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Pat Hume to be honoured with Lifetime Achievement award

Pat Hume worked alongside her husband, John throughout his public life. Picture by Margaret McLaughlin
Pat Hume worked alongside her husband, John throughout his public life. Picture by Margaret McLaughlin

FORMER SDLP leader John Hume’s wife Pat is to be honoured by the Irish Red Cross with a Lifetime Achievement award for her public service.

Mrs Hume will be presented with the accolade at the Irish Red Cross humanitarian awards ball at the Clayton hotel in Dublin in November.

Irish Red Cross spokeswoman, Tara Justin said Mrs Hume worked with her husband from the beginning of the civil rights movement in the 1960s, through the Troubles and right up to the signing of the Good Friday Agreement.

Ms Justin said: “Pat ran operations on the ground, manning John’s constituency office in Derry.”

She said Mrs Hume had to cope with threats and had her family home vandalised and fire-bombed because of her husband’s work. Ms Justin said she had also been the "eyes and ears" of her husband, keeping him briefed on political matters.

“We are recognising Pat Hume with the Lifetime Achievement Award for her decades of support and commitment to the Derry public and her wider contribution to the peace process."

The Irish Red Cross has invited members of the public to nominate themselves or their peers for other categories at the annual awards ceremony.