NEWS

Veronica Jackson, Level 4 Certificate in Understanding Adverse Childhood Experiences and Building Resilience graduate and Northern Regional College staff member, pictured at the College’s Higher Education Graduation. Northern Regional College has celebrated the achievements of the Class of 2025 at its Higher Education and Access Graduation Ceremony, held on Thursday 4 December at Tullyglass House Hotel in Ballymena. The event brought together students, families, staff, govern

(L-R): Mick Campbell, Wrightbus Head of Sales (Key Accounts); NCT representatives Andy Thompson; Rob Sutcliffe; Anthony Carver-Smith; and David Conway; and John McLeister, Wrightbus MD of Sales for UK and Ireland. Ballymena-based manufacturer Wrightbus has completed six new ultra-low emission StreetDeck Ultroliner buses destined for the Midlands, following a partnership with Nottingham City Transport (NCT). The vehicles were recently inspected by NCT representatives during a

Planning permission has been granted for the partial demolition of Castle Mall in Antrim and the development of new social housing on the site. The proposal, which will see the construction of 39 dwellings in the town centre, was approved at a meeting of Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council’s Planning Committee at Mossley Mill on Monday evening, December 8. The new development, to be delivered for Choice Housing, will comprise one detached house, 14 terrace homes and 24 ap

Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Councillor Jackson Minford, pictured with students and staff at Northern Regional College, Ballymena, along with Danielle Polkey, Eden Hair & Beauty, Darren Lyttle, Circle Creative Communications, Karl Scullion, Museco, and Christine Barnhill, Economic Development Officer, MEABC. Ballymena students have connected with some of Mid and East Antrim’s leading business figures during the borough’s final session of the innovative ‘Future Founders’ prog

Translink has urged passengers to plan ahead for festive travel as a series of adjusted Christmas and New Year timetables come into effect across Northern Ireland’s bus and rail services. The operator confirmed early finishes on key dates, full service cancellations on Christmas Day, and a range of special holiday timetables affecting NI Railways, Enterprise, Metro/Glider, Ulsterbus, Goldliner and airport express routes. A Translink spokesperson encouraged passengers to prepa

L-R: Jan McCrudden, her son Portrush RNLI lifeboat volunteer Roo McCrudden and Roo’s granny Pat Torbitt As the RNLI launches its annual Christmas fundraising appeal, volunteers across the UK and Ireland are preparing to spend the festive season on call — including Portrush RNLI crewmember Richard “Roo” McCrudden , for whom lifesaving is very much a family tradition. Roo will remain on standby throughout the Christmas period, while his mother Jan and 92-year-old grandmother

Ballymena is gearing up for a major festive celebration this Saturday, 13 December, as Santa’s Spectacular Festive Cavalcade returns for its third year—complete with hundreds of illuminated vehicles, charity fundraising, and the hugely popular Festive Minions bringing lively chaos to the town centre earlier in the day. The much anticipated Christmas convoy, which always attracts visitors from near and far, has rapidly become one of Ballymena’s standout seasonal events. Host

A Ballymena man has been handed a prison sentence for his role in the large-scale, race-motivated disorder that brought significant disruption and fear to the town in June this year. At Antrim Crown Court today, Tuesday 9 December, Jordan Benjamin McAuley was sentenced to two years and eight months’ imprisonment after being convicted of riot. Half of the term will be served in custody, with the remainder on licence. McAuley, from Ballymena, also received a three-month custodi

Counterfeit goods seized by police during Safer Business Action Week Detectives from the Police Service of Northern Ireland have issued a stark warning about the risks linked to buying counterfeit goods after more than £1.1 million worth of fake items were seized during coordinated searches. The operation, carried out as part of Safer Business Action Week —a national initiative aimed at cracking down on business crime—saw officers search four properties in Dungannon and one i

The Education Authority (EA) has issued further safety advice to schools across Northern Ireland today as Storm Bram continues to intensify, bringing hazardous winds and an upgraded amber weather warning to parts of the region. A spokesperson for the EA said: “All schools are advised to keep pupils indoors throughout the day and, if practical, to cancel after school activities.” Schools are also being encouraged to take a flexible approach to dismissal times due to the deteri

The Education Authority (EA) has confirmed that there are no plans for general school closures today despite the escalating weather situation as Storm Bram moves across Northern Ireland. A spokesperson for the EA said: “Following the escalation of the Storm Bram warning this morning, the Education Authority has discussed the situation with the Department. At this stage, it is not planned to issue general school closure notices.” “Instead, school principals are being encourag

Midwife Shelley Sheppard and Sister Elaine O’Boyle from Antrim Area Hospital maternity team The Northern Trust has enhanced its maternity services to better support autistic women and neurodivergent families, becoming the first maternity team in Northern Ireland to receive an autism-friendly accreditation. The Trust’s maternity team has implemented a series of improvements designed to make pregnancy, birth and early parenting more accessible, calmer and more personalised for

Children in Ballymena are set for an extra dose of festive cheer this year as two local retailers announce a major Christmas giveaway featuring all 15 toys from the prestigious DreamToys 2025 list. Following the official unveiling of the highly anticipated selection, Smyths at Braidwater Retail Park and ToyTown in Fairhill Shopping Centre have teamed up to offer a dream prize for local youngsters — the full lineup of this year’s must-have toys, gadgets and games. The initia

Ronny McFall, Community Champion at Tesco Ballymena Tesco customers in Ballymena are being encouraged to help bring festive cheer to local children in need by donating new toys to The Salvation Army this Christmas. Until 15 December, the Tesco Ballymena Superstore is hosting a special collection point for new and unwrapped toys, which will be distributed to families across the local area by The Salvation Army. The organisation supports vulnerable people through homelessness s

Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald and Invest Northern Ireland CEO Kieran Donoghue have welcomed confirmation that Boeing and Airbus have completed their long-awaited acquisition of Spirit AeroSystems — a move set to reshape Northern Ireland’s aerospace landscape and strengthen its global position. The deal, finalised on Monday 8 December 2025, brings two of the world’s largest aircraft manufacturers directly into Northern Ireland’s engineering ecosystem, including the Bel

Dogs Trust Ballymena is encouraging festive shoppers to consider a heartfelt and meaningful Christmas gift this year by sponsoring one of the charity’s dogs, including much-loved English Springer Spaniel, Zebedee. With Christmas preparations well underway, Dogs Trust’s ‘Sponsor A Dog Scheme’ provides an ideal present for the canine enthusiast in your life. A sponsorship not only supports the charity’s work caring for around 1,500 dogs at any one time, but also includes a rang

The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for Northern Ireland as Storm Bram — officially named by Met Éireann — is forecast to bring severe winds and heavy rain across the UK later on Monday and through Tuesday. The warning is in place from 9:00am to 9:00pm on Tuesday 9 December 2025, with forecasters urging the public to prepare for disruption to travel, power supplies and coastal areas. Storm Bram is expected to track close to western Ireland on Tuesday, generatin

Brie and cranberry is the elite festive flavour combo for me, and add it to some garlic bread, and you have the most unreal snack that is bound to be a crowd-pleaser! Jill Stewart ( @jillbakes_ ) INGREDIENTS… 1 garlic bread baguette Half a wedge of brie, sliced Cranberry sauce Grated cheddar or mozzarella INSTRUCTIONS… • Place the garlic bread on a sheet of greaseproof paper inside your air fryer or on a baking tray if using the oven. • Pull the slices apart gently. • Add abo

Oran Kearney, appointed Ballymena United first team manager Ballymena United Football Club has confirmed the appointment of Oran Kearney as the club’s new first team manager, marking a significant moment for the Sky Blues as they look to strengthen their position heading into the second half of the season. Kearney, 47, brings extensive managerial expertise to the Ballymena Showgrounds following successful spells at Limavady United, Coleraine and Scottish Premiership side St

Northern Trust’s Farm Families Health Check team The pioneering work of Northern Trust’s Farm Families Health Check team has been recognised at the 2025 NI Farming Awards, with the programme receiving the prestigious Farm Safety Affiliate Award. The accolade highlights the team’s commitment to bringing accessible healthcare directly into the heart of rural communities, and its efforts to raise awareness of how personal health is closely linked to farm safety. For years, the F