NEWS

Friday 16 October 2026 Ballymena town centre is preparing for a frightfully fun afternoon this Halloween, with free treats, spooky characters, fancy dress and family entertainment all part of a popular event returning for 2026. The Ballymena Halloween Trail is back on Friday 30 October, this time with a Haunted Harvest theme that will send families exploring the town centre, collecting treats from participating businesses and showing off their best Halloween costumes. Organis

Thursday 15 October 2026 Nearly 900 children and young people are in care across the Northern Health and Social Care Trust area, with numbers continuing to rise despite a substantial reduction in children on the Child Protection Register. New Department of Health statistics show that 899 children were in care across the Trust area, which includes Ballymena, Antrim, Coleraine and surrounding communities, at 31 March 2026 – an increase of 20 compared with the previous year. At

Tuesday 13 October 2026 Antrim Castle Gardens will be transformed into a spectacular festive wonderland this December as the popular Enchanted Winter Garden returns with new rides, dazzling light displays and a host of Christmas attractions for families. Running from 2 to 28 December, the event will also offer discounted tickets for Antrim and Newtownabbey residents, dedicated inclusive evenings and free shuttle buses to help visitors enjoy the festivities. With tickets start

Wednesday 07 October 2026 Coleraine is preparing for a landmark weekend of LEGO® fun as National Brick Events makes its Northern Ireland debut — bringing its biggest-ever format to the town. The event on Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 October will be the organisation’s first anywhere on the island of Ireland, as well as its first two-day event and the first to be staged across multiple locations. Running from 9am to 4pm on both days, the event will take over Coleraine Leisure Cent

Disney magic creates unforgettable memories for 20 Northern Ireland children, including Karen Farrell and daughter Anna (4) from Ballymena. Monday 05 October 2026 Children from Ballymena, Antrim, Ballyclare, and Toome were among 20 young people from across Northern Ireland given the chance to experience the magic of Disneyland Paris during a special trip for families living with serious health conditions. The children, who are living with life-limiting or life-threatening con

Mum Emma with 10-year-old son Tommy Monday 05 October 2026 A Ballycastle mum has described how her family relies completely on relatives for childcare for her ten-year-old son with additional needs, as a new report highlights the barriers facing families raising disabled children. Emma Linton and her husband both work in hospitality, often finishing late in the evening, but she says they have been unable to find formal childcare capable of providing the specialist support the

Tuesday 29 September 2026 Primary 6 and 7 pupils could receive additional literacy and numeracy support, alongside help preparing for the move to post-primary education, under a new programme backed by up to £600,000. The initiative is being delivered through the Department of Education’s existing RAISE programme, which already operates in Ballymena and 17 other localities across Northern Ireland. Schools can apply for funding to provide targeted support during the 2026/27 ac

Sloane, aged five-years-old, from Ballymena is delighted to land his first fish Saturday 26 September 2026 More than 50 children and their families have spent the summer discovering fishing, wildlife and the hidden world beneath local waterways through a programme run by Antrim & District Angling Association (ADAA). The Outdoor Learning and Nature Development Days combined hands-on environmental education with an introduction to angling, giving many of the young participants

(L-R) Caroline McKenna, Foodies Spokesperson, Eimear O'Sullivan, Corporate Affairs Director Lidl Ireland and Northern Ireland Primary schools across County Antrim can now register for a new free food education programme aimed at helping young children build healthy eating habits and become more confident about fruit and vegetables. Lidl Foodies is open to schools across Northern Ireland and provides teachers of children aged four to seven with ready-made lesson plans, activit

Together for Families launch at St Comgall's Belfast. L-R: Paul Sweeney, Northern Ireland Chair, The National Lottery Community Fund; Naomi Long MLA Minister of Justice; Kate Beggs, Northern Ireland Director, The National Lottery Community Fund; Robbie Butler MLA Minister of Health; Jacinta Linden, Together for Families Co-Director; Eilis McDaniel, Director of Social Care Reform, Department of Health; Dame Julia Cleverdon, Chair of The National Lottery Community Fund, Emma Li

Wednesday 16 September 2026 Young men and boys across Northern Ireland are being urged to challenge misogyny in group chats, gaming platforms and social media as new figures show increases in reports of online stalking, harassment, blackmail and intimate image abuse. Between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026, police recorded 1,971 reports of online stalking and harassment — a 12% increase on the previous year — alongside 591 reports of online blackmail, up 11%, and 110 reports i

Tuesday 15 September 2026 Teachers, parents and pupils across Northern Ireland are being asked to share their experiences of behaviour, disruption and safety in schools as part of a review that will shape new government policy. Education Minister Paul Givan has launched a Call for Evidence seeking views on the scale of behaviour problems, their impact on learning and staff wellbeing, and what schools need to improve standards. The exercise forms part of the Department of Educ

SDLP MLA for East Londonderry, Cara Hunter Girls will be guaranteed the choice to wear trousers at every school in Northern Ireland from the 2027/28 school year, as Education Minister Paul Givan faces fresh criticism over why the change was not made sooner. SDLP Opposition Education Spokesperson Cara Hunter MLA has joined Ulster Unionist Party leader and Education spokesperson Jon Burrows MLA in welcoming the outcome while challenging the Minister over the months of political

More than 40 clubs, professional academies and representative sides from around the world have already applied to compete in next year’s Budget Energy SuperCupNI, following a record-breaking 2026 tournament. Applications are now open for the 2027 competition, which will return to Northern Ireland next July, bringing another major week of international youth football to venues across the north coast and wider area, including Mid and East Antrim. The early interest follows a 20

Girls across Northern Ireland will be guaranteed the choice to wear trousers as part of their school uniform under revised legally binding guidelines issued by Education Minister Paul Givan. Ulster Unionist Party leader and Education spokesperson Jon Burrows MLA has welcomed the move as a “common-sense outcome”, while claiming the Minister could have resolved the issue earlier without the Education Committee having to pursue legislation. The revised Department of Education gu

Students arriving in Belfast for the new academic year will see a visible police presence around accommodation areas as a safety campaign gets under way, with advice on accessing help during nights out and protecting themselves and their belongings. The PSNI is also highlighting the Ask for Angela initiative, which offers a discreet way to seek help at more than 400 participating bars and clubs across Northern Ireland if someone feels vulnerable. Launched today, Wednesday 9 S

Families applying for funded pre-school places in Northern Ireland face a significant change to admissions rules next year, as Education Minister Paul Givan moves to restrict which households receive priority under the current social disadvantage criterion. The Minister has confirmed that only families receiving benefits specifically named in the existing regulations will qualify for priority when applying for a pre-school place next year. The move will end the practice of tr

E-scooters seized by police in Antrim over the weekend. Seven e-scooters have been seized by police in Antrim as officers step up enforcement against their illegal use in public places — prompting a local MLA to issue a warning to parents ahead of Christmas. The PSNI said Antrim Neighbourhood Policing Team, supported by the District Support Team, Local Policing Team and Probationer Support Team, seized the seven machines during an operation in the town. Police said files will

A new children’s series created in Belfast is putting the experiences of autistic pupils at the heart of stories about starting school, friendship, inclusion and bullying — with autistic young people helping to shape what viewers see and hear on screen. Pablo: Next Level, produced by Belfast-based Paper Owl Films and Crayola Studios, launches on Monday 7 September on RTÉ KIDS and CBBC, before being rolled out internationally. Aimed at children aged five to eight, the 40-episo

The Education Authority has agreed to accept a number of school taxi bids it considers excessively expensive to ensure children can continue getting to and from school — but has warned some families could ultimately be offered payments to make alternative transport arrangements themselves. The decision follows a major tendering exercise involving more than 1,200 school taxi runs ahead of the new academic year. The EA says early analysis shows tendered mileage rates have falle