Skiddaw march

Demonstration news

"Was it worth it? Of course it was! It was a really good way to highlight the NHS Together campaign and the NHS issues we all really care about."

In what has to be the most imaginative event of the NHS Together campaign's day of action on 3 March, 13 physiotherapists made up the bulk of a 25 strong party that climbed to the top of Skiddaw - England's third highest peak - in the Lake District to unfurl an NHS Together banner. Talk about taking campaigning to new heights! See our photo review of the march further down this page.

Leading the way to the top was physiotherapist Laura Connelly, who is also a member of the Cockermouth Mountain Rescue Team. Laura was accompanied by her mountain rescue dog, Jake, as well as the CSP's finest, including CSP Senior Negotiating Officer, Julie Collins. Our intrepid band was even joined by a comrade from the SWP (the Socialist Walkers Party?).

Juliet Wilson, CSP steward and chair of the staff side unions at Cumbria PCT, who was the prime mover behind this extraordinary show of togetherness on behalf of the NHS, said:

"It was a physio idea to do this but we drew the line at taking the CSP banner to the top. It was sooooo cold my fingers were completely numb, the mist was down and the wind nearly blew me off the top. Was it worth it? Of course it was! It was a really good way to highlight the NHS Together campaign and the NHS issues we all really care about. Our new Chief Executive had said that the only good thing about the 'Save Our Services' march in Whitehaven before Christmas was that it had got the people walking and exercising - so we decided to take her at her word: we even made the Whitehaven News!"

The ascent to the top of Skiddaw was preceded by a march from the centre of Keswick, suitably adorned with NHS Together and locally produced anti-CATS flags, where leaflets were distributed to the public along the way. The CSP's Julie Collins, through chattering teeth, said:

"The local steward, Juliet Wilson, came up with the idea and has been the driving force in bringing it to fruition. It was an excellent - if cold - way of bringing to the public's attention the damage inflicted on the NHS by the current round of cuts and plans in Cumbria and Lancashire relating to the use of the private sector company, Netcare."

Warm hearted thanks go our members Denise Eve, the appropriately named Sheena Walker, Fiona Temple, Laura Connelly, Ian Hazelwood, Hillary Thompson, Mick Turnbull, Lori Hope, Arun Koshi, Jenny Long, Kathryn Mitchell, Eileen Jackson and, of course, Juliet Wilson.