NEWS

A celebration of female entrepreneurship and local creativity will take centre stage this weekend as Enterprising Women MEA hosts its highly anticipated Winter Showcase at Fairhill Shopping Centre, Ballymena , on Saturday 8 November from 9am to 4pm . Following the success of last year’s event, this year’s showcase promises to be “bigger and better than ever” , with 17 talented local traders bringing an array of handcrafted gifts, festive treats and creative products — just i

Ulster Unionist MLA Jon Burrows has warned that families already struggling with the cost of living will be “hit hard” by the Education Authority’s decision to raise the price of school meals by around 20 per cent. The increase – equivalent to an extra 50p per meal – is due to take effect from January 2026, as part of a series of savings measures introduced by the Education Authority (EA) to tackle a £300 million funding shortfall. Mr Burrows, the Ulster Unionist Party’s Ed

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

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

Braid UUP Councillor Alan Barr with new UUP Braid representative Samantha Patton, and (centre) North Antrim MLA Jon Burrows. The Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) has welcomed Samantha Patton as its new North Antrim representative for the Braid area, where she will work alongside Councillor Alan Barr to strengthen community engagement and champion local issues. A respected businesswoman, early years educator, and former RAF servicewoman, Samantha brings a wealth of experience and d

Cadets from Cullybackey Detachment C Company have been praised for their “fantastic job” preparing Craigs Parish Church ahead of this Sunday’s Remembrance Service. A spokesperson for the Parishes of Craigs, Dunaghy and Killagan said the young cadets spent Tuesday evening decorating the church in readiness for the annual commemoration. “Last night, the cadets from Cullybackey Detachment C Company did a fantastic job decorating Craigs Parish Church in preparation for Sunday m

Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) North Antrim MLA Jon Burrows, with his much-loved companions Cassie and Maggie. Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) MLA Jon Burrows has voiced strong support for reforming Northern Ireland’s fireworks legislation, describing the current situation as “deeply distressing” for families, pet owners, and communities affected by irresponsible use. The North Antrim MLA, who is a well-known dog lover, said his own pet suffers panic attacks during fireworks seaso

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

The two thieves making off with the bike, and (inset) Sinn Féin Councillor Bréanainn Lyness A second bicycle has been stolen in as many weeks from All Saints Chapel in Ballymena, prompting renewed calls for vigilance from local Sinn Féin Councillor Bréanainn Lyness . The latest theft reportedly occurred while parishioners were attending Mass at the All Saints Parish Centre, highlighting growing concern over opportunistic crimes targeting community spaces. Confirming the incid

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

An act of Remembrance at the Ballymena Memorial Park in 2024 A series of Remembrance services and parades will be held across Mid and East Antrim this weekend to honour those who gave their lives in conflict. Residents across the Borough will come together on Remembrance Sunday (9 November 2025) to commemorate the sacrifices made by service personnel during World War One, World War Two, and other conflicts. Ceremonies will take place at War Memorials in Ballymena, Carrickfer

Police in Mid and East Antrim have seized an estimated £65,000 worth of drugs, cash and prohibited weapons following two separate operations in the Ahoghill and Randalstown areas. The District Support Team carried out the first arrest and search operation on Wednesday, 29 October, in Ahoghill. During the search, officers recovered suspected Class A and Class B drugs, along with several prohibited weapons. Police estimate the total value of the drugs to be in excess of £30,000

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

From political insight and celebrity memoirs to festive favourites and local fiction, Waterstone’s Ballymena has revealed its latest Top 10 bestselling titles — alongside this week’s half-price highlights, storytime fun for families, and a new novel from a much-loved Ballymena author. This Week’s Top 10 Bestsellers At the top of the list this week is Ballymena man, Stephen Walker’s David Trimble: Peacemaker — a powerful biography exploring the life and legacy of one of North

Ballymena is set to sparkle once again this November as its much-loved Discount Day returns on Thursday 6 November — bringing unbeatable bargains, community spirit and festive cheer to the town centre. Organised by Ballymena Business Improvement District (BID) , Ballymena Discount Day has become one of the town’s biggest and most anticipated shopping events of the year — and 2025 promises to be no different. From 9am to 9pm, Ballymena’s two shopping centres and bustling high

A packed and varied programme of events has been unveiled by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council to celebrate Ulster-Scots Leid (Language) Week 2025, taking place from 24 to 28 November. The week-long celebration — supported by the Ulster-Scots Agency — will see communities across Ballycarry, Ballymena, Carrickfergus, Cullybackey, Larne and Whitehead come together to honour the borough’s linguistic and cultural heritage through music, poetry, film, storytelling and discussion

Deputy First Minister Little-Pengelly with Wrightbus CEO Jean-Marc Gales Zero-emission bus manufacturer Wrightbus has showcased its dramatic revival and global success story to Northern Ireland’s deputy First Minister, Emma Little-Pengelly, during a visit to the company’s Ballymena headquarters. The visit on Wednesday offered an insight into how the company has transformed from administration just six years ago into a global powerhouse of green transport innovation. Since 201

Ballymena woman Caitriona Lennox FIH, Head of Springboard Northern Ireland with her award Ballymena woman Caitriona Lennox FIH, Head of Springboard Northern Ireland, has been named winner of the Institute of Hospitality’s prestigious Fellows’ Outstanding Contribution Award 2025 — the first time this esteemed recognition has been bestowed on anyone from Ballymena. The award, presented at the annual Institute of Hospitality (IoH) Fellows’ Dinner held on 27 October at The Waldo

Emergency Services at the scene of the incident at Glarryford, outside Ballymena A COURT heard it was a "miracle" nobody was killed after a van driver's careless driving ended up with a lorry crashing down an embankment onto the A26 dual-carriageway at Glarryford near Ballymena. The van driver - Patrick Fitzpatrick (56), from the Dunloy area -  pleaded guilty to driving without due care and attention at Station Road, Glarryford, around 5.45pm on March 20 this year. Footage o

Mayor of Mid & East Antrim Mayor, Jackson Minford, joins Sonic the Hedgehog, Kevin the Minion, at a community celebration event at St Patrick's Housing development, along with Loma Wilson, Radius Housing, and Grainne Mullin, NIHE.  Residents of the new St Patrick’s shared housing development in Ballymena came together this week for a special Tenants Welcome Event to celebrate the completion of the new homes and the beginning of a vibrant new community. Held on Wednesday 29th