NEWS

Health Minister Mike Nesbitt pictured with staff at Meharry Medical School in Nashville. Northern Ireland’s Health Minister has said a high-profile visit to the United States has opened new doors for innovation, partnerships and global collaboration in healthcare. Mike Nesbitt’s trip, which ran from 16–21 March and coincided with St Patrick’s Day engagements, took in Washington DC and Nashville, where he met leading figures in health and social care to explore new ways of im

A vital community lifeline in Cushendun has been safeguarded for the year ahead after a major funding boost of nearly £20,000 was awarded to support its future. Cushendun Building Preservation Trust (CBPT) has secured £19,997 from The National Lottery Community Fund’s Awards for All programme, ensuring the Old Church Centre — now the village’s only year-round accessible community venue — can continue to thrive throughout 2026. With the recent closure of the Parochial Hall, t

Lisa Barclay and Alison Cook look on as Fiona O'Neill cuts the ribbon to mark the official opening of the new Sensory Room in Causeway Hospital with help from her daughter Gracie. A new sensory room has opened within Causeway Hospital’s Emergency Department, offering a calmer, more supportive environment for patients with additional needs — and marking a significant step forward in inclusive healthcare locally. Designed to provide relief from the noise, crowds and bright ligh

A major fundraising walk along Northern Ireland’s iconic Causeway Coast is set to return this summer, as AWARE NI launches its flagship Giant Steps event for 2026 — at a time when demand for mental health support has never been greater. Taking place on Saturday, 6 June, the popular event — now in its fifth year — has already raised more than £200,000 to sustain frontline services, with organisers hoping for another strong turnout from communities across the region. A walk wi

Saoirse Stacey and Oran Masterson with Irish Minister Michael Healy-Rae at Carrigduff National School, Bunclody, Wexford at the launch of the AgriKids Farm Safety Ambassador School Programme. Primary schools across County Antrim are being urged to step beyond the classroom and become leaders in farm safety, as a nationwide initiative opens for enrolment ahead of an April deadline. Irish Rural Link has launched its AgriKids Farm Safety Ambassador School Programme, inviting sch

Northern Ireland’s overall sense of wellbeing has remained steady over the past year — but beneath the surface, new figures reveal a stubborn undercurrent of anxiety and loneliness affecting thousands of people. Fresh data published recently by The Executive Office shows that while life satisfaction, happiness and feelings of purpose remain high, around one in five people continue to experience high levels of anxiety , and nearly 18% report feeling lonely at least some of the

(L-R): Laurentiu Ghisoiu from the National Trust, Sheena Dickson from Tourism NI, Oliver McMullan, Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens and Mel McQuitty of Causeway Coast and Glens Heritage Trust. A spectacular stretch of Northern Ireland’s north coast has been chosen to host the region’s very first “Signature Walk” — a move designed to transform how visitors experience its most iconic landscapes. Launched by Tourism Northern Ireland in partnership with National Trust, Causewa

Families arriving at hospital in moments of crisis are being offered small acts of comfort thanks to a community initiative — but supplies are now running low. Northern Health and Social Care Trust (NHSCT) has issued an urgent appeal for donations to help replenish its “comfort packs”, which are given to relatives who unexpectedly find themselves staying with a seriously unwell loved one. These packs, made up of basic everyday essentials, are designed to ease the immediate s

Schools in Ballymena are calling for urgent, coordinated action after last summer’s unrest left classrooms empty, families fleeing, and some of the area’s most vulnerable children gone for good. At the centre of the appeal is a stark statistic: the equivalent of an entire classroom — 26 pupils — missing at the start of the September 2025 term following disturbances linked to so-called “anti-migrant riots” in Ballymena and Larne. Speaking ahead of the Ulster Teachers’ Union (U

Ballycastle photographer Kevin McAuley A well-known Ballycastle photographer has spoken out in praise of local health services after a sudden and frightening medical episode led to his admission to Causeway Hospital earlier this week. Kevin McAuley , a familiar figure in Northern Ireland’s photography and media scene, was rushed to hospital after suffering a severe allergic reaction during a routine CT scan—an incident that quickly sparked concern across the community. Rumour

L-R (Front Row:) Aobh, Maria, Lily (Back Row:) Kyle Greer Development Chef at Sysco Ireland, Jean Stanley Head of Sustainability at Sysco Ireland, Dr Ernest Purvis Head of Policy at Children in Northern Ireland A major expansion of a programme tackling holiday hunger and isolation will see support for children across Northern Ireland increase sevenfold, with thousands more set to benefit from free meals and activities. Sysco Ireland has announced a £50,000 investment to grow

Health officials have reassured the public in Northern Ireland there is no increased risk from a meningitis outbreak in South East England — but are urging people to stay alert to the warning signs of the potentially life-threatening illness. The Public Health Agency (PHA) said it is closely monitoring the situation, with the UK Health Security Agency leading the response in England. While the outbreak has not impacted Northern Ireland, experts stress that rapid recognition

The Top of the Crop choir will be guided by local music teacher and experienced musician Philip Kerr, with practice sessions planned for Thursday 26 March and Thursday 30 April from 8pm-9.30pm in Cullybackey Business Centre, Main Street, Cullybackey. A brand-new community choir is set to bring voices together in Cullybackey, offering rural residents a welcoming space to sing, socialise and build friendships. The new ‘Top of the Crop’ choir is the latest initiative from the No

North Antrim MP Jim Allister and Health Minister Mike Nesbitt Men in Northern Ireland with prostate cancer are being denied access to a life-extending drug already available to patients across the rest of the UK — prompting warnings of a “postcode lottery” that could cost lives. The drug, abiraterone, is prescribed across the UK for men with advanced prostate cancer that has spread. But while patients in England, Scotland and Wales can now also receive it for certain high-ri

North Antrim Alliance MLA Sian Mulholland Families across North Antrim could face deeper hardship if welfare spending is reduced to boost defence funding, according to Alliance MLA Sian Mulholland. The party’s poverty spokesperson said calls from senior DUP figures to divert money away from welfare budgets were “catastrophically out of touch” with the pressures facing households during the ongoing energy crisis. Her comments follow remarks from DUP leaders Arlene Foster and

Inset: North Antrim MLA Paul Frew Concerns raised by new mothers in the Ballymena area about postnatal care arrangements have prompted intervention from North Antrim MLA Paul Frew , who sought urgent clarification from health officials after reports that women were being asked to attend clinic appointments just days after giving birth. Mr Frew said he had been contacted by constituents worried about a move towards centralised postnatal appointments within the Northern Health

North Antrim MLA Timothy Gaston North Antrim MLA Timothy Gaston has warned that proposed changes to special educational needs (SEN) support could place classroom assistant jobs at risk and increase pressure inside classrooms. Speaking in the Northern Ireland Assembly on Monday, Gaston paid tribute to the “vital role classroom assistants play” in supporting pupils but said staff and families are increasingly worried about how the proposed reforms may work in practice. The Tr

Pictured launching a new initiative aimed at stamping out smoking on hospital sites are Northern Trust Medical Director, Dr George Gardiner; Round Tower Integrated Primary School and Nursery Unit Principal, Mrs Monica Turner with pupils from P2 and P5 Local schoolchildren are being invited to lend their voices to a new campaign aimed at discouraging smoking outside hospital entrances — with the hope that hearing a child’s message could make smokers pause, reflect, and even co

Senior officials from the Department for Communities will face further scrutiny at Stormont this week after a key Assembly committee criticised the department’s latest update on tackling child poverty as “wholly inadequate”. The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has recalled departmental representatives to provide fresh oral evidence on Thursday, 12 March, amid mounting concern about the pace of progress on the Child Poverty Strategy in Northern Ireland. The move follows a stro

Galgorm Collection is donating funding to Braidwater Seniors to enable them to knit hats and blankets for babies in Antrim Area Hospital. Tara Moore, third from left, Associate Director of Spa Operations at Galgorm Collection and Julie Elliott, nurse practitioner at Antrim Area Hospital are pictured with members of Braidwater Seniors . A group of Ballymena knitters are preparing to spend the coming months crafting tiny hats and blankets for newborn babies in hospital — a