Full Circle

The Full Circle team has recently decided to organise a fund raising initiative for Friends of the Centre which is based at the Cancer Centre at Belfast City Hospital. [See www.friendsofthecancercentre.com]

The Friends of the Cancer Centre charity works to provide care, treatment and support to cancer patients and their families and has made a massive difference to many people who have been affected by cancer.

As our effort to raise funds for the charity, we plan to cycle from Belfast to Newcastle on Saturday 25 September 2010 [28 miles] and then climb Slieve Donard mountain on arrival. For those of you who know the Full Circle team, you will appreciate that this is a significant challenge and one which will require some serious training over the next 5 weeks.

We’d therefore greatly appreciate if you would consider making a donation to our funds appeal. To do so, just go to http://www.justgiving.com/FullCircleManagement – all donations gratefully accepted.

Thanks a lot.

The Full Circle Management Solutions Team

Full Circle Management Solutions Ltd will be closing for one week from business close on Friday 9th July 2010 until Monday 19th July 2010 at 9am

While the Northern Ireland economy has suffered immensely in the past, there is a great chance of its recovery based on the help of European Cooperation Programs. In the past, farmlands have been in slow decline as more farmers seek the employment they need to sustain their home and families in other types of employment. As the economic impact of farmlands have declined, so to have the quality of life for area residents.

European Cooperative programs can have a positive impact on the area by using outside resources to bolster economic development. Quality of life can be improved as the business of farming is brought back through programs that provide competition and clarification for the roles of farmers who live in the area.

The disadvantages of the cooperative programs lie in the fact that they require outside sources to fund and bolster the economy in the area. If the outside sources were to be taken away, there is a good chance that the economy of the area will find itself in yet another decline. However, if steps are taken to make sure the economy can be self sustaining once the programs are complete, this negative impact does not have to happen.

European programs have had a great benefit for the Northern Ireland rural economy with very little disadvantage. As the programs reach a conclusion in the future, the hope is that the economy in the area will be self sustaining and beneficial.

When, in 2007, there was approval for the Northern Ireland Rural Development program, a number of events were put into motion that would have a great impact on the rural sectors of the country. This program, which is set to last until 2013, has a number of actions and influences for the betterment of rural areas. This program is needed in order provide repair to rural areas which have suffered in the past and to bring the agricultural and cultural development that the area needs.

The program has a three part strategic aim and plan of action. These three parts include improving life for residents of the area by boosting economic development, using land management to help make improvements to the area to better support agricultural and economic activity, and using structured boosts to economic and agricultural impacts.

The main challenge to the program has to do with the constant downturn of commercial farming in the area. Because more farmers are having to seek another method of income, there is a slow and steady downturn in the number of truly working farms. However, the program works to change this by bolstering the economics of the area.

With the continued action of the Northern Ireland Rural Development Program, the area will continue to see a turnaround in the economy, the expansion, and the quality of life in the area.

When the Olympic Games choose a city, they bring along with them, a great deal of positive impact for the area. For businesses in the area, the impact can be extensive. In 2012, the Olympic Games will come to London, bringing that beneficial impact to the area, especially Northern Ireland. As an entrepreneur, you can take advantage of this positive influence.

Because the University of Ulster will be the site for the pre-Olympic and Paralympics training camps, the business opportunity continues in the area before the Olympics even begin. There will be a dramatic influx of athletes, trainers, and other members of the Olympic committee. These people will provide a greater number of business needs for local entrepreneurs.

In 2012, Northern Ireland will find that the amount of tourists will go up dramatically. With the large influx of travelers to the area, the business opportunities are numerous. These travelers will need a place to stay, so accommodation will be quite busy. There will be a greater need for entertainment venues, shopping options, and dining establishments.

For the entrepreneur, the Olympics in 2012 will bring along a great business opportunity. Beginning your preparations now will help you make use of the greater opportunities when the Olympics begin.

The Social Economic Enterprise Strategy recently enacted proposes to help stimulate large growth in this sector of the Northern Irish economy. The sector, comprised of many charities and other not for personal profit businesses represents a large portion of the business economy of the area, though one that has not always been fully funded and recognized. The purpose of the new strategy is to implement a reduced phasing grant that will pay 600,000 pounds into the system over the next four years. The ultimate goal is to help make the sector more visible and to help to increase its overall strength.

While the strategy affects everyone on some level, it will have a primary impact on business owners and employees who are a part of the social economy. This includes businesses that work to provide social services, nonprofit health facilities, resource and environmental protection groups, and more. Ideally, the strategy will help to promote the formation of new social economic enterprises as well as to foster those that already exist. The hope is to help create a sustainable future and to create a system that offers social benefit while helping the local economy as well. It is the belief of the government and policy writers that establishing visibility of this sector of the economy will be the first step in achieving these goals.

The Tourism Order Bill for Northern Ireland is undergoing major changes in 2010. The Order is the primary legislation that constitutes the Tourist Board and is designed to help develop and promote tourism in the area. The Order outlines the powers of the NITB.

There primary area of the Tourism Order that is being amended in 2010 is the frequency of which the NITB inspects tourist accommodations. While currently all accommodations must be inspected annually, the proposed change will make the inspections mandatory only once every four years. The reasoning behind this is sound, as most establishments undergo few significant changes from one year to the next. The proposed change will still allow for inspections to be conducted as necessary in order to respond to complaints, however, and will require accommodation providers to declare annually that they will comply with all NITB requirements in order to retain certification.

In addition to the change in frequency of inspections, changes are being made to the criteria by which establishments are assessed. Proposed changes include the addition of bunk houses and guest accommodations as tourist accommodations as well as the implementation of a star rating system and the addition of fees that will cover the incurred cost of inspections. The proposal, if passed, will help to ensure that tourists are offered acceptable accommodations while serving to add new options and enabling tourists to choose accommodations based on ratings provided by the NITB.

Arlene Foster, the Minister of Enterprise, Trade, and Development, has recently proposed a number of ideas and initiatives to help stimulate tourism throughout Northern Ireland. It is her hope, and the hope of the administration, that tourism and the food industry can become the staples of the economy in the area. The Northern Ireland Tourist Board carries out a great deal of research to determine the interests of visitors to the area and works to create a marketing strategy that will help boost tourism.

Foster’s plans for 2010 include a ten year plan that will help provide a vision of the future of tourism in the area. Numerous pilot projects have been created that will help the Board learn how the industry can better improve the tourist experience for visitors. Projects proposed include the St. Patrick Christian Heritage Project as well as a number of other signature projects designed to help bring in tourists interested in learning more about the heritage of the area.

While the overall success of the plan will take years to determine, Foster is working to bring a tourism increase to the area in the very near future as well. The promotion of many historic churches as well as theatres and other attractions is high on the list of priorities for the board for the immediate future. Foster has highlighted 2012 as the key year for tourism to the area and is working to help increase interest in the Titanic celebration as well as the plantation period. It is also her hope that the Giant’s Causeway visitor center will be fully operational by this time.