NEWS

Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Alderman Thomas Gordon is pictured with Breige Mulholland, Head of Finance and Operations at Air Ambulance NI and Samantha Booysen, Director of Operations at Rural Support from the two charities he has chosen to support during his term in office. Mid and East Antrim’s new Mayor has pledged to use his year in office to support two charities that provide critical help to people facing some of the most challenging moments of their lives. Alderman To

Communities Minister Gordon Lyons and Deirdre Steele, Head of Maple and May, have hailed Affordable Rent as a pioneering initiative that will help hard pressed people and families by delivering high-quality homes at an affordable rent for lower-income households Communities Minister Gordon Lyons has launched Northern Ireland’s first-ever Affordable Rent programme, a major new housing initiative designed to help lower-income households access quality homes at rents below marke

Stock image Becoming a first-time mum can be overwhelming, isolating and frightening. For one Ballymena mother, support from a local SureStart programme proved so transformative that she now describes it as being “integral to my survival” during some of the most challenging years of her life. “The past four years have been the best of my life,” says Ballymena mum Paige*. It is a statement she does not make lightly. During that time, she has also faced significant personal cha

Mrs Valerie Alexander, Dunclug College What began as a journey from Ballymena to some of the poorest communities in India has grown into a life-changing mission that has transformed opportunities for countless young people — and earned one local teacher national recognition in The King’s Birthday Honours. Mrs Valerie Alexander, a driving force behind Dunclug College’s long-standing partnership with the ASHA Society in New Delhi, has been awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM)

Sabrina Lynn, Head of Service, Louise Gillespie, Programme Delivery Officer, Suzanne Pullins, Northern Trust Chief Executive, and Lynsey McVitty, Health and Wellbeing Locality Lead, prepare to cut the celebration cake at the ‘thank you’ event. Hundreds of patients and service users across Northern Ireland benefit every year from the time, compassion and dedication of volunteers working within the Northern Health and Social Care Trust — and this week those volunteers were reco

Derry’s iconic waterfront will be transformed into a spectacular illuminated riverscape this month as a brand-new night-time attraction brings glowing Tall Ships, maritime legends and artistic light installations to the banks of the River Foyle. Visitors to the 2026 Foyle Maritime Festival will be able to experience Sails of Solas, a striking after-hours spectacle that will see the festival’s Tall Ships bathed in light from 10pm until 3am across three nights. The new addition

NIFRS On-Call Crew Commander at Ballyclare Fire Station, Sam Todd A firefighter from Ballyclare who has spent nearly four decades serving his local community has been recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours, highlighting a lifetime of public service both on the frontline with Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service and through his long career with Translink. Sam Todd, an On-Call Crew Commander at Ballyclare Fire Station, has been awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM) in rec

DUP Bannside Councillor Tyler Hoey A proposal inspired by a Ballymena child who became overwhelmed before attending a community event is set to bring sensory support boxes into council buildings across Mid and East Antrim after receiving unanimous backing from local councillors. Mid and East Antrim Borough Council voted in favour of a motion brought forward by DUP Councillor Tyler Hoey during a meeting at The Braid on Monday, June 8, paving the way for officers to examine the

County Antrim man David Radcliffe, awarded an MBE in the King’s Birthday Honours 2026 County Antrim man David Radcliffe has spent decades shaping young lives in classrooms across Northern Ireland, overcome cancer not once but twice, returned to work after losing a leg, inspired countless pupils through his determination, and even captured the hearts of television viewers on a national game show. Now, his extraordinary contribution has been recognised with an MBE in the King’s

Missing County Tyrone woman Lyndsey Rankin The search for a missing County Tyrone woman has entered its tenth day, with police renewing their appeal for information as extensive searches continue around Lower Lough Erne and the Castle Archdale area. Thirty-one-year-old Lyndsey Rankin, from Castlederg, was reported missing after she was last seen in the Castle Archdale Marina area of Lisnarick at approximately 9.30am on Friday, 5 June. She was wearing black leggings and a dark

Council's Age Friendly Coordinator Stephanie Scott (left) with Councillor Tanya Elder, Council's Age Friendly Champion. Older people across the Causeway Coast and Glens are being encouraged to speak out, seek support and help raise awareness of elder abuse as the borough marks the 20th anniversary of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. On Monday, June 15, Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council is joining a global campaign aimed at highlighting the abuse, neglect and exploitati

Greg McKinley, Operations Director at The Gallaher Trust, was the recipient of a BEM in this year’s King’s Birthday Honour’s List. Greg is pictured delivering an address at the recent Ballymena 400: Building on Partnership and Progress event. The quiet work of helping people into jobs, supporting skills development and ensuring a major Ballymena employer left a lasting legacy has earned one local man one of the UK’s most respected honours. Greg McKinley, Operations Director o

(L-R) Sarah McLaughlin, Executive Director for Health, and Catriona Delargy, IMPACTAgewell Team Leader, Agewell Partnership For many older people across Ballymena, Larne and Carrickfergus, support for better health and wellbeing is increasingly being found not just in a doctor’s surgery, but through local community groups, advice services and social activities designed to reduce isolation and improve quality of life. That approach was placed firmly in the spotlight this month

Leanne Richmond, Clinical Sister in the Neonatal Unit at Antrim Area Hospital. A baby’s earliest experiences can have a profound impact on their future emotional wellbeing, according to healthcare professionals at Antrim Area Hospital, who are using Infant Mental Health Awareness Week to highlight the lifelong importance of strong early relationships. The Northern Health and Social Care Trust is raising awareness of how simple but meaningful interactions between babies and th

Rea’s Wood at Loughshore Park, Antrim Bathers are being advised to stay out of the water at Rea’s Wood on Lough Neagh this summer after the site was again classified as “poor” for water quality due to faecal contamination and recurring blue-green algae. The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) has advised against bathing at Rea’s Wood on Lough Neagh in Antrim, councillors have been told. A report presented to Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council

Alcohol-related deaths in Northern Ireland remain at concerning levels, with health officials and addiction specialists warning that many people may be drinking more than they realise — particularly at home. As Northern Ireland Alcohol Awareness Week gets underway on Monday, 15 June, the Public Health Agency (PHA), community pharmacy teams and alcohol support organisations are urging people to take a closer look at their drinking habits and consider making small changes that

Bannside Alderman Stewart McDonald with NIFRS Ballymena Station Commander Alan Barr during a visit to Ahoghill bonfire site Young people involved in building Ahoghill’s annual bonfire have received a direct fire safety briefing from Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS), in a move aimed at reducing risks ahead of the summer bonfire season. TUV Bannside Alderman Stewart McDonald welcomed NIFRS Ballymena Station Commander Alan Barr to the village bonfire site this we

Pictured (L-R) is Kinecx Energy’s Chair of Corporate Social Responsibilities Committee Lisa McCarthy, Kinecx Energy CEO Niall Martindale, and Sorcha Mathews, Autism NI’s Corporate Fundraising Manager. A football tournament bringing together some of Northern Ireland’s biggest utilities and infrastructure organisations has raised £5,300 for Autism NI while shining a spotlight on the power of community fundraising in Ballymena. Hosted by Kinecx Energy at Ballymena Showgrounds, t

Inset: Ulster Unionist Party Leader and North Antrim MLA Jon Burrows Northern Ireland’s tourism industry, hospitality sector and town centres risk suffering unnecessary economic damage if a distorted image of the region continues to dominate headlines following recent disorder, according to Ulster Unionist Party Leader and North Antrim MLA Jon Burrows. In a strongly-worded statement, Mr Burrows said the attempted murder of Stephen Ogilvie and the violence that followed had ri

Pictured (L-R), Specialist Nurse for Organ Donation Cheryl Robinson, Connie Taylor who spoke at the Gift of Life event about her organ transplant, Stacey McKnight (AAH Theatres Ward Manager) Nisa Francis, Lead Nurse Northern Ireland Organ Donation Services Team, Specialist Nurse for Organ Donation Jackie Heasley, Dr Janet Gray MBE, Chair of the Northern Trust’s Organ Donation Committee and Dr Keith Oakes, Consultant Anaesthetist and Intensivist. An 18-year-old from Carrickfer