Flavia Gouveia

Almost 1,000 ukulele players gathered at Belfast’s Big Fish for the Belfast Ukulele Festival’s Big Jam, which included a beginners’ class, group singalong and free performances. Now in its fifth year, the festival also hosted a Battle of the Bands featuring 15 groups, won by Rioutous Uke-Ladies, followed by performances from professional artists including Claire Hastings, Thomas Benjamin Wild Esq. and Opera-lele. Organisers Rho McClure and Yvette Wilkinson said the festival brings Northern Ireland’s roughly 40 ukulele groups together and has developed into an expanding international community. Participants described the instrument and group playing as transformative, helping beginners gain confidence, socialise and build lasting friendships.

The Athrú Project, a youth group primarily made up of 18- and 19-year-olds from the Ballycastle area, is calling for Stormont to appoint a dedicated minister for women’s health and safety. Its petition has gathered about 1,900 signatures, and members cite widespread fears about street safety, anti-women sentiment, the deaths of 30 women in Northern Ireland over six years, and long waits for conditions such as endometriosis. The group says a dedicated minister could coordinate responsibility across health, justice, education and safety, while The Executive Office argues that ending violence against women and girls is already a collective government priority requiring a coordinated approach.

Local residents and North Down MLA Andrew Muir criticised widespread littering, vandalised bins and anti‑social behaviour at Helen’s Bay following a heatwave, urging visitors to take their rubbish home and respect the area. Families reported safety concerns, including broken glass and burned bins, and called for more bins and better management. Authorities said three bins were destroyed by disposable barbecues, additional signage would be added, and cleanup teams were struggling to keep pace with the volume of waste generated by large crowds.