Other News In Brief

Alliance Calls For 'Immediate And Decisive' Action On Child Hunger

The Alliance Party has called for "immediate and decisive" action to address the growing crisis of child hunger in Northern Ireland.

Communities Spokesperson Sian Mulholland MLA made the call following the publication of new figures from Trussell, published today (20 November), revealing that 35,000 emergency food parcels were distributed across Northern Ireland in the past six months, with 14,000 of these parcels going to children.

The North Antrim MLA said: "It's heart-breaking that any child in Northern Ireland is forced to rely on food banks. These numbers show a 90 per cent increase since 2019 and clearly indicate that we're not doing enough to support the most vulnerable in our society. We cannot ignore this any longer, action is needed now to address this crisis.

"The evidence further shows that many people living in NI are being forced to turn to food banks because incomes from work and social security payments are simply not enough to cover essentials such as food, bills, and toiletries. This is why urgent reform of our social security system is non-negotiable.

"To effectively tackle child hunger and poverty, we need a comprehensive Anti-Poverty Strategy, along with strengthened Welfare Mitigations, and improvements to Universal Credit.

"The Alliance Party's 'No Time to Wait' paper offers practical, immediate solutions to address the damaging five-week wait for Universal Credit. These changes, alongside welfare reforms, could transform the lives of families and children currently trapped in poverty. Families in Northern Ireland cannot afford to wait any longer.

"It is a national scandal that Northern Ireland's children are facing worse levels of hardship than their counterparts elsewhere in the UK. Children here are disproportionately affected by poverty, reflecting the systemic failings in our policies to protect them. Hunger should never be a childhood experience, no matter where you live."

Belfast Celebrates Year Of Creativity At Our Stories Festival

The Our Stories Festival, taking place November 21-24 across Belfast city centre, will be a vibrant celebration of the city's creative spirit. This new festival, part of Belfast City Council's Belfast 2024 program, will showcase the power of art in shaping the city's identity.

The festival offers a diverse range of activities, from insightful talks by renowned figures like naturalist Chris Packham and illustrator Oliver Jeffers, to hands-on workshops like creating story narratives and miniature gardens. The focus will be on reflecting on Belfast 2024's year-long program of artistic endeavours and their lasting impact on the city's people, place, and environment. The festival also aims to inspire future creative projects, including the Belfast Stories visitor attraction.

With over 35,000 participants in Belfast 2024 events so far, the program has fostered community engagement and supported local artists and businesses. The Our Stories Festival promises to be a capstone event, sparking discussions about using creativity to address environmental challenges and build a brighter future for Belfast.

DUP Leader 'Disappointed' Antisemitic Graffiti Remains At Royal Victoria Hospital

DUP Leader Gavin Robinson has expressed his "disappointment" that what he claims is antisemitic graffiti remains on a wall of the Royal Victoria Hospital on the Falls Road for up to six months, and more than five months after an official complaint was lodged with the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust requesting its removal.

Commenting, Mr Robinson said: "The phrase 'from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free" is viewed by many people as a violent call to erase Israel and its population from existence. Ultimately however, it is Jewish people who feel the chilling effects of such slogans most acutely and that is the case with the graffiti on the wall of the Royal Victoria Hospital.

I have been contacted by local members of the Jewish community who believe that such sentiments should not be prominently displayed on the wall of one of our key acute hospitals. After the slogan appeared, a complaint was submitted to the Belfast Trust pointing out its offensive nature and requesting its removal.

"However, more than five months later there has been no action from the Trust and the complaint has subsequently been escalated to the Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman. They have shown exceptional patience before raising the matter publicly, but it is important the Trust provide an explanation why it has been allowed to remain.

"No one should feel fear or intimidation when accessing health care. No Health Trust should allow such messaging on their wall, beside the main glider stop to their site in breach of their Section 75 obligations.

"And though they'll try, no organisation or representative should seek to justify such graffiti when it's clearly upsetting to those within our minority Jewish community. Everyone deserves an explanation as to why it remains, but most particularly those from our Jewish community who see as directly pointing to them."