Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens hosts special reception for Noah’s Story charity

The Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens, Councillor Oliver McMullan, pictured with Corrina and Johnny McAleese at a special reception in Cloonavin honouring the work of Noah’s Story, the charity founded in memory of their two-year-old son, Noah.

A family’s heartbreak has become a force for change across the north coast — and this week that compassion was formally recognised at Cloonavin.

The Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens, Councillor Oliver McMullan, hosted a special reception to honour the work of Noah’s Story, a charity founded by Corrina and Johnny McAleese in memory of their two-year-old son, Noah.

Noah tragically passed away in a farming accident near Ballymoney in November 2022, just one week after his second birthday. In the wake of unimaginable loss, his parents established Noah’s Story with a clear mission: to improve the support offered to families experiencing bereavement.

At the heart of that mission is the Infinity Room at Causeway Hospital — a dedicated bereavement space created to provide comfort and privacy to families during the most difficult moments of their lives.

Designed as a calm and compassionate environment, the room offers families a place of dignity at a time of profound grief. Its name reflects Noah’s love of the film Toy Story, creating a deeply personal and lasting tribute to his short life.

The creation of the Infinity Room was supported in partnership with the Northern Health and Social Care Trust, underlining the role of collaboration in strengthening bereavement care within the health service.

Mayor Councillor Oliver McMullan said:

“It is inspiring to see how Corrina and Johnny have turned such a personal loss into a positive force for our community.

“The Infinity Room, in memory of Noah, will become a much-needed resource for families who are experiencing the most heartbreaking of loss.

“It is a wonderful example of the difference that care, courage, and compassion can make for families at a very difficult time.

“The reception celebrated the dedication of the McAleese family, whose strength and compassion have been central to the project and who are both an inspiration to us all and to their son Noah’s legacy.”

Beyond the Infinity Room, Noah’s Story continues to expand its impact. The charity is raising funds to open similar bereavement rooms in other hospitals across the Northern Trust area, extending access to specialist spaces designed for grieving families.

It also supports trauma-informed training for hospital staff and offers families the opportunity to honour loved ones through personalised poetry — practical and personal measures aimed at improving how bereavement is handled across Northern Ireland.

Through these initiatives, Noah’s Story is seeking not only to remember a little boy whose life was cut tragically short, but to ensure that other families facing loss are met with compassion, dignity and appropriate care.

At a glance

• The Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens hosted a reception in Cloonavin to honour the charity Noah’s Story

• The charity was founded by Corrina and Johnny McAleese after the death of their two-year-old son Noah in November 2022

• Noah’s Story established the Infinity Room at Causeway Hospital as a dedicated bereavement space

• The room was created in partnership with the Northern Health and Social Care Trust

• The charity aims to improve bereavement care for families experiencing the death of a child or loved one

• Future plans include opening similar rooms across the Northern Trust area and supporting trauma-informed staff training