Other News In Brief

North Coast Car Cruisers Urged To Make Sure Their Vehicles Are In Good Working Order

Causeway Coast and Glens Police have issued an appeal to everyone planning to attend a car cruise event in Portrush this weekend.

Police said: "If you are planning on attending the car cruise event in Portrush this weekend please make sure your vehicle is in good working order. An unsafe car puts you and other road users at risk.

"We will be out with our Driver & Vehicle Agency colleagues this weekend to keep our roads safe for everyone."

Sugar Tax Should Be Used To Tackle Obesity Epidemic

The SDLP has called for the money raised from the sugar tax to be used to help fight the obesity epidemic.

The latest figures show that over a quarter of children in Northern Ireland are classed as overweight or obese, with nearly two-thirds of adults falling into the same two categories.

SDLP Foyle MLA Mark H Durkan said funding from the Soft Drinks Industry Level (SDIL) should be ring fenced to tackle a range of health issues, including obesity, diabetes and poor oral health.

Prior to the restoration of the Assembly, Department of Health Permanent Secretary Richard Pengelly was unable to progress the issue in the absence of ministerial sign-off.

Mr Durkan said: "The costs associated with treating obesity, diabetes and poor oral health throughout the North are increasing year on year. It's clear that these are growing concerns, affecting swathes of the population - recent estimations suggest that over a quarter of people here are obese. The ring-fencing of funds from the sugar tax to tackle these conditions has been implemented elsewhere on these islands yet has been stalled here due to the kind of dithering and non-delivery that permeates our politics.

"When it comes to health, prevention is not only better, but often easier and cheaper than cure. We should use this money in a targeted way to reduce our current issues around obesity and Type 2 diabetes and help people already suffering from poor health as a result of these conditions.

"My attempts to progress these plans in the past have unfortunately fallen on deaf ears. I raised it with Permanent Secretary Richard Pengelly and believe agreement had been reached for £14m funding from the British Government to tackle these issues, unfortunately like many important projects during the absence of government here as a result of Sinn Féin-DUP infighting it was unable to get ministerial sign-off. I am buoyed by Minister Swann's response to my request, these proposals have the potential to really benefit people here and transform lives in the long-term. If we can help people improve their health and stop other people going down the same road, we can lessen the pressure on our health service while improving the quality of life for our people."

BCC And Ulster Architectural Heritage Announce Open Heritage Belfast

Belfast City Council is set to work with Ulster Architectural Heritage to deliver Open Heritage Belfast – a series of free in-person and online events from Saturday 11 & Sunday 12 September.

Open Heritage Belfast celebrates Belfast’s historic buildings and places with free public events across the city. During COVID-19, we have all had the opportunity to look at our local parks and gardens with fresh eyes. Having access to outdoor spaces where we could meet safely with friends or family, exercise or just have a change of scene, never felt so important.

Councillor Kate Nicholl, Lord Mayor of Belfast said: "Protecting and promoting our city’s history and heritage is a key priority in our cultural strategy, A City Imagining, and this is why Open Heritage Belfast is such a significant project for us. Once again, it is being delivered by Ulster Architectural Heritage on our behalf, with a fascinating line-up of free activities.

"With safety and convenience in mind, this year, the programme will be hosted in four of our parks. It will enable people to explore the history of those vital outdoor spaces on their very doorsteps – spaces that for many of us, have become a sanctuary over the past 18 months."

Nikki McVeigh, Chief Executive of Ulster Architectural Heritage added: "UAH are delighted to work with Belfast City Council and to have the opportunity to celebrate the lesser known history of these popular spaces. Belfast's parks have a wealth of history to explore, and we hope that the public will enjoy learning more about their local parks so we can cherish them even more into the future."