A PIONEERING institution set up by concerned citizens of Newry in the early 1970s at a time of high unemployment and serious political unrest - and which has stood the test of time and since gone on to create hundreds of small businesses and thousands of new jobs - has been heralded for its outstanding contribution to the area.
The Newry & Mourne Co-op & Enterprise Agency was honoured at the Greater Newry Area Business Awards for having made "an immeasurable contribution to the impressive regeneration of Newry, South Armagh and South Down".
And three of its long-standing board of directors - Peter McEvoy (chairman), John MacMahon and Michael Hughes - were on hand at the Canal Court Hotel to collect the accolade in front of almost 500 guests.
They were among 20 winners on the night in the biennial business bash organised by Newry Chamber of Commerce & Trade and which celebrates the best that the Greater Newry Area business community has to offer and profiles the exceptionally high standard of business leadership, ambition, entrepreneurship and innovativeness synonymous with the region.
The remit of Newry Co-op, which was born out of a ‘self help’ conference in May 1972, was to help create new and assist existing small businesses in an area of high deprivation at the time.
In 1974 the Co-op launched the Work In Newry (WIN) campaign, securing donations to buy the site of what is now WIN Business Park, and its board of unpaid volunteers sought to help skilled unemployed men and women to develop new businesses in what was the first community-managed and owned workspace project in Ireland and one of the first in Europe.
In 1983 the government piloted the first local enterprise agency under the auspices of the Co-op – Newry and Mourne Enterprise Agency. In 1986 the Co-op set up Ireland’s first locally funded and managed small business loan fund. From 1995 the Co-op and Enterprise Agency developed and managed enterprise centres in Newry, Warrenpoint, Flurrybridge, Kilkeel and Forkhill.
Today, the WIN Business Park provides 100,000 sq ft of workspace hosting 82 small businesses which employ over 430 people, but between 2001 and 2015 alone it helped with1,990 new businesses creating 1,600 jobs and tens of millions in wages and revenue within the local economy.
Elsewhere at the Greater Newry Area Business Awards, guest hosted by Mark Simpson, specialist joinery company MJM Group claimed two awards.
MJM, which last year rescued Antrim-based fit-out firm Mivan from administration, won the business growth and export categories.
More than 260 applications entered the awards, including a record number of written submissions.
Newry Chamber president Deborah Loughran said: "Our local businesses are continuing to innovate, invest in product development and improved customer service, outperforming their peers across the region. This event celebrates and showcases their success and I would like to congratulate all of our winning, highly commended and finalist companies."
Principal sponsors for the awards initiative were Newry Mourne & Down District Council, BE Aerospace and the Canal Court Hotel.
WINNERS
:: Best New Business (sponsored by Ulster Bank) – Mourne Mountains Brewery Ltd
:: Best Green Business (sponsored by Power NI) – Quays Shopping & Leisure Centre
:: Best Customer Service independent retailer (sponsored by S&W Today’s) – Jack Murphy Jewellers
:: Best Customer Service multiple retailer (sponsored by The Quays Shopping & Leisure Complex) – Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics
:: Best Customer Service service sector (sponsored by Firmus Energy) - Sculpt NC
:: Best Small Business (sponsored by First Trust Bank) – JR Lighting
:: Best Pub (sponsored by Mourne Mountains Brewery) – Canal Court Hotel & Spa
:: Best Premises sponsored by Canal Court Hotel & Spa) - The Hub Newry
:: Best Business Growth (sponsored By Bank of Ireland) – MJM Marine Ltd
:: Best Excellence in People (sponsored by First Derivatives) – PKF-FPM Accountants
:: Best Innovative Business (sponsored by BT) – ITS New Media Ltd
:: Best Marketing Initiative (sponsored by ITS New Media) – Buttercrane’s Got Talent
:: Best Export Business (sponsored by PKF-FPM) – MJM Marine Ltd
:: Best Place to Eat (sponsored by Autoline) – Froth Coffee Co (non licensed) and Maison’s Restaurant (licensed).
:: Best Young Entrepreneur (sponsored by O’Hare & McGovern) - Gareth Chambers (Around Noon)
:: Best Tourism (sponsored by Newry Junior Chamber) - Slieve Gullion Forest Park and Martin Murtagh's Newry City Tours (joint winners)
:: Best Social Enterprise (sponsored by Newry & Mourne Enterprise Agency) - Newry Credit Union
:: Best Social Corporate Responsibility (sponsored by Parkergreen International) – Southern Area Hospice Services
:: Outstanding Contribution to the Greater Newry Area (sponsored by Buttercrane) - the board of Newry & Mourne Enterprise Agency
