As we welcome in the new year, we’re taking a look back at some of the uplifting stories we covered in 2025
As 2025 comes to an end and we get ready for the new year, we’re taking this time to have a look back through some of our highlights of the year, with a focus on some positive, uplifting stories.
The news in Northern Ireland can seem doom and gloom a lot of the time, but there is always light in the darkness, and there have been plenty of stories that have kept spirits high and made us smile throughout the year.
Every year, we are inundated with heart-warming stories and tales of overcoming adversity from individuals and communites right across Northern Ireland, doing their bit to help others or trying their best to bring some good news.
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Here at Belfast Live, we’re lucky and honoured to be able to continue sharing the stories of inspirational people every day. Stories of people helping their neighbours through difficult times, achieving big things, and stories of people helping to keep spirits up. Don’t forget you can always reach out to us with any story you’d like to see us cover – click here to find out more.
We’ve put together a list of some of our favourite good news stories we’ve been lucky to cover in 2025. Happy New Year, and here’s to plenty more in 2026!
NI family come to aid of puppy found clinging for life in canal
We started 2025 off with the heartwarming story of the McCullough family from Co Tyrone, who saved a puppy’s life after finding it clinging to a tree on the banks of a canal, and gave it a forever home. Read the full story here.
Belfast woman starts hiking club to share girlhood support
A woman from West Belfast started off 2025 by setting up her own hiking club for women after finding peace in the outdoors during her fitness journey, and realising the power of girlhood.
Katrina McDaniel transformed her health and fitness in 2024 by losing three stone and beating a binge eating disorder, and wanted to create a sense of community for others. Full story here.
Meet the 90-year-old knitter bringing comfort and joy to patients
We loved the story of 90-year-old Jean Brown who has spent years knitting handmade ‘trauma teddies’ for patients at Lagan Valley Hospital. Full story here.
Belfast Live celebrates 10 years of news
2025 was a big year for us here at Belfast Live, as we marked our 10th year of bringing you the latest news, sport, and craic from across Northern Ireland.
The team came together at The Dark Horse in April along with invited guests to celebrate the best read news site in the country. Full story here.
Meet the Belfast neighbour s transforming their alleyways for a brighter future
We chatted with residents in the Beechmount area of West Belfast who took matters into their own hands to brighten up their area this year.
Many neighbours only have a small yard to call their own, so they teamed up to turn the alleyways behind their homes into bustling shared gardens. Full story here.
Sheila the Elephant delights punters in Cathedral Quarter
Belfast publican Willie Jack, on a mission to bring a spark of joy to the city centre, introduced us all to a huge moving sculpture of Sheila the elephant.
Appearing around the Cathedral Quarter in pop-up performances, Sheila surprised plenty of punters enjoying pints in the area, during the summer and over Christmas.
It told the remarkable story of Sheila, a baby elephant taken home at night by a Belfast zookeeper during the Belfast Blitz. Full story here.
Watch as child rings the bell after months of tough cancer treatment
We shared the heartwarming moment a young girl rings the bell after being given the all-clear following months of gruelling cancer treatment.
18-month-old Sophia McDermott was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia in June after she had been unwell for a few weeks with cold and flu-like symptoms.
Hours after being told the young girl might have tonsillitis, her worried parents Nicola and James took her to A&E as her instincts told her something wasn’t right. They then received the devastating news that Sophia had cancer. Full story here.
Meet the pensioner finding a new lease of life through boxing
Earlier this year we chatted with Lily Gamble, a 67-year-old woman from Bangor who set out on a mission to try as many new things as possible when she retired in 2024.
In that time, she’s tried everything from pole dancing to darts, and shows no sign of slowing down.
In April, she began to try her hand at boxing and found she loved the sport. Lily said she hopes her story and can-do attitude will inspire others to take the plunge and try something new. Full story here.
‘I’m fighting grime one day at a time cleaning our dirty road signs’
One Belfast man took matters into his own hands and started cleaning up the city’s road signs in his free time.
Owen Beacon, a full-time landscape gardener, has been washing road signs smeared in grime, making those early morning and late night commutes a little easier on the eye as well as safer for us all, one wipe at a time. Full story here.
The heartwarming true story behind Mike Tyson’s trip to Belfast
In November, residents in North Belfast were shocked to see Mike Tyson on the Cliftonville Road.
We shared the story behind the visit, which saw the world heavyweight champion arriving in the city to visit his good friend Kevin McKinney.
The pair bonded a few years ago over their love of pigeons, with Mike Tyson visiting his friend in person for the first time. Full story here.
Cancer survivor shows beauty has a purpose as she wins Miss NI 2025
In June, 23-year-old Carly Wilson became the next Miss Northern Ireland as she took on the crown from previous winner Hannah Johns.
In a full circle moment for the Ulster University student, Carly admitted it was Hannah’s advocacy work during her reign as Miss NI that made her step out of her comfort zone and apply.
Back in 2021, the Co Down woman was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer called PAWS-GIST which impacts the digestive system and turned her life upside down. Full story here.
‘A random act of kindness left me crying in Asda- it meant the world’
A retired hairdresser battling a string of serious illnesses said the kindness of a supermarket worker in Co Down “meant the world” to her when she became overwhelmed on her weekly shop.
Irene Gibson, from Newtownards, became tearful as the pressures of long-term health struggles grew too much, and found herself crying outside Asda.
It was then that big-hearted Asda colleague Liz stepped in, offering the 65-year-old a shoulder to cry on – and a much-needed listening ear. Full story here.
Young people brighten up Belfast street plagued by graffiti with new mural
A new mural designed and created by local young people is brightening up a South Belfast street entrance plagued by graffiti.
The existing pedestrian access on Maryville Street in the Donegall Pass area had a neglected, rundown, and unkempt appearance.
Primary school-aged children from the local area took part in a summer-long creative project designed to transform the area with a new mural designed to create a relaxed, refreshing, and pleasant experience for people walking through the area. Full story here.
‘We ditched our careers to fulfil a childhood dream of owning a sweet shop’
Curious Candy in Bangor is famous for its retro treats and this year the popular shop marked its 20th birthday.
Jacqueline and Glenn McKeown took over the reins in 2018 and for those last seven years former electrician Jacqueline has been living out her childhood dream of running her very own traditional sweet shop.
And just like the sweet shops of yesteryear, hundreds of jars containing colourful treats still line the shelves behind the counter of the Market Street shop for those looking to satisfy that sweet tooth. Full story here.
Belfast special school students win award in London for short film
A group of schoolchildren from an East Belfast special school took home a prestigious award at the Into Film Awards ceremony in London in June.
Their film, Superhero School, won the Best Film (age 12-15) award, sponsored by Paramount Pictures and presented to the pupils by Irish actor, director, writer and producer Sharon Horgan.
The eleven young people created the comedy superhero short film with a meaningful message about bullying in just under three months at the end of last year. Full story here.
‘My 51 year mission to spread kindness to a stranger every single day’
Niall Donnan is a young man on a mission. And that’s a big-hearted mission of kindness.
In September, when he turned 24, Co Down man Niall decided it was time for a change. He started a 18,627 day journey to make the world a better place by making the people in it kinder humans.
That is exactly 51 years of random acts of kindness every single day until he turns 75. Full story here.
Family-run chippy on 28 years of creating a ‘home from home’
Meet the team behind a family-run fish and chip shop in Co Antrim that has been creating a “home from home” for customers for the past 28 years.
The Captain’s Table on the busy Carnmoney Road in Glengormley is at the heart of the area, and has built up a dedicated customer base since opening back in 1997.
As soon as you walk into the much-loved shop, you’re immediately taken back in time, with the charm evident from the trinkets lining the walls to the old fashioned booth seating making up the sit-in area. Full story here.
Belfast community marks 10 years of turning unsafe alley into sanctuary
Residents in part of South Belfast celebrated ten years of transforming an unsafe alleyway into a sanctuary for all to enjoy.
In summer 2015, residents in part of Belfast’s Holyland had enough of the alleys behind their homes being used as a dumping ground, and a space where anti-social behaviour thrived.
From that idea, Wildflower Alley was born, with residents continuing to care for and add to the bustling space where gardens and creativity thrive. Full story here.
Meet the NI priest who walked barefoot to Dublin
In March, a priest from Co Fermanagh took on a mammoth barefoot walk to Dublin to raise funds for a new community hub.
The Revd Stephen McWhirter, Rector of Rossorry Parish Church in Enniskillen, walked from his landmark church on the outskirts of the town to St Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin, a distance of around 100 miles. Full story here.
32,500 meals collected so far through Translink’s Stuff a Bus appeal
Translink’s annual Christmas food drive, Stuff a Bus, delivered in partnership with FareShare NI (operated by Homeless Connect), and media partners U105 and Belfast Live, has collected 32,500 meals to date to support people across Northern Ireland this winter, following the final collection day at Belfast Grand Central Station.
Now in its ninth year, the award-winning campaign once again saw communities, workplaces and passengers come together in the lead-up to Christmas to donate essential food items and make monetary contributions for those most in need. Full story here.
How Sunday morning swims became a weekly ritual for these bay belles
If you head down to a small sandy bay on the northern tip of Co Antrim on a Sunday morning, you’re likely to bump into a group of hardy souls dashing and dancing into the sea for their weekly dip.
For the past few years, it has become a weekly ritual for the Browns Bay Belles to head down to the stunning Islandmagee spot and make for the water. Full story here.
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