NEWS

(L-R) Anne Bell, Chair of Agewell, Ivy Goddard of Mid & East Antrim Inter Ethnic Forum, Jenny Marshall of Agewell Northern Ireland’s approach to helping people talk more openly about death, dying and bereavement has received international recognition after Agewell’s work was featured in a major new global publication exploring compassionate communities. The organisation has contributed to Compassionate Communities in Action: Global Stories of Care, Loss and Connection, a newl

My Care app users, County Antrim couple Roy (80) and Gloria Lowry (79) An inspiring couple from Carrickfergus are encouraging others not to be put off by technology after discovering how a digital health app has helped them stay informed, reduce anxiety and take greater control of their healthcare. At 80 and 79 years old respectively, Roy and Gloria Lowry say the health service’s My Care app has transformed the way they access appointments and medical information, proving tha

(L-R) Ray Lee, Mark Millar, and Elijah Lee Older people across parts of Northern Ireland, including victims in the Antrim area, were robbed of almost £205,000 in cash and jewellery by criminals who posed as police officers in a cruel fraud operation targeting vulnerable members of the community. Six members of the gang were sentenced at Belfast Crown Court on Monday, June 29, after being convicted in connection with offences including conspiracy to commit fraud by false repre

Council's Age Friendly Coordinator Stephanie Scott (left) with Councillor Tanya Elder, Council's Age Friendly Champion. Older people across the Causeway Coast and Glens are being encouraged to speak out, seek support and help raise awareness of elder abuse as the borough marks the 20th anniversary of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. On Monday, June 15, Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council is joining a global campaign aimed at highlighting the abuse, neglect and exploitati

(L-R) Sarah McLaughlin, Executive Director for Health, and Catriona Delargy, IMPACTAgewell Team Leader, Agewell Partnership For many older people across Ballymena, Larne and Carrickfergus, support for better health and wellbeing is increasingly being found not just in a doctor’s surgery, but through local community groups, advice services and social activities designed to reduce isolation and improve quality of life. That approach was placed firmly in the spotlight this month

Ten brave volunteers stepped over the edge of one of Northern Ireland’s most recognisable buildings at the weekend, taking on a dramatic abseil down Belfast’s Europa Hotel to raise vital funds for older people across Ballymena, Carrickfergus and Larne. The fundraising challenge, held on Sunday, 7 June, saw participants descend the side of the iconic city-centre hotel in support of Agewell, helping to generate much-needed income for services that tackle loneliness, improve wel

A woman in her 70s has lost more than £250,000 after being drawn into what she believed was a legitimate cryptocurrency investment scheme, prompting a stark warning from police over the growing threat of online financial fraud. The victim, from Newry, was persuaded over time to hand over increasingly large sums of money to criminals after initially making what appeared to be a small investment. Police say the fraud escalated after the woman unknowingly downloaded malware onto

Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Councillor Jackson Minford, and Mayoress Allison Minford, pictured with Karen Bruce from Council’s Community Health and Wellbeing Team and DEA Manager, Janet Shearer, to launch the Dementia Safeguarding Scheme for Mid and East Antrim. Families caring for loved ones with dementia across Mid and East Antrim are being offered new peace of mind through a safeguarding scheme designed to help vulnerable residents return home safely if they become lost

A man in his 60s was confronted by a burglar armed with two knives during a terrifying break-in at a home in Ballymena early on Thursday morning. Police said the intruder, who had his face covered and was dressed in dark clothing, entered a property in the Francis Street area at around 7:50am before confronting the occupant inside the house. The incident has left fresh concern in the local community following another serious burglary involving elderly residents in Ballymena e

An elderly man and woman were left badly shaken after masked intruders tied them up during a terrifying overnight burglary at a home in County Londonderry. The ordeal unfolded in the early hours of Saturday morning, 23 May, at a property in the Formoyle Road area of Macosquin, where a man in his 70s and a woman in her 60s were confronted inside their own home by two masked men. Police said the couple were ordered to hand over money before the intruders stole mobile phones, a

The Gallaher Trust has committed £100,000 to Mid and East Antrim Agewell Partnership’s Delivering Options through Tailored Solutions (Dots) social enterprise. Pictured are, from left, Chrissy Havelin, Finance and Systems Team Lead, Rebecca Rea, Dots Service Coordinator, Jenny Marshall, Executive Director of Community Programmes and James Perry MBE, a Trustee at The Gallaher Trust. More than 550 older adults across the Ballymena area are set to receive expanded practical supp

A care home provider has revealed staff were dismissed and others referred to professional bodies following the death of an 85-year-old resident at a Lisburn nursing home that later led to a criminal prosecution and £10,000 court fine. Healthcare Ireland, which also runs Slemish Care Home and Braefield Care Home in Ballymena, issued the statement after Healthcare Ireland (no.2) Limited appeared before Lisburn Magistrates Court over failings linked to the death of William Moor

Pond Park Care Home A care home provider operating in Northern Ireland has been fined £10,000 following the death of an 85-year-old resident who suffered a significant head injury after not being checked in line with his care plan. Healthcare Ireland (no.2) Limited, part of the wider Healthcare Ireland Group, was sentenced at Lisburn Magistrates Court after pleading guilty to a health and safety offence linked to the incident at Pond Park Nursing Home in Lisburn. The prosecut

Pictured at the anniversary party for the Roddens A care home that has supported generations of families in Ballymoney has marked a major milestone, celebrating 55 years of service with a poignant reunion that brought its history full circle. The Roddens, which opened in 1971, commemorated its anniversary last month by welcoming back its very first care assistant, in a celebration that highlighted both its legacy and its continuing role in healthcare across Northern Ireland.

Stephanie Scott, Age Friendly Coordinator, and newly appointed Walking for All Officer, Colleen Martin, with participants from Cloughmills Community Action Team during a session promoting Age Friendly and Walking for All initiatives. A renewed push to help older people stay active, connected and heard is gathering pace in Cloughmills — with new efforts focused on turning the village into a truly age-friendly community. In a joint initiative led by Causeway Coast and Glens Bor

Chair of Mid Ulster District Council, Councillor Frances Burton (DUP) , has revealed she is having sleepless nights over the plight of three elderly residents she knows well who are in desperate need of home care. The Clogher Valley DEA representative made the comments at the Development Committee meeting of Mid Ulster District Council on December 3, where she argued that recent grant funding from the Department for Communities (DfC) should, at least in part, be used to train

Yvonne Carson, Northern Trust, Rural Health and Wellbeing Manager, Valerie Cubitt, Eurospar, Cullybackey, Leona Rock, Community Staff Nurse, Cullybackey Medical Practice, Marion Orr, District Nursing Coach, Joanne Brown Kerr, Development Officer, Bann Maine West with volunteers Helen and Samantha from Cullybackey Community Partnership. The Northern Health and Social Care Trust has joined forces with Bann Maine West Community Cluster to bring festive cheer to some of the most

Pictured are Anne O’Reilly, Chairperson Northern Trust, Jackie Burns, Ethel Glasgow, Iris Burns and Suzanne Pullins Chief Executive Northern Trust Cookstown woman and former nurse Ethel Glasgow, aged 93, has been announced as the winner of the Northern Health and Social Care Trust’s 2025 Christmas card competition, after her hand-drawn festive design captured the hearts of judges. Mrs Glasgow, who attends Cookstown Day Centre, created a charming winter scene featuring a robin

Asda Antrim Community Champion helped secure an Asda Foundation grant for Randalstown Ulster Scots Cultural Society Asda has relaunched its ‘Happy to Chat’ initiative across Northern Ireland in a bid to support older people facing loneliness and isolation during the festive season. The move comes as part of the retailer’s latest Christmas Community Tracker, which surveyed more than 2,000 people across the UK. The research revealed that for many over-60s, the “lack of human in

Free dementia support clinics are returning to branches of Nationwide Building Society in Ballymena, Derry, Newry and Bangor this December, with Dementia UK urging people to be aware of the early signs and symptoms of the condition. Hosted by the charity’s specialist Admiral Nurses, the face-to-face clinics will offer confidential, tailored advice to anyone concerned about dementia—whether for themselves or a loved one. Appointments can be booked online via the Dementia UK w