16 October 2008

A business development programme designed to help farm families grow their diversification businesses has been recognised with a top UK training award. The Diversification Challenge Business Start Follow-on Programme is delivered in partnership by local consultancy Deirdre Fitzpatrick & Associates, Mallusk Enterprise Park Limited and the College of Agriculture Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE).  

Under the category of ‘Partnership and Collaboration’, the three partners received a Northern Ireland Training Award and a prestigious UK National Training Award at the Northern Ireland regional awards ceremony held recently at the Culloden Hotel.  

The National Training Awards are designed to celebrate those organisations and individuals which demonstrate outstanding business and personal success through investment in training. By recognising best practice, the awards aim to raise awareness and inspire others to invest in learning and development as a route to becoming world class. UK National Training Awards are awarded to entries that are exemplars of excellence.

The Diversification Challenge – Business Start Follow-on Programme was developed to meet the needs of farm diversifiers in developing business skills which would allow them to grow their businesses. The programme has been phenomenally successful, with 47 percent of participating businesses now exporting their product and recording increases in sales of up to 300 percent.  

Melanie Humphrey of Mallusk Enterprise Park explains further: “The economy of Northern Ireland has also benefited from CAFRE’s Diversification Challenge Programmes as over 300 diversification businesses are creating full and part-time employment for over 580 people”.

Deirdre Fitzpatrick said. “This programme has been innovative and exceptionally successful.  Over 100 farm family members have now gained accreditation from the Institute of Leadership and Management and are now managing successful farm diversification businesses. It is rewarding to have the programme recognised at this level and we are thrilled to have won a UK National Training Award”.

Congratulating all on their success in the National Training Awards competition, John Fay, Director of CAFRE said: “The Diversification Challenge provides those in the industry with a unique opportunity to acquire relevant business skills and apply them to develop their businesses. This diversification training programme, which is the first of its kind, helps to ensure that farmers can successfully manage an alternative business and continue farming. We have developed a programme which is now recognised as one of the leading UK training programmes and are delighted to have received this recognition.”

CAFRE, Mallusk Enterprise Park and Deirdre Fitzpatrick & Associates now go forward as one of only six entries representing Northern Ireland at the UK gala ceremony in London in December.

CAFRE, Deirdre Fitzpatrick & Associates and Mallusk Enterprise Park Ltd, receive their UK National Training Award from Sir Reg Empey, Minister for Employment and Learning, Jenni Falconer (GMTV presenter) and Paul Bryans, Manager of Investors in People in Northern Ireland.

Left to right: Jenni Falconer, Melanie Humphrey (Mallusk), Deirdre Fitzpatrick, Sir Reg Empey, Louise Millsopp (CAFRE), Paul Bryans and John Sands (CAFRE)