BT16plus

I have huge admiration for Martin Gregg, the guy behind BT16plus. He started out in 2006, publishing this little magazine for the Dundonald area (hence the name… that’s our postcode!), and has seen it go from strength to strength.
Martin is a true believer in community spirit, and this is reflected in his magazine. He fills it with ads from local companies (from Dundonald, Newtownards, Castlereagh etc.), and helps to promote these businesses by encouraging people to use them, rather than the big chain stores.
Furthermore, through BT16plus, Martin airs his views on everything from local issues, such as politics, to topics such as the Comber Greenway, education, holidays and the like. His no-​nonsense approach is appreciated so much that he decided to run for councillor for Strangford in 2007 (as an Independent), and more recently stood in the Castlereagh by-​election for the Green party. Despite his failure to get elected both times, he did incredibly well the second time, and has made politics accessible to those in Dundonald, and indeed in East Belfast.
Martin also comments on local happenings in the area in BT16plus, and I once emailed him after a dog ran into my boyfriend’s car because I was so annoyed at the dog’s owner who hadn’t thought to put his dog on a lead (in an increasingly busy area), or had had the decency to apologise for the incident. Martin was incredibly sympathetic towards me, and subtly recorded the event in the following month’s issue of BT16plus, highlighting the need for dog owners to be more aware. I was so thankful to him for this.
BT16plus is an excellent little magazine, but it is really Martin Gregg who deserves recognition for all his hard work. Keep it up Martin!