The RSPB Northern Ireland annual Big Garden Birdwatch takes place on the last weekend in January (29 – 31 January 2021).

Get involved in the world’s largest wildlife survey from the safety of your own home! The whole family can get involved and enjoy the wonder of wildlife right on your doorstep.

Check out the RSPB’s website to register for a free pack today! www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch

A £7.75 million funding pot has been made available to support the arts and cultural sector in Northern Ireland which has been disproportionately impacted by the coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic.

The scheme aims to stabilise organisations financially to prevent closure and/or to allow continued delivery of outcomes and underpin longer-term changes.

The grants can be used to cover costs such as:

• Deficits incurred as a direct result of COVID-19.
• Restoration of reserves where these have been depleted as a result of COVID-19.
• Costs of artists,...

L-R: Andrew Upton (National Trust, Countryside Manager), Aaron Devlin (F.P. McCann), Hannah Lambe (AECOM Project Manager), Councillor Trevor Cummings (Mayor of Ards and North Down) and Joanne Brown (PEACE IV Officer). Image: Graham Baalham-Curry

Visitors to the recently reopened Nugent’s Wood in Portaferry can now enjoy an even better experience at the beautiful National Trust site thanks to a cash injection from the European Union’s PEACE IV Programme.

Improvements to the walking trail path and repairs to the existing stone wall have been completed, while...

In a recent survey carried out by Which?, readers were asked to rate recent visits to Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs) across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.  The Isles of Scilly that came top of the table. Four AONBs in the top 10 are in Northern Ireland, with Strangford and Lecale ranking 7th!

Readers rated their experience on the basis of scenery, walks, wildlife, tourist attractions, peace and quiet, and more.Read more: https://www.which.co.uk/reviews/destinations/article/the-best-areas-of-outstanding-natural-beauty-in-the-uk-aIgUm4Y9i6tT - Which?

The Heritage Recovery Fund is part of the £29million which the Department for Communities announced on 24 September to support the culture, language, arts and heritage sectors impacted by the Coronavirus pandemic.

The National Lottery Heritage Fund is distributing the £5.5m Heritage Recovery Fund on behalf of Department for Communities to help the sector recover from the pandemic and become more resilient.

Key features

• £5.5m fund
• Grants of £3,000 to £250,000 for non-profit or private heritage...