Order of Bath
Companion (CB)

Carol Patricia Moore, lately director, justice policy, Department of Justice

Order of the British Empire
Dame Commander (DBE)

Professor Judith Eileen Hill CBE, chief executive, Northern Ireland Hospice

Commanders (CBE)
Catherine Elizabeth Bell, deputy secretary, Department for Employment and Learning

Professor Jack Crane, state pathologist

Officers (OBE)
David William Best, director of finance and support services, PSNI

Darren Christopher Clarke, for services to golf

James Dobson, managing director, Dunbia

James Stephen Foster, head of corporate real estate and sourcing (Europe, Middle East and Africa), JP Morgan Chase

David Alexander Gibson, senior lecturer, enterprise education, Queen’s University Belfast

David Dunbar Mawhinney, managing director, Equiniti-ICS

Fionnuala McAndrew, director of children and executive director for social work, Health and Social Care Board

Professor James Andrew McLaughlin, advanced functional materials, University of Ulster

Reverend Wilfred John Orr, Newtownbreda Presbyterian Church

Shelagh Rosemary Rainey, chair, Belfast Education and Library Board

Reverend William Alexander Shaw, director, 174 Trust

Joanne Stuart, former chairman, Institute of Directors, Northern Ireland Division

Members (MBE)
Esther Robina Yvette Anderson, musical director, PSNI Ladies Choir

Philip Moore Bolton, director of music, Royal Belfast Academical Institution

Beverley Eleanor Ann Burns, Trading Standards Service, Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment

Dr Samuel John Burnside

Dr Linda Margaret Caughley, consultant histopathologist, Northern Ireland Cancer Registry

Brian Dorman

Jeffrey Edward Anthony Dudgeon

Charles Herbert Gerard Gould, chairman, board of governors, Carrickfergus Grammar School

Robert James Haughey

Dr Raman Kapur, chief executive, Threshold

Eileen May Kenny, head of quality, South West College

Lily Kerr, head of bargaining and representation, UNISON Northern Ireland

George Gordon Archibald Knowles, welfare officer, Disabled Police Officers’ Association

Renée Alice Logan, volunteer, Institute of Advanced Motorists

Flora Magee

Rosemary Magill, Women’s Aid

Anne Marie Marley, respiratory nurse consultant, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust

Henry Irwin Mayne, social worker, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust

Ann McCrea, breastfeeding co-ordinator

Patricia McDermott

Patrick McGonagle, managing director, Pakflatt Ltd

Rory McIlroy, golfer

William James McKittrick

Maura Muldoon

Robina Parkes

James Peel JP, lately assistant senior education officer, South Eastern Education and Library Board

Alderman John Mervyn Rea, Antrim Borough Council

Agnes Mary Reilly, chairman, Belfast Titanic Society

David Robinson, founder, Northern Ireland Transplant Association

Robert Moore Robinson, principal, Rainey Endowed School, Magherafelt

Richard Michael Sherry

David Smith, director, customer support, South Eastern Regional College

Councillor Marion Smith, North Down Borough Council

Eileen Watson, lately teacher, Ashfield Girls High School, Belfast

Thomas Joseph Welsh

John Victor Williamson, owner, Valley Hotel, Fivemiletown

Queen’s Police Medal
Detective Chief Inspector

Kim McCauley

Acting Inspector

Alexander Penney

Sergeant Russell Vogan

The BEM returns
In the Queen’s birthday honours this summer, the British Empire Medal will be reintroduced to recognise local acts of voluntary service. It was established in 1917 but discontinued by John Major in 1993, as it overlapped with the MBE and was seen as reinforcing class divisions. Recipients tended to come from working class backgrounds. David Cameron, though, sees it a way to reward a wider range of volunteers. Presentations were made by a Lord Lieutenant rather than the Queen, and this will continue through the new system.

Less than a year before the USA chooses a new President, Jim Naughtie finds that many Americans no longer believe in the American Dream. The BBC Today Programme presenter has covered every presidential election since 1988 and is discussing the current state of US politics after speaking at the Belfast Festival at Queen’s.

“Many Americans, say aged between 30 and 50, are profoundly sceptical of the idea with which they grew up, that it was almost an inheritance of theirs that every generation would be better off than the one before,” he comments.

That idea of constant progress was treated as an “absolute fact” that “made you an American” but now rings hollow in the Rust Belt and across the South. Indebtedness to China and Japan are major worries. Together, those countries hold around 45 per cent of US foreign debt.

“The idea that America no longer rules the waves is one that [has] really taken hold,” Naughtie reflects with some regret. “It’s extremely hard to use the word pessimism in relation to the States because it’s the most optimistic country in the world. And there will be a huge amount of rhetoric [this year] about ‘the Americans will bounce back, we’ll do it, that’s what we are etc. etc.’ but I think underneath that there’s a real lurking fear that it’s no longer true.”

A decade of conflict since 9/11 has added to that fear. Realising the threat of terrorism was a “profound shock” and Americans are “slightly bewildered” that they are no safer after the Iraq and Afghanistan invasions. Around 6,200 US troops have died and 47,000 have been injured in both campaigns.

An old saying goes that voters don’t make up their minds after baseball’s World Series is over, which makes for a lot of deciding in the last week of October.

Obama will undoubtedly have to “carry the can” for unemployment, pay cuts and repossessions on his watch and there is now a “sense of quite steep disillusionment” among young people.

Turning to the Republican side, Naughtie adds: “There is absolutely no doubt that the person that the White House fears most is Mitt because he is competent. He is actually more personable than he was in the last campaign.”

Mitt Romney avoids the false conspiracy theories about Obama and instead paints him as “rather a nice guy” who wants the same things as him but “doesn’t know how the world works”. To win the primaries, though, Romney will play to the Tea Party with right-wing rhetoric.

“It’s beyond me to imagine that they could nominate Rick Perry but it’s not impossible,” Naughtie adds. While the Texas Governor is a “seasoned politician,” he has shown a “real lack of grip” on the Middle East, among other issues.

Romney’s weaknesses are his liberalism, faith and wealth. As Massachusetts Governor, he introduced a nearly universal health insurance plan. Many evangelicals “regard Mormonism as a cult” and it’s also “very easy to portray him as a very rich, smooth, Wall Street corporate fat cat, largely because that is indeed what he is.”

Although Americans frequently talk about freedom, enterprise and the American Dream, “very rich folks from Wall Street are not the flavour of the month” at the moment. However, Naughtie’s hunch is “if the Republican Party is serious about winning the election, they should nominate him.”

His own experience of America goes back to studying at Syracuse, upstate New York, back in the mid-1970s. He clearly regrets the polarisation and growing cynicism in its society, which in turn causes serious political damage.

The American constitutional settlement assumed that parties in Congress would search for consensus but his sources in Washington are “very gloomy about the prospects of any administration and Congress being able to sort out some of the deep-seated problems because the ideological rift is so profound now.”

Partisan talk shows and radio reflect the prejudices of their audiences, who are “not interested in hearing another point of view”. An ex-army colonel and Tea Party activist whom he met in Kentucky only listened to Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck.

Getting answers

Hearing that makes him more proud of British radio’s style: “We have managed to preserve in this country the idea of the interview as being something that is an opportunity for people to hear their concerns, their questions, being put and answered.”

For almost every interview, his rule is: “You work out what the one thing is you want to know or you’ve at least got to be determined to get at, and everything else is a bonus.”

Going with the conversational flow is better than sticking to a plan. An alert interviewer who listens to the answers can pick up something intriguing, unexpected or surprising.

Naughtie sums up: “In a good interview, the person being interviewed has always had an opportunity to put their case across, assuming they’ve got one, but the question that most of your listeners want to hear asked has been asked and answered.” The art of it is “letting people feel that they really have learnt something, that light has been cast on something.”

On radio, it’s hard to avoid interrupting a down-the-line interview and eye contact makes the process much more straightforward. “Politicians and experienced people know it. When they’re actually there, it’s much better for us and it’s much better for them too,” he comments.

Realistically, some BBC services to the public will be hit by cuts. That said, he thinks that austerity is forcing to BBC to “think very hard” about its core values and what it does best.

“The BBC can never win because it’s got to try to please everybody, which is impossible,” he quips. With News International on the defensive, when it could otherwise be criticising the licence fee, this is “rather a happy coincidence.”

Original examples of political art were on display at Parliament Buildings over the summer. Thirty-six Assembly members submitted 44 contributions to the MLA Art competition, organised by Belfast’s Metropolitan Arts Centre.

Danny Kinahan took the overall top prize. His ‘Homage to Basil Blackshaw’ comprises four blocks of colour, with an etching of Parliament Building on each, and is based on Blackshaw’s piece ‘The Barn (Blue), The Barn (Red)’. The piece also took the best painting award.

‘The Peloton of Hope’ by Conall McDevitt was named best poem, edging ahead of Barry McElduff’s ‘Carmen to Carson’. Judges were divided with the final decision made by literature critic Davy Torrens, who owns the No Alibis bookstore on Botanic Avenue.

David McClarty’s photo of Mussenden Temple, located in East Londonderry, emerged as a clear winner in that category.

“We knew when we launched the competition that there was a hidden Heaney or a modest Monet and we’re really pleased with the results,” said MAC Chief Executive Anne McReynolds. The centre saw this as a “fun event with as serious message,” emphasising that art can be enjoyed by everyone and its facilities (to open next March) will raise the profile of Northern Ireland and Belfast.

The MAC decided to run the competition, to thank MLAs for their support as the project took shape, and it plans to start every new Assembly term with a similar exhibition.

Irishman, humanitarian and colonial administrator

The life of Terence Gavaghan captured the complexity of a man born in India and searching for an identity: administering a British colony and then helping it and others to achieve their independence and succeed thereafter.

His Irish roots ran deep and were a source of great pride. Gavaghan’s great- grandfather, Patrick, emigrated from Mayo during the Famine and found a job at Hackney railway station. Patrick sent his son, Lawrence, to work on the South India Railways. Lawrence’s son, Edward, was orphaned, sent to a Jesuit college in England and returned to India later in life as a chartered accountant. He eventually became Comptroller General of the Indian Civil Service.

Terence was born in Allahabad and also received a Jesuit schooling at Stonyhurst College, before gaining a Harkness Scholarship to the University of St Andrews. His own colonial career began in Kenya where he served as District Officer and District Commissioner.

That work included being an officer in charge of rehabilitation after the Mau Mau uprising. Around 80,000 Kikuyu males had been arrested and detained to end the insurgency and he was tasked with unblocking the detention system. His MBE and promotion to Government House followed as a reward. Independence was approaching and Gavaghan ensured that former Mau Mau were not excluded from Civil Service posts. When visiting in later years, he received warm welcomes.

He wrote of his Kenyan experiences in two vivid and detailed books: ‘Of Lions and Dung Beetles’ and ‘Corridors of Wire’. In the latter account, he fictionalised himself as Larry Corrigan, a character who warned of “the warping experience of exercising state authorized power over other human beings”.

Joining a United Nations mission in Somalia in 1962 led into humanitarian work for the following three decades for a range of agencies in 17 countries, among them Libya, Afghanistan, Sudan and Indonesia. The former colonial administrator quietly helped Zimbabwe’s resistance movement during its struggle against the Rhodesian Government.

In the 1970s, the family settled in Enniskerry, County Wicklow, where he was delighted to gain Irish citizenship. Rich friendships were made, including with Madame Gong Pusheng, the People’s Republic of China’s first Ambassador to Ireland. With considerable foresight, he predicted the importance of China’s emergence on the world stage.

Retirement took him to London from 1987 onwards. Gavaghan defended Britain’s role in Kenya in lectures and pointed back to 1923 Devonshire Declaration, a promise to act in the interests of the native peoples.

He is survived by two sons, Kevin and Sean, from his first marriage, and a third son, David and daughter Sarah, from his second. David Gavaghan is well-known locally as the former Chief Executive of the Strategic Investment Board, and two of his children were born in Ulster.

His life bridged the often conflicting identities of Britain and Ireland and the emergence of a new order of independent states from old empires. Family and friends valued his insight, dedication to accuracy and commitment to social justice.

Briefly describe how you got started in journalism.

After completing my undergraduate degree at University of Ulster I applied to a post-grad course in broadcast journalism in London on a bit of a whim. I’d actually started a different course back in Belfast, when I got word that I’d been accepted on to the competitive post-grad. I was always interested in news and current affairs but hadn’t really gone down the usual route of chasing after a career in journalism while at school and uni. It was only when I started the course in London that I realised this what I wanted to do all along.

How does your daily routine work out?

That depends greatly on what shift I’ve been slotted on to. Early starts and late finishes are commonplace for most journalists and it’s no different in commercial radio. I also work a lot of weekends.

On an early newsdesk shift, the day starts at 5.30am. The first thing I do is to check what stories have been left for me by the previous night’s desk editor before scanning through the emails and news wires. Then I check the morning papers and start putting the 6am news bulletin together.

The rest of the morning carries on in the same pattern: checking sources, writing scripts, carrying out and editing phone interviews. Then when a reporter arrives in we discuss what the big stories are, what ones we’re going to cover and the treatment they’ll be given. The evening shift generally works the same way with a lot of planning ahead for the next day. I also leave the news room to report on stories at different locations.

What have been the main highlights of your career so far?

The main highlights go hand in hand with the big stories I have covered and the biggest story to date has to be Peter Robinson’s defeat in the Westminster elections last year. The surprising result made huge waves not just here, but in the national media too.

The Hazel Stewart trial in Coleraine earlier this year was another gripping story I had the opportunity to report on. While the shocking events brought great sadness for all involved, the dramatic court case with Colin Howell as a prosecution star witness was one I doubt we’ll see in Northern Ireland again.

Other highlights include covering the visits of George Bush and Hilary Clinton and several royal visits. Last year I was selected to take part in a study programme for young journalists in the United States. It was a great programme looking at the impact of new media. I even ended up in the Cheers bar (from the TV show) in Boston singing the theme tune with basketball star Shaquille O’Neal. Don’t ask!

What’s unique about Downtown and Cool FM?

We’re unique in that we provide a news service for two different stations with different audiences. That can be a challenge as we seek to ensure that our stories are relevant and tailored to meet the needs and interests of a wide range of listeners. I think we have a unique, commercial sound which sets us apart from our rivals. We always aim to provide listeners with the most up to date, accurate and impartial breaking news. The station’s output extends further into community life through our Cash for Kids charity. Again news plays a vital role in our coverage and this year our annual radiothon raised £100,000 for the Royal Hospital for Sick Children.

Why did you decide to go into radio journalism?

As I said in the first answer, I applied for a postgraduate course in London in broadcast journalism on a bit of a whim and haven’t looked back since. I love the immediacy of radio and the opportunity to use a range of editorial, technical and broadcasting skills.

Do you prefer reading or reporting the news?

It’s a common misperception that all a news reader does is read the news every hour. This might be the case at larger news organisations, but in commercial radio the person reading the news is generally the person that writes the scripts, checks sources, follows up leads, carries out interviews and edits them for broadcast. I enjoy this side of the job but it can get manically busy at times. I equally enjoy reporting and find this is where the real journalism is done, out on the beat talking to people about the stories that matter.

How do you relax in your free time?

As you can imagine I consume a lot of news outside of work, mainly online as well as on radio and TV. I cycle a bit and try to keep fit, but it’s a bit of a struggle with my funny working hours. I’m most relaxed when spending time with friends and family.

Briefly sum up your first year as MP.

This year has been a year of change and on my first couple of journeys to Westminster I felt slightly like a school boy in his first year of school. I have been so assured in my political career and this was certainly a new and very large step across the pond. However, I am in stride and the trips across the pond are frequent and rewarding.

I have spoken in over 110 debates since my election last May, have tabled motions on the fishing industry and support for armed forces as well as focusing on my health portfolio as DUP spokesman. I am a member of the Protection of Freedoms Bill Committee and am the only non-English member of the Health and Social Care Bill Committee, and have tabled amendments to the parts of the Bill which affect Northern Ireland.

I have taken great pleasure in my membership of the Armed Forces Parliamentary Scheme and was asked to travel to Afghanistan where I met various constituents serving Queen and country in a country which I will never forget. I have been labelled by the English MPs as being assiduous and I will continue to be tenacious and free-speaking whilst representing the interests of Northern Ireland as a whole and Strangford in particular. My year was a good year, but I look forward to making even more changes for the better of Northern Ireland now that I am more familiar with the system in which I work.

How does the political atmosphere differ between Stormont and Westminster?

The difference is startling and tangible. I believe that a lot of it boils down to the difference in backgrounds of the MPs from all over the UK. The easy rapport that is evident in Stormont between the 108 MLAs, whereby you know everybody and they know you very quickly, is nowhere near the same in Westminster with 650 members. There is a very structured pecking order and it is only by determination that I have involved myself so completely in the workings of the House as it would be very easy for the smaller parties to be swallowed up. However, anyone who knows the DUP knows that we are good at being heard. The differences are vast – but not insurmountable.

Health is mainly devolved. How relevant is your post as spokesman to Northern Ireland?

As the only non-English member of the committee for NHS reform, I believe that I am playing an essential role in the ripple effect for health in Northern Ireland. Although healthcare is devolved to a large extent, as with most areas, Westminster has retained some aspects of control and indeed in the committee I liaised with various health care professionals from Northern Ireland and put forward vital amendments to the section which concerned Northern Ireland.

Had I not been in that position, Northern Ireland would have been greatly affected by the reforms. It must be remembered in politics that not all issues are brought through the front door and if we are to assume that health is devolved, we would find to our detriment that Westminster still has enough control to make a real difference to us on the ground in the province.

How relevant is Westminster to your constituency on an everyday basis?

The relevance and links between Westminster and the everyday life of Strangford is strong in a two-fold manner.

Firstly, it is clear that the decisions made in Westminster affect everyday life such as the proposals to change disability living allowance, to change tax credits, to change national insurance contributions – ask any constituent and one of these will apply. My job is to ensure to the best of my ability that these are not adversely affecting my constituents. In Strangford in particular we have a high level of military service, which is solely handled at Westminster and it is essential that I am there to represent all of those who are there to represent us on foreign fields.

The second matter is that with the House of Commons crest on my letters, there is certainly a more dedicated and efficient response from departments for the everyday issues that my constituents are struggling with and that I deal with, and this is undoubtedly relevant to my constituents.

What are your main interests outside politics?

I am a dedicated country sports enthusiast and thoroughly enjoy going shooting with my son when time allows. I have been blessed with a granddaughter Katie-Lee and any time spent with her is always joyful, as is the time spent in my church. Everyone knows that I am an avid Northern Ireland football supporter as well as a keen Ulster Scots enthusiast and I enjoy spending time reading about our history. However, my passion is for Strangford – not merely in a political sense but in helping the people who have placed their trust in me.

As the new Assembly session got under way, agendaNi explored some of the better and lesser known parts of Parliament Buildings.

Built between 1928 and 1932, the Assembly’s home initially symbolised unionist rule over Northern Ireland and has witnessed the shifts in political power throughout the province’s troubled history. With brief interruptions, it was vacated by politicians during the Troubles with civil servants replacing them for the best part of 40 years.

Now, after the twists and turns of the peace process, a devolved and shared government is firmly established and the processes of democracy are taking place in Parliament Buildings each working day. For all its faults, the Assembly represents the people of Northern Ireland and holds ministers and officials alike to account.

In its more famous and historic moments, presidents, prime ministers and monarchs have walked up its steps and addressed its elected members. These are quieter days, with MLAs getting to grips with the increasingly challenging demands of governing Northern Ireland.

Employment and Learning Committee members prepare to question Minister Stephen Farry in Room 29. The library (directly behind the Great Hall stairs) is now a fairly confined space after an annexe was converted into a committee room. Accommodating the 18 committees is difficult but also essential as they carry out most of the House’s work. Bound volumes of Hansard, statutes, reports and history books take up the shelves. Lighter reads include the Lonely Planet guide to France.

A cleaner sweeps down the Senate Chamber at the start of the day. The pillars alongside the windows represent the six counties of Northern Ireland. The two doors below lead into one of the chamber’s now disused division lobbies.

The Speaker’s chair, below, also sits vacant. As a meeting room, its design has a bit of character and it usually sees cooler discussions, away from the hubbub of the Assembly floor. Original furnishings elsewhere in the building include the post box beside the gift shop, where a range of local crafts and books is on sale.

The Great Hall (known as the Central Hall before 1998) is the first sight for most members of the public. The cream colour of the Italian marble dims the room, despite five chandeliers. A two-ton statue of James Craig (Viscount Craigavon) overlooks ministers and party leaders during their press conferences. The First and deputy First Ministers, and the Speaker, have offices on the ground floor corridor which runs around the building. Press facilities are down in the basement, including a cafe and the ‘scribblers’ room’ for print journalists. Health Committee Chair Michelle Gildernew took her demand for screening for Group B streptococcus to Talkback, using the BBC’s broadcast studio.

The Senate Chamber is the best preserved remnant of the old Northern Ireland Parliament, largely unchanged since 1932. Senators rubbed the Irish linen damask wall panelling for luck, hence the wear and tear near the doors. It now provides a grand setting for committees and occasional services of worship (e.g. on Armistice Day).

Westminister gifted two dispatch boxes, presumed empty but the exact contents are unknown as the keys were lost some years ago. Furthermore, the UK Government’s gratitude for the chamber’s war service (as an RAF operations room) is recorded on a marble panel.

Arabesques on the Strangers’ Gallery ceiling depict the province’s strongest industries in the 1930s: linen, shipbuilding and agriculture. Northern Ireland’s history is charted in the chamber’s painting, of the Parliament’s opening in 1921 (at Belfast City Hall) and the present Assembly in 2003.

Alliance Chief Whip (and new MLA) Stewart Dickson is settled into his office beside the Assembly rotunda. He quips that it’s very handy if you need a pen, rather than heading upstairs. The whips’ offices are located here for quick access to the Assembly chamber and the nearby Speaker’s office. The chamber has housed all assemblies since 1973 and was renovated after the January 1995 fire. This view looks down from the public gallery over the seats of their representatives.

Establish the purpose of the event and what format it’s going to take

Before starting to organise any event it’s important to establish what the event is going to be and why it’s taking place. The objectives behind a company’s annual drinks reception might simply be to get the company’s key stakeholders together for a sociable glass of wine whereas a gala awards dinner would aim to attract sponsorship and guests for dinner and obtain media coverage. The organisation would therefore have to be approached differently in terms of venues, invitations, catering etc.

Some of the various types of events organisations might wish to organise, for different purposes might include:

• Conferences

• Dinners

• Awards ceremonies

• Report or product launches

• Drinks receptions

• Press conferences

• ‘Openings’ of new or refurbished premises

• Exhibitions

• Q&A sessions with an expert

• Lecture series

• Information sessions

It is vital to think carefully about exactly what type of event is most appropriate to the organisation’s business and objectives. Event objectives, in terms of what the planned event will achieve, should always be SMART: Specific, Measurable, Agreed, Realistic and Timed.

Agree a budget

Few organisations in the current difficult economic climate can afford to take a ‘no expense spared’ approach to organising events. It is therefore important to set a budget at the outset and ensure this is adhered to throughout. To assist with budgeting, obtain two or three written quotations for any services required (eg photography, AV services, printing) to ensure prices are competitive. Keep records of any rates agreed for services to be provided and exactly what these include.

Consider whether it is possible for the event to generate any income to offset costs eg it might be an option to sell exhibition space at a conference or obtain sponsorship for aspects of an event. If there are high-profile media personalities or other expert or celebrity speakers attending they will often have high fees and perhaps also require travel and accommodation expenses so establish exactly what their fee is and what is included in it so it can be budgeted for at an early stage.

Date and venue

Obviously the ‘where’ and ‘when’ are two key elements of event planning. In deciding upon where and when the event should take place, there are a number of important questions to consider:

Date issues:

• Availability of key people such as the company chairman / chief executive or a high-profile guest speaker or media personality

• Potential clashes with other events within the sector

• Holiday times (Christmas / Easter / bank or public holidays) are best avoided if possible

Venue issues:

• Where are people attending the event coming from?

• Does the venue need to be close to an airport if there are international guests attending?

• Is a city centre or out of town venue more appropriate? If people are invited for a glass of wine after work, city centre is likely to be better whereas for an all day conference it won’t be such an issue

• Is the venue accessible by public transport or is there sufficient car parking available?

• Is space required for exhibition / break- out rooms / media facilities etc?

• How will guests be seated? Consider classroom style / theatre style / cabaret style for conferences or informal or seating arrangements for receptions and dinners

• Is there an interesting or quirky venue that would tie in with the objectives of the event or create interest?

• Will there be any social events running alongside the main event?

• Does the venue have accommodation on site or nearby?

A very basic consideration in any venue is the size of the facilities on offer – for conferences consider catering arrangements as well as the conference itself. Many venues can offer a large conference room but nowhere to actually give delegates a seated lunch if that’s what is required!

An important factor in booking venues is cost and how the cost is arrived at. For conferences some venues will have a ‘delegate rate’ available which includes room hire, AV facilities and catering – it is worth checking that what is included is in line with what is required at the individual event eg if it is a two or three course lunch or how many coffee breaks are included. Depending on numbers and what’s included it may be better value to pay for room hire and catering and AV services separately.

Marketing

Obviously depending on what type of event is being organised, the marketing will be approached in different ways. If it’s for a major commercial conference or exhibition, it is most likely that brochures will be required for mailing out to potential delegates or attendees. However, for an annual dinner or drinks reception, a printed or perhaps emailed invitation may be sufficient.

Before embarking on any marketing activity it’s important to establish who the target attendance is and what the best means of communicating with them might be. If it’s a press conference or launch targeting a high level of media attendance, they can be invited by email but will require a follow-up call closer to the time of the event to confirm if they can attend. Depending on the type of event, it is worth considering if advertising it is appropriate and what might be the best outlet for this, not forgetting the value of local newspapers if it’s an event targeting local attendance within a specific area.

In line with marketing, there will need to be a system for registering attendees or recording RSVPs – for something like an annual dinner it might be appropriate to follow up via telephone for those guests who have not replied by a set date. Give some consideration to any information attendees might need such as directions to the venue or dress code and record any information they provide such as dietary or access requirements.

Media

Alongside the event itself, there are often useful opportunities to be gained from media coverage surrounding the event. If the event is to attract media attention it’s important that the media are engaged early and constructively. Find out the names of the appropriate correspondents from the various media outlets and send them notice of the event, including an invitation to attend, with as much information as possible. Follow up with a press release and appropriate photo (perhaps of the event launch or of someone who is participating in it) and check if they plan to attend.

It is important to have media facilities available on-the-day e.g. a quiet room for interviews, access to internet/power points for laptops, copies of any press releases etc. Following up with a good captioned photo and some additional information on the event can be a good way of obtaining post-event media coverage. Ensure a nominated person is allocated responsibility for media liaison so the media have a single point of contact for the event.

Audio-visual requirements

Establish what is required in terms of audio-visual services for the event – sound system, microphones, lighting, projection, screens, TVs, DVD players etc. AV can often be considered just another additional service but is actually highly central to the success or failure of any event. There is no point in paying huge amounts of money to secure a celebrity speaker if no one can see or hear them! If the AV doesn’t run smoothly it will impact upon the entire event.

Don’t assume that the AV that is included with venue hire will meet your requirements – establish exactly what is included and double-check it’s actually working if you plan to use it. Also ensure you are briefed as to how it works as it’s likely the one person in the venue that knows all about it will disappear at the key moment!

As with any service, obtain a number of written quotations for AV services and try and obtain recommendations from others that have used the company. Make sure the AV operator is fully aware of what is expected from him/her on the day and have a rehearsal if possible.

Catering

In many cases the venue will be responsible for catering but in some non- hotel venues outside caterers will be required. If this is the case, obtain two or three quotations and try to use a catering company that is familiar with the venue – usually the contact within the venue can recommend or suggest some good outside catering companies.

In all cases, establish exactly what is required in terms of numbers and menus (it is often worth estimating numbers on the lower side of what is expected to attend as there is usually some who find they can’t make it at the last minute). Consider the option of a buffet (hot or cold) instead of a sit-down meal, if it’s appropriate to the event, as this can often be less expensive and allow for better networking opportunities. Remember to allow for vegetarians and other special dietary requirements and try to choose menus that will appeal to a broad range of people.

The event itself

Alongside all the other considerations outlined above, there is one fundamental area that is central to the success of the planned event and that is the event itself! If it’s a conference the success of the event will be centred around the programme so this is vitally important to get right so that people actually want to attend. There should be a mix of local and visiting speakers and the topics should address the key theme of the conference. Build in plenty of opportunities for networking and discussion so delegates feel they’ve had an opportunity to express their own views and meet and discuss with other attendees.

If the event is a dinner or a drinks reception or launch give some thought to who is going to speak, when and for how long, if any entertainment is required and how long the whole event is expected to last.

On-the-day

If all the planning and preparation has been put in place beforehand, the event should run smoothly on-the-day but it’s important to always be prepared and in a position to respond to any last minute crises! Some important guidelines for on- the-day, regardless of the type of event being organised, include:

• Arrive early to ensure everything is set up properly

• Have a list of phone numbers for key people handy – speakers, AV provider, outside caterers etc

• Haveapre-eventbriefing,inthevenue, for all those with a key role in the event so everyone knows what’s happening when and who has responsibility for individual actions

• Ensure timings are adhered to as far as possible – at a conference one speaker running over his/her time can have a knock-on effect for the rest of the day

• Finalise your timetable with the venue and keep them informed of any changes

• Make sure the AV operator is fully briefed as to all AV requirements and has an up to date copy of the programme or running order to hand

• Have a box of essentials on hand containing anything you are likely to need such as sticky tape, drawing pins, a stapler etc.

Post-event

No matter what the event is, there is always some form of post-event activity required. Typically this can include:

• Sending thank you letters to anyone that has helped with the event

• Agreeingandpayinganyoutstandingbills

• Returning any hired equipment

• Following up on any other promised actions from the event eg sending more information on something or setting up a meeting with a new contact

• Post-event evaluation – what worked well and what could be improved upon next time.

Success!

No events guide can ever cover all of the considerations for every single event. As each event has its own needs and requirements, there will always be additional aspects to organise, the detail of which hasn’t been included here. However, by sticking to the main guidelines outlined above, hopefully it will provide the recipe for a successful and stress-free event, whatever the occasion.

It’s clear that Northern Ireland is excelling at sport in 2011.

At the highest level stand the golfing achievements of Rory McIlroy and Darren Clarke, following on from Graeme McDowell’s victory last year (see pages 106-107).

Major personal achievements have also been chalked up by our athletes. Jason Smyth set a new Northern Ireland 100m record (10.22), a 0.1 second improvement on his previous best. Fifteen year old Sally Brown won a 200m bronze at the International Paralympic Committee World Championships. Ciara Mageean also set a new Irish junior indoor mile record (4:38.81).

Kelly Gallagher claimed a gold medal in the slalom at the Europa Cup Finals. Aileen Morrison won the European Triathlon Union Cup race, before taking a silver at the International Triathlon Union contest two weeks later.

In badminton, Madeline Perry won the Singapore Masters and enters the Australian Open as the defending champion.

Linfield won its 50th Irish League title in May. Northern Ireland, at the time of going to press, had won two of its Euro 2012 qualifiers, lost one and drawn three.

Ulster teams have won the Sam Maguire Cup four times since 2000, with Down narrowly losing out last year. Tyrone dropped out in this year’s quarter-finals but Donegal has progressed one stage further. Antrim reached the semis in this year’s All-Ireland U21 Hurling Championship. Meanwhile in rugby, Ulster reached the Heineken Cup quarter- finals.

Strategy

More and more people are also taking part in sport. In 2005-2006, 29 per cent of people regularly participated but this rose to 37 per cent in 2009-2010.

This is welcome progress in reversing the decline in exercise by 2013, one of the main goals in the Executive’s ‘Sport Matters’ strategy. Objectives for its finish in 2019 include:

• winning at least five medals at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games;

• 100 Northern Ireland athletes gaining medals at the highest level in their sport;

• 45,000 part-time and 700 full-time coaches.

In school, children should receive at least two hours of PE per week plus two hours of extra-curricular sport and recreation. A physically active lifestyle should become the norm as people grow up.

Sports bodies and local councils are to organise more events in disadvantaged areas and appoint 36 development officers to encourage people to take part: 18 for women and 18 for disabled people. Forty club support officers would keep up good links with local schools.

Performance would be improved by creating a high performance sports network (24 coaches plus 10 sports scientists) and a 100-strong network of full-time club coaches.

The most visible result will be the upgrading of Windsor Park, Casement Park and Ravenhill (worth £110 million). Other construction projects include constructing Bangor’s 50m swimming pool, completing the Sports Institute’s high performance centre and redeveloping the Tollymore Mountain Centre.

For the many people who prefer less intense exercise, publicly owned lands across Northern Ireland will be opened up for walking. All public rights of way will also be mapped out.

London 2012

As the clock counts down, all eyes are turning to the London 2012 Olympics (27 July to 12 August), followed by the Paralympics (29 August to 9 September). Local athletes have the choice of competing for Great Britain (officially Great Britain and Northern Ireland) or Ireland.

Getting the Australian boxing team to locate in Belfast is a significant achievement. The province’s rings have produced six Olympic medallists since 1956 (most recently Paddy Barnes in 2008). Australia has had no success since 1988 but has participated in every games since then. The team hopes to qualify 13 boxers: 10 men and, for the first time, three women.

Furthermore, two Chinese coaches inspected the Salto Gymnastics Centre in Lisburn in July. Chinese gymnasts won 18 medals, including 11 golds, at the 2008 Beijing games.

Indonesia’s badminton team is considering the Lisburn Racquets Club as a training camp. Five of its players trained there in early August, preparing for the Badminton World Championships in London.

Our progress has been slow compared to the Republic, which will host four watersports teams: Hungarian and British water polo, US synchronised swimming and British Paralympic swimming.

That said, most teams and indeed athletes are waiting to see if whether they have qualified.

Northern Ireland’s first Paralympic qualifier took place with the World Boccia Championships in Jordanstown (18-27 August). An international wheelchair basketball tournament will take place in the province in January-February 2012.

Back in Lisburn, badminton players will be ranked for the Olympics at the Yonex Irish International Badminton Championship, scheduled for 8-11 December. Two hundred players from over 30 countries are due to take part.

The province has missed out on hosting Olympic events, due to the failure to build the Maze stadium and the delay in upgrading Windsor Park. Meanwhile, both Hampden Park and Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium will host Olympic football matches.

Over 600 volunteers will carry the Olympic torch through the province from 3-6 June. Following on from this year’s achievements, the Olympics are a unique opportunity for Northern Ireland’s sportspeople. London last had the games in 1948 and this chance may not pass our way again.

Olympic football: pros and cons

A ‘Great Britain and Northern Ireland’ Olympic football team has been proposed by the British Olympic Association and Northern Ireland manager Nigel Worthington is happy for his players to take part. FIFA has pledged that the Celtic nations will not lose their status and a UK team did compete up to 1960. Individual footballers are free to decide whether they want to compete. Eighteen players will be in the men’s squad: 15 under-23s and three of open age, possibly including David Beckham.

The Irish Football Association has long been opposed (along with its Scottish and Welsh counterparts), claiming that this would undermine Northern Ireland’s independence in FIFA. Founded in 1880, the IFA is the fourth oldest football association in the world. Many Northern Ireland supporters distrust FIFA, especially with the ongoing bribery allegations, and their top priority is the World Cup rather than Wembley in 2012.

In brief, what are your ambitions for sport?

One of the five priorities of the Executive is to promote tolerance, inclusion, health and well-being. Sport is a key vehicle for achieving this.

Greater physical activity reduces obesity and promotes well-being, which improves physical and mental health. This, in turn, has benefits across society, both tangible and intangible. Sport can and does make a very real difference in people’s lives: people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities.

What are your personal first impressions of the Sport Matters strategy? Is it achievable and do you plan to make changes?

The strategy is a comprehensive document setting out the sporting issues to be addressed, targets to achieve success, the benefits to be achieved and the costs of delivery.

It has quite rightly been developed in consultation with all the key stakeholders and is all the more robust for having done so.

It highlights the many organisations involved in delivering the strategy and, to its credit, sets out the structures that need to be in place to assure delivery in the 10-year lifespan.

It is rightly an ambitious strategy and must be achievable over the 10 years as it is intended to address basic sporting needs in the North of Ireland. Implementation will be challenging but it is achievable if everyone involved on the Sport Matters Monitoring Group and those represented on the various Sport Matters implementation groups maintain their commitment.

At an abstract level, what is the rationale for investing in sport when other public services are under financial pressure?

The case for investment at both an abstract and practical level is made very clearly in Sport Matters and I would refer you specifically to Chapter 8 and Appendix 1 of Sport Matters, which covers the cost of doing nothing and the importance of sport.

Your department is spending £138 million to upgrade stadiums. Would that money would be better invested in getting more people to play sport?

Successive executives have agreed that the people in the North of Ireland deserve stadiums that are both safe and fit for purpose for spectators who go to watch the three main ball sports here.

The sports have suffered for many years from a lack of investment in major stadiums. Added to that, the stadiums provide a major funding source for each of the sports and the profits from the hosting of major sporting fixtures are re-invested in grassroots sports.

Over the next year, what will you do to ensure Northern Ireland benefits from the London 2012 Olympics?

Good progress has already been made in realising benefits for the North from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympics Games.

With just over 12 months to go before the 2012 Olympic Torch Relay arrives here, DCAL will now focus on delivering the torch relay, the live sites in Belfast and Derry, providing support for the Land of Giants project and other Cultural Olympiad programmes, supporting and encouraging volunteering opportunities, and promoting the North of Ireland as a destination for pre-games training camps and qualifying events.

DCAL will also continue to work with Invest NI and local government to maximise opportunities for local businesses.

These activities will deliver both short-term benefits and a lasting legacy. They will enable us to develop the capacity and confidence to deliver other high quality, high impact major events and celebrations in the North throughout 2012 and 2013.

When do you hope to reinstate the Places for Sport programme for community level sports clubs?*

There is an ongoing Places for Sport programme being taken forward in the four-year CSR period. It is titled the Sport Matters Community Capital Sports Programme. Through this programme, £9.5 million will be invested in facilities at community level.

Your manifesto commits you to increasing quality sporting provision for all minority groups? How do you plan to carry this commitment out?

DCAL has a lot to offer, not just in terms of sport but also in relation to the other aspects of culture, arts and leisure. But we have to make sure that people who are hard to reach are engaged; it’s about breaking down misconceptions and barriers, and providing access. That doesn’t take a pile of money; it takes good ideas and initiative.

What are your own sporting interests?

I come from a GAA family, and hurling is my favourite sport to watch. It’s an amazing game: it’s fast, so much pace. I see how sport makes a real and meaningful difference in people’s lives. Especially since I took up the post of Minister, I have seen this impact on those who take part in sports, those who spectate and those who volunteer in all areas of sport.

What would you hope to achieve during your term as Minister responsible for sport?

Echoing what is outlined above, one of the key things is making sure we reach out to hard-to-reach communities, and that we use sport and physical activity as a way of promoting better physical and mental health.

The priority is around following objective need; we have a challenge in making sure communities avail of opportunities, and that money spent will have a direct impact.