Larne Swimming Club’s ‘Taster’ Swim Programme got under at The Valley Leisure Centre in Newtownabbey recently.

The programme, with the support of Sport NI, runs for a period of eight weeks. The concept of the scheme is to show young, local swimmers what the next possible progression is like in the world of swimming.

Training elements focus on: stroke technique in all four strokes; increasing aerobic fitness; and highlighting the fact that regular training can help with physical wellbeing and self-esteem. The emphasis is on having fun and enjoying the training experience, whilst hopefully encouraging young people to choose sport as a means to maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

The programme invited applications from all sections of the local community and with such high numbers applying, the club was delighted to be able to accommodate every applicant. The support of Newtownabbey Council and the staff at The Valley was critical in this and Larne Swimming Club are very grateful for the flexible and generous nature of their support.

Neil Irvine, coach of Larne, commented: “The response from the local swimmers was tremendous. Sessions are very well attended and it makes all the hard work preparing and running our ‘Taster’ programme all worthwhile.

“We really hope the young swimmers enjoy the training experience and include some fitness training whatever the form, after the completion of our programme.”

The programme began on February 7 and runs each Tuesday and Saturday, culminating with a fun Time-Trial Gala on the Saturday, March 31.

If you would like to learn more about Larne Swimming Club or consider joining the club, please visit www.larneswimmingclub.org.

BALLYCLARE Ladies Hockey Club are through to the McConnell Shield final after they defeated Dungannon 2-1 on Saturday.

Suzanne Dickey and Vicky Milligan got the goals that booked their progress to the showpiece match.

On a bitterly cold afternoon the game was punctuated by hail and sleet showers, but both teams battled on gamely, with both ‘keepers having to be at their best.

Jessica West and Kerrie Bell had early shots on target but it was Dickey who opened the scoring from close range.

Emma Patterson back from injury and Ruth Sutherland were stalwarts in defence, but the ‘Gannon girls equalised when Sara Coulter was beaten by a firm shot.

The pace never slackened in the second session during which Rebekah Mills, Tori Wallace and captain Caroline Darragh gradually got on top in midfield, leading to Milligan netting the winner when she rattled the backboard.

Ballyclare Ladies panel: S Coulter, R Sutherland, J Purdy, C McGookin, L Ashcroft, T Wallace, C Darragh (C), R Mills, S Dickey, K Bell, V Milligan, J West, S Roy, J Jones.

CHARGES against the nine defendants accused of the murder of UDA man Tommy English were dismissed at a hearing in Belfast Crown Court today (February 22).

From September, 14 men have stood accused of a litany of offences based around the evidence of two brothers from New Mossley who became “assisting offenders” in order to receive a reduced sentence for themselves.

In the closing stages of the trial a number of charges were thrown out, clearing one man.

On Wednesday, (February 22) all but one of the remaining 13 accused had all charges against them dismissed.

Neil Pollock, 36, of Fortwilliam Gardens was found guilty of perverting the course of justice and possessing an item intended for terrorism, namely a sledgehammer.

Acquitted of Mr English’s murder were Mark Haddock, 43, whose address was given at HMP Maghaberry; David Miller, 40, from Uprichard Court Bangor; Alexander Thomas Wood, 35, of Milewater Way Newtownabbey; John Bond, 45 of Essex Court, Carrickfergus; Darren Stuart Moore, 42, of Mount Vernon Park Belfast; Ronald Trevor Bowe, 35, of Ross House Belfast; Samuel Jason Higgins, 3,6 of The Meadow Antrim; Jason Loughlin, 36, of Bryson Court Newtownabbey, and Philip Laffin, 34, of Bridge Street, Antrim.

They were also cleared of other charges including UVF membership, wounding, possessing guns and hijacking.

The others acquitted of offences including assisting offenders and perverting the course of justice were William Hinds, 47, of Ballycraigy Gardens, Newtownabbey, David Samuel McCrum, 32, of Beechgrove Drive, Newtownabbey, and Mark Thompson, 37, of Ballyvesey Green, Newtownabbey.

In a packed out Court 12 at Belfast’s Laganside, Judge Justice Gillen said that the evidence of brothers Robert and Ian Stewart, was so “flawed and unreliable” that the supporting evidence was not compelling enough to satisfy him beyond all reasonable doubt.

He said the brothers - formerly of New Mossley, but who are currently serving time for crimes they have committed - were of “extremely bad character”, whose memories had been subject to the abuses of alcohol and drugs over the years.

He stated that the brothers lied to the police and to the court, not only about why they had come forward, but also about their roles in crimes and in their retelling of events.

He said both colluded at times for their witnesses statements which compromised their independence and he could not rely on either man’s evidence.

Justice Gillen described both Ian and Robert Stewart as “ruthless terrorists who lived on lies”.

And he said he did not think it plausible that they were remorseful for their involvement in the murder of Tommy English in Ballyduff in 2000, when they continued on with criminal acts after the event.

He said: “They were the same men in different suits.

“At worst, they falsely embellished or, at best, wildly confused the roles and words of those whom they alleged were present, have clear difficulties distinguishing one crime scene from another and have given evidence which is flatly contradicted by unchallenged independent evidence throughout the process.

“These are witnesses of very bad character who have lied to the police and to the court.

“And they may have wrongly implicated a number of innocent men.”

Justice Gillen praised the “courage, determination and dedication” shown of the Historical Enquiries Team (HET) investigators and said he was “in no doubt” that the police were determined to bring English’s killers to justice.

The judgement was met with applause from the public gallery and outside the court there was scenes of joy as the men embraced each other and family members.

PUP representative Ken Wilkinson, speaking outside the court branded the proceedings a “show trial” and questioned why the Public Prosecution Service relied so heavily on the Stewart brothers.

A representative of Families Against Supergrass Trials said it was “regrettable” the proceedings had come to court in the first place.

The trial began in September and was based largely around the evidence of Robert and Ian Stewart.

They admitted UVF membership, and have already served more than three years for their part in the murder of Mr English on Halloween night 2000.

The UDA man was shot dead in front of his wife and children at his home in the Ballyduff estate at the height of a loyalist feud between the UVF and UDA.

Derek McGarrity and navigator James McKee claimed victory at the opening round of the 2012 Carryduff Forklift MSA Northern Ireland Rally Championship on Saturday.

The Glengormley rally car driver was in dominating form at the Magic Bullet Stages Rally, held at County Down’s Kirkistown Race Circuit.

Driving his Subaru Impreza WRC S14, McGarrity led the event from start to finish, eventually claiming the win by 38.3 seconds from Kevin Barrett and Declan Tumilty.

The event winner was on the top of his game from the start. While others struggled in the early morning slippery conditions, McGarrity emerged from stage one with an impressive 15.4 second lead.

Those in trouble included reigning NI champion, Kenny McKinstry. The Banbridge pilot spun and stalled his Subaru during the opening test, losing a mammoth 50 seconds.

Former champion Connor McCloskey was another in trouble after a wrong tyre choice left him slipping and sliding around the track. Both McKinstry and McCloskey found themselves outside the top 30, and their hopes of challenging for victory were ruined.

Event leader McGarrity already had a healthy cushion between himself and his rivals, but he continued to set the pace throughout the day. He went on to set fastest times on all but one stage, leaving him with another Kirkistown victory under his belt.

Kevin Barrett and Declan Tumilty were the image of consistency throughout the event. They held second overall from start to finish, gradually increased the gap between themselves and the remainder of the pack as the day progressed.

In the tussle for third, Ray Brammer and Derek McGeehan locked horns. McGeehan took first blood, moving his Mini WRC into the top three after stage one. But Brammer fought back, and two stages later, it was the Impreza WRC pilot that occupied third overall.

McGeehan and navigator Laurie Smyth were to have the last word though. They picked up their pace through the final two tests to retake the position and claim third overall. Brammer and navigator Jody Wilson finished less than five seconds adrift in fourth.

Reigning champion McKinstry, who had Martin Cairns calling the notes, enjoyed a superb recovery drive after his stage one problems to take fifth overall. But unfortunately for former champion Connor McCloskey, car troubles forced him out of the rally after stage four.

In the battle among the production category crews, Trevor Ferguson and David McElroy secured the award from Neil and Tanya McCance, while top two-wheel-drive honours were sealed by Drew Stewart and David White. They finished 25 seconds ahead of Simon Woodside and Steven Dowds.

The Ireland team to play Italy in the RBS 6 Nations Championship at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday has been named and coach Declan Kidney has opted for an unchanged lineup.

A CROSS-COMMUNITY facility in Glengormley which was destroyed in an arson attack in July 2010 is set to reopen early next month.

The Barron Hall on the Antrim Road has been completely refurbished over the past four months, and building work at the historic property is expected to be complete by the end of February.

User groups which were forced to find alternative temporary accommodation following the fire, including the Community Relations Forum and Newtownabbey Senior Citizens’ Forum, are expected to return to the hall in early March. And it is hoped that other organisations such as the Citizens Advice Bureau and youth and community groups will also be back to make use of the impressive new facility.

Kathy Wolff, Co-ordinator of the Community Relations Forum, said she can’t wait to move back into the hall and continue pursuing the vision of turning the building into a well-used peace and reconciliation centre.

“We had an average footfall of about 100 people a week before, and maybe another 80 or 90 on nights when we were running events, so the place was well used, and we’ve had a lot of enquiries already from individuals and groups about using the place, so we’re really looking forward to the work being finished and the place being up and running again.”

Thanking local churches and community organisations for their help and support, Kathy described the pending completion of work at the hall as “very positive for the local community.”

Read the full story in this week’s Times...

THE Secretary of the White House Preservation Trust has given his backing to Volunteer Now’s campaign to get more local people involved in volunteering in 2012.

Alister Bell, who has been with the Trust since being drafted in by the late Bob Armstrong five years ago to help with funding applications, believes volunteering offers people the opportunity to try something new, to meet different people and to connect to their community and help make it a better place.

“It is amazing what volunteers can do working as a team. We rebuilt the White House, and believe me this is a great success for all the volunteers and our local community.

“I now have a great bunch of friends that I might never have met only for my voluntary work,” he told the Times.

While admitting that his role can often be time consuming and frustrating when dealing with funding bodies and government departments, Mr Bell is urging more people to get involved in their local community through volunteering opportunities.

“Volunteering brings new life experiences and offers life-long learning.

“My volunteering makes me feel like I am making a difference in other people’s lives and in the community, and when I see other people happy I am happy and motivated to keep doing what I am doing.

“I would definitely recommend it to others. You get more out of it than you put in.”

Paul Dinsmore, Regional Manager of Volunteer Now, added: “Volunteering opportunities are wide and varied, there is something for everyone and everyone has something to offer. One common misconception some people have is that volunteering will take over their lives. But ten minutes can sometimes be as valuable as ten hours. You can decide to volunteer at a one off event or volunteer a few hours a week or a few hours a month with an organisation. Volunteering should be something you enjoy, is satisfying and is on your terms.”

To find out more about volunteering opportunities log on to www.volunteernow.co.uk or telephone 9023 2020.

A MAJOR review in the provision of Catholic education could see Glengormley’s Edmund Rice College amalgamate with other schools in the north Belfast area.

The Northern Ireland Commission for Catholic Education (NICCE) has published its report containing recommendations for every one of the sector’s post primary schools.

Decreasing pupil numbers along with soaring budgets and increasing debt has prompted recommendations for school closures, amalgamations and the opening of new facilities.

The sweeping changes proposed aim to create a new network of “all-ability” schools removing the necessity for transfer tests.

While the review is only a starting point, it has recommended merging seven schools in north Belfast, including Edmund Rice College, to create four facilities.

Announcing the radical proposals, Cardinal Sean Brady said it was “for the better” and would provide “more sustainable education” but admitted “hard decisions” would have to be made.

Teachers’ unions have criticised the omission of a deadline for the ending of academic selection and the lack of detail contained in the report about school groupings or a timescale for the changes.

The proposals will be considered by school trustees and be put forward for public consultation before Education Minister John O’Dowd makes the final decision in each case.

The Times attempted to contact staff at Edmund Rice College, but the school is on its half-term break.

IRRESPONSIBLE dog owners are costing the council “thousands upon thousands of pounds” it was revealed at a recent meeting of the organisation’s Environment Committee.

At the meeting held earlier this month, councillors were informed about two convictions for littering.

Lorraine Morrison of Derrycoole Way in Rathcoole was found guilty of a littering offence.

Morrison, who did not appear in court, was fined £75 and ordered to pay costs of £104 at Laganside Magistrates’s Court on January 10.

And Colleen Macauley of Fernagh Parade pleaded guilty to allowing a dog she was in charge of, to foul in Threemilewater Park.

Macauley was fined £50 and ordered to pay costs of £101 at Laganside Magistrates’ Court on January 10.

Councillor Ken Robinson said the small number of convictions “did not tally with the huge number of complaints he had received”.

A number of councillors said littering, and in particular dog fouling, was a massive problem in and around the borough.

Read the full story in this week’s Times...

Belfast Zoological Garden’s new catering facility, ‘The Treetop Tearoom’, was officially opened on Friday, February 10.

Building work, for this new and improved facility off the Antrim Road began in June 2011 and was completed in November 2011. The Treetop Tearoom is located at the very top of the zoo, providing visitors with the perfect view over Belfast Lough and the zoo below and is surrounded by a number of rare and endangered animals - including the Malayan sun bear and cheetah.

After an enjoyable walk up the Cave Hill to visit the zoo’s animals, the new Treetop Tearoom will provide visitors with a range of refreshments including traybakes, icecreams, sandwiches and hot and cold beverages.

The Treetop Tearoom was built after the prior facility on site, ‘The Mountain Tea House’, was destroyed in an arson attack during the early hours of June 23, 2009.

Zoo Manager, Mark Challis, is delighted with the new facility and said: “We were all devastated when the Mountain Tea House was destroyed but the replacement is even better. This is definitely a very exciting time for Belfast Zoo. In 2011 we won a hattrick of awards, including the ‘Visitor Inspired’ category at the Northern Ireland Tourism Awards and we also topped a UTV poll for Ultimate Ulster, being voted ‘The best place to spend a day with the children’! I truly believe that our success lies in delivering the best experience possible for our visitors and the new Treetop Tearoom will help us to continue to provide a good family day out.”