Author: Cherry

Mental Health Awareness Week

Mental Health Awareness Week 2016 takes place this week, from 16-22 May. This year the theme is relationships. Here is some information from the Mental Health Awareness website: We believe we urgently need a greater focus on the quality of our relationships. We need to understand just how fundamental relationships are to our health and wellbeing. We cannot flourish as individuals and communities without them. In fact, they are as vital as better-established lifestyle factors, such as eating well, exercising more and stopping smoking.   Good relationships help us live longer and happier lives with fewer physical and mental health problems. We are lobbying national governments, public bodies and employers to promote good relationships and to tackle the barriers to forming them, including mounting pressures on work–life balance and the impact of bullying and unhealthy relationships. But we have a challenge for the public too. We are asking everyone to go the extra mile in prioritising their relationships. We are calling on people to make a relationship resolution: to assess how much time we actively commit to building and maintaining good relationships, and to ask whether we can invest more in being present with and listening to friends, family and colleagues. (Source) Making a Relationship Resolution   The Mental Health Foundation are encouraging everyone to take a moment and consider the relationships around us. The focus is on maintaining good relations, learning how to listen...

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Merrell Walking Boots – Ballymena

In Ballymena I have been wearing my Merrell walking boots to prepare for our hike up Ben Nevis (#bennevisready). I bought my pair from Outdoor Adventure on Church Street in Ballymena. Merrell boots were recommended to me because they design a range of boots designed especially for women. I did my research and found the perfect pair and they had a nice discount too. On their blog Merrell feature Mountain expert Jason Pawloski giving some of his top tips about the mountain. Here are some of the best: “THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS BAD WEATHER, ONLY BAD GEAR When out in the elements, the weather is your best friend and your worst enemy, dictating both your safety and your general happiness. If you pack well however, any cold, wind, or rain can be conquered by appropriate kit. Sleeping bags are made for the poles, a good jacket can repel all weathers, and hard wearing, comfy shoes are invaluable. If you lack any of these items when you set off, there is nowhere to hide on the mountain. HALF OF THE MOUNTAIN IS YOUR FRIEND What goes up, must come down. As you battle gravity, remember that it will soon be on your side. PACK LIGHT When you carry your whole world upon your shoulders, every gram counts. Take high calorie food and as little as possible without compromising your...

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Braid Film Theatre show Glengarry Glenn Ross

The Braid Film Theatre in Ballymena will soon be showing Glengarry Glenn Ross. Glengarry Glenn Ross stars Al Pacino, Jack Lemmon, Alec Baldwin, Kevin Spacey and a few more stars thrown in for good measure. The tagline call this a film for all who work for a living – and the film features the cut throat working practice of four real estate agents. It depicts two days in the lives of four real estate salesmen and how they become desperate when the corporate office sends a trainer to “motivate” them by announcing that, in one week, all except the top two salesmen will be fired. The film, like the play, is notorious for its use of profanity. The title of the film comes from the names of two of the real estate developments being peddled by the salesmen characters: Glengarry Highlands and Glen Ross Farms. (Source) Al Pacino was nominated for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor for his work in the film. The film also won a host of other awards despite being classed as a box office flop when it was first released. This film is being shown on Thursday 26 May 2016 at 7pm. Tickets cost £4 and everyone over the age of 15 is welcome to the Braid Film Theatre in Ballymena....

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From Ballymena to Ben Nevis

Local Cafe Nero Barista Stephanie Beattie is climbing Ben Nevis in June to raise money for charity – Friends of the Cancer Centre. Stephanie explains why she is taking on this mammoth task on her Just giving page: In March 2015, I was diagnosed with endometrial cancer. Surgery followed in May, and five weeks of radiotherapy at the Cancer Centre in Belfast finished in August.  My friends and I are planning to climb Ben Nevis on Saturday, June 11th. On that date last year, I was recovering from major surgery and waiting on a start date for radiotherapy. What a difference...

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New Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs

Farmers in Ballymena may be interested to find out that the new Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) came into effect on May 8. The changes ave been provoked by the Fresh Start Agreement. Fresh Start Agreement was designed to help “defend core public services, to attract foreign direct investment, support indigenous businesses and to provide better jobs particularly for our young people.” The full Fresh Start document can be accessed in full here. So what will change for Northern Ireland Farmers? Agriculture, Environment & Rural Affairs is one of nine restructured department and the details have been set out one the newly named DAERA website. The functions of the new department include: most of the roles and responsibilities of the former Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD), excluding Rivers Agency which transfers to the Department for Infrastructure; inland fisheries from the former Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure (DCAL); environmental functions from the former Department of Environment (DOE), and policy responsibility for the Sustainable Strategy from OFMDFM (now the Executive Office). An overview of the departmental changes, including their functions, is available at here. Twelve departments have been merged into nine and instead of referring to DARD, Northern Ireland farmers can assess information from DAERA – the website is accessed...

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