WHEN the people of Chorley and Districts took to the streets in the 70s to confront health minister, David Ennals, they were stating quite clearly that they would no longer take any further rundown of services at Chorley Hospital.

The needs of the population of Chorley and its 22 districts had been blatantly ignored for far too long by Preston, Manchester and London.

They always insisted our population was too small and they completely underestimated the passion felt by our people for the hospital that had originally been built with the pennies donated from their weekly wage packets.

The Hospital Crusade was founded out of that passion and had to fight tooth and nail for every inch we gained. Against all odds, we proved our case and watched as not only was our hospital saved but it grew into the fine centre it is now, serving the people of Chorley and South Ribble.

Certainly, it isn't perfect, no hospital is. It has the waiting lists the same as others do, but that surely proves our need because if we didn't really need a hospital, there wouldn't be waiting lists.

We who remembered the past were very worried about any further links with Preston, but the Chorley Executive swore the new Preston Hospital was no longer an empire builder and had no illusions of grandeur. We were assured that we would be equal partners forever and never again lose our services to that hospital. The present situation shows not only that we cannot trust Preston, but that Chorley Hospital Executive appears untrustworthy too.

As a founder member of the Hospital Crusade, I am angered to think the hard work of nearly 30-years has been negated in this way.

Lets not wait for the axe to fall further. We fought and won the right to a decent accessible hospital for the sake of our children, now I hope those very children will fight for the same rights for theirs.

Jo Smeeton, Secretary, Chorley Hospital Crusade