Biodiversity Summer School

Mid and East Antrim Borough Council is hosting three weeks of Biodiversity Summer Schools beginning this Monday 1^st August.

The Biodiversity Summer School is a free outdoor events programme which gives families the opportunity to take part in fun biodiversity projects such as pond dipping, mini-beast hunts and nest box building. Come along and learn about the natural world through a variety of activities and games. There is no need to book - just turn up to take part whatever your age.

The Biodiversity Summer School has been running successfully in Diamond Jubilee Wood, Whitehead for four years and this year the events programme has been extended across fifteen days and three sites, to include Carnfunnock Country Park, Larne and Ecos Nature Park, Ballymena.

Mid and East Antrim are committed to protecting and promoting the biodiversity in the Borough through our Local Biodiversity Action Plan and one of the best ways to generate support and understanding of the natural world is to encourage people to experience the wonders of their local area first-hand.

Event details:

Monday 1 August - Friday 5 August - Diamond Jubilee Wood, Whitehead
Monday 8 August - Friday 12 August - Carnfunnock Country Park, Larne
Monday 15 August - Friday 19 August - Ecos Nature Park, Ballymena

Taking place from 11.00am - 1.00pm daily.

For more information on the Biodiversity Summer School please click image below.

To view and download the Local Biodiversity Action Plan please click image below.

Love Parks 2016

Thanks to all who came out and took part in our Love Parks Week activities

Mid and East Antrim In Bloom! Beach Road Nature Reserve wildflower meadow

Feeling inspired? Head over to our In Bloom page to find out more about the 2016 In Bloom campaign and how you can get involved via our community competitions. The deadline for general categories has been extended to 30th July.

Love Parks Week 2016 Officially Launched

Councillor Audrey Wales MBE, the Mayor of Mid and East Antrim Borough, has officially launched Love Parks Week 2016.

People across the Borough are being urged to celebrate the national initiative, Love Parks Week, which takes place between Friday 15 July and Sunday 24 July.

Cllr Wales said: “Love Parks Week encourages friends, families, the young and old, to come together and enjoy what our parks and green spaces offerThese spaces provide many opportunities for friendships, education, health, exercise and simple play and fun. Let’s celebrate our green spaces, by showing your support for Love Parks Week."

Events in the Borough range from the lively Gathering Drum Circle, Boot Camps and Aerobics in the Park to more genteel pursuits such as wildlife walks, shoreline scavenges and mini beast hunts. For a full list of events please click here.

Wild About Food - Cook Your Catch

Mid and East Antrim Borough went wild about food on Saturday 9th July as part of Northern Ireland’s Year of Food and Drink, with Deputy Mayor of Mid and East Antrim Borough, Councillor William McNeilly, taking part in the ‘Cook Your Catch’ event at Blackhead Path, Whitehead.

Celebrating the Borough’s local coastlines and natural larder, Cllr McNeilly said: "This was a fantastic event showcasing our local landscapes and local produce. This workshop was part of our ‘Wild About Food’ project which has been running since May 2016 in collaboration with Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council, funded by Heritage Lottery Fund."

"The ‘Wild About Food’ project is our contribution to Northern Ireland's Year of Food and Drink 2016 which is a celebration of everything delicious about Northern Ireland, the epic landscapes, traditions and people that make our food heritage so unique. There are themes each month throughout Northern Ireland’s Year of Food and Drink and Mid and East Antrim has followed these themes. The theme for July was ‘Seas, Rivers and Loughs’ and we have certainly lived up to this by showcasing our seaside town of Whitehead."

On the day participants caught cod, coli and pollock, to name a few, with the help of the Carrickfergus Beach and Rockers Sea Angling Club and were then able to ‘cook their catch’ and enjoy other fresh local produce at our seaside BBQ. 

The ‘Wild About Food’ project continues throughout the year.

Upcoming events:

LOVE VEG! Fri 12 Aug 11am-2pm, Eden Allotment Gardens, Carrickfergus

Grow your own - how do they do it? Learn from the experts, meet some friendly farm animals and enjoy a bbq – veggie options included.

BREAD MAKING WORKSHOP Sun 11 Sept 2pm-4pm, Andrew Jackson Cottage, Carrickfergus

Learn how to make traditional fare such as potato bread, soda bread and drop scones

Centenary Field declaration for Bentra Golf Club and Diamond Jubilee Wood

The site of the Whitehead Aerodrome was today declared ‘officially protected’ on Thursday 7th July 2016 as Mid and East Antrim Borough Council named it as a Centenary Field.

Coming just one week after marking the anniversary of the first day of the battle of the Somme in 1916, this accolade is timely recognition that Bentra Golf Course and Whitehead Diamond Jubilee Wood was the wartime home to the Whitehead Aerodrome between 1915 and 1917. It was the first military aviation facility in Northern Ireland. Airships based at the site patrolled the waters between Ireland and Scotland to combat the German U-Boat menace.

The Centenary Field dedication was celebrated with a free family fun day to celebrate and highlight the historical, sporting and environmental importance of the site, and with the official unveiling of a commemorative plaque. Activities include mini golf competition, bird box building, a mini archaeological dig and a historical walk led by local historian and author of ‘Airships over Ulster’, Guy Warner.

Love Parks Week 2016

Love Parks Week encourages friends, families, the young and old, to come together and enjoy what our parks and green spaces offer.

These spaces provide many opportunities for friendships, education, health, exercise and simple play and fun. Love Parks Week is now in its tenth year and millions of people are inspired to visit an event at a beautiful park or green space each year.  Love Parks Week is a nationwide initiative has been run by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy.

Events in the Borough range from the lively Gathering Drum Circle, Boot Camps and Aerobics in the Park to more genteel pursuits such as wildlife walks, shoreline scavenges and mini beast hunts. We want these events to inspire people to get out and enjoy the fresh air of the Borough’s green space. We’re celebrating all that parks have to offer, so why not visit your local park during the campaign to show what it means to you?

Love Parks Week 2016 runs from 15^th – 24^th July with events each day.

For full schedule of events please click here 

Wild About Food: Cook Your Catch!

Join local fishermen on Saturday 9^th July, 2pm – 4pm, to learn the traditional skill of sea angling and enjoy a seaside BBQ.

All workshops are free and suitable for all ages, however places are limited and booking is advised. To book your place email leisureadmin@antrimandnewtownabbey.gov.uk or call 028 9034 0061

Fields in Trust Celebration event

Join us on Thursday 7^th July, 10am – 12noon, to celebrate the protection of Bentra Golf Club and Diamond Jubilee Wood forever as a Centenary Field.

Activities on the day include a mini golf competition, a mini archaeological dig, historical walks & biodiversity activities