Update - Training Course Materials & Evaluation

The last round of training courses were delivered earlier this month.  We have now put the training materials outputs on to CD and these will be made available to all retailers.  The training materials will also be stored online and retailers can access these by simply using a unique password. The RRR Project Officer will be available to demonstrate to retailers how these training materials stored online can be accessed.  The other thing to look out for is an evaluation of the project which will take the form of a short questionnaire for retailers who participated in the project.  The evaluation will be sent out via e-mail and will also be available in hard copy.

Business Planning Training Session

A session on Business Planning is the next training event.  This one day session will be facilitated by Oran Doherty of LYIT and will cover the following topics:

~ The Planning Function in the overall context of Management
~ Business Planning Tools and practical guide on how to use them

~ Business Plan   - uses, components, examples

Sessions will be held as follows:
Tuesday 29 March  - Twin Towns  - venue:  Stranorlar Regional Training Centre 10am - 3.30pm
Tuesday 5 April - Falcarragh - venue: An tSean Bheairic  -10am - 3.30pm

Places on the course are free of charge.  Lunch and refreshments will be provided.
To reserve a place, please contact Martin McAndrew 087 963 6950 / martin.mcandrew@donegalcoco.ie

Social Media - Seminar

The final seminar of the RRR Project here in Donegal will focus on the topic of Social Media and will take place on Friday 11 March in the CoLab at LYIT.  The seminar will be presented by Sarah Diffley of LYIT and is sure to provide a great insight into this area not to mention some valuable hints and tips!  The seminar will run from 10am - 4pm, refreshments and a light lunch will be included for participants.  So if you want to discover the benefits of a presence for your business on Facebook, find out Twitter is all about and learn how to Blog, simply contact Martin McAndrew to reserve your place - 074 9724431 / 087 9636950 / martin.mcandrew@donegalcoco.ie

Retail Marketing Training Sessions

Next up on the RRR Training Programme here in Co. Donegal is Retail Marketing.  One day sessions will be held in both Falcarragh and the Twin Towns.  The presenter will be Vicky O'Rourke of LYIT and once again this is sure to be a very relevant and informative session. Each session will begin at 10am and finish up at 3.30pm.  Refreshments and a light lunch will be served.

Dates & Venue details:
25 February  - Regional Training Centre, Railway Rd., Stranorlar
2 March  - An tSean Bheairic, Falcarragh

If you are interested in attending please contact Martin McAndrew, RRR Project Officer
martin.mcandrew@donegalcoco.ie or call 087 963 6950

Seminar - Friday 11 February

The next part of the Training Programme, is a one day seminar covering the topic of Diversifciation and Change Management.  The seminar will take place on Friday 11 February in the CoLab at LYIT and will run from 10am to 3.30pm.  The presenter will be Meadbh Ruane from LYIT.  As ever, there is no charge for participating retailers.  Places are still available - to reserve your place send an e-mail to martin.mcandrew@donegalcoco.ie or call 087 963 6950

Co. Donegal RRR Project Visit

On Wednesday 26 January, Donegal County Council hosted its counterparts in the Retail in Rural Regions Project.  The packed itinerary involved a whistle stop tour of the County.  Luckily enough the weather was perfect and our visitors could appreciate the highland landscapes.
Highlights included a visit to the offices of the County Enterprise Board in Letterkenny and a talk from its Chief Executive, Michael Tunney.

The group then moved on to Falcarragh where they were welcomed at An tSean Bheairic by Manus Kelly, Chairperson of the Tourism and Traders Association.  Seamus McGee, Secretary, of the Barrack’s committee then provided more detail on how the local community played its part in developing the Barracks as a visitor attraction.

This was followed by a visit to Seamus McGee’s Service Station where Seamus  and his daughter Meabh provided the visitors with an insight into multi functional retailing in Co. Donegal.

Ionad Cois Locha at Dunlewey was the setting for the lunch stop and afterwards Seamus Gallagher took the group on a tour of the facility.

On leaving Dunlewey the group travelled onwards to the Twin Towns.  Once in Ballybofey the group visited John Griffin and Edel Neely at their shop, Ballybofey Florist.  Once again the group learned more about the challenges faced by retailers in Co. Donegal with John and Edel on hand to answer their questions.

The group overnighted at the Villa Rose Hotel in Ballybofey and were joined for dinner by the Mayor of Donegal County Council, Councillor Cora Harvey and Michael o’hEanaigh, Director of Service. 
The next morning, Thursday, the visitors were up and away early to Belfast and their homeward flights.

E-Business Training - January 2011

Our first training topic in 2011 will be E-Business.  Sessions will be delivered in both Falcarragh and the Twin Towns.  The Twin Towns session will take place on Friday 21 January and the session in Falcarragh will take place a week later on Friday 28 January.  E-Business is, and will continue to be a crucial area for all retail businesses.  If you are interested in attending either of these sessions please contact martin.mcandrew@donegalcoco.ie