Author: Tina Calder

New healthy snack company, Benergy, has a mission statement Food Impacts Mood, as they deliver a range of healthy snack options including breakfast pots that are all plant-based.

Available online, in selected gyms and shops, Benergy’s founders Ben Cochrane and Jessica Thompson, looked at their own lifestyles for two years and realised they needed to change their diet as the first step to become healthier.

For Ben, his work as a chef, 60 plus hour working weeks and his eating habits was leading him on a downward health spiral, when lockdown intervened.

“I wasn’t eating breakfast, which is arguably the most important meal of the day,” he explained. 

“If I did have something to eat in the morning, it was usually a sandwich meal deal, which lacked the level of nutrition which I needed given the hours that I worked.

“I also drank a lot of energy drinks on busy shifts. While they would give me an initial boost, they’d also give me sugar crashes, particularly during service. This made me tired and lethargic.”

With the change in his diet helping with health, the decision to launch Benergy was a logical step.

The Benergy range contains a great selection of breakfast pots to start the day off well, and a fabulous mix of treats to keep people going in between meals.

“I now realise that breakfast provides you with the necessary fuel to start your day,” Ben said. 

“That’s why I created these breakfast pots, to give people a ‘grab and go’ pot, which would provide them with a nutritious and delicious start to their day, regardless of time constraints.

“They’re a macro-friendly breakfast: a mixture of oats, fruits and nuts that’s nutritionally balanced, so they’ll give you all the necessary fuel to get you through the day.”

For co-founder Jessica the link between good, healthy food and mental health is clear, after struggling with it.

“Your mental health is not something to be taken lightly,” said Jessica. 

“Neglecting your mind can have a disastrous impact on every aspect of your life and on those of others in your life as well.

“I realised that my mind and body were in a really bad place. I couldn’t understand why one day I’d feel great, and the next I’d feel terrible.”

Jessica is clear that Benergy is more than good food.

“We’re not simply a nutrition company,” Jessica added. “We’re all about educating people about food that will benefit people both physically and, most importantly, mentally, because that’s where good health really begins.”

“Our products are all plant-based, gluten and dairy free, which is very unique as vegan is the world’s fastest growing food market in the world today. We don’t just want to cater for one dietary requirement, we want to combine them all.

Benergy’s range includes protein balls, healthy doppelgangers of the favourite blondies, brownies and truffles, and our new breakfast pots that have proved to be our biggest hit yet
Jessica explained that the link between healthy eating and mental wellbeing is being backed up by science.

“Research undertaken by MIND in people suffering from depression showed that after they ate a banana they felt better,” she said. 

“This is because bananas contain tryptophan: a type of protein that the body turns into serotonin, which makes you relax and generally feel happier through an elevated mood.” 

Benergy currently offers customers a range of healthy high protein snacks including coconut protein balls, raspberry chocolate protein balls, protein bites, chocolate protein balls and chocolate protein brownies.

To learn more and shop the full range visit benergynutrition.com 

ENDS

Human resources and recruitment consultancy People HQ has said that now is the time to begin restructuring businesses, as the pandemic has provided an opportunity to consider what changes are needed going forward.

Greg Quinn of People HQ said that when looking at restructuring it is important to seek proper professional support.

“The current business environment means that business needs to plan ahead, make decisions and ensure their strategy and actions are taking advantage of every opportunity available,” he explained. 

“Both employers and employees become nervous, even anxious, when change is needed. Yet that need not be the case when it is done in a clearly managed, transparent process, with attention to detail.”

Greg said that there were many reasons to undergo restructuring such as change in strategy, cutting costs or making the business more efficient but all must be approached in a manner that ensures the wellbeing of staff and continuity of business.

“There are several clear steps needed in a restructuring project, and that begins with communications”, he said. 

“Communicating with your leadership team and your employees during the restructuring process is essential. By being clear with your team means they won’t feel jarred or blindsided and will allow your team to approach the restructuring as a positive as opposed to something which may threaten them.”

The People HQ boss has more than a quarter of a century experience and said that existing organisational structures have a profound influence on starting restructuring.

“Organisational structure has a profound influence on getting the job done given that it dictates all things from working relationships, to the scope of your teams’ jobs to how they share resources,” he explained.  

“When you set out to restructure your organisation, it is essential that you intentionally structure your organisation in a way which serves the company mission and vision and the business strategy.”

Greg said that at the start of the change process it is important to look at the various tasks and workflows within each job.

“This will allow you to compare your current workflow structure to the new one and determine which tasks are still necessary and which ones need to evolve or perhaps can be emitted entirely,” he said. 

“This is an important step in the process allowing you to streamline workflows and ensure that each and every role is adding maximum value.”

The process, Greg explained, can lead to changes in staff.

“Unfortunately you may find there are some job roles that are no longer needed, while needing new skills in other roles” he said. 

“Re-training is an option as well as recruitment. It is worth noting that you should follow a compliant and appropriate redundancy process at this stage which is in line with employment law.”

The conclusion of the change is a time to make sure businesses have strategies in place for re-engagement 

“Restructuring your organisation is not only a challenging time for you and your business, but it can be an unsettling experience for your employees.” Greg said. 

“It is important that you take them with you in the process and that you plan for re engagement of them following the process.

“It is a good idea to get an insight into your employee attitudes and sentiments at the time, perhaps by way of an engagement survey, which will allow you to plan for engagement once the process is completed.”

People HQ offices recently opened new offices with a £30,000+ investment, and means that Greg and his team will be able to provide their holistic HR and recruitment service across Northern Ireland and in the Republic of Ireland.
 

Find out more at peoplehq.co.uk

In Northern Ireland there are more than 400 people diagnosed with oesophageal or gastric cancers every year, and as charity OG Cancer NI undertakes its annual awareness campaign to make sure people are aware of the symptoms Chair, Helen Setterfield has a personal reason behind her involvement.

The above figure was pre-Covid, and due to the pandemic, it is expected that there will be a drop in diagnoses, so Helen feels that people need to be aware of the symptoms.

“The current lockdowns and an urgent need to protect the health service has affected the number of people contacting their doctor,” she said. “However you should not hesitate to make the call if you experience persistent heartburn that doesn’t go away, trouble swallowing, regurgitation or hiccups that persist.”

Helen’s symptoms began when she had difficulty swallowing.

“Something was sticking down there and I knew it wasn’t right,” she explained. “I went to my GP and she sent me straight away for an endoscope. I went every year for the scope – I hated it – but I am so glad that I went.  After the regular scope in 2003 the doctor said “everything looks okay, make your appointment for next year”.  However, the Wednesday of the next week I got a call to say there was plenty to worry about. I had more scopes. I came home one evening and there was a message on the phone from my GP to say to phone the hospital on Monday morning.

Of course I knew right away, and I was in complete shock, so I phoned the ward 4A and the doctor I had been dealing with answered the phone…

He told me to come into the hospital right away and they would admit me. I had a week and a half of tests and had the operation two weeks later on December 18.

I was so glad I was being monitored with a scope every year as apparently my tumour was aggressive and I was lucky to be caught early. I am concerned as at present testing is only carried out every two years and there is some concern, due to the pressure on medics, that  in the future it could be every three years.

“Recent figures show that there has been a drop in the number of referrals to GPs of patients showing symptoms in 2020 compared to previous years so we want to make sure that we reverse that trend,” she said. “Early diagnosis leads to a much better chance of survival from this cancer which has only a 20% survival rate of five or more years, according to the NI Cancer Registry 2018.”

OG Cancer NI was founded in 2018 and provides telephone support to newly diagnosed patients, information stands in the hospital, wellbeing meetings providing peer to peer and professional advice and support and funding for local research or equipment projects which will improve patient wellbeing and treatment.

“We work with GPs to raise awareness so when patients present with the symptoms of Oesophageal and Gastric cancers they take the appropriate action,” said Helen. “The current lockdowns and urgent need to protect the health service has affected the number of people contacting their doctors, but if you are experiencing symptoms you must not hesitate, and if needs be you should be persistent.

“Consult your doctor if you experience persistent or recurring Indigestion, food sticking in your throat, difficulty swallowing, heartburn or acid reflux, hiccups that won’t go away, or unexplained weight loss.”

The OG Cancer NI ‘Catch It Early’ campaign, funded by the National Lottery Community Fund and OG Cancer, strives not only to increase the awareness of the signs of oesophago-gastric cancers in the public but also throughout the medical and caring professions.

Testing for Barrett’s oesophagus, which can be a precursor to oesophageal cancer, has stopped at present and those in the Cancer Services are very worried, said Helen.

“Part of the issue is that If somebody goes to see the doctor there’s no screening for these cancers at the moment,” she explained. “The National Screening Committee which advises the UK government  looked at this last year and decided there was no effective way of screening for oesophageal and gastric cancer except for the invasive scopes. In terms of this cancer, there’s no screening as there is for breast cancer and other cancers.”

Work is currently underway to address this issue, but it has also been hit with problems of Covid-19.

“There are researchers at Queen’s University who are carrying out research at the minute,” said Helen. “They are investigating blood samples and trying to identify markers in the blood.  OG Cancer NI provided them with a specialist freezer. However, the freezer that we gave them is being used to store vaccines at the minute, so the blood samples were removed to another location’

Helen also believes that there is an urgent need for a new diagnostic tool to be introduced in Northern Ireland . It is called Cytosponge and tests for Barrett’s oesophagus.

“It’s a cheap and simple test that can be done in a GP surgery instead of a referral to hospital for an endoscopy,” Helen explained. “It isn’t in use in Northern Ireland yet. They use it in Canada and it’s very successful. Scotland is now using it and some areas of England used it successfully during the pandemic. We hope that it can be introduced in N.I. as soon as possible.”

When Helen had her surgery she had a lengthy period of recovery, but she has a message.

“Eventually I returned to work full time. I completed the Macmillan Cancer Support Certificate and want to help others who find themselves in a similar position. I have a good life.  I enjoy playing golf, albeit badly, holidays, family and friends.

“There is life after Oesophageal Cancer.”

For further information go to ogcancerni.com, follow #OGCancerNI, call 07568 157450 or make an appointment to see your local GP today.

ENDS

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.”

For more information or to speak to Darren at Tyson Wilson Recruitment email darren@tysonwilsonrecruitment.co.uk or log onto tysonwilsonrecruitment.co.uk

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.  

For more information on the Économusée network contact tierna@ccght.org/07595413239 or go to economuseees.com

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.”

Tune in on Monday on belfast247radio.com

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.

Crime, Comedy and Combat, published by Excalibur Press is available from Amazon and excaliburpress.co.uk

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.”

To book Bernie Allen’s webinars go to Eventbrite or for more information log onto bernieallen.com

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, visit PAC 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.