Young Presidents’ Organization Visit Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council

A group from the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO) has visited Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council. 

YPO are a leadership community of worldwide chief executives with over 34,000+ global members; three of which are from Belfast.

Six members and their families travelled to Northern Ireland for a weeklong visit which included key stops in Lisburn and Castlereagh.

The visiting YPO members have a keen passion for ice hockey and have travelled the world playing in many countries such as Czech Republic, Austria, Switzerland and all across North America.   Their Northern Ireland trip was centred on daily ice time in the island’s only public Olympic size ice rink, Dundonald International Ice Bowl.

The group had a full itinerary packed with sightseeing across Lisburn Castlereagh including a tour of Hillsborough Castle and Gardens and a Civic Reception at Lagan Valley Island, attended by council officials including the Mayor, Chairman of Communities & Wellbeing and the Chief Executive.

Commenting at the Civic Reception, the Mayor of Lisburn & Castlereagh Council, Councillor Andrew Gowan said, “We are honoured to welcome visitors from the Young Presidents’ Organisation to Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council. On behalf of the council, I trust you have been made to feel very welcome and have enjoyed your visits to our facilities.  I extend my sincere thanks to Alan Maislin and the entire group on the gift of a commissioned Neil Shawcross MBE art piece presented to us here today.”

Councillor Thomas Beckett, Communities & Wellbeing Chairman at Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council Committee continued, “It has been great to meet with our visitors and to hear about their enjoyment of the trip so far, especially the time spent on the ice at Dundonald International Ice Bowl.  Ice hockey remains ever popular here in Northern Ireland, drawing large crowds of support so we are pleased to be able to share in the enthusiasm of the sport.”

David Burns, Chief Executive of Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council concluded, “We are delighted to finally welcome members of the Young Presidents’ Organisation (YPO) to Lisburn Castlereagh following initial talks back in 2019.   I am pleased our team at Dundonald International Ice Bowl were able to assist in developing the itinerary and offering ice time and assistance in the logistical organisation of the trip. We hope you have enjoyed your time here in Northern Ireland”.