Organisers of Stafford Hospital march "overwhelmed" by support
Organisers of a rally to show a united front against plans to downgrade Stafford Hospital today said they were "overwhelmed" by the 50,000-strong turnout.
But they added it was just the beginning and that there was still a long way to go.
The banner-waving thousands who turned out over the weekend were all there to speak out against Monitor's proposed £70million downgrade of services at Stafford Hospital. Notable figures at the march included the Bishop of Stafford, the Rt Revd Geoff Annas, who made a rousing speech, local MPs and councillors.
The bishop argued people living in the town should not be "penalised" by mistakes of the past.
Hospital staff also took part in the rally and some said it was the first time they'd been able to speak up and make their voices heard after all the scandal. So many people took part in the march, it took two hours in total for everyone to make their way from Market Square up to the hospital site.
Sue Hawkins, chairwoman of the Support Stafford Hospital group which organised the day's events, today said: "The turnout at our rally and march exceeded our wildest dreams.
"It just shows the strength of feeling among local people about what could happen to their hospital, now it has been placed into administration. Thousands and thousands of people who had never demonstrated before turned out to voice their concerns over what the future could hold for their hospitals.
"The people of Stafford, Cannock and surrounds spoke in a very loud, almost deafening, communal voice and now the administrators must listen to them."
Fellow campaigner Cheryl Porter added: "It does not stop here. We still have to carry on. We hope the Government will listen to the people of Stafford."
