Rotary Club Film night brings Spectre to Waterford

The Rotary Club of Waterford is proud to present a special ‘Premiere Sequel’ screening of the latest Bond movie ‘Spectre’.

This charity evening takes place at Waterford Omniplex (former Regina) on Patrick Street on Tuesday October 27^th at 8pm.

Spectre

A cryptic message from Bond's past sends him on a trail to uncover a sinister organization. While M battles political forces to keep the secret service alive, Bond peels back the layers of deceit to reveal the terrible truth behind SPECTRE.

Nora Widger, President of the Rotary Club of Waterford is looking forward to the event, “We at Waterford Rotary are delighted to return with another film night, and what a film! The Bond series is always exciting and popular and we expect a large number attending this eagerly anticipated film night.”

The Rotary Club of Waterford raised approximately €30,000 for charities in 2014, including local charities such as Waterford Hospice. Waterford Rotary Club is best known locally for the annual Memorial Christmas Tree in John Roberts Square. 

Tickets cost €25 (all of which goes to charity) and can be purchased Nolke Opticians Ardkeen or David M Breen & Co, Wallace House, Waterford.

Free Dementia Care Workshops for Waterford Families during World Alzheimer’s Month

September marks the fourth global World Alzheimer’s Month, an international campaign to raise awareness about Alzheimer’s and dementia.  

Home Instead Senior Care will run a series of free workshops for Waterford’s family carers to support them in taking care of loved ones with Alzheimer’s or dementia.

The two hour workshops take place from 7pm to 9pm in Dooley’s Hotel, The Quay, Waterford on Monday, September 21^st and in The Park Hotel, Dungarvan, on Tuesday, September 22^nd.

Family carers from the local community are invited to attend the workshops and learn practical caregiving techniques to support them in their role of family carer. Caregiving techniques will include:

· Suggested approaches when helping with personal care activities

· Understanding behavioural symptoms, and care approaches to help minimise actions

· Learning how to starting conversations for effective communication

· Recognising ways to prevent behavioural symptoms in the future

· Discovering ways to care for yourself so that you can remain a

  successful family carer

Danette Connolly, Director of Care at Home Instead Senior Care Waterford said, “These workshops are of huge benefit and comfort to anyone who is caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s or dementia.  It is very easy to become isolated and overwhelmed by the task of every day caregiving.  These workshops will help them feel less alone and learn about the supports that can make caregiving easier.”

Though research continues, there is currently no cure for Alzheimer’s disease. But until there is a cure, there is care. This workshop is specially designed for family carers and offers a personal approach to help families care for seniors with Alzheimer’s disease at home. 60-70% of people with dementia in Ireland currently live at home in the community and rely on family carers.

Danette added, “Until there is a cure, we offer an interim solution.  The purpose of the family carer workshops is to support caregivers when it comes to understanding dementias and providing care at home for a loved one.”

The family carer training workshops take place from 7pm to 9pm in Dooley’s Hotel, The Quay, Waterford on Monday, September 21^st and from 7pm to 9pm in The Park Hotel, Dungarvan, Co. Waterford, on Tuesday, September 22^nd.

Places are free, though early booking is advised.  For further information call Waterford Home Instead Senior Care 051 333960 or 058 75298.  Alternatively email waterford@hiscwaterford.ie

Rapid Cabs new App - creating a high-tech taxi service

Waterford City’s Rapid Cabs  invests €200,000 this year on making its taxi service the most high tech outside Dublin.

Safety and security has always been paramount to Rapid Cabs, but now its new Rapid Cabs ‘Hotel Booker’ is the most modern, safest and smartest way to book a taxi in a hotel in Waterford.

Visitors to Waterford simply click to book a taxi, enter their name and telephone number and watch the taxi being dispatched and arriving at the hotel. The Rapid Cabs hotel taxi booker has six different languages to choose from including Spanish, French, Portuguese and Russian.

For locals the service is just as impressive, the new Rapid Cabs App is the most secure way to book a taxi with just two clicks. The app will show an image of the driver along with their name of the driver, registration of the taxi, the car make and model and the even the colour of the car.

The app gives customers an estimated time of arrival and cost of the fare, as well as the capacity to track the taxi and pay securely via debit or credit card. Booking notifications and emailed receipts are also standard, if required.

Rapid Cabs CEO Eric O’Brien, explains the importance of these advances, “Rapid Cabs are dominant in the taxi market in Waterford already, but in our business a reputation for safety and security is so important. We cannot take anything for granted, we need to push ourselves to invest and increase the level of service to our customers in order to stay at the top of our game. These investments and advancements are also required and expected in the corporate world, an area which we hope to grow in the next year or two.”

Rapid Cabs is a family run business located in Waterford City. Established in 2000 with only five taxis, it now has the largest range of taxis in the south east of Ireland, including taxis, hackneys, people carriers, wheelchair taxis and a large range of coaches.

All drivers are fully vetted by Garda and fully insured and licensed. Open and accessible 24 hours a day 365 days a year, Rapid Cabs has a fully computerised booking dispatch system from its local taxi call centre and has installed in-car computers in all of its taxis to ensure as such efficiency as possible.

The new App is available free on Apple and Android.

Whitfield Clinic receives ISO 9001

Mr. David Beirne, CEO of Whitfield Clinic being presented with the ISO 9001:2008 certificate for Cleaning Services at Whitfield Clinic by Mr. John O Carroll, Managing Director of Zehnacker Healthcare Ireland.

This award represents Whitfield Clinic’s commitment to total quality management; a continually improving process approach implemented throughout the hospital. Critical cleaning processes and their interactions are understood and documented, with a strong organisational commitment to all the facets of the ISO 9001 Quality Management Systems. The quality management system is verified by the National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) with the aim of improving the quality, the design, the performance and the safety of the Cleaning Services at Whitfield Clinic.

Whitfield CEO David Beirne emphasises the importance of this award, “Hygiene standards are a vital component of the service we provide. This award provides an independent recognition of the standards we demand internally. It recognises the measures our clinical team put in place, and the efforts of our staff and partners to implement these measures. We are all very proud to receive this recognition.”

One stop shop event for small businesses in South East region launched by Minister Bruton

Taking Care of Business  - informing existing and potential entrepreneurs of the Government supports available to them

REGISTER NOW: Thursday 30th April in The Tower Hotel, Waterford at 8.30am to 1.30pm www.takingcareofbusiness.ie

· Event will allow small business owners to learn about financial supports and assistance available

· Get advice from a diverse mix of Government Agencies

The Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton, T.D together with the Minister for Housing, Planning and Coordination of Construction 2020 Strategy, Paudie Coffey, T.D., launched Taking Care of Business – a one-stop-shop event for existing and potential entrepreneurs in the South East region.

This free event will take place on Thursday 30th April in the Tower Hotel, Waterford from 8.30am to 1.30pm.

The half-day event is specifically targeted at people thinking of starting a business, as well as small business owners and managers. Attending the event will allow entrepreneurs to:

· Better understand the key regulations that affect them so that they can focus on the main task of running their business;

· Meet experts from a broad range of public bodies in an informal setting;

· Find out about advice and supports that are available from across the public sector.

This joint initiative of the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation and the Health and Safety Authority, as part of the Action Plan for Jobs, will bring together over 26 State bodies in one location and builds on previous events in Dublin in 2013 and 2014. Earlier in 2014, three regional events were held in Cork, Limerick and Galway, bringing the total attendance at TCOB events to date to just over 1,750.

Minister Bruton said: “‘Taking Care of Business’ is part of a wider effort to communicate better with business and promote awareness and understanding of the full range of Government supports that are available for the SME sector. Two thirds of all new jobs come from start-up businesses in the first five years of their existence, so it is essential for Government to support new businesses in order to grow employment and that is what we have being doing through the Action Plan for Jobs process.

“This will also be a great opportunity for people to ask questions and raise individual concerns face-to-face with staff from across the public sector. The Government is committed to engaging with the small business community and this event will help SMEs to better understand the regulatory environment. I would strongly encourage anyone with a business or thinking of setting up a business to come along to get free information about state supports”.

Minister Nash, who will attend the event on April 30th, said: “As the minister with responsibility for SMEs, I would encourage businesses from across the South-East, but particularly start-ups or people thinking of making the leap to start their own business to attend this event. Government has a range of supports available to help SMEs make their business a success and the Taking Care of Business event is a great way for busy people to get all the information they might need from our agencies in one spot.”

The State offices and agencies represented will provide information across a wide range of areas, including:

· Tax, employment and Health & Safety obligations;

· Legal requirements for setting up and running a business;

· Requirements in areas such as food and environmental safety;

· Advice on government procurement and intellectual property;

· Assistance and supports from enterprise agencies and Local Authorities.

There will be two separate strands running concurrently with presentations from State bodies in one area and information stands manned by staff from these bodies in a separate area. The concise presentations will focus on key regulatory requirements as well as assistance available to help entrepreneurs develop their businesses. Experts will be available at the information stands to speak directly to attendees and answer questions throughout the event.

Speaking at the launch, Minister Coffey said: “This event will allow small business owners to informally ask questions and get advice from a diverse mix of government agencies; Ireland needs small businesses to thrive and so I welcome efforts such as this to demystify government regulation and tell people about the supports available to them.”

It is essential for SMEs to make the most of the advice and supports available to them so I encourage entrepreneurs and those thinking of starting a business to capitalise on this chance to hear from a wide variety of agencies, in one location”.

The Minister for Housing, Planning and Coordination of Construction 2020 Strategy, Paudie Coffey, T.D., will give the keynote address. Clare Hughes, Managing Director of CF Pharma Ltd, will Chair the first set of presentations. Dermot Walsh, Director, M & D Bakery Ltd and Louise Grubb, CEO Q1 Scientific will chair the remaining two sessions. Minister for Employment and Business, Ged Nash T.D., will close the event.

To register for the event and for more details including the running order of presentations and the full list of State Bodies attending, please visit www.takingcareofbusiness.ie. Early booking is strongly advised as there are a limited number of places available.

Family carer and senior citizen guidebook-free resource for family and older people.

More than 50,000 people in Ireland are caregivers for elder parents and relatives, almost one third of the adult population. The caregiving role can be rewarding but it’s also one of high stress, low recognition and family strain.

It is always essential that people make informed decisions when it involves care for their loved ones and also paramount that carers look after themselves so as to continue with their caring role. The Family Carer and Senior Citizen Guidebook brings together practical advice and information to encourage and support these men and women who give so much for their ageing loved ones.

“Being a caregiver can be physically and emotionally exhausting. Caregivers often feel overwhelmed by the work and the demands of those receiving their care. Over time caregivers pay a high emotional, physical, social and financial price for caring and giving.”

“The Family Carer and Senior Citizen Guidebook is a support to caregivers and encourages them in their labour of love” says Danette Connolly, Director of Care at Home Instead Senior Care, Waterford.

Produced by Home Instead Senior Care with the support of Age Action, Nursing Homes Ireland and Age and Opportunity the guidebook provides a comprehensive overview of ageing issues and supports available in Ireland including: Allowances and Entitlements, Financial Advice, Legal Information, Community Support and Care Options.

The information and advice available is for family carers and older people making it easier to navigate the caring and ageing terrain in Ireland. The guidebook also contains real life stories and case studies from people who age “ successfully “- these are people who are prepared for their senior years or have cared for ageing loved ones and taken steps to safeguard their health, safety, social and family needs.

“While ageing and caring for loved ones may present many challenges, it presents an opportunity to continue to live a happy, healthy and independent life. We encourage older people and family carers alike to take the time to read the guidebook and stop, think and plan for the future and think about what is necessary to age successfully” advises Danette.

Your free copy of the Family Carer and Senior Citizen Guidebook is available from local G.P.’s and pharmacies or why not come along and collect it from the Home Instead information stand at Dungarvan Shopping Centre on Friday March 27th where the Home Instead team will be available to answer any questions you may have on the carer’s role or ageing successfully.

For more information on our homecare options or to arrange a FREE Care Consultation call 058 75298 or visit www. homeinstead.ie  

Internationally renowned Chef back on home turf!

At the age of 21 newly qualified chef Adrian O’ Herlihy graduated from Dublin College of Catering in Cathal Brugha Street, armed with a freshly pressed set of whites and a toque ready to take on the culinary world.

In a highly impressive career spanning thirty three years and nearly as many countries O’ Herlihy has returned home to Ireland.  You could be forgiven for asking why an award-winning Executive Chef who has worked in the most prestigious hotels and restaurants in the world, including the Sheraton Hotel in Addis Ababa and the Park Plaza Beijing is returning to Ireland.

According to O’ Herlihy Ireland is experiencing a resurgent food movement and he is looking forward to being part of it. “The Ireland I left behind in 1982 is very different from the Ireland of today.  The food and hospitality sector is rightfully reclaiming its place as one of the world’s leading food tourism destinations.”

“It’s an exciting time for Irish chefs and for the Irish hospitality sector, in general.  The economy is on the up, VAT is stable at a favourable 9% and the investment in great chefs, great suppliers and great producers is creating a food tourism economy that’s the envy of many countries.”

On March 19^th, Adrian will also showcase indigenous producers to a small gathering at Bellissimo. The Waterford restaurant, under the helm of renowned Head Chef Paul Power, has been championing local producers for almost 15 years.

According to Tony McMahon, proprietor of Bellissimo Restaurant the idea came about when he met Adrian on his return to Ireland. “From the outset it was obvious that we both shared the same vision and passion about good food.  There is a growing movement in Waterford of people passionate about promoting a great dining experience.  Many restaurants and hotels in the city are working in tandem, to create a quality, enjoyable and accessible dining culture.”

“By having someone of Adrian’s exceptional calibre, who brings a myriad of international experience, working alongside local producers is energizing and will certainly put the spotlight on the wonderful array of raw materials and resources that Waterford has to offer.”

Adrian will merge the characteristic styles of African, Asian and Eastern cooking with local ingredients from local producers.

Hailing from Tallow, Co. Waterford O’ Herlihy is no stranger to plaudits.  Following graduation from Dublin College of Catering, his career began its stellar trajectory and he has worked in the U.S.A, U.K., Germany, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, China, Africa and Japan. He has cooked for Royalty, Presidents, Heads of State, international diplomats, celebrities and has received personal commendations from many including Her Majesty Queen Sirikit and HSH Prince Bisadej of Thailand.  He also cooked for President Michael D. Higgins on his working visit to Africa last November.

For more about Bellissimo Restaurant check out www.bellissimo-waterford.com or visit www.adrianwohelihy.com to find out more about Adrian’s international career.

Whitfield Clinic partners with major health insurers

Mr. David Beirne, CEO Whitfield Clinic

If a venue in the South East stated it had 25,000 through its doors in 2014 you’d be forgiven for thinking it was a tourist attraction. However, this figure represents the number of patients that attended a private and independent hospital in Waterford.

These patients attended Whitfield Clinic for elective procedures, thus avoiding the main stream system, availing of their health insurance and proactively choosing Whitfield. 

This volume of elective work places Whitfield as a major player in healthcare in the South East of Ireland.

Whitfield Clinic, Waterford’s private healthcare facility, now partners with all the major health insurance companies, in order to provide the best level of health care to its patients.

Commenting on the partnership with the main health insurance providers, Mr. David Beirne, CEO, Whitfield Clinic, said, “Since Whitfield Clinic opened in 2006 we have strived to provide the best level of private patient care in the South East region. This standard of quality is endorsed by our CHKS accreditation and ISO 9001:2008 certification. We are the first private hospital in Ireland to achieve this prestigious dual award; it is something we are very proud of.  Our services are growing rapidly and along with 60 consultants, a further 300 medical, surgical and administrative professionals are employed here.”

Whitfield Clinic provides 40 private beds, a 24 bed day surgery unit, four operating theatres, an endoscopy suite and an oncology day ward.  Private health insurance customers can avail of the extensive range of services, all available to view on www.whitfieldclinic.ie.

Mr. Beirne added, “By partnering with the main insurance companies, VHI, Laya, Aviva and GLOHealth, anybody that has private health insurance can benefit from Whitfield’s resources to ensure their hospital experience is as comfortable as possible.”

“As all procedures carried out at Whitfield are elective, this reduces the waiting time to as little as one week for most procedures and an average inpatient stay of two or three nights.”

“Patients get invaluable peace of mind knowing exactly when they will be seen and when their procedure will be undertaken.  More often than not, it is this uncertainty that causes undue stress and anxiety to anyone who is unwell. That’s why by choosing Whitfield that uncertainty is alleviated.”

Whitfield Clinic also provides a wide range of diagnostic and support provisions including MRI, Ultrasound, X-Ray and CT, with almost 1,100 patients availing of these services last December alone.

To find out more about Whitfield Clinic and the Whitfield Radiotherapy and Cancer Treatment Centre, visit www.whitfieldclinic.ie or call 051 – 337400.

Top Christmas gift ideas for Waterford Grandparents

As Christmas approaches, many people struggle to find the perfect gift for grandparents and elderly loved ones. To help make gift-giving for grandparents easier, Home Instead Senior Care, Ireland's trusted source of home care for seniors, has studied over 12,000 senior requests for presents and compiled a list of the most popular items, which includes:

·        Gift certificates to restaurants, pharmacies, grocery stores or fuel cards for people who drive.

·        Vouchers for or a delivery of coal, briquettes or oil

·        Personal items such as hand and body lotions and creams

·         Blankets, robes and slippers

·        Books and magazine subscriptions

·        Crossword and puzzle books
·        Hats, mittens and gloves
·        Towels and washcloths
·        Boxed chocolates, or sweets
·        Stamps and stationery
·        Nightlights, smoke or carbon monoxide detectors
·        Bird feeders or plants.
·        Payment of an annual bill / subscription, e.g. TV, phone, broadband.

Wishing Ireland's seniors a happy Christmas, Danette Connolly, Director of Care at Home Instead Senior Care Waterford said, "At Home Instead Senior Care we encourage younger people in the community to remember their elderly loved ones during this festive season.

Giving a small gift like a box of chocolates or comfortable slippers is a simple gesture can really make senior feel loved and remembered. Of course the best gift you can give a senior is your love and time so remember to spend some time with elderly loved ones during the holiday season". 

Enterprising students have Christmas all Wrapped Up!

A Waterford City Student Enterprise Village will take place over two days in the Granville Hotel’s function room on Thursday and Friday December 11^th and 12^th from 10am to 4.30pm.

Since the start of September, 350 transition year students from Waterford City and six Youth Bank community groups have been busy setting up small businesses and creating products to sell for Christmas. They have been assisted by their teachers and Waterford Local Enterprise Office and business mentors.

Everything from crafted cakes to Christmas candles, reflective dog leads to traditional recipe books, Christmas cards and a host of other gift ideas. This array of products will be sold from the Granville Hotel’s function room on Thursday and Friday December 11^th and 12^th from 10am to 4.30pm each day.

Schools involved include De la Salle College, Abbey Community College, Waterpark College, Presentation Secondary School, Newtown Secondary School, Mercy Secondary School and Gaelcholaiste Phortlairge.

Ciaran Cullen of the Local Enterprise Office commented on the importance of the event, “The Enterprise Office continually tries to improve and evolve its services. This event is all about the students. We learned from last year’s experience and thought one event over two days might be more productive and profitable for the students. It is so important for Waterford City students to learn how to interact with customers and sell their products in a live retail environment.”

The student, schools, youth groups and Local Enterprise Office appeal to the public to visit the Student Enterprise Village, support the work they have put into their businesses and encourage their efforts.

For more information please contact your Local Enterprise Office at 32 the Mall in Waterford City. Alternatively you can email info@leo.waterfordcouncil.ie .   

Rotary remembers!

This Thursday, December 4^th, the Rotary Club of Waterford launches its 17^th annual Memorial Christmas Tree at 5.30pm at John Robert’s Square in Waterford City.

It will, as always, be a central feature in Waterford City’s Winterval Festival.

The Memorial Tree Appeal will be official launched by Her Worship the Mayor of Waterford Metropolitan District Cllr. Lola O’Sullivan.

Ann Marie Caulfield, President of the Rotary Club of Waterford said, “For 17 years the Rotary Club of Waterford Memorial Christmas Tree has been central to Christmas in Waterford. Most of us have been touched by the wonderful work Waterford Hospice does in our community. This year in particular Rotary in Waterford has had its own friends and long serving members who have passed and who we fondly remember.”

In 1998 the first Christmas Memorial Tree appeal was established by the Rotary Club of Waterford to help raise funds for the development of a 20 bed Hospice facility on the grounds of Waterford Regional Hospital. To date the initiative has raised nearly half a Million Euro towards Waterford Hospice.

As well as raising much needed funds in Waterford for the Hospice Movement, the Memorial Tree Appeal provides people with a means of remembering their loved ones in a dignified and meaningful manner. Indeed over the years the Christmas Memorial Tree Appeal has become synonymous with the celebration of Christmas in Waterford and enjoys widespread support from the public.

Home Instead advises "Keep seniors warm and safe this Winter"

Forecasters are predicting that Ireland is set for its coldest winter in years and Home Instead Senior Care is advising that preparations be made to help seniors deal with the big freeze.

With sub-zero temperatures and heavy snowfall set to grip Ireland over the next few months, Danette Connolly, Director of Care with Home Instead Waterford, says that there are some useful tips and practices that can be put in place to ensure our senior relatives, friends and neighbours stay warm, safe and cared for this winter.

“We are an ageing population with over 10% of people aged over 65 and at risk of poverty.  We have a duty of care to our ageing parents, grandparents and neighbours and by looking after their interests this winter, we can help alleviate the hardship that comes with a particularly severe winter.”

“By regularly visiting the home of a senior person, one should be able to identify the areas that can be improved.  For example, make sure the house is well stocked with the essentials, such as batteries for the smoke alarm, medicines, particularly repeat prescriptions and plenty of tinned fruit and veg and non-perishables such as pasta and rice.”

Ms. Connolly advised that encouraging our senior relatives to wear several thin layers of clothes, instead of one heavy layer and to keep all internal windows and door closed to keep heat in, will keep them warmer longer throughout the day

“It is crucial that seniors eat regular hot meals, as the body keeps warm by burning the food we eat.  Porridge is an excellent source of nutrients, it’s quick and easy to prepare and fuels the body for hours.”

Other tips include:

• De – ice pathways of snow and ice using salt or sand
• Clear pathways of wet leaves, which pose a trip hazard
• Keep all emergency / contact numbers close at hand
• Block draughts and keep curtains closed at night to retain heat
• Ensure electrical devices are unplugged at night

Ms. Connolly continued “Many older people can feel vulnerable as the evenings are much darker, colder and longer.  Please, when possible, visit your older relatives and neighbours.  Sometimes, bringing a gift such as a bale of briquettes or doing a grocery shop for them can be much more practical and useful than bringing a box of chocolates.”

This winter, if you are concerned about the welfare of a senior family relative or neighbor, visit www.homeinstead.ie or call Home Instead Senior Care on 051 333966.  Home Instead Senior Care can provide advice on the best solutions to looking after our seniors. 

Home Instead also offers an array of senior care services such as light housekeeping and laundry, meal preparation, transport and companionship, up to and including personal care, dementia care, post hospital care and disability care.

Free Alzheimer’s Training during World Alzheimer's Month

Home Instead Senior Care in Waterford is offering a unique approach to help local families manage the challenges of Alzheimer’s and other dementias, diseases that eventually rob older people of their memories and independence.

Free training for families’ caregivers is now available through three training workshops taking place on September, 17^th, 18^th and 19^th in Waterford and Dungarvan.

Though research continues, there is currently no cure for Alzheimer’s disease. But until there is a cure, there is care. This workshop is specially designed for family caregivers and offers a personal approach to help families care for seniors with Alzheimer’s disease at home. 60-70% of people with dementia in Ireland currently live at home in the community and rely on family caregivers.

“Until there is a cure, we offer an interim solution,” said Danette Connolly, Director of Care, Home Instead Senior Care, Waterford. “The purpose of the Alzheimer’s Confidence to Care Workshop is to support family caregivers when it comes to understanding dementias and providing care at home for a loved one.”

                                                                                               

The Home Instead Senior Care network assembled the top experts in Alzheimer’s disease across the globe to develop this new training and support programme for family caregivers. “The training we’re offering to families is the same kind of training our professional caregivers receive. We want to support family caregivers, help them better understand this condition and encourage them care for themselves while also caring for loved ones,” Danette noted.

The workshop for family caregivers consists of four classes: Alzheimer’s Disease or Other Dementias Overview; Capturing Life’s Journey; Techniques to Manage Behaviours; and Activities to Encourage Engagement. A free kit is available for those who are caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias. Also called Confidence to Care, the kit includes advice and resources to help families keep the home safe for a person with a dementia as well as advice on caring for the caregiver.

“Confidence to Care is a wonderful hands-on approach that helps caregivers deal with the behavioural changes that too often accompany these disorders – one of the biggest stressors for caregivers.” said Dr. Jane F. Potter, who served on the expert panel to help develop content for the Alzheimer’s Confidence to Care training workshop.

“It is our intention that this workshop is a support to the many families in our area who are being impacted each day by this devastating disease,” Danette added.

The free Confidence to Care workshops take place in Home Instead Senior Care, Cleaboy Business Park on September 17^th from 6pm to 9pm and September 19^th from 2pm to 5pm.  The Dungarvan workshop takes place on September 18^th from 2pm to 5pm at St. Joseph’s Community Hospital.

 For further information, contact your local Home Instead Senior Care office at 051 333960 or visit www.homeinstead.ie.

Local Enterprise Board networking lunches continue

Louise Grubb of Q1 Scientific

Following the success of WLRfm's Des Whelan 'Top Ten Tips on Branding’, Waterford Local Enterprise Office is looking forward to welcoming Louise Grubb to give her ‘Top Ten Tips on Business Expansion’ on Thursday, July 3^rd.

These events called ‘Top Ten lunches’ are a series of networking lunches on the theme of ‘My top ten business tips’ delivered by successful local business people and occurring once per month. Each lunch will outline the speakers’ views on a specific topic such as branding, export, retail and selling on line. 

These lunches take place in the Bistro in the Tower Hotel, Waterford from 12.30pm to 2pm. This series is also an appropriate way to introduce the new Local Enterprise Office in Waterford to local business people.

There is a considerable pool of business talent and experience in Waterford and the L.E.O. hopes to harness this expertise to inspire Waterford’s new and existing business people. 

Louise Grubb is the CEO and Founder of Q1 Scientific which was launched in 2013 to provide a world-class Environmentally Controlled storage facility servicing the Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences industries. Prior to Q1 Scientific, Louise was the Founder and Managing Director of Nutri Science Ltd, which develops nutraceuticals for the veterinary healthcare market. Nutri Science was a former winner of the Irish Exporters Award with exports throughout Europe. Louise holds honours BSc in Nutrition, a Master's Degree in Business Studies (International Marketing) and is a graduate of the Irish Marketing Institute.

Ciarán Cullen of the Local Enterprise Office in Waterford is particularly looking forward to hear Louise, “We worked with Louise a number of years ago when Nutri-science was growing and years later we also helped with the launch of Q1 Scientific. Louise is an excellent speaker and when it comes to start up businesses is always very generous with her time.”

The lunches are taking a break in August but return with Ronan Mulligan’s ’Top Ten Tips on technology in retail’ on September 18^th. 

Future speakers also include John Noonan of Flahavan’s and Grainne Walsh of Metalman Brewing.

The cost of these events is just €8.50. Booking is essential. For more information or to register your interest please contact your Local Enterprise Office in Waterford on 051-849905 or email info@leo.waterfordcouncil.ie .  

Java Republic founder to address Local Enterprise Office Free Business Start - up seminar

David McKernan of Java Republic

David McKernan, Irish entrepreneur and founder of Java Republic is to speak at a Local Enterprise Office free business start-up information seminar in the Tower hotel onWednesday May 28^th.

All the economic signs show that Ireland is emerging from the financial crisis.  This means that there has not been a better time in years to investigate starting your own business.  With this in mind the new Local Enterprise Office for Waterford has organised Fresh Start, a free business start-up information seminar for those that have left education, been made redundant or about to be made redundant. 

The first Fresh Start seminar was held in September 2009, repeated in January 2011 and May 2013. The combined results of these events led to an estimated 320 jobs.  As one participant, Mary Doherty of Granny Maddox, said “The Fresh Start Seminar in January 2011 gave me the information and the motivation to get where I am today, self-employed, much busier and much happier.”

The key note speaker David McKernan is a persistent, passionate and high-spirited entrepreneur, who has inspired and irritated in equal measure throughout a successful career in coffee. He emerged from the cocoon of Bewley’s to found Java Republic Roasting Company in 1999: This innovative company quickly became one of Ireland’s most successful brands, and one of Europe’s leading coffee companies. Java Republic is notable for a distinctive vision: Premium, fresh handroasted coffee – with a conscience. 

From day one, David’s aim was to raise awareness of real coffee quality and to challenge abysmally low ethical standards in the coffee business. Both goals were soon achieved: Java Republic’s coffee has won multiple awards for taste and quality, while those who grow their coffee beans saw fairer prices, and improved living standards from direct aid and infrastructure projects.

Whilst stewarding Java Republic through some of the most challenging times any business could face, he developed a reputation as a motivational speaker and campaigner for physical fitness as a driver for positive mental health. David is an engaging, charismatic and entertainingly egotistical speaker, who connects with audiences like a perfectly poured espresso. With nearly 12 years of success in Ireland, David is now focussing on bringing his unique brand of superb coffee and straight talking to an international audience.

Other speakers include Ciaran Cullen of the Local Enterprise office in Waterford, Liam Murphy from the Department of Social Protection, Siobhan O'Callaghan from Irish Franchising Skillnet and Sarah Flynn, Unique Aquatics & Fitness, a local and successful product of last year’s start your own business course.

  

Ciarán Cullen of the Local Enterprise Office in Waterford, suggests that “this is a good time to start a business, while set-up costs are still low and there are very good supports in place.  In the Enterprise Office we are launching new ‘Start You Own Business’ and ‘RECON’ programmes in early June which will help any new business set the right course for a better future.” 

Fresh Start is free but registration is essential.  For more information or to register please contact your Local Enterprise Office in Waterford on 051-852883 or email info@leo.waterfordcouncil.ie .  

Irish Handmade Glass takes the US by storm

Having made its international television debut on one of the world’s largest shopping channels on St. Patricks’ Day, Waterford’s Irish Handmade Glass company has been invited to feature on the QVC shopping channel again next year.

In September 2013, the Waterford glass manufacturer caught the attention of QVC at Showcase, Ireland’s Creative Expo, and was chosen from hundreds of Irish designers and producers to showcase its product on the St. Patricks Day show.

Tony Hayes, Master Glass Blower and one of the founders of Irish Handmade Glass travelled to the Philadelphia home of QVC, where he underwent two days of intensive media training before showcasing the “Lovebird” collection to an audience of over 35 million viewers.

“It was an amazing experience”, Tony said.  “We sent over product, our glass Lovebird pairs, a few weeks before we were due on air.  Then when we arrived I had two full days of mentoring, training and rehearsals.  We were allocated five minutes and ten seconds live on air and when I was finished was told that over 35 million people had viewed our segment and all of our products were practically sold out within that time.”

“Not only was it a fantastic opportunity for us to get such exposure, we made sure to focus on the fact that our products are 100% guaranteed Irish, 100% handmade and most specifically 100% Waterford.”

The positive reaction to the Lovebird collection has ensured that Irish Handmade Glass will be featuring on the channel again in 2015.

“We have just been asked to return for St. Patrick’s Day next year.  The QVC buyers have been in touch with us and requested sample products which we hope to feature on the show. QVC looks for authentically Irish hand crafted products and our multi-coloured Lovebird pairs, which are inset with Irish wild flower, were a huge hit with the US audience.”

Ciaran Cullen, Acting Chief Executive, Waterford City Enterprise Board, which has supported Irish Handmade Glass since the beginning through funding and mentoring added, “We were absolutely delighted that the Irish Handmade Glass Company was chosen from hundreds of Irish designers and producers by QVC.”

 

“Being invited back by QVC for next year’s St. Patrick’s Day broadcast not only proves that Tony and the team can make beautiful high quality glass pieces, it also shows that there is a significant international demand for the work of Waterford’s highly skilled glass cutters and blowers, which is something we can be very proud of.”

The founders of The Irish Handmade Glass Company are Danny Murphy, Tony Hayes, Derek Smith and Richard Rowe.  They established the company in the Kite Design Studios in the Viking Triangle and have almost 150 years cumulative experience in glass blowing and cutting.

Producing 100% mouth blown and hand cut coloured crystal in the Kite Design Studios in Henrietta Street the Irish Handmade Glass Company has quickly become one of Ireland’s leading glass manufacturers.

To see more from the Irish Handmade Glass Company go to www.theirishhandmadeglasscompany.com or call the Kite Design Studios on 051 858914.