Here at the Dock we try to keep telling Good News Stories about Belfast – and it’s amazing how many there are when you start to look.  Last week I was at an event in the Waterfront – the launch of ROC (Redeeming Our Communities) in Northern Ireland – an organisation which seeks to link together and energise anyone seeking to transform their local community.  The event – as hosted by Jim off of The Apprentice, no less! – was full of stories of good news – the difference that people can make when they work together.

And more stories this week: this is NoMoreTraffik week – a campaign taking a stand against human trafficking – more details here.  You maybe heard that the week of events kicked off with a flash mob in Belfast City Centre last Saturday:

- and continues throughout the week with a fantastic lineup of acts and creative stuff.  And the best news is that two of them are happening in Dock Cafe! – on Wednesday night we’re hosting ‘Stories of Hope’ at 8pm.  Lynda Bryans (UTV) will be sharing at the event, we will have amazing music from New Irish as well as stories from the International Justice Mission and Migrant Help. We will also have some excellent local photography and your chance to share your stories of hope for Belfast; that it will become one of many, many slavery free cities.  There will be no charge for the event and we’ll even throw in a cup of tea and a bun!  More details here

Then on Thursday at 7:30 we’re hosting a Chocolate and Fashion night - an evening of scrumptious fairtrade treats, including chocolate cakes, buns, cupcakes and even chocolate infused SAUSAGES! The A21 Campaign brings a sense of style to the evening with a Fair trade Fashion show with clothes designed & modelled by the students from Belfast Metropolitan College & Queens. With live music adding to the ambiance of the evening – come along to hear more about how you can join us in the fight to take the bitter taste of slavery out of our chocolate & by being informed about where your fashion comes from!  More details here

Just got word today that there could be an art event on Friday night as well – watch this space for more…

And still on the theme of good news, on Saturday i had the great pleasure of being present at the Run4Unity at Stormont Estate.  The Run4Unity gang had been in Dock Cafe a few weeks ago for one of their preparation sessions – the cafe was filled with colour and chat as they prepared banners, dance routines, songs…

And all their prep came good on Saturday – a glorious sun-kissed day at Stormont as the runners set off down that famous driveway – a mixture of different backgrounds, accents, nationalities and colours – united by the fun of doing something together and going for a run on a glorious afternoon in Belfast!

Good news – everywhere you look…

One of the Dock gang just spotted this video on Secret Belfast – an impromptu acoustic session in Dock Cafe last week – it’s fantastic!

Yep we’re back from a fabulous week in La France, chilling out in a variety of Parisian cafes, brasseries, gardens and Seine-side benches – bliss!

One thing really struck me about the Parisian culture: they are wonderfully social people.  They have a great way of splitting up the day: nice long lingering breakfast in the local neighbourhood boulangerie, fresh coffee and croissants.  Then nice long lingering lunch with friends from work, a few courses, a glass of wine, a short shot of coffee.  Then nice long lingering dinner avec famille, carafe of wine, much fine food, often in the open air under the stars in little sidestreet brasseries and restaurants.  All split up with nice long lingering breaks in coffee shops and creperies throughout the day.

It’s not that they work less hard than us (I don’t think) – they just seem to enjoy life so much more – spending the day eating, chatting, laughing, prioritising good food and good company over the demands of a To Do list.  Maybe I’m looking at them through rose-tinted specs – but it was a very admirable and enjoyable pace of life to taste for a week!

And it’s helped to come home to the beautiful, wonderful, social space of Dock Cafe with a new perspective: it’s very Parisian! – in the cafe we try to have that same space and time for good company, good food, good coffee, and space to enjoy life away from the rat race.  Will we have to change the motto – ‘La Vie Dans Le Quartier Titanique’…?!

It’s good to be back!