Breast Cancer Ambassador Joins Action Cancer's New Marbella Walking Challenge

Action Cancer, Northern Ireland's leading local cancer charity, has announced a new walking challenge set to take place in Marbella, Spain, from October 1st to 6th, 2025. Participants will choose to walk 10km, 20km, or 30km daily along Marbella's scenic routes, raising crucial funds for Action Cancer's life-saving services that assist over 20,000 people across Northern Ireland annually with prevention, detection, and support.

Judith Boyle, a 54-year-old breast cancer survivor who benefited from Action Cancer's therapeutic services following her diagnosis in April 2024, is a testament to the charity's impact. Her daughters, Maria (25) and Madeleine (22), have signed up for the Marbella Walking Festival to give back to the organisation that supported their mother. Judith expressed her gratitude, noting that "every moment of care made a difference" and that her daughters' participation provides "a chance to say thank you and to help ensure that more people like me can access the same life-changing support services."

Kelsey O'Donnell, Treks & Activities Executive at Action Cancer, highlighted the opportunity for participants to explore beautiful landscapes, build friendships, and make a real difference. The registration fee for this unique experience is £100, with a minimum sponsorship commitment of £1,600, which covers four-star accommodation, return flights, transfers, half-board meals, and a walking festival pass. Funds raised will directly support Action Cancer's essential services, including breast screening, skin cancer detection, and therapeutic support like counselling and acupuncture for those affected by cancer.

DUP MLA Calls For Coordinated Approach To Road Safety

DUP MLA Deborah Erskine, who chairs the Assembly Infrastructure Committee, has called for a more coordinated approach to making Northern Ireland's roads safer following the release of new figures on road casualties. The Fermanagh and South Tyrone MLA described the statistics as "sobering," revealing that 297 people were either killed or seriously injured due to speeding on roads between 2019 and 2023.

Erskine highlighted particular concerns, noting that young people aged 16-24 accounted for over two-fifths of these serious casualties, and males were responsible for more than three-quarters of all speeding-related collisions resulting in death or serious injury. She urged for "serious questions about driving culture, education, and enforcement, especially among younger drivers." Furthermore, 70% of these incidents occurred on rural roads, with nearly 40% happening on weekends, predominantly between 4 PM and 10 PM.

As Chair of the Infrastructure Committee, Ms. Erskine is advocating for "greater urgency and coordination between the Minister and all stakeholders, including the PSNI." She emphasized that tackling speeding must be a "strategic priority, not just a policing issue," requiring a cross-departmental approach involving education and enforcement. Concluding, she stressed that "one death on our roads is one too many" and that everyone has a role to play by slowing down, staying alert, and respecting other road users, urging a change in attitudes, particularly among those who equate speed with confidence or skill.

Sinn Féin MEP Welcomes EU-British Trade Barrier Reduction But Calls For Legacy Discussions

Sinn Féin MEP for Ireland South, Kathleen Funchion, has expressed conditional welcome for aspects of the recent EU-British Agreement announced at the UK-EU Summit on May 19th, but strongly criticized the "lack of sincerity" from the British government regarding legacy issues in Northern Ireland.

MEP Funchion, a member of the European Parliament's delegation for relations with Britain, attended a meeting with European Commission Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič where she challenged both the Commission and the British government. While acknowledging the agreements, she cautioned that "historically, British governments have always tried to renegotiate or reinterpret agreements to their advantage," suggesting they are using the "reset" of relations with the EU to do just that.

Funchion insisted on vigilance, demanding that the British government adhere to the highest human rights standards and work with the Irish government to fully address legacy issues. She asserted that "successive British governments have systematically ignored submissions from the Equality Commission and Human Rights Commission on a range of issues." Specifically, she highlighted that the British 'Legacy Act' is in breach of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and Article 2 of the Windsor Framework, which guarantees no diminution of rights. Funchion warned against allowing these breaches to go unchallenged in exchange for increased military cooperation and announced her intention to formally request a specific meeting of the European Parliament's Delegation for Relations with Britain to brief MEPs on the matter.