NEWS

Children across the borough will once again be able to take part in a packed summer of sports, games, creative activities and outdoor adventures as Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council officially launches its 2026 Summer Schemes programme. Running throughout July and August, the annual schemes are set to return to leisure centres, community venues and the grounds of Antrim Castle Gardens, with families already being encouraged to plan ahead amid expectations of high demand

Residents across the Borough can pick up a free bag of peat-free compost this week as Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council launches a recycling reward initiative to mark International Compost Awareness Week 2026. From Monday 4 May until Saturday 9 May, households visiting any of the Council’s five Household Recycling Centres will be eligible to receive one complimentary bag of compost while stocks last. The offer is available to residents bringing recyclable items includin

Dunsilly Ulster Unionist councillor Stewart Wilson Dunsilly Ulster Unionist councillor Stewart Wilson has welcomed a decision by Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council to approve the installation of CCTV at Neillsbrook Community Centre in Randalstown. Cllr Wilson confirmed the decision on social media after the issue was discussed behind closed doors at a meeting at Mossley Mill on Monday evening. Commenting online, he said: “This is a positive step, but it’s important to re

Fibrus specialist with students in Mount St Michael’s Primary School, Randalstown. A new campaign to help children across Northern Ireland navigate the risks of the digital world has been launched, with a key rollout event taking place at Mount St Michael’s Primary School in Randalstown. Full fibre broadband provider Fibrus has begun delivering its “Surf Smart Stay Safe” initiative in primary schools, aiming to equip pupils with practical skills to stay safe online — from

Ballymena Causeway Credit Union (BCCU) on William Street, Ballymena Ballymena Causeway Credit Union will begin operating under a new trading name, Evolve Credit Union , from 30 April 2026, marking a significant shift following years of expansion and the integration of members from across multiple local credit unions. The move comes after a period of sustained growth and a series of Transfers of Engagement that brought together members from Causeway, Antrim, Randalstown and su

Asda Antrim raises funds for Dementia NI Asda Antrim has strengthened its support for the local community with backing for two separate initiatives — helping bring generations together in Randalstown through a community sports event and raising more than £6,000 for Dementia NI. The supermarket’s latest community efforts have seen Randalstown Ulster-Scots Society awarded a £600 grant through the Asda Foundation, while colleagues at the Antrim store have also completed a major

A milestone year for one of Randalstown’s best-loved community organisations has turned into a powerful act of generosity, with Randalstown ARCHES Association raising £5,500 for two cancer charities during its 30th anniversary celebrations. The funds, raised through a series of events across the anniversary year, have been shared equally between Marie Curie and Charis Cancer Care, with each organisation receiving £2,750. The charities were chosen for deeply personal reasons —

Cotter’s Park glamping site near Randalstown An annual indoor entertainment licence application for a glamping site outside Randalstown has been deferred following discussion at a meeting of Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council’s Operations Committee at Antrim Civic Centre on Monday evening. The application relates to dancing, singing and music – entertainment of a “like kind” – at Cotters Park on Clonkeen Road, operating Thursday to Sunday from 2.00pm until 1.00am, for

Castlewood Holiday Park, in Antrim, unveils new luxury accommodation and enhanced visitor facilities Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council has welcomed the completion of the 5-star Blair’s Castlewood Holiday Park development at Shane’s Castle, marking a significant investment in local tourism on the shores of Lough Neagh. The expanded Castlewood Holiday Park introduces new luxury accommodation and enhanced visitor facilities, strengthening the borough’s position as a short-

Buyers and suppliers (L-R) – The judges: Jonathan Mitchell (Our Brewery’s co-founder), Esther Paul, (Business Development Manager at Armagh Cider Company), Chelsea McCullagh (Marketing Manager at Heaney Brewery), Michael Crealey ( Lead Packaged Buying Manager at Tesco NI), Karen O’Neill (Sales Manager at Anzac Drinks/ Farmageddon Brewing Co), Bernard Sloan (Managing Director at Whitewater Brewery) and Peter McKeever (Production Manager at Longmeadow Cider). A Randalstown-base

A talented local student is celebrating national recognition after her artwork claimed top honours at one of Ireland’s most prestigious youth art competitions. Ballymena Causeway Credit Union has marked a proud moment for the local community after Eimear McGuckien was crowned first place winner in the 11–13 Additional Needs category at the Credit Union Art Competition National Final, held at Croke Park in Dublin on Sunday. Eimear’s artwork progressed through the local and reg

A special meeting of Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council was held at Mossley Mill on Tuesday 20 January as elected members intensified pressure on Bryson Recycling over ongoing waste and recycling collection problems affecting residents across the borough. The meeting was convened at the request of councillors to allow members to formally raise residents’ concerns in advance of a scheduled Full Council Meeting on Monday 26 January , which will be attended by the Chief Exe

A 36-year-old man has been arrested in the Antrim area on suspicion of a number of drug-related offences following police searches in Randalstown and along the Ballymena Road. The arrest followed the search of a vehicle on the Ballymena Road shortly before 2.00pm on Tuesday, 20 January. During the search, officers seized a quantity of suspected Class B controlled drugs along with a sum of cash. Police then carried out a further search at a residential property in The Parade a

(L-R) Tina McMullan, Business and Improvement Advisor ETTNI, Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey, Councillor Leah Kirkpatrick and Jessica Smyth, Business Development Project Officer LMP Fully funded programme offers local electrical professionals qualifications in solar PV, battery storage, and EV charging installation Fifteen qualified electricians from the Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough are set to benefit from a groundbreaking new training initiative designed to prepare the l

Hannah Currie Northern Regional College (NRC) is celebrating the inspiring achievements of engineering graduate Hannah Currie, whose determination, talent and generosity of spirit are helping to reshape perceptions of STEM careers across Northern Ireland. Originally from Randalstown, Hannah recently graduated at the College’s Higher Education & Access Graduation, marking the culmination of a remarkable journey that has taken her from returning adult learner to WorldSkills UK

A recovery plan has been agreed between Bryson Recycling and Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council in a bid to address missed bin collections across the borough. Bryson Recycling reported a “positive meeting” with the council’s chief executive, Richard Baker, earlier this week to discuss ongoing problems with the collection service. A spokesperson for Bryson Recycling said: “We discussed the issues being raised and also the actions required to get our service back to a st

A meeting is due to take place this week between Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council’s chief executive, Richard Baker, and his counterpart at Bryson Recycling over missed bin collections across the borough. Councillors were told at a meeting of the council’s Operations Committee, held at Antrim Civic Centre on Monday evening, that service issues will be discussed on Wednesday, ahead of a further meeting with members in the council chamber later this month. Airport Sinn Fé

Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey, Councillor Leah Kirkpatrick is joined by Chris Ward (Workforce Training Services) and Jessica Smyth (LMP) to launch the SIA Academy A new bespoke Employment Academy has been launched in Antrim and Newtownabbey to address skills shortages in the security industry and help local residents take their first steps into sustainable employment. The week-long intensive programme, delivered by the Antrim and Newtownabbey Labour Market Partnership (LMP

Pictured outside the newly expanded JAQ Group facilities in Randalstown is Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey, Councillor Leah Kirkpatrick, and Managing Director, Connor Martin. An innovative Northern Ireland e-commerce fragrance company is creating dozens of new jobs after significantly expanding its manufacturing and logistics operations in Randalstown, County Antrim. The JAQ Group has invested in a major extension of its facilities at the Craigstown Industrial Estate to meet

Mayor of Antrim & Newtownabbey Borough Council, Councillor Leah Kirkpatrick with representatives from Antrim & Newtownabbey Council Labour Market Partnership. A new employment-focused Medical Administration Training Academy is set to launch in Antrim and Newtownabbey in January 2026, offering local residents a direct pathway into administrative roles within GP practices. Following the success of two earlier academies delivered in other council areas, the Northern GP Federatio