NEWS

Sue Ellen McAuley (right) pictured with Grainne Whyte and Leon Whyte. More than 100 children with disabilities across Northern Ireland are currently waiting to be matched with a short breaks foster carer, as one County Antrim woman urges others to consider what she describes as “the most rewarding thing that you’ll ever do.” With growing pressure on families caring for children with complex needs, foster carers are being asked to provide vital short breaks that give parents a

Female scientists will step out of laboratories and into the heart of Ballymena later this month as a major public STEM event lands in the town for the first time. Soapbox Science, a free live science event designed to make research accessible, engaging and visible, is coming to the People’s Park on Friday 12 June from 11am to 2pm. The event — the first of its kind to be hosted in Mid and East Antrim — will see female researchers take to literal soapboxes to explain their wor

Teams from PHA and the Health Trusts have been engaging with the public at the 'This is our health' roadshows. People across Northern Ireland are being urged to speak up about the future of the health service this summer as a major public engagement campaign rolls out to more than 120 events and community venues. Health Minister Mike Nesbitt says the new “This is our health” initiative is about more than hospital waiting lists or GP appointments — it is an attempt to redefine

Inset: Local woman Jill Stewart of Jill Bakes Clouds of softly whipped cream, crisp shards of sweet meringue, silky custard and juicy berries soaked in fragrant elderflower syrup come together in this irresistibly light summer dessert that tastes like sunshine in a glass. With strawberries at their sweetest and bright raspberries adding a sharp burst of freshness, this berry and elderflower Eton mess feels perfectly made for warm evenings, garden gatherings and those relaxed

Countryfile’s Adam Henson, Local chef, broadcaster and Head Judge Paula McIntyre and Sheila Dillon from BBC Radio 4’s The Food Programme launch nominations for the awards at The Balmoral Show Northern Ireland’s food and farming industry is set for a major national spotlight after it was confirmed the BBC Food and Farming Awards will be hosted here for the first time ever later this year. The prestigious UK-wide awards ceremony will take place at Titanic Belfast in October 202

SDLP leader Claire Hanna MP SDLP leader Claire Hanna MP is set to visit Cushendall next week for a public discussion event focused on the future of Northern Ireland, rural communities and the party’s vision for a “New Ireland”. The event, titled “In Conversation with Claire Hanna”, will take place at Tír na nÓg in Cushendall on Thursday 4 June at 7pm and is expected to centre on growing public frustration around political deadlock, pressures on public services and the challen

Miss NI Carly Wilson (bottom right) recently joined NI Hospice staff to launch Purple Dash Northern Ireland Hospice is calling on families across Northern Ireland to “dash for a cause” this June as the charity launches a major public campaign to celebrate 25 years of Children’s Hospice care — while also confronting the harsh financial reality facing one of the region’s most vital services. The charity is turning the entire month purple as part of a large-scale awareness and f

L to R: Ralph McLean (BBC Radio Ulster), Daniel Coulter, Luke Bell and Páidí Muldoon (last year’s winners, 4AM Club), Chris Nelmes (The Boulevard Banbridge), and Alderman Stephen Moutray, Lord Mayor of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council. Musicians, singers and street performers from across County Antrim are being invited to battle it out on the streets of Banbridge this summer as Buskfest 2026 returns with its biggest-ever prize fund and a brand-new youth ca

Golden on the outside with melted Mars bar running through the centre, these fluffy apple scones are the kind of sweet bake made for sunny weekends, iced coffees and slow spring afternoons. The sharpness of fresh green apple cuts beautifully through the gooey chocolate and caramel, creating a bakery-style treat that feels nostalgic without being too heavy for the season. Finished with a drizzle of melted milk chocolate and topped with chunks of Mars bar, they look every bit a

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

3D Aerial views of proposed new campus for Cullybackey College, outside Ballymena Cullybackey could be set for one of its biggest education and infrastructure transformations in decades under ambitious plans for a brand-new 700-pupil college campus, major new sports facilities and sweeping road upgrades aimed at tackling long-standing traffic problems around the village. The multi-million-pound proposals for Cullybackey College have now officially entered public consultation,

The CAFRE Innovation Visit to the Netherlands will focus on genotyping, breeding evaluations and breeding technologies in dairy cows. Northern Ireland dairy farmers are being offered a rare opportunity to see some of the world’s most advanced breeding and genotyping technology in action as CAFRE launches applications for a specialist innovation visit to the Netherlands. The three-day study tour, taking place from Monday 31 August to Wednesday 2 September 2026, will place loca

A growing basketball club in Ballymena is making a fresh push to bring more girls into the sport as it looks to build future league teams and expand opportunities for young players across the area. Ballymena Basketball Juniors, which currently competes in the BNI Junior League, says it already has a strong group of girls attending weekly training sessions — but hopes more young players will now come forward as the club works towards arranging friendly matches and eventually e

Local woman Jill Stewart (Jill Bakes) Sharp citrus, silky lemon filling, crisp buttery pastry and clouds of toasted Italian meringue — these beautiful mini lemon tarts from Portglenone baker Jill Stewart look like something straight from a boutique bakery window, yet they’re surprisingly achievable at home. Perfect for summer weekends, garden parties or simply an excuse to bake something gorgeous, this latest recipe from Jill Bakes strikes that sweet spot between impressive a

A still Image from the NSPCC’s new campaign ‘Shift Ctrl’ Children across Northern Ireland and the UK are increasingly turning to Childline in fear that intimate images shared online could destroy their futures, as new figures reveal a dramatic rise in counselling sessions linked to online sexual abuse and exploitation. The NSPCC says children are being exposed to growing levels of harm on social media and digital platforms, with young people reporting blackmail, coercion, onl

The Ballymena Branch of Parkinson's UK enjoyed a Movement to Music session as part of World Parkinson's Day. People across Ballymena living with Parkinson’s — along with their families and carers — are being encouraged to reach out for support through a long-running local group that has spent nearly two decades helping residents navigate one of the world’s fastest-growing neurological conditions. Parkinson’s UK’s Ballymena and District Branch says nobody affected by the condi

Past participants who completed the Medical Administration Training Academy in preparation for employment in GP practices across Mid and East Antrim A free training programme aimed at helping local people secure jobs within GP practices across Mid and East Antrim is returning for a second consecutive year — but organisers say there is now just one week left to apply, with only a limited number of places remaining. The Medical Administration Training Academy, delivered by the

Residents across the Borough are being encouraged to roll up their sleeves, plant for pollinators and help make local communities greener as the Mid and East Antrim In Bloom 2026 Community Competitions officially open for entries. With 12 free-to-enter categories and prizes available for both winners and runners-up, the annual initiative is once again inviting households, community groups and gardening enthusiasts to showcase the very best of local horticulture while supporti

British Heart Foundation Ballymena shop manager Maureen Beattie is urging Ballymena residents to donate quality, preloved summer stock to the British Heart Foundation (BHF) shop on Ballymoney Street to help fund lifesaving research. People across Ballymena are being urged to clear out wardrobes, shelves and spare rooms this spring as the British Heart Foundation launches a fresh appeal for quality donations to help fund lifesaving research. The charity’s Ballymoney Street sho

Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Councillor Jackson Minford blows the starting whistle as young runners set off for the junior parkrun in The People's Park, Ballymena. More than 100 children are now turning out every week for Ballymena’s junior parkrun, with the Sunday morning event rapidly becoming one of the town’s most popular new family activities. Held in The People’s Park every Sunday at 9.30am, the free 2K run for children aged four to 14 has created a fresh buzz around t