300 miles ‘crusade’ for NHS

Today (Saturday September 6) London welcomes the valiant NHS marchers who have walked three-hundred miles to campaign against the government’s NHS sell-off that is endangering the future of our health service.

Fifteen original marchers, dubbed ‘the 300-milers’ committed three weeks to walk the long journey from Jarrow though many more people were inspired to join in along the way.

Some walked with them through to the next town while others put their lives on hold to make it down to London.

UNITElive caught up with the marches at their pit-stop in Luton on Thursday September 4, where NHS nurse Barbara Campbell said the walk so far had been a “euphoric experience.”

“It has been absolutely amazing,” she said. “We’ve met such a lot of lovely people along the way and I hope that it sends a message to government to leave our NHS alone.

“My mum and dad didn’t have any money or any properties to leave me, but they left me the NHS. I don’t want to leave my children a world where they have to worry about how they are going to pay their bills or healthcare.”

The campaign was kick-started by the ‘Darlo mums’ who wanted to take action against the top down reorganisation that is dismantling and gradually privatising the NHS.

Unite head of health, Rachael Maskell spoke at a rally earlier this week.

She said, “It’s our NHS. It’s the one our grandparents built. It’s the one we work in, it’s the one we use, and it’s the one we own.

“Up and down the country we’ve seen hundreds of contracts go out to the private sector. No one has the right to sell off our NHS, and we’re going to take it back.”

The marchers began their journey on August 16 and, following the same route as the 1936 Jarrow Crusade, have stomped through twenty-two towns and cities on their way to Westminster.

The reception from the public has been immensely positive, raising awareness and often inspiring people to join in the march.

Unite member Dr Patrick French is an NHS consultant physician and decided to join the ‘300-milers’ in Luton.

He said, “I became a doctor to work in an NHS that values looking after people according to their need, not ability to pay.

“We have to fight now, or it’s all over. If we don’t, the NHS will cease to exist in any recognisable form.”

Today’s rally in Trafalgar Square will bring the campaign’s message to people in the capital and, of course, to parliament.

It will also mean a well-deserved rest for the tired feet of the marchers.

Fiona Dent is one of the ‘300 milers’ who left Jarrow three weeks ago.

She said, “It’s very, very hard [being away from home]. We’ve been sleeping on floors in community centres a lot of the time. There isn’t always somewhere where you can get a good wash – there certainly aren’t any showers in most of these places.”

But has it been worth it?

“Absolutely,” she said. “It’s our right to have an NHS and if we want it, we can keep it – but only if we really make the government understand that we want to keep it.”