The second meeting of the Leapfrog Club has been held at the new Higher Bridges Building in Enniskillen.

Professor Fabian Monds, Chairman of the Information Age Initiative for Northern Ireland addressed the meeting, which included presentations from community, rural and industry representatives on Leapfrog projects.

Commenting on the Leafrog Projects, Professor Monds said: "Set up just nine months ago, the Bridges2Business programme developed by the Fermanagh University Partnership Board has so far helped around 100 businesses develop a more effective understanding of e-commerce.

“Websites have either been set up or improved, and businesses encouraged to implement e-zine marketing campaigns. These ideas have resulted in thousands of hits per week for the participating organisations and have seen local businesses trade in 13 countries including the USA and Australia.

“Business in the Community’s ‘comm.unity’ project has inspired and engaged businesses to support the community’s use of ICTs - comm.unity has over the last eight months engaged over 50 companies in a wide range of projects.

“For example employees of Kainos Software are currently developing ICT skills amongst pupils in two Belfast primary schools and Parity Training provided ICT training advice to the Upper Andersonstown Community Forum.”

Professor Monds concluded by saying that Leapfrog also enabled the Northern Ireland Aerospace Consortium to facilitate and improve cooperation amongst its member companies.

He said that in light of recent events this had become an increasingly important issue, as collaboration in the aerospace industry would have a major impact on companies’ competitive positions. (MB)