Archived News

The Derry~Londonderry festive experience will start this weekend with the annual Guildhall Craft Fair which takes place from Friday, 12th, to Sunday 14th November. Now in its 16th year, the Craft Fair is the perfect way to start the Christmas preparations with over 40 exhibitors from all over Ireland offering a wide range of unique handcrafted gifts.

Yesterday Fold Housing Association brought a revolutionary new mobile therapy unit, the Fold Brain Bus to visit the Western Health and Social Care Trust’s Waterside Hospital in Derry/Londonderry.

Following the success of its bat detecting event at the recent Banks of the Foyle Hallowe’en Carnival, Derry City Council, in partnership with the Northern Ireland Bat Group, are establishing a North West Bat Group.

The Mayor, Cllr Colum Eastwood is getting ready to take the plunge as he prepares for his Zip Line across the River Foyle challenge this Saturday afternoon at 2pm. The event, which is being organised by Foyle Search and Rescue, will see the Mayor, joined by hundreds of thrill seekers speeding along a 1300ft long wire while suspended 180ft above and across the River Foyle.

The Mayor Councillor Colum Eastwood today congratulated the Cathedral Youth Club who claimed the Runners Up spot in the Cities category of the Co-operation Ireland’s Pride of Place awards last night.

The North West PEACE III Partnership has recently submitted a bid for over £6m of European funding for the North West, and is currently seeking Expressions of Interest from groups looking to access elements of the funding when it becomes available next year.

The specialist expertise of the City of Derry Airport Fire Service in dealing with aircraft emergencies will be further enhanced following the signing of a unique agreement between the Airport Fire Service (AFS) and the Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service (NIFRS).

After the roaring success of the Guildhall Craft Fair last weekend, with thousands attending the popular event, Derry/Londonderry’s festive season is well and truly underway.

An innovative scheme to assist emergency services dealing with patients with illness and allergies, is being promoted across the Derry City Council area.

Festive time celebrations will come to the city tomorrow night, Wednesday, 17th November, when Santa and his special guests switch on the Christmas Lights and mark the start of the city’s festive family fun experience.

Members of the media are advised that due to health and safety arrangements for the 2010 Big Christmas Lights Switch On, all photographers and broadcast media who intend covering the event this evening, are required to register for the event and wear high visibility media bibs.

November is ‘Race Equality Month’ and sees Derry City Council offering a series of exciting events recognising the wonderful cultural diversity in this part of the world.

Festive time will ring in the city centre next Wednesday 17th November, as the big man himself – Santa Claus, takes some time out of his hectic Christmas schedule to switch on Derry/ Londonderry’s Christmas lights. 

The Mayor, Cllr Colum Eastwood will present the Eat Safe Award to Methodist City Mission in the city’s Crawford Square area later this week.

A high-level networking event that took place at London’s Guildhall last night, aimed at reinforcing the already strong economic links that exist between Derry-Londonderry and the City of London has been hailed as mutually beneficial for both cities.

Derry-Londonderry’s bid to become European Youth Capital 2013 was narrowly lost to Maribor, Slovenia. The decision was announced at the General Assembly of the European Youth Forum in Kiev last night.

Wednesday night’s Christmas lights switch-on in Derry/Londonderry was a great success with over 6,000 people attending to cheer on the guest of honour, the one and only Santa Claus!.

The next public meeting of Derry District Policing Partnership will be held in the Minor Hall, Guildhall on Wednesday 24th November at 7.00pm.  The theme of the meeting is home safety for older people with information on what work is being done to promote home safety for elderly people over the winter months.

Town Clerk and Chief Executive of Derry City Council, Mrs Valerie Watts, has indicated her intention to accept the position of Chief Executive of Aberdeen City Council. She will remain at Derry City Council until February 2011. Mrs Watts took up her position at Derry City Council in 2008. 

The legacy of the Plantation in the North West is the subject of a new touring exhibition and symposium organised by the Peace III Council Cluster of Derry, Strabane and Omagh.

The Derry District Policing Partnership will meet next week to agree arrangements to reconvene the DPP themed meeting on home safety for the elderly, which was forced to be adjourned last night following protests from dissident republican groups.

To facilitate the ongoing restoration works that are taking place at the Guildhall, the clock tower will be temporarily out of view from the end of November 2010.

The Shared City Project are to host the annual Christmas Carol Service on Tuesday, December 7th at 8.15pm in The Long Tower Chapel.

Mayor Councillor Colum Eastwood, together with the Rainbow Project, will host a special balloon release event in Guildhall Square to mark World AIDS Day 2010 on Wednesday 1st December.

The Culture Company set up to deliver the UK City of Culture 2013 programme has commenced recruitment today for its non-executive Directors and Chairperson and a full-time Director.

It’s the time of year to have a ‘splashingly’ good time with a fantastic Christmas Pool Disco at Lisnagelvin Leisure Centre on Friday December 3rd.

Derry City Council’s Waste Management team have advised that refuse collection lorries are operating as normal this morning however have stated that they are currently experiencing some difficulties in reaching smaller untreated streets and, in particular, those with steep inclines.  Council have advised that they will return later in the day to affected areas to attempt collection again. They have asked members of the public living in these areas to, where possible, leave their bins at the top of their streets so that their bins can be collected.

As the weeks countdown to Christmas Derry City Council, in association with a range of local arts and community groups, has announced details of their 2010 Festive Time programme.

The Mayor’s chosen charities will be officially unveiled with a little touch of Christmas magic this Saturday 4th December, as Santa Claus pays a special visit to the Guildhall to lend his support.

Photo Opportunity: Tuesday, 30th November @ 5.45pm, The City Hotel

Over the past number of weeks twenty city centre businesses have participated in an Independent Retailers Training Programme which was organized by Derry City Council’s Economic Development section.

The Mayor, Cllr Colum Eastwood visited Bishop’s Field District Park today, Wednesday 01 December, prior to its public opening to see how the final preparations were advancing.

LOCAL ‘Wildcat’ kids are to receive awards following a fun and healthy sports project organsied by Derry City Council.

Young people from across the Derry City Council area joined members of the Traveller Community this week to create a mural at Free Derry Corner celebrating Traveller Focus Week.

Professionals and officials from across the public, business and ICT sectors yesterday attended a seminar at the Intelligent Systems Research Centre at the University of Ulster’s Magee Campus in Derry to examine the role ICT can play in the flight against Climate Change.

With the continued snow and ice conditions, Derry City Council is appealing for people to think about how the freezing temperatures are affecting our local wildlife.

Derry/Londonderry residents are being given an historic chance to immortalise their local champions in steel as part of an art initiative from the UK charity Sustrans, who are enabling people to make more of their every day journeys by foot, bike and public transport.

Mayor of Derry ~ Londonderry, Councillor Colum Eastwood has announced details of his chosen charities for this year’s Mayor’s Charity appeal.

Details of the 2011 Derry District Sports Council Awards Ceremony were unveiled today at Derry City Council Offices by the Mayor, Cllr Colum Eastwood and representatives of the Derry District Sports Council.

Derry~Londonderry received a further endorsement today with Cultural Olympiad announcing a series of events to be staged in the city and region in 2012 in the run up to the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Mayor, Cllr Colum Eastwood has welcomed the city's strong connection to the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012. Speaking after the cultural Olympiad announcement earlier today he said:

Derry City Council’s Biodiversity Officer Christine Doherty has advised the public that due to the severe cold weather, the NIEA have announced details of a Wildfowling suspension for 14 days.

If the recent spell of snowy weather hasn’t gotten you into the Christmas spirit, the Festive Time programme of events which continues this weekend certainly will.

The Grafton Employment Group will step up to the call to support Derry-Londonderry UK City of Culture 2013 by leading on securing and supporting sponsors for City of Culture 2013.

Members of the public, community and voluntary sector or teachers are encouraged to sign up to attend the launch and first ever workshop based on the ‘No Offence But….’ Free training resource produced by Derry City Council and the Equality Commission.