Young people add their voice to hospital campaign

Young people have embraced the cause by carrying banners, tying ribbons and writing to the Success Regime with their concerns.

Most of the schools in Maryport and further afield have backed the campaign and encouraged pupils and students to write in.

Those schools include Netherhall, St Joseph’s, Workington, the Energy Coast University Technical College and all the primary feeder schools in Maryport and surrounding villages.

Here are some of the views from Netherhall pupils:

Shannon Holt: “Why do you want to make families travel further to see their loved ones? The elderly will become more depressed, stressed or worried about changing their hospital.”

Mollie Horsewood: “I know you are trying to look at the bigger picture, but sometimes to see big you have to stay small. If I were you, I would be investing in the cottage hospital. Will you take this action even though everyone is against it?”

Oliver Pryde: “When I was four years old I was nearly paralysed after a life-threatening injury. If I didn’t have physiotherapy every week at the hospital, I would be still sitting in a wheelchair. I am eternally grateful about the hospital and the resilient, caring, and pleasant staff because they changed my life immensely.”

Ben Savage: “I live near the hospital and know how much people rely on it. Taking beds away will cause disruption.

“Cockermouth, Workington and Keswick hospitals will become more crowded and hard to cope with for the staff.”

Scott Moon: “To help this problem we could raise money for new beds so nobody will go without. Think before you make any rash, harsh decisions.”

Kyan Frazer: “Two elderly members of my family died in the cottage hospital and when we were visiting, the staff were fantastic.

“They did as much as they could for you and it was a really happy send off for both, in their hometown with family all around them. If you take the beds away it will be a huge hole in the community.”

Reece Pocklington: “The hospital beds we are trying to save have been a comfort to a lot of my family members who have passed away peacefully surrounded by dedication and warmth in their hometown.”

Hannah Mossom: “Maryport Cottage Hospital is a warm, loving and caring place. Closing it would be heartbreaking. Do you not feel bad putting people out of a job? Making people travel more?”

Jasmine Dean and Billy Robinson, both 15, have written to new Prime Minister Theresa May to ask her to step in to save the cottage hospital.

Here is their letter in full:

Dear Theresa May,

We are writing on behalf of the Maryport Save Our Beds campaign regarding the decisions being made about Maryport’s cottage hospital.

David Cameron delivered a powerful speech in 2011 exploring how communities are able to take control of their future with not as much input from the Government.

He also stated that without any action being taken, “it has turned lively communities into dull, soulless clones of one another”.

Five years later, what has the Government done to make Big Society a reality?

One of the areas which the Government pledged to change was Cumbria.

We stand for a small yet strong-willed community.

Maryport has had to battle through many struggles with several wards being in the top 10 per cent of Britain’s most deprived wards.

In light of recent cuts to the NHS made by the current government, we find our local hospital, which the people of Maryport and surrounding areas greatly rely on, unable to provide hospital beds for those who desperately need it.

How does this complement David Cameron’s speech about “neighbourhoods who are in charge of their own destiny”?

The decision about the future of our hospital is being chaired by Sir Neil McKay, who has admitted that he has never visited Maryport in his life!

This goes against the Government’s pledge, as this decision has been made solely by the Government, with no input from our community’s voices.

David Cameron stated about Big Society that “if it unleashes community engagement – we should do it. If it crushes it – we shouldn’t.”

Our community feels crushed. We have had no communication with the Success Regime and no involvement with decision-making.

As such, hundreds are gathering to hold a silent protest on the morning of August 2.

We will be demonstrating that our voices have had no impact yet on Sir Neil’s decision.

We plead to you, as the newly elected Prime Minister, that you fulfil your party’s Big Society pledge. We plead that you do not crush our community.

We plead that you help create communication between Maryport and the Government so we know what is happening to our society.

Furthermore, that you acknowledge the fact that Maryport needs to be making the decisions which will ultimately affect the lives of the citizens living here, rather than allowing the Government to dictate what they think is best for us.

In his speech, David Cameron said: “The Big Society is that something different and bold.”

Therefore, we believe that you now have the power to listen to our “bold” community and achieve the idea of the Big Society.

Jasmine Dean and Billy Robinson