NEWS

(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

Cast Jo Donnelly, Catriona McFeely, Clare McMahon, Susan Hoffmann A Ballymena actor is set to take centre stage in a major new theatrical reimagining of George Orwell’s Animal Farm, as Tinderbox Theatre Company prepares to unveil its latest production at the MAC in Belfast. Jo Donnelly, who hails from Ballymena and has built an extensive career across stage, screen and radio , stars in the bold new adaptation, which will receive its world premiere from 18 to 28 February 2026.

Emma Agnew and Ben Glass from Portglenone, Co Antrim, winners of Roe Valley Resort’s £10,000 ‘Win a Wedding’ competition, pictured celebrating on a rooftop in Nashville, where Ben proposed during a bucket-list trip to the US. The County Antrim couple will host their dream wedding at Roe Valley Resort in 2027. A County Antrim couple have been announced as the winners of Roe Valley Resort’s highly anticipated Win a Wedding competition, securing a luxury wedding package worth up

CGI of the new Ballymena Health and Leisure Centre recently approved by Planners at Mid and East Antrim Borough Council Plans for a new leisure centre in Ballymena have taken a significant turn, with construction costs now estimated at £54 million—more than double the original projection—prompting Mid and East Antrim Borough Council to openly seek private sector involvement to deliver the long-awaited project. While full planning permission for the proposed centre at St Patri

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

Police are appealing for information following a one-vehicle road traffic collision on the A26 Crankill Road in Ballymena in the early hours of Tuesday morning. Officers received a report of the incident shortly before 4.30am on Tuesday, January 20. Police attended the scene alongside colleagues from other emergency services. Two people were taken to hospital for treatment. There is no immediate update on the extent of their injuries. The A26 Crankill Road was closed for a pe

Proposed south elevation of new sports pavilion A planning application has been submitted for the development of a new two-storey indoor sports pavilion within the grounds school in Ballymena, marking a significant investment in modern sporting facilities for pupils and the wider community. The proposal, lodged for Ballymena Academy on Galgorm Road, seeks full planning permission for a purpose-built sports facility designed to replace existing temporary modular buildings curr

Plans reveal the new design proposal for Broughshane Community Centre; (inset) the current facility in the village. Fresh planning proposals have been submitted for the construction of a new community centre at Knockan Road in Broughshane, setting out detailed designs for a modern, energy-efficient facility intended to serve the village for generations to come. The plans include a new community hall, playgroup facility, sports changing areas, associated car parking and extens

Mrs O'Neill (Principal) and Declan Wright (Board of Governors) cut the ribbon to officially open the new Science Rooms along with Darragh Brennan (Head Boy) and Dearbhla O'Neill (Head Girl) St Louis Grammar School has officially opened two new purpose-built Science rooms, marking a significant investment in STEM education and the future opportunities of its pupils. The state-of-the-art facilities provide modern laboratories and flexible teaching spaces designed to support hig

(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

Pupils from Castle Tower School, Ballymena on an adventure of a lifetime to the ski slopes of Falgoria, Italy. Pupils from Castle Tower School have returned home with new skills, renewed confidence and memories that will last a lifetime following a memorable ski excursion to Italy. Last week, Castle Tower School joined a Core Kids group made up of Rosstulla, Ballycarricmaddy, Thornfield and Carnalridge for a ski trip to Falgoria, Italy. The experience marked a series of impor

Waterstone’s Ballymena has unveiled its latest Top 10 bestselling books, with psychological thrillers, literary fiction and practical health titles dominating readers’ choices this week. The list reflects strong demand for gripping page-turners alongside acclaimed novels and lifestyle releases, as book lovers settle into their January reading routines. This week’s Top 10 bestselling books… 1. Nesting — Roisín O’Donnell A powerful and intimate novel exploring motherhood, displ

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

One of the fake £20 Bank of England notes that was passed to a local retailer Businesses across Ballymena are being urged to remain vigilant following reports of a significant rise in counterfeit bank notes circulating in the town over the past fortnight. Several local traders have contacted Love Ballymena to warn fellow business owners after discovering fake notes being passed during everyday transactions, particularly in busy retail settings. According to reports received,

Drugs, cash and other items seized by police following a vehicle stop in Ballymena Two men have been released on police bail following the seizure of suspected cannabis and a large quantity of cash during a late-night vehicle stop in Ballymena. Road Policing officers based at Steeple were carrying out routine patrols in the town on Wednesday night, January 14, when a vehicle caught their attention. Police carried out a search of the vehicle, during which a substantial quantit

Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Councillor Jackson Minford pictured with Joan Burney Keatings MBE with cast and crew from Cinemagic Placement Insights Programme. Young filmmakers from across Mid and East Antrim have taken centre stage after seeing their work showcased on the big screen at a special short film screening held at the Ecos Hub. A group of 23 talented young people, aged between 17 and 24, attended the screening of The Friendship Garden, an original short film develo

A tray of mail discovered by a dog walker on Saturday morning along a local river walk in Ballymena. Royal Mail has launched an investigation after a tray of undelivered letters was discovered along a popular riverside walk in Ballymena. A local resident made the unsettling find on Saturday morning, 17 January, while walking his dog along the Braid River Walk in the Tullygarley area of the town. The man noticed one of Royal Mail’s distinctive grey plastic ‘perstop’ trays conc

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

Bryson Recycling has apologised to householders following widespread disruption to recycling collections, as councils across Mid and East Antrim and Antrim and Newtownabbey move to address growing public frustration. The waste contractor issued a statement online on Friday, 16 January , acknowledging recent service delays and outlining steps being taken to restore normal collections. “Disruptions to our collection services recently are a result of staff shortages, weather co

Detectives are appealing for witnesses following a serious assault on a man in the Sentry Hill Park area of Ballymena in the early hours of Christmas Eve. Police say the incident occurred during the early hours of Wednesday 24 December, when a man was walking in the Sentry Hill Park area and was approached by a number of people before being seriously assaulted. The victim sustained injuries significant enough to require hospital treatment. The incident has prompted an appeal