Labour approaches the May 7 elections struggling in the polls and facing challenges from both Reform UK to the right and a resurgent Green Party to the left
Tom Burnett Content Editor
22:51, 29 Mar 2026
Sir Keir Starmer will pledge to “fight for our values” in a volatile world as he kicks off Labour’s local election campaign on Monday.
Labour approaches the May 7 elections struggling in the polls and facing challenges from both Reform UK to the right and a resurgent Green Party to the left.
Advertisement
But despite predictions of heavy losses, the Prime Minister is expected to begin the campaign urging the country to “stand together” under Labour’s election slogan: “Pride in Britain.”
Get MEN Premium now for just £1 HERE – or get involved in our WhatsApp group by clicking HERE. And don’t miss out on our brilliant selection of newsletters HERE.
He will say: “This is about pride and hope.
“That is the political choice in this election.
Advertisement
“Our opponents respond to this war on two fronts by dividing our communities.
“We meet this test by unlocking the pride that is our communities.”
Joined by deputy leader Lucy Powell and his Cabinet colleagues, Sir Keir is expected to tell the launch event in the West Midlands: “We’re going to fight to earn every vote. Fight for our values. And fight for the country we are building together, a Britain built for all.
“Because, in the context of everything that is happening in the world.
Advertisement
“Those values, that fairness we stand for, it’s never been more important.”
May’s local elections represent a major test for the Prime Minister, with some warning a disastrous result could spell the end of his premiership.
Pollster Lord Robert Hayward warned earlier in March that Labour faced a “very substantial” threat, especially following a series of “absolutely horrendous” council by-election results.
But Sir Keir will hope that a series of measures intended to help with the cost of living, including a lower energy price cap and an increase in the minimum wage, will translate into votes.
Advertisement
He will say: “We meet this moment with hope.
“The hope of an NHS where waiting lists are coming down – and they are.
“The hope of a country where wages for working people are rising – and they are.
“And the hope of a country where poverty is being slashed and our children have a better future – and it is.
Advertisement
“That is what we are building. That is what we are fighting for.”
Conservative Party chairman Kevin Hollinrake said: “Under Labour, Britain isn’t working.
“Rachel Reeves has stifled growth with her tax hikes and economic incompetence.
“Keir Starmer is too distracted by threats from within his own party to focus on his job.
Advertisement
“And Ed Miliband, who is running the country, has sacrificed our energy security on the altar of his net-zero zealotry.
“Labour have nothing to offer hardworking families and businesses other than higher taxes to pay for higher welfare.
“At the local level, council tax is soaring on Labour’s watch, leaving residents paying more and getting less.”
Even after President Donald Trump ordered emergency pay for Transportation Security Administration agents to ease long security lines, major U.S. airports on Sunday were still urging travelers to arrive hours early — and federal immigration officers brought in to help may not be leaving anytime soon.
Trump’s executive order on Friday instructed the Department of Homeland Security to pay TSA officers immediately, though it’s unclear how quickly travelers will see an impact. The move comes during a busy travel stretch, with spring breaks underway and Passover and Easter approaching.
Tens of thousands of TSA employees have been working without pay since DHS funding lapsed on Valentine’s Day. The department’s shutdown reached 44 days on Sunday, eclipsing the record 43-day shutdown last fall that affected all of the federal government.
Trump deployed Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to some airports a week ago to help with security as TSA callouts rose nationwide — the same officers who may now remain in place if TSA staffing strains continue.
Advertisement
When will ICE’s deployment at airports end?
Making the rounds on Sunday morning news shows, White House border czar Tom Homan said it depends on how many TSA employees would be returning to work after they start receiving their pay.
“ICE is there to help our brothers and sisters in TSA. We’ll be there as long as they need us, until they get back to normal operations and feel like those airports are secure,” he told CBS’ “Face the Nation.”
Speaking on CNN’s “State of the Union,” Homan said it also depends on how many TSA agents “have actually quit and have no plan on coming back to work.” Nearly 500 TSA officers have left the agency since the shutdown started, according to DHS.
On Saturday night, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said in a post on X that more ICE agents were being deployed to Baltimore-Washington International Airport to assist at TSA security checkpoints to “speed up the clearance process for passengers — not immigration enforcement.”
“It’s good news because these TSA officers are struggling,” Homan said. “They can’t feed their families or pay their rent.”
Also on Sunday, Charlotte Douglas International Airport said in a post on X that backpay could arrive for TSA agents beginning Monday.
“While this action provides critical relief, CLT supports long-term solutions to ensure continued stability for this essential workforce,” the airport said.
Advertisement
Johnny Jones, secretary-treasurer of the American Federation of Government Employees’ TSA chapter, said Sunday that he has heard from workers worried they may not receive their full back pay because TSA management was given very short notice to begin processing payments. He also said TSA agents are concerned they could miss pay for time they were unable to work because they couldn’t afford to report for duty.
“It is a disaster in progress,” Jones said.
What’s the current situation on the ground?
Some of the busiest U.S. airports continued to ask travelers to plan ahead in order to get through security lines.
Houston’s main airport, George Bush Intercontinental, warned Sunday evening that TSA wait times could reach four hours or longer. Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport also told passengers to arrive at least four hours early for both domestic and international flights.
Advertisement
LaGuardia Airport posted an alert Sunday evening on its website that “TSA lines are currently longer than usual.”
Baltimore-Washington International Airport said Sunday on X that “wait times have greatly subsided on this Spring Break Sunday,” but it still asked passengers to show up several hours early. Louis Armstrong International Airport in New Orleans offered the same guidance.
Also on Sunday, passengers could once again see estimated security wait times at the three main airports serving the New York City area — LaGuardia, John F. Kennedy and Newark Liberty.
All three had removed that feature from their websites earlier in the week, citing “rapid” changes in passenger volumes and TSA staffing. For the same reason, they cautioned that the restored wait times may not always “reflect current conditions.”
Advertisement
How soon will this help with airport delays?
It’s hard to tell.
Caleb Harmon-Marshall, a former TSA officer who runs a travel newsletter called Gate Access, said the staffing crisis won’t improve significantly until officers are confident that they won’t be subjected to more skipped paychecks.
“It has to be an extended pay for them to come back or want to stay there,” he said, estimating longer lines could linger for another week or two.
Jones, the TSA union leader, offered a more optimistic outlook on Sunday, saying he’s hopeful that passengers could see wait times ease closer to typical levels once workers are able to afford basic expenses like gas to get to work.
Advertisement
TSA will also have to decide whether to reopen the checkpoints and security lanes they closed or consolidated at some airports due to inadequate staffing, which led to passengers standing in screening lines that clogged check-in areas or showing up far too early for their flights.
A handful of airports have experienced daily TSA officer call-out rates of 40% or higher in recent weeks.
___
Sedensky reported from New York, Yamat from Las Vegas and Raby from Charleston, West Virginia. Associated Press journalist Julie Walker contributed from New York.
Sean Carr is taking on the 26 mile challenge for the charity that supported his family since before son Andrew, now nine, was born with spina bifida.
A Scottish Premiership referee is swapping jeers for cheers as he prepares to tackle the London marathon in honour of his disabled son.
Advertisement
Sean Carr, 42, is taking on the 26 mile challenge for the charity that supported his family since before son Andrew, now nine, was born with spina bifida.
The dad is used to being unpopular on the pitch as his second job as a referee and linesman can see his decisions criticised by thousands of fans at top table clashes.
But he has committed to running a second marathon for Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus Scotland after getting a buzz from the “good vibes” brought by the crowds cheering him on at last year’s Edinburgh event.
He said: “When I got to Edinburgh City Centre there were massive crowds cheering you on and I loved that, especially when you can be used to 60,000 people critiquing your decisions.
Advertisement
“It was all positive, good vibes so when I went back to reffing a football match afterwards it took a while for the system to readjust.
“Last year I figured if I ever wanted to do a marathon I needed to do it before my knees and my legs decided I’d had enough so I changed my training to accommodate it.
“I loved the Edinburgh Marathon but my legs were leaden for three or four days and it was about the fourth day, when my legs were finally back to normal, that I got a call from Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus Scotland (SBHS) asking me to run the London Marathon for them this year.
Advertisement
“Thankfully the call came at that time because if it had come on the first three days after Edinburgh I don’t think I would have agreed to put my legs through that torture.”
Andrew’s condition was diagnosed at his 16-week scan. With little information available about the condition, Sean and wife Lynne found the charity online and sought advice.
Sean, who works for a bank in his day job, said: “We came across the SBHS centre in Cumbernauld and they invited us along to one of their family days. Lynne was about 20 weeks pregnant when we went.
“Everyone was lovely. They were all really excited because they hadn’t had a brand-new baby join the group for a long time. Some of the older staff still call him Baby Andrew.”
Advertisement
Andrew was born a month early in December 2016. The couple had been told to prepare that he may need surgery from birth but he was born healthy and well.
Andrew also has a scoliosis, a curvature of the spine, and will need a major operation in the future after which he will need to learn to walk again.
He uses a metal frame on his leg to help support him when he walks and sometimes needs to use walking sticks and a wheelchair.
But despite the challenges of his condition he has defied the odds to become a disabled gymnast, with coaches already tipping him for future Paralympic glory.
Advertisement
Sean said: “Andrew has had spina bifida from day one so he has no other idea how to live his life.
“If he sees his friends doing something he wants to do the same. Sometimes it is not always possible but if he can, he will or will try to use some other method.
“He has a brilliant determination. He doesn’t have an ‘I quit’ or ‘I can’t do that’ mentality.”
Andrew started getting into disabled sport as soon as rules allowed when he turned eight and his talent was obvious. He now competes for the City of Glasgow Gymnastics Club.
Advertisement
Sean said: “It was great because the interest in Andrew was phenomenal. He has never had people fighting over him before.
“Andrew is a wee daredevil. If Andrew can do a somersault, a back flip or climb anything, he’ll climb it and he’ll jump. He doesn’t think about the consequences that he might get hurt.
“They said his upper body strength is phenomenal and they really think he has great potential.”
Lawrence Cowan, CEO at Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus Scotland, said: “We are so grateful to Sean for all the fundraising he has done so far, and we’ll all be cheering him on as he takes on the London Marathon.
“Everyone with spina bifida and hydrocephalus deserves the chance to feel unstoppable. But it’s only through generous donations that we can make that happen for kids like Andrew, his family and so many other people right across the country.
Advertisement
“The money Sean raises will power our work to provide opportunities for understanding, fun and friendship.”
Tottenham chose to part ways with Igor Tudor on Sunday, just seven matches and 44 days into his spell as interim coach of a team that has plunged into a relegation fight in the Premier League.
A club statement on Sunday afternoon read: “We can confirm that it has been mutually agreed for head coach Igor Tudor to leave the club with immediate effect.”
Tottenham thanked Tudor for his work and said “An update on a new head coach will be provided in due course.”
Tudor’s exit leaves Spurs without a head coach heading into the final seven games of the Premier League season, with the London club just one place and one point above the relegation zone.
Advertisement
The Croatian coach was hired on Feb. 14 until the end of the season, but his final match in charge proved to be a 3-0 home loss to Nottingham Forest in the league on March 22, ahead of the international break. That left Tottenham one point above the relegation zone with seven games left as one of England’s biggest clubs battles to preserve its nearly 50-year top-flight status.
Tudor lost five of his seven games at Tottenham, including four straight at the start.
After the Forest game, it was announced that Tudor’s father had died and the coach didn’t undertake his post-match media duties.
Tottenham’s statement on Sunday said “We also acknowledge the bereavement that Igor has recently suffered and send our support to him and his family at this difficult time.”
Former Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi, ex-Monaco coach Adi Hütter and former Burnley and Everton manager Sean Dyche are among the bookmakers’ favorites to take over, or they could turn to Ryan Mason, a boyhood Spurs fan and player who has twice been caretaker before.
Former Spurs manager Harry Redknapp had also expressed interest before Sunday’s announcement.
The 79-year-old Redknapp is only a year older than Roy Hodgson, the recently appointed interim head coach of second-tier Bristol City.
Advertisement
Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust said it had been “a season of bad calls.”
Its post on X read: “With thanks to Igor and his team for their efforts, and wishing him and his family time to come to terms with their loss.
“In a season of bad calls, let’s hope we now see a wise choice for the remainder of the campaign.
“Someone who understands the club and is up to the task in front of them: retaining our Premier League status. Someone we can all be proud of and who can bring some much needed success and enjoyment to our long suffering fanbase.”
Advertisement
After Ange
Tottenham started the season with a new manager in Thomas Frank, who replaced Ange Postecoglou in the offseason.
Frank lasted eight months but couldn’t replicate his success at previous team Brentford. Tudor was brought in for his first job in English soccer, with a reputation for having an instant impact at clubs, but couldn’t arrest Tottenham’s slide.
His first match was a 4-1 home loss to Arsenal, Tottenham’s fiercest rival and who Tudor described as “probably the best team in the world at this moment” — a comment that, while possibly true, hardly ingratiated him with Spurs fans.
Tottenham had its worst losing streak in its history
Under Tudor, Spurs completed a six-match losing streak — the worst run of results in the club’s nearly 144-year history.
Advertisement
They haven’t won any of their last 13 games in the Premier League, dating back to the end of December.
Tottenham has been an ever-present in the Premier League since the competition was founded in 1992, and last played in the second tier in the 1977-78 season.
Tudor’s conduct toward Kinsky criticized
Tudor faced criticism for his professionalism and man-management for the way he treated Kinsky during the match against Atletico.
The Czech goalkeeper was selected for his first game since October and made two mistakes leading to goals in the opening 15 minutes, prompting Tudor to substitute him.
Advertisement
Tudor didn’t acknowledge Kinsky as the young goalkeeper walked off the field and straight down the tunnel.
Former Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel felt sorry for Kinsky, saying of Tudor: “What he’s done there, for me, he’s absolutely killed his career. That’s going to take something to get over that.”
Despite reports claiming his security card malfunctioned, he was left out of the starting XI. Flick had instructed players to attend a 9:30am meeting on the morning of the game, followed by an ‘activation session’ at 11am.
However, sources close to Rashford confirmed he did not arrive until 9:32am, prompting Flick to enforce his strict punctuality rule. The German coach is known for his zero‑tolerance approach to lateness, with players regularly dropped for arriving even a minute or two behind schedule.
Get MEN Premium now for just £1 HERE – or get involved in our United WhatsApp group by clicking HERE. You can also join our United Facebook page by clicking HERE and don’t miss out on our brilliant selection of newsletters HERE.
At the time, Flick opted instead for a front three of Robert Lewandowski, Ferran Torres and Raphinha, with them going on to win 3-0 at the Nou Camp.
Advertisement
Rashford quickly learned to make sure the same mistake wouldn’t happen again and now arrives 30 minutes early according to the Daily Mail.
Rashford has settled in well in Catalonia after a difficult spell under former United boss Ruben Amorim.
The forward was dropped by the Portuguese coach, which led to a brief loan move to Aston Villa before he completed a season‑long switch to the Spanish giants.
Reports suggest the La Liga giants are not planning to make a decision until the end of the season.
As for a potential return to Old Trafford, the Daily Mail adds that even with a regime change at United, a summer reconciliation is far from guaranteed.
His reported £325,000‑a‑week wages ‘do not fit comfortably’ within the current Old Trafford structure, which leans heavily toward incentive‑based contracts with lower basic salaries.
Advertisement
It’s also noted that if a permanent move to the Camp Nou does not materialise, a loan elsewhere remains an option and with the World Cup approaching, that could offer him a valuable chance to impress potential suitors.
Get £250 to switch to Virgin Media’s sport packages
This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
Virgin Media is paying new customers up to £250 as a bill credit when they switch to one of its TV and broadband packages, several which are packed with hundreds of channels including Sky Sports, Netflix and fibre broadband.
What most people think of when they hear the word “dementia” is memory problems and forgetfulness. But what people often don’t know is that dementia can cause many different symptoms – affecting speech, behaviour, sleep, motor function and more.
In fact, dementia is an umbrella term. There are estimated to be more than 100 types of dementia. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common subtype of dementia, affecting approximately 60% of all cases. Memory loss in one of the most common symptoms of this type of dementia.
Although most people might be aware of some types of dementia – including Lewy Body, Parkinson’s disease dementia and frontotemporal dementia – awareness of other rarer types is low.
Advertisement
Knowing how to spot the signs of these rarer types of dementia early could be crucial in ensuring loved ones get the support they need.
Posterior cortical atrophy
Posterior cortical atrophy (PCA) affects mostly visual and spatial functioning. Memory is not as badly affected early on as it is in Alzheimer’s disease.
People with PCA can struggle with visual hallucinations and spatial navigation. This can become apparent when reading or judging depth and space on a staircase – making it difficult to judge where the next step is, for example. Symptoms commonly start appearing between the ages of 55 and 65.
There’s still much we don’t know about PCA because of how rare it is. Researchers are still trying to figure out whether PCA is a distinct subtype of dementia or whether it’s an atypical form of Alzheimer’s disease. This is because the brain changes that occur in people with PCA closely resemble those that occur in people with Alzheimer’s disease, although the symptoms are different. It’s also estimated that between 5% to 15% of people with Alzheimer’s have PCA.
Advertisement
Creutzfeld-Jakob disease
Creutzfeld-Jakob disease is a particularly rare form of dementia, affecting about one in 1 million people worldwide.
Creutzfeld-Jakob disease is a prion disease. These diseases involve prion proteins which, for unknown reasons, suddenly change into a three-dimensional shape. The function of healthy prions remains unknown, but they appear to play some role in protecting nerves and brain cells and keeping the body’s circadian rhythm functioning (the natural, 24-hour cycle our body follows that controls everything from sleep, digestions and immunity).
The misfolding of prion proteins in Creutzfeld-Jakob disease causes a very rapid and severe form of dementia, progressing much more quickly than Alzheimer’s disease or Lewy Body dementia, for example. Besides the notably quick nature of progression, people with Creutzfeld-Jakob disease struggle with memory and movement, including sudden jerky movements.
Creutzfeld-Jakob disease is caused by misfolded prion proteins. ibreakstock/ Shutterstock
Risk factors for this subtype of dementia include old age and genetics (occurring in 10-15% of cases). In very rare cases, it can also develop as a result of contamination – such as from eating beef from cattle infected with mad cow disease.
Advertisement
FTD-MND
FTD-MND is a form of frontotemporal dementia that occurs alongside motor neurone disease.
Frontotemporal dementia refers to subtypes of the disease that cause gradual brain tissue loss in the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain.
Motor neurone disease, on the other hand, is a rapidly progressing neurological condition which can lead to difficulties breathing, movement and paralysis. Although it affects the brain and nerves, it is not itself a form of dementia.
Advertisement
Approximately 10-15% of people with frontotemporal dementia also develop motor neurone disease. This co-occurence seems to be linked to a mutation in the C9orf72 gene. Because of this genetic link, FTD-MND can run in families.
People with FTD-MND experience several muscle-related issues, including muscle waste, stiffness and problems with swallowing. These are things you would not normally associate with dementia and memory problems.
It’s currently not clear whether frontotemporal dementia develops first and then motor neurone disease, or if it’s the other way around.
Progressive supranuclear palsy
Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) is a rare neurological condition that causes both dementia and problems with movement.
Advertisement
It’s estimated to affect approximately 4,000 people in the UK. PSP is difficult to diagnosis as it overlaps with many other conditions – including Parkinson’s disease.
PSP primarily leads to damage in subcortical brain regions, specifically the brainstem and basal ganglia. These areas are linked to vision and movement.
As such, people with PSP struggle using their eyes and can thus often fall and experience difficulties moving around. People with PSP can also struggle concentrating and problem solving.
Dementia support
As with all dementia subtypes, there is no cure yet. While there are medications that can delay symptoms, these only work in cases of Alzheimer’s disease.
Advertisement
As such, we still need to find ways to support people with other subtypes of dementia as best as possible.
One way of doing this is by properly understanding their condition and their subtype. Knowing that someone might particularly struggle with walking and movement as opposed to memory is important to put the right care in place in advance.
It is just as important to be able to spot the signs early on. Dementia doesn’t just affect memory. Changes in behaviour, problems seeing or falling more frequently, walking or moving differently or difficulty speaking can all be early signs of dementia.
Better understanding dementia’s many forms will hopefully lead to better ways of managing and treating this complex disease.
Easter is almost upon us, but it turns out many Brits don’t know when they’re actually supposed to eat their Easter eggs – and some have been tucking in too soon
Easter is almost upon us, and chocolate fans across the UK will be waiting eagerly to tuck into their stack of treats. There are many foods we use to celebrate the Easter holiday, including hot cross buns and a variety of confectionery. Some people even have traditional meals around this time, such as fish on Good Friday and roast lamb on Easter Sunday.
Advertisement
But for many, the signature food for the holiday is an Easter egg. These chocolate treats can be bought in supermarkets months before the big weekend, and millions of us will have already indulged in a Cadbury Creme Egg or two, with some tucking into the Easter treat as early as late January.
And if you surrendered to the temptation of polishing off an egg-shaped chocolate snack in the last couple of months, then we’ve got unfortunate news for you, as you’ve violated one of the unspoken customs of the Easter holiday.
When should we eat our Easter eggs?
Traditionally, Easter eggs are exchanged as presents on Easter Sunday among those who observe Christian customs around the holiday, as the egg is meant to represent the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
According to Hames Chocolates, many people opt to give up dairy products, eggs, or chocolate during Lent, which is a 40-day period of fasting observed by Christians, and so Easter marks the first occasion after Lent they can freely indulge in the treats that they have gone without.
Advertisement
Lent concludes on Maundy Thursday, which falls on the day before Good Friday, so some Christians will devour their Easter eggs between Thursday and Sunday to reward themselves for their 40-day abstinence.
However, as Easter eggs were traditionally distributed on Easter Sunday, the intention was to consume them on the same day – which means no peeling back that foil until Sunday.
Why do we eat Easter eggs?
According to English Heritage, eggs were traditionally given out as gifts during spring festivals to symbolise new life and rebirth, and it’s believed this ancient custom began part of Easter celebrations.
In the medieval period, eating eggs was forbidden during Lent, so when Easter Sunday came around, tucking into an egg was a treat. Eggs were given to the church as Good Friday offerings, and villagers would give eggs as gifts to the lord of the manor at Easter, so the egg became a symbol of the Easter holiday.
Advertisement
There were even some superstitions around eggs at Easter. Eggs laid on Good Friday were said to turn into diamonds if they were kept for 100 years, while some people believed if you cracked an egg open and found two yolks, it was a sign you would become rich.
Chocolate Easter eggs made their debut in Europe during the 19th century, with France and Germany leading the way. In Britain, it was J.S Fry and Sons who created the first chocolate egg in 1873.
Cadbury followed suit, producing the modern Easter egg we know today just two years afterwards, in 1875.
These early eggs were made using dark chocolate, but in 1897, the famous Cadbury’s Dairy Milk Chocolate was introduced, and chocolate eggs made with this recipe became hugely popular.
Advertisement
These days, the day you choose to start tucking into your Easter eggs is up to you. Some religious people may choose to only eat them on Easter Sunday, or not to eat them at all, while others will enjoy them early.
No matter how you celebrate Easter, we hope you enjoy the holiday!
Early detection is vital and can significantly improve outcomes, yet the symptoms are often subtle
Each year, around 7,400 women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer across the UK. Early detection is vital and can significantly improve outcomes, yet the symptoms are often subtle and can be mistaken for other common conditions.
Advertisement
During Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, women in Northern Ireland are being reminded of the importance of recognising the early signs of ovarian cancer.
Because the symptoms can often be similar to other common conditions, which can make early diagnosis challenging.
Women are encouraged to contact their GP if they experience persistent signs such as bloating of the abdomen, pain or tenderness in the lower tummy area, loss of appetite or feeling full quickly after eating and needing to pass urine more frequently.
Advertisement
Gynae Clinical Nurse Specialist in the South Eastern Trust, Suzanne Brown stressed the importance of early diagnosis: “Early recognition and prompt investigation of ovarian cancer symptoms can make a real difference. Even if the symptoms seem minor or occasional, it is important to talk to your GP. Being proactive about your health is vital.
“Keeping a record or diary of symptoms can also be helpful and bringing this to your GP appointment can make it easier to explain what you have been experiencing and how often.”
“It has been amazing for both of us as businesswomen and now also as mammies”
Two of Derry’s most well known businesswomen have reflected on the one year anniversary of their store, GIRL.
Advertisement
GIRL was set up by Aoife Bonner of Sass & Halo, and Hannah Vail of Han.
Both situated in the craft village, their respective businesses were incredibly popular. However, as they both became mothers and the business world because tricker to survive in, they decided to combine forces and create a space to showcase local female creative talent.
GIRL is now home to over a dozen female stockists and recently celebrated its first birthday.
Aoife spoke to Belfast Live about what the journey has been like.
Advertisement
She said: “I was across the square and Han was in this space. We knew each other briefly before but then we became really good friends talking about work and life!
“It just became harder and harder to sustain a shopfront, obviously with rising costs and staffing costs, it was really hard to run and be there all the time. Hannah had her daughter first and I had one a year later and then our priorities changed.
“I was about to pack it in and Hannah approached me about maybe coming into her space and that’s where the idea came from. It started off with just us two but then we wanted to celebrate local female businesses, they were all really onboard and it was created within a couple of months. We have around 13 different stockists in the shop all offering something different. “
After making the leap to join together and create GIRL, Aoife and Hannah knew they could rely on the people of Derry to support local.
Aoife said: “We had a great launch and everyone was so supportive. We had a really successful Christmas, I think people do make a push to support local which is brilliant. Our prints and soaps are really popular with tourists looking to pick up an Irish gift.
“We are in the craft village and Storefront moved close to us just outside the craft village and it is lovely to have a hub of local businesses near each other and we can all benefit from each other.
“Hannah has organised markets in the craft village which really helps bring people into the craft village. All in all it has been a really positive decision for both of us. It is such a nice space to work in and as a creative I feel like I can really do what I want to do. There is so much support morally between Hannah and I because we understand exactly what each other is going through.”
Advertisement
GIRL has not only benefitted customers who want to find unique clothing, jewellery and gifts, it has also allowed for Hannah, Aoife and the other stockists run their businesses as a collective, relying on each other when they need to.
Aoife said: “It has been amazing for both of us as businesswomen and now also as mammies. It has given us so much more flexibility, if we need to deal with childcare or illnesses we can work around each other.
“The other businesses we stock are really happy. It is so useful for them in that they can go on holidays or take time off and there is still cash flow coming in through the shop. It has made running a business and keeping a business going much easier.
Advertisement
“We try to keep it evolving and exciting so if people come in it doesn’t look the same as before. We have so v many regular customers who make a point in coming in and we know them by name now.
“We really appreciate people coming back to us and spreading the word, a lot of time we get people coming in who tell us someone else told them to visit. Thank you to everyone who has supported us so far and we have a really exciting year ahead!”
Celebrating the film industry is the theme for this series
Great British Menu is back for 2026 and new hopefuls are set to battle it out for the chance to represent Northern Ireland next week.
Advertisement
One Wednesday, four of the country’s finest chefs will compete for a spot in the next round with canapes, starters and fish dishes celebrating the British film industry, all hoping to cook at the final banquet in Liverpool.
The dishes are judged by this week’s veteran judges, 2025’s banquet winners Sally Abe and Jean Delport and include an homage to The School for Good and Evil that features a red knotted brioche handkerchief, and a tribute to director Lisa Barros D’Sa with barbecued monkfish served from a teapot.
Ahead of the NI stage of the competition kicking off on Wednesday, April 1 on BBC Two, meet the local names hoping to grace the final:
Advertisement
Lawrence Barrow
Restaurant: Head Chef, Hearth and Tine
Returner Lawrence is more determined than ever to be a part of finals this year, after stepping out of the competition due to illness last series.
Born and raised in Ballymena, Lawrence is ready to show the world what Northern Irish cuisine is about!
Advertisement
Initially studying film studies before working in a bank, Lawrence fell into the world of cooking as a way to travel. But as he started exploring the world and its culinary scene, it quickly became a real passion.
This passion took him around the globe, including to kitchens in Australia, Italy and New Zealand. These experiences shaped his cooking style – blending international influences with a deep appreciation for his Northern Irish roots.
Returning to the UK, Lawrence moved to London where he staged at Tom Aikens’s Michelin-starred restaurant, Muse, before working under esteemed Michelin-starred chefs Lee Westcott and Jason Atherton. He then became head chef of James Cochran’s restaurant, 12:51, before moving on to head up Westcott’s new venture.
Since last competing, Lawrence splits his focus between a string of successful pop-ups and residencies in London.
Advertisement
He manages his restaurant concept Hearth and Tine; a project celebrating traditional Irish cuisine with a modern twist, championing seasonal Northern Irish ingredients.
Lawrence’s menu celebrates film and the talent coming from Northern Ireland.
Kristin Reagon
Restaurant: Head Chef, Lasair at Finn Lough
Advertisement
Originally from South Africa, Kristin Reagon is Head Chef at Lasair, the fine dining restaurant at Finn Lough Resort in Co. Fermanagh.
Since joining the restaurant, she has led an all-female kitchen team, creating menus that combine local produce and her love for cooking over coals.
Kristin was preparing to study chemical engineering when a college cooking competition inspired her to pursue a career in food.
She won a full scholarship to train at the Sense of Taste Chef School in Cape Town and went on to work at The Pot Luck Club, complete an internship in the United States, and join The Greenhouse under Head Chef Farrel Hirsch, where she placed third in a national inter-hotel competition.
Advertisement
After relocating to Northern Ireland in 2021, Kristin became instrumental in establishing Lasair. Her South African heritage continues to influence her cooking, particularly her use of open-fire and braai techniques, which she combines with local ingredients.
Kristin was also a UK finalist in the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy, an achievement that strengthened her confidence and professional network.
Kristin’s menu for the competition celebrates Northern Ireland women in the film industry.
Callum Irwin
Restaurant: Sous Chef, The Rabbit Hotel / Private Chef & Founder
At 27, Callum Irwin is one of Northern Ireland’s rising culinary talents, both Michelin-trained and award-winning.
Callum owns, runs and is growing his private dining business ‘Cooked by Callum’, where he has catered for major events and high-profile figures in sport, business, and hospitality, as well as working at The Rabbit Hotel in Templepatrick.
Callum studied Culinary Arts Management at Ulster University, graduating with first-class honours. During his studies, he was awarded an academic scholarship to Hong Kong, where renowned chef Ken Hom served as ambassador. While at university, Callum also won Féile MasterChef and a competition celebrating 25 years of Heston Blumenthal’s three-Michelin-starred The Fat Duck.
Advertisement
He joined Belfast’s Michelin-starred Muddlers Club while still studying, contributing to the team during the period in which the restaurant was awarded its first Michelin star. His experience also includes time at notable restaurants such as Edo, alongside chefs Lottie McKee and Matt Jordan.
In 2025, Callum served as private chef at a four-day hospitality event during The Open Championship at Royal Portrush, cooking for high profile guests.
Callum has been featured in Northern Ireland on a Plate and won the Ballymena Chamber Award for Best Young Person in Business. He is also an ambassador for Springboard’s FutureChef programme, mentoring the next generation of chefs.
Rooted in Northern Ireland, Callum combines technical precision with creativity, shaped by his Michelin training.
Advertisement
Callum’s menu showcases his creativity and some of the stars from the Northern Ireland film scene.
Marion Lancial
Restaurant: Head Chef, Le Cheval Noir at The Dark Horse
Originally from Normandy, Marion Lancial began her culinary journey in her grandmother’s restaurant, an early influence that has shaped her 20-year career.
Advertisement
She trained as a pastry chef in France before moving to Washington DC, where she graduated from the Escoffier School of Culinary Arts and worked as a private chef for diplomats and embassies, honing her skills in refined French cuisine.
Marion later moved to Northern Ireland, where she took on the challenge of opening Le Cheval Noir, a modern French bistro within The Dark Horse in Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter.
The restaurant has quickly gained attention from local critics, praised for its elegant cooking and confident, contemporary take on French bistro food.
Her style draws on family recipes from her grandmother’s kitchen, reinterpreted with Northern Irish produce. In addition to running her kitchen, Marion teaches at Waterman House Cookery School, mentoring the next generation of chefs, and sharing her expertise in French and modern cuisine.
Advertisement
Dedicated to empowering women in professional kitchens, Marion believes in leading with authenticity. Her competition menu reflects both her French roots and her adopted Northern Irish home.
Nigel Corner pledged to use his experience in surviving a near-fatal Goodwood crash to help patients with spinal injuries and their families during his year in office.
He also pledged to work on improving literacy among prisoners and continue the work of the outgoing High Sheriff, Sir Andrew Lawson-Tancred, in helping offenders lead crime-free lives.
“I feel I will be walking in big footsteps,” he said. “I will try to follow the example Sir Andrew has set.”
Advertisement
Mr Corner, of a village near Leyburn in Wensleydale, wore his uniform as an honorary air commodore in the RAF for the ceremony at York Crown Court, presided over by the Recorder of York, Judge Sean Morris.
The judge praised Sir Andrew’s work in promoting organisations including among others, Clean Slate Solutions, which encourages young people not to get involved in crime.
“How many people have you helped and desisted from going down the wrong path?” he told Sir Andrew. “You may well have got many people on the straight and narrow.”
The Lord Lieutenant of North Yorkshire, Mrs Johanna Ropner, Judge Simon Hickey, barristers and other invited guests from the justice system and the two High Sheriff’s families, saw Sir Andrew hand over the High Sheriff’s medal. The office that has been in continuous existence for more than 1,000 years.
Advertisement
Mr Corner told the gathering at York Crown Court that the care of spinal injury patients and their families will be among three priorities for him during his term in office.
“This cause is close to my heart,” he said. “I know rather too much about this issue.”
In 2000, medical staff at Goodwood Racing Circuit almost certainly saved his life by giving him advanced emergency first aid treatment after he crashed while racing a Ferrari.
He then spent weeks in a hospital ward with two punctured lungs and many broken bones before being discharged.
Advertisement
Mr Corner also wants to improve literacy in the two prisons in North Yorkshire after hearing how many prisoners cannot read or write and that this hinders them going straight on release.
And he will work, like his predecessor, with Clean Slate Solutions.
He thanked all those who have helped him prepare for his year in office.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login