Listowel Parking Update
Members of Listowel Business & Community met with representatives from Kerry County Council in the past week and have put forward a proposal to reinstate two hour parking on Church Street, upper William Street and the Square. We have also moved to reinstate full parking at these locations and asked for the removal of the bollards currently in place. Now that there has been an opportunity to review footfall on the streets it is obvious more than ever that the changes were unwarranted for Listowel. We will continue to engage with the Council on this matter and hope to have it resolved shortly.
Listowel Tidy Towns
Listowel Tidy Towns are working hard to keep Listowel looking its best. Hands are always needed so if you can spare an hour please go along to St Johns at 7pm on any Tuesday or Thursday evening.
Funding & Grants
KERRY RECREATION & SPORTS PARTNERSHIP COVID-19 CLUB SMALL GRANT SCHEME
Sports clubs in Kerry can now apply online for COVID-19 Club Small Grants of up to €1,500 through the Kerry Recreation and Sports Partnership.
The fund is designed to support clubs to implement COVID-19 hygiene and social distancing protocols.
As the total fund available is limited, clubs that already have the finances to implement COVID-19 protocols should not apply.
Clubs are advised to visit the website through the LINK HERE for further information, guidelines and to apply online.
- Only one application can be submitted per sport club
- Applications to Kerry Recreation & Sports Partnership are only applicable to clubs based within Kerry
- Funding applications must be submitted by September 1st 2020 via the online application form the website at:
https://www.kerrycoco.ie/kerry-recreation-sports-partnership-covid-19-club-small-grant-scheme/ - Clubs must ensure that, where available, they prioritise the application for funding support via their National Governing Body or relevant representative body. Funding support for the same purpose should not be sought from multiple sources
*Guidelines and Poster attached for your convenience also.
Applications must be submitted via online application forms by September 1st 2020.
For more information, please contact Kerry Recreation & Sports Partnership on info@kerryrecreationandsports.ie or phone 066-7184776.
THE RESTART PLUS
Applications are open for the Restart Grant Plus Scheme!
Up to €25,000 is available per each grant application.
*Please note that businesses that received or applied for Restart Grant funding do not need to apply for the Restart Grant Plus Scheme. Businesses that have already applied will be asked to complete a declaration form to facilitate their top-up payment*
- If you wish to apply for the ReStart Plus Grant (and have not applied before) Please complete the Restart Plus Application Form: https://survey123.arcgis.com/…/1379d35f32e648c39902393d5158…
- If you have previously applied for the Restart Grant, you will be contacted directly by Kerry County Council Restart Team by email with a link to a Declaration Form through which you will make your application.
- If you have appealed or are still waiting for your application Kerry County Council will be in touch
More details on the Restart Plus scheme: https://dbei.gov.ie/en/News-And-Events/Department-News/2020/August/10082020.html
A CALL FROM KILDARE, LAOIS AND OFFALY
Tralee Chamber have shared the following information following a call with Chambers Ireland and our colleagues in Kildare, Laois and Offaly Chambers and want to share some key learnings with you all. As we are all aware there are significant restrictions now in place in the three counties of Kildare, Laois and Offaly. We have been engaging with our colleagues there so we can understand the implications and how it has and will continue to affect businesses and the community. The specific funding supports expected should be weighed against the reputational damage to the three counties, which will continue long after restrictions are lifted, and will have a far-longer economic and community impact.
Over the coming days we will be engaging in a specific body of work to ensure everything that can be done, is being done by all key stakeholders in the county to protect the economy of Kerry, and that critically we learn from those counties already with restrictions applied.
We also need to learn from these counties on specific measures that must be maintained to ensure every effort can be made to protect Kerry businesses and the community from these restrictions.
The simple communication we have developed right now in Tralee Chamber for you in the business community is as follows – Step Back, Step Up, Step In
STEP BACK: Re-double your efforts as a company to ensure you are adhering to the guidelines. Don’t relax, don’t cut corners, review your policies, your PPE stocks and your own procedures, to ensure they are maintained every single day. Ensure full compliance from all of your staff and customers – and make it part of your daily routine to check everything yourself directly!
STEP UP: Having now, in most cases operated for a while with the guidelines set out, you may have seen better ways to ensure compliance, or perhaps there may be practical solutions that you have put in place or a trusted PPE supplier you have found, that works for your business that may benefit others. We ask you to implement these improved measures and we also ask you to share them with us here in Tralee Chamber so that we can help inform other businesses and key stakeholders/agencies in your sector.
STEP IN: If you are aware of another business who is finding it difficult to maintain compliance with the guidelines, step in to support them. There is no blame, we are all learning how to cope with this new way of operating our businesses. Businesses and business owners truly are in this together. If you can’t directly help them, ask them to contact us in Tralee Chamber and we will refer them to a similar business in the county who can help them or to an appropriate training service to assist them.
Kerry, comparably, is a safe county. Continue to urge people to enjoy our towns and visit our county, but let us keep it safe by playing our part as business owners.
Kerry Tourism Industry Federation Update
Kerry Tourism Industry Federation are continuing to release videos showcasing all that Kerry has to offer which are all receiving fantastic feedback. Yesterday’s My Kerry video featured musician Muireann NicAmhlaoibh and Karen Coakley, The Kenmare Foodie discussing food experiences around Kerry.
The next Humans of Hospitality video features Ann Condon from The Charlie Chaplin Film Festival and will be uploaded on Friday 21st August.
Please share these videos as widely as possible using the hashtag #explorethekingdom and tag @experiencekerry along with our Listowel handles #wherestoriesbegin and #listowel to gain maximum exposure. Links to pages as below –
https://www.facebook.com/Experience-Kerry-104585627963370/
https://www.instagram.com/experience_kerry/
https://twitter.com/ExperienceKerry
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqjpHVzypbjTJ8glMrP3iYQ
From this Thursday we will be re-sharing content from our members and encourage everyone to upload posts/stories to their social media pages that we can share every Thursday going forward. This ‘Things to do Thursday’ will hopefully give exposure to businesses that are trying to push certain experiences, promotions, last minute availability or any upcoming events. Please tag @experiencekerry and use the hashtag #explorethekingdom to ensure your posts are included.
Lastly the KTIF are compiling a calendar of upcoming events taking place around Co. Kerry. If you and your members have anything you would like included over the coming months please email Mary directly at mary.mcquinn@gleneaglegroup.ie and they will be added to the calendar.
Listowel Voucher
The Listowel Voucher is available to purchase Monday to Friday at Pierse Fitzgibbon and is a fantastic way of giving while shopping local and supporting local jobs. Businesses that are accepting the Listowel voucher are listed here: https://listowelie.wpengine.com/about/listowel-vouchers/ (copy and paste link into browser)
