Donor’s £10k for HRI’s legal battle

A WEALTHY, anonymous donor has given £10,000 to ensure a judicial review into plans to downgrade Huddersfield Royal Infirmary and close the A&E department can take place.

Huddersfield MP Barry Sheerman, who is backing the campaign by Hands Off HRI protesters, said he was delighted the necessary £16,000 had been found to make sure the twoday hearing at the High Court in Leeds can go ahead next month thanks to a Crowdfunding appeal.

Mr Sheerman said: “I put a tweet out over the weekend offering dinner at The Strangers Restaurant overlooking the Thames at the House of Commons for four people, plus myself, and a man who has never been to Huddersfield in his life put his hand up and offered to pay £12,000.

“However, we only needed £10,000 to get over the line and for the action to go ahead. So, we have ended up with an embarrassment of riches! The donor has never been to Huddersfield but says he admires the fighting spirit of the campaigners and wanted to help.

“Now we have got the full amount and we are really delighted. Most of the money has come from people with all they can afford. It has been a race against time as we only had a few weeks to get the money together.”

The unpopular plans to shift the majority of care to Calderdale Royal Hospital in Halifax triggered enormous opposition when they were announced over two years ago.

Mike Forster, chair of HoHRI, said they were obviously “delighted” to get such a large donation.

He said they were now aiming for a £20,000 total to give extra room for manoeuvre should the legal battle go on longer. “The fundraising will go on,” he said. “I doubt the outcome of the judicial review will be the end of this.

“So we want to make sure our war chest is overflowing.

“There are many other people that are still donating that will make a difference to the success of our challenge.

“If we can get to £20,000 that will give us the extra ammunition we need.”