NEWS

Team Harryville Primary School ahead of their Dragon Boat Race challenge this weekend. Staff from Harryville Primary School in Ballymena have raised more than £2,500 so far for Northern Ireland Hospice — with donations still coming in ahead of their Dragon Boat challenge on the River Lagan this weekend. The school team will take to the water in Belfast on Saturday, September 19, as part of the charity’s Dragon Boat Race, joining teams from businesses, clubs and organisations

A previous Wee Joan’s Charity Dog Walk makes its way along Portrush’s West Strand. The popular event returns this Sunday, raising funds for Willie’s Orphan Fund, Children to Lapland and Children’s Kidney Fund NI. A previous Wee Joan’s Charity Dog Walk makes its way along Portrush’s West Strand. The popular event returns this Sunday, raising funds for Willie’s Orphan Fund, Children to Lapland and Children’s Kidney Hundreds of paws are expected to hit the sand in Portrush this

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

Women’s Aid Retail Manager, Michelle McIlwrath , Director of Finance Karen McConkey and CEO, Gillian Robinson. (Images: Danielle Kernohan Photography) A new Women’s Aid shop has opened in Ballymena, with every purchase helping to fund specialist support for women and children experiencing domestic abuse in the local area. The new premises at 23–25 Henry Street are the third retail outlet operated by Women’s Aid ABCLN and will also provide a place where women can access inform

Local Cool FM presenters Pete Snodden, Rebecca McKinney and Paulo Ross ahead of their epic challenge of cycling from Paris to Banbridge in aid of Cash for Kids with the target of raising at least £100k to help disadvantaged children across Northern Ireland. Cool FM Breakfast presenters Pete Snodden, Rebecca McKinney and Paulo Ross are swapping the studio for the saddle as they take on an extraordinary 800-mile cycling challenge to raise more than £100,000 for children and you

Stephen Lynn, retail director at Specsavers Ballymena is pictured with Alex Patterson and his guide dog, Angus, alongside Guide Dogs NI volunteer, Viv Carson. Stephen Lynn is fundraising for the charity ahead of the Belfast Half Marathon. A Ballymena optician is swapping the testing room for running shoes this month as he prepares to tackle 13.1 miles in support of people living with sight loss across Northern Ireland. Stephen Lynn, retail director at Specsavers Ballymena, wi

A Carnlough mum who had already left for work when she heard a bang and decided to turn back has described the terrifying moments she discovered her home on fire — with her daughter and partner still asleep upstairs. Mandy Abram had walked down the path from her home at around 7.20am on Wednesday 26 August when she heard what she initially thought was a car backfiring. There was nobody around. Something, she says, told her to go back. Moments later, Mandy was inside desperate

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

Adrian and Nicci Stewart, foster carers with the Northern Health and Social Care Trust More foster families are urgently needed across the Northern Trust area as growing numbers of children require somewhere safe and supportive to call home — whether for a single night or for several years. For Adrian and Nicci Stewart, answering that need has meant welcoming more than 22 children through their front door in just six years. The couple have cared for newborn babies, toddlers a

Cyclists from across Northern Ireland are being invited to take on one of the region’s most scenic charity rides next weekend, with every mile helping to raise money for people affected by dementia. The Bann Valley Road Club Tour of the Glens Charity Sportive, supported by Clarke, returns on Saturday 15 August, offering riders the choice of 40-mile or 60-mile routes through the spectacular Glens of Antrim. With all proceeds going to Alzheimer’s Society Northern Ireland, organ

Dáithí Mac Gabhann as he continues his recovery in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne Wednesday, 5 August 2026 Someone in the UK will die today waiting for an organ transplant. That stark reality is behind a new appeal from the Public Health Agency (PHA), which is urging people across Northern Ireland to register their organ donation decision—and, just as importantly, make sure their family knows what they want. The campaign supports a UK-wide challenge by NHS Blood and Transplant to encour

People with time to spare and a passion for helping others are being invited to volunteer in a new role designed to make visits to Antrim Area Hospital’s Emergency Department a little less daunting. The Northern Health and Social Care Trust is recruiting Emergency Department Companion Volunteers to provide comfort, reassurance and practical support to patients and their families while they wait for assessment or treatment. The initiative aims to improve the experience of peop

The myEARTH platform has encouraged the planting of 6000 trees, and 1427 habitats to be created for wildlife across Northern Ireland A digital platform designed to help people take practical action for the environment has inspired the planting of more than 6,000 trees across Northern Ireland in just over a year, while also helping to create 1,427 new wildlife habitats. The figures, released by myEARTH, highlight the impact the free platform has had since launching last year,

Ballymena couple Joy and David Wright “It gives you a spark and a spring in your step, it’s just amazing.” That is how a Ballymena couple describe the experience of providing short break foster care for children with disabilities as they encourage others across Northern Ireland to consider opening their homes to children and families in need of support. David and Joy Wright have seen first-hand the difference short break fostering can make — not only for children with disabil

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

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

The RNLI has issued its own urgent Mayday call after new figures revealed its volunteer lifeboat crews across Northern Ireland were launched 235 times in 2025, bringing 214 people to safety, including three lives saved. The newly released data, published today by the lifesaving charity, also shows that 80 of those call-outs took place in darkness, underlining the scale and intensity of demand facing volunteer crews at the region’s 10 lifeboat stations. Alongside the lifeboat

Ecos Nature Park, Ballymena Early risers across Ballymena are being invited to start their day with purpose later this month as Turning Point NI hosts a community 5km Sunrise Walk in support of its vital mental health services. The walk will take place on Saturday 25th April , with participants gathering for a 5am start at ECOS Nature Park. Organisers are encouraging people from across the community to come along and take part in what promises to be a meaningful and uplifting

Communities across Northern Ireland are being urged to shine a spotlight on the people who quietly make a difference every day, as the BBC officially opens nominations for its 2026 Make a Difference Awards. From volunteers and young heroes to neighbours who go above and beyond, the awards celebrate the everyday acts of kindness that often go unnoticed — but shape communities in powerful ways. A UK-wide celebration of community spirit The awards bring together BBC radio statio

A major fundraising walk along Northern Ireland’s iconic Causeway Coast is set to return this summer, as AWARE NI launches its flagship Giant Steps event for 2026 — at a time when demand for mental health support has never been greater. Taking place on Saturday, 6 June, the popular event — now in its fifth year — has already raised more than £200,000 to sustain frontline services, with organisers hoping for another strong turnout from communities across the region. A walk wi