Campaigner gets deserved award

Sandra Peake the Chief Executive Officer of the WAVE Trauma Centre which is the largest cross community victims and survivors support group in Northern Ireland paid tributes to the Troubles survivor.

Ms Peake commented: “Alex has made an outstanding personal contribution to the cause of trying to ensure that victims and survivors of Northern Ireland’s Troubles are not pushed to the margins.

“He is a powerful advocate as a member of the Victims’ Forum and as a leading campaigner for a special pension for those severely injured the vast majority of whom, like Alex, were injured through no fault of their own.

“All at WAVE as well as his family and friends are absolutely delighted that his commitment and drive has been recognised.”

Mr Bunting was severely injured in an undercar booby trap bomb placed under his taxi on the Sandy Row in South Belfast on October 21 1991.

The 62-year-old lost his left leg and suffered multiple injuries when the bomb exploded. His passenger was also injured.

Mr Bunting told the News Letter last year: “I was carrying a hatred and hatred was what people had done to me and I could not get past that so through all the talking that I have done to other victims I realised what was the problem.

“So I decided never, ever to hate people and it was like a weight getting lifted off my shoulders. I don’t hate people and religion or anything like that does not matter to me, I am being honest about that.”

Finding new meaning as a victims campaigner he said: “I try my best every day to help as many people as I possibly can.”