t’s hard to believe that we are already at the end of July and what an unusual summer it has been! 2020 continues to keep us on our toes, and our team continues to ‘lean in’ to the curveballs, holding on tightly to our agile ethos. Here’s a look at what our team got up to in July. We hope you enjoy our round-up!

Following its recent launch to the UK and Ireland market, the Belfast-based team behind the Consumer Code for Online Dispute Resolution (CCODR) has secured funding in a competitive process to the value of almost £50,000 from UK Research and Innovation’s Innovate UK grant scheme. 

Representing Northern Ireland in the upcoming The Small Awards 2020, LinkedIn expert and trainer, Louise Brogan, founder of Social Bee NI, has been shortlisted to take home the Sole to Sole (best Self Employed Small Business Owner) award in a virtual ceremony on 2nd July. 

And just like that another surreal summer month, the second quarter of 2020, and the first half of the year is about to come to an end. We are looking back at what challenged and inspired our team this month as we dream about the second half of summer and hope for more exciting days ahead.

Green energy innovators 3T Power have announced a partnership with one of the UK and Ireland’s premiere manufacturers of bespoke joinery and fitted furniture, Maghera-based Specialist Joinery Group to transition the company to a fully green electricity supply, exclusively generated in Northern Ireland. Through this partnership SJG have not only re-committed to their ‘green’ ethos but are also supporting independent electricity generators and the local Northern Ireland economy.

Leveraging their established global network of suppliers, local company Hospital Services Limited (HSL) has expanded its business to help the Health Services in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland by sourcing over 13 million pieces of personal protective equipment (PPE) to aid the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. The most recent deliveries arrived by chartered cargo flights, with over 100 truckloads to follow. These included a variety of gowns, masks and theatre caps which will play an important role for healthcare workers continuing to treat patients across the UK and Ireland.

With face to face mediation, arbitration and adjudication sessions across the UK and the Republic of Ireland cancelled as a result of the current Covid-19 pandemic, an innovative, purpose-built platform has been launched to enable dispute practitioners to resume working whilst practicing social distancing following respective government guidelines.

We have loved tuning in to CIPR’s #CIPRLearn webinars throughout the last couple of months, whilst working remotely. This week’s webinar and the last of the webinar series was hosted by Cathy Connan and focused on the importance of ‘mental wellbeing in the shadow of coronavirus.’

May has been a strange month for everyone. For our team, the month came with new successes, challenges and learnings as we continued to help our clients with their ‘new normal’ as well, too, navigate working life in quarantine!

We are a core team of agile communications professionals supported by a wider network of creatives and specialists who are experts in their field. Following the principles of the Agile People Manifesto, we are guided and inspired by an Agile approach that values transparency, action, imagination and relationships to deliver true impact and value for our partners.

Downpatrick-based guitar maker Lowden Guitars has been honoured with a Queen’s Award for Enterprise for International Trade following their recent celebration of 45 years in the business of creating high-quality guitars and the launch of their collaboration with Ed Sheeran on the Sheeran by Lowden.

Working with partners, colleagues and even industry competitors, the team behind Parr Group who operates across Northern Ireland the North West of England, with bases in Belfast and Bolton, has taken a significant step to show their support for the wider community by organising and mobilising a multi-organisation support team.