Other News In Brief

SPAR Reopen New State-Of-The-Art Ballymoney Route Service Station

SPAR has announced the reopening of its Ballymoney Route Service Station, with a brand new, state of the art fresh food hall, creating an additional six jobs for the local area.

The old site was completely demolished before an 11 week rebuild of the new site, which has doubled in size, now standing at almost 6,000 sq. ft. with a 58-space car park, and a four-pump Maxol forecourt.

As a result of the bigger store, shoppers can now expect an expansive range of thousands of new and local products with 23 bays of fresh groceries, including SPAR Enjoy Local own-brand all sourced in Northern Ireland, plus SPAR's range of freshly prepared, handmade meals from The Kitchen.

Store Manager, Catherine Gilchrist says the store brings a huge range of choice and value for local shoppers; "When shoppers arrive at SPAR Route Service Station, they will be completely blown away by our offering. We have an extended range of fresh products which are all locally known brands and suppliers, available to be picked up at value prices to cook tonight's tea or tomorrow's packed lunches, all on their doorstep. We are delighted to be reopened, and have our team back together at the new store, alongside our new team members.

"During the rebuild, our staff were seconded to different SPAR and EUROSPAR stores in the area which gave them some more fantastic experience, but we're so excited to be back together and see our local shoppers again."

SPAR Route Service Station is open Monday to Sunday, 6am – midnight.

DUP Welcomes Report Highlighting Improvement In NI's Broadband Infrastructure

The DUP has welcomed Ofcom's Connected Nations report, which it said demonstrates the benefits of investment secured for broadband infrastructure.

The report shows that Northern Ireland has more than double the availability of full fibre services than England (85% vs 41%) and that full fibre connections here are available in nearly 700,000 homes, an increase of more than 150,000 on last year.

The Fermanagh & South Tyrone MLA Deborah Erskine said: "In 2017 the DUP secured £150million of public investment to improve our broadband connectivity. Sinn Fein and others questioned the need for public money to be invested into high-speed broadband for rural dwellers, but this intervention has been transformative for our rural economy.

"That is most demonstrated starkly within my own area where 71% of residential premises in the Fermanagh & Omagh Council area able to secure a full figure connection. That simply would not have been the case without targeted investment to benefit rural dwellers who otherwise would have been left behind the digital divide.

"High speed broadband is no longer a luxury but is a necessity when putting forward an offer to investors considering Northern Ireland as a place to establish or expand their business. Northern Ireland does not just have better connectivity rates than any other UK region or the Republic of Ireland, but earlier this year the Financial Times ranked OECD countries by full-fibre rollout. Northern Ireland was beaten only by South Korea and Japan.

"This is a practical demonstration of delivery from investment secured only by the DUP."

CAFRE Announces New Farriers Upskilling Programme

A new Farriers Upskilling programme, designed for working farriers (who have at least two years' experience) to gain a recognised qualification, has been announced by the College of Agriculture, Food & Rural Enterprise (CAFRE).

The equine courses offered at Enniskillen Campus incorporate a strong practical dimension and the philosophy of 'learning by doing' is applied throughout all programmes. Students attend on a part time basis, where they develop their forging and, shoeing skills and their theoretical knowledge aiming to achieve the prestigious qualification of the Diploma of the Worshipful Company of Farriers (DipWCF). 

The intensive nature of the curriculum incorporates principles of equine anatomy, physiology, conformation, dynamics and movement, injuries/ailments/diseases affecting the foot and limb and the principles of farriery. Practical skills include making many different types of shoes from basic steel strips to fit a range of horses. Students are required to produce a portfolio of handmade shoes using coke and/or gas forges, as well as undertake a practical and written examination. The students recognise the importance of honing their skills and gaining a qualification that offers themselves and their clients assurance that they are working to a professional recognised standard. 

Farriers on the Farrier Upskilling Programme recently completed their Worshipful Company of Farriers Diploma (DipWCF). Over the course of the assessment days, Jamie McDonnell, Damien Moran, Oisin O'Reilly and John McCormick were successful in making and applying shoes, taking a theory exam, completing an oral assessment and producing a portfolio of handmade shoes.  The Farriery Upskilling Programme at Enniskillen Campus is for working farriers, to allow them to gain their DipWCF, which is taught part-time by Martin Payne, Associate of the Worshipful Company of Farriers (AWCF)) and Paul Duddy, AWCF. The course is designed to produce qualified professional farriers who are competent in all aspects of hoof care including the selection, fit and application of horse shoes.

Applications are still currently being accepted for the next intake, which is due to commence in January 2023 subject to there being sufficient numbers.