We need to take action now to save our hospital

I OVERHEARD a local councillor commenting on those campaigning to save Hinckley Hospital from closure saying why would we want to keep it? Hinckley has no history.

Listed in the Domesday Book,; mentioned in a Shakespeare play; 1644 rout of the Royalists by Captain Grey’s troops; home of the Hansom Cab; cradle of hosiery industry, once renowned as the richest town in Europe - to name but a few past events.

It is councillors like him which led to the flattening of anything remotely historic and picturesque in the town and turned its colourful past into a leaden mask of anonymity. No wonder it sags at the bottom of the list of places of interest and that its heart is failing.

I just looked at the petition to save the Hinckley Hospital. Around 7,000 signatures from a town of over 100,000 inhabitants - are you all asleep? You know what happens if folk don’t stand up and be counted? If folk don’t raise their voices? Nothing. Nothing happens!

Get a grip Hinckley and stop yet more destruction of your history. Stop the measly politicians who think they know best (good building land on that site.... there will be loads of money to be made for somebody !)

Get off your backsides and get active in this cause. Vital, essential services are provided at Hinckley Hospital. Local, easy to access and once they are gone it will mean travel to overcrowded hospitals and further pressure on getting treatment. Bad news all round. No point moaning about it when the battle is lost. Time for action is now.

Rosy Curtis, ex-Hinckleyan