May 17th, 2011
From Truro to Blackpool: 38 Degrees members campaign to Save our NHS
By becky
38 Degrees members have been handing in our huge NHS petition to their MPs up and down the country. 38 Degrees members Frances, Bill, Hannah and Bob prove how easy and important it is.
Frances who met her local MP, Michael McCann, on Friday said;
“Hi folks, had a meeting with my MP today, and it went really well. It can be quite scary if you haven’t done anything like this before, but remember, politicians depend on us to vote for them, and you’re not expected to be an expert, just a concerned constituent. So arrange a meeting and let them know how you feel. Good luck!”
Photograph by 38 Degrees
Bill said “The hand-in went off very well and we got media coverage. Graham Allen our MP was very interested and committed to the need to get the Government to revisit the issue and think again about the implications of what it is doing to such a vital service.
We also had the support of our newly elected City Councilor Nick MacDonald.
This was a very low key event but it will bring the issue into the homes of many passive supporters who we hope will become more active and stand up and be counted. The future of our Health Service is too important to just leave to politicians, so get along to your MP’s next surgery and let them know what you think. Even better, get your local neighbourhood community/action group to raise the issue and lobby your MP.
Make the effort, it is worth it.”
Hannah said, “The hand-in went really well. Paul Blomfield was really helpful. I’m a regular person, this is the first time I’ve tried to organise anything like this, talked to journalists or been on the radio. I was really surprised how helpful and interested people were in not only the campaign but what I had to say. I won’t hesitate next time I feel an issue needs to be brought to people’s attention.”
Photograph by 38 Degrees
In Blackpool, Bob handed in our petition to MP Gordon Marsden and the Blackpool Gazette covered the event in this great article.
If you want to follow Frances, Bill Hannah and Bob’s lead and visit your MP click here.
For more information click here.
[Update: May 25th]
Nick Clegg was keen to emphasise to us that he was listening. But one thing really concerned many of us. It became clear that earlier in the day, there had been an official “listening event” somewhere in Sheffield.
None of our members, who all had an interest in the issue, had heard anything about it. A volunteer in the 38 Degrees office had rung up the Department of Health just a couple of days earlier asking for details of “listening events” and it hadn’t been mentioned.
It seems to have been one of the public meetings promised as part of the “listening exercise” – but given the time and location were kept secret, it wasn’t exactly easy for the public to attend.
