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SAVE THE WHITTINGTON MARCH: From the battle bus..

(All march pictures: Mark Blunden @ www.londonphotographic.com)

Monday March 1, 2010

As thousands marched in defence of the Whittington Hospital on Saturday, the New Journal and Islington Tribune had a full team of twelve reporters and photographers on the scene, witnessing this historic event from the street and from the top of our battle bus. Here's what some of our team made of the scene:

TOM FOOT, Camden New Journal, Islington Tribune, assistant editor. He helped organise and publicise the march, attending planning meetings and distributing posters. His exclusive report nearly two years ago, in June 2008 was the first time the threat to the Whittington's Accident and Emergency was revealed.

I WOKE up on Saturday morning - predictably late - to a cacophony of raindrops drumming against the window and a bleeping text alert announcing my mobile phone had been barred. When I got to Highbury Corner, I saw to my horror just a few dozen supporters had assembled. The weather was now apocalyptic. This was not how I had envisaged Whittington Day.

But what followed surpassed all my expectations.Resolute, energetic and seemingly endless – this march could not have sent out a stronger message. But what could explain the titanic turnout?

The tireless work of the Defend Whittington Hospital Coalition; the campaigning of all political parties; the willingness of shopkeepers to accept leaflets, petitions and put up posters in their windows; the call to arms from bloggers, twitterers and on Facebook.

But, overwhelmingly, widespread disapproval at the dictatorial way our National Health Service is run. Details of the phantom “clinical evidence” said to be driving these reforms – which, if unchallenged, will alter north London hospitals beyond recognition - have not been made public and, in some cases, they have been deliberately withheld. The ‘administrators’ making these changes are neither elected nor accountable – and they know it. They tell us what they want to, and when they want to.

Understandably, many feel public opinion will be ignored when the consultation comes later this year. In this democratic void, it is no wonder so many people turned out on Saturday. I might add that the proposals for the Whittington have only emerged after reporters followed up on a memo leaked to the local press.

Much time and resources went into supporting the demonstration – from our end, a Routemaster bus, a wonderful jazz band, a 20 foot banner and hundreds of window posters. Like our hospitals, local newspapers are facing their own fight for survival in hard financial times. They too should be supported.

PETER GRUNER, Islington Tribune reporter who kept spirits high with lively commentary from the battle bus microphone

"The 5,000 people who turned out in the rain on a Saturday to protest against plans to remove the A&E from the Whittington hospital should this week be extremely proud. Whatever decision is made by the administrators who have the final say over the Archway hospital – and we hope that they are going to listen to the call to save the accident service - at least the communities around Islington and Camden have raised their voices loud and clear.

The magnificent protest proved beyond doubt that residents are not prepared to accept lying down the loss of this essential service. How can a hospital without an A&E call itself by that name?

Speaking personally as a reporter, Saturday's march along Holloway Road was probably one of the most extraordinary events of my career over a period of more than 40 years.

Perhaps for the first time I felt that I was not just a working journalist covering this important protest. I was – along with colleagues from our papers the Camden New Journal and Islington Tribune – taking part in a historic event that has united all people and political parties."

RICHARD OSLEY, Camden New Journal deputy editor

WHAT a day, an amazing, truly inspirational day. The sheer number of people who came together in north London on Saturday should not have been so astounding – the cause is such a worthy one – but in the end the never-ending train of protesters who stopped the traffic in Holloway was overwhelming. They came in their thousands. How can anybody still have the stomach or the heart now to close down services at the Whittington Hospital in the face of such public distress?

From the front of the march, you couldn’t see the back.

From the back you could only just about see the top of the bus the New Journal and Islington Tribune hired to lead the way to the hospital. And by the time the whole procession had made it to the Whittington’s front entrance, a few of the speakers had already spoken. No exaggeration, this was a sea of objectors. There were some seasoned marchers of course, arriving with loudhailers, but more on this march were people who had seen the poster, read the story or been told in the cafe about plans to cut the Accident and Emergency department – and felt moved to take to the streets. To be heard saying: ‘No, this is not alright.’

It didn’t matter what political party you vote for, whether you came from Camden, Islington or Haringey, what local newspaper you read, or what personal reason you might have for holding the Whit in high affection. With each step of the walk, past the Emirates Stadium and the Nag’s Head, the numbers seemed to swell.

At one point, the split-splat rain grew heavy. It made no difference to the mood at all. The jazz band on the double decker just kept playing, Red Jen’s band did the same halfway down through the crowd. By the time the politicians took to the stage outside the hospital, the split-splat rain was replaced by sun peeping through the clouds and in their puddle-drenched shoes, these men, women and children were going nowhere. This was defiance. A message in bold human form that you can’t just decide to take away a cared for hospital service without a fight. Even if the ‘administrators’ weren’t there to see it, news of the size of this gathering will already have got around to the highly paid architects of these cuts. Let's hope they take notice."

DAN CARRIER, Camden New Journal feature writer who organised the bands on the march

IN the sea of faces and banners, two people caught my eye. The couple were sporting home made placards, bearing the following legends: Beds Not Bombs, and Nurses Not Nukes. I had been at the Aldermaston nuclear missle base two weeks ago, where a new nuclear missile facility is being built at, and this is a conservative estimate, the cost of ￡98 billion to the tax payer.

Now whatever the arguments are for divvying up the NHS budget so it is provides the best services for the maximum number of people, the simplistic slogans that really stood out as we walked up the Holloway Road hammered home the point of this march. It is a question of choices, of the sort of country we want to live in. We have to make hard calls about how to provide expert medical care, which is the crux of this Whittington debate.

But as the home made placards said, it would be choice we wouldn't be faced with making if we thought a little harder where our priorities as a nation lay – and providing free, expert healthcare to all those who need it, not building as new generation of Trident nuclear missiles that will never be used and lie in an underground bunker in Berkshire for the next 20 years, should take precedence.

Finally, a special mention to the people who provided us with a rhythmic backdrop as we marched. On our bus we had a scratch jazz group called The Whittington Wildcats, made up of the late clarinetist Ian Christie's band and put together by the legendary Wally Fawkes (who sadly couldn't make it through illness). They can be found tottling lovely trad jazz at the Victoria pub in Highgate on Wednesday... In the crowd was Red Jen and her rickshaw outfit, made up of musicians who are part of the Hare Krishna Food For All movement: they are simply superb, and I make a point of finding them on a number of marches: thank you, both bands – you helped make it a special and memorable day.

ROISIN GADELRAB, Islington Tribune journalist

THIS was a march with a difference. A centenarian leading the way, the Whittington Wildcats jazz band at the helm atop the New Journal/Tribune battle bus, patients, mothers, children, and pensioners, many of whom owe their lives to the Whittington Hospital, braved Saturday's changeable weather to join the march to save the Accident and Emergency department.

And here's the unusual bit: councillors, MPs and reporters suppressed their rivalries in a rare display of unity. The politicians stood side-by-side, while competing press photographers shared their vantage point from the top of the double decker bus. All for the same cause.

Even Lib Dem council leader Terry Stacy and Labour MP Emily Thornberry managed the long walk up Holoway Road, smiling and standing next to each other, not a grimace in sight.

There was no three-line whip issued on high at the Tribune and New Journal headquarters last week. It spoke volumes that so many reporters, staff, friends and loyal work placement interns turned up to support this march. The overwhelming turnout was there to pass on one clear message: When you put everything else aside, all that's left is life and death - nothing else matters. Now it's up to the decision makers to remember this.

CHARLOTTE CHAMBERS, Camden New Journal journalist

ALL I could think about as I made my way to Highbury in the morning, was COFFEE. It felt like a big sacrifice giving up my Saturday morning, setting my alarm, walking to the march in the rain. And it was a big sacrifice - but more than worthy of one of the biggest days I've ever seen. Islington was transformed into a land of hope and community spirit, with ambulances screeching their sirens as they passed the thousands of people marching. Mums and kids waved enthusiastically at us from the pavements - some even joined us.

Old ladies, including the wonderful nurse I met who never once said she wanted to get on the bus to sit down, showed us youngsters what community really means. Essentially, you should have been there, it was amazing. I've never seen

anything like it, and the biggest boost was knowing that when we finally made it to the Whittington, it was clear to the staff that us patients really do care. The message was: never stop fighting.

JOSIE HINTON, Camden New Journal journalist

I HAVE to admit that when I set off for Highbury Corner in the pouring rain, I feared the terrible weather and lack of working transport might scupper the extensive efforts of the Defend The Whittington Coalition, who organised Saturday's march. Luckily my fears were entirely unfounded and when I arrived a seas of protesters armed with placards were already making their way up Holloway Road, observed by TV camera crews as well as reporters and photographers from local newspapers spanning three boroughs.

But it was only when I went onto the top deck of the New Journal/Tribune's red routemaster bus, which led the march, that I realised just how many people had turned out for the protest. People of all ages - from babies to an 101 year old lady - and all political persuasion from areas across Camden, Islington and Haringey.

Some had a personal story to tell, others were simply there to show their refusal to accept the loss of such a fundamental service. But what was clear was that although everybody was having fun, each of the marchers were fully aware of the importance of the occasion.

JOSH LOEB, Camden New Journal journalist

Being part of a great throng of people coming together to make their voices heard is always exciting – but it was immensely thrilling to watch thousands take to the streets on Saturday to protest against plans to close the Whittington A&E. So great were the numbers that even from the top of our Routmaster bus I couldn't see beyond the mass of placards held by marchers from all walks of life - from the very young to the very old - who had given up their Saturday for a cause they cared about.

Cars travelling south down the Holloway Road honked their horns and people waved from windows above the shopfronts. But amid all the music and the carnival atmosphere, there was a serious point being made: that the cutbacks being pursued are wrong.