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Petition tops 20,000 and rally takes shape

9/ 3/2006

SIGNATURES for our Hands Off Hope petition have topped 20,000 as plans for a rally in support of the campaign gather pace.

We need you to get banners at the ready for the protest over plans to close Hope Hospital's maternity unit, which is kicking off at Stott Lane playing fields at 11am on Saturday, March 25 - the day before Mother's Day.

Petitions have once again been flooding into our Eccles office with the grand total now standing at 20,477.

Worsley MP Barbara Keeley and Eccles MP Ian Stewart will be speaking at the rally along with Capital Gold DJ Mike Sweeney who has been criticising the Strategic Health Authority's proposals on his radio show.

A message of support has been sent to us by Salford-born New Order bass player Peter Hook, which will be read out on the day.

Parents and children from across the city and beyond are expected to turn out in force in a show of support to keep facilities at Hope and save the Salfordian.

Ms Keeley said: "I'm not happy with the preferred option to close Hope's maternity unit. Hazel Blears and I visited the unit and were very impressed by the work the people do there.

"We have got substantial needs in this city - we're getting more mums with low birth weight babies and we don't want our mums to have to travel for long distances. It would be disastrous for Salford to lose this and people feel very strongly about their children being born in the city - without it there won't be any more Salfordians."

Mr Stewart said: "We've been dishing out car stickers at Tesco in Irlam and at Swinton and Salford precincts and posters have been put in shops along Liverpool Road. People are so supportive of this campaign."

Car stickers can be collected at our Church Street office and at council libraries and leisure centres.

• You can download a colour Hands Off Hope poster from this website.