Save the Grange and Bring Back Blackbrook Babies at Downing Street
8 December 2005

We have been up to Downing Street today (Thursday 8th December 2005) with members of the campaign group to hand in our 10,000 signature petition against the closure of our local birth centres.

Mums, Dad’s and babies travelled to London to give the Government our special delivery! We stormed the train… babies, buggies and toddlers everywhere! We then strode across Westminster Bridge past Big Ben and The Houses of Parliament in to Whitehall and down to Downing Street.

We were met by Michael Mates and Mark Hoban and the supporters from Fareham. The group of parents and babies all posed for pictures and cameras, petitions and babies in arms!

Then the 6 people with security clearance went through the gates and up to number 10. Where we were able to stand on the doorstep next to the Blair’s very attractive Christmas tree!

Alex (3 and a half) knocked on the door and we handed in our petitions! They get passed on to the Dept of Health and we will look forward to getting a letter from the in the near future.

Then Jack Straw came out of number 10 and Mel Watson (never one to miss an opportunity) grabbed his attention and we told him about what we were protesting about!

We then went on to the House of Commons for a meeting with one of the Shadow Health Ministers. I don’t think the security people had ever had so many babies and pushchairs to worry about! It has been a fantastic day!

MANY MANY MANY THANKS TO ALL OF YOU THAT HAVE SIGNED OUR PETITION! MANY THANKS TO THOSE OF YOU WHO CAME TO LONDON TODAY – IT WAS A HUGE EXPEDITION AND ALL BABIES AND CHILDREN ROSE TO THE CHALLENGE!

We should be on South Today and Meridian News this evening! Also check out Petersfield Post, Herald, Portsmouth News and Soton Echo!!!