Ms Coleman with Caroline McDonald (centre) and Michelle McCarthy, Mullingar Credit Union (sponsor).

Mullingar Chamber in €500,000 voucher boost to local economy

Relaunch of Mullingar Gift Voucher Scheme

Mullingar Chamber are relaunching their gift vouchers – in circulation since 2011 – as the ‘Mullingar Gift Voucher’. The vouchers have consistently sold to the value of €200,000 annually and now they have been given a facelift for marketing year round.

Mullingar Chamber hope to grow the scheme to the level of €500,000 in three years.

Mullingar Gift Vouchers are an opportunity for people and employers to back local businesses, and help sustain local jobs. Every €10 spent locally is worth €24 to the local economy – never has that message been as important as this year.

Aisling Coleman with Jimmy Buckley of Buckley’s SuperValu (sponsor).

The vouchers can be spent in any of the listed shops on the voucher sleeves, and are designed for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, birthdays, thank-yous, general use and Christmas. There are 75 businesses in the scheme and more are added every day.

The old vouchers will still be in circulation and are redeemable until their listed expiry dates.

There is a redemption fee of 1.5% and there is no cost to set up the scheme. For that fee, your business is listed on the chamber website as accepting the vouchers, promoted on the chamber's social media channels, listed on promotional material with the vouchers and on promo posters in Mullingar Credit Union and at the chamber office in Market House.

Orla Dunican, Annebrook House Hotel (sponsor), with Aisling Coleman, office manager, Mullingar Chamber.

Redeeming is easy

Vouchers can be redeemed as often as you wish – every day, every week, every month, even once a year. You should post your voucher redemptions through the chamber office letterbox with company details, email and value of voucher sales.

Mullingar Chamber ask people to buy the vouchers even for businesses not open at present, as they will open in the coming weeks.

They are also calling on employers, small or large, to make a direct impact on the economy and recovery of Mullingar and the surrounding areas. The vouchers are a tax efficient way to reward employees.

Ms Coleman with David Quirke of Wholesome Kitchen (sponsor).

Employers can reward employees with up to €500 in vouchers tax-free under the Small Benefits Exemptions Scheme. The reward is exempt from income tax, Universal Social Charge (USC) and employee and employer PRSI, saving you and your employees money. You can register your interest today to be reminded close to the time by emailing office@mullingarchamber.ie.

Mullingar Chamber wish to thank the sponsors of these vouchers – Flynn Fuels, Lough Sheever, Annebrook House Hotel, Buckley’s SuperValu, Wholesome Kitchen, Mullingar Credit Union, and the Westmeath Examiner.

Caroline Finn, Declan Bardon and Michael Donoghue of Flynn Fuels (sponsor), with Ms Coleman.

The Mullingar Gift Voucher is available to buy online (additional postage cost apply) at mullingarchamber.ie/buy-vouchers/. They are also available from Mullingar Credit Union and directly from the Mullingar Chamber office on Market Square.

For further information about Mullingar Gift Vouchers or to accept the vouchers, contact: Aisling Coleman: aisling.coleman@mullingarchamber.ie.

Jennifer Meehan, Padraic Martin and Brian O’Loughlin of the Westmeath Examiner (sponsor) with Ms Coleman.