NEWS

Residents across Antrim and Newtownabbey are being invited to celebrate the start of the festive season at one of seven magical Christmas Light Switch On events taking place throughout the Borough from 20–29 November 2025. Each event promises festive entertainment, family fun, and a dazzling light display, creating an unforgettable experience for residents and visitors alike. The celebrations will kick off in Crumlin on Thursday 20 November at the Crumlin Leisure Centre from

Police have confirmed that a man has died following a single-vehicle road traffic collision in Magherafelt on Thursday evening, 6 November. Chief Inspector Celeste Simpson from the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s Collision Investigation Unit said: “Police received a report shortly after 5.50pm of a collision involving a car and a pedestrian in the Grange Road area. “Our officers attended, supported by colleagues from partner emergency services. However, sadly, the pedest

A celebration of female entrepreneurship and local creativity will take centre stage this weekend as Enterprising Women MEA hosts its highly anticipated Winter Showcase at Fairhill Shopping Centre, Ballymena , on Saturday 8 November from 9am to 4pm . Following the success of last year’s event, this year’s showcase promises to be “bigger and better than ever” , with 17 talented local traders bringing an array of handcrafted gifts, festive treats and creative products — just i

Health Minister Mike Nesbitt has announced that the Northern Ireland Executive has approved his plan to restore pay parity for health service staff, bringing their pay levels back in line with colleagues across the UK. In a statement today, Mr Nesbitt said: “The Executive has today given me approval to deliver pay parity for health service staff, which was our original intention and what unions and professional bodies have been asking for and is their right.” The Minister con

Senior staff from the Northern Health and Social Care Trust pictured with representatives from SOS Causeway following a recent meeting where the group received an update from the Trust on the wide range of mental health services provided across the Causeway Coast and Glens area. Senior staff from the Northern Health and Social Care Trust have described recent discussions with community representatives from SOS Causeway as “productive” , following a meeting focused on mental h

A 54-year-old woman from east Belfast has been jailed for five months after fraudulently claiming she would donate a kidney to a man in desperate need of a transplant. Nicola Hutton was sentenced at Belfast Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, 6 November, having previously been convicted of a false communication offence. The case centred on Hutton’s deceitful contact with William “Billy” Cullen from Newtownabbey, who had been suffering from Polycystic Kidney Disease for around ten

Ulster Unionist MLA Jon Burrows has warned that families already struggling with the cost of living will be “hit hard” by the Education Authority’s decision to raise the price of school meals by around 20 per cent. The increase – equivalent to an extra 50p per meal – is due to take effect from January 2026, as part of a series of savings measures introduced by the Education Authority (EA) to tackle a £300 million funding shortfall. Mr Burrows, the Ulster Unionist Party’s Ed

South Antrim MP Robin Swann has voiced disappointment after the UK Government blocked a proposed amendment that would have required new homes to include swift bricks – small, low-cost nesting spaces designed to help protect and restore the UK’s declining swift population. The amendment, known as the ‘swift brick amendment’ , was debated in Westminster on Monday night and would have applied to new homes in England and Wales that are more than five metres in height. However,

Member of Veterans Support Group Ballymena setting off on their fundraising 18-mile march from Templepatrick to Ballymena in the darkness of early morning In the early hours of Saturday 1 November, a determined group of military veterans and supporters set off from Templepatrick roundabout on an arduous 18-mile sponsored march to Ballymena Services Club, raising an estimated £4,000 for the Veterans Support Group Ballymena (VSGB). The gruelling challenge was the idea of Stephe

North Antrim DUP MLA Paul Frew speaking today in the Northern Ireland Assembly A motion led today (Thursday 5 November) by North Antrim DUP MLA Paul Frew to support service leavers, veterans, and their families through the Armed Forces Covenant has been passed in the Northern Ireland Assembly, receiving cross-party backing. The motion gained support from the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) and the Alliance Party, marking a rare instance of cross

Diane Holden and Donna Houston, winners of the ‘technology to support medicines optimisation’ category at the PrescQIPP UK National Awards. Clinical pharmacists at Antrim Area Hospital have won a UK-wide award for an innovative project that merges medicine with technology to improve patient safety and independence. Diane Holden and Donna Houston took home first prize in the ‘Technology to Support Medicines Optimisation’ category at the PrescQIPP UK National Awards in Notting

A County Antrim man who attempted to smuggle cannabis worth £64,000 into Northern Ireland concealed inside a makeshift workbench has been sentenced following an investigation by the National Crime Agency (NCA). William Stewart, 46, living in Crumlin, was stopped by Border Force officers when he arrived in Belfast from Aldershot in October 2024. He had travelled by ferry in his transit van. During a search of the vehicle, a sniffer dog indicated the presence of drugs. Officers

Parents across Northern Ireland are bracing for higher school meal prices and potential changes to transport and music provision after the Education Authority (EA) confirmed a series of cost-saving measures to address a £300 million funding shortfall. The EA said the “regrettable” measures, which aim to deliver up to £30 million in savings, will begin to take effect this month. However, the organisation warned that even with these cuts, it will be “some distance” from breaki

More than 195,000 Universal Credit recipients in Northern Ireland will gain automatic entitlement to free NHS sight tests, dental treatment, and travel cost support from 1 December, following a key legislative update announced by Health Minister Mike Nesbitt. The move brings Northern Ireland into line with the rest of the UK, after years of disparity in how Universal Credit recipients accessed the Help with Health Costs (HwHC) scheme. The HwHC scheme supports people on low in

Ahoghill in Bloom volunteer John Wilson, with the team’s special award Community pride shines as Ahoghill earns Community Resilience Award and Small Town runner-up honour at prestigious horticultural event Ahoghill’s community volunteers are celebrating after being recognised with a special accolade at the 2025 Ulster in Bloom Awards, held at Grand Central Station in Belfast. The village received the Community Resilience Award, highlighting the remarkable spirit and teamwork

Braid UUP Councillor Alan Barr with new UUP Braid representative Samantha Patton, and (centre) North Antrim MLA Jon Burrows. The Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) has welcomed Samantha Patton as its new North Antrim representative for the Braid area, where she will work alongside Councillor Alan Barr to strengthen community engagement and champion local issues. A respected businesswoman, early years educator, and former RAF servicewoman, Samantha brings a wealth of experience and d

Mandatory housing measures for all kept birds and poultry will come into force across Northern Ireland from 00:01 on Thursday, 6 November 2025 , as part of new efforts to prevent the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) has announced that the new Housing Order will require all bird keepers — including pet bird owners, commercial operators, and those with backyard or hobby flocks — to keep thei

New dog control orders will come into effect across Antrim and Newtownabbey from 1 January, extending restrictions to include several of the borough’s most popular visitor attractions. At a meeting of the Operations Committee held at Antrim Civic Centre on Monday evening, councillors agreed that dogs must be kept on leads in the Platinum Jubilee Garden area of Antrim Castle Gardens , and in the Coronation Garden at Hazelbank Park, Newtownabbey. Dogs will also be required to r

“Honoured as Member of Parliament for South Antrim to place a Memorial at the Opening of the House of Commons Garden of Remembrance.” – Robin Swann MP Following intervention by South Antrim MP Robin Swann , the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has confirmed that the Royal British Legion’s Poppy Appeal and related merchandise are not subject to EU regulations. Guidance will now be updated to reflect this clarification. Mr Swann welcomed the decision as “a win for commo

Ian McMaw, Business Lecturer at the College of Agriculture Food & Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) Greenmount Campus and Richard Henderson, Head of Agriculture at AbbeyAutoline. AbbeyAutoline has reaffirmed its commitment to the future of Northern Ireland’s agricultural industry by renewing its partnership with the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) for the 2025/2026 academic year. As part of the CAFRE Industry Support Programme, AbbeyAutoline will once again o