Peace Centre helps Birmingham bombing victims

A MEETING facilitated by the Peace Centre in Warrington between Paddy Hill of the “Birmingham Six” and the family of Maxine Hambleton, who was killed in one of the Birmingham pub bombings in 1974, will be featured in a BBC TV documentary.
“Who Killed Maxine?” is a BBC Midlands Inside Out production, which will be broadcast in the Midlands region on Monday November 18 at 7.30pm, and also broadcast on the BBC News Channel and available on the BBC iPlayer.
The Birmingham pub bombings occurred on 21 November 1974, killing 21 people and injuring over 180 people with many more affected. The bombs placed in two city pubs were detonated by the Provisional Irish Republican Army and was the deadliest attack in Great Britain until the London 7/7 bombings in July 2005.
A number of men, later to be known as the “Birmingham Six” were arrested immediately and given life sentences in 1975 but were later acquitted after spending 16 years in prison.
Julie and Brian Hambleton, brother and sister of Maxine Hambleton, a 21 year-old victim of the bombings, launched a campaign entitled “Justice For The 21”. This started in the form of an online petition with the aim of getting the criminal investigation into the bombings reopened and the perpetrators brought to justice.
“Justice for the 21” has presented a dossier to the Prime Minister and are actively campaigning for justice and feature in a BBC documentary film. Paddy Hill has supported the campaign as well as setting up his own organisation to challenge miscarriages of justice.
The BBC commissioned the Foundation, as a specialist in responding to violent conflict, to facilitate dialogue between the family and Mr. Hill at the international Peace Centre in Warrington, a building set up in memory of Tim Parry and Johnathan Ball, victims of the IRA Warrington bombing. The meeting was carefully planned, brokered and supported and took place earlier this year.
Nick Taylor, Chief Executive, said: “This was a very challenging and emotional meeting for Brian and Julie in their quest for justice, and for Paddy, and we did what we could to offer our professional services and the sanctuary of the Peace Centre to hold this difficult conversation.
“People affected by terrorism and political violence experience a very unique trauma and it took immense bravery for each of them to face each other. There was a really positive outcome and connection that hopefully will help them moving forward.”