LISTOWEL BUSINESS & COMMUNITY ALLIANCE – UPDATE – MAY 27TH

#ShopListowel

Every Irish town is struggling to cope with the impact of COVID–19, and Listowel is no different. We’re encouraging the local community here in North Kerry to support local businesses, whether it’s for fresh food supplies, take away meals, or any products and services. It’s vital that we put money into the local economy. We believe that we will recover economically but it will require assistance not only from the Government but from the local community to support local business. This support will not only keep our local businesses open but it will also assist in the retention of local jobs. We have been faced with one of the biggest crisis of our time but with the level of community spirit that we have witnessed in the past number of weeks here in Listowel and across North Kerry we are confident that we will get through this and if anything it has made people more aware of the great community we have and the need to maintain and support it. In light of the provincial restrictions, a growing number of businesses have turned to offering customers a contact-free service. Please check the listowel.ie website and listowel.ie social media for up to date information on local businesses.

Listowel Writers Week is 50 Years

Message from Madeline O’Sullivan of Listowel Writers Week:

It’s a bit unreal in Listowel these times .No Writers Week for the first time in 50 years! We had such an outstanding festival planned and amazing guests to entertain us e.g. Lemm Sissay, Rachel Seiffert ,Bob Geldof ,Mary Costello, Kevin Barry ,Dominick West ,Anne Enright, Emma Langford, Christy Lefteri , John , McAuliffe , Ronan Hession , Naoise Dolan , John Banville , Artisrs Steve Simpson , Liam O Neill and Don McMonagle …. And many more! We will miss them and the atmosphere on the streets and in restaurants and pubs. To quote local poet Matt Mooney: ‘What Will Bryan McMahon and John B Keane be thinking from their bronze perspectives near the Castle and the Small Square! The Master, I’m sure is taken aback at the sound of silence in classrooms. John B will turn on his pedestal, look up William Street and then across at the empty square and say ‘Where have all the writers gone?’
But all is not lost. Under the guidance of chairperson Catherine Moylan , the hard working committee and administrators have organized a virtual festival , Poetry readings , workshops , interviews with authors on line , all to be delivered during and after the festival dates . Watch out for these interviews with winners of our Literary Prizes and much more to follow. Health and happiness to you all.

Listowel Writers Week Opening Night takes place this evening Wednesday May 27^th online at 8pm. viewing through livestream on Facebook or through the website.

National Tourism Recovery Taskforce

Listowel Business & Community Alliance wish to congratulate Pat O’Leary, Chairperson of the Kerry Tourism Industry Forum on his appointment to the National Tourism Recovery Taskforce.

The purpose of the taskforce is to prepare a Tourism Recovery Plan for submission to the Minister which will include a set of recommendations on how best the Irish tourism sector can adapt and recover in the changed tourism environment as a result of the Covid-19 crisis.

Membership of the taskforce is as follows:

Ruth Andrews, Taskforce Chair, Chair of ITIC, CEO of ITOA Ireland and Special Advisor to AVEA
Elaina Fitzgerald Kane, Director, Fitzgerald’s Woodlands House Hotel and Spa, Adare Co. Limerick. Since Feb 2020 President of the IHF
Eimear Killian, General Manager of “Brasserie on the Corner” Restaurant, Galway
Stephen Kavanagh, Board member and former CEO of Aer Lingus; current board member of aircraft leasing company CDB Aviation
Jane Stacey, Head of the Tourism Unit in the OECD Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Regions and Cities
Ken Spratt, Head of Tourism and Sport, D/TTAS
John Herlihy, VP EMEA and LATAM at LinkedIn
Pat O’Leary, chair of Kerry Tourism Industry Federation; former MD of International Maritime Division, Liebherr Group
Tom Enright, CEO Wexford County Council
Eoghan Corry, Travel industry commentator and broadcaster
Martin Dalby, CEO, Center Parcs.
John McLaughlin, CEO, North & West Coast Links Golf.
Paul Kelly, CEO Fáilte Ireland (National Tourism Development Authority)
Niall Gibbons, CEO Tourism Ireland (Overseas marketing agency)

Upcoming Webinars:

HR Suite – Navigating the New Normal

Host: Caroline McEnery
Date: 28 May 2020
Time: 10.30am to 11.15am
Content: Navigating the New Normal in the Workplace – Addressing Current HR Challenges in Line with the Government and Legislative Obligations: With the recently published Ireland’s roadmap to reopening together with the Return to Work Safety Protocol, this webinar will focus on helping employers navigate the new reality in the workplace. Employers are currently facing numerous HR challenges associated with reopening their businesses or continuing to operate during the Covid-19 pandemic. This this webinar will offer guidelines on how to address those challenges while having due regard for employment legislation, H&S and the most up to date government regulations and advice. We will also discuss the current HR trends and best practice advice during this webinar. Remember we are navigating in the unchartered territory and it is vitally important to be as knowledgeable and prepared as possible.

NEWKD Reopening for Business

Date: 2 June 2020

Time: 10.00am to 11.30am

Content:

Covid 19 guidelines and advice in relation to health and safety for business reopening
the science of covid 19 how its spread how to stop it,
legal considerations and workplace layouts to accommodate for social distancing
staff training
risk assessments
record keeping
the importance of cleaning and disinfecting and recording this for each area

Email Elaine to register your attendance

IT Tralee Hospitality and Tourism Industry Training

IT Tralee will begin a series of online training workshops on Food Sustainability, Introduction to Nutrition, Food and Beverage Costing, Culinary Operations Management and Career Development commencing on Tuesday June 2^nd. Click here for full details.

Past Webinars:

Back to Business Webinar – Kerry Local Enterprise Office in Association with Retail Excellence Ireland.

Last Wednesday May 20^th Kerry LEO held a webinar focused on getting Retail businesses back working embracing the new normal and advising on the measures needed. David Fitzsimmons of Retail Excellence Ireland speaks along with Tomas Hayes of Kerry LEO. Please click here to view the webinar.

NEWKD – LOOKING FOR SPARE LAPTOPS

Listowel Business & Community Alliance are delighted to support NEWKD’S Laptop Loan Scheme. NEWKD has developed a loan scheme for students who do not have access to a laptop but who need one to complete /support their school/college work. NEWKD work with a range of disadvantaged groups and will ensure that the distribution of the laptops is targeted at those who require it most.

We are asking businesses here in Listowel, who may have older or spare laptops to contact robertcarey@newkd.ie<mailto: robertcarey@newkd.ie> to make a donation. Many of us may have spare laptops, or older ones we had planned upgrading. Right now many kids would appreciate the opportunity to borrow a laptop to access learning and entertainment opportunities and stay connected with friends. So we are asking you to join us and donate laptops to NEWKD – Contact robertcarey@newkd.ie<mailto: robertcarey@newkd.ie> to start donating!

Privacy and Data Protection from The Tech Co<https://www.facebook.com/thetechcoireland/>. On Dominick Street, Tralee who have come on board and are generously offering a free data cleaning and laptop health check service for all donated laptops so businesses do not need to worry about their data being accessible. Every drive will be securely wiped, which involves erasing all data, filling it up with encrypted data and then wiping it again. This will be followed by a full health check and loading new software, to make sure the laptop has no bad sectors and the drive is healthy and fit for re-use for the kids using the laptops on loan.

If you know any families who would benefit from borrowing one of these laptops, they should contact NEWKD or directly contact robertcarey@newkd.ie<mailto: robertcarey@newkd.ie

#KerryOpenForBusiness Initiative

With many businesses reopening after COVID19 enforced closures (following government advice and phasing).This initiative aims to produce a simple County-wide directory and an online resource of businesses which are physically open, or which have an online service offering. Kerry County Council are leading out on this initiative following engagement with business interests, via the Interagency Business Advisory Team as part of a high-level Framework for Business Support that has been established in County in the wake of the COVID crisis.The first stage is to have businesses register using an online form with their opening arrangements and other basic information. This will be quickly collated into an online map, an online directory and in off-line publications, and will be supported by social media and other campaigns to provide the public with information on our open businesses.

Ireland Roadmap’s five phases

the roadmap sets out Ireland’s plan for lifting COVID-19 restrictions in five phases:

LISTOWEL BUSINESS & COMMUNITY ALLIANCE – UPDATE – MAY 27TH

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