NEWS

L-R Robert Ryan, Chief Executive Officer of Lidl Ireland and Lidl Northern Ireland; Gordon Cruikshanks, Regional Managing Director, Lidl Northern Ireland Lidl Northern Ireland has confirmed a combined spend of more than £5.5 million on goods and services sourced from suppliers and business partners across both the Mid and East Antrim and Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council areas, according to its newly published Supplier and Business Partner Impact Report. The latest annu

(L-R) Denise McVeigh from Mid and East Antrim Borough Council's Parks and Open Spaces team, PSNI Inspector Colin Ash, PCSP Chair Cllr Lauren Gray, PCSP Vice Chair Sharon Maxwell, and Local Neighbourhood PSNI Officer Julie McKeown. (Images: Steven McAuley) Women across Mid and East Antrim are being encouraged to take part in a special night-time personal safety walk in Larne this December, as part of a partnership initiative between the borough’s Policing and Community Safety

Classroom Assistants at Castle Tower School, Hong Cassley, Gemma Moore and Vicky Balmer, with Maggie Anderson, team leader at SPAR Grove Road, Steven Henry, store manager at SPAR Grove Road and assistance dogs Percy and Nico.   SPAR Grove Road has continued its commitment to supporting local education by donating 165 chocolate bars to Castle Tower School in Ballymena as part of its Classroom Assistant Appreciation Day celebrations. The gesture is the latest in an ongoing part

North Antrim MLA Paul Frew at Chestnutt Hall North Antrim MLA Paul Frew has welcomed the completion of long-awaited road and footpath works at the Chestnutt Hall development in Ballymena, following concerns raised by local residents. Mr Frew said he had been approached by a number of homeowners in the estate who reported issues including raised ironworks and incomplete road and footpath surfaces. After visiting the site, he said it was clear the situation was causing difficu

Farmers’ Choir at their 2024 Christmas Concert The Farmers’ Choir is set to bring festive cheer to communities in Kilrea and Ballymena this December, as it prepares to deliver two special Christmas performances filled with music, Scripture and seasonal celebration. The Choir will open its December schedule with a traditional Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols on Tuesday 2 December at 8pm in St Patrick’s Church, Kilrea . Audiences can expect a reflective and uplifting evening

Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Councillor Jackson Minford, pictured with Galgorm Golf Club representatives and junior players. The Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Councillor Jackson Minford , has hosted a special reception recognising the outstanding achievements of Galgorm Golf Club’s junior players following a record-breaking season for the club. Junior representatives from the Ballymena club were welcomed to The Braid after two Galgorm teams – the Junior Cup side and the Fred

L-R Claire McNair, Ballyclare Ladies Farm Forum, Ashleigh Magee, Gillian Dawson, Suzanne Pullins, Interim Chief Executive, NHSCT, Yvonne Carson, Rural Health and Wellbeing Manager, NHSCT and Anna Simms, Ballyclare Ladies Farm Forum, More than sixty women from across rural communities gathered at Gleno Young Farmers Hall to mark the International Day of Rural Women, at an event organised by the Northern Health and Social Care Trust (NHSCT) in partnership with Ballyclare Ladies

South Antrim MP Robin Swann South Antrim MP Robin Swann has urged Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins MLA to confirm when the long-awaited feasibility study on reopening the Antrim–Lisburn railway line — widely known as the Knockmore Line — will finally be released to the public. Mr Swann, who has championed the restoration of the line since first being elected to Westminster, said the continued lack of clarity around publication was causing frustration among residents and st

Mayor of Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, Councillor Jackson Minford pictured with Ballymena woman Caitriona Lennox FIH, Head of Springboard Northern Ireland The Mayor of Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, Councillor Jackson Minford , has officially welcomed Ballymena woman Caitriona Lennox FIH , Head of Springboard Northern Ireland , to his parlour at The Braid to celebrate her receiving the Institute of Hospitality’s prestigious Fellows’ Outstanding Contribution Award

A Northern Ireland school will receive an extra-special festive surprise this December as local Full Fibre broadband provider Fibrus launches its new ‘Christmas Classroom’ competition. The initiative invites schools across Northern Ireland to nominate their Primary One, Primary Two, or P1/P2 composite classes for the chance to win a magical Christmas visit from Santa and the Fibrus Tinsel Team. The winning classroom will be treated to a sack filled with some of the most sough

Pictured launching the new ‘Perfect for…’ range of potatoes are (from l-r): chef, Stephen Ferris, Mary McKillop, Glens of Antrim Group, and potato grower, Stephen Christie who farms in Newtownards. Glens of Antrim Group has unveiled a major £250,000 investment in a new retail potato range designed to remove the confusion many shoppers face when choosing the right potato for their favourite dishes. The Cushendall and Ballymena-based agri-food group – which produces potatoes, c

Braid Ulster Unionist Councillor Alan Barr at the newly resurfaced car park in Broughshane Braid Ulster Unionist Councillor Alan Barr has welcomed the completion of resurfacing works at the Knockan Road car park in Broughshane, describing the upgrade as a “long-overdue improvement” that will enhance local amenities for families and the wider community. The car park, which provides key access to the village play park and the popular Buttermilk Bridge Riverwalk, had deteriora

Giants Causeway, part of the Antrim Lava Group. (Image: Professor Stuart Gilfillan from our School of GeoSciences at the University of Edinburgh) Ancient volcanic rocks beneath County Antrim – the same basalt that forms the iconic columns of the Giant’s Causeway – could become a cornerstone of future climate action, with scientists revealing they could permanently store more carbon dioxide than any other site in the UK. A new study led by the University of Edinburgh has ident

The Met Office has issued a further tellow weather warning for snow and ice across all six counties of Northern Ireland as wintry showers are expected to intensify from Wednesday evening into Thursday morning. The alert will be in place from 17:00 on Wednesday 19 November 2025 until 12:00 on Thursday 20 November 2025, covering County Antrim, County Armagh, County Down, County Fermanagh, County Londonderry, and County Tyrone. Forecasters warn that the combination of falling te

Jonny Spiers, Customer Service Agent and Airport Autism Champion alongside Christine Kearney, Director of Development at Autism NI and Niall McElkearney, Terminal Operations Manager. Belfast International Airport has been recognised for its commitment to improving accessibility for neurodiverse passengers, after receiving the prestigious Autism NI Impact Award. The accolade highlights the airport’s efforts to create a more inclusive and supportive environment for autistic and

The Met Office has issued a Yellow weather warning for snow and ice across all six counties of Northern Ireland, with forecasters cautioning of “wintry showers on Tuesday night into Wednesday” that “will bring some icy patches and lying snow in places, leading to possible travel delays.” The warning is in force from 00:00 to 12:00 on Wednesday 19 November 2025, affecting County Antrim, County Armagh, County Down, County Fermanagh, County Londonderry and County Tyrone. Accor

Cranmore’s James Galbraith pictured with Cranmore’s two awards for Young IT Professional of the Year and Mobile App of the Year. A software developer from Broughshane has secured one of Northern Ireland’s top technology honours after being named Young IT Professional of the Year during the 2025 Belfast Telegraph IT Awards. James Galbraith, aged 25, took home the coveted award at the high-profile ceremony held in The MAC, Belfast, on Friday 14 November. The Cranmore developer

NewPower, the repowering division launched by Ballymena-based zero-emission bus manufacturer Wrightbus in 2024, has announced a groundbreaking EV-to-EV Repower agreement with leading operator Metroline. The deal marks the first time NewPower will upgrade an existing electric fleet with state-of-the-art EV technology, positioning the company at the forefront of Europe’s transition to greener public transport. Under the contract, 28 Metrodecker electric buses—previously hindere

The Mayor of Mid & East Antrim Cllr Jackson Minford joins with Women’s Aid CEO Gillian Creevy and St Colmcille’s Primary Vice Principal, Miss Catherine Stewart to launch Women’s Aid Heading For Healthy Relationships Primary School programme funded by the EVAWG Change Fund. A new preventative education initiative aimed at helping young people build healthy, respectful relationships has been launched at St Colmcille Primary School in Ballymena. The Heading For Healthy Relations

Santa arriving in Ballymena last weekend Mid and East Antrim is set to sparkle this weekend as the festive season continues in full swing, with Larne and Carrickfergus preparing to burst into life with music, markets, parades and magical Christmas cheer at their annual Christmas Lights Switch-On celebrations. Both towns will host a wide range of family-friendly entertainment, live performances, festive characters and crafts – with the much-anticipated arrival of Santa adding