BNI Claddagh Chapter has been running since June 2010 and in that time those businesses have shared €800,000 plus of business together

BNI is the most successful organization of it’s type in the world. It provides a platform for many businesses to work together to help keep opportunities for business in each locality where there is a Chapter. For example, in 2010 BNI Claddagh Chapter formed in Claregalway with the assistance of BNI Support Director, Ireland South & West Liam Higgins. There are now 19 businesses represented in the Chapter and what makes BNI unique is that no two companies come from the same type of business. One only business per trade or profession can join a Chapter and that means that unlike other networking organisations, you will not see your competitor in the same room.

“Since launching in 2010 members of BNI Claddagh Chapter have been meeting weekly to understand one another’s businesses and to learn to identify possible opportunities for business for each of their fellow members” said Liam Higgins. “This has resulted in them sharing in over €800,000 worth of new business because they made these sales on the basis of introductions that they would not have received unless they were members of the Chapter.”

BNI provides a simple structure that is proven to work over the last 25 years and on five continents. Members of BNI passed thousands of referrals resulting in over €270 million worth of business being shared by it’s members in the UK and Ireland IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS. There are currently four Chapters in County Galway with one in Tuam, one in Salthill and one meeting in Taylors Hill as well as the team in Claregalway.

“Being a member of a Chapter of BNI is like having a huge sales team working for your business. Each person has been trained to identify business opportunities for our fellow members and the best part is that it works really well. It’s not about chasing business though, it’s really about building relationships with your fellow members and it teaches you to do the same with your clients” said Geoff Kinsella, the present Chapter Director of BNI Claddagh.

If you would like to learn more about what BNI is all about and to arrange to come along to see how it can help your own business, why not contact Liam on 086-8332558 or Geoff on 087 9460320 to discuss joining them for a meeting. They meet every week in the Claregalway Hotel on Wednesday mornings and their saying is “Missing breakfast can be seriously bad for your WEALTH”. If you are looking at new ways to generate more business in 2012 there is no better place to start.

Eamon O’Donoghue and his restoration team have put many years into the restoration of Claregalway Castle.

The Castle will, for many centuries to come, be a window to life in the distant past.  It will play host to an exhibition of all the artifacts found in the recent archaeological dig which was carried out to facilitate the bridge works as well as hosting a garden festival in July celebrating the tree in Irish life.

‘I am delighted that this Government is committed to progressing with this road, which will bring welcome relief to residents of Claregalway and people who commute though the village on a daily basis,’ said Deputy Grealish.

‘€250,000 was previously allocated for an Environmental Impact Study, the appointment of consultants and for route selection.’

‘The public consultation on the route selection is now complete and Galway County Council have selected the preferred route, which is being finalised at the moment.’

‘The allocated of €158,000 this week is for the design stage, which brings the Inner Relief Road one step closer to reality, with the next step being the CPO process.’

Given that the new M17 is unlikely to be built for many years, it is vitally important that the Claregalway Inner Relief Road is constructed and I am delighted with this significant funding, especially during these difficult economic times,’ Deputy Grealish concluded.

‘Galway County Council hope to accept a tender in the next few months and work will commence on the laying of pipes in mid to late summer,’ said Deputy Grealish.

‘The Claregalway and Milltown Sewerage Schemes, are packaged as one contract document within the Department of the Environment as a Design Build Operate (DBO) Scheme and the publication of a request for tenders is a significant step forward,’ he said.

‘This is excellent news for the residents and business owners in Claregalway and brings them one step closer to a more efficient, environmentally friendly sewerage system that will reduce pollution and enhance water quality in the area.

‘Galway County Council have also informed me that they have sought approval from the Department of the Environment to issue tender documents for the construction of the treatment plant, which I hope will be approved by the Minister shortly.’

‘I am delighted that we are now reaching the final stages for these long awaited schemes,’ Deputy Grealish concluded.
 

In addition, the teeth and soft tissues of the mouth are protected because the upper and lower jaws are not brought forcefully together, and the front teeth are cushioned. Costs related to replacing teeth lost due to trauma can run into the thousands, and can lead to a lifetime of dental problems.

WHAT TO DO IF A SPORTING INJURY OCCURS:

KNOCKED OUT TOOTH: If a tooth is knocked out see your dentist IMMEDATELY.  If the dentist can re-implant the tooth with 30 minutes it may be possible to save the tooth.

Find & pick the tooth by the top portion to prevent damage to the root.

Handle the tooth as little as possible.

Gently clean away any dirt by running under water.

Where possible replace the clean tooth in the socket & hold it in place with your finger & ask your child to bite down gently on it.

If you cannot replace the tooth place it in a container with milk.

Do not replace baby teeth in the socket as this may damage the formation of the permanent tooth bud.

DISPLACED TEETH: If a tooth is pushed in or out, use light finger pressure to move the tooth back to its normal position.

Do not force the tooth

Use a moist cloth or gauze to hold the tooth in place.  See your dentist within 30 minutes.

See your dentist as soon as possible

In life it is faith that starts us off, but it is charity that keeps us going in any undertaking in life. Little acts of charity can awaken life-giving confidence in you and in others. Charity can be enacted in many ways, such as giving food and clothes to the needy, cheerful care of the sick, a warm greeting or smile to the people that you meet, or even listening to a friend’s worries. As the saying goes ‘Charity sees the need not the cause’. As usual a story from my Nana Scully’s prayer book might help us understand more.

Balance of Love in the world

A 91-year-old woman died after living a very long dignified life. When she met God, she asked Him something that had really bothered her for a very long time. “If Man was created in God’s image, and if all people are created equal, why do people treat each other so badly?” God replied that each person who enters our life has a unique lesson to teach us. It is only through these lessons that we learn about life, people and our relationships with God. This confused the woman, so God began to explain:

“When someone lies to you, it teaches you that things are not always what they seem. The truth is often far beneath the surface. Look beyond the masks people wear if you want to know what is in their hearts. When someone steals from you, it teaches you that nothing is forever. Always appreciate what you have. You never know when you might lose it. Never take your friends or family for granted. When someone inflicts injury upon you, it teaches you that the human state is a very fragile one. Protect and take care of your body as best as you can; it’s the one thing that you are sure to have forever. When someone mocks you, it teaches you that no two people are alike. When you encounter people who are different from you, do not judge them by how they look or act. Instead, base it on the contents of what is in their hearts.

When someone breaks your heart, it teaches you that loving someone does not always mean that the person will love you back. But don’t turn your back on love because when you find the right person, the joy that one person brings you will make up for all of your past hurts. When someone holds a grudge against you, it teaches you that everyone makes mistakes. When you are wronged, the most virtuous thing you can do is forgive the offender without pretense. Forgiving those who have hurt us is often the most difficult and painful of life’s experiences, but it is also the most courageous thing a person can do. When a loved one is unfaithful to you, it teaches you that resisting temptation is Man’s greatest challenge. Be vigilant in your resistance against all temptations. By doing so, you will be rewarded with an enduring sense of satisfaction far greater than the temporary pleasure by which you were tempted. Aspire to make your dreams come true. Do not feel guilty about your success, but never let an obsession with achieving your goals lead you to engage in malevolent activities. When someone ridicules you, it teaches you that nobody is perfect. Accept people for their merits and be tolerant of their flaws.”

Love is the Greatest Gift

Upon hearing the Lord’s wisdom, the old woman became concerned that there are no lessons to be learned from people’s good deeds and works of charity. God replied that Man’s capacity to love is the greatest gift He has. Each act of love also teaches us a lesson. The woman’s curiosity deepened. God, once again began to explain: “When someone loves us, it teaches us love, kindness, charity, honesty, humility, forgiveness, acceptance, and all of these can counteract all the evil in the world. For every good deed, there is one evil deed. Man alone has the power to control the balance between good and evil, but because the lessons of love are not taught often enough, the power is too often abused. When you enter someone’s life, whether by plan, chance or coincidence, consider what your lesson will be. Will you teach love or a harsh lesson of reality? When you die, will your life have resulted in more loving or more hurting? More comfort or more pain? More joy or more sadness? Each one of us has the power over the balance of the love in the world. Use it wisely!”

Thought for the week

As you’re thought for the week, don’t miss an opportunity to nudge the world’s scale of love in the right direction!

• U14 Solo Talent :Singing, Dance Modern/Disco, Music, Recitation;
• U14 Group Talent: Dance Irish & Contemporary, Modern & Disco, Set Dancing Singing, Music, Drama, Comedy Sketch).
• Cross-Country: U12,U13,U14;
• Chess: U12 & U16;
• Choir:U13 & U16;
• Draughts:U10,U12,U14;
• Handball:U13, U15;
• Badminton:U15;
• Projects:U11,U13,U16;
• Table Tennis:U13 & U16;
• Table Quiz:U14;
• Indoor Soccer:U13 & U15;
• Art/Model Making U8–U16;
• Handwriting U10.

We will be taking entries for Cross Country and Solo competitions and group activities where we have parents willing to get involved. If parents are interested in helping out with any of the following we would love to hear from you: Draughts, Quiz, Table Tennis, Talent. Children must be under the relevant age on 1st August 2012, registration fee is €2 and if haven’t entered Community Games competition before, please bring a copy of birth cert.For further details, check out our website at www.claregalwaylackaghcommunitygames.com or contact Marie Lyons at 085-7223235

International Coaching week is February 6^th-10^th, so as a national board member of the International Coaching Federation (ICF) I thought I would play my part and promote coaching.

Many people are not sure what coaching is, especially in Ireland, as it is relatively new here. When I tell people that I am a coach they often misunderstand and assume my business is focused on sports coaching. Whilst there are similarities, my aim is to empower people to become the best possible versions of themselves; whether that be in their personal lives, their careers or businesses.

Some people will chuckle and might even disregard this new profession in Ireland, thinking “Sure why do I need a life coach? I don’t need anyone to tell me how to run my life/ business. Can’t I talk to my friend?”

That, however, is the exact opposite of coaching. A coach will never tell you what to do. The only agenda a reputable coach has is whatever you bring to the table i.e. the coach’s agenda is your agenda. You decide what you want to talk about, what goals you want to achieve, how the coaching conversation will support that process and what exactly the coach’s role is in that process.

How does coaching differ from other professional services?

There are many fine lines between all the services out there; each professional service has its place and value. It really depends on what intervention is most applicable to you. Coaching sees itself as offering equal value to other professional services. The intervention you require will depend on your needs and you know best what your needs are:

• Counselling – this is about re-experiencing the past to change how you feel in the future. Deep emotional issues can be resolved through counselling. Coaching can change the way that you feel or perceive a situation and help identify what changes needs to happen to determine a positive future.
• Consulting – consultants are experts in their field, they have knowledge, education and experience that you may not have. For some people it is necessary to use this intervention; while others abhor the thought using the services of consultants, using the phrases “they don`t get me” or “no one is going to tell me what to do”. In order to enact change some clients choose coaching, as coaches view their clients as experts on themselves.
• Mentoring – has its place, as people draw on others’ experience to support them in a new role. Only coaches who have experience similar to what you require should be used.

It is always forward focused

Coaching is focused and results oriented, so if you have goals or results you want to achieve coaching may be the intervention for you. At all times you are moving closer to the goal or the desired result you want to achieve.

While coaching is a conversation, it’s focused on you. You may have a friend that is great to talk to, but half the conversation can sometimes be focused on them, and thus your agenda or goal could be missed. Coaching is really about having the space to focus your thoughts in the direction of your goals.

A coach will never tell you that you have to complete three or ten sessions with them.  You are in control, you are the expert, no coach should deem themselves experts on you. Sometimes coaches will hold their hands up and say “I’m not an expert in this area.” In that situation it is the coach’s responsibility to refer you to a another professional who will move you forward. If you want to devote your time elsewhere and come back to coaching that’s fine. Again the only agenda for the coach is your agenda.

The way we grow is from the inside out

The coaching community of which I am a part, the ICF, believe in empowerment. What that means is that people who come to coaching need to be looking for change. For that change process to happen, people must be ready, willing and able to use coaching as the correct intervention for them. Coaching works for people because in order for change to happen we must decide to change first. That decision to change is deeply personal. When you are ready to grow into the best possible version of yourself you will begin to take a different path in life, gaining new insights into yourself and changing your perspective on how you cope with life’s challenges.

You are not dependent on the coach or anyone else to create change in your life; you are ultimately responsible and accountable for yourself.  You have your own solutions to the personal challenges that you face, you are the expert on you and no one else is. Coaching is about exploring options and possibilities to create that change. Some people come to coaching because they feel stuck. Some believe they have run out of options. Others are looking for a sense of fulfilment and to improve their lives, whether that is in their personal life, their career or business. Some people want focus and expertise to achieve their goals, while others become frustrated with the path that they are on.

Coaching experts use different skills, resources, experience and techniques to get the best out of a client. I personally draw on my education and experience to in order to assist people.

I am a Master Practitioner in Neuro Linguistic Programming, whereby I use techniques to aid people with confidence, public speaking and interview skills. I use Transactional Analysis Coaching to assist people improve their business, career and personal lives. I also use psychometric assessment tools to facilitate career change, career planning and leadership development.

Are you ready for coaching?

Are you ready, willing and able to create positive personal change in your life and become the person you always wanted to become?

That decision lies with you; you have the power to change.

About the Author:

William is a coach who works with people in a way that works for them. He is currently a national director of the international coaching federation. He also addressed the National Forum on Resilience in Áras an Uachtaráin.

He offers many services to help people on all levels in their personal lives, business lives and careers. William specialises in working with people in developing confidence, whether that is in improving a client’s business, career or public speaking. He also runs courses nationwide on time management.

If you would like to take immediate action and achieve your goals, contact William on 091-739676 or william@yellowwood.ie