5,000 march for Whittington Hospital

Campaigners estimate that up to five thousand local people joined Saturday's march in support of the Save Our Whittington campaign from Highbury Corner to the hospital on Magdala Avenue.

Shirley Franklin, joint chair of the Defend the Whittington Hospital Coalition, called the march a "fantastic success", adding "NHS officials can be in no doubt that the entire population of

Islington and surrounding boroughs will not accept cuts that would tear

the heart out of the Whittington Hospital and reduce services to those

who need them most."

Traffic on the Holloway Road honked in support of the marchers, who came from all over the boroughs of Islington, Camden and Haringey. Many said they had never attended a demonstration previously but were passionate about saving the Whittington's A&E department.

Protesters including local councillors, community groups, and groups from local churches and mosques marched up the Holloway Road chanting "A&E here to stay! Hospital closures stay away!". The marchers were led by 104-year-old Hetty Bower and accompanied by a marching jazz band. Former Health Secretary Frank Dobson MP delighted the crowd at the hospital, calling plans to downgrade the hospital "a lunatic idea".

"My friends, we have had a magnificent march. We have shown local opinion at its best," added Jeremy Corbyn MP, who has been a passionate supporter of the campaign. He later thanked the organisers of the march, praising "the

superb organization of a brilliant demonstration." He also thanked the

local police for their "cooperation and efficiency in making sure that

the march passed off safely and effectively."

"The [London North Central] NHS planning group appear to be

unaccountable and unconcerned, as they try to centralise services on

two major hospitals, thus leaving Haringey and Islington with no major

A&E departments of their own," said Corbyn. "I have raised the issue several times in parliament, and I will

continue to pressurize ministers and the House to understand that

health officials have no business making plans for reducing

expenditure, and absolutely no business taking away crucial local

services."

BBC coverage of the march can be seen here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/8540578.stm

Following the success of Saturday's march, the Defend the Whittington Hospital Coalition are organising a follow-up meeting to keep the issue alive in the public imagination on Monday 22 March at 7.00pm at the Whittington Community Centre, Yerbury Road, N19.

If you would like to get more involved with the campaign in general, the next planning meeting will take place

at the Whittington Community Centre next Monday 8 March at 7.00pm.