Hartlepool hospital march postponed but campaigners vow it will still happen

The walk from Seaton Carew to the University Hospital of Hartlepool was due to take place on Sunday, March 15, for campaigners and the public to highlight their wish to see as many services as possible to return to the hospital.

It was to mark five years since the last large-scale march and also be in remembrance of former hospital campaigner Keith Fisher who died in August 2018.

But organisers Fighting 4 Hartlepool Hospital and Town of Hartlepool Challenge have been forced to postpone it for the time being.

Glen Hughes of Fighting 4 Hartlepool Hospital said: “It’s not a simple thing to organise. There is insurance and dealing with the trust, council and police.

“Also there has been personal issues with some people. We thought the best thing to do would just be to park it up for now and look at doing it again a bit later.

“It is not that we are not going to do it.”

Political figures who had agreed to attend included Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen, Hartlepool MP Mike Hill, Hatlepool Borough Council leader Councillor Shane Moore, and Labour Tees Valley Mayoral candidate Jessie Jo Jacobs.

Following the march from Seaton clock tower to the hospital site in Holdforth Road, campaigners and politicians were set to speak to the crowds.

Glen previously explained the idea for the march came about to show people were still fighting for services to be reinstated at the hospital after attention recently being on Brexit and December’s General Election.

He said: “It’s about our children and their future. What sort of hospital are they going to have when they grow up?”

North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust has said it is committed to delivering care locally in Hartlepool and continued to invest in the hospital including a recent £300,000 upgrade of its operating theatre.

Anybody interested in helping to organise the march can email [email protected] or through Fighting 4 Hartlepool Hospital and Town of Hartlepool Challenge’s Facebook pages.