Award AFTER 'putting life on line to save trapped motorist'

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A COURAGEOUS Carrick postal worker has picked up a Royal Mail 1st Class People Award, Alex Shortt, who is based at the Northern Ireland Mail Centre Mallusk, received the Bravery category honour in the regional final of the event.

He now goes forward to the national finals with a chance to the Royal Mail Postman of the Year title and £1,000.

Alex put his life on the line to save an elderly motorist trapped and injured in an overturned vehicle as he drove to work early one winter morning.

Weather conditions were treacherous on the dark country road when he came upon the accident. He immediately took charge, giving assistance to the injured person and helped prevent the danger of further accidents occurring at the scene, as he waited for the emergency services to arrive.

Alex said: “I am thrilled and delighted to receive this recognition from Royal Mail. I couldn’t believe it when I was short-listed and to win the Northern Ireland award is fantastic. I just did what anyone else would have done in the spur of the moment and was only to happy to come to the aid of this elderly person”.

Alex’s Mallusk colleague Kevin Maxwell was selected as the winner in the Charity Fundraising category for his tireless voluntary work with the Ireland Special Olympics Team, while the Community Involvement recipient was Gordon Ferguson, Stewartstown Delivery Office.

Gary Crawford, area general manager for Royal Mail in Northern Ireland, said: “All three are worthy winners of this award and their dedication and commitment demonstrate exactly why our postmen and women are such highly valued members of their local communities.

“Our people often go the extra mile to help their communities in all sorts of ways and these awards are about recognising the postmen and women across the country who are very often unsung heroes in their local communities.”

Regional winners will attend the London award ceremony on 30 March, where they will each receive cheques for £500 and a certificate from Royal Mail Chief Executive Adam Crozier and a celebrity guest.

Narrowly missing out after being shortlisted in the Community Involvement category was Stephen McCleary of Carrickfergus delivery office.