OPEN FARM WEEKEND
:: This year’s Bank of Ireland Open Farm Weekend, which was originally postponed due to Covid-19 restrictions will now become Bank of Ireland Virtual Farm Weekend and be held virtually from Friday July 31 to Sunday August 2.
Although visitors cannot physically attend farms, the online activities shown throughout the weekend on Open Farm Weekend’s social media channels and website will still give the public the chance to connect with up to 18 farms from across the north.
Online viewers will get the chance to discover the wonderful range of fresh farm produce from Northern Ireland and celebrate the region's food heroes by interacting online with farmers who have been providing vital food and drink supplies over the last number of months.
Throughout this year’s event there will be a chance to see specific farm activities such as robotic milking, grain harvesting, sheep shearing, virtual farm tours, wildlife watching and potato harvesting, as well as a special programme of live activities.
Led by the Ulster Farmers’ Union, the free Bank of Ireland Open Farm Weekend initiative, now in its ninth year, has highlighted working farms particularly to those from a non-farming background, showing the story behind our food and helping to cultivate an understanding of quality farming practices.
Richard Primrose, Bank of Ireland UK agri-business manager, said: “The last few months in particular have shown how vital this industry is to the rural communities. The growth and prosperity of the wider economy also relies heavily on a thriving agri-food industry.
“Now more than ever, consumers are keen to learn about where their local produce originates from and we believe that this year’s Bank of Ireland Virtual Farm Weekend provides the perfect opportunity to practically illustrate and educate consumers on how our local food is produced.”
More information at www.openfarmweekend.com
RUNWAY RUN
:: Professional services firm Grant Thornton has taken its 5K challenge race series (GT5K) digital, with races set to take place virtually around the island of Ireland for the first time.
The GT5K race series, which is Ireland’s largest and longest running corporate event of its type, has seen 44,700 runners take part over the last eight years across Belfast, Dublin, Cork, and Galway.
This year, the races are going virtual to continue to raise charitable funds in a time of need. The race series encourages social running amongst Ireland’s business community and welcomes all abilities, from beginners to experienced runners.
New features being introduced this year include the use of a live leaderboard and a new online registration system.
This year Grant Thornton is opening the competition to corporate teams, individuals, families, sports clubs and anybody else who would like to enter a team.
Runners will be able to register online, complete their run over the weekend of the August 14, 15 & 16 and upload their best time to a live leaderboard by midnight on the Sunday.
Earlier this year, The Alzheimer’s Society was announced as the GT5K Charity Partner for 2020 and runners are encouraged to #DoItForDementia as many charities are struggling to raise funds as a result of Covid-19.
Richard Gillan, managing partner for Grant Thornton in Northern Ireland, said: “For the past five years our Runway Run has proven extremely popular amongst businesses from every sector across Northern Ireland, and although Covid-19 has impacted us all, we did not want to lose this momentum.
“Key to our decision was ensuring our charities did not lose out on much-needed funds this year and going virtual means this year’s run is open to all, regardless of location.
“We look forward to seeing how everyone performs in August and will hopefully see you back at Belfast City Airport in 2021.”
For information on the race dates, visit www.grantthorntonni.com/GT5K.
