Blown Away to Stornoway....

Jane Watson, Events Director explains how and why she ended up in Stornoway for 3 days in March….

Following the hugely successful British Ports Association (BPA) conference in October 2014 on behalf of Warrenpoint Harbour Authority, Morrows were approached in January this year by the Stornoway Port Authority (SPA) who are hosting the 2015 BPA Conference to assist them with event logistics, planning and delivery.  Ports are the lifeblood of the towns and communities in which they are located – importing and exporting supplies & freight, employing local people in operations and transferring ferry and Cruise passengers visiting the area.  This is true right across the UK (and Ireland) – from the southern shores of Dover who host 2016 to the Outer Hebrides where Jane found herself.

“Contemplating my trip to Stornoway focussed mainly on BBC News’ weathergirl Carol for the few days before, who often highlights the Islands in the daily forecast – and as suspected snow and rain was in the picture. (Nothing we’re not used to, no sweat I’ll pack my wellies just in case).  The journey from Belfast was pretty good, after a short de-icer delay in Belfast within 4 hours of leaving the office, including a short stop in Inverness departure lounge (where I mistakenly picked up a bag of Haggis & Cracked Black Pepper crisps and burnt the bake of myself!) courtesy of Flybe and Loganair, I was there. 

 

Flying over the snow-capped ‘Harris Hills’ (separating Harris and Lewis – 2 ‘Isles’ with 2 kings, but no water in between) it was like a winter wonderland but stepping out of the plane reminded me of the last scene in the Bond film – Skyfall – miles and miles of low lying, rustic brown moorland and I even saw two Stags on the roadside (apparently they only come out in the rain, but my host Magda hadn’t seen them very often – really?). 

Magda Choluj is Marketing Manager with SPA, originally from Poland but has lived almost everywhere (she has a motorhome with her Tasmanian partner Bo), but settled in Stornoway for over a year.  Magda had a jam-packed recce planned for us in the space of 48 hours….

The Conference venue is An Lanntair an arts centre and creative gallery space which is fully funded through their commercial activities and grant applications – they have excellent facilities for the BPA conference, and overlooks the Harbour. 

The Cala Hotel group operate three properties on the island - The Royal, The Cabarfeidh and the Caladh Inn and we have already booked out most of the bedrooms on the island for BPA. The Royal Hotel overlooking the marina was my abode for 2 nights – a traditional style hotel which is well equipped with a big telly, plug beside the bed, and wifi on every floor – the breakfast was good too with personal and attentive hotel staff wherever you went. 

During the BPA conference, day trips are planned for guests joining the BPA members – this is really the best way to explore the island which can be done from 1 end to the other in about 4 hours. We’ve planned a trip to a Harris Tweed factory, Whisky & Gin distillery (set up by Village residents), Standing Stones, Black Houses, Beaches, Ancient Churches, Craft Workshops and breath-taking viewpoints. There really is a lot to offer the discerning tourist, cyclist or hiker in Harris & Lewis and you’ll be made to feel very welcome. It’s customary to wave to passing drivers letting you through the single track roads and bridges – Just like you do if you’re from ‘the country’. 

Perhaps the most special part of my visit was squeezed in at the end – after meeting with the Local Council or “Comhairle” – we managed to sneek a peek at the newly restored Lews Castle and Museum Centre which is due to open in July.  Sitting high above the Harbour, the Castle had many former lives including a hospital, school and home to Lord & Lady Mathieson before lying derelict for many years. Approximately 18 months ago Heritage Lottery, Highlands & Islands Enterprise and Council funding was agreed and our very own Graham Construction were shipped in (no pun intended!) to restore and rejuvenate the Castle to its former glory.  BPA Delegates will have the opportunity to enjoy traditional Gaelic entertainment at the finale dinner in beautiful surroundings. 

On the way home, my case was over the 20kg limit, but the check-in clerk didn’t seem to mind (it was the wellies and the extra hotel toiletries that ‘fell into my case’!) The hangar style airport and 40 seater propeller jet planes from Stornoway reminded me of the ‘way it used to be’ in Belfast City – who else remembers dropping your bags at the foot of the steps?  I was even offered a free cuppa and a biscuit from Flybe – a free lunch does exist after all. 

SPA are also celebrating their 150 year anniversary in 2015 and hosting the BPA Conference is quite a big deal, so much so that delegates will receive a bespoke gift made from their Anniversary Harris Tweed.   SPA and Stornoway itself are very proud to be hosting the BPA conference and along with other anniversary events this year, it’s set to be the ‘talk of the town’ for years to come.  Our job is to make sure it’s as easy as possible for over 100 BPA members and exhibitors to come to Stornoway, they have a great time and ensure the budget is break-even. 

So with the draft programme in place and everyone on the island lined up, the rest is over to us! Best get cracking…..”

    

 

   

 

 

Putting DEAC on the Map

Morrows are delighted to be working with the District Electoral Areas Commissioner on the current review of District Electoral Areas (DEAs) which will be used in future local government elections across NI. The Commissioner has already published his recommendations which look at the make up and naming of electoral areas for the new 11 Councils, or Local Government District areas as they are formally known.

These proposed DEAs represent the key building blocks for future local government elections and not only take into account the reduction in Councils themselves but the resulting reduction in wards across NI from 582-462. Among other things the provisional recommendations will consider whether DEAs will be made up of 5, 6 or 7 wards as per the legislation. As each ward effectively (albeit indirectly) represents a seat on Council this represents an important piece of work which is likely to interest both political parties and the electorate.

As well as organising and managing the planned 9 public inquiries taking place across the province during August and September, we are supporting the Commissioner on his media relations throughout the review.

SENTINUS Vs POTUS

Clashing directly with the recent G8, President Obama's visit to the Waterfront Hall,  and the associated (and over-hyped) traffic chaos in Belfast city centre, is the type of nightmare scenario that would give most event organisers sleepless nights. Yet despite this, hundreds of young innovators and their teachers from across Northern Ireland still attended NI’s Largest Science Fair – the Sentinus Young Innovators Exhibition –at the nearby Odyssey Arena. 

While Obama was eloquently suggesting that NI's future lay in the hands of the younger generation within the Waterfront Hall (and by association, not those of our comparatively ageing politicians, media and business leaders that also managed to snaffle a ticket), the Odyssey was meanwhile bursting with the very thing he must have had in mind.

As exemplars of what is required to drive forward a strong knowledge based economy in Northern Ireland, these young primary and secondary school students(and their excellent teachers) were at the Odyssey from early on - with their innovations and experiments in tow. Keen to avoid the expected traffic problems and with many travelling long distances from all parts of Northern Ireland they were not going to be deterred by the presence of Presidents or Prime Ministers. They have a passion for Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) and were determined to showcase their excellent innovations. It was also an opportunity to meet and learn from fellow innovators from all traditions and to test themselves against their peers.

While it was a hugely successful event with many remarkable inventions and innovations on display, unfortunately not all the news was good on the day.  Sentinus Chairman, Jim Stewart took the opportunity to express serious concerns about the current statutory curriculum commitment to STEM subjects in Northern Ireland. Speaking at the event he said;

“The presence of the G8 countries here today brings into sharp focus the economic standards that NI must aspire to and that is particularly apparent in their commitment to the promotion of Science Technology, Engineering and Maths subjects in their schools.  Within Northern Ireland we have unfortunately been falling behind in this global race and the current curriculum commitment to the delivery of STEM subjects in our schools fall far short of what is needed to compete with the strongest economies in the world. In many primary schools STEM subjects are barely given lip service while in secondary schools there is no requirement for students to take STEM subjects, with the exception of maths, at GCSE level. If we are to compete with the best in the world we must inspire and enthuse more young people, like those attending the Young Innovators Event today, to see the importance of STEM subjects. Our concern is that we are barely able to meet the needs of current employers seeking such skills and if we are serious about becoming a strong knowledge economy, it is imperative that we act now and prioritise STEM on our school curriculum.”

With G8 mania behind us, this is a challenge that our politicians and leaders would do well to tackle. Developing a knowledge based economy is recognised as a critical part of our future economic aspirations and instilling an interest and passion for STEM subjects in our young people is a fundamental building block. Some have said that Northern Ireland has always had an innovation gene - but even accepting that was the case,  it would appear that we need to rediscover it and to ensure it is embedded in our young people's DNA.    

Business Editor at the Belfast Telegraph, David Elliot  picked up on this point in a recent editorial where he said; "That news needs more urgent attention than anything which came out of G8 and should be the big take away from everything which has gone on this week."  

Hopefully these words and those of Jim Stewart will not be lost in the G8 afterglow.

Stepping Out for Walk to School Week

For over four years we have been working with Travelwise NI, the sustainable transport team within the Department for Regional Development, to promote Walk to School Week. We are delighted to announce that once again the initiative, which took place from 20^th to 25^th May, was a huge success with thousands of children from across Northern Ireland choosing to make the daily journey to school on foot.

Getting children out of cars and onto their feet is the driving force behind the initiative, which aims to encourage school children to adopt sustainable travel behaviour habits and experience the health, environmental, social and financial benefits of walking.

To encourage children, parents and teachers to get involved, we teamed up with Paralympic gold medallist, Michael McKillop. At the 2012 London Paralympics, Michael was awarded the prestigious Whang Youn Dai Achievement Award in recognition of his work with the youth of Northern Ireland in promoting healthy living and paralympic sport. Michael was a real inspiration to the children by helping them to consider the benefits of walking –the perfect choice for the 2013 Walk to School Week ambassador!

The launch event at the Ballymoney Footbridge in Co. Antrim was a real highlight when Transport Minister, Danny Kennedy, Michael McKillop and pupils from four schools in the Ballymoney area came together to mark the official start of Walk to School Week 2013. Throughout the week thousands of pupils also engaged in fun-filled classroom activities that helped to raise the importance of making smart travel decisions. 

The key aim of the campaign was to help reverse the trend for children to travel to school by car and we are delighted that so many schools took part in this exciting event!

Top chefs, rugby players, chicken wings and a celebrity bake off...it could only be Balmoral Show 2013!

The Morrows team were out in force for the eagerly anticipated Balmoral Show 2013 at the new Balmoral Park – and the most important event in Northern Ireland’s farming calendar certainly didn’t disappoint!

We enthusiastically donned our wellies to work alongside our agri-food clients over the three days of the Show. Here are some of our best bits...

Winging it with Moy Park...we worked with Moy Park to bring a huge two storey stand (with stairs...it will be an escalator next year) to the NI Food Pavilion. Visitors’ taste buds were tickled with a range of delicious hot and spicy chicken wings and succulent breaded chicken goujons which were sampled on stand. Moy Park’s Group Executive Chef, Aaron Dixon, was on hand during the Show and hosted a series of cookery demonstrations on the Moy Park stand to show visitors how to make a selection of mouth-watering chicken dishes – we have no excuses now!

Ready Steady Bake! What could be better than an Olympic legend, three rugby stars and mountains of cupcakes? We worked with Dale Farm to deliver a celebrity bake off – which pitted Dame Mary Peters against Ulster Rugby’s Paddy McAllistair, Roger Wilson and Adam Macklin to see who would produce the most perfectly decorated cupcake! True to form Dame Mary Peters emerged victorious to rapturous applause in the marquee.

We also partnered with James Street South’s head chef Niall McKenna, who offered daily Masterclasses on the Dale Farm stand to educate show-goers in the art of home baking – using the finest Dale Farm products of course!

Our Ainsley...The Asda marquee was the place to be with new and exciting products being sampled by Asda’s top suppliers across the three days. Celebrity chef Ainsley Harriott was also on hand to entertain the crowds on the stand - serving up delicious dishes alongside Asda’s expert chef – as well as choosing the winner of the Farming Life ‘Farmer’s Little Helper’ competition for 2013.

Bagel Boom! Irwin’s Bakery delighted the crowds with its new range of pre sliced bagels...available in cinnamon and raison, plain and brown – the hungry crowds couldn’t get enough of them and we even found some apprentice bakers!

These are only a few of our highlights from Balmoral Show 2013! It was a fantastic event and we even got some sunshine - roll on Balmoral Show 2014!

George Storms the Catwalk at Belfast Fashionweek!

We love it when a plan comes together..especially when it involves gorgeous clothes, models and the opening night of West Coast Cooler Belfast Fashionweek. Having worked with George at Asda over the past three seasons of Fashionweek - we took our partnership to a whole new level this year, helping the team put together its first standalone show.

It was a real privilege to work with the George House and Asda House team, as well as the event organisers at CMPR, on this project -  and we loved sharing in the passion and excitement (as well as the many weeks of planning, hard work and perspiration) that went in to making the show come to life.

During the pre-show build up we had the chance to meet with three of George's most influential and inspiring colleagues - Helen Low,  Helen Connolly and Jo Whitfield - and had the pleasure of introducing the ladies to some of Belfast's leading fashion journalists and bloggers.

Braving the arctic conditions on Thursday night, we made it to the gorgeous Ulster Museum for the main event. It was fantastic to take in the eager faces of fashionistas and bloggers in the audience, and hear the excited murmurs from the crowd as the models showcased the best of George's Spring Summer and High Summer looks. It might have been cold outside... but it was definitely hot on the George catwalk!!

George Spring Summer 2013

George Spring Summer 2013

George Spring Summer 2013

Seona and Kelly from Morrows 

Morrows Events Team on top of their game at Croke Park.

Morrows event team successfully delivered InterTradeIreland’s Venture Capital Conference entitled “securing investment in 2013” at Croke Park in Dublin.  Now in its 12th year the event is the only venture capital conference in Ireland and is designed to facilitate networking between Ireland’s leading venture capitalists, business angels and start up companies seeking funding.

Over 300 delegates from across Ireland attended the conference which was hosted by former RTÉ presenter and Storyful founder Mark Little and formally opened by Minister Seán Sherlock TD. Speakers also included Paul Adams, Global Head of Brand Design at Facebook (pictured), Johnny Walker, founder of Global Diagnostics and Thomas Davis, Head of Investment at Seedrs. Delegates also heard from active venture fund panellists and the experience of companies that have been through the angel funding process.

Morrows 'Digest' Latest Food Costs Report

 With 9 out of 10 consumers indicating that the rising cost of their grocery shopping is a cause of major concern, it’s vital that the local agri-food and retail sectors are fully up to speed with the latest research from the Consumer Council for NI.

Representing our clients from across these sectors, Claire Bonner battled the snow and ice at Stormont to attend the launch of the Consumer Council’s ‘Hard to Stomach’ report which investigates the real impact of rising food costs on local people.

The report’s findings are hard to ignore, with 82% of consumers claiming food price increases have dramatically changed the way they shop, cook and eat.  Recommendations include clarity around pricing policies and promotion, discounting of healthier options and better engagement overall. There’s no doubt the ‘Hard to Stomach’ report (www.consumercouncil.org.uk/publications) is a useful barometer for those involved in the production, processing and retailing of foods today.

Helping to make Belfast a Brighter Place!

The Morrows events team recently delivered the Brighter Belfast Environmental Awards and Belfast in Bloom Awards on behalf of Belfast City Council in a glittering gala ceremony for 120 guests.

Now in their sixth year, the environmental awards reward those who are working to improve their local environment and contribute to creating a brighter, cleaner and greener city whilst Belfast in Bloom recognises local residents and community groups who help to improve the visual appearance of our city.

In total 18 awards were presented including Best Hanging Basket, Best Window Box Display, Best Community Group and the prestigious Isobel Bennet Memorial Award as well as Litter Heroes, Business and the Community Together and Education for Change Award.

Local comedian William Caulfield hosted the event within City Hall and entertainment was provided by Swingabella, a 1940s trio performing Andrews Sisters tunes who had the audience on their feet! A fantastic evening that brightened up a cold, wet January evening! 

Previous 'Propellers' Explain the benefits of the Invest NI Propel Programme

We have just completed a short video to showcase the benefits of the Invest Northern Ireland Propel Programme and hear directly from a number of previous participants on why they would recommend it to would be entrepreneurs with innovative ideas that have export potential. The deadline for applications for the 2013 intake is 22nd January and you can find out more at www.propelprogramme.com

Peace be with you – PEACE III Programme is on the Morrows agenda

Morrows events and production teams have recently won two separate contracts under the PEACE III programme – Investing in Our Future Good Relations programme for the Southern Partnership and the North West Partnership PEACE III Legacy Celebration project. 

Investing in Our Future Programme is an engagement programme aimed at community groups celebrating good relations activities across the Southern Cluster area which includes Armagh, Banbridge, Newry & Mourne, Craigavon, and Counties Monaghan & Louth.  The programme will deliver 15 regional events and a closing Good Relations conference in September 2013.

The NW Partnership Legacy project aims to consolidate and celebrate the excellent work and projects that have been delivered through the Peace III programme in the Derry/Londonderry, Strabane, Omagh and Donegal areas. The project will consist of an online exhibition with photo galleries, video libraries, project library and vox pops from project participants; additionally a brochure will be developed capturing a flavour of the 26 projects from the programme; and a series of celebration events will take place between May – June 2013. 

Morrows are delighted to have the opportunity to work on these projects and hope that they bring about a long and PEACEful partnership!

Ruby Rouge Ball in aid of Lauralynn Children’s Hospice

The Morrow Communications team was out in force to lend our support to a recent charity event in aid of the LauraLynn Children’s Hospice.

The Ruby Rouge Ball in loving memory of baby Victoria Thompson,was held at the Belfast Cabaret Supper Club at the end of November.  The event was a fantastic success, raising over £12,000 for the charity.

Morrow’s Director, Moya Neeson took a hands on approach, helping to organise the event.  She was ably assisted by a number of Morrow's staff including Events Director Jane Watson. The event was a huge success and a fitting tribute- truly a night of mixed emotions.

There's nothing like a Dame !

As part of our 'Morrows Masterclass' Series we were delighted to welcome Dame Mary Peters to our offices to speak to us about her journey of success. The masterclasses are designed to motivate, inspire, engage and challenge our thinking on how we do business - and Dame Mary certainly achieved that.

Dame Mary, or 'Mary P' to her friends, recounted her fascinating story from her early childhood through to her role in the recent London Olympics and peppered it with interesting insights into her experience of competing, winning, teamwork and personal development.

As Lord Lieutenant of Belfast and the official representative of the Queen, you can see why she makes the perfect Ambassador for Northern Ireland, for sport generally and for wider humanity. Despite her amazing success and profile she remains very humble and grounded and impressively left the room full of infectious positive energy.

Perhaps not surprisingly, her focus and determination to succeed are as strong as ever, now channelling her energy into her charity, the excellent Mary Peters Trust. They are supporting the next generation of sporting stars from Northern Ireland and helping them to achieve excellence in their chosen sport. We have had the pleasure of working with Mary through a number of our clients including Dale Farm and Asda and can vouch for the great work that she and the Trust does. With her help, there is no doubt we will have more local champions to cheer on in the sporting arenas around the world.

Morrow Events team 'Up their Game' with InterTradeIreland

The events team at Morrows have just completed a series of three cross-border Meet the Buyer events hosted by InterTradeIreland which took place in Athlone, Cookstown and most recently in Kilkenny. Other partners involved in the event were Central Procurement Directorate, National Procurement Service, Enterprise Ireland, Strategic Investment Board and Invest Northern Ireland.

The “Upping Your Game – Meet the Buyer” events programme gives SMEs from across Ireland the opportunity to meet with procurement managers from public sector bodies, North and South and help overcome barriers to winning public sector contracts and inform SMEs of boosting their capability in doing so. The parallel session programme also gave SMEs a chance to boost their tendering knowledge with workshops on ‘Refining Your Pitch’, Procurement Clinic’, and ‘Sourcing Low Value Tenders’ among others.

Morrow events team – Jane, Karen and Nicola worked together in co-ordinating stands for over 50 Buyers and managing over 1200 delegates in total over the series! Kilkenny was the most successful event so far with over 450 supplier companies attending on the day, which made the 3 ½ hour drive worth it!

Check out the Meet The Buyer highlights video below which Morrows AV team produced from the Cookstown event in September and watch this space for more Meet the Buyer events in 2013!

 

Boys' Model are 'Rocking All Over the World'

Secret rockers in Morrows relived their misspent youth recently in the presence of rock legend and former drummer of Status Quo, Jeff Rich who shared the secrets of his success during a music masterclass with students from Boys’ Model School, Belfast. We have just started working with the North Belfast School to help it effectively communicate its successes,  state of the art facilities and community engagements to key stakeholders and media. 

The world-famous musician treated pupils to a creative tutorial offering a first-hand insight into the opportunities and challenges of the music industry. On the day, students discovered the history of drumming and listened to Jeff’s path of success, from playing in bands at school to recording with chart-topping artists including Def Leppard and Status Quo. After an exclusive performance from Jeff, Boys’ Model students got the chance to put their skills to the test by performing a mass percussion piece with the drummer.   You can see Jeff in action in the UTV news piece below.

And the Oscar is awarded to..

Belfast Media Festival 2012 -Northern Ireland: Open for Business

For the third year running, Morrows were delighted to manage the Belfast Media Festival, a prestigious event for the creative industries in Northern Ireland. Held over two days at the BBC Blackstaff Studios in Belfast, the aim of the Festival was to encourage debate, thinking and collaboration amongst companies involved in one of the fastest growing and most important sectors to the Northern Ireland economy.

Delegates representing broadcasting, music and the digital industries heard from a host of keynote speakers including Gerd Leonhard, a futurist who discussed how the broadcasting landscape and technology could change over the next five years; Peter Salmon, Director BBC North and Laura Mackie, Director of Drama for ITV who is responsible for many successful productions for the channel including Coronation Street, Emmerdale, Monroe and of course the worldwide phenomenon Downton Abbey.

As well as keynote speakers, delegates could tailor make their own agenda by attending workshops focusing on a diverse range of topics including Business Opportunities in the Chinese Market; Sell it! a pitching masterclass; Getting Games into Bed with TV, which examined the role broadcasters can play in the continually growing gaming industry and Journalism and Ethics, a though provoking session which discussed the role of the newspaper industry following the Leveson inquiry.

The festival was drawn to a close with an inspiring and insightful interview with Northern Ireland’s very own Oscar winner Terry George, who, together with his daughter Oorlagh won the Academy Award for the Live Action Short Film Category for The Shore earlier this year. Terry also wrote, directed and produced Hotel Rwanda which was nominated for three Academy Awards, In the Name of the Father and Whole Lotta Sole.

Video highlights, including the interview with Terry George are available to view online at www.belfastmediafestival.co.uk

Sam Neill Uncorked !

We truly went from Holywood to Hollywood this week when Kieran Donnelly had the great pleasure of meeting acting legend Sam Neill at the launch of his own Two Paddocks wine in Bureau by the Lough  in Whiteabbey, Co Antrim. 'Mein hosts' were Damien and Dana Curran who treated guests to a wonderful tasting lunch, complemented by two fantastic Pinot Noir wines from Sam's artisan winery in the Central Otago region of New Zealand. Bureau by the Lough Bar and Restaurant as well as sister company The Light House Wine Store are among a select number of independent NI outlets chosen to stock the award winning wines.

The special tasting was attended by wine enthusiasts, film buffs and media alike who were treated to stories about Sam's successful acting career as well his clear passion for wine. Answering questions from guests Kieran asked him about his latest role in a new BBC drama - Peaky Blinders- due to be aired in 2013. Sam plays a tough Northern Ireland policeman tackling gang crime in post WW1 Birmingham and has had to relearn the accent from his early childhood spent in Omagh and Armagh. Leaving these shores for New Zealand at the age of 7 he has enlisted the help of our very own James Nesbitt and Liam Neeson to help him perfect the accent.You can hear a short clip here on audioboo as he recounts the story and gives us a sample of the accent. (Apologies for the quality, but it works ok if you play it loud or with earphones !)

listen to ‘Sam Neill @ Bureau by the Lough, Whiteabbey, NI’ on Audioboo

A Brush with Fame...

From Dan Akroyd...to Basil Brush. Yep, we really know to mix with the A-listers at Morrows!

Seona, Kelly and our new intern Portia showed their 'foxy' side yesterday, mingling with the Grand Opera House's Panto stars for 2012 - including Mr. Brush himself.

Sponsoring NI's favourite pantomime for the second year running, our client Dale Farm is gearing up for the Cinderella extravaganza which opens to the public on 8th December...and we can't wait for the 'Dairytale' to begin!

Boom Boom!



Mixology meets Mythology at the Crystal Head Vodka Launch

It's not too often that you get to work with a hollywood legend, but that's exactly what we got the chance to do when we helped local sales and distribution company LMI Drinks (part of the LMI Food Group) to launch Dan Aykroyd 's premium vodka, Crystal Head.

OK, so the man himself wasn't able to attend the Belfast launch at Love&Death INC, but more than 50 of Northern Ireland's top mixologists did. Each got the chance to sample Crystal Head, to learn a little bit more about the story behind the brand and to take home a few new cocktails ideas!

Crystal Head is steeped in myth and mystery. Legend has it that 13 crystal heads were unearthed in regions from all over the world, including the southwest of America and Tibet. Dated as between 5,000 and 35,000 years old, many believe that the skulls were polished into shape from solid quartz chunks over several hundreds of years, and that each head offers spiritual power and enlightenment to those that possess them!

The launch night was a tremendous success and although there were a few sore heads the next day (of course we had to try the product!!) the team from LMI Drinks were delighted with how the night turned out.

We have been working with the LMI group for a number of months now, and very much look forward to helping the team to grow its profile in Northern Ireland and to working with its ever expanding portfolio of brands.

Cameron Stands in the Footprint of Titanic

No...not the Prime Minister, but none other than multi-oscar winning Director James Cameron who visited Northern Ireland recently to launch his Titanic 3D remake. Calling it the highlight of his visit he and Producer Jon Landau visited the last standing place of the Titanic, the Titanic Dock and Pumphouse, in the Northern Ireland Science Park - the very place where Titanic last stood on the eve of her first and last voyage in April 1912.

During the tour which was hosted by Mervyn Watley, Director of Corporate Real Estate and Facilities at the Northern Ireland Science Park and Tour Guide Colin Cobb he said it evoked strong memories of his trips to the ocean bed where the ill-fated liner now lies. He was impressed by the sheer size and authentic nature of the visitor attraction including the dry dock and the original steel dock gate, which itself is over 100 years old and built in the same way as the hull of the Titanic itself.

For anyone who hasn't yet visited the site or stood down in the dock you should make it a priority. Alongside a visit to the Titanic Belfast building, it offers the authentic heritage of the period and immediately presents you with the size and scale of engineering brilliance that Belfast was once synonymous with. Sitting as it does alongside the modern innovation of the Northern Ireland Science Park which plays host to a range of engineering sectors from the modern era, the juxtaposition reminds us that NI's innovation gene is alive and well.