Rugby Labour Party members were out in force yesterday in Rugby town centre collecting signatures for their petition against the closure of Birch Ward at the Hospital of St Cross, which is happening this week – on 30 November 2011.

They collected over 1,000 signatures from concerned members of the Rugby community in just three hours, indicating the strength of feeling in the town about this cut to local services.

The signatures will be delivered to Andy Hardy, Chief Executive of University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust.

Local Rugby Labour Party member John Slinger said:

“Rugby Labour members today stood shoulder to shoulder with the people of Rugby against the closure of Birch Ward

at the Hospital of St Cross. That we collected over 1,000 signatures in just three hours shows that the community is deeply

concerned about the closure of Birch Ward and wishes to see a long-term future for St Cross Hospital.”

For more information, please contact John Slinger on 07970 847231 or johnslinger1@gmail.com.

If you missed us and want to show your support, please sign the online version: Protect St Cross Hospital at Petition Online

UPDATE: John Slinger, the local member who organised the petition, has blogged about the media reaction to the start of our campaign.

Birch Ward may now have been shut this week, but we promise that we will keep the pressure up on the Hospital Trust to protect and restore important services to St Cross for the people of Rugby and surrounds.