NEWS

Children dressed up for Halloween can enjoy a free meal at all 205 Asda Cafés nationwide on 31 October – with no adult spend required. This Halloween, families across the UK can look forward to a treat that won’t scare their wallets. On Friday 31 October, Asda is inviting children in fancy dress to eat for free in any of its 205 cafés nationwide, as part of its popular Kids Eat for £1 initiative. The offer coincides with half-term week, providing much-needed relief for parent

The bell ringing ceremony for the Larne RNLI Shannon class all-weather lifeboat Machiko Nancy 13-58 at the All-Weather Lifeboat Centre in Poole. The ceremony was attended by donor Michael Cameron and several crew members from Larne lifeboat station. (Images: Nathan Williams) A new Shannon class lifeboat is on its way to Larne RNLI, marking the beginning of a new era in lifesaving for the coastal community after 25 years of dedicated service from its outgoing Trent class lifeb

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

A Glenavy man has been sentenced to five months in prison after being found guilty of breaching a court-ordered ban on keeping animals. James Steele (55), of Gobrana Road, Glenavy, Crumlin, appeared before Lisburn Court where he was handed a five-month custodial sentence and ordered to pay a £25 offender levy for one charge under the Welfare of Animals Act (Northern Ireland) 2011. The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) confirmed that the case aro

Molly Piper with Max the dog A Dundonald dog that faced a court-ordered destruction ruling has been spared and is now settling into a new home in Antrim. ‘Max’ was ruled to be a Pit Bull-type banned breed by a Lisburn judge earlier this month, with only weeks to be rehomed or destroyed. Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council (LCCC) and animal welfare campaigners had been in dispute over the stray’s assessment for almost a year. Max was held in council kennels from December 2024

The Kells, Connor and Glenwherry Angling Club has expressed “deep disappointment and frustration” after the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) once again refused to grant permits needed to reopen their river hatchery — a conservation project aimed at restoring dwindling salmon and Dollaghan trout populations in the Kellswater River system. The group said the hatchery could have played a vital role in protecting native fish and educating local sc

Mid and East Antrim is gearing up for a spine-tingling celebration as Halloween approaches, with a packed programme of eerie entertainment and family-friendly fun across Ballymena, Carrickfergus and Larne . From haunted houses and ghost tours to pumpkin patches and spooky storytelling, the borough is promising something for everyone – whether you’re chasing chills or simply after a night of frightful fun. “Mid and East Antrim is your one-stop-shop for all things Halloween,”

A Ballymena-based mental health charity that has supported nearly 1,500 people in crisis in recent years has warned that it may be forced to close within months unless sustainable government funding is secured. Turning Point NI, a community crisis intervention and mental health hub founded in 2015 within the Northern Health and Social Care Trust (NHSCT), plays a critical role in supporting individuals experiencing mental health crises across Mid and East Antrim. Its mission i

South Antrim MP Robin Swann has welcomed the UK Government’s £271 million annual defence investment in Northern Ireland, while urging closer coordination between the Northern Ireland Executive and Westminster to ensure maximum economic and strategic benefit. The Ulster Unionist MP described the announcement as “a positive step for Northern Ireland’s economy” and a recognition of the region’s “innovative aerospace and manufacturing industries.” Mr Swann said: “This investmen

Deputy Mayor of Mid & East Antrim, DUP Councillor Tyler Hoey The Deputy Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, DUP Councillor Tyler Hoey, has publicly offered his support to a Portglenone man who has been issued a Noise Abatement Notice by council officers for practising the Lambeg drum. Councillor Hoey explained that the constituent, Gary, had been contacted him at the start of September regarding the noise complaint. “At the start of September, I was contacted by a constituent of mi

Concerns about fake references being submitted for agency healthcare workers were brought before the Northern Health and Social Care Trust board following an alert earlier this year. During the most recent Trust board meeting, Paul Turley, a non-executive director , told members that fraudulent references had been submitted for agency posts, with a “small number specific to the Northern Trust”. According to the meeting minutes, the Procurement and Logistics Service (PaLS) — w

Rachel Calvin with a judge from the IBMS after winning the poster competition in the cellular pathology category. The laboratory team at the Northern Health and Social Care Trust (NHSCT) has celebrated a remarkable achievement at the Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS) Congress in Birmingham, widely regarded as the UK’s leading forum for pathology innovation. The event, which attracts the country’s top biomedical scientists and laboratory staff, is the largest of its kind

Overall winner of the Mid and East Antrim heat of Go Succeed: The Ultimate Pitch William Mawhinney, centre, pictured with, from left, judge Noel Mullholland and Councillor Jackson Minford, Mayor, Mid and East Antrim Borough Council A Carrickfergus entrepreneur has sailed to success after making The Ultimate Pitch to win investment for his innovative new business that carries out vessel hull inspections. William Mawhinney wowed judges at the Mid and East Antrim heat of Go Succ

Is this the most classic bake of all time!? It's the easiest bake there is and an absolute staple at childhood birthday parties so T had to be for top hats . I've been making them with my two-year-old nephew lots recently (he's a big fan) and when you make them with good quality chocolate, they are actually so good. The big question is... do you choose a white or pink marshmallow one? Has to be white for me!! Jill Stewart ( @jillbakes_ ) INGREDIENTS… Makes 12 110g share bar

North Antrim TUV MLA Timothy Gaston speaking in the Northern Ireland Assembly on Tuesday. North Antrim TUV MLA Timothy Gaston has called for urgent departmental funding to support a Ballymena-based crisis intervention charity, warning that the collapse of Extern’s community crisis intervention service in the north-west could soon be repeated elsewhere. Speaking during Assembly proceedings on Tuesday (October 14), Mr Gaston said the closure of Extern’s service “will leave a g

North Antrim MLA Paul Frew speaking in the Assembly earlier this week. North Antrim MLA Paul Frew has announced overwhelming public support for his proposed Individual Duty of Candour Bill, which seeks to strengthen transparency and accountability within Northern Ireland’s healthcare system. Speaking in the Northern Ireland Assembly on Tuesday, 14 October, Mr Frew confirmed that 94% of respondents to his 14-week public consultation backed the proposal. “I place on record my a

(L-R): Martina Reynolds, EA EdIS Project Lead; Richard Pengelly, EA Chief Executive; Frances Meehan EdIS Programme Director; Eve Bremner, EA Chief Education Officer; Seamus Bradley, EA Assistant Director; Mervyn Storey, EA Chairperson; Jane Murphy, Principal of Killicomaine Junior High School; Barney Jenkins, Managing Director Softlink; pictured with pupils of Killicomaine Junior High School, Portadown. A new and innovative school library system led by the Education Authority

DUP representatives (L-R) East Londonderry MLA Maurice Bradley, North Antrim MLA Paul Frew, and Councillor for Bann, Michelle Knight-McQuillan during a visit to Kilrea Bridge DUP MLAs Paul Frew and Maurice Bradley , joined by Cllr Michelle Knight-McQuillan , have visited the site of the Kilrea Bridge over the River Bann to meet residents and discuss the latest update from DfI Roads amid continuing disruption caused by the closure. The representatives met with local people fr

Chamber President Mark Wiggins with Mayor of Mid and East Antrim Borough Council Councillor Jackson Minford with representatives of local businesses sponsoring the 2025 Ballymena Business Excellence Awards The names of the finalists for the 2025 Ballymena Business Excellence Awards have been announced, celebrating the innovation, resilience, and community spirit of local businesses across the Ballymena area. Organised annually by the Ballymena Area Chamber of Commerce and Ind