Other News In Brief

Free Compost Scheme For People Who Recycle

Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council is encouraging residents to recycle items at Household Recycling Centres in order to receive a free bag of garden compost.

The initiative will run on Wednesday 08 May, during Compost Awareness Week, at all 11 recycling centres in the area as a way of acknowledging residents' continued participation in the brown bin bio-waste recycling scheme and green waste collection at household recycling centres. 

All of the organic materials collected in brown bins or from the recycling centres are processed into compost as an example of the circular economy in action.

The compost is a peat free, natural growing product, which provides all varieties of plants with the necessary nutrients for growth.

Residents are encouraged to recycle as much of their household waste as possible using their blue bin, brown bin and local recycling centre.

In 2018, over 15,500 tonnes of council collected organic material was converted into compost.

The promotion will continue whilst stocks last.

'Women In Construction' Celebrated At New Craigavon Leisure Centre

An event has been hosted at the new £35m South Lake Leisure Centre site in Craigavon to celebrate 'Women in Construction'.

Lead contractor Farrans hosted the opening day, welcoming 70 young female students to the site to help spark interest in a construction-related career path.

During the event, subcontractors at the site offered hands-on construction skills workshops with joiners, plumbers, bricklayers, electricians and plasterers speaking to the pupils.

This initiative comes on the back of CITB figures which reveal females make up just 14.5% of the construction workforce as a whole, and a mere 2% of skilled manual trades.

Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Council's new leisure centre is on target for completion in summer 2020.

NI Council Employee To Cycle 1000 Miles After Major Heart Surgery

A council employee who had open heart surgery just five months ago is taking on the challenge of a 1000 mile cycle challenge for charity.

David Blair, a Customer Services Officer in Carrickfergus Amphitheatre, plans to cycle the length of the UK- from the most southernly point in England to the most northernly location in Scotland this August.

The 60-year-old was to complete the challenge last year to coincide with his 60th birthday but his plans were halted after a routine check-up with the doctor.

David explained: "In June 2018 I was diagnosed with a serious heart condition (Severe Aortic Stenosis) and was instructed by my cardiologist to stop cycling.

"I was placed on the urgent waiting list for open heart surgery.

"In December 2018 I underwent the surgery and had aortic valve replacement but by January 2019 I was back on my bike determined to get fit enough to complete the challenge."

Before David was told he needed surgery he had already raised almost £2000 for Macmillan Cancer Support and Zoe's Place Baby Hospice in Liverpool.

He now plans to finish what he started and will begin his cycle from Land's End to John O'Groats on 21 August.



(JG/CM)