Tyrone Constitution, News for Tyrone and Ireland

John Crowe, a lecturer in Hospitality & Catering at North West Regional College was recently named the winner of a prestigious UK award, for his innovative teaching methods.

The Professional Association for Catering Education (PACE) recognised John’s novel approach to engaging with his catering students, through the use of computers in the College’s state-of-the-art training kitchens, and awarded him 1st prize in the Innovative Use of Technology category at the recent PACE Awards 2009.

John travelled to Towcester, Northamptonshire to collect his award at a gala ceremony, where he also accepted the 2nd place certificate on behalf of his colleague Luane Quigley, who was commended for an online project which allowed students to provide feedback to improve the quality of teaching and learning.

John and Luane were the only lecturers from Northern Ireland to feature in the PACE nominations and awards for innovation, which are open to Hospitality staff in Colleges and Schools across the UK.

The judges were impressed with how the College’s School of Hospitality and Catering is committed to introducing new methods of teaching on such practical programmes.  The enhanced technology in use includes as a laptop tablet, where students can access a wide range of course information and materials, a photo station, which allows the students to photograph their dishes, then store or print the images and helps them build their portfolio. Others include kitchen camera and interactive white boards.

This award is another success for John, who spent time last year working under Gordon Ramsay in his Claridges restaurant, developing new skills that have since been passed onto his students.  In addition, two of John’s trainees scooped bronze medals at the highly competitive Chef Ireland 2009 international WACS Salon Culinaire in Dublin in February.

Sports Minister Gregory Campbell today joined thousands of fans to enjoy the carnival atmosphere and excitement at the North West 200.

Speaking during the event the Minister said: “As a visitor behind the scenes, and a spectator here today, I am seeing at first hand the hard work and determination that goes into making this event possible each year. It is the magnificent achievements of all the riders, organisers and volunteers that have made the North West 200 an international success and enabled it to grow year on year to reach this milestone 80th birthday.”

Since its inception in 1929 the North West 200 has grown into one of the fastest road races in the world, attracting over 150,000 visitors from home and abroad and generating over £7million for Northern Ireland’s economy.

The Minister continued: “Over the years my Department has demonstrated its commitment to making this event a success through the provision of funding. In 2007 my predecessor, Edwin Poots MLA, announced funding of £150,000 to help improve safety at the circuit. This was followed by an additional £100,000 which was aimed specifically at upgrading safety at various motor sport circuits throughout Northern Ireland. The North West 200 was allocated £34,855 of this money.

“In 2008, my Department awarded the Coleraine & District Motorcycle Club £175,000 over a three year period to contribute towards the cost of employing a Business Development/ Operations Manager, and also developing the organisation’s web-presence.

“In addition, with a further £100,000 funding through Sport NI the organisers of the North West were able resurface the paddock area and, a successful application in 2009, brought further funding of £45,000 to support the introduction of two new marketing campaigns.”

In conclusion the Minister said: “I would like to thank Mervyn Whyte, the huge band of volunteers and all the sponsors for their continuing hard work and support in making this international event happen and finally I send my best wishes to all the riders and hope everyone has a safe race.”

Cllr Allan Bresland MLA - Press Release

At approximately 1.30am on the morning of Thursday 14th May, an elderly couple was viciously attacked and robbed at their home on the Plumbridge Road, Newtownstewart, by a cowardly group consisting of two men and two women.

The male resident heard a knock and the door, and talked with the caller through the door.  The caller claimed to need the use of the phone.  The resident stated that he did not have a phone in his house, and advised the caller to use the phone in one of the other houses.  The caller responded by stating that he would be back.

After hearing this, the resident went back into the bedroom to wake up his wife.    Shortly after doing this, there was a loud bang, and the caller was standing beside the resident, wearing a balaclava.  The resident, fearing for the safety of himself and his wife, attempted to defend himself and knocked the intruder to the ground.  When he was on the ground, the resident removed the balaclava and discovered a number of distinguishing marks on the intruder.

Shortly after knocking the intruder to the ground, two women and another man set upon the elderly resident.  The man, armed with a knife, brutally cut the arms of the elderly resident, before threatening to cut off his ear if he did not tell the group where he kept his money.

The group, after their cowardly and violent attack on an elderly couple, made off with around £400 in cash.

I want to condemn this robbery.  There is no excuse for attacking and threatening an elderly man and his wife.  The PSNI have been informed and I am confident that they will track down and arrest those responsible in a quick and professional manner.

I appeal for anyone with information relating to this to come forward and assist in the apprehension of these vicious criminals.

Members of the Northern Ireland Policing Board’s Human Resources Committee have been briefed on the application rates in the latest recruitment campaign for the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI)

Speaking about the figures presented, Committee Chairman Jimmy Spratt MLA said,

“Board Members were very encouraged by the high number of applicants in this latest recruitment round which show that policing remains an attractive career choice right across the community.

Just under 10,000 applicants for 440 posts is the biggest response to the police recruitment campaigns to date. This level of interest shows that those who would wish to threaten and intimidate potential recruits to a career in policing have failed.”

Of the 9825 applications received 3734 (38%) were from Catholic applicants and 2987 (30.4%) were from women.

Mid-Tyrone SDLP Councillor Seamus Shields has welcomed plans by DRD Roads Service to undertake the surface dressing of more than 40km of rural roads in the area.

The programme of repair includes Drumnakilly Road, Crockanbuoy Road, Creggan Road, Donaghanie Road, Loughmacrory Road and Greencastle Road and will be carried out over the next financial year.

According to Mr Shields, a report to be presented at a special meeting of Omagh District Council by the Western Roads Service Divisional Manager states that surface dressing is a “cost effective treatment that re-seals the road surface to prevent the ingress of water that could freeze and completely break up the surface”.

Mr Shields said: “This vindicates my earlier stance that surface dressing would have prevented the spate of potholes which appeared in many of the rural roads of Mid-Tyrone when there were numerous complaints about accidents and damage to vehicles.

“Roads Service has now admitted that the pothole epidemic has been caused by the freeze/thaw phenomenon caused by ingress of water.

“Clearly, a programme of surface dressing would have prevented this, as the Roads Service now seems to admit.

“I will be putting pressure on Roads Service to extend this programme to other roads, particularly those in the Beragh and Sixmilecross areas, where the condition of many of the roads remains unacceptable, despite the laying of some stretch of Bitmac dressing in some of the worst affected areas, including Beragh Main Street.”