NEWS

The Junction continues to buck national retail trends as sales figures soar.  Christmas has come early for The Junction Retail and Leisure Park after the Antrim-based outlet confirmed the renewal of two major tenant leases while posting strong sales growth that defies wider national retail trends. The Junction has officially re-signed leasing agreements with leading retailers Next and Denby, reinforcing confidence in the scheme as it finishes 2025 with year-to-date turnover u

Sara Smyth, a clinical sister in Antrim Area Hospital Emergency Department Healthcare staff across the Northern Health and Social Care Trust (Northern Trust) are urging the public to treat frontline workers with respect and understanding, as new figures reveal a sharp rise in violence and aggression towards staff. With Emergency Departments becoming increasingly busy and wider health services under sustained pressure, the Trust says incidents of abuse are placing further stra

Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council has entered into a debate over which household recycling system works best, after the issue was raised at a meeting of a neighbouring council. Speaking in the council chamber at Mossley Mill on Monday evening, Antrim DUP councillor Paul Dunlop highlighted the differing approaches taken by local authorities. Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council has recently completed the roll-out of a triple-stacked wheelie box system to 25,000 house

Antrim Trolley Dash winner Daniel Lemon took home over £167 worth of Lidl’s award-winning Deluxe festive food and treats to enjoy over the Christmas season Lidl shoppers across County Antrim have raised more than £25,000 for Age NI, as part of Lidl Northern Ireland’s annual festive Trolley Dash fundraiser, helping to support older people across Northern Ireland during the winter months. The County Antrim total contributed to an overall regional figure of £73,433, raised throu

Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough councillors are demanding a meeting with contractor Bryson Recycling following complaints from residents about missed bin collections. Members were given an update on the roll-out of the council’s triple-stack wheelie box bins in the Antrim area at a meeting of the local authority at Mossley Mill on Monday evening. A council director said the roll-out had been completed “within schedule and on budget” to more than 25,000 households, with “mini

CEO of Women’s Aid ABCLN, Gillian Creevey welcomes the Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey, Councillor Leah Kirkpatrick and Director of Community Development, Ursula Fay to the Women’s Refuge to receive the pyjama appeal donations More than 400 pairs of pyjamas have been donated to this year’s Women’s Aid Christmas Pyjama Appeal, bringing warmth, comfort and a sense of normality to children and families affected by domestic abuse across the Antrim and Newtownabbey borough. The a

Minister Muir met Joshua Busteed from Coleraine and Mya Nixon from Ballyclare , Level 2 Horticulture students during a visit to Greenkeeping and Golf Academy at Greenmount Campus. The students are completing a one-year cadetship programme generously supported by Golf Ireland. DAERA Minister Andrew Muir has underlined the growing importance of sustainability and skills development within Northern Ireland’s sports turf sector during a visit to the 2025 Turf Matters event at CA

Castle Tower School in Ballymena has been confirmed among successful applicants for the Department of Education’s RAISE Programme. Ballymena projects have been placed firmly in the spotlight after Education Minister Paul Givan announced more than £3.7 million in funding to support Locality Led Projects under the RAISE Programme across Northern Ireland. A total of 61 projects have been selected to move forward to the next stage of the programme, which aims to raise educational

A security alert in the Ballyclare area has ended following a major public safety operation involving police and Ammunition Technical Officers. Police confirmed they received a report of a suspicious object located outside a property in the Ballylagan Road area shortly after 9am on Sunday, 14 December. Officers attended the scene and established a number of temporary cordons while the object was examined. Detective Inspector Hanbidge said: “Our officers attended the scene tog

Pictured at the Northern Trust Recovery College 10-year-anniversary event are Jacqui Armstrong, Transformation Lead for Intermediate Care and Integrated Discharge, Petra Corr, Director of Mental Health, Learning Disability and Psychological Services, Janice Gray, Service Manager, Joy Hammond, Head of Service, Mental Health & Recovery Services and Jen Hood, Interim Assistant Director. The Northern Trust Recovery College is marking a decade of supporting mental health and wellb

Toomebridge-based manufacturer Uform has pledged its support to Cancer Fund for Children through a new strategic charity partnership aimed at helping families affected by childhood cancer this Christmas and beyond. Cancer Fund for Children provides vital emotional, social and therapeutic support to children and young people diagnosed with cancer, as well as to their families. For many, the impact of a diagnosis extends far beyond medical treatment, affecting mental health, ed

Planning permission has been granted for the partial demolition of Castle Mall in Antrim and the development of new social housing on the site. The proposal, which will see the construction of 39 dwellings in the town centre, was approved at a meeting of Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council’s Planning Committee at Mossley Mill on Monday evening, December 8. The new development, to be delivered for Choice Housing, will comprise one detached house, 14 terrace homes and 24 ap

Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald and Invest Northern Ireland CEO Kieran Donoghue have welcomed confirmation that Boeing and Airbus have completed their long-awaited acquisition of Spirit AeroSystems — a move set to reshape Northern Ireland’s aerospace landscape and strengthen its global position. The deal, finalised on Monday 8 December 2025, brings two of the world’s largest aircraft manufacturers directly into Northern Ireland’s engineering ecosystem, including the Bel

Northern Trust’s Farm Families Health Check team The pioneering work of Northern Trust’s Farm Families Health Check team has been recognised at the 2025 NI Farming Awards, with the programme receiving the prestigious Farm Safety Affiliate Award. The accolade highlights the team’s commitment to bringing accessible healthcare directly into the heart of rural communities, and its efforts to raise awareness of how personal health is closely linked to farm safety. For years, the F

Women’s Aid ABCLN Retail Manager Michelle McIlwrath, Noreen McClelland, Women’s Aid CEO Gillian Creevy with staff and volunteers. Women’s Aid ABCLN has officially opened a vibrant new pop-up shop in the heart of Antrim, offering shoppers a chance to find high-quality preloved treasures while supporting vital local services for women and children experiencing domestic abuse. The new store, based in Grace House on Fountain Street, features an impressive selection of new and nea

The spa at Antrim Forum An additional charge to use the spa at Antrim Forum leisure centre has been approved by councillors. Members of Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council’s Operations Committee agreed at a meeting in Antrim Civic Centre on Monday evening to introduce a £10 “bolt-on” charge per person for use of the facility. A report to the committee stated: “The introduction of a £10 per person spa bolt-on at Antrim Forum reflects the facility’s status as a premium, lu

Antrim Castle Gardens successfully launched its inaugural "Evening of Inclusive Enchantment" this week, offering a serene and supportive environment for adults and children with additional needs to experience the popular festive event, the Enchanted Winter Garden. The historic gardens, located in Antrim, Northern Ireland, sparkled on Thursday, 4th December, as they welcomed families for a special night designed to ensure the magic of Christmas was accessible to all. The initi

Michael Meharg, Nicola Bothwell and Eimear Kearney accept the Chartered Institute of Public Relations Northern Ireland Awards Gold award on behalf of Lough Neagh Partnership for Best Public Affairs Campaign from Samantha Livingstone and Brittany Breslin of CIPR NI Committee. Lough Neagh Partnership has been awarded the prestigious Gold award for Best Public Affairs Campaign at the inaugural Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) Northern Ireland Awards. The event, wid

Pictured (L-R) Wholetime Firefighters from Antrim area, Emma Hutchinson from Carrickfergus, Daniel Richey from Ballyclare and Emer McLernon from Ballymena. Ballymena’s own Emer McLernon is among 18 new Wholetime Firefighters who graduated today from the Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service (NIFRS) Learning & Development College (LDC), marking the completion of an intensive 18-week training programme and the beginning of their operational careers serving communities across N

A 25-year-old man living in County Antrim has been extradited from Northern Ireland to Lithuania, where he is wanted to stand trial for a series of alleged human trafficking offences involving children. Officers from the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s International Policing Unit confirmed the extradition took place on Thursday, 2nd December, concluding a process that began with the man’s arrest in Templepatrick on 2nd June 2024. The offences are alleged to have taken pl