NEWS

Stephen Lynn running the Belfast Half Marathon in aid of Guide Dogs NI. Thursday 12 November 2026 A Ballymena optician has turned his Belfast Half Marathon challenge into a fundraising success, raising £1,560 to help people living with sight loss enjoy greater independence and confidence. Stephen Lynn, retail director at Specsavers Ballymena, completed the race in September, supported by friends, family, colleagues and customers who contributed to his fundraising efforts for

Moyra Mills, Macmillan Cancer Service Improvement Manager and Amy Wilson, Macmillan Information and Support Manager, are encouraging the public to take part in a photography competition, with selected images set to go on display in the new Macmillan Information and Support Centre at Antrim Area Hospital. Wednesday 11 November 2026 A photograph of a peaceful coastline, woodland or glen could soon offer a moment of comfort to someone facing cancer, as the public is invited to h

(L-R): Ellie Massey, Trainee Solicitor; Rachel Hogan BL, SEND Specialist Legal Adviser; and Kathryn Stevenson, Head of Legal Services. Wednesday 11 November 2026 Children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) could benefit from stronger legal protections under revised proposals for Northern Ireland’s education system, following months of intervention by children’s rights advocates concerned that planned reforms could weaken existing safeguards. The Children’s

Matthew Armstrong with his much-loved dad, Dessie Tuesday 10 November 2026 “The fact of the matter is my father won't be here for ever.” For Ballymena councillor Matthew Armstrong, those words capture the deeply personal reason behind a charity fundraiser he is organising for people living with pulmonary fibrosis – an incurable lung condition that has changed life for his father, Dessie, and their family. What began as a persistent dry cough in summer 2019 led to a diagnosis

Sofia Sweetlove presents The Princess of Wales with daffodils during her service visit in Northern Ireland in 2019. (Credit: Aaron McCracken Photography) Tuesday 10 November 2026 A little girl from Ballymena who presented the Princess of Wales with daffodils picked from her family garden has shared the story behind a treasured photograph, as children’s charity Action for Children celebrates 10 years of royal patronage. Sofia Sweetlove was just three years old when she met Ca

The property in County Antrim proposed as a new Teen Challenge residential addiction recovery centre. Monday 9 November 2026 Plans have been submitted to transform a former guesthouse near Belfast International Airport into a residential addiction recovery centre, providing accommodation and support for up to 24 people struggling with drug and alcohol dependency. The proposal, submitted to Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council on behalf of registered charity Teen Challenge

Monday 09 November 2026 Patients should continue using Phone First following a pause in plans to withdraw the Northern Trust service after 27 November, the Trust has confirmed to Love Ballymena. The pause was first disclosed by interim chief executive Suzanne Pullins at the Assembly Health Committee on Thursday 5 November, where MLAs challenged whether withdrawing telephone advice before winter would increase pressure on emergency departments. In a fresh statement today, the

Monday 09 November 2026 Patients struggling to get a GP appointment have been promised better access under a newly agreed Northern Ireland contract, with an additional £40 million over two years linked to measurable improvements in access and primary care activity. Health Minister Robbie Butler said the agreement must deliver more appointments and services. GP representatives have also committed to ending their current collective action, according to the Minister. However, th

Sunday 08 November 2026 Midwives at Antrim Hospital have reported missing breaks, some inductions and caesarean sections have been delayed, and gynaecology work has been reduced to free consultant time for urgent antenatal assessment, Northern Trust leaders have told MLAs. The Trust disclosed that it had faced 18 permanent midwifery vacancies — around 10% of posts — alongside significant sickness absence and maternity leave. Recruitment is intended to fill those permanent vac

Sunday 08 November 2026 A total of 159 patients medically fit for discharge remained in Antrim and Causeway hospital beds on Thursday morning, while 58 people in Antrim’s emergency department were waiting for a bed, Northern Trust leaders told MLAs. Patients were waiting for care home places, rehabilitation or support to return home — exposing how shortages beyond hospital wards are restricting the beds available to those needing admission. Yet a proposed expansion of Hospita

Sunday 8 November 2026 People aged 59 in Northern Ireland are now being invited for bowel cancer screening for the first time, marking the beginning of a major expansion of a programme designed to detect cancer earlier and save lives. The change, which took effect on 2 November, is the first stage of a five-year rollout that will gradually lower the starting age for screening from 60 to 50 by the end of March 2031. The Public Health Agency (PHA) is urging everyone who receive

Sunday 08 November 2026 Almost nine in ten parents of primary school children in Northern Ireland believe youngsters should be taught how to use the internet safely rather than have access banned altogether, according to new research highlighting the growing importance of digital skills in family life. The study, commissioned by broadband provider Fibrus, found that 89% favour a ‘teach, not ban’ approach, while just 11% believe internet access should be completely restricted.

Gillian Robinson, chief executive of Women’s Aid, Arlene Creighton, Women’s Aid, and Councillor Leah Kirkpatrick Saturday 07 November 2026 New pyjamas are being collected across Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough to bring comfort to women and children affected by domestic abuse this Christmas, following donations of more than 900 pairs last year. The Women’s Aid ABCLN Christmas Pyjama Appeal supports families living in refuge accommodation and those receiving help in the communi

Saturday 07 November 2026 Urgent dermatology waiting times of almost nine years in the Northern Trust amount to a “catastrophic failure”, North Antrim MP Jim Allister has said after a constituent’s case exposed the scale of delays facing patients. The Trust confirmed in a letter dated 3 November that urgent waiting times were approximately eight years and nine months — and increasing because of ongoing capacity problems. Its response concerned a woman first referred for speci

The Aston Martin Aramco team brought a touch of Formula One excitement to Antrim Area Hospital, with reserve driver Jak Crawford visiting the children's ward to spend time with young patients, as well as families who are cared for by the Northern Trust's community children's team. (Photos: Michael Cooper) Friday 6 November 2026 Young patients at Antrim Area Hospital were treated to a special Formula One experience when the Aston Martin Aramco team made a pitstop at the hospit

Dr Alan Kennedy, PulseAI's founder and chief executive Friday 6 November 2026 A Belfast-based medical technology company has secured US regulatory clearance for artificial intelligence software designed to help detect potentially dangerous heart rhythm disorders, marking a significant milestone for healthcare innovation developed in collaboration with Ulster University. PulseAI has received clearance from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its AI-powered arrhythmia

Ballymoney man Alex Patterson who walked to Stormont Parliament Buildings in Belfast, with Alliance North Antrim MLA Sian Mulholland, and other representatives. Thursday 5 November 2026 A Ballymoney man who has faced being turned away from restaurants because of his guide dog has walked from Belfast City Hall to Stormont to highlight the everyday barriers faced by blind and partially sighted people. Alex Patterson completed the challenge on Tuesday (3 November), accompanied b

Thursday 5 November 2026 Almost one in four children living in poverty in Northern Ireland are not eligible for free school meals, according to major new UK-wide research highlighting significant inequalities in the financial support available to struggling families. The findings, published today (Thursday 5 November), reveal that 24% of children in poverty in Northern Ireland fall outside free school meal eligibility, compared with 17% in Scotland and 18% in Wales. Following

Wednesday 4 November 2026 Around half of all babies born in Northern Ireland in 2026 are being invited to take part in a landmark research study that will follow children into adulthood, helping shape the services and support available to future generations of families. Researchers at Ulster University have begun interviewing parents as part of Generation New Era, the first new UK birth cohort study in 25 years and the largest of its kind in a generation. Around 4,200 familie

Monday 02 November 2026 The Northern Trust is to receive £250,000 to strengthen local endometriosis services as part of a £1.95 million investment intended to improve access to diagnosis, treatment and support across Northern Ireland. The funding comes as women continue to face lengthy waits for gynaecology care, despite reductions reported by the Department of Health in outpatient waiting lists and waits for hospital treatment. Endometriosis is a chronic condition in which t