DOWN District Council Event’s Officer Ann Moreland has moved on from her post after over four years of producing a wide range of festival events that literally attracted hundreds of thousand of people to the area.
Her magnum opus was the Festival of Flight in Newcastle but Ann was the helm of other festivals such as Hallowtides, the Bread Festival in Castlweward, the Christmas street celebrations and much more. She has received glowing tributes from her  colleagues.
Newcastle Councillor Carmel O’Boyle said:Â “Ann’s leaving will be an enormous loss to Down District Council and a great disappointment to the people of Newcastle. We have Ann to thank for helping us to put Newcastle firmly on the map through our Festivals of Flight and Hallowtides Festivasl.
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Ann Moreland’s finest hour: Newcastle was packed with almost 150,000 visitors during the B/E Festival of Flight.[/caption]
“However, she has left us with a great legacy and we are now able to build on this and to continue the work she started with confidence. We wish her well in all her future endeavours. Our festivals and promotions in Newcastle have supported jobs and businesses within the town and that continues to be our main priority.”
Audrey Byrne, former Newcastle Chamber of Commerce  President, added: I worked with Ann for over four years and she certainly helped to bring Newcastle to life. She was the backbone of all these developments and will be missed.
“She is an extremely energetic and motivated events’ organiser and has created outstanding festivals. Newcastle is now looking ahead to the coming Hallowtides Festival in a couple of weeks. The Chamber has a dedicated committee looking after this led by publican Jack O’Hare.”
In a statement addressed to her Council colleagues, Ann Moreland said: “I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere thanks and gratitude to you all for your assistance, advised and supported over the past four and a half  years, and some 30 festivals and events. I have thoroughly enjoyed working with you all.
“I am very proud and privileged to have developed the festival programme for Down District Council and in particular the beautiful location of Newcastle and Mournes destination. My lasting memory will be of course the B/E Aerospace Festival of Flight this year….what an amazing day with over 125,000 visitors and the Mournes filled with the amazing jet displays – it has been my proudest achievements while in the job, so thank you for giving me the opportunity to create this event and the continued financial support to assist me in the development over the past 4 years.
“I believe that I leave Down District Council with a much stronger programme of festivals and events and I wish my incumbent every success in continuing to develop the event programme in the future. “I’m looking forward to returning to the events as a spectator – so that will be a pleasure with no pressure!”]]>
