Charity Is Progressive

Progressive Building Society, NI's largest locally-owned mortgage lender, has donated £2,000 to the Ulster Cancer Foundation (UCF), thanks to this year's voters in the Society's Annual General Meeting. While politicians were campaigning for general election votes, Progressive was encouraging its members to vote in their Society's AGM by making a commitment to donate 20p to the charity for every postal vote and 40p for every online vote returned. The charity link has proved successful in helping boost this voting channel over recent years. Pictured receiving the funds from Progressive's Secretary and Head of Risk Management, Michael Boyd, is Joyce Savage, Head of Appeals and Marketing, UCF.

Software Boost

A Belfast software design firm has launched a new product for export, with support from Invest Northern Ireland. Qwizdom UK has developed innovative software designed for use on interactive whiteboards and with touchscreen technology in the corporate and education sectors. Invest NI offered £57,000 of R&D support, part funded by European Regional Development Fund, towards Qwizdom's wider R&D programme which aims to increase the company's export capability, primarily in the North American market. Qwizdom UK currently sells high quality interactive devices and the supporting educational curriculum software throughout the UK and Europe. The new software is made up of a unique set of interactive desktop tools which aim to provide an enhanced learning experience for those in the classroom.

Foster Urges Farm Safety

NI Health and Safety Minister Arlene Foster has urged farmers to take extra care in handling livestock and using farm vehicles as they enter this traditionally busy time of the year. "In the last 10 years, 62 people have died needlessly in incidents associated with farm work. Tragically, this statistic includes child deaths and it underlines the need for extra vigilance on our farms. Farming is a high-risk occupation with farmers, farm workers and farming families at risk from the movement of vehicles, the handling of livestock and the use of dangerous machinery. Farmers have a responsibility to manage health and safety to ensure that they, their employees and their family members are kept safe on the farm," she said.

Lambit Adds Humour

The Bangor-born ex MP who lost his seat in the Commons, the colourful Lembit Opik, has been on TV again. The Liberal Democrat was not debating his party's prospects of joining a government coalition, but was a guest on BBC One's Have I Got News for You, the day after being ousted by Montgomeryshire voters. Mr Opik gained a reputation for appearing on such comedy shows during his 13 years as one of the Lib Dems' best known faces in Parliament. He also had a number of celebrity partners, including the ITV weather presenter Sian Lloyd, and Gabriela Irimia, one half of the pop twins, the Cheeky Girls. Lembit Opik was born in Bangor, in 1965, the son of Estonian parents whose families had fled from Stalin.

(BMcc/GK)