On 6th September 2014 Save Our Hospitals campaigners assembled at Lyric Square for a "Die-In" - which might happen if A&Es are closed indiscriminately. They traveled in an open-top bus to central London, walked with the marchers on the last section and joined the huge rally in Trafalgar Square. I have included some memorable pictures of the "People's March for the NHS" below, and more can be found in the " Campaign Gallery" of the "Campaign" tab in the top menu.
Officially estimated at 5,000 demonstrators, the last stage of the Jarrow to London march assembled at Red Lion Square before walking noisily and with placards and banners displayed front, back and above for the world's cameras. Unison had their huge purple balloons floating overhead. The crowd packed Trafalgar Square for speeches from the "Darlomum" Joanna Adams, Andy Burnham (shadow Sec of State for Health), Onkar Sahota (London Assembly member), Diane Abbott MP, Dr Clive Peedell who is co-founder of the National Health Action Party and Dr Louise Irvine of Save Lewisham Hospital campaign and also on the BMA council, Owen Jones of the "People's Assembly", David Babbs of 38Degrees, Clive Efford MP (who is tabling a private member's bill to repeal the 2012 Health and Social Care Act) and our own Andy Slaughter, who reminded us that the campaign in West London to save Charing Cross and Hammersmith hospitals' A&E departments (and the whole of Charing Cross in due course!) had brought closures and budget cuts in the NHS right up the political agenda, in time for the May 2015 election. SOH chair Merril Hammer, voice shaking with emotion, declared to the audience's delight that "Save Our Hospitals" had "sunk the Tory flagship borough, Hammersmith and Fulham", at the local elections on 22nd May 2014.
"Save Our Hospitals" campaigners were among the "best dressed" and their Walking Wounded were the "best made-up" demonstrators. Billy Bragg roused us all to join him as he sang: "And I will walk five hundred miles....."
Pictures of us were tweeted around the world, I am told.
Check out our website : http://saveourhospitals.net/
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