Derry City & Strabane District Council has announced it is hosting a pilot careers inspiration event for over 700 Year 9 pupils called 4C UR Future LIVE in June 2022.
Designed and delivered by local social enterprise, 4C UR Future, the industry-led Community Interest Company – founded by business leader Rose Mary Stalker – works collaboratively with a wide range of employers from the key sectors in Northern Ireland, with the aim of empowering young people to make more informed education and career choices.
4C UR Future LIVE is a fun, fast-paced, and action-packed day of interactive skills games and work-based challenges, with each game co-created and delivered by local employers, giving Year 9 students an insight into the future world of work, as well as their own strengths and talents.
Announcing support for the event, Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Alderman Graham Warke said: “We are delighted to be working with 4C UR Future to deliver this event in Foyle Arena, which will be an exciting, informative, and interesting day for all of the schools attending.
“This will give our local pupils opportunities to learn more about the working world, making plans for the future, and about themselves, their skills, and qualities, and what professions might suit them. It offers them the chance to engage directly with local employers that they might one day find themselves working for.
“It’s great to see so many businesses signed up to be part of this fantastic event and I would encourage any local employers who are not signed up yet to consider getting involved.”
4C UR Future Managing Director, Rachel Doherty, added: “With the support of Derry City & Strabane District Council, we’re delighted to be holding a pilot 4C UR Future LIVE event at Foyle Arena in June. Over 50 employers are involved in 4C UR Future LIVE 2022 and we’re mobilising almost 300 ‘Career Heroes’ from our volunteer community to deliver and facilitate the LIVE events across the province.
“The world of work is changing rapidly with new jobs, and even entirely new sectors, emerging. This has resulted in a complex careers landscape that can make choosing GCSE subjects, further education pathways, and future career options overwhelming, confusing, and stressful for our young people.
“Through 4C UR Future LIVE events and our first-generation CAREERS PORTAL, which is launching in September, we aim to inform young people of the wide range of opportunities available to them, help them navigate the complex careers landscape, and inspire them to achieve their ambitions and become the best version of themselves.” For more information on 4C UR Future, and local employers can get involved, go to: www.4curfuture.com.
Glenview Farm Equine Learning Centre provides a unique blend of pony parties, play dates and riding lessons for adults and children, complemented by specialist therapeutic horse riding, in the picturesque countryside between Slemish mountain and the coastal village of Glenarm.
Developed and run by Jane Magee, a well-known show rider who has competed at National level since she was a child with three decades of experience, it has been operating since Jane inherited the farm in 2017. She developed the idea after she saw Equine Assisted Learning in practice during a visit to Australia and decided to undertake specific training.
“Equine assisted learning is a unique service, which harnesses the sensitive and reactive nature of the horse to promote social and emotional growth,” she explained.
“This is especially effective with those who have become disengaged with, or disinterested in, traditional ‘talk based’ support.”
Jane’s passion isn’t just for horses, but partnering with them to help young people who struggle with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties. The centre has a unique sensory riding trail, allowing autistic young people to experience the location on horseback while playing sensory games, to create an autism friendly experience.
“I think families are so thankful there’s somewhere a sibling and another sibling with additional needs can go – parents can even take part themselves”
Visitors can also take advantage of a new all year round family session experience, with two-hour sessions available for families of up to four to groom, ride, play games and go on trail rides with the horses.
The centre is operational all year round and also offers an alternative children’s party experience. Pony parties at Glenview Farm can be booked for special occasions, such as birthdays, and can cater for six to 12 attendees.
“They can be anything from an hour to two hours and then they can do grooming, musical statues with the ponies, leading them, riding them,” she said.
“There’s dressing up depending on the age so there’ll be a theme like princess or cowboy.
“If there’s an evening session you can expect fairy lights and glow sticks and we can provide a unicorn hunt, it’s just tailor made to the age of the children and according to how long they want it to last.”
Glenview Farm operates as a social enterprise. They have recently developed self-catering accommodation for up to three in a converted attic and ‘as part of the social enterprise we then donate a free booking to a family who wouldn’t necessarily avail of a holiday,” she said.
“We also provide free riding sessions for children from disadvantaged areas.”
In addition to Jane, there are two staff and 20 volunteers, who Jane said, have helped bring the atmosphere to Glenview Farm, which has been in the family for over 120 years and situated just half a mile away from where Jane grew up.
“People keep talking about how they’re made to feel like part of the family,” she said. “I believe it’s the kindness and respect that we show our clients – we genuinely care about them having a great experience and they keep returning, as opposed to them coming and doing half an hour and then we never see them again.”
They have also introduced their own version of the Saddle Club, courses for children (up to 9 per group) called Pony Tails for the juniors and Making Strides for young people.
Jane is an accredited Level 6 Life and Workplace coach and holds a certificate in Equine Welfare Management, as well as being a qualified first aider. Find out more about Glenview at glenviewfarm.org.uk
The demand for Slow Food in Northern Ireland has soared over the last decade, thanks to a change in consumer preference and attitude towards their food choices and following the launch of Slow Food Causeway by Taste Causeway in November 2021, there is no better time to get involved in the grassroots movement that seeks to promote good, clean and fair food and acclaim local products and traditions.
Slow Food Northern Ireland is part of a wider non-profit, eco-gastronomic organisation that has around 100,000 members in over 150 countries which originally started in Italy by Carlo Petrini in 1986, who rebelled against the arrival of the American fast-food chain McDonalds in Rome.
Today, the renowned chef Paula McIntyre MBE is the Slow Food Northern Ireland Director who alongside artisan food businesses and producers, aims to preserve the ‘unique culinary heritage’ of Northern Ireland.
“I like to describe Slow Food as the way our grandparents sourced and cooked food. They reared a pig and used all of it. They would have preserved some of it for the winter. They grew veg and they would have been naturally organic then. Everything would have been grown seasonally. You’d have thought about what was going to be available and you grew accordingly. It’s the opposite of fast food.” Paula explained.
After her trip to Turin in 2014 to represent the UK in the Terra Madre kitchen, Paula was offered a seat on the Board of Directors and became truly involved in 2015.
“I got involved with the movement in 2014, but before that, I had always been interested in seasonal food and local food before it was trendy. When I started in the late 80s, I liked using local things. Then Slow Food articulated for me what I was trying to do, it is what I do. “I’ve met so many friends through Slow Food, it’s not just business and networking.”
Slow Food Northern Ireland has spurred the public’s interest in the movement over the years by combining education with experiences. Since the Causeway Coast and Glens in Northern Ireland was awarded the accolade of becoming the first accredited Slow Food destination in Northern Ireland, Taste Causeway have been running a busy six-month programme of events, immersive dining experiences, foodie tours and special menus.
“We realised early on with Tourism NI that visitors coming here want to experience food of the place and they want traditional recipes so we might be self-deprecating and say ‘who would want to be arsed with a soda farl?’ but they actually love it and the story behind it.
“There needs to be storytelling and a celebration of our heritage. At the end of the day what matters is that what’s on the plate tastes really good.” Paula said.
There has been a wonderful wealth and breadth of expertise and styles of cooking showcased in the foodie experiences, bringing together different cultures and introducing exciting flavours to our palates.
With more sell-out events to be held lasting until the end of April 2022, it is a testament to consumers across Northern Ireland who are still continuing to have a strong interest in the programme that showcases the Slow Food ethos and supporting local artisan producers.
“I know that a lot of the producers say that they really have become a lot busier recently. People were trying these different foods.”
“There’s always going to be people in NI who want a roast beef dinner….you can’t beat it now and again. But I think a lot of young people travel and try things, street food and those exciting flavours.
“The good thing about the whole street food movement is that young people can taste really exciting flavours that aren’t going to break the bank. Food has become good food, has become more realistic, and you can get it more. That’s a big thing.”
As conversations open up globally about climate change and ways to adopt a more sustainable lifestyle through food consumption, Northern Irish consumers are leading the way and have become more educated and conscious about their food habits than ever before, resulting in a greater demand for fresh ingredients that are both nutritious and local.
Typically, many popular Slow Food artisan specialties are loved by both locals and tourists alike, however, customers must know what to look for when they are engaging with a producer or retailer or hospitality venue.
Paula encourages people to ask questions: “If you’re looking at the menu and it doesn’t say where the steaks come from, just ask.”
Education is also key in pushing the movement forward and customers are encouraged to challenge outlets if they see something that doesn’t align with Slow Food values.
“Restaurants will put ‘local sea bass’. You need to call them out on that cos we’re not allowed to fish commercially for sea bass off our waters.”
“It’s illegal if you put it on paper. All the seabass we have on the menus would be coming from Turkey, so I think you need to ask people why they don’t have Seaview Farm pork on the menu. It’s expensive but you can use cheaper cuts. You can call out where veg comes from locally.” Paula explained.
With new and innovative artisan food businesses popping up across the province, there is more scope for both consumers and businesses to implement the Slow Food principles.
“You’ve got to embrace it or not embrace it. It has to be a holistic approach. The whole business needs to think about it.” Paula said.
Through our food choices, we can all influence how food is cultivated, produced and distributed and in turn protect traditional foods on the island and change the world as a consequence. For more information about how you can get involved with Slow Food Northern Ireland, visit slowfood.tastecauseway.com or follow the hashtags #SlowFood and #SlowFoodCauseway.
Founder of the Northern Ireland based female only networking group, Sinead Norton, is encouraging women in business across the UK and beyond to join the movement and reap the benefits of being a part of a like minded community dedicated to supporting and encouraging one another.
The inspirational networking platform Mums At Work launched in December 2018 as a free Facebook group for a small group of women after Sinead experienced first hand the many challenges that arise when setting up and managing your own business.
“I’m a mum of 7 and when I owned a large and extremely award winning busy wedding business, I quickly realised that survival is dependent on past brides and other suppliers referring you” said Sinead.
“So, I wanted to create a space where businesswomen working on their own could come together to stay motivated and work towards their dreams as I know how lonely it is when you start out and how hard it can be to achieve a good work-life balance.”
Four years on, the Mums at Work Network group has thousands of members ranging from full-time employed mums looking to start a new business venture to successful female entrepreneurs, a VIP membership portal and an app available to download on the Google and Apple app stores.
In an attempt to bring women together all over the world without oversaturating the pre-existing social media platforms, Sinead created the Mums at Work business app which has had hundreds over installations since its creation in June 2021.
Sinead explained: “I realised that social media is so busy, and at times, negative. As a result, it can be difficult to reach people who are already busy, or moving and trying out different platforms so rather than try and be everywhere as well, I created a simple app for the network so that all the information was in one place.
“The app allows users to connect with fellow business owners, receive updates on networking events, access free resources and receive daily early morning positive affirmations to kick start their day with positivity.”
Catering to those who seek further collaboration, Sinead developed the Mums at Work VIP Membership portal where women in business can feature in their online members directory, attend online networking events at a discounted price and advertise their business directly into email inboxes.
“The VIP membership is a great place to collaborate with others who have the same target audience. In addition to that, VIP members are featured on our social media and website and via our own community platform, so you can reach the email in-box of other members” she said.
All members across the groups are encouraged to work together, share knowledge and offer advice when they can through the ‘Connect, Support, Refer’ tagline which has been proven to bring real results to women who have joined the group.
“I love to hear about women working together on their business and achieving success. It’s great to see the results. If advice received has saved someone time and money and effort, this makes me feel like I have made a difference” she said.
Sinead recognised the importance of networking as a businessperson and has been running free coffee mornings in conjunction with training seminars and vibrant networking evenings since 2019 when her first event was attended by 35 people.
However due to the pandemic, all in-person networking and training events over the past two years moved online which played a role in growing the Mums at Work audience to a bigger scale.
Sinead added: “In 2020, we moved all our events online which connected women all over the world and I believe the pandemic accelerated our learning as business owners were able to take their business online and reach customers worldwide,
“Our members who attend our events are encouraged to complete positive action steps for each other, sharing each other’s business details, engaging on posts online, providing feedback and inspiring each other with ideas.”
Pictured at the trade launch of Slow Food Causeway is Chef Paula McIntyre (Slow Food NI)
Since the age of 14, Aghadowey-born Paula McIntyre MBE, has had a passion for cooking and appreciating the local taste of her Causeway Coast and Glens surroundings which have paved the way to her successful professional career as an award winning chef, food writer and now, Slow Food Northern Ireland Director.Growing up, Paula nurtured her Ulster-Scots heritage, beginning her culinary adventure learning how to make classics in her family kitchen such as Scotch broth, tea brack and soda farls.
From humble beginnings on the North Coast, Paula refined her childlike enthusiasm for food at the prestigious Johnson & Wales University in Rhode Island USA, studying culinary arts and later returned to the UK where she opened her own restaurant, The Undrie in Manchester in 1998, picking up several awards for its quality dining.
When she returned to Ireland in 1998, Paula quickly began to dominate the Northern Irish food scene, with a flurry of media appearances including Ready, Steady, Cook, Taste for Adventure and BBC NI’s Summer Season programme with Eamonn Holmes which quickly grew her a loyal fanbase of foodies.
Over the past decade, Paula has released two popular cookbooks, contributed to various papers including the Irish News, Newsletter and Belfast Telegraph and held numerous food demos and catering events up and down the country.
Paula’s commitment to hospitality has also been royally recognised after her MBE honour from Prince William in 2018 at Buckingham Palace.
Now, Paula has had her eyes firmly set on Slow Food after being appointed the Director of Slow Food Northern Ireland in 2021. Alongside local artisan food businesses and producers, she spearheads the campaign which aims to preserve the ‘unique culinary heritage’ of Northern Ireland.
The international food movement was set up by Italian journalist Carlo Petrini in 1986 when he noticed a new branch of the infamous American fast-food chain, McDonalds, being set up in his home city of Rome. The Slow Food movement has since inspired generations of Slow Food activists across the world who are dedicated to encouraging the enjoyment of good, clean and fair food as well recognising the local community it comes from, in a way that is conscientious towards the environment.“I got involved in 2014, but before that, I had always been interested in seasonal food and local food before it was trendy. When I started in the late 80s, I liked using local things. Slow food came to me before I knew about the Slow Food movement at a time when people didn’t understand it; but now it’s just a way of life for me” she said.
Paula describes Slow Food as the type of food that previous generations cooked which takes her back to her childhood roots.
“I like to describe Slow Food as the way our grandparents sourced and cooked food. They reared a pig and used all of it. They would have preserved some of it for the winter. They grew veg and they would have been naturally organic then. Everything would have been grown seasonally. You’d have thought about what was going to be available and you grew accordingly. It’s the opposite of fast food.” Paula explained.
After a trip to Turin in 2014 to represent the UK in the Terra Madre kitchen, Paula was offered a seat on the Board of Directors and became truly involved in 2015.
“I’ve met so many friends through Slow Food, it’s not just business and networking.”
Spearheading the six month Slow Food Causeway campaign with the Taste Causeway network, it’s Paula’s intense passion for cooking, the great local produce from across the province and bringing local communities together through food that keeps her going.
“I’m still in love with cooking and am still passionate about that and Slow Food helps articulate what I do. I think that my passion for Slow Food is an extension of the passion for cooking.
“It’s sourcing food, meeting producers and feeling a sense of pride in what we do in this country, especially in Taste Causeway. I love what I promote and everything that is slow is good from rare breed pigs to nice raw milk cheese, it all tastes better and it’s fairer.”
Being the director of Slow Food NI also requires Paula to oversee the Slow Food business accreditation process which she openly admits is strict.
“I am strict. Nothing puts me off more than a massive menu as I prefer to see a small menu that changes often because food changes all the time. One of the things that I like is to see things name checked and not just local potatoes. I want to see invoices which tell me what variety of potato the mash is made from”
“I’m really looking at whether the restaurant is sourcing locally. It doesn’t rule out using Parmesan or Irish cheeses or British cheeses or olive oil. It’s that they’re really trying to source as much locally as possible but supplementing it with other things.” she explained.
Businesses who achieve the Slow Food stamp are able to use the trademark symbol of a red snail which tells customers that food served is high-quality, unique and sustainable and is actively helping make a positive environmental and socio-cultural impact in their local area.
After being awarded the accolade of becoming the first accredited Slow Food destination in Northern Ireland, Taste Causeway have been running a busy six-month programme of sell out events, immersive dining experiences, foodie tours and special menus, many of which feature Paula showcasing the Slow Food ethos and supporting local artisan producers.
Paula is preparing to host three events as part of the March and April programme including a Slow Cocoa event in collaboration with The Chocolate Manor and Basalt Gin, Benone showcase and a wild fish soiree with Native Seafood.
“I’m looking forward to my three demos all of which will feature local produce including Seaview Farm’s, Chestnut Farms dairy cow and Corndale charcuterie.”
Cairndhu Golf Course’s unique position as the only headland course in Northern Ireland means golfers can face a unique challenge and relax afterwards with a tasty meal at the New Fairways Restaurant and Bar.
As the host of the NI Open 2021 a qualifier for the ISPS HANDA World Invitational, the undulating fairways, ever-present breeze and small greens make Cairndhu a must-play course for all abilities.
Paul Stinson, Honorary Secretary of the club, explained the spectacular location that attracts so many to Cairndhu.
“The course extends onto a headland just above sea level. So we have outstanding views right up the North coast, including The Glens of Antrim, over to Scotland, inland to Sallagh Braes, which is featured as a film location in Game of Thrones and then back down into Drains Bay and Larne Lough.
“If you’re standing on Ballygally Head at our second hole, the views are stunning. You will find there’s hardly a hole on the course where you won’t get to see the sea.”
Over the years some of the world’s best golfers have graced Cairndhu’s fairways, including major winners Darren Clarke, Nick Price and Ian Woosnam.
Cairndhu’s location and its appeal are cemented by the many tourists who mark their card with a visit to the course.
“Like a lot of courses, there was a rise in visitors thanks to The Open in 2019,” explained Paul. “It’s very common to get groups of eight to twelve individuals from a club deciding to go away for a long weekend and they try and pick a few courses to play that are close to each other.”
For those wanting to be based closer to the course, they also work with Ballygally Castle and several other accommodation providers to offer a discounted rate.
The New Fairways Restaurant and Bar are open to visitors, even non-golfers, and offer a wide range of snacks, traditional clubhouse favourites and an exceptionally good value three-course Sunday lunch to members and visitors alike.
The club encourages non-members to book online and visit the restaurant even without playing golf. They are sure to receive a warm welcome from staff and members of the club.
“The bar and restaurant have the most spectacular views of the world-famous Antrim Coast Road, and a pint of the black stuff always helps put the icing on the cake after a round on the course,” said Paul.
To book a tee time go to Visitor Booking, for restaurant bookings please contact 07739400898 or 02828 583324 Option 4.
Slow Food Causeway might be coming to an end this month, but there are still plenty of amazing foodie experiences happening on the Causeway Coast.
Whether you’re looking for a family-friendly Easter day out or wanting to kick back and unwind with friends, here’s what Taste Causeway has in store for you this month:
1. Easter Egg Making Class & Chocolate Tasting Experience
North Coast Chocolates at Sleepy Cow Curiosities, Ballymoney
Thursday 14th April – 6pm to 8:30pm
In this Chocolate Masterclass, you will have the unique opportunity to design your very own Easter Egg.
Here you will learn how to paint and shell a chocolate mould using a fine 33.6% Callebaut milk Chocolate.
Whilst waiting on your masterpiece setting you will receive a tasting experience from our highly qualified Chef and Chocolatier Ruaraidh. He will explain the passion behind local collaborations for North Coast Chocolates showcasing the amazing food culture in Causeway Coast and Glens.
This event is part of the Slow Food Causeway launch programme funded by Tourism NI in partnership with Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council.
2. Kids Easter Experience at The Chocolate Manor Multiple dates starting Wednesday 13th April at 11am
Join The Chocolate Manor in Castlerock for the most Eggs-citing Easter experience on the North Coast.
In this one hour kids only experience, their egg-stra special guests will make three eggs-cellent chocolate creations using our finest Belgian chocolate.
They will be offered a hot chocolate while their creations set and then package them up to take home and enjoy.
The Chocolate Manor will provide aprons but please note this can be a messy experience.
For more information and for booking details click here.
3. The Spirit of the Bann Tour with Causeway Coast Foodie Tours Saturday April 16, 2:30pm-4:30pm
The award-winning Causeway Coast Foodie Tours are back this Spring with their very special ‘The Spirit of the Bann’ river whiskey tasting experience along the picturesque river.
‘The Spirit of the Bann’ along with White River Charters are hosting an afternoon full of exquisite whiskey flavours accompanied by an array of tasty award-winning local Slow Food produce.
Where better to celebrate our unique Slow Food food and drink heritage than via a journey on the River Bann alongside the beautiful site of Mountsandel, Coleraine.
4. Flat Caps & Wellies with The Lamb Van Saturday 16th April, 11.30am
An experience suitable for the whole family on the Dempster’s sheep farm just outside Ballymoney.
Visitors can interact with the sheep and lambs, be educated about daily life on a sheep farm and leave with a full belly of local produce after trying to pen a sheep with only a crook and feeding some of the newborn lambs by bottle.
Meet Farmer Al and his trusted sheepdog and watch them work as a team rounding up the sheep. There will be awards and photo opportunities.
This event is part of the Slow Food Causeway launch programme funded by Tourism NI in partnership with Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council.
5. Apple And Blackberry Chutney Workshop Saturday 16th April, 11:30am
If you want to learn how to make Apple and Blackberry chutney then come along to Jam at the Doorstep’s Easter workshop on Saturday 16th of April.
This workshop will take place in Amanda’s farmhouse kitchen and no experience is necessary.
Using the finest local produce, you will perfect your own chutney and take two jars home to share with family and friends. There will be a cheeseboard on the day and will be sampling lots of Farm Shop produce throughout the workshop.
Afterwards, you can unwind with light refreshments and enjoy a scoop of Morelli’s ice cream served with Jam at the Doorstep’s very own sticky toffee pudding.
Places are limited so book your space today by calling Amanda on 07880593492, email: jamatthedoorstep@gmail.com or through Jam at the doorstep.
6. The Taste Causeway Chocolate Experience at The Chocolate Manor
Friday 22nd April 7pm to 9:30pm
The Chocolate Manor are proud to have been a founding member of the Taste Causeway group and in their Taste Causeway Experience, you will be introduced to an exclusive selection of local artisan products and learn how to pair them with the finest chocolate.
You will handcraft a delectable collection of chocolate truffles – during each Taste Causeway experience Chief Chocolatier Geri Martin will guide you through making ganaches with the stunning selection of local artisan products.
This interactive, hands-on experience gives you an in-depth introduction to the art and precision of distilling using iStill technology by the founders and head distillers of Basalt Distillery.
Learn the brilliant history of one of today’s most popular spirits and get creative making your own.
Immerse yourself in the 60+ botanicals available.
Pick and blend to create your own unique recipe and watch as your creation distils before your eyes then wax and label your own 50cl bottle to take home that very day.
General ticket sale starts Wednesday 13th at 7 pm, early access tickets are available from Tuesday 12th at 7 pm.
This event is part of the Slow Food Causeway launch programme funded by Tourism NI in partnership with Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council.
The Slow Food Events are extremely popular and sell out in record time. Don’t be discouraged if you have missed out, there are more events coming very soon. To keep up to date, keep an eye on our social media or go to our brand new website: slowfood.tastecauseway.com.
A local artisan drinks manufacturer is set to open a second location of its successful Gin School in the trendy Cathedral Quarter bar, The Thirsty Goat next month, after receiving support from Mallusk Enterprise Park to grow and diversify their business.
Belfast Artisan Distillery Gin is a refreshing and smooth Premium London Dry Gin with a local twist stocked in over 140 outlets across Northern Ireland including leading convenience stores and popular city centre bars. It has recently launched two sister companies, Belfast Artisan Gin School and Belfast Artisan Distillery Tours.
Founders Robert Borne and Jo Davison set up their business in the busy Newtownabbey based Enterprise Park in 2017 and have since developed the downstairs space into a manufacturing and bottling zone and a private bar upstairs to welcome both new and existing customers in.
Set up in 1992 to support new and established entrepreneurs, Mallusk Enterprise Park has enabled the passionate team behind Belfast Artisan Distillery to expand their network and receive essential funding.
Jo Davison, Co-Founder of Belfast Artisan Distillery, said: “Mallusk Enterprise Park provides us with work space for our new distillery in an ideal location. It offers support to tenants and other local businesses with networking and partnership opportunities.
“The support from the MEP team has been great and we have benefitted from both workshops and mentoring which has helped us improve many aspects of our business and has kept us informed about funding opportunities..
“The park is very well managed and offers ongoing support to tenants. Their charitable status as a social enterprise meaning any surplus profits made through their property rental and funded programmes are reinvested back into the local community via free advice and support to individuals considering self-employment.”
Emma Garrett, Chief Executive, Mallusk Enterprise Park added: “Jo, Robert and Ian Perry the distiller are passionate about their products, and this is transparent through their continued success.
“The Enterprise Park offers much more than bricks and mortar to start-up companies like this, we pride ourselves in providing wrap-around support to our small business community.”
In November 2021 the company opened its doors to its first edition of their Gin School venture located above the Crown & Shamrock Inn in Newtownabbey, offering guests the opportunity to make and distil their own bespoke gin choosing from over 80 botanicals.
“The Gin School at the Crown & Shamrock is an immersive visitor experience in the Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough that will attract visitors from the local area, across NI, ROI and hopefully as travel restrictions lift, the whole of the UK and beyond,” explained Jo.
Their great tasting premium gin and vodka range features two fruit based flavours of gin liqueur and charcoal filtered Irish potato vodka that have taken the local drink awards by storm receiving a series of prestigious titles including 2019 Best Irish Newcomer, 2020 & 2021 Gin Masters Silver Award and 2021 Best Northern Irish London Dry Gin World Gin Awards.
Through additional funding from the Antrim and Newtownabbey Business Growth Programme OPTIMAL, the business owners received one-to-one mentoring which accelerated the business’ trajectory.
“Mallusk Enterprise Park’s focus is on supporting indigenous businesses” said Iain Patterson, Chairman, Mallusk Enterprise Park, adding: “Our extensive property waiting list is testament to the support provided by Emma and her team in MEP.
“It really is the location of choice to start and grow a business in Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough.”
Jo said that working on the Optimal programme has been “fantastic” for Belfast Artisan Distillery Gin.
She added: “I worked with Miriam Stevenson as a mentor and have learned so many new skills and techniques that have moved our business forward.
“We have designed new websites, vastly improved our online presence and social media and now have an online shop which allows us to sell our products across NI, ROI and the UK. I cannot praise the Optimal programme enough and would highly recommend it,” said Jo.
What started out as a hobby for Dawn Demain, owner of Carnlough-based Antrim Rain Natural Soap Co., has turned into a successful brand, gift shop and tourist experience.
Initially making soap to pass the time and give them out as gifts, Dawn has steadily built up a client base for her product including the Giant’s Causeway visitor centre and the 5-star Water’s Edge bed and breakfast in Glenarm, as well as numerous visitors to the County Antrim town.
Opening her shop Ebb & Flow in Carnlough at the harbour has meant Dawn has been able to support other crafters.
“Our range is exceedingly high quality,” she explained. “What is stocked is very much design led artisan goods, my handmade soap and quirky unusual things.
“I suppose you could say it is an eclectic mix of quality crafts and gifts mostly by local artists and makers. We have ceramics, jewellery, books, and candles. There are all sorts of glassware, handmade purses and bags, scarves, artwork, sandblasted slate work – gifts that people can take away – from small things like keyrings right up to £400-£500 paintings.”
As well as making her soaps Dawn has been running workshops from Ebb & Flow, for beginners to learn how to make their own soap.
“It is a fun and educational activity that the weather won’t spoil,” Dawn said. ‘Participants in my classes create their own product to use themselves or to gift.
The classes are suitable for groups of 4 to 6 people, held on shop close days or evenings to suit different groups. Partakers can enjoy the refreshments provided while they learn about theory followed by a demonstration. After lunch participants make their own batch of soap, using 100% natural ingredients which is theirs to keep and has a retail value of £50.
As well as the workshops she hosts demonstrations of how she goes about making soap. These demos can be as short as 15 to 20minutes or longer depending on the groups’ requirements.
“You can see the soap being made in the shop which attracts attention in that it is made and sold on the premises. I am able to tell purchasers what’s in it and what it does.”
All Dawn’s soaps are made using the traditional cold process method and the water content is locally collected rainwater from high in the County Antrim hills, which is filtered, to provide a completely natural product.
“Each soap is scented using a unique blend of essential oils, which unlike artificial fragrances, give a soft subtle scent and in themselves have therapeutic properties,” she explained. “The soaps are gentle on the skin and suitable for all skin types with no artificial hardeners, preservatives, colourings or perfumes.
“Some of the soaps have colour or texture, which is achieved by adding natural herbs, spices or skin nourishing botanicals. The soaps cure for about four to six weeks before each bar is hand cut, trimmed and hand wrapped.”
In keeping with her own principles of her eco-friendly soaps Dawn sources stock for the shop in the same way, with mostly products that are plastic free, and fair trade produced.
Antrim Rain Natural Soap Co. has also launched a new range of solid shampoo bar to complement the existing range of handmade soaps already on sale.
The new product range is solidly based on her ecological principles.
“My new range of solid shampoo bars are formulated with lots of hair loving oils with added Rhassoul clay and a touch of tussah silk,” she explained. Introducing the new product range means a natural way of hair care with no plastic waste. Find out more about Antrim Rain soaps at facebook.com/antrimrainsoap or order soaps online at www.etsy.com/uk/shop/AntrimRainSoap
A centuries old crofter’s cottage in Islandmagee has been given a new lease of life thanks to a loving restoration and sensitive modernisation, making it the perfect retreat and launching pad to explore the best of the Causeway Coastal Route.
Cloghfin Cottage dates back more than 250 years, steeped in maritime history and has been converted to feature a stunning double bedroom, with a sofa bed providing an option for two children.
Although completely renovating the existing building was not going to be the cheapest or easiest road to go down, it was an easy decision for owner Janice Bisp to make.
“The cheapest option would have been to flatten it,” she explained. “But I just couldn’t entertain that idea, as it had so much history. We know that almost 300 years ago the building would have been a two-room cottage with a barn at the side of it and a home to proud islanders.
“We did a lot of the work ourselves – it took all our energy for most of a year but my husband and I loved working on it together – we had such fun.”
Whilst bringing the cottage up to date Janice tried to always have the history of the building in mind and to incorporate it into the new build as much as she could. She loves to explain to guests about the original features of the building.
Nestled on Muldersleigh Hill in scenic Islandmagee, Cloghfin Cottage overlooks Larne Lough and offers guests stunning views of the surrounding area. The name Cloghfin actually comes from the original name of the townland as identified in one of the oldest maps of the area.
The restoration was undertaken to retain the building’s charm whilst installing modern features such as electric roof windows and underfloor heating, in order to retain as much space as possible.
Janice, who previously travelled the world as a nurse, pulled on her own experiences to bring guests a unique and memorable holiday.
“I travelled in New Zealand and stayed in batches – like little holiday homes on the coast. I loved it and it was the best experience. It’s that sense of fun and adventure that I want to create here for people to enjoy.”
The cottage is located on a smallholding with sheep and lambs (when in season) as well as free range hens and beehives and guests are encouraged to collect their own eggs for breakfast and cuddle the lambs.
Janice is always happy to share her knowledge on bee keeping and can provide extra suits if people want to get a little closer and learn more about the process. She is extremely passionate about sustainability and would welcome the opportunity to share this with guests.
Guests also have access to a shared country flower garden complete with a hammock, BBQ facilities, picnic table and a large purpose-built fire pit. Janice and her husband have also found the perfect spot on higher ground to watch the sunset and have utilised this vantage point by placing a sun seat there.
“We call it the beer seat; you can go up there with a bottle of wine and a couple of glasses and the sunsets are right opposite you and are just beautiful. They really are awesome, and you can see them reflect on Larne Lough. It’s worth taking a picture of.”
The cottage provides an excellent base from which to explore the local area.
Cloghfin Cottage is within walking distance to the Gobbins Visitor Centre which takes tours to the famous Gobbins Cliff Path. Visitors can also enjoy an ice cream at the famous Rinkha Ice-cream Parlour and the cottage is about a 10 minute walk to Port Road Beach, a pebble beach perfect for kids to skim stones.
Located within an easy drive of Browns Bay beach and Portmuck harbour, it is also about a five-minute drive to the Victorian town of Whitehead with a choice of places to eat and shop, Whitehead Railway Museum and the impressive Blackhead Coastal Path.
Janice’s love for the local area is clear and she hopes to pass on the knowledge and joy she experiences living in her special smallholding to her guests.
“I just want people to come and enjoy themselves.” says Janice, “It feels like it’s all still new to me as well. I didn’t grow up here, but I love it. It’s just great fun and I think everyone should experience it.” For more information visit www.facebook.com/cloghfincottage/.
