NEWS

Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Councillor Jackson Minford, pictured with Galgorm Golf Club representatives and junior players. The Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Councillor Jackson Minford , has hosted a special reception recognising the outstanding achievements of Galgorm Golf Club’s junior players following a record-breaking season for the club. Junior representatives from the Ballymena club were welcomed to The Braid after two Galgorm teams – the Junior Cup side and the Fred

Mayor of Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, Councillor Jackson Minford pictured with Ballymena woman Caitriona Lennox FIH, Head of Springboard Northern Ireland The Mayor of Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, Councillor Jackson Minford , has officially welcomed Ballymena woman Caitriona Lennox FIH , Head of Springboard Northern Ireland , to his parlour at The Braid to celebrate her receiving the Institute of Hospitality’s prestigious Fellows’ Outstanding Contribution Award

Cranmore’s James Galbraith pictured with Cranmore’s two awards for Young IT Professional of the Year and Mobile App of the Year. A software developer from Broughshane has secured one of Northern Ireland’s top technology honours after being named Young IT Professional of the Year during the 2025 Belfast Telegraph IT Awards. James Galbraith, aged 25, took home the coveted award at the high-profile ceremony held in The MAC, Belfast, on Friday 14 November. The Cranmore developer

Robert Scott from KCA Motors, winner of the Best Marketing Campaign (Independent Dealer) Award at the 2025 NI Motor Industry Awards, presented by Valerie Ludlow from award founders ASG . Ballymena-based KCA Motors has driven away with one of the top honours at this year’s Northern Ireland Motor Industry Awards, securing the coveted Best Marketing Campaign (Independent Dealer) title. The independent dealer was among dozens of businesses recognised at the prestigious ceremony,

Lapwing nest in the Antrim Hills The 2025 breeding season has delivered a significant boost for some of Northern Ireland’s most threatened wading birds, thanks to a close partnership between RSPB NI, local farmers and landowners across the Antrim Hills. RSPB NI staff and volunteers have spent recent months surveying, protecting and monitoring key species across a number of sites, working hand-in-hand with the agricultural community to improve habitat conditions and give vulne

Asda Antrim trolley porter, Tony Burns Customers at Asda Antrim say they are “in safe hands” thanks to porter Tony Burns , whose quick thinking and kindness have earned him a reputation as a car park hero. The father of seven, who has worked at the store for almost a decade, has helped a string of customers in need — from changing tyres to rescuing a baby accidentally locked in a car. Tony, described by colleagues as someone who always “goes the extra mile”, has become a fam

Justice Minister Naomi Long with (from left) David Kennedy, Director of Prisons, Richard Taylor, Governor of Hydebank Wood Secure College, and Beverley Wall, Director General of the Northern Ireland Prison Service. Justice Minister Naomi Long has congratulated staff at Hydebank Wood Secure College after the South Belfast facility received a significant international award recognising its leadership in rehabilitation. The accolade, presented by the International Corrections an

Pudsey and Asda Antrim's Ashley Ritchie visited local schools in aid of BBC Children in Need Colleagues at Asda Antrim have helped raise an impressive £2,100 for BBC Children in Need after teaming up with customers and local schools to support the annual charity appeal. The fundraising effort was led by the store’s Community Champion, Ashley Ritchie , who organised a series of activities including tombolas, raffles, in-store bucket collections and visits to nearby primary sch

A puffin makes history on the Isle of Muck Nature Reserve, off Islandmagee – the first to nest here in Ulster Wildlife’s 25 years of managing this seabird sanctuary. (Images & Video: Ronald Surgenor) For the first time in a quarter of a century, puffins have been recorded nesting on Ulster Wildlife’s Isle of Muck Nature Reserve, off Islandmagee in Co. Antrim — marking a significant milestone for seabird recovery in Northern Ireland. The discovery, made during routine surveys

Northern Trust dietetic colleagues Kathryn Duff, Shelley Hannon, Michelle Graham Steele, Ursula Quinn, Katherine Hudson and Elizabeth Armstrong received the ‘Community Nutrition Professional of the Year’ award at the 2025 Complete Nutrition (CN) Awards in recognition of their innovative work around community nutrition care. A team of dietitians from the Northern Health and Social Care Trust has been named ‘Community Nutrition Professional of the Year’ at the 2025 Complete Nut

Project Co-ordinator for Good Morning Ballymena, Debbie Chestnutt Good Morning Ballymena has been awarded the prestigious King’s Award for Voluntary Service — the highest honour given to volunteer groups across the United Kingdom — in recognition of its exceptional contribution to the wellbeing of older and vulnerable people in the local community. The organisation, which provides vital support, reassurance, and companionship to individuals across the Ballymena area, describe

farmdrive co-founders - Gareth Gordon, CTO, and Gareth McDonald, CEO Northern Ireland agri-tech company farmdrive has raised £1 million in pre-seed investment to drive international growth of its pioneering livestock data and supply chain platform. The funding round was led by TechStart Ventures and Ascension Ventures, with participation from Angel Invest, and will support product development, team expansion, and entry into new markets across the UK and Europe. Founded in 202

County Antrim boxer Zoe McCaughran – crowned the new IIBU Lightweight Champion Carrickfergus boxer Zoe McCaughran has been crowned the new IIBU Lightweight Champion after a superb performance at Belfast’s iconic Ulster Hall on Saturday night (8 November), capping off a triumphant evening for the Evolution Boxing Club team. Facing a strong and experienced opponent in Aoife Connor, McCaughran displayed her trademark composure, determination and technical skill from the opening

Denis Hession (82), winner of the 16 and Over Category, Translink’s Grand Pianist A Carrickfergus man has been named one of Northern Ireland’s top amateur pianists after taking the top prize in the adult category of Translink’s prestigious Grand Pianist 2025 competition. 82-year-old Denis Hession , a retired engineer originally from Roscommon, claimed the adult title following an emotional performance of Carrickfergus on a baby grand piano at Belfast’s Grand Central Station.

Member of Veterans Support Group Ballymena setting off on their fundraising 18-mile march from Templepatrick to Ballymena in the darkness of early morning In the early hours of Saturday 1 November, a determined group of military veterans and supporters set off from Templepatrick roundabout on an arduous 18-mile sponsored march to Ballymena Services Club, raising an estimated £4,000 for the Veterans Support Group Ballymena (VSGB). The gruelling challenge was the idea of Stephe

Diane Holden and Donna Houston, winners of the ‘technology to support medicines optimisation’ category at the PrescQIPP UK National Awards. Clinical pharmacists at Antrim Area Hospital have won a UK-wide award for an innovative project that merges medicine with technology to improve patient safety and independence. Diane Holden and Donna Houston took home first prize in the ‘Technology to Support Medicines Optimisation’ category at the PrescQIPP UK National Awards in Notting

Ahoghill in Bloom volunteer John Wilson, with the team’s special award Community pride shines as Ahoghill earns Community Resilience Award and Small Town runner-up honour at prestigious horticultural event Ahoghill’s community volunteers are celebrating after being recognised with a special accolade at the 2025 Ulster in Bloom Awards, held at Grand Central Station in Belfast. The village received the Community Resilience Award, highlighting the remarkable spirit and teamwork

Kain Stewart in the ring Ballymena’s rising combat sports star King Kain Stewart delivered an electrifying performance in Birmingham as part of the prestigious Breakthrough Fight Series, streamed live on Notorious TV. The ten-year-old sensation, a pupil of Ballykeel Primary School, lready a multiple world champion, secured a mid-card slot on the event — a remarkable achievement for such a young athlete. Fresh from an incredible showing at the WKA World Championships, where he

Barkley Thompson Musical Director and members of the Farmers Choir who attended the awards evening.   Members of the Farmers’ Choir were delighted to attend the Northern Ireland Farming Awards 2025, where the group was recognisedo as a finalist in two prestigious categories – Farming Event of the Year and Farming Society of the Year. The choir received a Highly Commended accolade in the Farming Society of the Year category, acknowledging its exceptional contribution to rural

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