Other News In Brief

Invest NI Marks 20 Years Of Supporting NI Businesses

Invest NI has marked 20 years of supporting business growth across Northern Ireland.

Established in 2002 Invest NI have provided 66,000 offers of support to almost 15,000 businesses, and helped to create 125,000 jobs, with over two thirds of these outside Belfast.

Acknowledging the milestone, Mel Chittock, Invest NI Interim CEO, said: "Our core role has always been to grow the Northern Ireland economy. This has stayed at the forefront of all we have done in the past 20 years.

"Our team has supported many ambitious, innovative businesses, from SMEs to large-scale organisations, and everything in between. Some companies have even been with us on their business journey since the very beginning, and it has been a joy to see each grow and succeed over the years."

Invest NI have offered over £2.5billion of assistance since 2002, and supported companies with tailored advice, webinars, workshops, programmes and property searches.

Invest NI have helped:

• secure almost 300 new inward investment projects;

• increase Northern Ireland's business exports by 46 per cent;

• encourage more innovation, and investment in R&D; and

• companies to grow their teams' knowledge and expertise through skills development.

This has led to over £12.7billion of investment by companies in our local economy.

"We've grown as an organisation too," Mel added. "Our physical presence has increased through our regional offices, and we've expanded our global reach through our international offices, to effectively promote Northern Ireland to international businesses.

"As we innovate, grow and look to the future of business, we will support the Department for the Economy's 10X Economic Vision and its priorities such as green economy, innovation, emerging technologies, and key sectors, with the same commitment and passion as the last 20 years."

Govt Cannot Be Trusted To Deliver NI Community Initiatives – SDLP

The British government cannot be trusted to deliver funding to community initiatives across Northern Ireland, SDLP Foyle MLA Mark H Durkan has said.

He was speaking after being informed that the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (SPF), designed to replace the EU's European Social Fund (ESF), will be delivered by the government as part of its levelling up agenda.

Mr Durkan expressed concern given the paltry amount of funding previously provided to the North from the Levelling Up Fund and called for Stormont departments to be involved in delivering the funding.

Foyle MLA Mr Durkan said: "Time is running out for the various organisations across the North dependent on the ESF, with funding due to end in just eight months' time. Rather than putting minds at ease, clarification from the Economy Minister that the UK government plans to take the lead on the proposed replacement scheme, will undoubtedly add to existing anxieties.

"Minister Lyons has urged organisations to lobby the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities (DLUHC) as they hold the budget and will essentially make the decision on future funding. Earlier this month we learnt that the North received the lowest share of the Treasury's Levelling up Fund, just 2.9%, while other devolved nations received significantly more. These concerns were raised after the first rollout of this scheme, yet lessons were not learned and efforts not implemented to address the restrictive process in its second iteration. That is incomprehensible given that Northern Ireland is an area of high deprivation and arguably in greater need of this type of funding.

"Understandably this revelation will shake the confidence of many organisations here. Stormont Ministers must seek assurances that this glaring issue will be rectified, that the amounts provided under ESF will be replicated and receive a guarantee that the North will receive its fair share. This process would be much easier if the Economy Minister's party ended their boycott of our institutions so we could properly advocate on behalf of organisations here.

"EU funding has been utterly transformational for our communities and much of the progress and good work we have witnessed in recent decades is directly attributable to grassroot services. Without EU funds, their work to improve lives across the North would not have been possible and we must do everything within our power to ensure these vital funding streams are not lost with the resulting huge negative impact on organisations here."

Dee Street Bridge Undergoes Community Makeover

Belfast City Council and a community safety initiative with local young people has carried out a makeover on an east Belfast bridge which has been a target for persistent graffiti.

The Dee Street bridge, which spans the Sydenham by-pass, has long been blighted by unsightly graffiti, and following a review of 'graffiti hotspots' by the East Belfast District Policing Community and Safety Partnership (DPCSP), the bridge was earmarked for a refresh.

Lord Mayor of Belfast Councillor Tina Black attended the official unveiling of the mural alongside East Belfast DPCSP vice chair, Councillor Gareth Wright.

Councillor Black said: "We know that graffiti is an issue right across the city; it's unsightly and detrimental to local communities. This project is a great example of how we can take a creative approach to tackling the issue and create something that's really special and unique to the area.

"The mural that's been created by the local community is something they can all be very proud of, and I hope it inspires more of these kinds of initiatives. I'd like to commend the artist and everyone who worked on this – people of all ages, who came together to create this fantastic artwork which has really brightened up and enhanced the area."

Gareth Wright, vice-chair of East Belfast PCSP said: "This is a great example of community in action. It's been fantastic to see how engaged the young people have been; they're rightly very proud of the finished result, and I hope it will inspire in them a real sense of pride in their community. We hope to see more of these reimaging projects developed in east Belfast in the coming months."

Street artist Glenn Black from Blaze FX – the artist behind Belfast's iconic 'Teenage Dreams' mural at Middlepath Street – worked with local residents groups and homework clubs in the area to help shape the design of the new mural.

"From the very outset, we wanted the local community to take ownership of this – it's for them, by them," said Glenn.

"It was really important that the finished product represented their input and ideas, so that it inspires a sense of ownership and pride in their local area, and hopefully creates something of a legacy artwork. Bright and vibrant murals and street art can really enhance the local streetscape; by working together we've created something that is very unique to this particular area of the city and it was a real pleasure to work on this project, and work with the young people to help shape and guide their ideas."