Islands in the Stream ... Love Abounds - Guest Writer: Allison

What a week that was … ready and roaring for action was how to best describe the 'Boys v Girls - Football Challenge'.  Kerry and Heather took it in turn to jig about on the goal line like very professional bouncy things.  However, Peter ‘the cat’ Fitzpatrick had arms and legs all over the place.  He defended that net like his life depended on it.  Just as well his goalie skills are superb - because he missed his penalty shot.  If the rest of the boys had seen him let anything in they’d have lynched him.  Result: 3-0  More activity news; Arnold won the pedometer task with an incredible step count of 76,765. We girls are now only one challenge ahead of those pesky boys - sock pulling up time!

Our MD Jayne is ditching her car this week and floating to meetings on a sparkling, soft, fluffy cloud.  This is because she became engaged to the lovely Allen at the weekend.  Her ring is beautiful, incredibly classy and would not be out of place on the hand of a Dowager Duchess - very Downton Abbey.  Congratulations from all of us here on the Island! She will attend a Coaching Course on Thursday at Malone Lodge with Donna. Then Jayne will rev up her cloud on Friday morning for an Iod Committee meeting at Ridell Hall - later meeting Mark Maguire from Invest NI with our Accountant James.

 I'm sure you'll all agree that the new Mrs Kerri Bradley looks stunning in her fabulous dress?  All Islanders heartily wish them many happy years of wedded bliss.  The weather on the day could not have been more perfect.  Our CEO, Barry, attended his PA’s wedding reception; giving his Russian wife the first taste of how the Irish can party during nuptials. The following day, working as a tour guide, she told a bus full of Ukrainians that the Irish do a very strange thing at wedding parties “they all sit in a line on the floor and move their arms around whilst singing “Don’t rock the boat baby - very unusual!” 

Barry will be trying hard not to rock the boat this week when he has internal meetings all day today. He’s delivering an internal workshop to staff tomorrow. On Thursday he’s at an Innovation Conference in Derry/Londonderry and on Friday he’s back in the office.

What about the rest of us?  Both Peters are off to visit The Web Bureau this afternoon for the first design phase of our new website – on track to go live in July!  Pamela is meeting David Boyle from the Arches in Randalstown on Wednesday to discuss our delicious duck derby event.  Kerry is hosting the Mock Industrial Tribunal event in our Training Centre on Thursday 30^th May.  Incidentally, the morning of which see’s Heather at The Princes Trust Antrim Team Graduation.