Footprints March for the NHS starts this weekend
This weekend sees the start of the Footprints March for the NHS, an eight-day march between local hospitals to protest against planned cuts to services. It will feature a series of rallies, public meetings and events along the route and members of the public are encouraged to join in the march or activities as they like. The march begins in Northallerton on Saturday 22 October with a meeting where you can find out how we can defend our hospitals. The meeting is in the Mowbray Suite of the Golden Lion Hotel, 114 High Street, Northallerton DL7 8PP between 10am and 12pm. The march will then commence from the Friarage Hospital at 12.30pm with a walk to Brompton. After that there is no good path, so transport has been arranged to Croft, where the march to Darlington Memorial Hospital will recommence. After Darlington the march visits Bishop Auckland, Shotley Bridge, Durham, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, North Tees and then Darlington again. On day six, Thursday 27 October, after the Hartlepool to Middlesbrough leg of the march, Teesside People's Assembly will be hosting an evening rally at 7pm in St Mary's Centre, 82-90 Corporation Road, Middlesbrough TS1 2RW. This will be followed by a social featuring music from the Peg Powler Band in Doctor Brown's, 135 Corporation Rd, Middlesbrough TS1 2RR, starting at 9pm. For a detailed itinerary of the walk and its associated public meetings, please visit www.999nhsnortheast.org. There's a Facebook event for day six, featuring the Teesside PA rally, at www.facebook.com/events/672343002944027.