Thousands of CARES newsletters and questionnaires have recently been delivered to numerous schools and other childcare facilities in Southport and Formby. We have also delivered a batch to the Southport Visiter who have kindly offered to give these out on their front desk.

For a copy of our newsletter please send a SAE to:

CARES C/O 192 Sandbrook Road, Southport, PR8 3RW

All questionnaires received before 25th April 2005 were entered into our prize draw to win a 19" mountain bike or a cuddly rabbit.

CARES wish to sincerely thank all the good people that have supported this important news drop.

Click here for Prize Draw results

Prize Draw Presentation

Click picture for details

24th November 2004

CARES members are today meeting representatives of the PCT in Southport to present over 6oo windmills signed by local families
from the Wind of Change protest event held last summer.

Proposals for the Health Village will also be discussed at this meeting.

Latest press stories - read CARES position now!

CARES & the Champion newspaper

CARES critic under parliamentary investigation by the Commissioner of Standards.

Wind of Change!

July 2004

CARES Campaigners today announced that they are to mark the 12 month anniversary of the public protest march against the closure of Southport Children’s A&E which is to be held on 15th August 2004 (between 2.00pm – 3.30pm entitled

‘Wind Of Change'

CARES campaigners hope to highlight the anger and frustration that continues to be felt within the local community of the loss of our Children’s A&E facility and other lost medical services from Southport hospital. CARES campaigners are hoping that people in Southport during the day will continue to lend their support for the campaigning by placing a marker in the ground near Southport Town Hall. The markers will be handed out to people during the day. Some children will also be participating by placing windmills in the ground.

CARES Co-Chairmen Cath Regan and Angela Weatherby said:

“It is important that we mark the anniversary of protest march in this way. When 3,000 people marched against these hospital service closures it made the Government and the PCT sit up and listen. It is vitally important that we continue the campaign and press key decision makers to return children’s A&E to Southport and it is equally important for people to recognise the importance of their continued support for the campaign. We look forward to seeing as many people as possible throughout the day.”

“We have just received the news of the £1/2 Million towards the development of a Walk in Health Centre in Southport, but it still fails to address what we believe parents want to see in place for their children– emergency provision for children in Southport. We will continue to push for changes that will enable children to have access to emergency medical facilities in Southport. This is what the people of Southport really want to see, why they marched through Southport in protest, and why nearly 20,000 of them signed the petition.”

CARES meet Andrew Lansley MP, Shadow secretary of State for Health

Wednesday 4th August 2004

CARES members went to the Scarisbrick Hotel in Southport to meet Andrew Lansley MP, Shadow secretary of State for Health who was in Southport to launch the Conservative Party’s health policy with 40 invited guests from the medical professions, pressure groups and politicians, including one of the worlds leading Consultant Ophthalmologists.

On the issue of A&E, Andrew agrees that children in Southport & Formby should have access to local emergency facilities and suggested that it was crazy not to have access for Children at Southport given the combined population of Southport & Formby of 120,000.

CARES meet with top Conservative to express health services loss concerns

Thursday 6th May 2004

Members of CARES met with Tim Yeo MP (Shadow secretary of State for Health) at the Woodvale Community Centre. This was a most informative meeting. The group met with Mr Yeo to put forward the feelings and fears of the Southport people and to take this situation to Westminster again. The problems that Southport and surrounding area residents are facing needs to be constantly highlighted in Westminster and this is our aim in meetings with the key decision makers who 'can' make our voices heard. Letter from Tim Yeo MP to CARES

"We will do all we can to raise the issue for children's services to come back to Southport"

Tim Yeo MP speaking to the Southport Visiter, 7th May 2004.

CARES accept invite to meet Southport & Formby Primary Care Trust

Tuesday, 30 March 2004

Members of CARES recently met Gill Dolan the new Chief Executive of the Southport & Formby PCT along with the PCT Chairman Mark Winstanley after accepting an invitation to discuss on-going concerns expressed by the general public regarding the move of hospital services from Southport to Ormskirk including Children’s A&E. A decision concerning funding to enhance health services for Southport is expected in days.

Speaking after the meeting, local Mums Angela Weatherby and Cath Regan, Co-Chairs of CARES said:

"We have had an extremely productive meeting that has seen an exchange of views and an opportunity to discuss the future. It is clear that the overall campaign with the 3,000 strong public march and nearly 20,000 strong petition is having a very positive impact within the health service. CARES is continuing to campaign for the reinstatement of children’s services in Southport. We are all hoping that the decision on the PCT's bid for extra funding is approved and that we can all work together to improve health services for the local community including our children in Southport."

CARES meet Liam Fox MP

Liam Fox MP, Conservative Party Chairman visited Southport on 27 February 2004 to listen to the views and concerns of Southport residents. During his visit he had the opportunity to discuss the scandalous closure of children’s Accident & Emergency services with the CARES campaign group.

During his meeting with CARES campaigners he AGREED that children should have access to Southport Hospital. Whilst acknowledging the benefits of centres of excellence, Liam Fox MP fully understood and endorsed the principle that children should have the ability to be treated at Southport for injuries that do not require centres of excellence. He AGREED that children should have the facility to be diagnosed, stabilised in Southport and then, if necessary, relocated to the most appropriate medical facility that offers the best chance of survival.

CARES takes the Hospital campaign to Downing Street

We want our Children’s A&E back in Southport

CARES protesters outside Southport Hospital displaying part of nearly twenty thousand petitions against crazy NHS cuts in local services.

Representatives of CARES (Campaign Against Removal of kids Emergency & other Services) are travelling to Downing Street to present nearly 20,000 signatures collected in Southport & Formby against the closure of children’s Accident & Emergency services from Southport Hospital.

On 19 February 2004 the representatives will make their way to No. 10 and deliver the signatures with a clear message to Tony Blair and the Labour Government – “Stop messing with OUR Health Service. We want OUR Children’s A&E and other services back in Southport now!”

The campaigners, who are funding the trip themselves, want to ensure that the thousands of people that have signed petitions are heard by Tony Blair and the Labour Government. Southport has had a raw deal and we are making sure that Southport’s frustration and anger at these changes is heard by the Prime Minister.

Angela Weatherby & Cath Regan, Co-Chairs of the CARES Campaign said: “3,000 people took the streets in Southport to march against these ridiculous closures. Nearly 20,000 people have signed petitions against these closures. It is now time for the Government to listen.”

Mark Bigley, Parliamentary Spokesman for Southport Conservatives said: “These closures are the result of a political fudge. Southport people have been ripped off by this Labour Government. The Government is not listening to the genuine concerns of local people despite what is claimed in a range of glossy brochures that are produced at great expense within the Dept. of Health. How many children have to die as a result of these hospital closures before the realisation sinks in within the Department for Health, that they need to reverse their crazy decision. I will not stop campaigning until Southport’s children receive the proper medical facilities within Southport that they need and deserve.”

John Price, a Southport resident and Ambulance Technician said: “Many people within the Ambulance teams are unhappy with the changes that have taken place at Southport Hospital. I believe, and many of my colleagues believe, that children’s lives are more at risk as a result of the children’s A&E closures. That is why I am supporting CARES and the campaign to reinstate services back to Southport.”

Amongst CARES representatives, who are making the journey are:

Mark Bigley (Parliamentary Spokesman for Southport Conservatives and soon to be a Dad)

John Price (Local Ambulance Technician)

Cath Regan (Southport Mum and Co-Chair of CARES)

Angela Weatherby (Southport Mum and Co-Chair of CARES)

Sara Smith (Local Paramedic & Southport Mum)

and others

For more information, contact Cath Regan - 01704 571920

-------------------------------------------------

NB. CARES would like to thank the following for kind contributions towards the Downing Street trip:

The Southport Party

The Conservative Party

Cllr. Brenda Porter

Mr John Lee.

Dr John Reid evades CARES Campaigners!

On the evening of Friday 28th November 2003 CARES took the campaign for the reinstatement of Southport’s lost children’s and maternity services to a higher level. John Reid, Secretary of State for Health, was dining at Formby Hall Golf Club and CARES members were there to make sure that the emotions and resentment felt by outraged Southport/Formby residents at the closure of our vital hospital services was top of the menu.

Full story and pictures can be seen on the following Southport GB forum link:

http://www.southportforums.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=26897

Click the link below to view the document produced by the Scrutiny & Review (Health Overview) Committee regarding the Transfer of Women's and Children's Services from Southport to Ormskirk.

http://www.sefton.gov.uk/womenchildservices.pdf

FORMBY MARCH

PROTEST

Saturday 11th October 03

Please click on the link above for details and photos of the march.

CARES

Press Release

27th August 2003

A Public Open Meeting was held at Holy Trinity Church Hall, Hoghton Street, Southport
Wednesday 27th August at 7:00pm

Members from CARES were collecting petitions at the Southport Air Show on
Saturday 6th September.

A Public Open Meeting was held at Holy Trinity Church Hall, Hoghton Street, Southport
Wednesday 24th September at 7:00pm.

A Public Meeting was held at Holy Trinity Church Hall, Hoghton Street, Southport on
Wednesday 29th October at 7:00pm.

Southport baby dies after ambulance is sent to Ormskirk Hospital