Category: Northern Ireland life

Lisburn, Northern Ireland lifeLeave a comment

Another hall in the community is targeted – this really must stop.

Michael McFarland Campbell

  Another week has passed and news has reached me of another community hall in Northern Ireland being targeted and burnt. Fortunately, in this case, it seems that it has not been gutted. But a lot of damage has been done. The hall in question is a Masonic hall in Lisburn. A fuller report can be found courtesy of the Ulster Star. As the Ulster Star article suggests, the hall may have been mistaken for an Orange Hall—but that is no excuse. Burning each other’s halls is not going to help solve our community’s difficulties. Sitting down and talking about them does. The … Continue reading Another hall in the community is targeted – this really must stop.

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Belfast, blood ban, DUP, HIV, news, Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland life, politics, UUPLeave a comment

Continuing NI gay blood ban continues the prejudice

Michael McFarland Campbell

The Northern Ireland gay blood ban looks set to continue with the news from the DUP’s health minister, Edwin Poots MLA, that he has received some new research strengthening his position. As reported on the BBC, the minister says he … Continue reading Continuing NI gay blood ban continues the prejudice

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APNI, Belfast, Conservatives, DUP, Labour, Lib Dems, news, Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland life, NUS, NUS-USI, politics, SDLP, Sinn Féin, SNP, Students, UUPLeave a comment

NUS-USI President calls for university admissions to be after results are published

Michael McFarland Campbell

When I applied to university the first time around, back when I was a pupil at Ballymena Academy, I couldn’t understand why we had to apply based on the results of our predicted grades. It seemed to me, and still does, that it would be fairer to have the university admissions process after real grades  had been awarded. The recent action [inaction?] by UCAS to put off a decision on having post-results admissions has been rightly condemned by the President of NUS-USI, Adrianne Peltz, who said that basing offers on predicted grades is an unreliable system and that going by predicted grades … Continue reading NUS-USI President calls for university admissions to be after results are published

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Health, Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland lifeLeave a comment

Would you take an organ if you needed one?

Michael McFarland Campbell

Nearly everyone would, but only one in four of us in Northern Ireland have joined the Organ Donor Register. With 300 people waiting for transplants, more people in our community need to take action and sign up. UNISON and the Public Health Authority joined forces last April to take forward an initiative within workplaces to promote organ donation. The goal is to ensure that anyone who needs an organ – be it kidney, heart, or liver – gets one. Anyone who wants to sign up today, please log on to http://www.organdonation.nhs.uk ; telephone 0300 1232 323 ; or text SAVE … Continue reading Would you take an organ if you needed one?

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news, Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland life, politics, Sinn Féin1 Comment

Interesting interests from Sinn Féin’s MLA for South Antrim

Michael McFarland Campbell

Martina Purdy of the BBC has produced some interesting registered activities for our MLAs up at Stormont. One that strikes me as a little strange is that Sinn Fein’s Mitchel McLaughlin declared his trip to Boston last November. He was part of a trade delegation from the north west and the cost was met by Golden Bridges (Boston-North West Ireland). Nothing altogether strange in that you say? Ah, well, now… Mr McLaughlin doesn’t represent a constituency in the North West despite being from there. Some wags have suggested that the times he spends most in his constituency of South Antrim … Continue reading Interesting interests from Sinn Féin’s MLA for South Antrim

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Belfast, LGBT, news, Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland lifeLeave a comment
Jeff Dudgeon MBE, third from left

Jeff Dudgeon MBE

Michael McFarland Campbell
MBE
Medal of an MBE, Image via Wikipedia

Every year, at about this time, I read the list of people upon whom HM The Queen has been pleased to bestow honours. For many years, I have hoped to see the name of one particular person among them. This morning, that hope of mine has been realised.

Jeffrey Edward Anthony DUDGEON. For services to the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender community in Northern Ireland. Continue reading “Jeff Dudgeon MBE”

APNI, Belfast, DUP, HIV, news, Northern Ireland life, politics, poverty, SDLP, Sinn Féin, UUPLeave a comment

Is the Executive so tight that they cannot find £5000?

Michael McFarland Campbell

I was interested to notice that cancer patients in Northern Ireland are among those benefiting from a payment from the Northern Ireland Executive of a one-off winter fuel payment. Apparently this is because their immune systems are somewhat suppressed and they need to stay warm. £5000 is not much in the overall budget of the Northern Ireland Executive. At least you would not think that it is. Yet this relatively small amount of money is all that it would take to extend the payment of the winter fuel payment to one group of people who could really benefit from it. … Continue reading Is the Executive so tight that they cannot find £5000?

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HIV, news, News, Northern Ireland lifeLeave a comment

Crosspost: #HIV statistics pose more questions…

Michael McFarland Campbell

How many people are living with HIV in Northern Ireland? It seems that that question brings different answers from different organisations. The latest figures from the Public Health Agency stated There are now 474 people living with HIV infection in Northern Ireland. However, Rob Anderson, Chairman of The HIV Support Centre said: In Northern Ireland there are approximately 1000 people living with HIV in Northern Ireland however it is estimated that this could be as high as 1250. It would be interesting to know what the true figure is. With a little bit of curiosity I found the following information… … Continue reading Crosspost: #HIV statistics pose more questions…

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