We are delighted to announce the return of our Annual President’s Banquet kindly sponsored by Ulster Bank and Canal Court Hotel & Spa.
The event will be held on Friday 19th November 2021 in the Canal Court Hotel from 12noon – 3pm and will mark the end of Emma Mullen-Marmion’s presidency.
It will be an extra special celebration as we mark 200 years of Newry Chamber since it was formed in 1820. We will hear from several local representatives about Newry’s fascinating commercial past and look ahead to the future for the region.
Traditionally, the President’s Banquet is seen as the highlight of the business year in Newry, with local business leaders, government representatives and politicians in attendance and we expect demand for tickets to particularly high this year as we celebrate this momentous milestone so ensure you book early via the link below.
NEWRY CHAMBER PRESIDENT’S BANQUET: BOOK TICKETS
I would also like to notify members that Greater Newry Area Business Awards 2021 is SOLD OUT. We are now operating a waiting list for any additional ticket requests. We look forward to welcoming guests to the Canal Court Hotel on Thursday 7th October 2021 for our first major in person event in over 18 months.
Also in this week’s update, we have included information on the NI High Street Voucher Scheme which we would like to remind members opens for registrations this coming Monday, an international travel update as well as a range of upcoming webinars and programmes.
Tony McKeown
Chief Executive Officer
Newry Chamber of Commerce & Trade
REMINDER: NI HIGH STREET VOUCHER SCHEME TO OPEN
FOR REGISTRATION THIS MONDAY 27TH SEPTEMBER 2021
The NI High Street Voucher Scheme will OPEN for registration on 27th September 2021 with the first batch of £100 pre-paid cards issued on 4th October 2021.
The last day to apply is 25th October 2021, while the card has to be used before 30th November 2021.
For those unable to apply online, a telephone service will be available from 11th October 2021.
It is expected that people will receive their card between 7 and 10 days of applying.
It will have to be spent by 30th November 2021 as the Department for the Economy does not want to affect normal spending in the run-up to Christmas.
NI Economy Minister, Gordon Lyons MLA is encouraging people to spend the money in local independent retailers rather than with multinationals.
All over-18’s in NI must register online on NI Direct from 27th September 2021, then provide their name, address, date of birth, gender, any disability, telephone number, email address, driving licence number (if held) and National Insurance number.
The £145m programme will offer pre-paid cards worth £100 to all over-18s in NI and aims to help businesses in retail and hospitality which were hit by the pandemic.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE.
COVID-19: INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL UPDATE
TRAFFIC LIGHT SYSTEM
From Mon 4th Oct 2021 the traffic light system will be removed with the merger of the green and amber lists, leaving a single red list.
Travel requirements for arrivals from the rest of the world will be determined by a travellers vaccination status rather than the country they are travelling from. Going forward countries will be classified as red or non-red.
FULLY VACCINATED POLICY
Fully vaccinated UK, EU & USA residents are currently recognised as fully vaccinated for the purposes of enabling travellers to not have to self-isolate or undertake a day 8 PCR test on arrival in the UK.
From Mon4th Oct 2021 fully vaccinated travellers from the following countries will be included in this policy:
Canada, Australia, Israel, New Zealand, Singapore, Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Brunei, Taiwan, Dominica, Japan, South Korea, Qatar, Kuwait, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain.
It was also agreed to further expand the definition of ‘fully vaccinated’ to include those individuals with mixed vaccine doses.
The latest advice and rules on travel are available on:
NI Direct
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE.
SKILL UP: FREE COURSES AT SOUTHERN REGIONAL COLLEGE
Southern Regional College are offering a range of FREEcourses through the Skill Up: Flexible Skills Fund which is designed to boost participation in lifelong learning and reduce key skills imbalances in areas where there are skills shortages.
The NI Economy Minister, Gordon Lyons MLA launched the new initiative to deliver FREE Training Places, in an investment of up to £23 million.
Supported by the Northern Ireland Office, Skill Up will fully fund the local further education colleges and universities to deliver approximately 15,000 training places in over 250 subject areas for qualification ranging from Level 2 up to Level 7.
ELIGIBILITY FOR ALL COURSES:
- Must 18 on or before start date.
- Eligible to work in Northern Ireland.
- Settled in NI and has been ordinarily resident in the UK for at least three years; or is a person who has indefinite leave to enter or remain in the UK.
Candidates are only permitted to complete a maximum of 2 FREE courses at a time.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW ALL COURSES.
NMD BUSINESS GROWTH PROGRAMME: THE POWER OF PR
The NMD Business Growth Programme has launched a new support programme for local businesses.
The Power of PR Programme will provide participants with guidance on how to present your business via the press, creating opportunities to showcase your work online, in print and on local broadcast media.
If you are based in Newry, Mourne and Down District, employ less than 50 staff and are interested in improving your PR skills, you are eligible to apply.
It includes 2 two-hour workshops on:
► 20th Oct 2021: Preparing your Business for PR
► 27th Oct 2021: Engaging with the Media
There is also tailored 1-2-1 Mentoring to help put the theory into practice and begin your strategic PR and communications planning.
DEADLINE TO APPLY:
Friday 15th October 2021
CLICK HERE TO APPLY.
WEBINAR: EURES CROSS-BORDER BUSINESS SUPPORT
DATE: Wednesday 29th September 2021
TIME: 10am – 11am
EURES Cross Border Partnership & Dundalk Chamber will host a FREE EURES Business Support Webinar on “Employment Incentives & Supports available for SME’s in the Cross-Border Region.
PARTICIPATING ORGANISATIONS:
► EURES Cross-Border Partnership
► Dept. for Employment Affairs & Social Protection
► Dept. for Communities
► InterTradeIreland
► Local Enterprise Office, Louth
TOPICS TO BE COVERED INCLUDE:
- Information and advice on recruiting cross-border workers in Ireland.
- How to tap in to potential skills pool available in the cross-border region.
- What grants and supports are out there to help you recruit new staff.
- There will also be a case study of a SME who will discuss their experiences with these incentives.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER NOW.