From Whipps Cross to Westminster!

Waltham Forest's Labour councillors deliver our postcards to the Health Secretary

A delegation of Waltham Forest’s Labour councillors travelled up to Westminister at the end of last week to deliver our ‘I Love Whipps cross’ postcard petition to Patricia Hewitt, the Secretary of State for Health. We would like to thank the 1500 local people who filled out a postcard and supported the campaign.

As previous visitors to this website will know, over the last few weeks myself and colleagues from the local Labour party have been busy collecting signatures on special ‘I Love Whipps Cross’ postcards, at special street stalls and events organised all over the borough, calling for Whipps Cross hospital to remain a district general hospital.

Mps Harry Cohen and Neil Gerrard with local Labour party members

On Thursday morning, local Labour party members and councillors were joined by local MPs Neil Gerrard (pictured above far right) and Harry Cohen (pictured centre left) as we set off on our journey from the hospital, to deliver a festive Santa’s sack filled with the postcards to Richmond House, home to the Department of Health.

Cllrs Yunis, Akram and myself with Jennette Arnold AM

Up at Richmond House, Waltham Forest Councillor, Cllr Afzal Akram (above far right), Cllr Geraldine Reardon, Cllr Adam Gladstone, Cllr Faiz Yunis (second from right) and I were joined by Jennette Arnold, Labour London Assembly Member for Waltham Forest and Chair of the London Health Commission (pictured above next to me on the left) as we handed the postcards in.

Waltham Forest Councillors are urging the Health Secretary to keep Whipps Cross as a district general hospital. We are calling on her to improve and modernise Whipps Cross’ services for local residents in this deprived East London area.

Even though we have now handed the postcards in, the campaign doesn’t stop here!

Myself and my fellow local Labour councillors will be playing a full role in the next set of consultation meetings starting up again in the New Year.

To keep up to date with all the latest news from Waltham Forest Labour’s ‘I Love Whipps Cross’ campaign please go to: www.ilovewhippscross.co.uk

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