The mission of the Listowel Business and Community Alliance is to work together as a community in partnership with all existing stakeholders (Municipal, Business and Community), to make the beautiful town of Listowel an even better place in which to grow up in, live in, work in and visit.
As a community and business alliance, we have two main objectives. Firstly, the Alliance would be a representative structure through which projects and initiatives could be developed and funded. Secondly, the Alliance would present an opportunity for Listowel to market and promote itself to grow existing businesses, develop new businesses, increase visitor numbers and support the community and voluntary
sector.
With our members as our motivation, Listowel Business and Community Alliance has had a busy 2022, working to rebound from Covid-19 and assist each other amid the ongoing economic/cost of living crisis. The support of our members remained resolute and significant progress was made on a number of key projects and initiatives, some of which we have outlined below:
1. Shop Local campaign & Listowel Voucher Scheme – The Alliance worked consistently throughout the year to deliver our shop local message across all social media platforms along with promoting the campaign through traditional media, utilising the North Kerry Advertiser, the Kerryman, Kerry’s Eye and Radio Kerry. The Listowel voucher, which is a valuable way to support local businesses and our local economy continues to go from strength to strength. The Alliance is very grateful to Pierse Fitzgibbon Solicitors who manage the voucher scheme.
2. Alliance Administrator & Digital Marketing Co-ordinator – With the help of the Community Employment Scheme the Alliance have an allocated Administrator to help with the day to day running of the Alliance, dealing with correspondence, membership, meetings and queries. In addition, the Alliance pay a part-time digital marketing co-ordinator to work with our Alliance members to highlight their businesses, local festivals and events across our social media platforms & Listowel.ie. The co-ordinator also works to create press releases and social media content including videos, photos and distribute this content for local and national media.
3. Monthly e-zine – 2022 saw the return of our monthly e-zine which is sent to all businesses in Listowel and North Kerry with guidance from Kerry County Council, roadworks updates, upcoming events, information requests and promotion of local festivals, concerts, etc.
4. Collaboration with and support for Listowel Tidy Towns – The Alliance assisted and promoted Morning Clean Up Campaign with Listowel Tidy Towns throughout the summer months with thanks to numerous members.
5. Alliance Breakfast Briefing – Autumn saw the resumption of our highly successful briefings with guest speaker Jenny Beresford CEO of Dungarvan and West Waterford Chamber of Commerce, speaking on how Waterford businesses are capitalising on Greenway opportunities. More breakfast briefings are in the pipeline for 2023.
6. Historic Towns Initiative – The Alliance supported and promoted this fantastic initiative with Kerry County Council which has led to the upgrade of beautiful buildings around Listowel town.
7. Rural Rengeration Funding (RRDF) – In January 2022 funding of just over €729,000 was allocated to the Listowel ‘Where Stories Begin’ project following collaboration with Kerry County Council. The project includes plans for the renewal of the town square and the provision of a multi-functional co-working,
tourism, heritage and cultural building. This funding will also assist in the connection of the North Kerry Greenway into the heart of the town.
8. Kingdom of Kerry Greenways – Listowel – Collaboration with Kerry County Council, NEWKD, Leader and Fáilte Ireland to promote all Greenway supports, and programmes to help and train businesses to benefit from Greenway opportunities.
These included
- Becoming a Greenway Champion business through the Destination Development Training Programme for West Limerick and North Kerry delivered by the Tourism Space in Spring 2022.
- Developing a Greenway Marketing Campaign for Listowel, including a mural by Garreth Joyce at the entrance at the old Neo Data site, and marketing material tied into the Listowel branding for use going forward.
- Tourism Space training and a trip to Dungarvan to network and learn from the experiences of an established Waterford Greenway. The Greenway Destination Training Project as well as “Leave
No Trace Initiative” and the “Greenway Champions Programme” are stored in a library online at www.thetourismspace.com/greenway.
9. Kerry Chambers Network and Kerry Tourism Industry Forum (KTIF) –
Representing Listowel & North Kerry at KTIF & County Chamber meetings. The Kerry Chamber lobby for all Kerry interests including Kerry Airport supports and transport infrastructure while KTIF is the tourism lobby group for Kerry.
10. WiFi for EU Free wifi is now available all around Listowel Town for locals and visitors.
11. Soundtown with Cadburys and TodayFM – The Alliance entered Listowel in the Cadbury Today Fm Sound Town competition. Great news when we were notified that Listowel was shortlisted in September 2022. Then a fantastic thrill when Listowel was announced the Nation’s Soundest Town for 2022 and winners of the €10,000 grand prize in November 2022. This finished with the presentation and a live
broadcast of the Alison Curtis Today Fm show from St. John’s. There were great interviews including Cora O’Brien Marketing and Events for Alliance, Aiden O’Connor of Mike the Pies, Billy Keane, Aoife Thornton Mayor of Listowel Municipal District.
12. Christmas Turning on the Lights and Christmas Market were organised by the Alliance with grateful help from Máire in St. Johns and Kerry County Council. The new Book Motif Light was purchased by the Alliance and Kerry County Council who granted funding to enable the light to be put up. Thank you to Kerry County Council and all of the Municipal District Elected Councillors involved.
The Alliance also secured funding for the upgrading of the Sive Walk and made the initial proposal for toilet facilities at the Neo Data carpark. We would also like to acknowledge the huge investment that has been made into the town infrastructure from central government.
Become a Member – We are appealing to businesses to support the efforts of the Alliance by becoming a member. Your membership can allow promotion of your business through Membership spotlight, get priority listing on Listowel.ie website, have access to over 5,000 followers on our social media channels, support the funding of new projects and events for Listowel, support the Listowel voucher scheme which allows 100% of voucher to be reclaimed through Pierse Fitzgibbon offices. Please contact Joan Flavin, Alliance Administrator 087-3508280 or email info@listowelalliance.ie for more information.
We in the Alliance would not operate without the very generous support of Kerry County Council, all of the Listowel Municipal District elected councillors and TD’s, Creative Ireland, Fáilte Ireland NEWKD, Heritage Council of Ireland and the very generous Alliance members who support our work through their continuing membership. Thank you.
Wishing you all a very merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. We look forward to supporting many new initiatives, events, and festivals in 2023. – Rose Wall, Chairperson of Listowel Business & Community Alliance.
