A very special morning celebrating five local businesses, their sustainability journeys and the launch of a new flagship programme for Fiesta Hall supporting rural enterprise took place today, as Offaly Local Development Company (OLDC) officially launched the Create Green Programme booklet and 5 Year Strategic plan.

The event, “Celebrating Our Create Green Champions & Launching Create Green”, brought together local businesses, community representatives, programme partners and stakeholders to celebrate the achievements of five businesses that have successfully completed the Create Green Programme.

The five Create Green Champions – Anne Marie Lawlor of Luna Natural Soap Company, Hazel Greene, Helen Bracken of Fox Covert Farm, Antoinette Larkin of The Buddha Lounge, and Kevin Dooley of Dooley’s Wool – each shared their individual experiences of taking part in the programme and the practical changes, new opportunities and ideas they have explored within their businesses.

The event also saw the launch of a series of new Create Green Champion videos, showcasing the businesses, their journeys through the programme and the practical steps they are taking towards more sustainable and resilient business models. The programme aims to support rural businesses in exploring sustainability, innovation, diversification, product and service development, supply chains and opportunities for future growth.

Speaking at the event, Roisin Lennon, CEO of Offaly Local Development Company, said:

“Create Green is about recognising the incredible creativity, ambition and potential that exists within our rural businesses. Sustainability is not simply about reducing environmental impact; it is also about building businesses that are resilient, innovative and equipped to respond to future opportunities and challenges.

“Our five Create Green Champions demonstrate just how different that journey can look from one business to another. From natural skincare and textiles, to farm diversification, wellness and Irish wool products, each business has taken the principles of Create Green and applied them in a way that is meaningful to their own circumstances.

“It has been wonderful to see the ideas and businesses develop throughout the programme, and we are delighted to celebrate their achievements today. Just as importantly, Create Green is about connection, a sense of place – creating a network where rural businesses can share experiences, learn from each other and support one another. We hope today marks the beginning of many more conversations and collaborations.”

The five Create Green Champions represent a diverse range of rural businesses and demonstrate the different ways in which sustainability and innovation can become part of business development.

Anne Marie Lawlor – Luna Natural Soap Company, Tullamore

Anne Marie developed Luna Natural Soap Company with a focus on creating honest, natural skincare made by hand. Having begun her journey more than 15 years ago by learning about natural ingredients and their benefits for the skin, Anne Marie has developed her business around the principles of creativity, sustainability and community.

See Luna Natural Soap Company Video HERE 

Hazel Greene – Visual Artist and Textile Designer, Birr

Award-winning visual artist Hazel Greene works across painting, silk scarves, visual art and fashion textile design. Her Create Green journey included examining her supplier chain and considering how purchasing and sourcing decisions can contribute to a more sustainable and resilient business.

See Hazel Green video HERE 

Helen Bracken – Fox Covert Farm

A fifth-generation family farm, Fox Covert Farm has embraced diversification through the cultivation of hemp seed and the development of health and wellbeing products. The Bracken family’s journey demonstrates how sustainable farming and making better use of existing agricultural resources can open new opportunities for rural enterprises.

See Fox Covert Farm video HERE

Antoinette Larkin – The Buddha Lounge

The Buddha Lounge, founded by Antoinette Larkin, offers online yoga classes and workshops alongside breathwork, Reiki and energy treatments, retreats and in-person clinics. Through the programme, Antoinette explored how to create a more sustainable business model, including considering how the business operates, the services it provides, venues and how customers can travel to activities more sustainably.

See The Buddha Lounge video HERE

Kevin Dooley – Dooley’s Wool

Family business Dooley’s Wool is building on generations of experience in sheep farming and wool production. The business has moved beyond exporting raw wool to developing Irish wool bedding in Offaly. Its approach to traceability, following the wool from the farm through to the finished product, is helping to connect customers with the story and provenance behind the product while supporting the future development of the family business.

See Dooley’s Wool video HERE 

As part of the event, Rebekah Keaveney presented the Create Green Programme Booklet and its five-year roadmap, outlining the opportunities available through the programme and the vision for the development of the wider Create Green Network.

The programme is designed not only to support individual businesses but also to create opportunities for businesses to connect, share knowledge and develop new ideas together.

The event also highlighted the next stage of support available to local businesses through a Product Development Programme with Eddie Shanahan, commencing on 7th October 2026. For an Expression of Interest form please follow the link HERE or email info@offalyldc.ie.

The programme will focus on:

• Developing new products, services and business ideas
• Business and market development
• Strengthening brands and developing new offers
• Expert guidance from Eddie Shanahan
• Practical sustainability support
• Identifying opportunities for future growth
• Connecting with other local food and creative businesses

The launch concluded with the unveiling of the Create Green booklet, followed by an opportunity for attendees to meet the participating businesses, continue discussions and build new connections.

Reflecting on the event, OLDC highlighted the common themes emerging across the five businesses – adaptation, learning, sustainability, diversification, innovation, supply chains, product development and planning for the future.

The five Create Green Champions demonstrate that there is no single route to developing a successful rural business. Instead, sustainable business development can take many forms, with each enterprise responding to its own opportunities and challenges while considering how it can become more resilient and prepared for the future.

Create Green is the flagship programme of the Fiesta Hall and has been designed and developed by Offaly Local Development Company, with funding provided under the LEADER Rural Development Programme 2023–2027.