Rathlin rewarded

Cllr Sandra Hunter, Chair of Moyle District Council and Caroline Carey, acting Tourism Development Manager for Moyle visited Rathlin on Wednesday 22nd August for the presentation of certificates including ‘World Host’, a customer care training programme, to Rathlin Island residents and workers.
By The Newsroom
Published 15th Sep 2012, 13:18 BST

Due to last minute problems with the ferry service others were unable to attend, including World Host trainer Clare Gibson, Charles Stewart of Red Bay Powerboating, Katy Jenkins of Tidy NI and Bill Wilsdon of the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service who were also to have presented awards.

Certificates were awarded to those present who completed the World Host tourism training programme and the powerboat training sessions. A certificate from the Causeway Volunteer Centre was formally presented to a number of Rathlin Co-op volunteers for their work in running the island shop since last December, when David Hannaway closed his business after many years of his and his family’s service to the community. This long service was recognised with a certificate of thanks from the Rathlin Development & Community Association.

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Out of a population of just over 100 on Rathlin, 27 people successfully completed the World Host tourism training, 12 took the powerboat training, and well over a dozen island residents were recognised for their voluntary time running the Rathlin shop. A certificate from Tidy NI honours a similar number of residents for their voluntary cleaning of Rathlin’s beaches and foreshore.

Chair Cllr Sandra Hunter stated: “I always enjoy coming to Rathlin and I am delighted to be here for this occasion. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate you all on your achievements, in particular on gaining your ‘World Host’ accreditation. I understand that they are planning to dedicate World Host Village and Town Status and I can’t see why we can’t have a ‘World Host Island’ in Moyle”.

Claire Gibson, local World Host Trainer, delivered the programme on the Island. The course is subsidised by the Department of Employment and Learning and focuses on excellent Customer Service and Visitor Awareness as well as destination knowledge. Currently over 100 people from the Moyle area have completed World Host.

Funding for this programme will continue for the foreseeable future. Anyone interested in finding out about World Host can contact Claire Gibson on 07971546221 or email [email protected]

The Tourism Department from the Council assisted with the cost of the presentation on Rathlin.