Frank Finlay Calls For Votes For Peoples' Choice Award
Frank Finlay is asking the people of County Down to support his bid to win the prestigious ‘People’s Choice Award’ at the City & Guilds Medals for Excellence Lion Awards and cap a remarkable few years since retiring as Parks Manager for Down District Council.
After taking early retirement, Frank, with a passion for food decided to enrol on a Professional Cookery course at the South Eastern Regional College (SERC) to learn the industry standards of preparing food. Upon commencing full-time study at SERC and under the guidance of catering lecturers Michael Gillies and Michelle McCarthy Frank excelled and progressed from a Level 2 to Level 3 qualification, which he will complete in the next few weeks.xa0 He has also gained part-time employment at the Dufferin Coaching Inn where he works as a Breakfast Chef.
Incapacity Benefit Changes: Tommy O'Reilly Explains
The Social Security Agency’s Chief Executive Tommy O’Reilly explains how a change to the benefit system may affect people in South Down.
“Many of you will have heard that the benefit system is changing, and that these changes will affect people in Northern Ireland.
“As part of the changes, between now and March 2014, those who are currently receiving Incapacity Benefits (which includes Incapacity Benefit, Income Support paid because of incapacity and Severe Disablement Allowance) will be reassessed.
Assembly Speaker Elected With Chuckle Brothers
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Mr Hay was the Speaker during the previous 2007 Mandate and was the first Speaker to be elected directly by MLAs, the previous two Speakers appointed by Secretaries of State.
He has served on a range of bodies in the statutory and voluntary sector, including the Western Education & Library Board, the Northern Ireland Housing Council, the Londonderry Port and Harbour Commission, and the Policing Board.
Three Deputy Speakers, Mr Francie Malloy MLA, Mr John Dallat MLA and Mr Roy Beggs MLA, who will support the work of the Speaker, were also elected. Mr Malloy and Mr Dallat were elected Deputy Speakers in the previous 2007 Mandate.
In addition, Mr Peter Robinson MLA was appointed to the position of First Minister with Mr Martin McGuinness MP MLA appointed as Deputy First Minister.]]>Ballynahinch United Finishing Well
BALLYNAHINCH UNITED 4 V SIROCCO WORKS 0
United won this game by four clear goals but xa0although they performed well it was perhaps a somewhat flattering score against a Sirocco Works side that performed impressively but did not take their chances.
]]>Martin Hamilton Wins Top Farmland Wildlife Award
ENDANGERED yellowhammer, tree sparrow, Irish hare and field mice are not what you would usually associate with farming on a big scale, but that is precisely what the RSPB found on Martin Hamilton farms, producers of the well-known brand Mash Direct. And so impressed were they that they are the Northern Ireland winners of this year’s Nature of Farming Award.
The annual award is a joint enterprise with the RSPB, Butterfly Conservation, UFU, Plantlife and The Telegraph who run this award to highlight the work that farmers are doing to help the wildlife on their farms.
Launch Of Walk To School Week
Walk to School Week (16-20th May 2011) is a Department for Regional Development Travelwise NI initiative, supported by Airtricity, a new home electricity supplier in Noorthern Ireland, and they are encouraging more people to consider the health, financial, social and environmental benefits of walking.
