NEWS

The derelict Crumlin Road Courthouse in Belfast Plans to transform Belfast’s historic Crumlin Road Courthouse into a Neurodiversity Campus have reached an important milestone after a Proposal of Application Notice (PAN) was formally accepted by planners at Belfast City Hall. The PAN, submitted by BBE (NI) Ltd and considered on Monday 26 January, relates to the future redevelopment of the long-derelict courthouse on the Crumlin Road, a landmark building that has stood vacant a

The Met Office has issued an amber weather warning for parts of Northern Ireland as Storm Chandra is forecast to bring very strong winds, heavy rain and the risk of disruption on Tuesday. The amber warning will be in effect between 05:00 and 21:00 on Tuesday 27 January 2026 , covering County Antrim, County Down and County Londonderry. Forecasters warn that easterly winds will strengthen rapidly early on Tuesday morning, with gusts of 60–70 mph expected across eastern and nort

North Antrim TUV MLA Timothy Gaston has raised profound concerns about the state of Northern Ireland’s health service, using a tragic local case to highlight what he described as systemic failures in ambulance response policy. Speaking in the Assembly on Tuesday, January 20, Mr Gaston said the Department of Health had become “by far the most frustrating Department” he had dealt with during his first 19 months as an MLA, accusing it of ignoring Assembly contributions, delayi

Claire McCleery, JAM Card Director (centre) at the Housing Centre customer reception with Rosanna McSorley (left) and June McGrath from the Housing Executive’s Tenancy Support and Sustainment team The Northern Ireland Housing Executive has reaffirmed its commitment to being a JAM Card-friendly organisation as part of the NOW Group’s JAMuary awareness campaign this month, highlighting ongoing efforts to improve accessibility and inclusion for customers across its services. The

Back in the Game Ballymena representatives Ian Getty (right) and Gary McFetridge (left with Mayor of Mid and East Antrim Councillor Jackson Minford Back in the Game Ballymena has underlined the importance of community connection and men’s mental wellbeing after attending a major wellbeing event in Ballymena. The local group was invited to take part in the annual ‘Wellbeing Monday’ event, hosted by Radius and Triangle Housing Associations, working in partnership with Turning P

Northern Ireland has recorded its highest number of house fire fatalities in a quarter of a century, prompting an urgent appeal from the Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service (NIFRS) for the public to prioritise home fire safety and check on vulnerable loved ones and neighbours. Newly released figures show that 2025 saw 16 people lose their lives in house fires, the highest annual total since 1999. The data highlights stark and preventable risks, with smoking materials respo

Helping to launch the new initiatives alongside Titanic Belfast’s Head of Operations, Paula Bradley is Niamh Givens. Titanic Belfast has unveiled a range of new accessibility initiatives aimed at ensuring every visitor can enjoy the world-renowned attraction in a comfortable, welcoming and inclusive environment. The new measures include the introduction of Sensory Backpacks and Quiet Sessions, further strengthening the attraction’s commitment to accessibility and inclusion fo

Planning permission has been approved for the construction of a £3.5 million cancer support centre at Antrim Hospital, members of the Northern Health and Social Care Trust board have been told. Paddy Graffin, the Northern Trust’s Divisional Director of Infrastructure, informed members at a meeting held at Antrim Hospital on Thursday that permission has been granted by Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council for the proposed new facility. The centre is being funded through a p

Norovirus cases across the UK have surged by more than 60% in the past fortnight, prompting renewed public health warnings from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), particularly as infections rise sharply among older adults and hospital outbreaks increase. The latest UKHSA weekly surveillance report for the 2025/26 season shows that norovirus laboratory reports between 5 and 18 January 2026 were 61.1% higher than the previous two-week period and 60% higher than the five-sea

Robin Swann MP speaking in the House of Commons South Antrim MP Robin Swann has warned that thousands of vulnerable people in Northern Ireland could lose vital support as a result of a looming “funding cliff-edge” linked to changes in Government funding streams. Mr Swann raised the issue during Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, pressing the Government on the potential impact of the transition away from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), which he said would result

Digitally composed views of the Spa at the Amphitheatre, Carrickfergus, once refurbishment is completed. A £1 million refurbishment of the Spa at Carrickfergus Amphitheatre is now underway, marking a major investment in local leisure and wellbeing facilities and reinforcing the venue’s long-term role at the heart of the community. The Spa area has closed to the public to allow essential works to begin on what council officials have described as a “Spa-tacular” upgrade. Once c

(L-R) Samantha Peden, Cullybackey Community Partnership; Valerie Guthrie, Alzheimer’s UK; Daniel McCurdy, Libraries NI; Marjorie Hawkins, Chair MEA Loneliness Network; Debbie Chestnutt, Good Morning Ballymena; Sabrina Lynn, NHSCT. (Image: Bernie McAllister) Four individuals have been formally recognised for their commitment to tackling loneliness and social isolation across Mid and East Antrim, as the local Loneliness Network welcomed four new Loneliness Champions. Daniel McC

Health Minister Mike Nesbitt at South West Acute Hospital (SWAH). Waiting times for hip and knee replacement surgery at the South West Acute Hospital (SWAH) have reduced significantly, according to the Department of Health, as part of wider efforts to expand elective capacity and improve patient access across Northern Ireland. The progress follows the introduction of a regional orthopaedic programme at SWAH, combining the use of independent sector capacity with improved theat

Around 700 senior pupils at St Louis Grammar School in Ballymena took part in a powerful and emotive road safety experience this month as the Ballymena Neighbourhood Police Team (NPT) attended the award-winning Roadsafe Roadshow. The event, held on Thursday, January 15, brought together the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS), the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service and a range of partner organisations to deliver a hard-h

(L-R) Valeria Watts, Interim Chief Executive of Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, David Nichol, HSENI Board Member, Elise Logan, Lead Environmental Health Officer,  Laura Hughes, HSENI Inspector,  Mayor Councillor Jackson Miniford, HSENI Deputy Chief Executive Nicola Monson, Clement Kennedy, Environmental Health Manager, John McVeigh, Interim Director of Community at Mid and East Antrim Borough Council and HSENI Chief Executive Robert Kidd. Mid and East Antrim Borough Coun

Organ Donation Specialist Nurse Jacqueline Heasley pictured with colleagues from Causeway Hospital’s Emergency Department, Niamh Mullan, Carmel Alexander (Deputy Clinical Sister) Caoimhe Larsen (Staff Nurse) and Kim Carson. The Northern Health and Social Care Trust is harnessing the power of storytelling to support children and families facing the loss of a loved one, with a new collection of bereavement books now available in hospital settings. A carefully selected range of

Residents across Ballymena and the surrounding area are being encouraged to prioritise their mental health this January as a free community wellbeing event returns to the town. Radius and Triangle Housing Associations , working in partnership with Turning Point NI , will host their annual Wellbeing Monday event on 19 January , offering a welcoming space for anyone who may be struggling with the post-Christmas slump or simply in need of a boost. Taking place at the Adair Arms

Northern Trust Health Visitor, Mary Donnelly, winner of the Specialist Community Public Health Nurse (SCPHN) Student Health Visitor Award, pictured with Alison Morton, Chief Executive of the Institute of Health Visiting. A newly qualified health visitor with the Northern Health and Social Care Trust has received national recognition after winning a prestigious UK-wide award from the Institute of Health Visiting (iHV). Mary Donnelly secured first place in the Specialist Commu

The UK medicines regulator has approved a higher maximum dose of the weight-loss drug Wegovy (semaglutide), allowing some patients with obesity to receive up to 7.2mg per week under medical supervision. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) confirmed on 6 January 2026 that the increased dose is authorised only for adult patients with obesity, defined as a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30kg/m² or higher, and must be used alongside a reduced-calorie diet an

(L-R) Neil Irwin, Philanthropy Manager, Haemochromatosis UK and James Hagan, Founder of Hagan Homes. Thousands of households across Northern Ireland are to be offered free genetic screening for haemochromatosis, the region’s most common inherited condition, as part of a major early-detection initiative launching in January 2026. The programme, delivered by Haemochromatosis UK and supported by Hagan Homes and other donors, will offer up to 23,500 households in selected postco