NEWS

Pictured at the anniversary party for the Roddens A care home that has supported generations of families in Ballymoney has marked a major milestone, celebrating 55 years of service with a poignant reunion that brought its history full circle. The Roddens, which opened in 1971, commemorated its anniversary last month by welcoming back its very first care assistant, in a celebration that highlighted both its legacy and its continuing role in healthcare across Northern Ireland.

Scenes from the Bluebell Festival today (Saturday 25 April) at Portglenone Forest. (All pics: Steven McAuley / McAuley Multimedia) Residents and visitors from across Northern Ireland gathered in large numbers at Portglenone Forest on Saturday 25 April, as the 2026 Bluebell Festival transformed the woodland into a vibrant celebration of nature, community, and outdoor activity. The annual event, organised by the MEA Outdoors team from Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, saw fa

(L-R) Kiran Minhas, Principal Katy Lynas Craig and Clare McGall A Ballymena nursery school has become the first in Northern Ireland to receive the highest level of recognition for its approach to children’s emotional wellbeing, marking a significant milestone in early years education across the region. Ballymena Integrated Nursery School has been awarded ‘gold standard’ Togetherness school accreditation — the top tier of a UK-wide scheme led by NHS-backed emotional health exp

Committee for Communities Chair, Colm Gildernew MLA Homelessness services across Northern Ireland are under escalating strain, with frontline providers warning that some essential support programmes could become unviable within the current financial year without urgent government intervention. A stark new report from the Committee for Communities, reinforced by detailed findings from an Assembly committee inquiry into homelessness and the Supporting People Programme, lays bar

Members of the Newtownabbey Softball Club, Robert Robinson, Steven Rovertson, Kieran Grimley, Oonagh O’Flaherty and Alexandra Kelly Ballyclare is preparing to host one of Northern Ireland’s most historic and wide-ranging community festivals next month, as the Ballyclare May Fair returns for its 270th year with a packed eight-day programme of events, road closures, and town-wide celebrations from 16–23 May 2026. Organised by Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council and sponsore

SDLP MLA for East Londonderry Cara Hunter Growing cross-sector backlash as Children’s Law Centre and 14 organisations raise concerns over impact on vulnerable pupils, schools and families Mounting opposition to proposed special educational needs (SEN) reforms has intensified, with SDLP MLA Cara Hunter calling on the Education Minister to immediately halt the plans amid warnings they could place already overstretched schools under further strain and negatively impact vulnerabl

Parents across Northern Ireland are being urged to take early action as exam pressure begins to build, with a leading children’s charity warning that stress during revision season can have a “profound impact” on young people’s wellbeing. With exam season fast approaching, Action for Children is highlighting growing concerns around the emotional and physical toll on children, while promoting its free online Parent Talk service to help families navigate the weeks ahead. Rising

The Causeway Coast Ford Fair will return to Portrush this summer with a powerful new focus, as organisers confirm Cancer Focus Northern Ireland as the official charity partner for the 2026 event, bringing a major fundraising and awareness drive to one of the region’s most anticipated motoring gatherings. The event is set to take place on Sunday 7th June at West Bay, Portrush, drawing Ford enthusiasts, car clubs, families and visitors from across Northern Ireland and beyond fo

Health Minister Mike Nesbitt with kinship carers. L-R Ruth McGuigan; Scot Hamilton; Anita Montgomery; Thomas Spence; Tracey McGuire; Brenda Slowey; Health Minister Mike Nesbitt; Kerrylee Weatherall, Interim Executive Director of Social Work. Health Minister Mike Nesbitt has paid tribute to the “compassion and commitment” of kinship foster carers as Northern Ireland marks its first dedicated Kinship Care Celebration Week, shining a spotlight on the thousands of relatives and f

Northern Ireland’s emergency departments have recorded their worst waiting times ever, with senior clinicians warning that lives are at risk unless urgent action is taken to address a deepening crisis across the health system. New figures covering January to March 2026 reveal a dramatic deterioration in performance, with patients facing unprecedented delays for treatment, admission, or discharge. The Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM) has issued a stark warning to the

Emergency departments across Northern Ireland are facing escalating strain, with new Department of Health figures confirming rising demand, worsening waiting time performance, and a sharp increase in the number of patients enduring extreme delays — with the Northern Trust area, including Antrim Area Hospital and Causeway Hospital, firmly at the centre of the pressure. The latest statistics, covering January to March 2026, show only 40.2% of patients were treated, discharged o

Communities Minister Gordon Lyons and Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Andrew Muir announce £8.32m to transform 243 community facilities across Northern Ireland. A major £8.32 million funding package has been confirmed to upgrade 243 community buildings across Northern Ireland, with projects set to begin rolling out from May 2026 following overwhelming demand from local groups. The investment, delivered through the Northern Ireland Community Infrastruct

Pictured at the launch of Armed Forces Day 2026 at Coleraine Town Hall; Councillor Tanya Elder, Captain Robert Gibson BEM, Royal Logistic Corps 152 (North Irish) Regiment, Wing Commander Jacqueline Rankin (RAF), Deputy Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens, Alderman Richard Brown Stewart, Commander Tom Wardley, Senior Naval Officer NI, Councillor Dawn Huggins, Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council's Veterans' Champion, Councillor Philip Anderson, Deputy Veterans Champion And k

Classic car owners from across Northern Ireland are preparing to descend on Glenarm Castle this weekend for a major vintage motoring event that blends heritage, community and charity — with thousands of pounds expected to be raised for Childline. Organised by the Ulster Vauxhall Opel Classic Community (UVOCC), ‘Drive it Day’ will take place on Sunday 26 April , bringing together historic vehicles and families for a scenic run along the Antrim Coast Road, culminating in a publ

Rob with his wife Danielle and 5 sons (Alfie, Rueben, Jacob, Carter and Cooper) A Portstewart father-of-five who once faced a life-threatening stage 4 cancer diagnosis is preparing to take on one of Northern Ireland’s toughest endurance events — as he raises vital funds for a charity that supported him through his journey. Rob Humphrey will take part in the Mourne Wall Challenge on 15 August 2026 in aid of Cancer Focus Northern Ireland, drawing on his own experience of diagno

(L-R) Stephen Baillie, Treasurer, Ballymena Table Tennis Club, Martin Mann, Vice-Chair of Ballymena Branch of Parkinson’s UK, Winifred McHugh, member of the Ballymena Branch and Bran Shannon, member of Parkinson's Bat ‘n’ Chat in Ballymena. A community initiative supporting people living with Parkinson’s in Ballymena has received a timely boost, after Ballymena Table Tennis Club donated £480 to help sustain and grow the popular Bat ‘n’ Chat sessions. The funding will support

Pic: Phill McAlinney at Irish Transport Heritage Dozens of historic and modern buses will take to the roads of Northern Ireland this weekend as leading manufacturer Wrightbus marks the start of its 80th anniversary year with a major public rally culminating at Stormont. The large-scale event on Saturday, April 25 will see a convoy of heritage buses and coaches travel from the Ulster Transport Museum in Cultra to the Stormont estate, bringing together decades of engineering hi

The winning team from the Rotary Club Generation Chef competition, are pictured with, from left, Georgie Briota, Business Development Manager at Galgorm Collection, Iris Houston, General Manager, Adair Arms Hotel, Gary Stewart, Judge and Chef Tartine of Distillers Arms, Chad Shaw, Northern Ireland Hospitality School, Samantha Wade, Quinn Merrigan, Northern Ireland Hospitality School, Eddie McGarvey, Judge and Chef at Salt House, Debbie Chestnutt, President of Ballymena Rotary

19-year-old Jamie Matthews from Antrim has been selected to represent the UK at WorldSkills Shanghai 2026 A 19-year-old apprentice from Antrim is set to compete on one of the world’s biggest stages for vocational talent after being selected to represent the UK at WorldSkills Shanghai 2026 — a global contest where elite young professionals go head-to-head in high-pressure, precision-based challenges. Jamie Matthews, who is training with Mivan and studying a Level 3 Apprentice

Gallaher Trust’s Chairman, Ian Paisley, alongside Trustees, Lauren McAteer and James Perry MBE . A major funding push aimed at driving job creation and skills development across Ballymena has been launched, as The Gallaher Trust reopens applications for 2027 projects alongside a landmark event marking the town’s 400th anniversary. Business leaders, social enterprises and charities are being urged to step forward with new ideas as £400,000 in funding becomes available, with or