About Us

South Down Action for Healing Wounds was established in January 1999, to provide help and support to innocent victims of terrorist violence in the South Down Area.

We are a Victims Support Self-help Body made up principally of the families of people murdered or maimed in South Down.

Our membership is drawn from both Security Force Families and Civilians.

SDAHW is non-political in its agenda and non-sectarian in its practice.

We have a twelve person committee, which is made up of individuals who live in the South Down Area and have had their lives tragically affected by terrorism. The Committee's Chairperson is currently Samuel Ringland.

Our Organisation presently has a membership of 80, plus their extended families which broadens the figure to approximately 400 people in the South Down Area.

SDAHW was established at a time when innocent victims of terrorist violence needed to have their voices heard. It was a time when innocent victims were being ignored, while the perpetrators of violence were reaping the benefits of early release. The Governments stance was to let us forget about the past and to look to a brighter future. They were not interested in remembering or recognising the loyalty and sacrifices made by the men and women of the Security Forces, whose only crime was to wear a uniform.

Security Force Families who had lost loved ones during the "troubles" were being forgotten in the quest for peace.

It is SDAHW's aim to help and support the innocent victims of Terrorist Violence in the South Down Area and not to forget those who paid the supreme sacrifice.

We are here to:-

Represent the needs of terrorist victims to people of influence and decision makers

To Continue to actively seek justice for those loved ones who have been murdered or maimed, and where no-one has been amenable to the due process of law.

To improve the quality of life for victims and their families.

To provide a research library concentrating on the conflict of the last 30 years for use by victim's groups and individuals.

To help in any way possible with the healing process necessary for victims and their families.