Borough Life // June 2023

NI’s Second Crematorium Commences its First Services

After almost two years of building works and £5million investment, the new Antrim and Newtownabbey Crematorium commenced its first funeral services on 5 June 2023.

Set within a tranquil and respectful environment, this new crematorium facilitates services of all faiths.

This new facility will be a great asset for all the community offering an essential service

to families and our dedicated team will ensure that in difficult times, people can say goodbye to their loved ones in a personalised and respectful way.

As Northern Ireland’s second crematorium, there will be six 45 minute services daily between 10am and 3pm, Monday to Friday. The latest technology will enable families to share their memories of their loved one and a full

streaming service will help those friends and family who are unable to join in person.

The Ceremony room can facilitate 164 people with an additional over flow area where the service is live streamed.

The building, services and beautiful memorial garden, are all designed for a dignified celebration of life and love.

How to Contact Us

We provide lots of services and facilities for our residents and customers to enjoy and there are many reasons why you may want to contact us.

Whether you are booking a class, enquiring about an event, paying your dog licence or reporting a missed bin, we want your experience to be as easy as possible.

Arts & Culture

Want to book a theatre show or get tickets for an event? Simply book online at antrimandnewtownabbey.gov.uk/events

Got a query? Contact our Arts & Culture Hub on:

• Live Chat (look for the purple chat icon on our webpage)

• E. culture@antrimandnewtownabbey.gov.uk

• T. 0300 123 7788

The team is available to help you

• Monday to Friday, 9am–5pm

• Saturday and Sunday, 10am–5pm

This Customer Hub will also operate on the evenings of theatre shows and events.

Leisure

You can visit antrimandnewtownabbey.gov.uk/ leisure or use the ANBorough app to book your leisure class or activity.

If you have a query or want to enquire about membership packages, you can contact our Leisure Hub on:

• Live Chat (look for the purple chat icon on our webpage)

• E. more@antrimandnewtownabbey.gov.uk (general enquiries)

• E. leisurebookings@antrimandnewtownabbey.gov.uk (extended bookings and pitch bookings)

• T. 0300 123 1580

The team is available to help you

• Monday to Thursday, 8am–8pm

• Friday, 8am–6pm

• Saturday and Sunday, 10am–4pm

Other ways to contact us

We now have one telephone number for our Customer Service Team at both Antrim Civic Centre and Mossley Mill. You can call us on T. 0300 123 4568, Monday to Friday, 8.30am–5pm.

Our Planning section can be contacted on T. 0300 123 6677

Our Recycling Centres and Waste department can be contacted on T. 028 9034 0056 (Our telephone numbers are charged at local rate.)

Visit antrimandnewtownabbey.gov.uk or use the ANBorough app to:

• Access your leisure membership

• Check your bin collection date

• Contact your local Councillor

• Pay your dog licence

• Request a bulky waste collection

• Submit a building control application

• Report a complaint online

Follow us on social media to keep up to date with Council news and events.

ANBorough

For jobs in the Borough, visit ANBoroughJobs

This magazine is delivered to postal areas BT29, BT36, BT37, BT39, BT41 and our residents in BT38. If it is not delivered to any of your neighbours living in these areas, please let us know.

If you have any comments on the magazine please contact us.

E. comms@antrimandnewtownabbey.gov.uk T. 0300 123 4568

Please contact us if you require this magazine in an alternative format.

• Braille

• Large print

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To order contact E. ellen.boyd@ antrimandnewtownabbey.gov.uk

6 New Mayor and Deputy Mayor

7 £6m Investment in Our Parks

Mayor’s Message

14 Award Winning Council

Welcome to the June edition of Borough Life, our residents’ magazine that keeps you up-todate with what’s going on in the Borough.

I am delighted to begin my term as Mayor at such an exciting and important time for Antrim and Newtownabbey.

18 Best Kept Garden

We have just recently opened Northern Ireland’s second Crematorium following a £5m investment. This will be a great asset for the community, offering an essential service to families during difficult times.

Works will soon be commencing on two of our popular parks, Jordanstown Loughshore and Hazelbank following a £6m investment which will offer new and updated facilities for you all to enjoy, see page 7 for details.

21 Six Mile Festival

An exciting programme of events awaits this summer as we introduce the brand new Six Mile Festival to the Borough (page 21). Summer Sunday Music, SuperCup NI and the youth intervention programme, BEAT will also be making a return.

33 Stay Safe This Summer

We are continuing our battle against climate change and encouraging residents to join the Refillution in Plastic Free July, by carrying a reusable water bottle and filling up at one of our eight new contactless water refill stations (page 35).

I hope you all have an enjoyable summer and I look forward to meeting you all throughout my term as Mayor.

Councillor Mark Cooper BEM Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey

New Mayor and Deputy Mayor

At this year’s Annual Meeting on 30 May, Councillor Mark Cooper BEM was elected Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey and Councillor Rosie Kinnear was elected Deputy Mayor. The Mayor is the First Citizen of the Borough and is elected by fellow Councillors.

Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey, Councillor Mark Cooper BEM

Councillor Cooper has lived in Monkstown all his life with strong family roots across the Borough. He has faithfully represented the Threemilewater area since first being elected to the Council in 2019.

His interest in politics stemmed from his grassroots community work with the Monkstown Community Association based in Monkstown Jubilee Centre where he was inspired by the difference that community leaders could make to the daily lives of those living and working in the area.

Councillor Cooper is committed to supporting and growing the local economy; assisting small start ups through to large scale businesses. He has a particular interest in the creation of training and job opportunities for local people, to enable them to realise their personal ambitions. Recognising the importance of working with public and private sector partners, Councillor Cooper is keen to build on the Borough’s reputation as an outward and forward looking Council, which delivers for business.

Having served on the Housing Community Network then the Central Housing Forum, he is now on the Housing Council for Northern Ireland.

He is a strong advocate for the Deaf Community and brought forward the motion for the British Sign Language/Irish Sign Language Charter to ensure Council services are open and accessible to all and help resolve barriers between service providers and users.

Deputy Mayor, Councillor Rosie Kinnear

Councillor Rosie Kinnear has lived in the Borough all her life and was newly elected to the Council in 2019. She serves the Glengormley area where she was born and raised.

She is on the Board of Governors at Gaelscoil Éanna, and is the Cultural and Language Officer for Naomh Éanna. A qualified solicitor with her own practice, she brings this expertise to the Planning Committee.

Mayor's Charities

The Mayor’s three nominated charities for 2023/24 are

Northern Ireland Children’s Hospice, RVH Liver Support Group and Action Deaf Youth.

For more details on these charities visit antrimandnewtownabbey.gov.uk/mayorscharities

£6m Investment in Our Parks

We are delighted to announce £6m investment will be coming soon to two of our Borough’s popular visitor destinations. Jordanstown Loughshore Park and Hazelbank Park will be undergoing a significant transformation as part of the Council’s ongoing capital investment scheme, making the Borough a more beautiful place to work, live and visit.

Jordanstown Loughshore Park will see £2.8m worth of investment which will include:

• Refurbishment of the café

• Refurbishment of the caravan facilities and public toilets

• New first floor restaurant

• New Changing Places facility

• Additional parking.

In addition to this, Hazelbank Park will be undergoing £3.2m investment including:

• A new play park

• A new café

• New visitor facilities and toilets

• New Changing Places facility

• Additional parking.

Hazelbank Park has also recently became home to the Coronation Garden; a floral tapestry with classical architecture style, planted in a pollinator friendly and sustainable way. The Garden was designed by awardwinning gardener Diarmuid Gavin and was officially opened in May by King Charles III and Queen Camilla.

For more details on the Borough’s parks, visit antrimandnewtownabbey.gov.uk/parks

£100m Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre (AMIC) Gets the Green Light

A £100m Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre (AMIC) at Global Point, Newtownabbey has received the green light from Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council’s Planning Committee.

AMIC is a £100m project led by Queen’s University Belfast, alongside industry, Ulster University and Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council as part of the Belfast Region City Deal. By 2050 it is estimated that the Centre will have contributed 1,537 direct and indirect jobs.

AMIC will feature a state-of-the-art ‘Factory of the Future’ which will be the first of its kind in Northern Ireland. It will reinvigorate Northern

Ireland’s industrial potential and address the future technology and skills challenges faced by the region’s manufacturing sector. The Centre will turbocharge Northern Ireland’s manufacturing capabilities and embed a culture of innovation within advanced manufacturing to act as a driver for increased productivity.

This significant investment is a great asset to the Borough and will further bolster the Council’s aim to transform Global Point into a world class hub of advanced manufacturing. It will allow advanced manufacturing and engineering businesses to have access to the very latest technology, specialist equipment and expertise.

The Council has been notified that Cookstown based manufacturer CDE Global intends to submit a planning application for a new manufacturing facility at Global Point. This exciting development proposes to establish a manufacturing and assembly facility, storage warehouse and office building of 24,000m2 on the Global Point site which is located just three miles from CDE’s existing Monkstown base which they acquired in 2018. It demonstrates a further commitment from CDE to invest and do business in our Borough, by supporting job creation and the wider local supply chain. The company currently has sites worldwide including Australia, Brazil, India and USA.

Work Commences at Ulster Bar Corner

Former Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey, Alderman Stephen Ross, recently cut the first sod at an exciting regeneration project at Ulster Bar Corner in Antrim.

In partnership with Department for Communities (DfC), who are co-funding the project, the Council has taken temporary ownership of the site with plans to bring it back into wider community use.

This derelict site on Antrim High Street will be transformed into a beautifully landscaped, green recreation space for local residents, businesses and visitors to enjoy all year round.

The exciting plans include provision for;

Dedicated business meeting pods

Pop-up cinemas

It will also be a space for the wider community to use and the Council is encouraging schools, church groups, fitness clubs and community organisations to make plans to use the space to enhance their provision.

Works at Ulster Bar Corner are due to be completed this summer

BLK BOX Receives King’s Award

Local business, BLK BOX has been announced as one of the Northern Ireland recipients of the inaugural King’s Award for Enterprise. The Newtownabbey based strength and conditioning equipment manufacturers were awarded the accolade for Outstanding Short Term Growth in International Trade, which has seen a 251% growth since 2018. BLK BOX has positioned themselves as market leaders in the vastly competitive health, fitness and lifestyle industry.

BLK BOX Chief Executive, Greg Bradley who founded the business in 2012, recognised a gap in the market to deliver high end bespoke products, and through his commitment and innovative flair has propelled the business from start-up to industry leader within eleven years. The company boasts an impressive customer portfolio, which includes Adidas, Nike, PureGym, Arsenal FC, Manchester United FC, Kerry GAA and Irish Rugby.

The business prides itself on being customer orientated and aims to deliver on its mantra ‘Built by

Athletes for Athletes’. Owing to its continued growth and expansion overseas they have recruited close to 100 staff at their headquarters in Monkstown.

Now in its 57th year, The King’s Award for Enterprise (previously known as The Queen’s Award for Enterprise) is the most prestigious business award in the country.

In addition to this success, BLK BOX has just secured a global contract to supply PureGym. This collaboration will further bolster BLK BOX’s global brand awareness as PureGym opens new branches in America and the Middle East.

For more information, visit www.gov.uk/kings-awards-for-enterprise

UK Government Levelling Up Minister Visits Leading Project in Antrim Town Centre

The UK Government Levelling Up Minister, Dehenna Davison MP, recently visited Antrim to see some of the regeneration projects underway in the town centre and riverfront, supported by the £1.2m received from the UK Levelling Up Fund.

Minister Davison visited the site of the former Wellworths building on High Street and was shown the plans which will realise the transformation of the building into a new 16,000 square foot workspace hub. This new workspace will be a hive of activity for social enterprises, business

start-ups and those just looking for a desk for a day. This is the centrepiece of the wider regeneration plan for the area which will drive the Council’s ambition to foster economic growth.

The £1.2m investment from the Levelling Up Fund will breathe new life into the town, support local jobs and be a fantastic asset for the people of Antrim for years to come. The redevelopment of the former Wellworths building has made significant progress and the works are due to be completed by January 2024.

Dobbies Flagship Store Opens at The Junction Antrim this Autumn

Dobbies will open their new flagship store at The Junction, Antrim, this autumn. The 110,000sqft store will be the largest store in Dobbies portfolio and their second store in Northern Ireland, offering a full range of plants, homeware and outdoor living. The store will also include a 500-seater restaurant, creating up to 120 jobs, and it is expected it will attract one million customers each year.

The Council's Economic Development team is continuing to support Dobbies with recruitment and staff training through open days, recruitment workshops and a dedicated Jobs Fair. The Council is also looking forward to working with Dobbies on initiatives such as Garden Show Ireland.

The Council granted planning permission for this £10m investment in just under 25 weeks demonstrating the efficient processing of major planning applications by our Planning Team and the substantial rewards to the Borough.

For more details visit www.dobbies.com

Tribetech Success

Former Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey, Alderman Stephen Ross, recently visited TribeTech in Mallusk to celebrate their recent growth and success within the Borough.

TribeTech is an innovative mining equipment manufacturer, who expanded from Australia to Mallusk in 2021. They are the world’s first Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) of completely autonomous Reverse Circulation Drill rigs which are designed to improve safety and increase efficiency in the mining industry.

Since TribeTech came to the Borough, they have continued to expand both locally and globally. The Economic Development team look forward to continuing to support the company with their growth and development plans.

For more details on Tribetech visit www.tribetechgroup.com

FLEXIBLE WORKSPACE COMING TO ANTRIM & GLENGORMLEY

£5.1M TO LEVEL UP

£6.5m Glengormley

Workspace

Hub Gets Green Light

The regeneration plans for Glengormley have received a further boost as planning approval was granted by Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council’s Planning Committee for a new £6.5m workspace hub on the former police station site.

The 16,000sqft state-of-the-art flagship building will host modern flexible office/workspace for new start up and early growth businesses and is one of the many projects planned for Glengormley as part of an overall regeneration programme.

The wider regeneration of Glengormley is well underway with the new shopfront facades at Glenwell Road from Creative Tiles to the Movie House, now complete. Works have also commenced on the new right turn lane on the Antrim Road at the junction of Church Way and Glenwell Road.

An upgrade of Farmley car park from Farmley Road to Glenwell Road is also part of the plans to improve pedestrian and traffic flow.

New pavements, street furniture, lighting and increased public pedestrian space are also planned as part of a major public realm scheme which will extend from the new office/ workspace right through the town centre.

For full details on the Glengormley Regeneration Scheme, and the improvements we are making to the town, visit antrimandnewtownabbey. gov.uk/yourglengormley

To find out more about our new workspace hubs E. business@ antrimandnewtownabbey.gov.uk

Award Winning Council

The Council has been recognised for its exemplary work across a number of award governing bodies.

This includes;

iESE Certificate of Excellence

In recognition of the exemplary standard of work demonstrated by the Council.

The iESE Public Service Transformation Awards celebrate the best in local public services, looking for the transformations that show true innovation and which have delivered the biggest improvements to the lives of residents and local businesses.

Re-accreditation of Charter Plus Standard for Elected Member Development

A quality standard recognising the Council’s commitment to helping ensure good practice and continuous improvement for its Elected Members.

The Council has also been shortlisted as finalists at the MJ Achievement Awards and Local Government Chronicle Awards (LGC) in the following categories;

MJ Achievement Awards

• Best Council Services Team (Economic Development)

• Senior Leadership Team

• “Commended” certification in Leadership in responding to the Climate Emergency.

LGC Awards

• Small Team of the Year – Economic Development Team

• Economic Support – “Delivering for Business”

The MJ Achievement and LCG Awards both recognise and celebrate the success for those working in local government across the UK.

Balmoral 2023

Local food and drinks businesses from across the Borough were given the opportunity to showcase their products and services at this year’s Balmoral Show. The Show, known as Northern Ireland’s largest agri-food event, highlighted the amazing range, variety and quality of local produce available.

Each business enjoyed two days on the Council stand in the NI Food Pavilion which provided a platform to help showcase small businesses who wouldn’t otherwise be able to take a stand at Balmoral.

With over 100,000 estimated visitors to this year’s event, it provides an excellent vehicle for small, local businesses to promote their products.

Businesses included:

• Tinholt’s Tasties

• Maria’s Bakes

• Lekkers NI

• Riversdale Wagyu

• Geterbrewed

• Golden Popcorn Ltd

• Belfast Artisan Gin

• McKeever Hotels

• The Lock Keeper’s Cottage

• Sweet Heaven by Shona.

If you are a food or drinks business in our Borough and would like to take part in Balmoral 2024, please keep an eye on our social media channels for announcements later this year.

Local Businesses Enjoy Award Success

Local businesses from across the Borough recently enjoyed award success at the Federation of Small Business and Belfast Telegraph Award ceremonies. The Federation of Small Business Awards celebrate the contribution and achievements of small businesses and the self-employed across Northern Ireland in twelve categories, including Innovation, Service Excellence, Exports and Sustainability.

Five companies from the Borough were shortlisted as finalists which resulted in wins for;

• InspecVision Ltd (Exporter of the Year), Newtownabbey

• Hagan Homes (Community Award), Ballyclare

These winning businesses also secured a place in the UK final which was held on Thursday 18 May.

At the Belfast Telegraph awards, five more local businesses were amongst the shortlisted finalists with further success in the following categories;

• McKeever Hotels were highly commended in the NI Tourism Hospitality Company of the Year category

• CDE Group were highly commended for the Excellence in the Development of Management and Leadership Award category

• Henderson Group were highly commended in the Excellence in Marketing Award category.

The Borough boasts an impressive business portfolio and it is great to see some of these businesses being recognised for their service and contribution to the industry.

Hagan Homes - Community Award winners

InspecVision - Export of the Year winners

Mayor Supports Local Businesses

One of the duties of the Mayor is to visit local businesses across the Borough to show support for the fantastic work that they do. The former Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey, Alderman Stephen Ross visited a wide range of businesses, both large and small, to celebrate their growth and success during his term.

The Mayoral visits achieve a number of things:

• The businesses receive significant exposure and publicity

• The businesses can be introduced to the Council’s Economic Development Team which can open the door to support in a wide range of areas e.g. skills, expansion plans, recruitment, career development, supported employment, business networking and international linkages

• The businesses can be included in the Council’s business database ensuring they receive information on future grant and funding opportunities.

If you are a business in the Borough and would like to know more about the support available E. investment@ antrimandnewtownabbey.gov.uk

Best Kept Garden

Are you a local business, community group or resident that takes pride in the appearance of your home or premises? If so, we would encourage you to enter the Best Kept Garden competition 2023.

Our Best Kept Garden competition is an opportunity for green-fingered gardeners to showcase their horticultural masterpieces.

This year we have an additional category, ‘Best Kept Allotment Plot.'

Categories include:

Best Kept Garden

Best Kept Front/Container Garden

Best Kept Community Planting

Best Kept Commercial Premises

Best Kept School Grounds (Applications closed)

Most Wildlife Friendly Garden

Most Sustainable Garden

Best Kept Allotment Plot (plot must be within the Borough)

Entries close on 14 July 2023 and judging will commence on 27 July 2023.

For more details or to enter the competition visit antrimandnewtownabbey.gov.uk/bestkept

Local Schools Explore Nature

The importance of children having contact with nature from an early age is the basis of the Scandinavian concept, ‘Forest School’.

Delivering training and accreditation to schools and educational establishments since 2008, the Northern Ireland Forest School Association has established a simple 10-step guide to help schools develop their own outdoor learning programme.

Every year, with support from the Council, the Association trains and accredits a number of local teachers to achieve their Forest School Leader Level 3 qualification, so that they can deliver the programme in their schools.

It incorporates aspects of history, geography and science, delivers an opportunity to develop thinking skills and personal capabilities, and has a strong emphasis on promoting numeracy and literacy. Even more importantly than this, the initiative connects children to their outdoor environment, stimulating curiosity and inspiring a love of the natural world that is likely to remain long after the end of primary school.

This year, the Council has provided support for one school in each District Electoral Area, to have Forest School training and accreditation delivered. The successful schools are as follows:

• Ballynure Primary School

• King’s Park Primary School

• St Bernard’s Primary School

• Antrim Primary School

• Mallusk Primary School

• Groggan Primary School

• Mossley Primary School.

For more details on the initiative E. parks@ antrimandnewtownabbey.gov.uk

Coronation of His Majesty The King and Her Majesty The Queen

To mark the Coronation of His Majesty The King and Her Majesty The Queen, we hosted a weekend of celebrations. From Live Screenings of the Coronation Ceremony and Concert, to the Big Lunch and Big Help Out, there was lots in store for everyone to come together and celebrate this momentous occasion.

To leave a lasting legacy, the Council commissioned Invocation: A Coronation Hymn, written by Dr Philip Hammond and included the voices of 450 local primary school children. A Bespoke Coronation Robe was also designed and created by local textile designer Angela Turkington with the support of 22 primary schools. Residents were invited to a Glorious Glimpse of the Coronation Garden designed by award-winning garden designer Diarmuid Gavin before we were honoured to welcome King Charles III and Queen Camilla to officially open the Coronation Garden on Wednesday 23 May. Over 50 primary schools in the Borough also received a special tree and local school children received a commemorative trowel and packet of wildflower seeds to mark the Coronation. It is hoped that each tree and packet of wildflower seeds planted, will provide a visible and tangible reminder of this historic occasion.

For more details visit antrimandnewtownabbey.gov.uk/KingsCoronation

Royal Visit to the Coronation Garden

Coronation Robe

Coronation Ceremony

Schools’ Tree Presentation

Coronation Concerts

Golf Memberships

Whether you're a seasoned golfer or just starting out, you'll enjoy access to top-notch facilities, including our pristine greens, fairways and state-ofthe-art equipment at Antrim and Newtownabbey golf courses.

SuperCup NI Returns to the Borough

Last year the SuperCup NI tournament made history with the introduction of a girls-only competition within the overall tournament and a section specifically for under-16 soccer teams.

This year, which celebrates the 40th Anniversary of the tournament, will see the return of the Girls Premier section and introduction of the new Junior section with a total of twelve teams from Northern Ireland, Scotland, Republic of Ireland and USA.

As the Council is a partner for the Girls Tournament, all matches will be played within the Borough at Cloyne Crescent Monkstown, The Diamond Rathcoole, Mossley Park Newtownabbey, Dixon Park Ballyclare and Chimney Corner Antrim.

The 2023 tournament will run from 24 to 28 July.

Keep up to date with all the action at Supercupni.com

GIRLS TOURNAMENT

Fitness Suite Fun for Junior Members

If you are aged between 12-15 years old and would like to train in the gym, then we have new Junior Fitness sessions just for you!

Junior Fitness is available in all of our five leisure centres and the membership includes:

• Independent gym access (times are restricted)

• Supervised sessions to help get the best from your training (Monday-Friday 3.30-5.30pm and Saturday/Sunday 2-4pm)

• Free 1-2-1 induction and programme

• Access to MyWellness app to help track your training, how to videos and programmes

• 6 weekly progress checks and programme updates

• Support from our experienced fitness team

• Fitness Challenges especially for our Junior Members.

If you have a family membership, this is already included. Alternatively you can pay as you go which is £2 per session.

For more information contact the MORE Team on T. 0300 1231580 or E. MORE@antrimandnewtownabbey.gov.uk

Volunteering not only helps to provide support to organisations but it is really valuable in bringing communities together. The Big Help Out event at the beginning of May was a tremendous success with many volunteers giving up their time to help with clean ups, flower planting and even card making workshops with the elderly.

Working with voluntary groups and organisations, the Council has been showcasing a variety of volunteering opportunities available through our ‘Spotlight on Volunteering’ campaign. There are now 16 organisations locally who would value just a few hours of your time and knowledge to help them improve the lives of people in our Borough.

Are you an individual who is interested in volunteering in your community?

Find opportunities to help including befriending, IT, driving duties, cleaning, admin and working with people young and old. There are voluntary roles to suit every interest and skill set.

Why Volunteer?

✓ Make new friends

✓ Learn new skills

✓ Improve your confidence

✓ Give something back

✓ Improve your mental and physical health

Lend a helping hand and make a difference this summer. Visit antrimandnewtownabbey.gov.uk /SpotlightonVolunteering

Tacking Mental Health in Our Community

To help tackle mental health issues in the area, the Council recently funded a series of workshops across the Borough to provide Mental Health First Aid training to community volunteers.

Over 60 volunteers successfully completed the training, received an accredited ‘Level 2 Award in First Aid for Mental Health’ certificate and became ‘Community Mental Health Champions’ for the Borough. Through their training they learned how to recognise a range of mental health conditions, how to start a supportive conversation and how to signpost people to seek the appropriate professional help.

Each year in the UK, one in four people will be affected by a mental health condition. People often hide their problems due to a fear of discrimination which can often make things worse. The aim of this programme is to reduce the stigma around mental health and to encourage people to open up about their struggles.

The feedback from the community volunteers who completed the training was extremely positive.

Mairead O’Hare who completed the training said, “I currently volunteer in four community groups. Northern Ireland is facing a mental health crisis like never witnessed before. It is vital we strive to reflect and self-manage our mental health as best we can. This course gave some insight into this as well as how to react when you witness a deterioration in the mental health of family and friends. I would highly recommend this course.”

For more information on the Community Mental Health Champions programme

E. cpbs@antrimandnewtownabbey.gov.uk

Pick up a Pre-Loved Uniform

We watch our children grow before our very eyes and those uniforms you once said they’d ‘grow into’ quickly become too small.

This can result in good-as-new uniforms ending up in landfill which is damaging to the environment. To help address this, we are urging residents to think twice before they throw out good-quality uniforms or go shopping for something brand new and instead use the Council’s School Uniform Re-use Scheme.

The Scheme accepts donations of clean, washed, good-quality uniform items that are no longer required. So if you would like to do your bit for the environment, why not use the Scheme to pass on items to someone else for the new school year?

For more information on the schemes including opening hours, drop-off and collection points visit antrimandnewtownabbey. gov.uk/uniform

Celebrating Good Relations

Good Relations Week (1823 September) is the annual celebration of work that goes on all year round to help build peace and good community relations. Good Relations acknowledges the religious, political and racial context of our society and seeks to show respect, equity and trust as well as embrace diversity.

This year’s theme for Good Relations Week is ‘Together’ and to celebrate we will be hosting a selection of workshops, events, discussion panels, storytelling and lots more throughout the Borough. Keep an eye on our social media pages over the summer for more details.

For more information on the Council’s Good Relations initiatives

E. goodrelations@antrimandnewtownabbey.gov.uk

BEAT Returns for 2023

Organised by Antrim and Newtownabbey Policing and Community Safety Partnership (PCSP), the summer youth intervention programme, BEAT (Be Educated, Be Active, Be Together) will return to the Borough this summer. BEAT offers a mix of physical, developmental and educational activities including; sports, arts and music, mental health, drugs and alcohol awareness, good relations and the opportunity to socialise and make new friends.

The programme will run on three evenings each week, from 7-10pm, for 6 weeks during July and August in Antrim, Glengormley and Ballyclare town centres and is suitable for young people aged 11+ years.

In addition, there will also be a series of ‘BEAT Pop-Up’ events in Crumlin, Randalstown and Newtownabbey. Like the main BEAT programmes, the ‘Pop-Up’ events will also be youth work-led and will consist of a range of activities for young people to get involved in. The first of these events will commence on Thursday 20 July.

For more information on dates, venues and how to register E. PCSP@antrimandnewtownabbey.gov.uk or T. 028 9034 0000

This programme is supported by Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE). Antrim and Newtownabbey PCSP is funded through Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council, the Department of Justice and the Northern Ireland Policing Board.

The Summer Boredom

Out and About With the Mayor

Recognition Event for the Royal Ulster Constabulary George Cross and the Centenary of Policing in NI

SuperCupNI Girls Tournament 2023 returns

The Council obtained its own bespoke Elmer which now resides in Mossley Mill

Autism Experience Bus

New floodlit 3G pitch and upgrade of changing facilities announced for Mossley Park

Beating Retreat to mark the 50th Anniversary of the Ulster Defence Regiment

The Mayor's Spring Ball which raised over £15k for the Mayor's Charities

Alderman Stephen Ross finished his term as Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey on 30 May 2023. Here are a few photographs of his final engagements as Mayor.

Council launches new Contactless Water Refill Stations

Launch of Garden Show Ireland

New interpretive panels to mark the one year anniversary of Randalstown Elevation Garden

International Women's Day 2023

This summer Antrim and Newtownabbey Students will set off to Arizona as part of the Sister Cities Student Exchange Programme

Council achieves re-accreditation of Charter Plus Standard for Elected Members

Official Opening of Crumlin Allotments

Fun, Food and Frolic at the 2023 Ballyclare May Fair

Huge crowds flocked to the town for the much-loved Ballyclare May Fair. The traditional Soap Box Derby, It’s a Knockout, Vintage Car Show and the annual Mayor’s Parade were as popular as ever. Headline sponsors, the Ulster-Scots Agency brought some new elements to this year’s show with An Ulster Scotch History of Whisk(e)y night with tasty tipples, a traditional Cèilidh in the Town Hall, Highland Dancing lessons for schools and a special service discovering the history of Ulster-Scots Hymn-Writing.

See if you can spot yourself in our full May Fair photo gallery via the QR code. Do you have any suggestions on how we can make next year’s event even better? We welcome your feedback at consultations.antrimandnewtownabbey.gov.uk

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In a bid to tackle climate change and reduce our carbon emissions, we have an ambitious plan to plant one million native trees across the Borough over the next few years. This ambition is not something we can deliver alone…so we need your help.

Whether you are a business, community group, school or a keen gardener, we want you to help us reach our one million target, by planting native trees in your area, when the planting season begins again in autumn, and recording it with us.

Northern Ireland currently has the lowest tree cover within Europe - only 8%! Trees and hedgerows are some of the most powerful tools we have in the fight against climate change. The good news is that we can all make a difference by planting a tree! Whether you plant a tree in a pot on your doorstep or a hedge in your garden, every tree will help us grow a greener future together.

Why Native Trees?

Provenance is key for biodiversity; local trees support our microorganisms, fungi and insects, they provide food and shelter for birds and small mammals, and through their roots help establish a beneficial underground information highway. For example, the mighty oak supports over 2,300 species of insect, fungi, birds, small mammals etc., 320 of which are only found on oak and a further 229 rarely found elsewhere.

Can I get Funding for Trees?

Funding is available for trees through the ‘Small Woodland Grant Scheme’ administered by the Department for Agriculture, Environment and

Rural Affairs (DAERA). It normally opens from June to August each year, and supports woodland creation of at least 0.2 hectares on agricultural and non-agricultural land that is not already wooded. For further details visit www.daera-ni.gov.uk

The Woodland Trust can also supply funding through the ‘More Woods’ programme and the ‘More Hedges’ programme. ‘More Woods’ is for the planting of new woodland over 0.5 hectares (1,000-1,6000 trees per ha) whilst the ‘More Hedges’ funding programme will cover up to 75% of costs to plant over 100m of new hedging and allow a large tree to grow every six metres. Note: It is not suitable for replanting or gapping up existing hedgerows. For more details on either of these funding programmes visit www.woodlandtrust.org.uk

Our Progress

Since the campaign began in November 2021, there have been 193,000 native trees planted throughout our Borough. This has been supported by our key partners, including the Woodland Trust, local landowners, schools and community groups. We are thankful to everyone who is doing their bit to help us tackle climate change and meet our ambitious targets.

For more information on the One Million Trees initiative, including videos on how to successfully plant a tree or to register your trees, visit antrimandnewtownabbey.gov.uk/plantatree

Stay Safe This Summer!

During the summer months there are so many opportunities to enjoy spending time outdoors; in our gardens, parks, play parks, at the beach, river walks or enjoying sport. Many people also work outside and there are a few handy tips that can help everyone to stay safe.

Care in the Sun

Now that summer is here and the weather is warming up, it’s important to ‘Be UV Aware’ and take appropriate care in the sun

Ultraviolet (UV) levels vary with the seasons and time of day, but when the UV index is three or above we need to protect our skin and eyes. In Northern Ireland we are exposed to significant levels of UV radiation between March and October, even on cool or overcast days. The UV rays from the sun are particularly strong around the middle of the day, from 11am to 3pm.

Water Safety

• Children should be supervised while playing in a paddling pool

• The grass may get wet and slippery around a paddling pool so be aware of potential accidents when children climb out

• When in a pool, encourage children to kneel rather than stand if unsteady on their feet

• Stop children gaining access to ponds by installing secure fencing at least 4ft high or by adding a strong mesh or grill to the top of your pond

• Some quarry lakes may look inviting to swim in on a hot summer’s day but there are a number of hidden dangers. Most quarries are private and you should not climb over damaged fences or gates to access them.

So if you are spending time outdoors, whether it be through work, sport or leisure then make sure you take the necessary precautions in the sun – seek shade, cover up, wear a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen – especially when the UV index is three or above.

For more information visit www.careinthesun.org

Get Wet, Stay Safe

If you love getting outdoors and are interested in water sports but want to ensure you enjoy the water safely, then make sure you check out the free ‘Get Wet, Stay Safe’ (GWSS) programme from Sport NI. This programme provides a series of training sessions in the Borough for those interested in paddle boarding, kayaking or open-water swimming:

• Antrim Lough Shore, 11 & 12 August

• Toome Canal, 13 August

All equipment will be provided. For details or to sign up visit antrimandnewtownabbey.gov.uk /get-wet-stay-safe

What Goes in my Brown Bin?

The Council has the top recycling rate of all councils across Northern Ireland. However, there are still a lot of recyclables being placed in our black bins which end up in landfill, costing more money and damaging the environment.

By recycling more items, we can save money and the environment so it is important that we recycle right and put the correct items in the correct bin. The following items can be placed in your brown bin:

✓ Hedge trimmings, grass cuttings, leaves and twigs

✓ Takeaway pizza boxes

✓ Shredded paper, kitchen roll and napkins

✓ Coffee grounds and tea bags

✓ All food waste

These items in your brown bin will turn into compost, rather than going to landfill, minimising the impact on the environment.

Remember: Clean, Dry, Empty, Flat!

To help reduce contamination of your recycled items, reduce nasty odours and also to give you more space to recycle more, we are encouraging residents to remember ‘Clean, Dry, Empty, Flat’ when recycling items.

• Clean: give items a quick rinse to remove most of the leftover food/liquids. Food or liquid can spoil other recycling, resulting in all of it not being recycled when it gets taken to the recycling facility

• Dry: wet items can spoil other recycling so please ensure all items are dry

• Empty: never stack or place items inside each other as they can be difficult to separate at the recycling facility. Please do not bag items and place inside recycling bin/wheelie box

• Flat: flatten items to save space in your bin and avoid other items being placed inside.

For more details on how you can recycle right visit antrimandnewtownabbey.gov.uk /recycle

Plastic Free July

Take part in Plastic Free July and challenge yourself to eliminate one or more single use plastic items this month. The best way to reduce plastic pollution is to reuse, rethink and reduce single use plastics.

Easy ways to make your July plastic free:

✓ Buy loose fruit and vegetables or use reusable produce bags

✓ Carry a reusable water bottle and refill at a water refill station

✓ Avoid takeaway coffees or carry a reusable cup

✓ Carry a reusable shopping bag

✓ Use an alternative to cling film

✓ Avoid single use plastic cutlery when eating outside the home

For more information visit www.plasticfreejuly.org

Join the Refillution

Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council is taking a proactive approach to reducing plastic waste and promoting a cleaner, healthier environment by installing eight EcoFil contactless water filling stations across the Borough.

We can all play our part to help reduce plastic waste! Why not make the switch today to reusable bottles and take the pledge by scanning the QR code on one of our refill stations:

• Antrim Lough Shore

• Antrim Castle Gardens

• Jordanstown Loughshore Park

• Hazelbank Park

• Theatre at The Mill

• V36

• Neilsbrook Community Centre

• Six Mile Water Park, Ballyclare.

For more information visit antrimandnewtownabbey.gov.uk/refillution

Your Councillors

KEY ABBREVIATIONS

DUP Democratic Unionist Party

IND Independent

SDLP Social Democratic and Labour Party

UUP Ulster Unionist Party

Airport District Electoral Area (DEA)

COVERS ALDERGROVE, CLADY, CRUMLIN, MALLUSK AND TEMPLEPATRICK.

ANNE MARIE LOGUE SINN FÉIN

T. 07533 353610

E. annemarie.logue@ antrimandnewtown abbey.gov.uk

MATTHEW MAGILL DUP

T. 07825 374019

E. matthew.magill@ antrimandnewtown abbey.gov.uk

ANDREW MCAULEY ALLIANCE

T. 07775 756466

E. andrew.mcauley@ antrimandnewtown abbey.gov.uk

PAUL MICHAEL bem UUP

T. 07587 657120

E. paul.michael@ antrimandnewtown abbey.gov.uk

MAIGHRÉAD NÍ CHONGHAILE SINN FÉIN

T. 07827 286768

E. maighread.nichonghaile@ antrimandnewtown abbey.gov.uk

Antrim District Electoral Area (DEA)

COVERS ANTRIM CENTRE, FOUNTAIN HILL, GREYSTONE, SPRINGFARM, STEEPLE AND STILES.

PAUL DUNLOP bem DUP

T. 07771 554652

E. paul.dunlop@ antrimandnewtown abbey.gov.uk

NEIL KELLY ALLIANCE

T. 07545 992615

E. neil.kelly@ antrimandnewtown abbey.gov.uk

ROISIN LYNCH SDLP

T. 07827 276840

E. roisin.lynch@ antrimandnewtown abbey.gov.uk

LUCILLE O'HAGAN SINN FÉIN

T. 07827 286769

E. lucille.ohagan@ antrimandnewtown abbey.gov.uk

JOHN SMYTH DUP

T. 07436 582180

E. john.smyth@ antrimandnewtown abbey.gov.uk

Ballyclare District Electoral Area (DEA)

COVERS BALLYCLARE EAST, BALLYCLARE WEST, BALLYNURE, BALLYROBERT AND DOAGH.

LEAH SMYTH UUP

T. 07984 030867

E. leah.smyth@ antrimandnewtown abbey.gov.uk

JEANNIE ARCHIBALD-BROWN DUP

T. 07715 392229

E. jeannie.archibald-brown@ antrimandnewtown abbey.gov.uk

LEWIS BOYLE ALLIANCE

T. 07827 286771

E. lewis.boyle@ antrimandnewtown abbey.gov.uk

HELEN MAGILL DUP

T. 07827 287163

E. helen.magill@ antrimandnewtown abbey.gov.uk

VERA MCWILLIAM UUP

T. 07792 477050

E. vera.mcwilliam@ antrimandnewtown abbey.gov.uk

MICHAEL STEWART IND

T. 07810 868522

E. michael.stewart@ antrimandnewtown abbey.gov.uk

JAY BURBANK ALLIANCE

T. 07826 513279

E. jay.burbank@ antrimandnewtown abbey.gov.uk

Dunsilly District Electoral Area (DEA)

COVERS CRANFIELD, PARKGATE, RANDALSTOWN, SHILVODAN AND TOOME.

LINDA CLARKE DUP

T. 07803 132601

E. linda.clarke@ antrimandnewtown abbey.gov.uk

HENRY CUSHINAN SINN FÉIN

T. 07871 229810

E. henry.cushinan@ antrimandnewtown abbey.gov.uk

ANNIE O'LONE SINN FÉIN

T. 07827 286772

E. annie.olone@ antrimandnewtown abbey.gov.uk

STEWART WILSON UUP

T. 07827 286774

E. stewart.wilson@ antrimandnewtown abbey.gov.uk

Glengormley Urban Electoral Area (DEA)

COVERS BALLYHENRY, BURNTHILL, CARNMONEY, COLLINBRIDGE, GLEBE, GLENGORMLEY AND HIGHTOWN.

ALISON BENNINGTON DUP

T. 07741 241011

E. alison.bennington@ antrimandnewtown abbey.gov.uk

PAULA BRADLEY DUP

T. 07500 870323

E. paula.bradley@ antrimandnewtown abbey.gov.uk

MARK COSGROVE UUP

T. 07555 650015

E. mark.cosgrove@ antrimandnewtown abbey.gov.uk

MICHAEL GOODMAN SINN FÉIN

T. 07827 818500

E. michael.goodman@ antrimandnewtown abbey.gov.uk

ROSIE KINNEAR SINN FÉIN

T. 07771 544248

E. rosie.kinnear@ antrimandnewtown abbey.gov.uk

JULIAN MCGRATH ALLIANCE

T. 07920 029033

E. julian.mcgrath@ antrimandnewtown abbey.gov.uk

Macedon District Electoral Area (DEA)

COVERS ABBEY, CARNMONEY HILL, O’NEILL, RATHCOOLE, VALLEY AND WHITEHOUSE.

EAMONN MCLAUGHLIN SINN FÉIN

T. 07827 286775

E. eamonn.mclaughlin@ antrimandnewtown abbey.gov.uk

MATTHEW BRADY DUP

T. 07833 105351

E. matthew.brady@ antrimandnewtown abbey.gov.uk

ROBERT FOSTER UUP

T. 07342 064510

E. robert.foster@ antrimandnewtown abbey.gov.uk

BEN MALLON DUP

T. 07719 652057

E. ben.mallon@ antrimandnewtown abbey.gov.uk

TAYLOR MCGRANN SINN FÉIN

T. 07436 548081

E. taylor.mcgrann@ antrimandnewtown abbey.gov.uk

STAFFORD WARD IND

T. 07827 286776

E. stafford.ward@ antrimandnewtown abbey.gov.uk

Threemilewater District Electoral Area (DEA)

COVERS BALLYDUFF, FAIRVIEW, JORDANSTOWN, MONKSTOWN, MOSSLEY AND ROSTULLA. MAYOR

TOM CAMPBELL ALLIANCE

T. 07595 978690

E. tom.campbell@ antrimandnewtown abbey.gov.uk

MARK COOPER bem DUP

T. 07771 332108

E. mark.cooper@ antrimandnewtown abbey.gov.uk

STEPHEN COSGROVE UUP

T. 07909 531742

E. stephen.cosgrove@ antrimandnewtown abbey.gov.uk

SAM FLANAGAN DUP

T. 07984 037509

E. sam.flanagan@ antrimandnewtown abbey.gov.uk

JULIE GILMOUR ALLIANCE

T. 07796 950825

E. julie.gilmour@ antrimandnewtown abbey.gov.uk

BILLY WEBB mbe jp ALLIANCE

T. 07799 866876

E. billy.webb@ antrimandnewtown abbey.gov.uk

STEPHEN ROSS DUP

T. 07713 946038

E. stephen.ross@ antrimandnewtown abbey.gov.uk

DEPUTY MAYOR

Do Business With Us!

The Council procures a variety of goods and services and uses an electronic procurement portal to promote these opportunities:

eSourcingNI – e-sourcingni. bravosolution.co.uk

If you own a business make sure you take the time to sign up to this portal to ensure you do not miss any tender opportunities.

For more information

T. 028 9034 0090 or E. procurement@ antrimandnewtownabbey.gov.uk

USEFUL NUMBERS

PLEASE NOTE - The Council is NOT responsible for these services. We've listed some useful contacts to help you.

Survey - Council’s Digital Services

We are keen to improve our communications about Council services, events, leisure activities, theatres and news.

Please take a few minutes to complete this survey.

For competition rules visit antrimandnewtownabbey.gov.uk/competitionrules or these can be posted on request T. 0300 123 4568

This survey can also be completed online at antrimandnewtownabbey.gov.uk/surveys

Prize Draw

All responses received will be entered into a prize draw to win one month

Family Leisure MembershipCentre

1. How do you usually hear about Council services, events, offers, leisure classes and courses, weather and news updates? (Please tick all that apply)

of Mouth (Family or Friends)

2. Do you feel that you are well informed about what events are happening in the Borough?

Yes No (please comment below)

3. Are you satisfied that you are well informed about what services the Council provides?

Yes No (please comment below)

4. Have you used any of the Council’s digital platforms in the past 12 months?

5. Why did you visit these digital platforms? (Please tick all that apply)

Report a problem - dog fouling, fly tipping

Request a service - bulky collection, purchase a bin

Pay for a service - dog license

Get information on Council events

Get information about Council services

Manage your leisure membership - book fitness classes, swimming

Customer complaints/ compliments

Research

Other (please state):

Website Live Chat ANBorough App Twitter Facebook Instagram

6. How easy was it to navigate our digital platforms?

Website

Apply/ Report/ Pay

Live Chat

ANBorough App

7. How satisfied are you with the Council's online communications?

Website Live Chat

ANBorough App Twitter Facebook Instagram LinkedIn TikTok

What else would you like to see on our digital platforms?

8. How satisfied are you with the Borough Life magazine?

Do you have any suggestions about articles you would like to see in Borough Life?

9. Overall, how satisfied are you with how the Council communicates with residents?

10. Overall, how satisfied are you with ALL SERVICES provided by Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council?

11. Would you be interested in taking part in a discussion about how the Council informs residents about what it does?

Yes No

PRIZE DRAW

Simply complete the survey and your contact details below and return to: FREEPOST ANTRIM AND NEWTOWNABBEY BOROUGH COUNCIL – CIVIC CENTRE

Or complete online at antrimandnewtownabbey.gov.uk/surveys

Closing date Thursday 31 August

Contact name:

Contact number:

Contact email:

For competition rules visit antrim and newtownabbey.gov.uk/competitionrules

Prize Draw

All responses received will be entered into a prize draw to win one month

Family Leisure MembershipCentre

For GDPR Statement antrim and newtownabbey.gov.uk/gdpr/communications-and-customer-services-gdpr