NEWS

Olivia and her cousin who made and sold bracelets to raise funds to support The Children’s Cancer Unit Charity through The Spooky Gardens Ballymena Young fundraiser Olivia Rose Mark inspires visitors as Halloween attraction returns to raise funds for vital children’s charity A young Ballymena girl has captured hearts this Halloween after raising £280 for The Children’s Cancer Unit Charity through her own handmade creations. Olivia Rose Mark, who previously donated money she r

U is for Upside-Down Pineapple Cake! It's a retro 80s throwbacks for 'U'! This is a really moist sponge (know you all love that word S), and I actually think it's an underrated bake. Enjoy! Jill Stewart ( @jillbakes_ ) INGREDIENTS… For the upside down part: 50g butter, room temp 50g light soft brown sugar 7 pineapple rings in syrup or own juice, drained and keep 2 tbsp of the pineapple juice/syrup 7 glacé cherries For the cake: 200g butter, room temp 200g golden caster sugar

North Antrim TUV MLA Timothy Gaston taking part in a debate at Queen’s University North Antrim TUV MLA Timothy Gaston has said unionism is “stronger with variety” and warned that calls for a single unionist party would “weaken us in the long term.” Mr Gaston was reflecting on his participation in a Queen’s University Belfast Literific Society debate earlier this week on the motion “A Single Unionist Party.” The MLA said it was his first time at Queen’s and his first experi

Antrim Area Hospital Emergency Department The Northern Health and Social Care Trust has warned that it may be “difficult to provide all services whilst managing the expected increase in demand for unscheduled or critical care” as it launches its 2025/26 Winter Plan. Outlining the plan to board members during a meeting at Antrim Hospital on Thursday, Gillian Traub, Director of Operations , acknowledged that staff are “very anxious” about the coming months. She said planning

Remembering: Mrs Anna Irons A much-loved figure behind one of Ballymena’s most cherished family businesses has sadly passed away. Irons Home Bakery, a longstanding institution in the town, announced the death of Mrs Anna Irons on Sunday morning, 26 October. In a heartfelt statement, the bakery said: “Due to the passing of Mrs Anna Irons this morning, Irons Home Bakery will be closed until Wednesday as a mark of respect. “We aim to reopen on Thursday but we will update this pa

A great range of eerie displays at The Spooky Gardens Ballymena The much-loved Halloween attraction at Inishowen Park promises family fun while raising vital funds for a worthy cause The Spooky Gardens in Ballymena are back for their third hauntingly popular year — bringing thrills, chills, and charity together this Halloween season. Located at Inishowen Park, off the Cullybackey Road , the Halloween-themed garden officially opened its gates on Monday 13 October and will run

From Jeff Kinney’s laugh-out-loud Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Partypooper to Mary Berry’s heartwarming Mary 90, Waterstone’s Ballymena has revealed this week’s Top 10 bestselling books, alongside some fantastic half-price offers, family storytime fun, and the arrival of a brand-new novel from a popular local author. This Week’s Top 10 Bestsellers There’s no stopping Jeff Kinney , whose latest instalment Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Partypooper claims the number one spot this week. Greg H

The delivery of the “highest priority resurfacing projects, roadside stability, and drainage projects” in the Northern Division, including Mid & East Antrim, will be carried out by DfI Roads from a £68 million budget which “falls significantly short of funding requirements” , divisional roads manager Alan Keys has said. Presenting the Northern Division’s annual report, Mr Keys addressed members of Mid and East Antrim Borough Council’s Neighbourhoods and Communities Committe

The photo accompanying this release features participants who have successfully completed this latest academy, alongside key individuals from the project: Hayley Barr and Rhonda Lynn from Mid & East Antrim Labour Market Partnership (MEALMP), and Hannah Wilson and Naomi Hutchinson from Northern GP Federation Support Unit. The Northern GP Federation Support Unit (NFSU) has marked the successful completion of another Medical Administration Academy, delivered in partnership wi

North Antrim DUP MLA Paul Frew during a visit to Thornbrooke in Ahoghill North Antrim DUP MLA Paul Frew has renewed his call for the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) to urgently address the ongoing removal of street lighting across the North Antrim area, warning that the lack of illumination poses serious safety and security risks as the darker winter months approach. Mr Frew said he has been engaging with residents in several affected communities and visiting areas where

Sport Certificate in Horse Care Management learners received their qualifications at the Equine Awards Ceremony at Enniskillen Campus. Pictured are Abbie Thompson from Antrim , Aine Sweeney from Burtonport, Co Donegal, Alisha Cooper from Kells and Maria Elliott from Ballinamallard along with CAFRE Equine Lecturer, Dr Rachel Annan. The College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) hosted its annual Awards Ceremony on Friday 17 October 2025, celebrating the outstan

Johnny Hunter, Commercial Director, Dougie’s Goodies and Stella Grant, Group Procurement Manager, McKeever Hotels sample the delicious treats which will be served to customers of McKeever Hotels across Northern Ireland. A Ballymena-based bakery with over 40 years of sweet success has landed its first major food service contract — with one of Northern Ireland’s best-known hotel groups. Dougie’s Goodies, founded in 1983, will now supply its range of handmade traybakes, pastries

Seven Towers Leisure Centre, Ballymena A “significant” number of complaints received by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council during the last financial year related to the cleanliness and disrepair of its leisure centres, a committee report has revealed. The Annual Complaints Report 2024/25, presented to the council’s Corporate Resources, Policy and Governance Committee at The Braid in Ballymena on Monday evening, stated that maintenance work had been carried out at the spa f

Northern Regional College Staff and Level 3 Creative Media Practice students at the showcase of their short film Love Later Life. Northern Regional College’s Creative Media students have teamed up with Mid and East Antrim Borough Council to produce a moving short film that celebrates the power of positive ageing. The film, titled Love Later Life, was officially launched on Tuesday 30 September, showcasing the talents of the College’s Level 3 Creative Media Practice students.

Dogs Trust Ballymena Rehoming Centre Dog lovers are in for a treat this spooky season as Dogs Trust Ballymena hosts a special ‘Howl-oween Experience Day’ on Saturday 25th October. The event, running from 10am to 12pm, offers visitors a rare behind-the-scenes look at life inside the charity’s rehoming centre — home to around 70 dogs currently being cared for by the Ballymena team and its dedicated volunteer foster carers. Tickets are free and can be booked via Eventbrite , but

Award-winning bakery launches festive dessert range earlier than ever to give customers a head start on Christmas cheer The countdown to Christmas has officially begun at Dougies Goodies, as the award-winning Northern Ireland bakery unveils its Christmas Dessert Range earlier than ever before — giving dessert lovers plenty of time to plan, pre-order, and indulge in the sweetest season of the year. From indulgent pavlovas and yule logs to melt-in-your-mouth roulades, each dess

IGNITE participant, Jenna Louise Dowds from Slemish College, pictured with Paula Bittles, Business Support Executive at Belfast City Airport and Gerry Kelly, CEO of NICSSA Belfast City Airport has launched the sixth year of its acclaimed IGNITE youth leadership programme, reaffirming its dedication to inspiring and empowering young people from across Greater Belfast and Northern Ireland. Originally designed to support 100 students, the IGNITE initiative has now successfully e

Stephen Walker’s latest book David Trimble: Peacemaker, and pictured are Stephen Walker (right) and former BBC colleague Mark Devenport Acclaimed Ballymena author Stephen Walker is set to launch his highly praised new biography, David Trimble: Peacemaker , at the Old Courthouse Theatre in Antrim on Thursday 30 October at 7.30pm. The event will see Walker joined on stage by his former BBC colleague Mark Devenport , as the pair discuss the life and political legacy of Norther

Ahoghill Loyal Sons of William Flute Band who were one of the locals bands to recieve funding Six local bands from across Mid & East Antrim are among 134 individuals and groups to receive funding from the Department for Communities’ £1.1 million Musical Instruments Programme for 2025/26. Communities Minister Gordon Lyons confirmed that the latest round of grants will help bands, performing groups and professional musicians across Northern Ireland to purchase or replace musica

Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Councillor Jackson Minford is pictured with Isobel Kerr, ReStore Manager for Habitat for Humanity, launching the Mid and East Antrim Borough Council's Pre-Loved Toys Scheme. Mid and East Antrim Borough Council is once again calling on local residents to donate their pre-loved toys this festive season as its much-loved Christmas Toy Scheme returns for the seventh year running. The initiative, which runs from Monday 27 October to Friday 12 December