NEWS

A North Antrim MLA has highlighted the vital role of an early years service in Ballymena after seeing first-hand how it is supporting young children and families across the area. Visit shines light on frontline support for families Jon Burrows visited Ballymena and Little Steps Antrim SureStart on the Doury Road, where he met staff, parents and children and observed a range of programmes currently being delivered on the ground. The service, operated by Action for Children, wo

Members of the Northern Trust’s Palliative Care and Learning Disability Working Group pictured at an event to mark the launch of the bereavement information for adults with a learning disability. Talking about death remains one of life’s most avoided conversations—but a major regional campaign this week is aiming to change that, with new support, resources, and community events rolled out across the Northern Trust area to help people face it with greater confidence and compas

Young Ballymena woman Ellen Macdonald running the London Marathon A young woman from Ballymena has turned personal heartbreak into powerful purpose, completing the London Marathon in memory of her father while raising thousands of pounds for charity. Ellen Macdonald, a former pupil of Ballymena Academy, crossed the finish line on 26 April in honour of her dad, Ewan Macdonald, and her ongoing efforts have now helped raise nearly £8,000 for Pancreatic Cancer UK. Running through

Rail Cool Rules! Translink has joined forces with Rail Safe Friendly, an accredited UK-wide programme, to spread the vital message of rail safety in Northern Ireland. Pictured at the partnership launch are (L-R) Abigail, Luke and Izabel from Oakwood Integrated Primary School with Chris Conway, Translink Group Chief Executive and Kathryn Ogdin, Director of Operations, Rail Safe Friendly. A new rail safety campaign aimed at Primary 7 pupils has been launched across Northern Ire

The radon map of Northern Ireland People living in parts of Northern Ireland with the highest radon levels are more than twice as likely to develop lung cancer, according to a major new study that for the first time connects national radon mapping with cancer registry data at a regional scale. The research, led by Queen’s University Belfast in collaboration with Trinity College Dublin, analysed radon exposure patterns alongside data from the Northern Ireland Cancer Registry (

Community mental health teams across the Causeway Coast and Glens are being positioned at the centre of a major shift in how care is delivered, with health officials signalling they are ready to align with a new model designed to bring services closer to people’s homes. Members of the Causeway Hospital Partnership Board heard this week that existing community-based services are already well placed to support the Department of Health’s Neighbourhood Model of Health and Wellbei

Farming families across Northern Ireland are being urged to take immediate, practical steps to protect children on farms this summer, as safety experts warn that preventable accidents continue to cause serious injuries and fatalities every year. The call comes from Bryan Monson, Deputy Chief Executive of the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI), who has drawn on his own upbringing on a family farm to highlight the hidden dangers children face in what can a

Pictured at the first SNUS Awareness training event at Ballymena Showgrounds are Chair of Mid and East Antrim Policing and Community Safety Partnership (MEA PCSP), Councillor Lauren Gray, alongside Elena Brewer, MPH Training Services Officer at ASCERT, and Chantal Ford, Irish Football Association Safeguarding and Welfare Manager. The growing use of snus and nicotine pouches among footballers and young people in Mid and East Antrim has prompted a targeted community safety resp

Professor Stephen Wallace harvesting engineered bacteria for analysis. (Photo: Edinburgh Innovations) A team of UK scientists has developed a pioneering method to turn discarded plastic bottles into a key drug used to treat Parkinson’s disease, in a breakthrough that could transform both pharmaceutical manufacturing and global recycling efforts. Researchers at the University of Edinburgh have successfully engineered bacteria to convert post-consumer plastic into L-DOPA, a fro

A major cross-border initiative is encouraging people across Mid and East Antrim to get moving this May, with a growing programme of free, weekly community walks designed to boost physical health, mental wellbeing and social connection. The Walking for All programme, led by Outscape and supported by PEACEPLUS, is inviting residents to mark National Walking Month by joining organised walks taking place across the borough, with no cost, no equipment required, and routes tailore

(L-R): Dr Conor Gorman, Dr Eimear McLaverty, Health Minister Mike Nesbitt and Dr Joe Devlin at Glengormley Practice. Health Minister Mike Nesbitt has praised the growing role of primary care elective services in tackling hospital waiting lists, describing the impact on patients as “life changing” following a visit to a leading GP practice. During a visit to Glengormley Practice, the Minister saw first-hand how GPs are helping to reduce pressure on secondary care by treating p

Young people across the UK are facing mounting pressure ahead of GCSE and A-Level exams, with new figures revealing the scale of stress being carried into exam season. Childline delivered 1,679 counselling sessions linked to exam and revision stress between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026, highlighting a sustained demand for support as students struggle to cope with expectations, workload and anxiety. The figures show a sharp peak in May, coinciding with the start of exams, wh

Action for Children staff Rosie Moore, Lorna Ballard and Franci Simpson with Jon Burrows MLA A North Antrim MLA has praised the “real difference” being made by a local early years service after seeing its impact first-hand during a visit to Ballymena. Jon Burrows visited Ballymena and Little Steps Antrim Sure Start on Doury Road on Friday, 1 May, where he met staff, parents and young children benefiting from the programme. The service, which operates across three sites in the

Hannah Graham, Zarah Hutchinson, Lee Kane, Clare Doherty and Katherine Murphy led the BEAM Dawn Walk 2025, which saw over 250 participants walk through Ballymoney as the sun was rising, promoting positive mental health messages. A Ballymoney group focused on promoting positive mental health is continuing its 2026 programme with the return of its Dawn Walk and a series of community engagement efforts designed to strengthen connection, wellbeing and civic pride. BEAM – Building

Inset: North Antrim MLA Timothy Gaston Mounting pressure on NHS dentistry in North Antrim has been laid bare in the Assembly, with warnings that the system is no longer sustainable and is being steadily replaced by private provision. Speaking during a debate this week, North Antrim MLA Timothy Gaston said the current situation goes far beyond access issues, describing it as a structural failure that is already reshaping how dental care is delivered across communities includin

Minister Mike Nesbitt with the Public Health Agency Partnership and Engagement team at the ‘This is our health’ roadshow on Wednesday morning. A major new public engagement programme aimed at reshaping how health and social care operates in Northern Ireland has been launched, with people being asked to directly influence what services should provide — and what role individuals themselves can play in protecting them. Health Minister Mike Nesbitt formally launched the large-sca

A new charitable Trust Fund has been established in memory of Lynda Bentham, aiming to support families navigating the realities of Multiple Sclerosis by helping them access practical support and create meaningful shared experiences. Lynda, who passed away in 2024 due to complications from Multiple Sclerosis, is remembered for her deep love of life, people, music, sport and travel. Sunshine holidays held a special place in her life, but as her condition progressed, finding su

A sweeping new law designed to phase out smoking among future generations has been enacted, marking what health leaders and charities describe as a decisive shift towards prevention and long-term public health protection in Northern Ireland. The Tobacco and Vapes Act, which received Royal Assent on 29 April 2026, will make it illegal to sell tobacco products to anyone born on or after 1 January 2009—creating what has been described as the UK’s first “smoke-free generation”. T

Assistant Chief Constable Melanie Jones and Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins at a press conference in Police Headquarters A devastating weekend on Northern Ireland’s roads has left five people dead in the space of just 24 hours, pushing this year’s total fatalities to 29—more than double the figure recorded at the same stage in 2025. The stark rise has prompted an urgent joint appeal from the Police Service of Northern Ireland and Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins, who w

Cancer patients in Northern Ireland are significantly less likely to survive if their illness is first detected during an emergency hospital admission rather than through planned referral routes, according to newly released data covering diagnoses between 2018 and 2022. Figures published today (Wednesday 29 April 2026) by the Northern Ireland Cancer Registry at Queen’s University Belfast show stark differences in survival outcomes depending on how patients enter the healthcar