Conference speakers Bobby Kerr is an Irish entrepreneur and businessman. He presents ‘Down to Business’ a Saturday Business Breakfast show on Newstalk and was a founding ’Dragon’ on RTE’s Dragons’ Den. He is the Chairman of Insomnia Coffee and one of the owners of Bang Restaurant. Mary Fogarty & Maeve O’Hair set up Co-operative Shop and Tearooms in 2012 - Ireland’s first co-operatively owned village shop. According to Mary: “A village shop is not just the heart of the community, it’s the heartbeat.” Joan Vaughan is a community volunteer in the Crosspatrick Community Shop, Kilkenny’s first community run shop. Joan played a vital part in the initial concept of this completely voluntary community project and with other community volunteers continues make this shop a success. Peter Couchman is Chief Executive of the Plunkett Foundation. He was best known for helping to make Oxford, Swindon & Gloucester Co-op an internationally recognised example for engaging members and marketing its co-operative identity.

Patrick Killeen is Project Officer with North LEADER Partnership. He holds a post-graduate Higher Diploma in Co-operative Organisation & Food Marketing and a MSc in Rural Development. He was involved in the development of the Loughmore Community Shop and Tearooms from the beginning Kevin M. Leyden is a Professor of Political Science at the NUIG. He also serves as Co-Director of the Creative, Liveable and Sustainable Communities Cluster of the Whitaker Institute. Professor Leyden’s research interests include social capital, land-use & transportation planning and issues of sustainable development. Helen Carroll works as a presenter on RTE’s Ear to the Ground. Helen has worked extensively in television - researching and reporting on RTE programmes such as Prime Time, Kenny Live and Gerry Ryan Tonight. She has also worked as a sports reporter/presenter for RTE radio. IRELAND’S FIRST : Peter Ward is the owner of ’s Country Choice delicatessen and cafe. Peter was the past Chairman of the Irish Taste Council for 5 years. He is also a member of Good Food Ireland. Rural Community Retail Conference Sean Sherlock TD Minister of State, Department of Jobs, Enterprise & Innovation and Department of Education & Skills with responsibility for Research & Innovation 21st March 2014 @ 9:00am to 4:30pm! Horse and Jockey Hotel, Horse and Jockey, Co Tipperary!

To book a place, please contact your local LEADER company: County Kilkenny Leader Partnership: Tel: 056 7752111 Email: [email protected] Carlow County Development Partnership: Tel: 059 9720733 Email: Informing and enthusing community champions in the [email protected] potential of rural community shops. Laois Partnership Company: Tel: 057 8661900 Email: [email protected] Leader Partnership: Tel: 067-56676 Email: [email protected] South Tipperary Development Company: Tel: 052 7442652 Email: [email protected] Influencing public policy to support the rural community ! shop concept Conference Agenda Workshop OPTIONS

TIME TOPIC WORKSHOP OPTIONS EXPERT PANEL 9:00am - 9:30am Registration 1 Set up & Structure Peter Couchman: The Plunkett Foundation Siobhan Mehigan: Irish Co-operative 9:30am - 9:40am Welcome and Introductions: • Researching! the Need Organisation Society (ICOS) Helen Carroll (Moderator) and Declan Rice (CEO of County • Legal Options Co-op James O’Neill: Muintir na Tire Kilkenny LEADER Partnership) • Management Structures Ciaran Lynch: Limerick Institute of Technology Workshop 1 Workshop 9:40am - 10:00am The Growth of the Community Shop in the UK: • Sourcing a Suitable Maeve O’Hair: Loughmore Co-operative Shop The Plunkett Foundation - Peter Couchman Premises & Tea Rooms 10:00am - 10:20am Irish Success Stories: “The Cottage”Loughmore & Noreen Byrne: Centre for Co-operative Studies Crosspatrick Community Shop: Mary Fogarty, Maeve O’Hair 2 Finance Mary Fogarty: Loughmore Co-operative Shop & and Joan Vaughan ! Tea Rooms 10:20am - 10:30am Local Development Companies - What Can We Offer? • Start Up Capital Options Joe O’Connell: Loughmore Co-operative Shop Patrick Killeen - North Tipperary LEADER Partnership • Cashflow & Tea Rooms • Provision for tax Ann Shorthall: Bagenalstown Community 10:30am - 10:40am Questions and Answers Enterprise Workshop 2 Workshop Susan Gallagher: Clann Credo 10:40am - 11:00am Tea and Coffee Break / Networking Opportunity Donal Traynor: Ulster Community Investment 11:00am - 12:00pm 1st Session of Workshop Sessions X 4 Trust Ltd

12:00pm - 12:30pm Why Local Shops are Important to Local Communities: 3 Volunteerism Joan Vaughan: Crosspatrick Communty Shop Kevin Leyden, Professor of Political Science and Sociology, NUIG Patrick Killeen: Local Development Company: • Agency Support! Available North Tipperary LEADER Partnership 12:30pm - 12:50pm Local Produce for Local Shops: Peter Ward (owner of Country • Managing the Volunteer/ Derek Fanning: South Tipperary Volunteer Choice, Delicatessen and Coffee Bar) Staff Mix Centre Workshop 3 Workshop 1:00pm - 2:00pm Lunch & Networking Opportunity Declan Kelly: Portlaoise Parish Centre's Shop Debra O’Neil: Age Action 2:00pm - 2:20pm Revitalise Your Community: Bobby Kerr 4 Attracting and James Alcock: The Plunkett Foundation 2:20pm - 2:40pm Department of Environment Community and Local Keeping the Customer Bobby Kerr : Retail Government: Sean Sherlock TD Minister of State, Department of Rebecca O’Brien: Food Safety Jobs, Enterprise & Innovation and Department of Education & • Food Safety ! Rebecca O’Brien: Health and Safety

Skills with responsibility for Research & Innovation 4 Workshop • Health and Safety Issues David Condon: New Start-Up Enterprise: “The Red Pig” 2:40pm-3:35pm 2nd Session of Workshop Sessions X 4 3:45pm - 4:15pm Panel Discussion & Open Forum * Book a workshop 4:15pm Closing Remarks & Wrap Up with your local LEADER company See back for details