Spring has sprung, the gardens are full of buds, blossoms and bird song, and the National Trust is opening its doors to welcome members and supporters to its many beautiful places.
Enjoy all the time in the world with the National Trust – the perfect place to relax and catch up with friends .
The year ahead promises to be an exciting one with visitors from near and far visiting Northern Ireland to experience the many events, celebrations, commemorations and amazing projects opening in 2012. As well as welcoming visitors, the charity will also be making a significant investment at properties and open spaces to enhance visitor facilities and to continue to care for special places.
Commenting on the investment, Billy Reid, Interim Director for Northern Ireland for Northern Ireland, said:
“During 2012 we will be investing across Northern Ireland to ensure our members and visitors have wonderful experiences and the opportunity to enjoy our heritage, countryside, coast and gardens. The Giant’s Causeway visitor experience is making great progress with a planned opening in July 2012 and it is getting very exciting realising just how amazing the new experience will be. Mount Stewart will benefit from a £6 million investment which will restore the property to its glory days. Rowallane Garden, Castle Coole and The Argory are opening new visitor facilities and a new 30 pitch campsite is opening at Crom.”
In addition, 2012 will see National Trust houses, gardens, coast and countryside emerge from the winter with renewed life as the charity offers countless opportunities to discover and enjoy Northern Ireland’s scenery and wildlife.
“The year ahead promises to be another busy and exciting one, with a lively programme of events and anniversaries galore. Look out for Castle Coole’s Diamond celebrations, join the fun at Castle Ward’s jubilee weekend in June, discover Springhill’s amazing link with the Titanic and the origins of the phrase ‘women and children’ first at The Argory. With pirate picnics, music in the garden, family adventure days and wild about nature activities there’s lots of amazing things to see and do.” added Billy.
Despite being one of the largest conservation charities in Europe, the National Trust has a significant regional deficit.
“We are committed to looking after our properties for ever, yet conservation costs rise faster than inflation every year. We rely on membership subscriptions, donations and legacies from supporters to ensure sure we can fulfil our promise to look after special places for ever, for everyone.”
National Trust mansion properties in Northern Ireland open for the 2012 season on 10 March. Many coast and countryside properties including Carrick-a-Rede remain open all year round. For further information, including opening arrangements, details of over 200 events and how to join Northern Ireland’s largest conservation charity visit www.nationaltrustni.org.uk or contact the Regional Office on 028 9751 0721.
NITB and OutdoorNI.com launch second annual Adventureland weekend
ADVENTURE TIME... Citybeats Girl Friday Linzi Corr tackles the obstacles at Jungle NIs Tree Top Adventure course during the launch of the second annual Northern Ireland Adventureland Weekend. The action packed weekend was launched by NITB in association with OutdoorNI.com and will take place on March 24 25 with 31 outdoor providers across Northern Ireland offering a wide range of adventure activities for discounted prices. A full list of Adventureland activities with an online booking system for people wanting to take part is available at www.ni2012.com
Friends, families or couples looking for something new to do will be thrilled to hear that the Northern Ireland Tourist Board (NITB), in association with OutdoorNI.com, has launched the second annual Northern Ireland Adventureland Weekend which will take place on March 24 and 25.
Following the event’s huge success in 2011, this year’s action-packed weekend is set to be even more exciting with 31 outdoor providers across Northern Ireland offering a wide range of adventure activities for either £10 per person or at least 50% off normal price.
For fun seeking families there is introductory mountain boarding sessions in the Mournes, horse riding treks in the Glens of Antrim and high speed Sea Safaris on Strangford Lough. For those after even more adventure there are opportunities to tackle Northern Ireland’s first tree top adventure course in Moneymore, go coasteering along the spectacular sea cliffs of the Causeway Coast or to go exploring Fermanagh’s subterranean world on an unforgettable caving expedition near Belcoo.
NITB Product Marketing Officer Helen Carey said the weekend provides an opportunity for people to explore their adventurous side and to try a new activity.
“The 2011 Adventureland Weekend was a huge success with over 1,400 people taking part in 80 different events and we are delighted to launch the 2012 event with even more activities on offer,” said Helen. “There’s such a wide range of things to do and fantastic discounts on offer, everybody, from groups of friends, to couples or families with young children, can go outdoors and try something new,” she added.
“It promises to be a great weekend and all you need to bring with you is a sense of adventure and an expectation of fun. Participants will be looked after by qualified instructors so no experience is necessary.
“There will be something available to suit all levels of ability, whether it’s a bike tour of Belfast, wet bouldering in the Mournes, a wet and wild canoe adventure in County Fermanagh, or Northern Ireland’s only Tree Top Adventure Course at The Jungle NI. There really is something for everyone,” she concluded.
To get you started, NITB and OutdoorNI.com have provided a sample of the activities on offer during Adventureland this year.
Belfast
Sailing in the City – provided by Ocean Youth Trust
Participants will have the chance to learn the basics of how to sail a keelboat, how to hoist sails, helm a boat, tie knots and learn new skills on the waters of Belfast’s Titanic Quarter.
Belfast by Bike – provided by Belfast City Bike Tours
Enjoy a guided bike tour of Belfast with local guides to show you the sites, some of which are only reachable by bike.
Family Canoeing at Shaw’s Bridge – provided by Mobile Team Adventure
Go canoeing with the family right in the middle of the stunning Lagan Valley Regional Park only minutes from Belfast City Centre.
County Antrim – North Coast and Glens of Antrim
North Coast Sea Safari – provided by Aquaholics, Ballycastle
Enjoy a high speed blast along the North Coast. Feel the wind in your hair as the high speed boat blasts you around the sights of the coast including Dunluce Castle, the stunning Portrush beaches, the sea caves at Whiterocks and the seals at Skerries.
Coasteering for Adults – provided by CoasteeringNI, Ballintoy
You will learn rock climbing and scrambling techniques as well as how to jump from great heights safely. With all wetsuits, buoyancy aids and helmets provided, you will scramble along a section of rugged coastline and dive into deep plunge pools.
Family Surfing – from kids to grandparents – provided by Alive Surf School, Portrush
These lessons cater for everyone from first-timers to budding surfing enthusiasts.
Family Sea Kayaking – provided by Simply Sea Kayak, Portrush
Take the family on a guided sea kayaking trip along a section of County Antrim’s idyllic Causeway Coast.
County Armagh
Explore Craigavon Lakes like never before – provided by SegwayNI, Craigavon
Test yourself around a skills course followed by an off road challenge. Come and compete against others or bring your friends and family to see who is the best.
County Down
Family Introduction to Mountain Boarding – provided by GASP Surfin’ Dirt, Bryansford
Learn the basics of mountain boarding on the slopes for basic training, with time to ride the hill afterwards.
Wet Bouldering in the Mournes – provided by Outdoor Concepts, Newcastle
Make your way up a river, climbing up waterfalls and jumping into deep plunge pools.
Family Island Canoe Trip – provided by Action Outdoors, Delamont Country Park
The sheltered waters of Strangford Lough make a great location for family canoeing, with amazing scenery and the chance to see a whole host of inquisitive local seals.
Strangford Sea Safari ‘Narrows’ Voyage – provided by Clearsky Adventure Centre, Castle Ward
Suitable for all ages from 3 years old, everyone will enjoy this exhilarating sightseeing boat tour of Strangford Lough. See the Angus Rocks Lighthouse, the SeaGen (world’s first tidal turbine) and some of the many seals at Cloughy Rocks Nature Reserve.
County Fermanagh
Wet + Wild – Canoeing and Bushcraft for Families – provided by Share Discovery Village, Lisnaskea
Paddle through the maze of islands and learn navigation, fire lighting and shelter building skills and go on a fossil hunt near the new Trannish Island Bothy.
Go Caving – provided by Corralea Activity Centre, Belcoo
Get out of the light and explore Fermanagh’s subterranean network of passages, streams and unusual rock formations led by a qualified cave leader.
County Tyrone
Adrenaline Play Zone – provided by Todd’s Leap, Ballygawley
Launch yourself from a 30ft tower, soar 500m across the spectacular Ballygawley hills before finishing the day as a passenger in a V8 Land Rover around off road tracks at competitive race speed.
Canoe Trip in the Sperrins – provided by Four Elements Adventure, Omagh
Spend half a day paddling the Drumragh River which runs through the heart of County Tyrone.
Paintballing Experience – provided by Adventure Tours NI, Ardstraw
This is a fast and fun paintballing experience with five exciting zones and tasks to complete to progress to the next stage.
County Londonderry
Half Price Hovercrafting – provided by Foyle Hovercrafting and Leisure, Limavady
Experience the thrill of skimming over land and water on a cushion of air, attempting the challenge of tricky corners on our purpose built grass hovercraft circuit with integral water hazards.
Northern Ireland’s only Tree Top Adventure Course – provided by The Jungle NI, Moneymore
This exhilarating course comprises of over 40 challenging elements set at varying heights above the ground (in some areas you could be suspended 70ft up).
Go Wheely Wild – Family Mountain Biking – provided by Far and Wild, Derry/Londonderry
These ‘wheely’ easy mountain biking sessions will teach you the basics of taking your bike off the beaten track with your kids, covering the essentials of safety and good technique to make the experience unique and enjoyable.
A full list of Adventureland activities with an online booking system for people wanting to take part is available at www.ni2012.com
Belfast’s St Patrick’s Day celebrations will have the ‘X’ factor this year with a massive line up of music, dancing and street entertainment that will bring the city to life.
A colourful parade will leave City Hall at 12pm on Saturday, March 17, and make its way through the streets to Custom House Square where a free concert will see a host of top class acts entertaining the crowds.
Former X-Factor contestant Sophie Habibis will top the bill alongside the world-class Red Hot Chilli Pipers, bands Ashelin and Shake, traditional music group Pure Blarney and dancers from the Royal Tara School of Irish Dancing and Bright Lights Ulster Scots dance school.
Launching the St Patrick’s Day programme today, Lord Mayor of Belfast Councillor Niall Ó Donnghaile said it promised to be a fun-filled family day out.
He added: “The theme of this year’s event is ‘2012 – one amazing year’. Belfast is in for a massive year of celebrations and important milestones and this will be the city’s first big party of 2012.
“The carnival parade is something people look forward to every year; the imaginative costumes and colourful floats, not to mention the great street entertainment. And of course the free concert in Custom House Square has a great line-up that will appeal to all ages. It’s set to be a great day out for all the family and I hope everyone comes along and joins in the craic.”
Sophie Habibis said she was delighted at being asked to be part of the city’s St Patrick’s Day celebrations.
“It’ll be my first visit to Belfast and I’m so looking forward to performing at Custom House Square; it’s going to be such good fun. I’ve heard that there’s a real buzz about the city so I can’t wait to experience that,” said Sophie.
“It’s great to be on the road doing what I love most and to be part of Belfast’s St Patrick’s Day celebrations is a huge honour.”
Hosting this year’s concert in Custom House Square will be DJ Pete Snodden and the Cool Crew.
Pete said: “We can’t wait for this year’s celebrations – the atmosphere is always electric and the craic is great.”
The parade, which has been organised by The Beat Carnival, will leave City Hall at 12 noon and make its way to Custom House Square where performers will be on stage from 1pm-3pm.
For more information on the event and all the acts taking part visit www.belfastcity.gov.uk/events
Please note:-
The concert is free and admission is on a first come, first served basis. Gates will open at 12 noon and under 16s must be accompanied by an adult. No alcohol will be sold or permitted on the site and standard Belfast City Council terms and conditions apply.
Under 14s Irish downhill mountain bike champion Jacob Dickson lends his moves to Sunblest Pancakes to help encourage families across Northern Ireland to get on their bikes.
Just in time for Pancake Tuesday, Sunblest Pancakes have launched the Treat of Champions campaign to encourage consumers across Northern Ireland to get active by giving them the opportunity to win bikes for all the family.
Sunblest Pancakes has teamed up with Belfast based Chain Reaction Cycles in an initiative which will see more than 50 bikes up for grabs and with Springtime just around the corner, there’s never been a better time to think about getting out and about with the kids.
Elva O’Connor, Sunblest Brand Manager explained; “Pancakes are a family favourite, so using our packs as a way of encouraging kids … big or small to get active together makes sense.
“We’ll be very busy in the run up to Pancake Tuesday producing over 2 million pancakes for our Pancake loving nation this week – so there is no better time to launch the Treat of Champions campaign.”
To be in with the chance of winning bikes for your family, visit www.mysunblest.com and answer the question… easy peasy lemon squeezy!
The competition closes 8th April 2012.
The World Irish Dancing Championships are coming to Belfast for the fourth time in 12 years.
The week long event attracting more than 20,000 visitors from around the globe begins at Belfast Waterfront on Saturday 31March.
Three separate stages, in the Waterfront auditorium, the Studio and at St George’s Market will be in use over three days of the most intense competition. Competitors and their supporters will be kept up to date with what is happening via links from the different stages.
Launching the event at the Belfast Waterfront, the Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Niall Ó Donnghaile said: “This is one of the events that is making 2012 special in Belfast, the final weekend coincides with the beginning of the Titanic Festival and it kicks off a really exciting time for the city.
“We are on the global map for our continued success in hosting world class events, like the MTV Awards and the Oireachtas Rince na Cruinne.
“The fact that the championships have come back to us four times in 12 years proves the excellent support the organisers, competitors and supporters receive here in terms of welcome, facilities and attractions.
“Their expansion is also evident in the use of St George’s Market as a competition venue this year. This is a celebration not just of Irish dancing but Irish culture involving people from across the world,” added the Mayor.
During the week visitors will have the opportunity to enjoy ceilis, concerts language classes and music lessons.
Oireachtas Rince na Cruinne spokesman Séamus Ớ Sé said it was because of the initiative and support of Belfast City Council and Belfast Visitor and Convention Bureau that the World Irish Dancing Championships are returning to Belfast.
“We are delighted to return and look forward to the influx of those supporting the championships many of whom will book into local accommodation and enjoy the attractions that Belfast has to offer.
“While the championships themselves are the focal point of the event, the World Championships are about much more than that.
“Oireachtas Rince na Cruinne has evolved into a unique gathering of the extended family of dancers, teachers, adjudicators and friends of Irish Dancing from around the globe.
“Those who plan to be in Belfast from 31 March to 8 April should be prepared to experience a feast of entertainment. We are indebted to all those helping us put on this world class event by contributing financially, all those who will add colour and atmosphere.
“We intend to present an event of which Belfast can be justifiably proud.”
In one of the first Titanic centenary events of 2012, the Ulster Orchestra will give the world première tomorrow tonight (Friday 17 February) of Ian Wilson’s The stars, the seas in the Ulster Hall, Belfast, at its Titanic Journey concert.
The 25-minute work for orchestra and chorus by the UO’s Associate Composer marks the centenary of the sinking of the Belfast-built liner in April 1912 and has been specially commissioned by the Orchestra with the support of JTI.
Speaking before the world première of his work, Belfast-born Ian Wilson said, “This is an important commission that not only commemorates a significant world event, but an event that has had a profound effect on the city and people that built the ship.”
The piece, which is Ian’s biggest work for full orchestra in terms of its length, falls into five broad sections entitled Build, Launch, Forward, “No sun, no moon” and Towards the Horizon.
“There was a strong temptation for me to make the music programmatic and just tell the Titanic story,” Ian explained. “I resisted this as much as possible so that, while there are still clear links between various sections and parts of the Titanic narrative, any sense of telling a story, as it were, is absent. In its place is a frieze-like structure where various scenes from the story have inspired a musical response.
In the first section, Build, Ian explained that the music is noisy, busy and mechanistic, creating a sense of a structure coming together. “Launch is, suitably, fanfare-like and briefly celebratory, whereas Forward begins with a determined air which is soon replaced with – literally – a sinking feeling as the music drops to reach the lowest instrumental depths,” he said.
“‘No sun, no moon’ is a setting of a specially-commissioned poem from the English poet Helen Pizzey, a beautifully evocative text which manages to be memorial without overdoing either melancholy or morbidity. The celebrated Northern Irish chamber choir, Cappella Caeciliana, will join with the Orchestra for this section, which realy is the heart of the work,” Ian said.
“The final section, Towards the horizon, was inspired by the idea that while the Titanic is physically at the bottom of the north Atlantic, metaphorically it lives on in our minds, particularly for those of us who grew up in Northern Ireland where it is very much a part of the cultural and historical fabric. Therefore the music becomes active once again, stirring motifs bringing previous sections back into life as the ship sails on into the future.”
Looking forward to Friday’s concert, the Ulster Orchestra’s Chairman, Professor Sir George Bain said, “A world première is an exciting time for any orchestra. Through our concerts, education and outreach work, the Ulster Orchestra has always played its part in the life of the community as one of Northern Ireland’s cultural cornerstones.
“The UO is therefore proud to be a part of the Titanic commemorations and very grateful to JTI for its support that has enabled us to commission this special centenary work by Ian. The Titanic has always been a part of Belfast’s story, long before the 1985 discovery of the wreck and the 1997 film. While the tragedy itself has cast a long and understandable shadow over the city, it is only in recent years, perhaps, that the true legacy of that great liner, one of innovation, ingenuity, creativity and excellence is now being realised.”
Tickets are still available for Friday’s concert, which also features works with a journey theme by Wagner, Mendelssohn and Sibelius, conducted by the UO’s Principal Guest Conductor, Paul Watkins. The concert will also see the renowned Bulgarian-born violinist, Bella Hristova, make her UK and Irish début playing Mendelssohn’s effervescent Violin Concerto.
Free advice and support to help kick-start local economy
Looking forward to the Business Live event in Mid-Ulster are: John Meenan of Cookstown-based FSL Electronics; Brian Taylor of Cookstown’s TES; Girvan Gault, acting head of Ulster Bank’s Cookstown-based business centre; and Noel Loughran, Ulster Bank.
Stories of local, cross-border and international business success will be shared with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and aspiring entrepreneurs from the Mid-Ulster and South Tyrone areas in March as part of a major free event being organised by Ulster Bank in association with Small Business Can.
All local business people are invited to attend Business Live at the Burnavon Arts Centre, Cookstown on March 5th which will feature a panel of successful local business people, chaired by a co-founder of the influential business website www.smallbusinesscan.com.
Business people who will be discussing and sharing their experiences and successes at the event include:
John Meenan, Managing Director of Cookstown-based FSL Electronics Ltd which has developed and sold sports scoreboards for use in all kinds of sports grounds in over 100 countries, including for the West Indian Cricket Board, and for the 2010 football World Cup in South Africa
Brian Taylor, co-founder of Cookstown-based TES (NI) Ltd which manufactures control panel and switchgear equipment for system applications mainly within the water and quarrying industry internationally
Willie McKeown of Yardmaster based in Draperstown which specialises in the manufacture of steel garden sheds and storage units especially for the caravan sector, sold mainly into Europe
Business Live features 14 dates in total across the island – five in Northern Ireland – of which Cookstown is the finale.
All types of business people will hear at the event that trading outside of your home market is probably easier than many think. They will hear that the advent of the internet and subsequent advances in technology have changed the world of commerce enabling small businesses and entrepreneurs to quickly and efficiently market and sell their products to a global audience. And that, now, exporting, once the preserve of bigger business, is accessible for business of all sizes.
The event, which is free of charge to attend, will centre around an informal panel discussion chaired by entrepreneur and co-founder of Smallbusinesscan.com Ron Immink, and will feature the opportunity for questions, networking and the chance to engage one-to-one with experts from Ulster Bank and other organisations, including InterTradeIreland.
Sharing the panellists’ stories and experiences at the events is intended to provide motivation to other SMEs and aspiring entrepreneurs, says Girvan Gault, acting Head of Ulster Bank’s Mid Ulster & Fermanagh Business Centre.
He continues: “I would encourage all SME owners in Mid-Ulster, South Tyrone and Fermanagh to come to the event, including aspiring entrepreneurs, as there will be something for everyone to learn from the discussion, and the potential to meet and network with a wide range of like-minded business people and experts, including business people from across the border”.
“Doing business cross-border and internationally will feature as part of the discussion. When you can communicate with potential customers and suppliers across the island and around the world 24/7 at little cost through the internet, it opens significant opportunities. This is one of the reasons why more and more SMEs are able to widen their customer-base and enhance their business by trading outside of their home market”.
“As an all-island bank, and as part of an international group with people on the ground in 37 countries, we feel that Ulster Bank is very well placed to help SMEs to explore and capitalise on their potential to do business successfully at home and outside of their home market,” Mr Gault adds.
The events are supporting the launch of Ulster Bank’s new cross border and international business proposition¹, which offers a range of supports for companies who are doing or could potentially do business outside of Northern Ireland.
The proposition includes free* subscription to Ulster Bank’s online Bankline service for international payments**, as well as the waiving of non-domestic payment processing fees until the end of 2012 for new customers with a turnover under £25million.
Customers can also benefit from the wide range of products Ulster Bank has available through its parent company RBS, including overseas current accounts, merchant services***, global trade finance and foreign exchange services. The Bank is also highlighting that the reach of its parent company, which has a presence on the ground in 37 countries, can assist Northern Ireland firms trading abroad with market insight and contacts.
The 1st fair rocked the Black Box. We had a benchmark to surpass…the 2nd AWF was a roaring success and that has raised the benchmark even higher!
As ever we know it’s all down to having the support and participation of our suppliers and of course you – the quirky couples – coming along to indulge in Quirky delights!
We are determined to fully welcome 2012 with a great big bang…won’t you join us?!
More updates will follow for the next Alternative Wedding Fair, 19 February 2012
Hey guys! Previously we mentioned about the tickets being on sale online, this is not the case this time round and we apologise for any confusion caused!
A new BBC NI television series, created by the team behind Slim Chance: Fix My Family, is giving you the chance to help change your family’s life.
We are looking for families with teenagers struggling to keep the peace with each other. Teenagers, has the atmosphere at home become unbearable? Parents, do you feel you have lost the respect you deserve?
Whatever the problems, and however serious the issues, we hope to help to resolve them and restore mutual respect amongst the whole family.
Has communication broken down in the family home?
Does your family share more anger than laughter?
Do you want a chance to put things right?
Think you might be interested? Want to know more about it?
Just call and have a chat with one of our team in strict confidence.
What have you got to lose?
Tel: 02890-326061
Or email us at: teens@terntv.com
Series Synopsis
Tern TV, and the team behind last years BBC One NI series ‘Slim Chance: Fix My Family’, have begun work on the second “Fix My Family”. In this series – ‘Fix My Teenage Family’ – we aim to explore a number of issues that affect Northern Irish teens and their families today.
Whatever the problems, and however serious the issues, we hope to help to resolve them and restore mutual respect amongst the whole family.
Parents have always had a rough ride, but in this modern age, it is getting tougher. Parents feel like they’re losing control in the family home whilst teenagers think that they are not being listened to. Inevitably, this results in a communication breakdown between family members.
We’re offering Northern Irish families the opportunity to take a bit of time out from the stresses and strains of daily life, and with the help of our team of experts, tackle the difficulties that are rocking the stability of the family unit the most.
