20,000 reasons why the Downe must be saved

20,000 reasons why the Downe must be saved

18 February 2015

TWENTY thousand people took to the streets of Downpatrick last Saturday afternoon in a massive show of public support for the Downe Hospital.

The St. Valentine’s Day Love the Downe rally exceeded all organisers’ expectations and hospital campaigners now aiming to build on the momentum the rally has created.

Buoyed by the overwhelming success of the event, the Down Community Health Committee is planning to escalate its campaign over the coming weeks and months for the reinstatement of the Downe’s 24-hour accident and emergency department and the reopening of the hospital’s dedicated coronary care unit.

Campaigners have thanked everyone who walked from the Ardglass Road to the rallying point at the Lower Market Street car park on Saturday and said they were overwhelmed by the public’s positive response to the rally in support of the people’s hospital.

People from all walks of life and all religious persuasions swelled the ranks of the parade led by 102 tractors as the agricultural community came out in significant numbers to pledge its support for the Downpatrick hospital.

Rally organiser, Anne Trainor, said the people of Down and Mourne have spoken, with their message to the decision makers unambiguous — we love the Downe.

She continued: “The unprecedented and extraordinary scenes witnessed in Downpatrick last Saturday when the entire community came together once again to demand the restoration and enhancement of services at the Downe Hospital demand an immediate response from Health Minister Jim Wells and the Stormont Executive. The Downe must be restored.

“For years the centralists have held sway. Just look at where they have taken us. Now, the people have spoken. Who dares ignore them. The Downe Hospital is still an excellent facility, open for business. Use it or lose it,” she said.

Down Community Health Committee chairman, Eamonn McGrady, declared: “We live in a democracy. The democratic will of the people has been expressed. It is over to the politicians now to deliver.

“The next weeks and months will see an escalation in our campaign. The 102 tractors which took part in Saturday’s parade sent an extraordinary and powerful message to Stormont. They ain’t seen nothing yet.”

The weekend rally was co-sponsored by Unison and the trade union’s Down Lisburn branch joint secretary praised everyone who supported the event. Marion Ritchie said Unison was proud to be part of the massive crowd which turned out in support of the Downe.

She added: “As part of the local community, we are determined to restore and protect the services in the Downe for the people of Down and to work very closely with the Down Community Health Committee to achieve this aim.

“Unison knows that this is only the first step in the campaign to ensure that the people of Down get the services they deserve; an enhanced local hospital with 24-hour A&E and a coronary care unit.”

As part of its ongoing campaign, the Down Community Health Committee is planning to address next week’s meeting of the South Eastern Trust’s management board which is being held in Downpatrick.

The Trust Board meets at the Downshire Hospital’s Great Hall next Wednesday, February 25, at 11am. A number of local politicians are planning to address the meeting as part of the continuing campaign to have key lifesaving services reinstated at the Downpatrick hospital.