The Mac Cafferty School of Music held its annual fundraising Féis on Sunday 14th November at the Millennium Forum. The music school, run by Una O’Somachain, daughter of the late, great James Mac Cafferty, holds singing classes from nursery level upwards.

Una said: “We were delighted to have Children in Crossfire’s Richard Moore join in the day’s events. The day gives the children and young adults a platform to perform and everyone leaves with a prize. Most importantly, we’re pleased to able to raise some money for a local charity.”

This year the Féis funds are being donated to Children in Crossfire. The Féis was held on the fifteenth anniversary of the death of school founder James Mac Cafferty.

 For more information on the Mac Cafferty School of Music, call 028 71265914.

Richard is pictured with adjudicators Anne Marie Hickey and Pat Henderson Bond, as well as senior pupils and members of the Mac Cafferty School.

This week I attended BizCamp in Belfast, a user-generated business conference for entrepreneurs and professionals in the biz, technology and digital arena. This event, held at the Ulster Museum, was  both well organised and attended.

A valuable lesson was learned there by one of my esteemed colleagues presenting (who shall remain nameless!), whose laptop blue-screened just as they were about to present. Obviously, a plan B is always important in terms of having enough material to ad lib (or ideally a back-up copy). But most importantly – the 6 Ps – Proper Planning Prevents Pretty Poor Performance – springs to mind.

It is the season for free, local events; I plan to attend next week’s Showcase conference, in association with the Foyle Film Festival at the Nerve Centre, in Derry on 24^th November. This is organised by Derry’s Digital Champion Mark Nagurski, with the sponsorship of Noribic and the Foyle Film Festival. I’m looking forward to the presentations there from the world of film and media, including that of local woman (and friend) Catherine Ross, Producer/Director from 360 Production.

Eibhlin Boydell