NEWS

Gillian Robinson, chief executive of Women’s Aid, Arlene Creighton, Women’s Aid, and Councillor Leah Kirkpatrick Saturday 07 November 2026 New pyjamas are being collected across Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough to bring comfort to women and children affected by domestic abuse this Christmas, following donations of more than 900 pairs last year. The Women’s Aid ABCLN Christmas Pyjama Appeal supports families living in refuge accommodation and those receiving help in the communi

Belfast City Airport is now accepting applications for its High Flyers Apprenticeship Programme, offering aspiring firefighters the chance to join the Airport's Fire and Rescue Service and kick-start an exciting career in aviation. Pictured (L-R) are former apprentices, Aoibh Carroll, Jay Sempey, and Nicole Dallat. Friday 6 November 2026 People interested in becoming firefighters are being invited to apply for a specialist apprenticeship at Belfast City Airport, offering hand

Thursday 5 November 2026 Ballymena town centre will be filled with Christmas lights, decorated tractors and festive cheer on Saturday 5 December as the Santa Run returns, raising funds for Northern Ireland Children’s Hospice. Organisers are anticipating a record number of participating vehicles, with tractors and other vehicles dressed in Christmas lights and decorations set to travel through the town in an evening cavalcade. The event, hosted by Ballymena Business Improvemen

Wednesday 4 November 2026 Around half of all babies born in Northern Ireland in 2026 are being invited to take part in a landmark research study that will follow children into adulthood, helping shape the services and support available to future generations of families. Researchers at Ulster University have begun interviewing parents as part of Generation New Era, the first new UK birth cohort study in 25 years and the largest of its kind in a generation. Around 4,200 familie

Tuesday 3 November 2026 Royal Mail has unveiled its Christmas stamps for 2026, featuring colourful illustrations of the Nativity story, as the postal service celebrates 60 years since the introduction of its first Christmas-themed stamps. The new collection brings familiar scenes from the birth of Jesus to Christmas cards and letters, with five contemporary designs created by designer Gareth Howat and illustrator Rebecca Sutherland. The stamps are available to order from toda

Tuesday 3 November 2026 Christmas shoppers searching for something a little different this festive season can discover a wonderful selection of handmade gifts, local crafts and seasonal treats when the annual Northern Ireland Hospice Christmas Fair returns to Ballymena next week. Organised by Ballymena Northern Ireland Hospice Support Group, the popular fundraising event takes place at Tullyglass House Hotel on Wednesday 11 November, bringing together 33 independent traders f

Missing Bushmills man Mark Dinsmore Monday 02 November 2026 Police searching for missing Bushmills man Mark Dinsmore have issued a direct appeal to two members of the public who they believe may have helped him from his car following a road traffic collision in Ballymoney. The 50-year-old has not been in contact with family or friends since Saturday 24 October, when his grey Audi A4 was involved in a collision with a grey Nissan Juke on the Ballybogey Road at around 6pm. Offi

Hillhead Road, Ballyclare Monday 2 November 2026 Motorists travelling through Ballyclare are being warned to expect disruption over the coming months as an £875,000 road improvement scheme gets underway today (Monday 2 November) on Hillhead Road. The work will see approximately 1.38 kilometres of the B94 Hillhead Road resurfaced, alongside improvements to kerbs and footways, with traffic restrictions scheduled to remain in place until March 2027. The Department for Infrastruc

Monday 2 November 2026 Global music superstar Shania Twain is set to headline Belfast’s Belsonic next summer, bringing her biggest hits to Ormeau Park on Sunday 27 June 2027. The five-time Grammy Award winner has announced eight major outdoor concerts across the UK and Ireland, with Belfast among the final stops on her summer tour. Fans hoping to secure tickets will not have long to wait, with general sale opening at 9am this Friday, 6 November, through Ticketmaster.ie. Belfa

Monday 02 November 2026 The Northern Trust is to receive £250,000 to strengthen local endometriosis services as part of a £1.95 million investment intended to improve access to diagnosis, treatment and support across Northern Ireland. The funding comes as women continue to face lengthy waits for gynaecology care, despite reductions reported by the Department of Health in outpatient waiting lists and waits for hospital treatment. Endometriosis is a chronic condition in which t

Saturday 31 October 2026 Shoppers are being encouraged to make the most of a full day of savings in Ballymena as the town’s popular annual Discount Day returns on Thursday 5 November, bringing special offers, giveaways and late-night shopping until 9pm. From 9am, participating businesses across the town centre will offer one-day promotions, giving shoppers an opportunity to save on everything from Christmas presents and winter fashion to jewellery, homeware and everyday essen

Saturday 31 October 2026 Police will no longer attend some calls about a person’s welfare from Sunday 1 November, with callers directed to other agencies where their concerns do not meet the threshold for a police response. The change is the next phase of Right Care, Right Person, a programme intended to ensure people with health, mental health, social care or safeguarding needs receive help from the service best placed to support them. PSNI receives more than 35,000 concern-

Missing County Antrim man Mark Dinsmore Friday 30 October 2026 Police have revealed that a missing Bushmills man may have sustained injuries in a road traffic collision shortly before his disappearance, prompting serious concerns for his welfare as the search to find him continues. Mark Dinsmore, aged 50, was last seen at around 6pm on Saturday 24 October, when he was involved in a collision in the Ballybogey Road area of Ballymoney. He has not been in contact with family or

Proposed site of new concept Lidl store in Ballymena with inset CGI of store entrance. Friday 30 October 2026 Lidl has revealed it has spent more than a decade searching for a second supermarket site in Ballymena, as fresh planning evidence outlines an £8 million investment, 50 permanent jobs and the retailer's intention to keep its existing store open. The discount supermarket chain says its current Ballymena branch, which opened in 2002, is now the third smallest of its 44

Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Róis-Máire Donnelly, joins Santa’s elf Candy Plum and youngster Dessie to announces plans for Belfast’s Christmas lights switch-on for 2026. Thursday 29 October 2026 Families planning a festive trip to Belfast can secure free tickets for the city's annual Christmas lights switch-on from next Tuesday, 3 November, with two separate ticket releases giving visitors a chance to attend. The popular event returns to Belfast City Hall on Saturday 14

Thursday 29 October 2026 The popular fly-on-the-wall documentary series ‘Peelers: The PSNI for Real’ is returning to television next month, giving viewers another behind-the-scenes look at the challenges, pressures and human stories of policing across Northern Ireland. Series Two will begin on BBC One Northern Ireland on Wednesday 11 November at 10.40pm, with episodes also available on BBC iPlayer from 6am that morning. The documentary follows Police Service of Northern Irela

Thursday 29 October 2026 Parents and teenagers across Northern Ireland could face significant changes to how they access social media next year, with photo identification, banking information and facial scans among the methods identified to enforce the UK Government’s planned ban for under-16s. Communications regulator Ofcom has identified four methods capable of providing highly effective age checks, as ministers prepare to publish detailed rules before the end of 2026. The

Missing man last seen in Belfast: 32-year-old David Campbell Wednesday 28 October 2026 Police are appealing for help in locating 32-year-old David Campbell from Belfast amid growing concerns for his welfare, six days after he was last seen. David was last seen at the Mater Hospital in north Belfast during the early hours of Thursday 22 October. Police believe he could have travelled anywhere in Northern Ireland and are urging the public to help find him. Description of missin

UK Chancellor John Healey before making today’s Autumn Budget. (Picture by Kirsty O'Connor / No 10 Downing Street) Wednesday 28 October 2026 Households across Northern Ireland are set to benefit from lower heating oil import costs, continued fuel duty relief and increases in the minimum wage following Budget 2026, but questions remain over electricity support, business rates and whether additional funding will ease pressure on struggling public services. Chancellor John Heale

Tuesday 27 October 2026 Northern Ireland households have an average of just £137 a week remaining after taxes and essential bills, the lowest spending power anywhere in the UK, as rising fuel costs place renewed pressure on family finances. New figures from Asda’s October 2026 Income Tracker reveal that liquid fuel prices have increased by 104.9% in the year to September, adding to the financial pressures facing households heavily dependent on oil heating. Despite rising inco