People urged to fight cuts

Veteran campaigner Ethel Powell has called on people in a Staffordshire town to do more to stop facilities being lost after a string of potential cuts.

Known for supporting Cannock Chase Hospital, she said she often felt there was a lack of support for campaigns to save facilities in Cannock. She spoke after it emerged St Aidan's Post Office, Pye Green Road, may close. She said it was the latest blow after plans to close Cannock Sports Stadium, Cannock Chase Hospital cuts and loss of care homes.

Mrs Powell said: "I just cannot understand why people are just sitting on their backsides watching facility after facility being lost and they just won't do anything to help save them.

"Why don't people just stand up and be counted? It's ridiculous. People fought hard to get those facilities and they are being lost without a proper fight.

"Nobody seems bothered really, it's just always the same few fighting for it and it's really not right. It makes me really mad."

She added: "I'd love to tell Gordon Brown that charity should start at home. We should be looking after what we've got here and protecting it, not just closing everything left, right and centre.

"There are a lot of people suffering with high bills, fuel prices and everything that goes with it but where are their voices? "When people are fighting for the town people should support them.

"Councillor Gordon Alcott has been trying to save the post office but where are all the people supporting him? It's been exactly the same whenever I've spoken out about cuts at the hospital."

Mrs Powell, aged 88, was awarded the MBE in 1990 in recognition of her fundraising as she is chairman of Cannock Chase Hospital's League of Friends which has raised more than £1million for the hospital over the years. She has fought hard to fight off any closures over the years such as cuts in services or ward closures.