Hosts in Ireland’s Ukraine Response

Celebrating the role of Hosts in Ireland’s Ukraine Response

Helping Irish Hosts, in partnership with the Irish Red Cross, Peter McVerry Trust and IOM, has helped accommodate over 15,000 displaced Ukrainians in more than 7,000 Irish households since March 2022. As the need for accommodation becomes ever more critical, the role hosts have played in Ireland’s Ukraine response is truly remarkable. 

Helping Irish Hosts, an organisation set up for hosts by hosts, is heading to the Ploughing Championships with a shipping container they’ve turned into a home where they’ll be inviting hosts from all over the country to stop by for cups of tea around the kitchen table to share about their experience and get some support. 

Angie Gough, CEO and Co-Founder of Helping Irish Hosts, says:

“The Irish community response to the invasion of Ukraine has been overwhelmingly positive, and the phenomenal host response is at its heart. With more than 7,000 households currently hosting across the country, offering shelter, hope and solidarity to 16% of the displaced Ukrainians living here, where better to meet and celebrate than at the Ploughing Championships? We’ve built a kitchen – the heart of Irish hospitality – in a shipping container and we would love to welcome hosts and wannabe hosts to come say hello and have a cuppa and a chat.”

Visit Stand 471, Block 4, Row 31 (beside the Green Car Park entrance) for daily scheduled sessions at 11.00am and 3.00pm, including Ukrainian cultural exchange and host support chats.

If you’re curious to learn more about what’s involved in hosting a displaced individual or family in your home or property, drop by to get your questions answered and learn about the support and resources in place.

To learn more, visit https://www.helpingirishhosts.com/.

The Irish Red Cross, Peter McVerry Trust, the International Organisation for Migration and Helping Irish Hosts are funded by DCEDIY to activate pledges of shared accommodation on behalf of the State. Local Authorities are activating pledges of vacant properties via the Offer a Home scheme. All partners will be on hand at The Ploughing to provide practical information about what’s involved in hosting displaced Ukrainians and how to go about it, as well as on the spot support for those who are currently hosting.

Applied Concepts Ltd.

Applied set to launch its Varimount 120 PTO driven air compressor at the National Ploughing Championships, Tue, Sep 19, 2023 – Thu, Sep 21, 2023

County Offaly based designer and manufacturer of the world’s number one PTO compressor, Applied Concepts Ltd., is set to launch its Varimount 120 – little brother to the Varimount 350 – at the upcoming National Ploughing Championships on 19 September 2023. And it’s chosen Father Phil – father of popular agri influencer, Farmer Phil – to host the launch.

The latest addition to Applied’s PTO compressor family builds on the same features and functions that have made the Varimount 350 the benchmark in PTO driven compressors. With a guaranteed output of 120 CFM, the Varimount 120 is ideally suited to a range of agricultural, commercial, construction, and industrial applications like blowing down equipment, powering a blasting machine, or jetting cable into a pre-installed duct.

The air power you need, when you need it!

“When we set out to design the Varimount 120, we wanted to create a PTO Compressor that delivers the same level of reliability, versatility, and durability offered by the Varimount 350 without requiring the same horse power and with an emphasis on affordability,” explains Mark Clendennen, CEO of Applied Concepts Ltd.

“Everything about the Varimount 120 is informed by our customers’ feedback. They wanted an equally robust, but more compact, lightweight version of the Applied Varimount 350 that can run off smaller model tractors and the Varimount 120 is exactly that. We’re very conscious of the economic burdens facing our customers and our role in engineering machinery geared to help them cut their running costs while boosting productivity and efficiency.” 

“We felt the demand warranted investing in the development of a PTO compressor that delivers the air power to tackle everyday agricultural, commercial, construction, and industrial tasks at a price point that fits our customers’ budgets, essentially a little brother to the Varimount 350.”

“It’s a project that has been two years in the making and we’re excited that Father Phil will be hosting the launch of the Varimount 120 and equally thrilled that the launch coincides with the National Ploughing Championships, arguably the highlight event of the agri industry calendar,” continues Mr. Clendennen.

 

Following in the footsteps of the world’s number one PTO Compressor

The Varimount 120 follows in the footsteps of the Varimount 350, the world’s leading PTO compressor. The brainchild of Applied’s expert mechanical and product design engineers, it is designed and manufactured at Applied’s state-of-the-art facility in Birr, Co. Offaly. Over one thousand hours of field testing have proven it tough enough to surpass customers’ expectations in a range of applications, even in the harshest of outdoor environments.

“Our customers deserve a compressor that can handle anything they throw at it. That’s why we’ve checked and rechecked every element to ensure it lives up to the same attention to detail and exceptional manufacturing standards they’ve come to associate with the Applied name,” adds Mr. Clendennen.

Like the Varimount 350, the Varimount 120 can be quickly and easily mounted onto the rear or front linkage of any tractor. What’s more, the Varimount 120 shares the tractor’s engine. This two-for-one design means diesel emissions are automatically halved, making it better for customers and better for the environment. Plus, its compact size makes the Varimount 120 suited to manoeuvring in tight spaces without adding unnecessary extra weight.

“Every aspect of the Varimount 120 is engineered to ease our customer’s workload while eliminating the challenges and potential hazards of towing a standard mobile compressor. From its Pinnacle Air End and patented pneumatic controls to its Combi-Cooler and premium quality finish, the emphasis is on maximised performance and hassle-free maintenance, making the portable air power our customers need more attainable and affordable.”

“We look forward to showcasing the Varimount 120 at the 2023 NPA Exhibition. And we’re proud to have Father Phil on board to launch the latest addition to our PTO compressor family because he so perfectly represents the values that make Applied a world leader – innovation, tenacity, and a commitment to designing products that put our customers’ needs first. Come join us at the opening of the National Ploughing Championships and take advantage of our special introductory price and other available offers,” concludes Mr. Clendennen.

About Applied Concepts Ltd.

Applied Concepts Ltd is Europe’s leading designer and manufacturer of blasting machines and PTO driven air compressors. Established in 2010, the company operates out of Birr, Co. Offaly, in the Republic of Ireland where its state-of-the art production facility is based. From superior quality, CE approved portable blasting machines and blasting cabinets to best-in-class PTO compressors, the Applied name comes with a promise of safety, durability, and unbeatable value for money backed by the technical support of its expert Applied Service Team. 

The Department of Social Protection

The Department of Social Protection will be attending the National Ploughing Championships from 19 to 21 September. 

We will be based in the Our Rural Future: Supporting People and Communities section of the Government of Ireland Village, at Block 3 | Row 22 | Hub 348 seen on the map here.

The changes in the State Pension (Contributory) and the new Auto-Enrolment scheme are our focus this year.

Over the course of the three days, experts from the Department will give talks on the latest developments taking place on State Pension (Contributory) changes and the new Auto-Enrolment retirement scheme that will give employees extra income in retirement.

These presentations will take place in the nearby We’re Taking Climate Action section of the Government of Ireland Village based at Block 3 |Row 23 | Stand 361, each day at 10:30am.

Pensions and Auto-Enrolment experts will also be available on our stand each day to answer queries on the new Auto-Enrolment retirement scheme and the changes to the State Pension (Contributory).

Visitors can learn the latest information on the Long-Term Carers Contributions Periods and the enhanced Pensions Contributory Statement now available at MyWelfare.

A visit to our stand is also a must for anyone interested in creating and verifying a MyGovID account, which gives safe, online access to a range of government services including JobsIreland, Revenue, the National Childcare Scheme and the National Driving License Service (NDLS).

There will also be staff from the Rural Social Scheme at our stand for the duration of the event.

For queries in relation to the Department’s attendance at the National Ploughing Championships, please email us at Customerservice@welfare.ie

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empowerDX, a Leading Home-test Provider Launches in Ireland

empowerDX Ireland, a leading producer of self-sampling health tests, will attend the National Ploughing Championships 2023, the largest agricultural show in Europe, which will take place in Ratheniska, Co. Laois, Ireland, from September 19th to 21st. 

Inspired by the work of the Agriculture & Food Development Authority in promoting health and wellness among the farming community, empowerDX Ireland will be showcasing its innovative and high-quality products for human health and wellness, such as self-sampling blood and DNA tests.

empowerDX tests are already available in several countries across the world, including the USA, Germany, Italy, Portugal and Spain. In Ireland, empowerDX is initially launching the following home tests: Colorectal Cancer, Haemochromatosis, Prostate Cancer (PSA), Diabetes, Vitamin D and Cholesterol, with additional tests to follow. Home health testing can provide the public, especially those who have busy lives, like farmers, with an accessible, affordable and convenient way of monitoring, and increasing their knowledge about, their health.

The National Ploughing Championships 2023 is expected to attract hundreds of thousands of visitors and the event will feature ploughing contests, livestock exhibitions, machinery demonstrations and many other activities related to the farming industry.

empowerDX Ireland invites attendees to visit its stand at the event and discover its latest self-sampling health test innovations and solutions.

For further information about empowerDX Ireland, please visit www.empowerDX.ie or contact support@shop.empowerdx.ie.

About empowerDX: 

Following the successful footsteps of its sister company in the USA and joining the recent launch of empowerDX in a number of European countries including Germany, Portugal, Spain and Italy, empowerDX Ireland will offer Irish customers affordable, safe, easy to use and modern home health testing kits to screen for a wide variety of health considerations. 

Customers order testing kits online, collect their sample from the comfort of their home and then send the sample to be analysed by empowerDX’s partner laboratories, which are part of the international network of Eurofins laboratories. Customers receive an uncomplicated, intuitive, and user-friendly report containing their results; accessible through a secure online account a few days after the laboratory receives the sample.