Lewisham Hospital Protest Save the NHS 15.000 march in the rain.

I have put together a short video showing the feeling of the people who 
came to meet the man charged with privatising healthcare in South London.

It is available on http://youtu.be/U_Hg5dSM-n4 and will soon be up on 
our website. 

Arriving at the start of the March to Save Lewisham Hospital, the rain seemed to have kept people away. As i spoke with Kate the South London Press reporter, we agreed that in the rain to get several hundred to turn out at a time when far to many people only think about themselfs and care little about any body or any one else but themselfs, this was a fair turn out.
But then the Holy Grail of Community activism happened. as the march got organised and i moved into position with the People before Profit banner people were spotted pushing prams and pushchairs, in another direction Students and Unions pouring off buses  with banners whilst pensioners arm in arm some so old they could remember what it was like before they won the fight to establish the NHS, and still more people   pour into the square, patients still in bandages, dads with children on shoulders the fire Brigade facing cuts themselfs showing support for the campaign with a huge Union banner, new campaign groups for the first time such as TUSC, and endless hand made banners from people saved by Lewisham A&;E,  banners from Children born in Lerwisham Hospital, entire Church congregations, Politicians,  Nurses and Doctors Consultants and bin men, As i hit the half way mark to look back, i could see to end and no start such was the huge numbers marching, singing, waving banners in the wind and with so many umbrellas it looked like some type of Kite festival with the thousands of banners blowing in the wind on a dark Saturday afternoon, the atmosphere was like a summers day, full of people truly representative of Lewisham residents, a delighted George Hallam from People before Profit who organised the march as part of the all party Save our Hospital Campaign, had just been told we had passsed the 8000 thousand people mark. for once lost for words, the march seemed to take 1 hour and twenty minutes to walk the short distance, packed like sardines, the crowds kept coming.
This was not just a great day for Lewisham, but must put the fear of God into the Goverment, most of these people would be seen as Middle England, people who do what they are told and believe every word Polticians say. Saturday showed people  are taking action, thinking and asking questions and clearly will not allow our hospital to close because of PFI the Labour Policy closing Hospitals and schools and should be made unlawful. People before Profit and other Groups campaign for community to put people before profit are well placed to win seats in Lewisham in the next local elections.
This is just the start.
More action on Lewisham People Before Profit website, and read other postings on this blog.