NEWS

Families across the borough are being invited to a magical spring adventure as Dobbies Garden Centres partner with DreamWorks’ popular children’s show Gabby’s Dollhouse for a special free event next month. The themed Little Seedlings Club workshop will take place on Saturday 4 April at Dobbies stores in Antrim and Lisburn , offering children a fun-filled hour of crafts, discovery and Easter-themed activities. A spring adventure for young gardeners The event will transport ch

Communities Minister Gordon Lyons pictured with Head Boy, Jake Quigley, Head Girl, Emma-Louise White and Richard Williams, Chief Executive of Northern Ireland Screen at his recent visit to Antrim Grammar School to see Northern Ireland Screen’s creative education and careers pipeline. Young people in Northern Ireland could find their future careers in the rapidly growing screen and creative industries, Communities Minister Gordon Lyons  said during a visit to Antrim Grammar Sc

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

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

Police have arrested a 25-year-old man following a report of a male with a gun at a shopping centre in Antrim — while also confirming a completely separate misconduct investigation involving an off-duty probationer police officer. The developments, both linked to incidents on Sunday 1 March, prompted commentary online suggesting a connection between the two matters. However, the PSNI has moved to firmly dispel that claim. Deputy Chief Constable Bobby Singleton confirmed the

Entrance to the Massereene Barracks site in Antrim, and inset, Sappers Patrick Azimkar (left) and Mark Quinsey (right), who were shot dead outside the Barracks gates in 2009. Seventeen years on from one of the most shocking acts of violence in post-Agreement Northern Ireland, the Ulster Unionist Party will marked the anniversary of the Massereene Barracks attack, on Saturday (7 March), remembering two soldiers killed and others wounded in the 2009 shooting in Antrim. On 7 Mar

Paddy Graffin, Northern Trust Director of Infrastructure, Lynne McCartney, Northern Trust Interim Director for Surgery and Clinical Services, Mike Nesbitt, Health Minister, Jane Hughes, Programme Lead, Implementation Team with Macmillan Cancer Support, and Peter Carson, Director MSM Contracts Ltd, pictured at the site of the new Macmillan Information and Support Centre at Antrim Area Hospital.  A major new support facility for people living with cancer is now under constructi

Households across Ballymena and more than 30 surrounding towns are set for another drop in their gas bills, as firmus energy Supply confirms a further double-digit tariff cut from April. The Newtownabbey-based supplier today (Thursday 5 March 2026) has announced it will reduce domestic tariffs for all customers in the Ten Towns Network area by 10.1% from 1 April 2026 — a move expected to save households an average of over £92 per year. It marks the third consecutive reductio

Inset: Northern Ireland Health Minister Mike Nesbitt Northern Ireland’s hospital waiting lists for outpatients, inpatients, and diagnostics have recorded small but meaningful reductions, a rare positive shift amid years of mounting demand. Health Minister Mike Nesbitt welcomed the latest figures and credited healthcare staff for their “tremendous effort” in improving patient access to care. Minister praises incremental improvements Speaking alongside the publication of the qu

Colleagues from the Northern Trust’s Eating Disorder Service. For two decades, the Northern Health and Social Care Trust has quietly supported some of the most complex and misunderstood mental health conditions in our community. Now, as it marks 20 years of its Eating Disorder Service, the Trust is calling for greater understanding to reduce stigma and help more people reach recovery sooner. The milestone coincided with Eating Disorders Week, which ran February 23 to March 1

Drivers dropping passengers at Belfast International Airport will soon pay significantly more, with the airport confirming a sharp rise in its drop-off tariff from Monday 9 March. The charge in the airport’s drop-off zone will increase from £3 to £5 — a jump of more than 65 per cent — in a move the airport says reflects wider financial strain on businesses across Northern Ireland. A spokesperson for Belfast International Airport said: “From Monday 9th March the tariff in our

farmdrive co-founders - Gareth Gordon, CTO, and Gareth McDonald, CEO A fast-growing agri-tech company founded by two men from the Ballymena area has secured a major six-figure investment to accelerate its next phase of growth — with new jobs and export expansion firmly in its sights. Antrim-based farmdrive has received £690,000 in equity funding through Techstart Ventures, part of Invest NI’s Access to Finance programme. The investment will support the development of its live

Specialist Nurse Julie Donnelly and Dr Beckett from the Northern Trust’s Familial Hypercholesterolaemia (FH) Paediatric Clinic, which provides a specialist service for children newly diagnosed with FH. A new specialist clinic in Northern Ireland is changing the outlook for children born with a hidden but potentially life-threatening genetic condition — offering families earlier answers, expert support and a clearer path forward. The Northern Health and Social Care Trust has l

Pictured (L-R) is Lisa McCarthy (Kinecx Energy’s Transportation Services Business and Planning Manager, and chair of the Corporate Social Responsibility Committee), Jane Leatham (Kinecx Energy’s Regulatory Affairs Analyst), Sorcha Mathews (Corporate Fundraising Manager at Autism NI), Andy Booth (Business Analyst at Kinecx Energy) and Lorna Leese (Kinecx Energy’s HR Business Partner). At a time when autism diagnoses continue to rise across Northern Ireland, a new corporate par

The abandoned cat found in a pet carrier cable-tied to the gates of Mid-Antrim Animal Sanctuary A cat was discovered secured inside a carrier and cable-tied to the gates of Mid-Antrim Animal Sanctuary on Wednesday evening (25 February), prompting a renewed appeal from the charity about the risks of abandoning animals. The cat is now safe and receiving veterinary care, the sanctuary confirmed. However, the animal was not microchipped, making it impossible to trace an owner. Wh

A customer uses a Royal Mail locker (Photos: Royal Mail) Royal Mail has taken a significant step in reshaping how people send and collect parcels in Northern Ireland, launching its first-ever parcel lockers across four key locations — including Ballymena. The move marks a clear shift towards greater flexibility for customers, as online shopping and second-hand marketplaces continue to grow at pace. With 24/7 access in busy, high-footfall areas, the lockers are designed to mak

Belfast International Airport, County Antrim A major international accolade has placed Northern Ireland’s busiest airport firmly on the European stage — with Belfast International Airport crowned Best Airport at Departures (5 to 15 million passengers) in Europe. The award, presented as part of the 2025 Airport Service Quality (ASQ) Customer Experience Awards by Airports Council International (ACI), recognises excellence in the departing passenger experience — and is based ent

(L-R) Paula Marshall, Volunteer Service Manager, Northern Health and Social Care Trust; Ita McErlean, Secretary, Causeway Hospital Radio; Vinny Hurrell, BBC NI Radio Presenter; Rodney Magee, Chairman, Causeway Hospital Radio; Louise Gillespie, Volunteering Programme Delivery Officer, Northern Health and Social Care Trust. The power of a friendly voice can mean everything to someone in a hospital bed — and this week, volunteers behind Northern Trust’s hospital radio service we

Antrim Jobs and Benefits Office Employer Adviser, Natasha Lamont, The Junction Retail & Leisure Park Director, Chris Flynn, Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey, Councillor Leah Kirkpatrick and Business Development Project Officer, Jessica Smyth. For anyone in Antrim considering a fresh start — whether that means improving wellbeing, building confidence or stepping into new employment — a free support event later this month aims to make that next step easier. The Wellbeing and Em

Castlewood Holiday Park, in Antrim, unveils new luxury accommodation and enhanced visitor facilities Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council has welcomed the completion of the 5-star Blair’s Castlewood Holiday Park development at Shane’s Castle, marking a significant investment in local tourism on the shores of Lough Neagh. The expanded Castlewood Holiday Park introduces new luxury accommodation and enhanced visitor facilities, strengthening the borough’s position as a short-