A BALLYWARD toddler who suffers from an extremely rare condition is set to benefit from an event in Ballynahinch next week.

Members of the Mourne Motorcycle Club have just released the final details about their forthcoming motocross-racing event, to take place on June 19, in the grounds of the Millbrook Lodge Hotel.

The Lucy Parke Progeria Fund - in addition to Ballynahinch’s Grove House Day Centre – will benefit from the proceeds of the event, which gets under way next Wednesday at 6.30pm.

In the past six years, Mourne Motorcycle Club has raised £41,000 for 11 different charities, ranging from the NI Children’s Hospice, to Tiny Life, The British Red Cross and St John Ambulance.

Lucy has a condition called Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome.

Council says new bin collection arrangements are saving money

DOWN District Council has defended its decision to stop collecting bins on a Monday.

The local authority has also rejected a claim from UKIP representative Alan Lewis that the new arrangements are costing more money.

In February last year the council agreed to reduce its bin collections to a four-day week. It now collects bins from Tuesday to Friday.

The decision was taken to avoid paying staff overtime for collecting bins on bank holiday Mondays and to stop householders being confused about bin collection arrangements on these bank holidays.

But Mr Lewis said he had been contacted by local residents who were wondering why their bins were being collected on a Saturday.

SDLP councillor Maria McCarthy is the new chairman of Down District Council.

Accepting the chain of office at the AGM on Monday night, Cllr McCarthy said she was both “privileged and honoured” to be nominated by her party to be the first citizen of the district.

The Rowallane councillor is the first female chair in seven years and is now the youngest person to take up the position at Down Council.

The new chairman said her nomination was an indication of the SDLP’s commitment to representing all ages and genders.

Addressing the chamber, Cllr McCarthy paid tribute to the hard work and dedication shown by her predecessor, Cllr Mickey Coogan.

She said she intended to continue his tireless work for the good of the entire community.

Looking to the year ahead, Cllr McCarthy said she recognised the challenges posed by the Review of Public Administration (RPA) and the difficult economic climate.