Aspiring chefs to step up to the plate with launch of new NI Chef Academy

NI Hospitality School Joins Forces with Private Business Securing 36 Jobs

Jobs Secured by Graduates in Ballymena via NI Hospitality School to Tackle Skills Development and Employment Deficit in Sector.

A TOTAL of 36 individuals from the Ballymena area are celebrating this week after graduating from the NI Hospitality School and securing full-time employment within local award-winning hotels. 

The NI Hospitality School was established in 2021, following collaboration between three Ballymena-based hotels – Galgorm Resort, the Tullyglass House Hotel and the Adair Arms. With courses delivered by Northern Regional College and South Eastern Regional College, the school was set up to provide opportunities for skills development, to address the challenges of recruiting staff and to highlight that a career in hospitality can offer a plethora of rewarding career development opportunities. 

Initially funded by independent charity, The Gallaher Trust, the NI Hospitality School has successfully attracted private sector funding from several high-profile organisations including Henderson Foodservice and Britvic Ireland, which is a demonstration of commitment from the wider sector. 

According to Eddie McKeever, Managing Director of McKeever Hotel Group and Chairman of the NI Hospitality School, the initiative has far exceeded its goal and is playing an essential role in elevating skills and helping to secure the sector’s future.

“At the NI Hospitality School, we recognise the significant challenges the industry faces, particularly around recruitment and developing a sustainable and highly skilled workforce,” explained Eddie. 

“Through targeted training and support, we’re working to bridge these gaps by equipping individuals with the expertise and confidence needed to maintain a thriving career within the hospitality sector. By creating opportunities for meaningful employment and continuous professional development, we’re ensuring that both employees and employers have the tools they need to succeed, ultimately contributing to a more resilient and dynamic hospitality industry in Northern Ireland. 

“I would like to pay homage to The Gallaher Trust, whose initial funding enabled the NI Hospitality School to come to fruition. The fact that we have now attracted funding from the private sector is evidence of the enhanced reputation and success of the school since it was established three years ago. A number of businesses within the private sector have recognised the importance of securing a pipeline of future talent and we are truly very grateful for their support. We are looking forward to the future of the school and to providing greater benefits to our participants and to the hospitality industry as a whole.” 

The NI Hospitality School encompasses a number of academies including a bar academy, a chef academy and a food service academy. 

Formerly a Chef, Skye Hanley aged 23 from Ballymena, is an NI Hospitality School food service academy graduate, who has pivoted her career and now works in a guest facing role as a Food and Beverage Assistant in Gillies Grill and Elements at Galgorm Resort. 

“Transitioning from working in the kitchen to a guest facing role has been a very rewarding experience,” she said. 

“The training I received at the NI Hospitality School gave me the confidence and skills I needed to thrive in my new role. Taking part in the course has shown me the wealth of growth opportunities that are available to me – I’m really excited for my future.”

If you’re interested in a career in hospitality and would like more information, visit:

https://www.nihospitalityschool.com/

As we approach World Wellness Weekend this September, Leigh Heggarty Business Development Manager at Galgorm Collection discusses her take on the importance of incorporating wellness into your next event.

Wellness isn’t just the latest buzz word or workplace initiative, it’s a lifestyle choice.

More than green juices or journaling, wellness is big business and a key focus for businesses aiming to engage and energise their teams. However, often we could be considered foolish for believing in the power of employee wellbeing in motivating staff, making them feel appreciated and willing to go that extra mile. But it is exactly this which is so often overlooked when there are one hundred and one other tasks vying for our attention when it comes to running a successful business. Unfortunately, the way in which many companies relate to corporate wellness is simply a box ticking exercise. That is often the sad reality.

In an age where working hours are longer and we are perpetually connected with the assistance of our greatest friend and enemy, our phones; often some well-deserved down-time can fall to the wayside. More often than not it’s the high-flying executives and CEO’s, who often struggle to find the time to unplug themselves from their hectic work schedules.

When it comes to work, while conferences and work retreats offers great opportunities to network, share expertise and gain more from leaders in the field, they can also be a pressurised environments and not best suited to all employees. Conditions like depression and social anxiety can make a busy setting, filled with new faces and noise a real challenge for some people. Even if mental health has never been an issue, a long awaited or important work event can be overwhelming.

Incorporating practices and initiatives into our personal and professional lives that prioritise wellbeing is imperative in cultivating a balanced lifestyle, helping us thrive in all aspects of life. Understanding the pressures that can be affecting your team and recompensing employees for their dedication is an effective means of increasing staff morale and performance. This need not be challenging. Establishing workplace wellness initiatives in your organization is just one way to achieve this.

Wellbeing activities be it in the office or at a conference aren’t just a nice-to have. Not when workplace wellbeing is a concern for every industry. It is astounding the volume of working days that are lost in the UK every year due to stress, depression and anxiety and many leading companies are now making employee wellness and engagement a priority. It’s no secret that when a company has a mental health focused culture, they’ll be more engaged, productive, innovative, creative and loyal. Who wouldn’t want that!

Wellness initiatives at events can improve your attendees’ mood, making them happier and more open to new ideas and experiences. Of course, these ideas aren’t just for your events and attendees. You can also use them for your next team get-together to boost their morale, improve team-bonding, and help them unwind after a hectic event. After all, your event is only as good as your team.

Incorporating wellness into your conference doesn’t mean daily group meditation sessions, or eating your body weight in granola, it’s just small steps to help improve the work environment. It could be something as simple as taking some activities outdoors or moving dinner outside.

At Galgorm Resort we introduced the opportunity to create a Mindful Meeting for your delegates. Mindful Meetings promote the wellbeing of your colleagues, allowing them the ability to fully engage and learn from your event by incorporating a selection of experiences from Movement Breakout Sessions and Mindful breathing techniques to calm the mind & body to hot towels infused with oils designed to energise during breaks. This followed by a bespoke Spa Programme for some of our recent Incentive Groups has received such positive feedback.

Galgorm is an ideal setting to reenergise and embark on your workplace wellbeing journey, boasting an idyllic, tranquil setting with unique 6 acre Thermal Spa Village, the first of its kind in Ireland. Idyllically located on the banks of the River Maine, you and your team can immerse yourselves in nature and experience pure relaxation with an extensive selection of riverside hot tubs, indoor and outdoor heated pools, steam rooms and saunas.

Galgorm Resort’s emphasis on relaxation and escape from daily pressures align with the importance of work-life balance. Employees who feel their organization values their personal lives are more likely to be satisfied and perform better at work.

While a Spa Experience may not necessarily spark excitement amongst all your employees, there is so much more they an avail of. Encourage your delegates to reconnect with nature with a guided forage through the grounds of the Resort, with a food, drink or spa Foraging Experience or participate in a private Falconry experience on the Estate with a close and personal encounter with some of natures most beautiful birds of prey. There really is something to suit everyone.

Workplace wellbeing is no longer an optional consideration for organisations; it’s a critical factor that affects productivity, employee satisfaction and the bottom line. The link to Galgorm underscores the tangible benefits of prioritizing wellbeing in the workplace. By embracing a holistic approach to employee health, organisations can not only thrive but also contribute to the overall wellbeing of their employees, creating a win-win scenario for everyone involved. Galgorm Resort can design a corporate wellness package that is tailored specifically to the individual requirements of your team be it a conference, an incentive programme or an Exec Retreat.

Leigh Heggarty, Galgorm Collection's Business Development Manager was elected as the new President of the Chamber on Wednesday evening at the Ballymena Chamber of Commerce and Industry annual AGM at Galgorm Resort. 

On Wednesday evening Ballymena Chamber of Commerce and Industry held its annual AGM at Galgorm Resort. At the AGM Leigh Heggarty, Galgorm Collection's Business Development Manager was elected as the new President of the Chamber.

In his speech the outgoing President, Councillor Eugene Reid said how honoured he had been to have served as Chamber President for the preceding two years. Eugene said ‘The last two years have been some of the most difficult for our communities and our businesses. These have been unprecedented times and as a Chamber we had to adopt new practices to meet the challenges posed by the pandemic. I must also say that our businesses have shown remarkable resilience and our local economy remains strong a testament to the strength of our local entrepreneurs’. Eugene then went on to thank the members of the Management Committee who had given up their free time to attend meetings and provide as much support as they could to Chamber members. Eugene went on to say, ‘Leigh Heggarty has extensive business knowledge accompanied by a great deal of common sense – I know Leigh will be an excellent President and it is my honour to formally propose that Leigh becomes the next President of Ballymena Chamber’ This proposal was passed unanimously by those attending the meeting.

In her acceptance address Leigh said ‘It is an honour to be elected as President of Ballymena Area Chamber of Commerce and Industry’ Leigh thanked Eugene for his leadership during such a difficult period and she knew that he had given up a considerable amount of time to not only lead Chamber but to ensure Chamber’s members received support during the crisis created by the pandemic. 

The new President continued ‘Born and bred in Ballymena my passions are business and tourism and I’m very fortunate that my career path has afforded me the opportunity to pursue both.

Ballymena has always punched well above its weight in terms of business. The manufacturing heartland and market town has consistently showed its resilience and determination to succeed. Wrighbus now owned by Jo Bamford continues to expand into new areas throughout the world, creating more local jobs. 

Galgorm Resort have invested heavily to establish the Resort as an award-winning international and world-class tourism destination, remaining firmly focused on investment and innovation attracting major events such as the Irish Open and ISPS Handa Golf events to the borough. I believe that organisations such as the Chamber play an important role, not just as the voice of the business community, but also as a mirror to society. We as a Chamber can reflect not just the concerns of our members, but also those of society as a whole. My personal goal is to set up more stakeholder engagement with government departments and local authorities and show that Ballymena is a great place for business, it’s a great commuter town, very accessible, we have excellent educational establishments providing our children with skills that our businesses require and we are a world class tourism destination’.

Leigh then proposed Mark Wiggins, Power NI, as her Vice President and this was also unanimously passed by the attendees. Mark stated ‘It is a privilege to take on this new role. I know we have a Management Committee who are committed to working hard to support and grow business in the area and I look forward to working with Leigh and the Committee to drive Chamber and ensure our members are at the heart of the economic recovery as we exit the worst excesses of this pandemic’

The meeting closed and attendees were given the opportunity to chat over coffee and tea and to liaise with the President and members of the Committee. This is the first in a series of events being organised by the Chamber in 2022 which will include a range of business breakfasts together with its two showpiece events – The Charity Golf Day in aid of the NI Hospice and Children’s Hospice (which raised £25,000 in 2021) and The Ballymena Business Excellence Awards.