NEWS

Andrew, Ballymena Rural Warden; a resident of Cullybackey Fold and Paul, PSNI Crime Prevention Officer educate senior citizens on scams. Senior citizens across Mid and East Antrim are being given practical advice to help them recognise scams and protect themselves from fraud. Community Safety Wardens are distributing copies of The Little Book of Big Scams, which explains some of the most common types of fraud, the warning signs people should watch for and steps they can take

David pictured with his Dad, who he is his named after. David Clarke was just 21 when he began to understand that the father who had spent his life looking after him was slowly going to need his son to do the same for him. Almost 14 years later, dementia has taken conversations, memories and many of the ordinary moments they once shared — but it has never taken the bond between them. “Memories may fade but love remains,” David says. Now, after years in which the experience fe

(L-R): Joan McGuigan, Agewell Trustee; Jenny Marshall, Agewell Executive Director for Community Programmes; Jeanette van de Merwe, Agewell Empower Officer; and Siobhan Casey, Commissioner for Older People Northern Ireland. Older people and the community organisations supporting them across Mid and East Antrim have had an opportunity to bring their experiences and priorities directly to Northern Ireland’s Commissioner for Older People. Siobhan Casey joined representatives from

Jon Burrows MLA pictured with Good Morning Ballymena volunteers at their office on Queen Street A Ballymena service is making more than 700 telephone calls every week, providing companionship, reassurance and a vital point of contact for people who may be living alone, experiencing poor health or feeling isolated. Around 40 volunteers are behind the calls from Good Morning Ballymena, offering members a friendly voice and listening ear while also helping connect people with ac

A pensioner was reportedly left requiring hospital treatment after an assault in Ballymena on Saturday night, with police appealing for witnesses and footage from the area. The PSNI said the assault was reported in the vicinity of Barra Drive at approximately 10.25pm on Saturday 15 August. Police have not released details about the age of the man or the extent of his injuries. However, Ballykeel 1 Moving Forward Community Group said a pensioner had been attacked close to the

North Antrim MLA Jon Burrows pictured with Mid and East Antrim Agewell Partnership staff: Sarah McLaughlin Executive Director for Health (left) and Catriona Delargy, IMPACTAgewell Team Leader. The importance of tackling loneliness and helping older people remain active and connected has been highlighted following a visit to Mid & East Antrim Agewell Partnership by Ulster Unionist MLA Jon Burrows. The local charity works with older people across Ballymena, Larne and Carrickfer

Residents from Abbeyfield & Wesley’s Ballymena house kicks off festivities as the housing association, built on companionship and community, marks 70 years of ‘family-style’ living with celebrations across Northern Ireland. A pioneering approach to housing which has helped generations of older people remain independent while enjoying companionship and a sense of family is marking its 70th anniversary — with the celebrations beginning in Ballymena. More than 50 residents, rela

A former healthcare assistant who secretly photographed and filmed vulnerable dementia patients before sharing the images with degrading commentary on social media has been sentenced in what police have described as the first prosecution of its kind in Northern Ireland. Twenty-eight-year-old Ciara Corvan, from Armagh, appeared before Craigavon Crown Court today, where she was sentenced to a two-year probation order and ordered to complete 100 hours of community service after

RNIB’s Kirsty Campbell stands with Jeannie in her front garden as she presents a cheque for £100. People visiting a front garden in Ballygally this week were doing more than browsing handmade crafts — they were supporting a Larne woman who turned her own experience of sight loss into an act of kindness for others. Now in her 80s, Jeannie Hunter raised £100 for RNIB Northern Ireland by hosting an arts and crafts exhibition at her home in the picturesque coastal village, inviti

(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