Education alliance to benefit cross border education provision and opportunities

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Education alliance to benefit cross border education provision and opportunities

The North West Strategic Growth Partnership, in partnership with the Higher and Further Education and Training Institutions of the North West City Region, has announced a new agreement in education, training and innovation for the North West City region with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between education sector providers on both sides of the border.

The MoU is the result of years of successful collaborative working amongst the education sector providers – the Ulster University, Letterkenny Institute for Technology (LYIT), North West Regional College (NWRC) and Donegal Education and Training Board (ETB) – with the aim of improving access to higher and further level education and training to students living and studying in the North West City region.

The North West Strategic Growth Partnership is led by Derry City and Strabane District Council and Donegal County Council and supported by the International Centre for Local and Regional Development (ICLRD) in conjunction with and supported by The Executive Office and The Irish Government.

The Minister for Education and Skills Richard Bruton T.D. was in attendance at today’s signing and endorsed this historic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) saying, “Today’s announcement is a fantastic development for the North West region. This new partnership will greatly enhance collaboration between the education and training providers in key areas such as research, innovation and education and training.

“Brexit will pose a significant challenge to our higher and further education institutions. Through our Action Plan for Education, which aims to make Ireland’s education system the best in Europe within a decade, we are preparing our education and training providers to respond to this challenge. Talent drives the success of any region and strong hubs will be the engine of regional development. Today’s partnership is a very welcome development, which will have a really significant impact on the North West region.”

An Cathaoirleach of Donegal County Council Cllr Gerry McMonagle said the signing of the MoU was hugely significant for the region. He said: “The MoU builds on the excellent collaborative work previously undertaken between the partners to support regional growth through delivering on the higher and further education needs of the North West. It will allow the partners to work together as anchors of the economy of the region and contribute to the advancement of the North West City Region growth agenda that investments in higher and further education can achieve with added value for everyone.”

Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council Cllr Maolíosa McHugh said: “This is a significant event for education growth in our region and is in keeping with the objective set out by the North West Strategic Growth Partnership to promote cross cutting regional growth in the education sector. I am confident that the MoU will give the two governments the mechanism with which to engage with the education institutions to deliver on our shared further and higher educational ambitions and further enhance cross border co-operation.”

Professor Paddy Nixon, Vice Chancellor of Ulster University said: “This landmark agreement demonstrates our shared vision to create a regional strategic alliance for the North West, that drives innovation and investment and delivers co-ordinated cross border third level education to the people of this region and beyond. In practical terms, this consolidates the excellent collaboration that is already operating informally and embeds this partnership working model across our regional network. Today’s agreement will allow for a more co-ordinated approach to student pathway and progression and marks a step change in our approach to delivery of quality education in the North West.”

Paul Hannigan, President of Letterkenny Institute of Technology said the alignment of a cross border further and higher education cluster in the North West City region is essential if the region is to grow and develop its education offering and maximise the emerging potential for those who wish to live, work and invest in this region.

He said: “The signing of the MoU between the education providers in the region is very significant and is testament to the huge amount of positive work that has been done behind the scenes to really look at how we can develop education, research and innovation foundations for the North West region. This alliance will allow us to design and deliver new courses and programmes that will support economic and social development and improve efficiency through shared staffing and facilities on a range of programmes, teaching and research. Key to this alliance is the positive impact it will have on our students and the way it will open up new opportunities for them as well as encourage and facilitate wider participation in education programmes.”

Leo Murphy, Principal and Chief Executive of North West Regional College said the MoU will contribute greatly to the outcomes of the Further and Higher Education Strategy in the City and Region. “Anything that facilitates student mobility and participation in education is to be welcomed and this MoU will go a long way towards assisting us in facilitating further cross border co-operation in teaching, learning and innovation.”

Anne McHugh, Chief Executive of Donegal Education Training Board said she is confident this alliance will provide effective progression pathways for students and graduates to higher education. “This is great news for the education sector in the North West and a really positive collaboration between education providers on both sides of the border. The MoU will assist us in achieving many of the strategic goals set out in our Further Education and Training Strategy 2014-19 to ensure active inclusion, integrated planning and funding and quality provision.”

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Ulster University launches test centre to meet growing demands for nurses across the UK

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Ulster University launches test centre to meet growing demands for nurses across the UK

Ulster University is continuing to support the vital transformation of Northern Ireland’s healthcare system by launching its new Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) Competence Test Centre at Ulster University’s Magee campus, which aims to meet the growing demands for overseas nurses and midwives wishing to work in UK.

Nurses and midwives registered outside of the EU/EEA are required to undergo stringent procedures before they can practice in the UK. This involves successfully taking a two-part test of competence. The first part of the test is computer-based and can be taken anywhere in the world. If successful, applicants can then take the objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) at a UK test centre.

Situated at the University’s Magee campus, as part of the School of Nursing, the new purpose-built, designated test centre will deliver the objective, structured clinical examination (OSCE), which tests applicants’ skills, knowledge and behaviours in a simulated practice environment.

The test centre at Ulster University is one of just three in the UK and the only centre in Northern Ireland. It joins similar centres in Oxford Brookes University and University of Northampton.

All non-EU/EEA registered nurses recruited directly by the Trusts will be required to go through the Test Centre at Magee before they can practice. With no waiting lists currently in place, Ulster University can bring our much-needed registered nurses recruited overseas through the centre immediately and ensure that they are all promptly allocated to clinical practice and patient care.

The new test centre, which has the potential to test 45 candidates per week will help to increase nursing capacity in UK, allowing a greater choice of location and shorter waiting times for overseas nurses and midwives wanting to sit the test.

The new Competence Test Centre facility at Magee Campus also serves the Independent Sector in enabling overseas nurses recruited to work in the Nursing Home sector to undertake the OSCE ‎in Northern Ireland.

Speaking at the opening of the new test centre, Professor Charlotte McArdle, Chief Nursing Officer for Northern Ireland, stated:

“We are actively addressing the nursing staffing issue on a number of levels, including the recruitment of 622 overseas nurses by 2020. The new Nursing and Midwifery Council Competence Test Centre at Ulster University will ensure that any oversees nurses who apply to work within the trusts each year have gained professional registration and that they are fit to practice in the UK at the required standard.

“We recognise the invaluable contribution that nurses educated outside the EU and EEA make and the key role they play in the UK’s health and care workforce, but it is vital that they possess the correct skills and qualifications required.”

Professor Carol Curran, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Life and Health Sciences, also said:

“We are delighted that Ulster University is one of just three universities in the UK selected to offer such a vital service. This new test centre demonstrates the commitment of the University and the Department to strengthening and enhancing the healthcare workforce.

“Located at our Magee campus, the centre builds on our delivery of our nursing education provision and stratified medicine in the city. Alongside innovations such as our Physician Associate Course, our School of Nursing and our allied health profession courses, this test centre is a further opportunity to make a tangible impact on the pressing challenges and demands of our health service.

“Across our own skilled and committed nursing graduates and the nurses who will gain their registration through this centre, our Magee campus makes a valuable and rewarding contribution to nursing care.”

Lynn Fee, HSC International Recruitment Nursing Lead / Assistant Director of Nursing at Southern Health and Social Care Trust, also stated:

“The new test centre in Ulster University’s Magee campus is vital to ensure that the nurses educated outside the EU and EEA who wish to join our register can sit the test in a timely way, assisting overall in the direct intervention of healthcare workforce challenges in Northern Ireland.

“The current project to recruit overseas nurses for the HSC follows a regional approach. Nurses must pass through the NMC Competence Test Centre before they can practice and, once registered, are placed into the points of greatest need within the Healthcare System to best serve our community.”

For further information on Ulster University’s NMC competence test centre, visit https://www.ulster.ac.uk/faculties/life-and-health-sciences/nmc-competence-test-centre.

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New dairy technology centre opens in Artigarvan after £30m investment

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New dairy technology centre opens in Artigarvan after £30m investment

Mark Canning (left), corporate acquisition manager at Danske Bank, and Gabriel D’Arcy, chief executive of LacPatrick

Mark Canning (left), corporate acquisition manager at Danske Bank, and Gabriel D’Arcy, chief executive of LacPatrick

DAIRY processor LacPatrick has opened a new technology centre in Artigarvan following a £30 million Danske Bank-backed investment which has led to the creation of 20 jobs in areas such as operations, quality, environmental and health & safety.

LacPatrick was formed in 2015 after a merger between Town of Monaghan Co-Operative and Ballyrashane Co-Operative, and the Artigarvan site has 70 staff, with LacPatrick Dairies employing 300 people across all of its sites.

The new 30,000 sq ft centre will double the site’s capacity, making the firm one of the biggest producers of dairy products in the UK. It represents one of the single biggest investments in the Northern Ireland dairy industry in recent years.

Gabriel D’Arcy, chief executive of LacPatrick, said: “This new dairy technology centre will provide security of capacity for local dairy farmers, producing milk to the highest standards.

“The plant provides long-term security to our supplier base and positions the business at the forefront of global dairy technologies.

“We are now able to produce two new lines of milk powder for international markets with the dairy technology centre able to process milk all year round.”

Mr D’Arcy said the core logistical risk of Brexit has been greatly mitigated by the Artigarvan facility (as an exporter out of the UK, LacPatrick says it will be closely monitoring the trading agreements being negotiated).

He added: “We will be focused on driving product development, building relationships with processors seeking access to our technology and expanding our customer base in Asia and the Middle East.

“We have made a significant capital investment with the clear purpose of delivering a sustainable return to our suppliers over the coming months and years ahead.”

Mark Canning, corporate acquisition manager at Danske Bank, which has had a long-standing relationship with Ballyrashane Co-Operative, said: “This significant investment demonstrates LacPatrick’s continued innovative approach and dynamic presence in the dairy food sector.”

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Local designers to showcase during London Fashion Week

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Local designers to showcase during London Fashion Week.

Local Designers attending London Fashion Week

Local Designers attending London Fashion Week

Ten ‘up and coming’ local designers will get a unique opportunity to showcase their collections to an audience of global fashion experts and international press at an exclusive exhibitor event during London Fashion Week next month.

The ten local designers who have been selected to travel to London in mid-February – known as the Derry Design Collective – follows a special ‘pitching’ event held last week at the Fashion & Textile Design Centre on Shipquay Street.

A total of 15 designers put forward their ‘perfect pitch’ to judges – including John Paul Doherty of John Paul Couture and industry specialist Jenny Holloway, CEO of renowned Fashion Enter London (FEL).

Derry City and Strabane District Council, in partnership with the Fashion & Textile Design Centre and Fashion Enter London held the ‘pitching’ competition as part of the Designer Business Start Up Programme – which supports emerging designers and helps to take them commercially to market through a series of workshops led by industry experts.

The bespoke scheme – which is also sponsored by Invest NI – draws on the expertise of Jenny Holloway to disseminate ‘best practice’ – ensuring local designers are empowered and provided with essential skills training, knowledge and the tools to develop their businesses effectively and efficiently.

Helen Quigley, Chief Executive of the Inner City Trust, said that the opportunity being created for our local designers is the culmination of the partnership working that has taken place in the Fashion & Textile Design Centre over the last number of years. This work has combined significant support from the team at the Inner City Trust, Derry City & Strabane District Council, Invest NI and Fashion Enter, and represents a commitment in presenting our local talent in a global setting.

Danielle McNally, Business Officer with Derry City and Strabane District Council, said: “I am delighted that the ten winners will be able to avail of this incredible opportunity – and will benefit from the hands-on experience, technical training and professional mentoring from Fashion Enter London.

“Council is delighted to be working with the renowned Fashion Enter team on this fantastic initiative, providing unique opportunities for our emerging designers to work with leading industry experts to commercialise their design talents.

“We have a wealth of local design talent, and ultimately this programme will provide the tools and the opportunities required to support designers in making their fashion or textile business a reality.

“Indeed, this programme aims to give emerging local designers an invaluable profile boost by presenting them to an international audience during one of the most important weeks of the fashion calendar.”

Deirdre Williams, Business Development Manager with the Fashion and Textile Design Centre and Inner City Trust, added: “I would like to pay tribute to the strength and diversity of all the local designers who took part in the ‘pitching’ event.

“I was hugely impressed by the diversity and innovation of the local designers who are such creative and talented people representing both quality and variety in the fashion and textiles sector.

“It is clear from the outstanding talent displayed at the pitching sessions that our region – as in the past with our world famous shirt industry heritage – is continuing to produce young and emerging talent whose imagination and quality of design is key to a successful future in the global fashion industry.

“This will be a fantastic opportunity for the winning designers from the Derry & Strabane district to showcase their Autumn/Winter 2018 collections during London Fashion Week at the Fashion Enter premises in London.

“It will also provide opportunities for the ten local designers to engage with the UK fashion industry and build international connections.

“I am therefore delighted that they will avail of this unique opportunity to present their collections outside of local markets to an international audience.”

For further information on the Designer Business Start Up Programme visit http://www.derrystrabane.com/Designer-Start-Up-Programme

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Primrose cafe to create 40 new jobs in Londonderry

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Ciaran and Melanie Breslin from Primrose Cafe

Ciaran and Melanie Breslin from Primrose Cafe


Primrose cafe to create 40 new jobs in Londonderry.
The Primrose cafe group is to create 40 new jobs as part of a major expansion in Derry. The family-run business is due to open its new premises on the Strand Road at the end of October 2018.The roles will be a mixture of full and part-time, including chefs, waiting staff, baristas and bakers.

The first Primrose cafe was opened in 2012 with four staff. The company now employs 38 people across two locations at Carlisle Road and Atlantic Quay. The husband-and-wife team behind it, Ciaran and Melanie Breslin, said it was an exciting new development. “Primrose is our life and soul,” said Ciaran Breslin. “Everything revolves around Primrose, so to see the new premises coming together is so exciting for us. “We’re constantly trying to evolve the business and stay ahead of trends, so we’re confident this will be the start of something completely new for Derry.”

The Breslins also own butchers shops at Whitehouse retail park and Lisnagelvin shopping centre in the Waterside.
“Derry’s become a real food destination, and it’s wonderful to be part of that,” said Melanie Breslin.
“The Strand Road has been very derelict these past few years, and with the new hotel under construction and two new bars it’s great to see a bit of life coming back into the area.”

Primrose has been supported by the North West Regional College’s Foodovation centre, which nurtures and develops food businesses across Ireland. Its general manager, Brian McDermott, said it was one of the centre’s success stories. “Any jobs in the hospitality sector have to be welcomed, and this goes to show just how vibrant the food and drink industry is in Derry at the moment,” he said.

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Derry Strabane Global – Sept 2017 Newsletter

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In this edition you will find interesting articles about what is happening in Derry City and Strabane District, bios of Derry Londonderry Dispora, human interest stories about Derry Strabane connections, a snapshot of jobs & key employers recruiting in the area, plus lots more.

September 2017 Issue

Read Derry ~ Strabane Global – Connecting With Our Diaspora

 

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Derry ~ Strabane Graduate’s fashion label goes from strength to strength

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Haus Of MowHawk

Lynsey McGarrigle from Haus Of MowHawk

For as long as Lynsey McGarrigle can remember she wanted to be a fashion designer. The 26 year-old North West Regional College graduate has hit the industry like a whirlwind since the launch of her Haus Of MoHawk label last year, showcasing twice at London Fashion Week and designing bespoke pieces for a host of well-known celebrities.

But it’s been far from an overnight success story.

“From a very young age I was interested in design,” she recalls. “My mother’s favourite story is about a time when our living room curtains were sacrificed to make Barbie’s new Autumn Winter wardrobe.

“My first year art teacher was a major influence too, she had such passion for art that as a student I couldn’t help but immerse myself in all things design.

“Although my label launched just over a year ago, I had been working in fashion since the age of 15 through working in retail, modelling and beauty pageants.

“I developed my own fashion brand after graduating from the North West Regional College in Derry in 2012 where I graduated with distinction in both my foundation degree in Art and Design and a Higher National Diploma in Fashion and Textile Design.”

Lynsey was already standing out by that point having picked up The Adria Award in 2010 for Best Fashion Design and The Desmond and Sons Award Cup for Best Textile Collection 2012.
Her career as a model and beauty queen was gathering pace too and after being crowned Miss Tyrone in 2011 she went on to claim Miss United Nations Ireland and Miss United Nations Europe titles.

She was slowly gathering the necessary experience and knowledge of the fashion industry to take the plunge and launch her own label last year but it was the start-up business expertise and advice she received through Derry City and Strabane District Council’s Go For It programme that allowed her to turn that lifelong dream into a sustainable reality.

“The Go For It Program assisted me greatly in overcoming the business related challenges of start-up,” she admits.

“The main obstacle I had to overcome while formally setting up the business was the business side of the company. I could do the creative, artistic elements and what I was qualified to do being a fashion designer but where things lacked was the integral business element of the business; the business plan, business banking, sourcing funding, learning to keep accounts, registering with HMRC.

“Without their support Haus Of MoHawk would not be where it is today and on a personal note I have learnt a lot through the program and have become much more business savvy.”
Haus Of MoHawk is a ladies occasional wear brand that caters for red carpet events and special occasions and now boasts clients across three continents of the world.
The label was resident in the Four Seasons Hotel in Beijing in conjunction with China Fashion Week and this year received the Best New Business title at the Strabane Chamber of Commerce and Industry Awards.

She couldn’t have asked for a better first 12 months in Business but she believes it is a success she has earned by remaining focused on her dreams in often challenging circumstances.

“Like many others in this industry, the journey hasn’t been an easy path to trudge,” she conceded. “At times it has been an uphill battle of determination, financial difficulties, self doubt and perseverance against all odds because the dream is too much to give up.

“It’s been a journey of education and in the end a leap of faith to just go out there and make things happen for the love of my art. I don’t believe in luck, I believe in creating destiny, that keeping focused on the end goal will be enough of a reckoning force to achieve my aspirations.

“From a very young age I always dreamt of owning and running my own empire. I wanted to be able to do what I love and be in the position to take charge, make decisions and choose the course of my own life’s destiny regardless of the obstacles.

“In the fashion industry you learn to move quickly, whether that be making decisions or physical work; time waits for no one so with everything in life you need to seize the opportunity when it presents itself to you. Essentially time is money.”

With major plans in the coming months, the pace of Haus of MoHawk’s progress shows no signs of letting up but a love of what she is doing coupled with an insatiable work ethic means Lynsey is up for the challenge.

“The business is still a work in progress,” she continued. “The luxury of the fashion industry is that you get out what you put in.

“I am a great believer that you cannot out work someone who refuses to be outworked and Haus Of MoHawk’s client list for 2017 is ever growing.

“I hope to continue developing the brand on a national and international scale whilst holding onto the strong roots within Northern Ireland that established it.

“I have a few exciting projects and shows in the next number of months and along with a few very busy months I hope to explore the possibility of manufacturing later this year.

“So the future is promising and I feel truly blessed to be able to wake each morning and do what I love.”

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Stratified Medicine Revolution in the UK and Ireland Takes Leap Forward as First Students Graduate Landmark Course

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The first cohort of students to study a cutting-edge degree in personalised medicine in the UK and Ireland are set to graduate today from Ulster University in a milestone which promises to deliver a new era of healthcare.

Based at the Clinical Translational Research and Innovation Centre at Altnagelvin Hospital, the Stratified Medicine students have been taught new approaches to managing chronic diseases such as Arthritis, Alzheimer’s Disease, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Disease and Cancer.

The course explores how genes, lifestyle and environment can influence disease. The practice relies on the use of biomarkers, such as genes or proteins, to organise patients into groups of individuals who are at risk of developing a disease, or who are likely to respond better to one therapy over other alternatives.

Dr Catriona Kelly, Course Director at Ulster University said: “We are proud to see the first intake of students graduate from our Stratified Medicine course. It’s a key milestone moment as the next generation of medical experts can now take us a step closer to providing the right treatment, for the right person, at the right time. We believe this is the future of medicine, globally.

“Our course, which is the first of its kind in the UK and Ireland, has focused on the development of new technologies and systems to predict disease, select the best treatment, and reduce side effects for individual patients. We know that this approach to streamlining healthcare provides more accurate clinical decision making.”

Stephen Morgan, who will graduate in Stratified Medicine from Ulster University this week, said: “I knew from a young age that my career path would involve science or medical research in some form and the idea of this particular course really appealed to me. It has provided me with practical skills and valuable insight into personalised care plans. This has been supported by two summer placements with the Almac Group which gave me the opportunity to learn advanced techniques and practices.

“My goal now is to complete a Masters degree in Bioinformatics and Computational Genomics. In the future I would love to return to Ulster University, perhaps to study at a PhD level, to further research priority areas within Stratified Medicine and play a role in the development of this research globally.”

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Ulster Rally 2017 set to return to Derry ~ Londonderry

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Ulster Rally 2017 hosted in Derry City and Strabane District

Ulster Rally 2017 hosted in Derry City and Strabane District

Ulster Rally 2017 set to return to Derry ~ Londonderry: A host of Rally stars joined organisers and special guests at the historic Guildhall Square, Londonderry, for the launch of the 2017 John Mulholland Motors Ulster Rally. Returning to Derry City and Strabane for the second year promises both competitors and race fans an action packed weekend of motorsport throughout Derry and Strabane on Friday 18 and Saturday 19 August 2017.

This year the Rally welcomes contenders from the FIA European Rally Trophy (Celtic Cup), the MSA Prestone British Rally Championship and the Clonakilty Blackpudding Irish Tarmac Rally Championship. Stages again feature the full breadth of Counties Londonderry and Tyrone with two regroups, one in Derry/Londonderry’s Guildhall Square on Friday and the other in Strabane Town Centre on Saturday of the event.

John Mulholland Motors Ulster Rally Event Director, Robert Harkness is excited about returning to the Maiden City for this year’s event;

“It is an honour to be returning to such a prestigious venue as the Guild Hall to launch the second year of the John Mulholland Motors Ulster Rally in this historic City. We have the ideal event base at Ebrington Square with two new regroups this year in Derry and Strabane and a host of classic and challenging stages throughout the region”.

“But it’s not just the venue and stages that make these events, the stars of the event are the drivers, co-drivers and their cars and this year’s Ulster Rally promises a fantastic array of machinery crossing the start ramp in the Guildhall Square at lunchtime on Friday 18 August. We have a great selection of local competitors, many of them young and some very young, who are already making their mark in the sport. Callum Devine, Marty Gallagher and Gordon Noble venture successfully well outside Ireland; we also have Alan Atcheson, Joe McGonigle and Eathan McColgan. And what about our motorcycle racer Michael Dunlop who is now firmly caught up in rallying ?

We welcome the MSA Prestone British Rally Championship back to the Ulster Rally stages and we are looking forward to the battle for supremacy between the R5 cars in the British series and the Irish Tarmac Championship regulars. We are hopeful that our local home-grown talent will again be fighting for pole position in their respective categories in all the major championships included in this year’s event.

Robert continues; “It’s great returning to a venue for the second year and this which could only be made possible by our sponsors Derry City and Strabane District Council and John Mulholland Motors, along with Tourism NI and Visit Derry, our local stage sponsors and the 800 volunteers who give of their time so generously. The plan’s in place to make 2017 the best event yet.”

Headline Sponsor, John Mulholland Motors is based in Randalstown and Campsie and John himself was one of the first to put in his entry for this year’s event.

“This is our second year of a three-year agreement as main sponsors of the Ulster Rally, an event I have been competing in since 1994.

This year is extra special for us as it marks my 25th anniversary of participation in this iconic motorsport event. To celebrate I will be behind the wheel of a new Skoda Fabia R5 sporting a black and gold livery in recognition of us wining the UK Skoda retailer of the year (for the second time)”

Welcoming the event back to the City is Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Councillor Maolíosa McHugh; “I am absolutely delighted that the Rally organisers have teamed up with our local club – Maiden City Motor Club – to bring this prestigious sporting event to the North West region for the second year in a row. It’s also great to have our local sponsor, John Mulholland from Campsie on board once again.

In terms of economic benefit for the city and region, the John Mulholland Motors Ulster Rally will have a huge impact in terms of bringing visitors to the City who will stay locally and hopefully spend money at our local restaurants, shops and bars. We are confident the Rally will create a great buzz and excitement across Derry and Strabane throughout the month of August.

Entries for the event are now open and the organisers, The Northern Ireland Motor Club Ltd anticipate a top line up of local and International competitors and a host of the frontrunners from the various Irish and Northern Ireland Rally Championships. Also included in this year’s Ulster Rally programme is the popular Historic section and the recently introduced Junior category.

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Derry Tech For Good Company, Elemental Software Receives Investment

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Leeann Monk and Jennifer Neff Co Founders Elemental Software

Leeann Monk and Jennifer Neff Co Founders Elemental Software

Derry Tech For Good Company, Elemental Software, which has developed an award winning social prescribing digital platform that connects patients, health and social care professionals and community health & wellness providers, announced today that it has raised £300,000 with the help of ClearlySo, Europe’s leading impact investment bank. Elemental is using the capital to further develop its software that supports and empowers lifestyle change for communities most at risk, make key staff hires, and expand marketing reach.

Elemental’s platform is the only comprehensive social prescribing solution developed by community development experts that measures the impact of social prescribing and the difference that non clinical solutions can make to the health and wellbeing of communities, which is a growing priority at the highest level in government and rapidly being adopted in the UK.

Elemental Software’s platform was awarded the ‘Best Tech in the 3rd Sector’ of 2016 by Digital DNA and the best enterprise software at INVENT 2016. Leeann Monk and Jennifer Neff, co-founders of Elemental Software, said: “We are absolutely delighted that ClearlySo plugged into the Elemental vision for revolutionising the ability to socially prescribe across the health, social care and third sectors. The investment partnership, created by London based Clearly So, engages social impact investors who each bring a wealth of knowledge, expertise and resource to help us solve one of the most pressing health and social care challenges of our generation.“

More than 80% of the world’s chronic conditions can be avoided by lifestyle change alone. Despite this, chronic conditions such as type 2 diabetes, mental health related illness and heart disease are rising and so too are costs. In the UK alone, the NHS, which has a funding gap estimated at £22bn by 2020, is spending £7 out £10 in treatment of conditions while GPs capacity is strained.

The key aim of Elemental’s Social Prescribing platform is to demonstrate the value and difference that referrals to local exercise, diet and nutrition and mental support can make to peoples’ lives. Further commenting, Stefano Cappanari, investment manager at ClearlySo, said: “We were very pleased to play a role in helping Elemental scale the “more than medicine” approach to health. From grass-roots Jennifer and Leeann built a business around the patient, health and social professionals, community based providers and Commissioners and we are excited that the capital raise, which closed in record time, and capabilities from our network will allow them to take the next step in transforming our care system for better.”

Mary McKenna, Director at Elemental Software, first introduced the company to ClearlySo, and concludes “I look for startups with that magic combination of knowledgeable and credible founders, a great product and a large and ready market opportunity. Elemental Software has all of that and more.

This investment round will allow Elemental Software to reach that huge social prescribing market at lightning speed.

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