Other News In Brief

Small Rural Business Grant Programme Launched In Antrim & Newtownabbey

Small businesses in a rural area of Antrim & Newtownabbey Borough Council are encouraged to avail of almost £5,000 of funding.

The £4,999 grants have been made available through the Department of Agriculture, Environment & Rural Affairs' Tackling Rural Poverty & Social Isolation (TRPSI) Programme.

The scheme is open to existing businesses with less than 10 full-time employees for capital items between 18 November 2019 and 12noon on 18 December 2019. The grants are at a maximum of 50% grant rate, up to £4,999. Capital items include, for example, equipment, machinery, computers and software, or building works if you have planning permission and own your property or have a long-term lease.

Your project can cost up to £20,000 with a maximum grant of £4,999 and a minimum grant of £500. Your business must be already actively trading and in a rural part of the Borough. Anyone unsure of whether their firm is in a rural area is advised to contact the council or attend one of the information events as follows:

• Thursday 21 November, 10am-11am, Antrim Civic Centre

• Thursday 28 November, 7pm-8pm, Mossley Mill

Find out more here.

Cancer Focus NI To Spread The Festive Cheer

A festive Christmas concert will be performed by the Cancer Focus Northern Ireland Sing for Life choir at Fisherwick Presbyterian Church in Belfast on Monday 16 December.

The community choir is made up of cancer patients, family, friends, carers and health professionals and has over 100 members. It is conducted by musical director Keith Acheson and performs a wide range of popular songs, including carols to mark the festive season. The evening will be compared by well-known broadcaster Seamus McKee.

Dervilia Kernaghan, Cancer Focus NI Head of Care Services, said: "This concert is the highlight of the year for us.

"This is Cancer Focus NI's 50th anniversary of supporting people in Northern Ireland who have cancer and their families, so it has been a very important year for us and one we are keen to celebrate. We'd love as many people as possible to join us."

Dervilia added: "It is well-known that music and choirs are therapeutic. Our choir was created to help give patients and people recovering from cancer a chance to meet others in a similar situation and to share time together in a friendly, supportive environment. You don't need previous musical experience and new members are always welcome."

Tickets for the concert cost £8, or concession, £6. The doors open at 7.15pm and tickets can be bought at the door.

Sporting Communities Support NI Children's Hospice Christmas Campaign

Local sports personalities from the GAA community, Ulster Hockey and Swim Ulster have weighed in behind Northern Ireland's Children’s Hospice festive fundraising campaign, Jingle All the Way.

The ambitious campaign, now in its third year, aims to raise £500,000 to help give the vital gift of care to local children and their families.

Sports stars including Conor McCann, Declan Lynch and Ciara Dobbins from Antrim GAA County Football and Hurling teams and Ulster Hockey players, Andrew Johnston and Shirley McCay, were joined by Ruth McQuillan from Swim Ulster as they paid a special visit to the Children's Hospice, to help promote the Jingle 5K/10K event.

The family friendly race takes place at Stormont Estate on Sunday, 8th December with a 5k and 10k race for runners, a 5K Rudolph Ramble for those who want to go at a more leisurely pace and a free 1k Kids Reindeer Dasher.

The group also took the opportunity to show off the new limited edition Jingle 5k/10k jersey, kindly donated by O'Neills International Sportswear. 50 lucky participants will have the chance to win the bespoke jersey when they sign up to the Jingle 5k/10k event.

Patricia Goldsmith, Director of Sales and Marketing at O'Neills International Sportswear, said: "We are delighted to support the Jingle All the Way campaign. The campaign is a great opportunity to boost local community spirit across Northern Ireland, whilst raising much-needed funds for the Children's Hospice and the amazing work carried out by its staff. We encourage everyone to sign up to the Jingle 5k/10k event at Stormont Estate and be in with a chance of winning one of these limited edition jerseys."

FonaCAB, who fittingly sponsor Antrim GAA County Football and Hurling teams, have also announced their sponsorship for the Jingle All the Way campaign.

Stephen Anton, Communications Manager at Fonacab, commented: "It's a privilege to here on behalf of fonaCAB to announce our sponsorship for the Children's Hospice Jingle All the Way campaign. I encourage everyone to sign up to the Jingle 5k/10k event on Sunday, 8th December and help raise vital funds for NI Children's Hospice, the only service of its type in Northern Ireland."

To sign up to the December race, visit the hospice website.



(JG/MH)