NEWS

The Department of Education has published new School Uniform Guidelines to help schools across Northern Ireland prepare for upcoming statutory requirements expected to take effect from the 2026/27 academic year. The move follows the passage of the School Uniforms (Guidelines and Allowances) Bill, which cleared its Final Stage in the Northern Ireland Assembly on 13 October and will become law once it receives Royal Assent. Education Minister Paul Givan confirmed that the guid

Gray’s Boutique Hotel & Brasserie in Bushmills Gray’s Boutique Hotel & Brasserie in Bushmills has announced the appointment of Andrew Orr as its new Hotel General Manager, marking an exciting new chapter for the elegant Causeway Coast destination. With more than three decades of experience in hospitality management, operations, and team leadership, Andrew joins Gray’s with a strong track record of success across the hotel and restaurant sectors. In his new role, he will over

Ulster Unionist MLA Jon Burrows has warned that families already struggling with the cost of living will be “hit hard” by the Education Authority’s decision to raise the price of school meals by around 20 per cent. The increase – equivalent to an extra 50p per meal – is due to take effect from January 2026, as part of a series of savings measures introduced by the Education Authority (EA) to tackle a £300 million funding shortfall. Mr Burrows, the Ulster Unionist Party’s Ed

Parents across Northern Ireland are bracing for higher school meal prices and potential changes to transport and music provision after the Education Authority (EA) confirmed a series of cost-saving measures to address a £300 million funding shortfall. The EA said the “regrettable” measures, which aim to deliver up to £30 million in savings, will begin to take effect this month. However, the organisation warned that even with these cuts, it will be “some distance” from breaki

Ian McMaw, Business Lecturer at the College of Agriculture Food & Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) Greenmount Campus and Richard Henderson, Head of Agriculture at AbbeyAutoline. AbbeyAutoline has reaffirmed its commitment to the future of Northern Ireland’s agricultural industry by renewing its partnership with the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) for the 2025/2026 academic year. As part of the CAFRE Industry Support Programme, AbbeyAutoline will once again o

All photos: Cindy Robinson Photography In a heartfelt ceremony underscoring themes of hope, reconciliation, and academic triumph, Slemish College held its annual awards presentation on Friday, 24 October 2025, honouring the achievements of its pupils while advocating for the expansion of integrated education across the region. The event, hosted at the integrated post-primary school in Ballymena, brought together pupils, staff, parents, and distinguished guests to recognise ou

Daniel Hunter at work with Stena Line The journey towards a job you love is not always smooth sailing – but with the right direction and support, it’s possible to reach your destination. That’s exactly what happened for Daniel Hunter from Carrickfergus, who has proudly worked with Stena Line since 2022 after years of determination and perseverance. Daniel’s story began over a decade ago when he was first referred to the Northern Health and Social Care Trust’s Day Opportuniti

Children from Braidside Primary School, Ballymena, were joined by Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Councillor Jackson Minford, as they enjoyed a Forest School session recently. Primary school pupils from across the Mid and East Antrim Borough Council area are embracing nature as part of this year’s Forest Schools Programme, funded by Council and delivered by the Northern Ireland Forest School Association (NIFSA). With support from the Council’s Parks and Open Spaces team, the in

Finance Minister John O’Dowd has announced a new pilot recruitment drive aimed at filling around 200 Administrative Officer (AO) vacancies across government departments in the North West. The initiative marks a shift towards a more streamlined and responsive approach to Civil Service hiring, with applicants invited to register their interest and complete a self-assessment of their skills and experience via www.nicsrecruitment.co.uk . Following registration, approximately 600

Back row, from left, Matt Robinson, Volunteer Coordinator at ReStore Ballymena, Greg McKinley, Director of Operations at The Gallaher Trust and James Perry MBE, a Trustee of The Gallaher Trust. Pictured at the foreground is Isobel Kerr, ReStore Ballymena Manager.   The Gallaher Trust has announced a £170,000 commitment over the next three years to support Habitat for Humanity Ireland’s new Retail Ready at ReStore initiative in Ballymena — a project designed to equip local peo

McDonnell Shields for Head Boy and Head Girl presented to students Ruairi Hendron and Aleena Shiji St Patrick’s College, Ballymena has celebrated the achievements of its pupils during the 2024–25 academic year at its annual prizegiving ceremony, which featured an inspiring address by past pupil and businesswoman Mrs Johanna Montgomery . Mrs Montgomery, who trained as a kitchen designer before expanding into wider areas of home design, shared insights from her career journey a

Education Minister Paul Givan pictured with representatives from Ofek School, Jerusalem and the Israeli Ministry of Education. Education Minister Paul Givan has visited Ofek School in the Jerusalem District to learn more about Israel’s forward-thinking approaches to gifted education and inclusive learning. Mr Givan was welcomed by Principal Racheli Yitzhak , along with representatives from the Israeli Ministry of Education, teachers, and students. The Ofek School supports mo

The photo accompanying this release features participants who have successfully completed this latest academy, alongside key individuals from the project: Hayley Barr and Rhonda Lynn from Mid & East Antrim Labour Market Partnership (MEALMP), and Hannah Wilson and Naomi Hutchinson from Northern GP Federation Support Unit. The Northern GP Federation Support Unit (NFSU) has marked the successful completion of another Medical Administration Academy, delivered in partnership wi

Sport Certificate in Horse Care Management learners received their qualifications at the Equine Awards Ceremony at Enniskillen Campus. Pictured are Abbie Thompson from Antrim , Aine Sweeney from Burtonport, Co Donegal, Alisha Cooper from Kells and Maria Elliott from Ballinamallard along with CAFRE Equine Lecturer, Dr Rachel Annan. The College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) hosted its annual Awards Ceremony on Friday 17 October 2025, celebrating the outstan

Northern Regional College Staff and Level 3 Creative Media Practice students at the showcase of their short film Love Later Life. Northern Regional College’s Creative Media students have teamed up with Mid and East Antrim Borough Council to produce a moving short film that celebrates the power of positive ageing. The film, titled Love Later Life, was officially launched on Tuesday 30 September, showcasing the talents of the College’s Level 3 Creative Media Practice students.

(L-R) Dr Orla McBride, Study Lead for Northern Ireland, Ulster University, Professor Ian Young, Chief Scientific Advisor to the Department of Health, Northern Ireland and Beccy Shipman, Deputy Director of Data Strategy and Infrastructure at ESRC pictured at the official Northern Ireland launch of the landmark UK-wide birth cohort study Generation New Era (GNE). Ulster University launches UK-wide project to track childhood and family life for generations to come Nearly half o

IGNITE participant, Jenna Louise Dowds from Slemish College, pictured with Paula Bittles, Business Support Executive at Belfast City Airport and Gerry Kelly, CEO of NICSSA Belfast City Airport has launched the sixth year of its acclaimed IGNITE youth leadership programme, reaffirming its dedication to inspiring and empowering young people from across Greater Belfast and Northern Ireland. Originally designed to support 100 students, the IGNITE initiative has now successfully e

(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

Jon Burrows MLA and Neil McCullough Principal of Harryville Primary School More than 20 children were initially reported missing from a primary school in Ballymena, prompting an urgent effort by education officials to trace their whereabouts. The Education Authority (EA) distributed a list of more than 50 missing pupils from various schools to principals across Northern Ireland earlier this term, seeking help to identify children who had stopped attending school without expla

Pupils of Ballykeel Primary School enjoying time in the Mayoral Parlour at The Braid, with Mayor of Mid & East Antrim, UUP Councillor Jackson Minford Pupils from Ballykeel Primary School enjoyed a lively morning at The Braid in Ballymena as they put local elected representatives on the spot with a series of challenging questions about life in local government. The Year 6 (P6) class met with Mayor of Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, Councillor Jackson Minford, and Independ