorns Bookstore said: “I really am totally shocked, I feel so, so honoured and this is as much for the wonderful folks of Derry and Donegal who have ensured I kept going through the pandemic. They have all shown me fantastic support and loyalty and are all legends.”
https://investderrystrabane.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/InvestDerry_Strabane_logo_small-003.jpg00Adam Goodallhttps://investderrystrabane.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/InvestDerry_Strabane_logo_small-003.jpgAdam Goodall2021-12-13 19:23:242021-12-13 19:23:53Derry bookstore crowned regional bookshop of the year
Three local redevelopment projects have received a £16m boost as part of the UK-wide Levelling Up Fund.
The funding has been secured by the Council to progress with Derry’s Daisyfield Community Sports Hub (which received £4.2m), the Acorn Farm St Columb’s Park Regeneration project (£5.6m), and Derg Active in Castlederg (£6.4m).
A total of £4.8 billion in government Levelling Up Funding was announced across the UK, with Derry City and Strabane District Council receiving a third of Northern Ireland’s £49m allocation.
Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council Alderman Graham Warke described the funding decision as “a really positive good news story for our Council area”.
Derry-based FAST Technologies have embarked on a “very exciting chapter” after receiving a major investment from the Magherafelt-based Bloc Group.
The deal between Bloc and FAST (Factory Automation & Systems Technologies) brings together two export-focused manufacturing operations which excel in design and engineering.
Based in the Skeoge Industrial Estate, FAST provides bespoke technical solutions to a global client base including DuPont, Unilever, Caterpillar and Seagate.
Welcoming the deal with Bloc – who specialise in blinds and skylight systems, and recently moved into healthcare solutions – FAST co-founder Eamonn Lynch, said: “We believe this represents a new and very exciting chapter for both companies and our combined workforce.
“Bloc’s support and investment will enable us to consolidate and strengthen our offering and help FAST rise to the next level in terms of opportunity and growth.”
Financial services firm FinTrU has announcing it is opening an office in Maastricht.
Based at the southern tip of The Netherlands, next to the Belgian border, the Maastricht site will help the company support its Tier 1 Investment Bank clients and assist them in managing their global regulatory requirements.
Setting up a base in the Dutch city (where the Maastricht Treaty was signed in 1992, establishing both the EU and the Euro) further strengthens FinTrU’s operation in Europe. The company also opened a new Dublin office in September.
FinTrU, which currently employs more than 900 people across Derry, Belfast, London, Dublin and New York, is now recruiting for new roles in Maastricht. For more information on vacancies, visit FinTrU’s career portal: www.fintru.com/careers
https://investderrystrabane.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/FinTrU.jpg10801920Adam Goodallhttps://investderrystrabane.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/InvestDerry_Strabane_logo_small-003.jpgAdam Goodall2021-12-13 19:13:332021-12-13 19:13:36FinTrU recruiting for new Maastricht office
Loganair has announced a new service between City of Derry Airport and Edinburgh Airport.
The 55-minute direct route, which launches on May 17 2022, will initially operate three times weekly on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. During the peak summer months, frequency will increase with additional flights on Thursdays and Saturdays.
Steve Frazer, managing director of City of Derry Airport, said: “Improving connectivity is key to strengthening our frequency to key business routes in support of the North West’s regional development plans.
“We are experiencing a high demand for leisure, visiting friends and family and as tourism is a growing element of our economy, we see this as a great opportunity to connect both cities and regions.”
https://investderrystrabane.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/InvestDerry_Strabane_logo_small-003.jpg00Adam Goodallhttps://investderrystrabane.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/InvestDerry_Strabane_logo_small-003.jpgAdam Goodall2021-12-13 19:10:342021-12-13 19:10:35New Derry-Edinburgh route to take flight in May
Derry-based Alchemy Technology Services has been ranked at number 10 on a list of the UK’s Best Workplaces for Tech.
When the list of medium-sized tech firms was compiled, by the Great Place to Work institute, 97% of Alchemy’s workforce said: ‘Our customers would rate the service we deliver as “excellent”’.
The news follows Alchemy’s recent rankings as number 29 on the UK’s Best Workplaces list, and number 11 on the UK’s Best Workplaces for Women list.
Alchemy was launched in September 2018 to provide insurance software implementation and support. Since then, it has grown from two people to more than 100 staff, working with insurance companies, system integrators and software providers to support the digitisation of the global insurance industry.
CEO John Harkin said: “We spend a lot of time and money on developing our culture. We foster a workplace that encourages and values collaboration, knowledge sharing and discourages internal competition and we have achieved this when 18 of the 36 months we have been in business have been spent in lockdown.”
Alchemy is currently hiring Senior Technical Analysts to join their team. For more information visit www.alchemytechs.com
https://investderrystrabane.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Alchemy-Technology-Services_TN-1.jpg400400Adam Goodallhttps://investderrystrabane.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/InvestDerry_Strabane_logo_small-003.jpgAdam Goodall2021-12-13 19:06:292021-12-13 19:06:31Alchemy named one of UK’s best tech workplaces
Hinduja Global Solutions (HGS), a global leader in business process management and optimising the customer experience lifecycle, is encouraging North West job seekers to apply for a range of new roles.
HGS recently announced plans to create over 560 jobs across Northern Ireland in customer service, management, and support, with employees able to take advantage of the firm’s flexible work at home model.
With more than 400 positions recruited and confirmed already, HGS is promoting a range of jobs that are currently still available.
Rosalind Young, investment manager at Derry City and Strabane District Council, said: “We’re pleased that HGS is building its presence in this region, with a view to establishing one of their Engagement Hubs in the future. We already know this area is full of talent and potential, and we have been promoting the Northern Ireland as a premium remote working destination for a while now.
“HGS is an excellent company that offers a fantastic range of employment opportunities across our Council area. All of the posts will primarily be home-based, and customer service experience is highly desirable in candidates. Home-based posts come with a number of positive attributes in that they offer less travelling for staff, a better work life balance, and more flexibility. Full training will be provided, and the posts will be particularly suited to those in our Council area attracted to working from home through lifestyle or necessity, and those who live in more remote communities.”
https://investderrystrabane.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/HGS-Logo-1-1.png11722782Adam Goodallhttps://investderrystrabane.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/InvestDerry_Strabane_logo_small-003.jpgAdam Goodall2021-12-13 19:02:302021-12-13 19:02:32Home-based jobs available with Hinduja Global Solutions
Local employers have joined forces with academics, educators and the Council to encourage further growth of the North West’s digital, creative and fintech sectors.
The Homeground website and interactive digital map profiles more than 90 local companies who between them have created thousands of jobs and are generating millions of pounds in revenue.
The collaboration is intended to raise awareness of the fastest growing sectors in the North West and help ensure a future pipeline of talent by informing young people about the global career opportunities on their doorstep.
Homeground.me
Website visitors can view the map of Derry, Strabane and Letterkenny and click on company logos to discover more information and contact details.
Through Derry City and Strabane District Council’s Education & Skills Delivery Partnership, government, schools, higher and further education institutions and industry are working together to recognise skills gaps, identify how to attract or grow this talent, and nurture the workforce of tomorrow.
Columb Duffy, senior leader at Allstate NI in the North West, is chair of the partnership’s Digital, Creative and Financial Technologies Subgroup. He said: “The digital, creative and Fintech sectors have been steadily growing in the North West, with over 100 companies offering job opportunities with excellent work-life balance and competitive salaries right here on our doorstep.”
For more information on these companies, explore the interactive digital map at www.homeground.me.
https://investderrystrabane.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Homeground-80x80-1.jpg8080Adam Goodallhttps://investderrystrabane.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/InvestDerry_Strabane_logo_small-003.jpgAdam Goodall2021-12-13 18:59:052021-12-13 18:59:08Discover digital, creative and fintech employers with new interactive map
Magherafelt-based Bloc Group is further expanding its NI operation through a major investment in FAST Technologies in Londonderry. The deal is significant for both Bloc and FAST (Factory Automation & Systems Technologies) bringing together two highly innovative, export-focused manufacturing operations which excel in design and engineering.
Colin Spence, Technical sales director, FAST Technologies, Eamonn Lynch, co-founder FAST Technologies, Cormac Diamond, managing director, Bloc and Ciara McGonnell Cushnahan, financial director, Bloc
FAST provides bespoke technical solutions to its global client base which includes DuPont, Unilever, Caterpillar and Seagate.
Speaking about the new development and what it means for both businesses, Cormac Diamond, managing director of Bloc the deal will enable them to ‘helping organisations streamline and enhance their business processes and operations’.
He continued: “The level of expertise which FAST brings in terms of ‘best-in-class’ manufacturing and automation, complements and furthers Bloc’s long term growth strategy.
“Set against the current climate of supply chain challenges, labour and skills shortages, we view FAST as a solutions provider to the wider business market.
“It has a proven track record in the application of automation across all sectors and industries, and together we will take this expertise to the next level, ultimately helping organisations streamline and enhance their business processes and operations.”
In addition to its impact at a regional level, Cormac believes the synergies between Bloc and FAST will underpin the continued success of both brands and offer great economic potential globally.
He explained: “In bringing together two locally-owned organisations that share a common culture and philosophy we’re able to seize joint opportunities, bring new ideas to life and create solutions which deliver positive outcomes at both business and consumer levels.”
Welcoming the deal, Eamonn Lynch of FAST Technologies, added: “We believe this represents a new and very exciting chapter for both companies and our combined workforce.
“Bloc’s support and investment will enable us to consolidate and strengthen our offering and help FAST rise to the next level in terms of opportunity and growth.”
The FAST team will continue to operate as a stand-alone manufacturing operation at its existing site in Londonderry’s Skeoge Industrial Estate. Co-founder Eamonn Lynch and technical sales director Colin Spence will also continue to head up FAST’s management team.
Bloc are a global manufacturing and design company based in Magherafelt with divisions in Belfast and The Netherlands and is renowned as one of the UK’s leading designers and manufacturers of innovative blinds and skylight systems and recently pivoted into the healthcare solutions industry.
Employing over 250 staff, the company was established in 2009 and consists of Bloc Blinds, Bloc Healthcare Solutions and Bloc Labs.
https://investderrystrabane.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/download.png123410Adam Goodallhttps://investderrystrabane.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/InvestDerry_Strabane_logo_small-003.jpgAdam Goodall2021-11-25 11:44:452021-11-25 11:44:48Further growth and expansion as Bloc joins forces with FAST Technologies
Derry’s Millennium Forum is to stage a special cultural showcase – featuring snapshots of the region’s music, literature and art – for returning expats later this month.
The event – sponsored by the new diaspora association, Futureproof Northwest, which is made up of expats from Derry, Donegal and Tyrone – will take place at the Forum on October 28.
It will include a choral recital, hosted by Maurice Kelly (Allegri) and guests; a new exhibition of paintings of Derry street-scenes from the last century, by Bridget Murray; and the launch of the late John Bryson’s definitive historical reference guide to the city, ‘Derry’s Streets: 521-2021’.
Futureproof chair Sean Downey said the diaspora group, which was inaugurated at Dublin’s Mansion House in 2019, aims to support conversations that will help the region.
Mr Downey explained: ‘We want to encourage the diaspora of the North West to connect, share ideas and experience, exchange contacts and create opportunities
‘As part of this, we plan to organise activities and events to promote networking and relationship-building and strengthen the community of Northwesterners across the islands and further afield.
‘We also hope to provide support through the network to people in the North West and the diaspora across these islands and further afield seeking to develop business, promote culture and foster educational opportunities.’
Futureproof North West has previously held events at the Mansion House and the Bank of Ireland Exhibition Centre in Dublin.
https://investderrystrabane.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/FutureProof001.jpg9001800Adam Goodallhttps://investderrystrabane.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/InvestDerry_Strabane_logo_small-003.jpgAdam Goodall2021-10-18 08:41:222021-10-18 08:41:24Halloween Homecoming for North West Expats
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