Leading recruitment specialists Tyson Wilson Recruitment has warned that demand for jobs in the hospitality sector is set to soar with the date for the return to full opening coming in three weeks.
Darren White of Tyson Wilson said that many businesses have persevered throughout the lockdowns and now, after many false starts, it is set to be full steam ahead on May 24.
“Everyone in the hospitality sector is looking forward to welcoming customers through the doors,” he said. “With demand expected to surge the pressure on businesses will be high, while welcome.
“That means that staff recruitment will be essential, as many traditional hospitality staff may have moved on during the lockdowns.”
Darren explained the evidence is that many bars and restaurants staff, such as students, temporary and casual staff, have moved on to other employment.
“This is one more headache for businesses, after their investment to make sure their premises are covid-safe,” said Darren.
“The Bank of England has predicted that unemployment will fall, and we have seen many coming through to us for posts whose previous experience includes hospitality.
“Furthermore the need for table service and other measures, such as regular sanitisation will place more pressure on securing staff.”
However, Darren said that after such an extended period of closure he was confident the sector will bounce back.
“We are a culture of socialisation, we love to see each other for a drink or for a meal,” he said.
“There is pent up demand that will see restaurants, pubs and hotels a busy few months ahead. Add into that the increased demand in staycations we hope that the hospitality sector will experience the boom period that it deserves.”
Darren, who is responsible for hospitality at Tyson Wilson Recruitment, said they already have posts opening up in pubs and restaurants.
“We are seeing the demand growing and many feel that they would be the perfect fit for a rewarding, customer focussed job,” he added.
“We look forward to supporting businesses and helping people secure a great job.”
Gobbin’s Crafts, a jewellery studio owned by goldsmith and designer Heather McFadden, is the 11th business in Northern Ireland to be granted Économusée status.
Today (May 13th) Causeway Coast & Glens Heritage Trust invited guests along to an online launch celebrating the launch of Gobbins Crafts’ workshops into the Économusée programme.
After graduating from Art College in the 1980s, Heather McFadden specialised in goldsmithing to combine her love of sculpture and working with metals. She started out designing and creating commissions, wedding, and engagement rings, crafting beautiful pieces for clients who wanted something unique.
Heather’s workshops offer classes in the art of jewellery-making, she now joins the elite network of food and craft artisans who open their doors to visitors and tourists to share the story of their journey and acquire knowledge, skill, and passion.
Graham Thompson, Chief Executive of Causeway Coast and Glens Heritage Trust, who are a lead partner of the Économusée Artisan at Work project in Northern Ireland said: “In a difficult year when many businesses have struggled to survive, it is encouraging to see the network grow and Heather’s workshop brings yet another diverse and unique authenticity to this network of Économusée businesses.
“We are delighted to welcome Gobbins Crafts to the Économusée network in Northern Ireland.”
Guest speakers at the launch included Carl-Éric Guertin, Director of the Économusée Network Society in Quebec, Martin Graham, Tourism NI, Ciaran Doherty, Tourism Ireland, Cllr Peter Johnston Mayor of Mid and East Antrim Borough Council as well as CCGHT CEO Graham Thompson.
Tiérna Mullan, CCGHT project officer added: “By visiting Économusée workshops, visitors will gain an enhanced experience; learn about the history of the craft and the business; the enthusiasm of the artisan along with the added opportunity of meeting the artisans face to face and discovering the beauty and authenticity of the products made and sold onsite.
“We are thankful to our partners in Mid & East Antrim Borough Council and Tourism NI who have continued to support and enable us to expand the Économusée network in the area”.
Économusée Artisans at Work is a concept that was developed in Québec and involves partners from Canada, Norway, Sweden, the Faroe Islands, Iceland, Greenland, Haiti, the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
Speaking of the achievement, Heather said: ‘Whilst the current restrictions prevented me from accommodating people today in person at my workshop.
“I hope for a brighter future when you can visit my studio to see me at work and hear my story.
“I would like to express my thanks to everyone who has made me feel so welcome into the network and I look forward to growing with you and sharing my skills and knowledge.
“As part of my commitment to the Économusée network I will offer visitors pre-booked jewellery making classes and tours of the workshop where they will see the storyboards which tell the history of the area and my personal journey.”
Within Northern Ireland the other ten Économusée workshops are; Broighter Gold Rapeseed Oil in Limavady, Scullion Hurls in Loughgiel, Steenson’s Jewellers in Glenarm, Hillstown Brewery in Ahoghill, Hot Milk Forge in Martinstown and Ursa Minor Bakehouse, Broughgammon Farm, North Coast Smokehouse in Ballycastle, Audrey Kyle Arts in Islandmagee and the Creamery Can in Glarryford.
Each workshop is situated on or close by the famous Causeway Coastal Route making it an ideal craft trail for visitors.
New radio station, Belfast 247, launches on Monday, May 10, at 10am, with a strong emphasis on local voices, local artists, as well as all the best hits to fill your day.
Broadcasting online, via the station app on Apple and Google, on smart speakers and later on this year broadcasting on the digital DAB platform.
The line-up includes many well-known, experienced, local presenters, including Kenny Tosh, who will host the breakfast show ‘Wake, Rattle and Roll.
Former CityBeat & Q Radio presenter Robin Elliott takes up the Mid-Morning Show after recently leaving Belfast 89FM.
Radio & TV Presenter Elliott, who has 25 years in broadcasting, said that he is excited about the launch of Belfast 247.
“It’s great to be working with a team of experienced presenters who are all passionate about music,” he said “We will be playing all the best music from 60’s to 90’s as well as featuring new tunes from the vast array of local music talent that we have here in Northern Ireland.
“The decision to launch a new station means that we are providing a strong brand to meet listeners needs with a focus on quality with a team who are familiar voices to listeners in the area.”
Among the many special guests set to appear is T’Pau’s Carol Decker, best remembered for hits such as China In Your Hand.
Kenny Tosh has more than 40 years’ experience in radio. “Belfast 247 will be playing music that other stations can’t play, and I am delighted to get up at 4.30am to play music I love,” he explained.
Over the years Kenny has worked at BBC 3 Counties Radio, Palm FM Torquay, Citybeat, Q97 (Head of music), U105, & Downtown Radio. His Revival Show can be heard weekly on stations in Australia, New Zealand, The Ukraine, USA & Canada.
Chris Hughes has been involved in Television and Radio from the early 1990’s, and has been a TV script writer, including Town Challenge and Saints and Scholars.
“I am looking forward to putting local back into the afternoons with lots of features, competitions and great guests,” he explained. “We will have regular contributors that will include Belfast author and historian Joe Baker and Restaurant Critic Joris Minne”
Robin Elliott said that the overall aim of Belfast 247 will be to make sure that the listener experience remains to the fore in everything they do.
“To launch a new radio station in the internet era is one that reflects the demand for people to be able to tune into something that is local to them,” he said. “We know that our listeners want to be able find a station that resonates with them.
“The app, and the online station, are part of making sure they can access Belfast 247 with ease, or even tell your Alexa or Google smart speaker to tune in,” he said. “It is also why we are finalising our DAB broadcast, so that in the near future you can listen when driving around the city.”
Excalibur Press author William Clegg celebrating his latest book Crime, Comedy & Combat being stocked in Stewart Miller stores Holywood and Newtownards.
Crime, Comedy & Combat Tells Story Of Life On The Frontline
Author William Clegg is celebrating the stocking of his debut book Crime, Comedy & Combat in Stewart Miller stores in Holywood and Newtownards.
The book, released in November 2020, is the former RUC officer’s story of 21 years on the frontline as a serving Police officer.
William said: “I’m delighted that Stewart Miller’s have decided to support the book by stocking it in their Holywood and Newtownards stores. It’s a great boost of confidence and a fantastic way of getting the story out to more people.”
Crime, Comedy & Combat traces William’s life from childhood, through to his experiences in the police force during some of Northern Ireland’s darkest days.
“I joined the RUC in Enniskillen,” William said, adding: “and, for the next 21 years, I and my colleagues lived – and worked – through the horrors of The Troubles.
“I wrote the book because, even though Northern Ireland is now, thankfully, living in relative peace, I wanted to show people – young people in particular – what life was like for RUC officers at that time.
“I wanted to reflect the horrific experiences that we went through, and how we coped physically, mentally and emotionally.”
Tina Calder of publishers Excalibur Press believes that William’s tales will resonate with people across Northern Ireland.
“Having independent book shops like Stewart Millers supporting work like this book from William Clegg is testament to the great writing and stories we have to tell here in Northern Ireland” said Tina.
“Excalibur Press were delighted to publish this great anthology of stories from William’s experience. For the last year, we have all been forced to deal with the challenges created by a global pandemic, but we must never forget – regardless of your allegiances – that we lived through some very dark days. William’s story is the human face of those dark days.”
Although he now lives in Indonesia, William’s thoughts are never far from the province and from the colleagues he was proud to serve with in the most challenging times that Northern Ireland has ever known.
“I’m so pleased to see that the people of Northern Ireland – which is a beautiful country – are now able to enjoy relative peace, but I don’t think we can ever truly forget the risk and challenges that serving police officers experienced during the times of conflict.
“We’ve now had more than 20 years of peace and I totally appreciate that young people will have little or no memory of what The Troubles were like at their height. It was an extremely bleak period and I am proud of how the RUC – my colleagues throughout Northern Ireland – coped with what they witnessed and lived through. I joined the RUC as a young man and so my life was very much shaped by my experiences. Crime, Comedy and Combat is my attempt to reflect our experiences in their entirety.
“I sincerely hope that this anthology will ring true with anyone, who experienced life in Northern Ireland at that time, whether security services or others.
In Crime, Comedy & Combat William tells his story for people of all ages, how a young person’s life changed during the Troubles, joining the RUC, and the incidents and emotions that coloured his life.
Successful businesswoman and mentor, Bernie Allen, has launched a new series of free webinars to help businesses move forward following the most challenging period enterprise has ever experienced.
There can be few business people who have not been affected in some way by recent circumstances, but now is the time to push forward with new business plans in a new business world.
But what if your confidence has taken a knock? Or, even more importantly, what if you’ve never felt confident in your own particular niche?
With over 30 years experience coaching and mentoring business people, Bernie wants to help others to find their inner confidence and to enable them to stand out in their own niche.
The Lurgan businesswoman said: “Many people during the pandemic and, of course, prior to have found their confidence shaken at some point in their life. I spent many a year there myself.
“I want to use my experience both personally and professionally to help business leaders navigate these uncharted waters, especially those who have been adversely affected by the challenges they’ve faced as a result of Covid-19.
“I have been lucky this last year because my life’s experiences have given me the resources to face these challenges head-on. I’m very aware, however, that there are many people whose confidence will have been shaken to the core and who may be struggling to rebuild it.”
Bernie’s series of four webinars beginning on Tuesday May 4 and running through to May 25 explore everything from How To Create Your Inner Confidence To Help You Overcome The Pain Of Fear, Mastering The Art Of Self Confidence To Find Out What’s Holding You Back, How To Overcome The Fears That Are Causing You To Procrastinate and Discover The Secret To Unveiling Your Full Potential To Help You #GrowLikeAPro.
“I have always been aware of – and worked with – business people who have always lacked self-confidence and who have been forced to operate from behind a ‘mask’” said Bernie, adding: “Through this webinar series I want to show everyone how to overcome the fears that are stopping them from achieving everything they want to in business – all whilst discovering the secret to unveiling their full potential.”
Bernie’s webinars come on the back of a resurgence in popularity of her 2019 self help book How To Succeed in Business and Life..What’s Holding Your Back, published by Excalibur Press.
The book is Bernie’s personal journey from suffering a collapse in her business and personal devastation to achieve success speaking and mentoring business leaders worldwide.
“I wrote How To Succeed to help readers identify where they have been and why they have been there, or where they are now and how they got there and also to help them get to where they want to go” said Bernie.
“In my experience, all those who succeed are the people who are prepared to do what they need to do to get what they want to get, don’t make excuses, always prepared to learn more of the how-to and are genuinely interested in helping others achieve and get out of the money versus happiness trap. And that’s what the book talks about.”
Minister for the Economy Diane Dodds and Business Development Director of PAC Group Darren Leslie outside Stormont. PAC are celebrating winning a Queen’s Award for Enterprise for Innovation and becoming accredited as a Platinum Level Innovator with InnovateNI.
Photo by Francine Montgomery / Excalibur Press
For more information contact Tina Calder at Excalibur Press 07305354209 tina@excaliburpress.co.uk
Engineering company, PAC Group, have been named as a winner of the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in Innovation – the UK’s highest accolade in recognising success in business.
The company, based in Belfast, received the award in recognition of the outstanding innovation and commercial success of their carbon composite Hot Drape Former technology and machines, which are used to manufacture components for the aerospace, automotive, and marine sectors.
The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise is an awards programme for UK businesses and other organisations that excel in any of three categories; International Trade, Innovation, and Sustainable Development.
A total of just five companies from Northern Ireland have been awarded Queen’s Awards in 2021, with PAC Group being the only NI winner of the Innovation category, and the first Northern Ireland Innovation category winner for three years.
Established in 2018, the electrical and mechanical engineering company have had a remarkable growth journey, doubling their turnover and employee numbers since 2019. In 2020, the company invested almost £500,000 in a new premises in Dargan Crescent, Belfast, and now employ 40 people.
Darren Leslie, Business Development Director at PAC Group, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to receive a Queen’s Award for Enterprise in Innovation. It is a fantastic endorsement for our company to be recognised as world-class, and it is welcome recognition of our team’s capabilities and hard work. It also recognises how innovative our carbon composite preforming technology is, which brings significant benefits to industries seeking to lightweight their structures to tackle climate change and in response to the Green Agenda.”
The award follows PAC Group’s recent prestigious Platinum Level Innovator status from Innovate NI, the highest accolade available in the Department for the Economy Innovation Accreditation Programme, which is delivered by Invest Northern Ireland, local councils, and further education colleges.
Holding 42 patents on the hardware and software, the company’s preformer machines have been purchased by companies such as Spirit AeroSystems, the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre in Sheffield, and McLaren Automotive.
Congratulating PAC Group on its achievement, Economy Minister, Diane Dodds, said: “Northern Ireland has long been home to excellence in both advanced manufacturing and research & development. As we emerge from the global pandemic, innovation will be vital to our economic recovery and it is businesses like PAC Group who are leading the charge and using innovation to drive growth in their businesses.”
“Winning a Queen’s Award for Innovation and achieving Platinum Level Innovator status are major achievements and should be celebrated. To achieve the Platinum Level Innovator Status, the highest achievable innovator status from Innovate NI, is an exceptional achievement. I would like to congratulate the team at PAC Group for its hard-work, commitment and drive, which have helped it to achieve commercial success and created real value in the global aerospace and automotive industries.”
In 2019, PAC Group was awarded a contract by Spirit AeroSystems to design and manufacture a 20mx6m quartz infrared preformer for its new Aerospace Innovation Centre in Prestwick, Scotland, which is scheduled to open later this year. It is believed to be the largest preformer in the world, and represents a significant investment on behalf of Spirit to secure a step change in composite fabrication, automation, and assembly technologies of current and future aircraft.
PAC Group previously designed and manufactured an 18mx4m vacuum preformer for Spirit’s Wing Manufacturing and Assembly facility in Belfast. The preformer is used by Spirit on its advanced composite wing programme, which received the 2019 MacRobert Award for UK engineering innovation.
The company has become an exemplar of innovation in its industry sector and a pioneer of carbon composite technology.
Elwyn Agnew, Engineering Director at PAC Group said: “In addition to the Queen’s Award for Innovation, achieving Platinum Level status from Innovate NI, is a true testament to the innovative capabilities of our team and our preforming technology. We seek to collaborate with customers to help them find cost-effective solutions to their problems. Our team specialise in thinking differently. We are constantly innovating and coming up with new ideas, applications, and solutions to help our customers reduce process cycle time, streamline processes, improve output quality, and improve their bottom line.”
“In 2020, we became Industry Partners to the UK Future Composites Manufacturing Research Hub, and we are currently undertaking R&D to make our preformer technology more cost-effective and accessible for a wider range of applications and sectors. Winning a Queen’s Award for Innovation, as well as being recognised as a Platinum Level Innovator for our technology, are just fantastic achievements for the PAC team.”
Dr Vicky Kell, Invest NI’s Director of Innovation, Research & Development, added:“It is important to recognise the positive impact innovative companies have on the Northern Ireland economy. I am on the panel for the Queen’s Awards and it was great to see such high calibre of Northern Ireland applications. I would like to congratulate PAC Group on not only its Queen’s Award but also on obtaining Platinum Level Innovator status, the highest achievable innovator status from Innovate NI.
“PAC Group is an ambitious company with a proven track record in following the principles of successful innovation from ideation through to commercialisation. It has used our support for R&D, marketing, and skills to achieve continued success with leaders in the aviation, marine, and automotive sectors, staying ahead of its competitors. I hope that other ambitious Northern Ireland companies will be inspired to follow in the footsteps of PAC Group, and Invest NI looks forward to supporting the company’s innovation journey for many years to come.”
For more information on PAC Group’s specialist division, visitPAC Composites, or contact their team today on 02893 364600 or info@pacgroup.co.uk.
In recent years the incidence of diseases like oesophageal or gastric cancer are on the increase. Thanks to the stresses and strains of modern life – in some cases unhealthy diets, an overabundance of processed foods and excessive levels of alcohol can contribute to the development of cancer, however, in many cases no obvious causes are ever determined.
As with most cancers, if they’re diagnosed at an early stage, they’re more likely to be treatable and – in many cases – curable.
The problem is, however, that these two types of cancer tend to be more gradual than others since their symptoms often resemble those of less serious and often simply annoying medical conditions such as heartburn, indigestion, difficulty swallowing and even plain hiccupping. For some people symptoms don’t begin to appear until the cancer is more advanced.
Heartburn/indigestion
We’re all familiar with the Gaviscon adverts, aren’t we? The firemen putting out the fire with their hoses and everything returning to normal? Anyone watching those adverts thinks, ‘Yes, I get heartburn. That will do nicely thanks….’ A couple of spoons of an anti-heartburn medication and you’re good to go….
Think that way?
Think again….
Certainly heartburn and indigestion are now common occurrences – and increasingly so – thanks to acidic foods, fatty meals, fizzy drinks and excess alcohol, but, unfortunately, heartburn and other ‘annoying’ medical issues can be a sign that there’s much more wrong than first meets the eye.
First, let’s look at the science…
Although it’s called ‘heartburn’, heartburn doesn’t actually have anything to do with the heart. In fact, it’s not even located over the heart, but behind the breastbone. In most cases it’s caused by acid reflux, which involves the acid in the stomach travelling back up the oesophagus (your gullet), causing a burning sensation in the oesophagus.
Put simply, at the point where your oesophagus meets your stomach, there is a muscle valve called the oesophageal sphincter, which ensures that your food passes in one direction from your gullet to your stomach. As soon as you eat something, this sphincter opens up to let food pass into your stomach. For the rest of the time, however, it should remain closed so that the contents of your stomach don’t come back up again.
If this sphincter – or valve if you like – isn’t working properly, then the contents of your stomach are regurgitated or brought back up into your oesophagus, causing acid reflux and heartburn. Over a period of time the acid can cause inflammation in your gullet, leading to pain.
Unfortunately, this pain can range from the benign to the much more serious. When heartburn becomes almost permanent and is accompanied by other related symptoms, it is then referred to as gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD).
At this stage it may also be accompanied by symptoms such as:
Hoarseness
Regurgitation of food
Pain with swallowing
Frequent heartburn
Difficulty swallowing
Unexpected weight loss
Coughing during a meal
Drooling
While in some people the acid reflux may not even cause burning, but may simply cause a dull pain in the centre of the chest, in others the pain in the chest can become so acute that it can be mistaken for a heart attack.
Difficulty in swallowing (dysphagia)
And then there’s the difficulty in swallowing….
In many people this feels as if they’re swallowing over a lump in their throat. The condition is actually called globus or dysphagia and, while it can be accompanied by pain, in most people it is painless. Again, this symptom is often attributed to the extreme form of acid reflux – gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) – but it can also be caused by oesophageal motor disorders, inflammatory issues such as tonsillitis and chronic sinusitis.
Some people with dysphagia will experience problems swallowing certain foods or liquids, while others will be unable to swallow at all.
Other signs of dysphagia, which may accompany the swallowing difficulties include:
Coughing or choking when eating or drinking
Persistent drooling of saliva
Being unable to chew food properly
Bringing food back up
Experiencing the sensation that food is ‘stuck’ in the throat or chest
While dysphagia can be caused by another health condition, such as a condition that affects the nervous system, such as a stroke or head injury, and can also be linked to – and caused by GORD – there is also the chance that it is being caused by a mouth cancer or oesophageal cancer.
Hiccups
You may be surprised by this one, but hiccups may occur when an oesophageal tumour invades the phrenic nerve or diaphragm. When these structures are irritated, they cause repeated contractions of the diaphragm, hence the hiccups!
While hiccupping is a normal occurrence, is familiar to most people and usually terminates on its own, it should be investigated if it lasts longer than a month or so, when it is much less common. In the central nervous system, the upper spinal cord, brain stem and hypothalamus can all be involved in the production of hiccups and all signs can be transmitted to the diaphragm. Gastrointestinal causes of hiccups therefore include GORD, oesophageal cancer and hiatus hernia.
If hiccupping lasts longer than two days and is linked to other issues, such as heartburn or trouble swallowing (see below) then, you should consult your GP for further examination.
When the symptoms are more serious
So, how do you tell the difference between everyday, benign conditions such as heartburn, indigestion, hiccups and dysphagia, and more serious illnesses, such as oesophageal or gastric cancer?
Well, the first thing that you can do is take a good look at your symptoms before seeking medical advice.
When it comes to indigestion and heartburn, you’ll probably experience the following:
Heartburn, particularly after eating
Feeling full and bloated
Feeling sick
Belching and passing wind
Bringing up food or experiencing bitter-tasting fluids in your mouth
If, however, you experience sensations such as stomach ache, or back pain, then you need to have these investigated, since these are not symptoms of indigestion or heartburn. You may simply be constipated, but the symptoms definitely need to be looked into.
If you are suffering the symptoms of dysphagia, or if your hiccupping lasts longer than 48 hours and is accompanied by either of the previous conditions, you should always seek medical opinion. Early investigation can help to rule out more serious conditions, but your GP can assess you and refer you on for further tests, if required.
The OG Cancer NI Catch It Early campaign, funded by the National Lottery and OG Cancer, strives not only to increase the awareness of the signs of oesophageal-gastric cancers in the public but also throughout the medical and caring professions.
For further information follow #OGCancerNI, call 07568 157450 or make an appointment to see your local GP today.
If you employ contractors then you will almost certainly have heard of IR35, or as it used to be known, off-payroll working rules.
IR35 is designed to shape the legislation which determines whether or not a contractor who operates through a limited company or personal service company will be designated an employee of your organisation for tax purposes.
Michelle Tyson director of Tyson Wilson Recruitment and Tyson Wilson Temps said it’s important for all businesses to consider whether or not the new rules which came into effect on 6th April apply to them.
She added: “From the 6th of April the way the government approaches IR35 changed and so it is essential that contractors and employers both seek to understand how IR35 and the changes may impact upon their relationship.”
So what is changing?
Michelle said: “Previously, when it came to private sector companies, the burden has been on the contractor or employee to determine the status of their own employment arrangement for each individual contract.
“This means that before the change in IR35 rules, it was up to an individual contractor to declare their contract as falling within IR35 and therefore pay the appropriate tax and national insurance contributions associated.
“However, the change in the rules means that from 6th April 2021, it is up to the employer to establish whether or not the person is indeed an employee of the company. If it is discovered that the contractor is actually an employee of the organisation, and subsequently is not declaring their true rate of pay, and so as a result aren’t paying the correct tax and national insurance, then the employer organisation could be liable for extremely large fines.”
Michelle added that if it is found that other than the fact that the contractor is invoicing through a limited company or personal service company, they would be a permanent employee, the employer organisation would then be liable to cover all of the costs associated with employing someone such as tax or pension contributions.
What do you need to do next?
Michelle explained: “If you believe that how you interact with your contractors may or should change as a result of IR35, it’s important to engage with a number of next steps.
“Firstly, it is important to determine if you are a small, medium or large organisation by HMRC’s standards, this is because the new IR35 rules will not actually apply to small businesses.”
Michelle says that once businesses establish that they’re a medium or large business, there are a number of things they should consider doing next:
Identify and review your current relationships with contractors and consultants.
Ensure that the terms under which you engage with contractors and consultants are clear and that they fairly and accurately reflect the relationship between you both.
If you believe that any or all of them may be indeed employees rather than contractors for IR35 purposes, you should consider changing their employment status to reflect this. You may want to explore the possibility or zero-hour contracts or casual working agreements.
“Understanding and addressing IR35 compliance within your organisation is both important and necessary if you are someone who regularly engages with contractors or personal service companies” said Michelle.
“This will ensure that you are tax compliant, will avoid any hefty fines as a result of non-compliance with IR35 and you won’t need to take on the commitment of adding someone to your payroll permanently and full-time.”
If you want more information which can help you better understand the key components of IR35, its impact on how you do business and of course how the changes in particular might impact you can download the Tyson Wilson free guide IR35 New Rules: Here’s What You Need To Know here >> https://tysonwilsonrecruitment.co.uk/free-guide-ir35
Alternatively contact Michelle Tyson at Tyson Wilson Recruitment on 07860636486 or info@tysonwilsonrecruitment.co.uk
A year from the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic and we can all be forgiven for allowing ourselves to fall into a little bit of what I call a ‘Covid rut’.
According to Northern Ireland business coach Bernie Allen missing friends and family, not seeing our clients in person and not doing many of the things we once loved “can make it difficult to maximise downtime which in return can impact how we feel about our businesses each and every day”.
Here are 7 things Bernie says business owners can do to shift the energy:
1. Limit Social Media
“You don’t need to cut yourself totally off from Social Media, however if you can be disciplined enough to stay off it for just one hour per day for a week, at the end of the week you will have created seven extra hours to spend doing something much more productive” said Bernie, adding: “If you can incrementally increase this each week for the next three weeks to 1.5 hours, two hours and two hours again, by the end of week four you will have saved a total of 45.5 hours. What will you spend them doing?”
2. Practice Gratitude
Bernie explained: “One sure fire way to inject a little positivity into your day is to start practicing gratitude. Prioritise this as something you can’t go without each day by writing down ten things you are thankful for before you leave your bedroom in the morning.
“This will allow you to begin your day feeling great and will make sure that life doesn’t get in the way and you don’t forget about your gratitude.”
3. Control Your News Intake
“We have all become news obsessed during the past year, consuming more news and views than ever before. However, in order to escape the ‘Covid rut’, I recommend that for four weeks you commit to watching the news just once daily” said Bernie.
“Don’t worry, if there is something you really need to know I am sure one of your friends or family will let you know.”
4. Listen To Music
Bernie is advising people to listening to happy music for just twenty minutes per day, she says it can have a significant impact on how you feel.
“Don’t just take my word for it, according to science, listening to happy music releases positive chemicals into your brain” said Bernie, adding: “Namely Dopamine, which is linked to both rewards and motivation, Oxytocin, which is linked to the pleasure hormone, Serotonin, which boosts your happiness and wellbeing and Endorphins which are a natural painkiller.”
5. Move More
Moving more not only helps your body, but it stimulates your brain. It is a key element to problem solving and decision making, and by adding a walk or a run into your day, you can empower yourself to work things out and perform better in your business.
6. Curtail Your Sugar Habit
Bernie said: “There is a reason that sugar is known as ‘legal Cocaine’. It is just as addictive as the drug only it is more of a silent killer. Many people associate the main downfall of a high sugar intake to be weight gain.
“However, it is also responsible for causing high cholesterol, diabetes and it even has links to depression. In fact, too much sugar can zap your energy and cause a dip in performance in your business.”
7. Boost Your Energy
“Finally, I wanted to talk about boosting your energy. If you want to escape the ‘Covid rut’ once and for all, the three best things you can do to boost your energy are to eat a balanced diet, focus on nutrition and exercise often” said Bernie.
If you would like to find out more about what you can do as a business leader or owner to keep on top of your game and not let challenges or situations change your direction contact Bernie Allen at bernieallen.com or by emailing Berniespowerhouseacademy@gmail.com
Bernie Allen’s book How To Succeed In Business & Life is out now published by Excalibur Press and available from excaliburpress.co.uk or bernieallen.com
Pictured is: Helen Setterfield, chair, OG Cancer NI outside the Cancer Centre at the Belfast City Hospital ahead of the launch of the OG Cancer 2021 Catch It Early campaign which is encouraging people to look for the signs of oesophageal-gastric cancers.
OG Cancer NI, the oesophageal and stomach cancer charity, will hold its Spring Wellbeing meeting online on Saturday, March 27 at 11am, with leading medics and members of the charity taking part.
The meeting, which comes at a time when OG Cancer NI is undertaking its Catch It Early campaign to raise awareness of the symptoms of oesophageal and stomach cancer, is titled ‘Improving Your Quality of Life’.
Dr Inder Mainie, Consultant Gastroenterologist in the Belfast Trust and Dr Olinda Santin, Lecturer in Supportive Cancer Care will present to participants and be available to answer any questions.
The meeting is designed to support those undergoing or recovering from treatment of oesophageal and stomach cancer.
Mr Andrew Kennedy, Consultant Upper GI Surgeon said: “As a surgeon treating patients with oesophago-gastric cancer, I cannot over-emphasise the essential role provided by OGCancerNI to my patients.”
“I also know from my patients’ perspective how valuable they and their families find the services offered by OGCancerNI, particularly their bi-annual Wellbeing meeting.”
The meeting, which will take the form of a Zoom call, is an opportunity for people to get together with other people going through similar experiences or treatments and hear from medical experts.
More than 400 people were diagnosed with oesophageal and stomach cancer each year prior to the Covid-19 pandemic and OG Cancer NI, chair, Helen Setterfield, feels it is now more important than ever to make sure that anyone worried seeks appropriate help.
“The Catch It Early campaign work highlights the major impact that disruption to cancer services has had on early diagnosis of oesophageal and stomach cancer.
“We urge the health service to do all that it can to enable these conditions to be monitored and diagnosed quickly, as early diagnosis saves lives.”
While the campaign continues, Helen said the charity will continue with its other work, such as the bi-annual wellbeing meetings.
“We continue to receive positive feedback from participants,” she said.
“One told us ‘It was great just to talk to other people who had been through a similar experience; it was reassuring to know what I was experiencing was normal’.”
Symptoms of oesophageal and stomach cancer include persistent heartburn or acid reflux that doesn’t go away, trouble swallowing, sudden weight loss, regurgitation or hiccups that do not go away”.
“Recent figures show that there has been a drop in the number of referrals to hospitals by GPs of patients showing symptoms in 2020 compared to previous years so we want to make sure that we reverse that,” said Helen.
“Early diagnosis leads to a much better chance of survival from this cancer which has a 20% survival rate of five or more years, according to the NI Cancer Registry 2019.”
The OG Cancer NI Catch It Early campaign, funded by the National Lottery and OG Cancer, strives not only to increase the awareness of the signs of oesophageal-gastric cancers in the public but also throughout the medical and caring professions.
For more on the wellbeing meeting or the work of OG Cancer NI contact info@ogcancerni.com
For further information go toogcancerni.com, follow #OGCancerNI, call 07568 157450 or make an appointment to see your local GP today.
