ORGANISERS were delighted when 300 people packed the Public Hall for a briefing meeting by leaders of Save Our Hospital Campaign.

Mayor Frances Smith, who is also chairman of The League of Friends of Evesham Community Hospital, one of the leaders of the campaign, said after the meeting: "I was very pleased with the very positive response from the public and I think the meeting went extremely well."

She added: "Now we have to work towards swelling those numbers considerably for the rally we have planned for the Market Square in the town centre on Sunday, July 17, at noon.

"We need people to turn out in huge numbers for the rally to demonstrate to Worcestershire Primary Care Trust that people of the Vale of Evesham and further afield are really incensed by the proposals to reduce services at Evesham Community Hospital and that we want them to think again."

The mayor said that as well as signing the petition and turning up at the rally, she wanted people to write letters of objection to the PCT which could be done via the Journal.

Speakers at the meeting included Dr David Herold who said: "This is a vital issue for Evesham, threatening the very existence of the hospital." He said he couldn't see how the mathematics of the proposed savings worked out. He pointed out it could be the thin end of the wedge as without the wards under threat other departments would have to close down.

Mid Worcestershire MP Peter Luff said: "Evesham hospital has been the sacrificial lamb too often. It must not happen again. Any new hospital must reflect the current level of delivery."

He said the campaign was aimed at forcing the issue off the agenda after the August 3 PCT meeting by the strength of feeling, but if that failed then the campaign would run throughout the consultation period.

Many speakers from the floor spoke of the wonderful treatment they had received from staff at the hospital.

Alison Brain, a member of staff for over 30 years, said she was not prepared to stand by quietly to see another example of cutting back on resources for Evesham which was why she and other members of staff were right behind the campaign.

There was an emotional plea from Neville Slater who said he lost his wife of 47 years three years ago. "Staff at Evesham made it possible for us to spend precious extra time together and for her to die at home which was her wish," he said.