NEWS

Ballymena artist Heather Martin A Ballymena-based artist has secured new funding support to develop a stage play examining systemic misogyny within policing and medicine as part of a wider Northern Ireland arts initiative supporting D/deaf, disabled and neurodivergent creatives. Heather Martin is among 20 artists across Northern Ireland awarded £1,000 grants through the newly renamed Atypical Generation Fund, delivered by the University of Atypical with National Lottery fundi

AIB Branch Manager Peter Hughes pictured with RNLI staff and volunteer crew at the 2026 AIB Community Fund launch Communities across Ballymena and Northern Ireland are being urged to nominate local charities for support after AIB officially launched the fifth year of its Community €1 Million Fund — with additional funding added this year to mark the bank’s 60th anniversary. The initiative, which has already supported nearly 300 charities across the island of Ireland since 202

Ballymoney Street, Ballymena More than 90 town centre businesses across Mid and East Antrim are set to benefit from a £75,500 grant scheme aimed at improving the appearance of their premises. The ‘Town Centre Revamp Refresh’ grant offers up to 80 per cent of eligible costs, capped at £1,000 per business, councillors were told at a recent meeting of the borough council’s Environment and Economy Committee. A total of 106 applications were submitted, with 13 deemed ineligible du

Pictured is the Bluebell Arts Project, one of last year's grant recipients Arts organisations and creative groups across Northern Ireland have been given a fresh opportunity to secure significant funding, with grants of up to £75,000 now available to support projects aimed at growing and diversifying participation in the arts. The Arts Council of Northern Ireland has officially opened applications for its National Lottery Project Funding programme, offering awards ranging fro

The Gallaher Trust’s Board of Trustees are pictured with Ballymena 400 – Building on Partnership and Progress keynote speaker, Declan Lawn, co-writer of BBC drama, Blue Lights, alongside his BAFTA award. A major funding opportunity and a clear call for collaboration have been set out in Ballymena, as a high-profile event hosted by the Gallaher Trust brought together business leaders, community organisations and delivery partners to tackle some of the area’s most pressing eco

Communities Minister Gordon Lyons and Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Andrew Muir announce £8.32m to transform 243 community facilities across Northern Ireland. A major £8.32 million funding package has been confirmed to upgrade 243 community buildings across Northern Ireland, with projects set to begin rolling out from May 2026 following overwhelming demand from local groups. The investment, delivered through the Northern Ireland Community Infrastruct

Gallaher Trust’s Chairman, Ian Paisley, alongside Trustees, Lauren McAteer and James Perry MBE . A major funding push aimed at driving job creation and skills development across Ballymena has been launched, as The Gallaher Trust reopens applications for 2027 projects alongside a landmark event marking the town’s 400th anniversary. Business leaders, social enterprises and charities are being urged to step forward with new ideas as £400,000 in funding becomes available, with or

Pictured with one of the two refurbished snooker tables at Loughgiel Community Centre are, (left to right) Gareth Doran, Housing Executive Good Relations Officer, Causeway, Michelle Smyth, Operations Manager, Loughgiel Community Association, Paddy Coyles, Men’s Shed, Patrick McCullough, Men’s Shed, Deirdre Rafferty, Housing Executive Neighbourhood Officer, Lee-Anne Doherty, Loughgiel Community Association, and Gerard Dallas, Men’s Shed. A community hub in Loughgiel is seeing

More than 300,000 households across Northern Ireland are set to receive targeted support with soaring home heating costs after Communities Minister Gordon Lyons secured Executive backing for a £36.4 million package aimed at easing pressure on families reliant on oil. Under the scheme, eligible households will be able to apply for a £100 prepaid card that can be used directly with heating oil suppliers, offering immediate help at a time when oil prices have surged dramatical

Communities Minister Gordon Lyons and Health Minister Mike Nesbitt are pictured with Anne-Marie Kelly during a visit to the Kelly home which was modified for Anne-Marie’s son Conor through the Disabled Facilities Grant. A County Down family has spoken of the “life-changing” impact of major home adaptations funded through Northern Ireland’s Disabled Facilities Grant, as two Stormont ministers pledged further reforms to strengthen support for households living with disability.

Asda Antrim raises funds for Dementia NI Asda Antrim has strengthened its support for the local community with backing for two separate initiatives — helping bring generations together in Randalstown through a community sports event and raising more than £6,000 for Dementia NI. The supermarket’s latest community efforts have seen Randalstown Ulster-Scots Society awarded a £600 grant through the Asda Foundation, while colleagues at the Antrim store have also completed a major

Power NI representative Natalie McCrory pictured with Michelle McCormack (Drake Music CEO) and Drake Music volunteers, participants, and parents . Power NI has donated £1,000 to Drake Music NI in a move set to expand access to cutting-edge music technology for hundreds of people across Northern Ireland, helping those with physical and cognitive disabilities create and perform music in new ways. The funding, awarded through the energy provider’s Brighter Communities initiative

Pictured are, from left, Andrew Jenkins, Project Coordinator, Sorcha Mallen, deafblind specialist, Jillian Tullis, service user, Lauren McAteer, a Trustee of The Gallaher Trust, Cllr Jackson Minford, Mayor of Mid and East Antrim Borough Council and James McVicker, Sensory Support Officer. A vital new funding boost is set to open doors, build confidence and tackle isolation for dozens of people living with deafblindness in Ballymena. Deafblind UK has been awarded £3,700 from T

Local sports clubs across Mid and East Antrim are being urged to seize a fresh funding opportunity that could transform facilities, boost participation, and strengthen community wellbeing. Mid and East Antrim Borough Council has opened expressions of interest for its 2026/27 Amateur and Grassroots Sporting Organisations Improvement Fund — a capital scheme designed to help clubs upgrade, expand, and future-proof their facilities. The initiative targets clubs that either own or

Pictured at Simon Community’s Ballymena temporary accommodation service are (left to right): Marianne McCaul, Senior Manager, Simon Community Ballymena; Colin Johnston, CEO, Galgorm Collection; and Harriett Roberts, Director of Growth & Management, Simon Community Northern Ireland. A long-standing partnership rooted in compassion and community impact has reached a powerful milestone, as Galgorm Collection celebrates 15 years of supporting people experiencing homelessness acro

Money taken from criminals is being channelled back into communities across Northern Ireland, with a fresh £389,000 funding boost set to support dozens of crime prevention projects. Justice Minister Naomi Long has confirmed the additional investment through the Assets Recovery Community Scheme (ARCS), bringing renewed momentum to efforts aimed at tackling crime and reducing the fear of crime at a local level. Turning criminal profits into community protection The funding—mad

A major €40million funding programme aimed at transforming communities and strengthening relationships in Mid and East Antrim, across Northern Ireland and border regions is now fully open — offering local groups a rare chance to turn ideas into real-world impact. The PEACEPLUS Change Maker Funding Programme will provide grants of up to €100,000 for grassroots initiatives designed to bring people together across communities and borders, with a strong focus on building lasting

A vital community lifeline in Cushendun has been safeguarded for the year ahead after a major funding boost of nearly £20,000 was awarded to support its future. Cushendun Building Preservation Trust (CBPT) has secured £19,997 from The National Lottery Community Fund’s Awards for All programme, ensuring the Old Church Centre — now the village’s only year-round accessible community venue — can continue to thrive throughout 2026. With the recent closure of the Parochial Hall, t

Galgorm Collection has announced a new sponsorship partnership with the Antrim Camogie Minor squad. Sean Kelly, Antrim Camogie Public Relations Officer is pictured with Tiarnán O’Neill, Chief Financial Officer at Galgorm Collection and some members of the Antrim Camogie Minor squad. A new partnership between Galgorm Collection and the Antrim Camogie Minor squad is set to provide a significant boost for the county’s rising players as they prepare for the season ahead. The h

Angela, John and Jim, Communities Minister Gordon Lyons pictured with (L-R) Angela Mulholland, West Bann Development, Jim McIlroy, Harryville Men’s Shed and John Hunter, Community Sports Network, Shankill at a!ln event in Ballymena. Communities Minister Gordon Lyons has praised the “anything but small” impact of community investment across Northern Ireland during a visit to Ballymena, where local organisations shared how government funding is helping transform services, creat