NHS 75
ANNIVERSARY EVENT CALENDAR
July 5th is the 75th birthday of our NHS, sadly it is not a time to celebrate.
Our healthcare service was once ranked the best in the world, but since 2015 it has fallen to 10th place globally and is falling fast. We are now faced with hundreds of preventable and avoidable deaths happening every week. A major staffing crisis with over 132,000 staffing vacancies, and over 7 million on waiting lists. No wonder staff are either leaving their professions or striking to save their pay and conditions and to stand up for the NHS itself.
We need a fully public NHS – because this is how we protect the pay, conditions and it’s also how we protect it for patients too. It’s the only way the NHS will survive. This isn’t time to ‘reform or retreat’ , it’s time to return to founding principles.
However, it is vital we mark the 75th Anniversary and use the spotlight under which the NHS will fall this year to make our demands and organise to save our NHS. Below are just some of the NHS Anniversary events happening up and down the country this July.
If you want to let us know about other events in your area not listed you can do so here.
SATURDAY 1 JULY 2023
LONDON, ENGLAND
SOCIALIST HEALTH ASSOCIATION NHS 75 CONFERENCE
SHA NHS 75 Conference, featuring campaigning NHS workers, union leaders, overseas workers, MPs, and we all who use the service. The event is backed by: Doctors in Unite, Keep Our NHS Public, War on Want, SOS NHS and new endorsements are arriving daily.
Our speakers include Zarah Sultana MP, Ian Byrne MP, Rosena Allin-Khan MP, migrant champion Cllr Hosnieh Djafari-Marbini, Lester Holloway on Windrush, researchers and activists Faiza Shaheen, Liz Peretz and Benjamin Goodair, nurse campaigner Antonia Berelson, Rathi Guhadasan, Tony O’Sullivan, Coral Jones and more TBC.
Start: Saturday, July 01, 2023•10:15 AM
End: Saturday, July 01, 2023• 4:30 PM
Location: Conway Hall• 25 Red Lion Square, LONDON, WC1R 4RL GB
Contact: admin@sochealth.co.uk
LEEDS, ENGLAND
NORTHERN MARCH FOR THE NHS
Organised by Health Campaigns Together and Keep Our NHS Public regional campaigners and other the Northern March for the NHS is a vital moment to demand:
And end to chronic underfunding of the NHS
Safe staffing and pay justice for health and care workers
More beds
Investment in the NHS not private health
An end to social care disgrace
Start: Saturday 1 July
Location: Leeds Town Hall LS1 3AD
Contact info: leedskonp@yahoo.co.uk
SUNDAY 2 JULY 2023
TREDEGAR, WALES
BEVAN FESTIVAL 2023
The annual Bevan Festival will be a key event for those in Wales to celebrate the founder of the NHS. Starting on July 2nd with a banner parade from Charles Street to Bedwellty Park for Speeches and family fun
Ymunwch â ni ar Orffennaf 2il ar ein gorymdaith faner flynyddol o Charles Street i Barc Bedwellte ar gyfer Areithiau a hwyl i’r teulu
ARBEDWCH Y DYDDIAD #NHS75#GIG75
SAVE THE DATE #NHS75#GIG75
WEDNESDAY 5 JULY 2023
NATIONWIDE
WE OWN IT – #NHS75: Your birthday wish for our NHS at 75
We Own It are calling on their supporters this NHS’s 75th anniversary, to organise or attend a local action in your local high street. Their plan is to provide NHS birthday cards, which you can get people on your local high street to sign and write messages on and you can deliver them to your MP’s office and can also provide you with leaflets and posters for your actionContact info@weownit.org.uk if you or a campaign group you are part of can organise an action on your local high street on the 5th of July.
FIND OUT MORE HERE
ONLINE RALLY
NHS 75 – KEEP OUR NHS PUBLIC ONLINE RALLY
Speakers:
Tony O’Sullivan – Co-chair – Keep Our NHS Public
Lester Holloway – The Voice
Ellen Clifford – DPAC activist and author
Pallavi Devulapalli – GP – Green Party Health Spokesperson
Holly Turner – Nurse – NHS Workers Say No
Chantelle Lunt – Merseyside BLM Alliance
Richard Burgon MP – Labour Party
Harry Eccles – Nurse – NHS Workers Say No
Margaret Greenwood MP – Labour Party
And more tba
If you want to let us know about an upcoming NHS anniversary event in your area you would like to see listed here – you can do so by filling out this form:
SOS NHS DEMONSTRATION – END THE CRISIS – SUPPORT THE STRIKES
Saturday 11 March 2023
DEMONSTRATION REPORT:
What a fantastic day Saturday 11 March was. It was an incredibly lively and sometimes moving demonstration which including a tearful minute’s silence for Covid victims at the start.
The demonstration was called to demand that the government act now to end the extreme crisis in the NHS, a crisis which is causing hundreds of unnecessary and preventable deaths every week.
It was also about showing support for all striking NHS workers – and it included large contingents of angry nurses, midwives and junior doctors.
The many thousands of protestors were addressed by MPs and politicians from the Labour Party, Green Party and Sinn Fein, leading trade unionists and strikers and from campaigning groups including Keep our NHS Public, NHS Staff voices and the People’s Assembly and many more.
Dr Tony O’Sullivan from Keep our NHS Public insisted that the ‘current tragedy unfolding before our eyes is 100% the fault of the government’, Jeremy Corbyn MP made it clear how important the strikes are to the fight to protect the NHS, calling everyone to join the Junior Doctors’ picket lines on Monday.
Holly Turner from NHS Workers’ Say No insisted that we must be absolutely clear that the NHS crisis is not really an economic crisis, but a political one, ‘the fact is’ she said, ‘the money is there and the rich are getting immeasurably richer in our society’.
The marchers expressed solidarity with Gary Lineker by singing the Match of The Day theme tune as the march got under way!
Many speakers also referenced the Gary Lineker affair and there was widespread recognition that the Government was trying to distract people with racist politics from the NHS crisis and the wider crisis across society.
John Rees from the People’s Assembly pointed out that the massive support for Lineker showed that the government can be isolated when we fight back.
| The demonstration clearly showed that the public really do have the will to fight for our NHS and that the Government has made a major miscalculation in attacking NHS workers who rightly remain hugely popular. The message was clear; the Government must act now to end the NHScrisis, and NHS workers must be granted the pay justice they deserve! |
PLEASE DONATE TO COST OF DEMO
To make a one-off donation to the costs of the SOS NHS demonstration click here.
Suggested donations as follows:
Individual donation……………………………………… £25
Local campaign group…………………………………… £50
Trade union branch………………………………………. £100
National organisation (or non-health trade union)……. £500
If you’re a national health union and willing to make a contribution please get in touch with us to discuss what you can give by emailing, co-chair@keepournhspublic.com
If you’d like to send us a BACS transfer or a cheque please email campaigns@keepournhspublic.com
NATIONAL DAY OF ACTION
SATURDAY 28 JANUARY
National Day of Action called by Keep Our NHS Public and SOS NHS.
We stand with NHS staff and demand the Government takes concrete action to save lives now. We’ve called on local campaign groups and trade union branches who support the SOS NHS coalition to hit the streets in their towns and cities on Saturday 28 January to tell the public, that we demand the Government grants striking NHS staff pay justice and intervenes to end the NHS crisis.
If you have an event planned and you don’t see it here – please fill in the form below:
Events so far
Brighton
Royal Sussex Hospital, Eastern Road, Brighton
Contact: ken.kirk1@ntlworld.com
Chippenham, Wiltshire
Time TBC | The Town Bridge, Chippenham, Wiltshire
Contact: christineltb123@gmail.com
Evesham
10:30am | Near NatWest and WHSmith at the top of Bridge Street, Evesham, Worcestershire
Contact: middlefarm3@aol.com
Great Glen, Leicester
11am | Great Glen Methodist Church Car Park
Contact: apalison602@gmail.com
Huddersfield
11am | Huddersfield, St Georges Square, Enough is Enough Demo in support of striking workers
Contact: mike.forster56@gmail.com
Kendal
11am – 2.00pm | Kendal, Market Square
Contact: trevor@trevorbatchelor.com
Leeds
12pm – 1pm | Leeds General Infirmary, Jubilee Wing
Contact: gilda.peterson@aniger.org.uk
London – Hammersmith and Fulham
2pm-4pm | Lyric Square, W6 0QL – near Hammersmith Broadway tube stations
Contact: scxandh@gmail.com
London – Harrow
Time and location TBC
Contact: Jeannie_nguyen@hotmail.com
London – Islington
11.00am – 1.00pm | Four street stalls at main shopping areas: The Angel, Highbury and Islington tube forecourt, Nags Head, and Archway market.
London – Palmers Green, Enfield
Time and location TBC
Contact: sue_davies@fastmail.fm
London – Ealing
11.30am -1.00 pm | Street Stall outside Marks and Spencers in Ealing Broadway.
Contact: eveturner@btopenworld.com
London – Lewisham
11am- 1pm | Lewisham Centre The Clocktower
Contact: Kathy.cruise33@gmail.com
Nottingham
11am | Nottingham Market Sq
Contact: richardbuckwell@hotmail.com
Newcastle-upon-Tyne
11am-1pm | Grey’s Monument / Northumberland Street
Info: www.konpnortheast.com
Southampton
12pm | Bargate in Southampton
Contact: hell.field@btinternet.com
Southend-on-Sea
10am-12pm | Under the railway bridge, Southend High Street
Contact: katie.sheehan@me.com
Sheffield
Outside the Moor Markets 77 The Moor, Sheffield City Centre, Sheffield S1 4PF
Contact: Mickpsuter@gmail.com
More information coming soon…
SOS NHS CONFERENCE 2022
The NHS is failing, not because of inherent flaws, but because the Government wants it to fail. Neither the new Prime Minister Liz Truss, the Health and Care Act, or Jeremy Hunt’s recent proposals for ‘virtual wards’ will deliver what we need. We demand a health and care service fit for all – and we invite you to play a part in winning just that.
EVENT HAS PASSED: LOOK OUT FOR CONFERENCE REPORT SOON!
Speakers included:
- Dr Tony O’Sullivan – Co-chair Keep Our NHS Public
- Mike Forster – Chair of Health Campaigns Together
- Dr Andrew Meyerson – A&E Doctor
- Kate Osborne MP – Labour Party
- Unite the Union Speaker tbc
- Dr Sonia Adesara – NHS Doctor and member of Keep Our NHS Public
- Holly Turner – Nurse and co-founder of NHS Workers Say No
- Ian Hodson – President of BFAWU
- Holly Johnston – Nurse and activist
- UNISON Speaker tbc
- Alia Butt – NHS Psychologist & Chair of NHS Staff Voices
- Helen O’Connor – GMB organiser and NHS activist
- Michael Mansfield QC – Chair People’s Covid Inquiry and human rights lawyer
Our national Day of Action was a great success – but this is only the beginning !
This will be the hardest winter ever in health and social care. We must act to safeguard services for patients and service users, boost staff morale and tackle the mental health crisis among health and care staff. Emergency funds must be secured now to avert disaster. That’s why we called a huge national Day of Action on Saturday 26 February with over 85 events throughout the UK.
We must repair crumbling hospitals; restore NHS beds, recruit, retain, train and properly pay health and care staff; rebuild underfunded public health and GP services struggling to respond effectively to Covid; publicly fund a service for care and independent living support; and much more. The Health and Care Bill does none of these things. We need new legislation to secure a fully public NHS and end privatisation.
YOU CAN STILL USE OUR HELPFUL SOS NHS MATERIALS:
Download to print or order your leaflets here:
We held events in all the below locations:
- London – Lewisham
- Southampton
- Sheffield
- Orpington
- Leicester
- Bridgwater
- Chesterfield
- Leamington Spa
- London – Ealing
- London – Lambeth
- Plymouth
- London – Camden (GOSH)
- Leeds
- Norwich
- Margate
- Tunbridge Wells
- Milton Keynes
- Witney
- Southport
- London – Bexley
- Manchester
- Brighton
- Market Harborough
- Eastbourne
- Oxford
- London – Enfield
- Torquay
- London – Wandsworth
- London – Greenwich
- Bristol
- Newcastle
- Chipping Norton
- Darlington
- London – Haringey
- London – Barnet (five events)
- Dewsbury
- Bath
- Barnstaple
- Tynemouth
- Lancaster
- High Wycombe
- London – Hammersmith & Fulham
- Sunderland
- London – Waltham Forest
- Liverpool
- Kendal
- Bromsgrove
- Wirral
- Ilford
- King’s Lynn
- London – Islington
- London – Hackney
- Solihull
- Huddersfield
- London – Merton
- Ipswich
- Hebden Bridge
- Birmingham
- London – Newham
- Glasgow
- Exeter
- Totnes
- Preston
- Coventry
- Reading
- Portsmouth
- Crawley
- Hastings
- Sittingbourne
- Slough
- Whitstable
- Worthing
- Cromer
- York
- Gorleston
- Nottingham
- Wells
- Chester
- Ellesmere Port
ALL EVENTS:
Barnstaple | 11:00 | Barnstaple High Street
Contact: rhaworthbooth@yahoo.com
Bath | 12 noon | Bath Abbey Church Yard
Contact: janeasamson@hotmail.co.uk
FB event: https://www.facebook.com/events/478182703933122/
Beverley | 10:00 | The White Company, Toll Gavel
Contact: chloehopkins93@googlemail.com
Birmingham
12:00 | Erdington High St opposite St Barnabas’ Church
Contact: btuchcc@hotmail.com
13:00 | Waterstones / Bull Ring
Contact: jae2702@hotmail.com
Bridgewater | 11:00 | Blake Statue (Cornhill)
Contact email: adm.mitchell@gmail.com
FB event: https://www.facebook.com/events/5993304717353038/
Brighton
11:00 | Bottom of St James Street (near War Memorial) | Street stall, petitioning, soapbox and Tug of War (people’s NHS vs the Fat Cats!)
Contact: janet.sang@btinternet.com
12:00 | Brighton Clock Tower | Street stall and rally
Contact: SE.UniteCommunity@Unitetheunion.org
Bristol
11:00 | Bristol Royal Infirmary
Contact: zarriaphillips@gmail.com
12:00 – 14:00 | The Centre
Contact: protectournhs@gmail.com
Bromsgrove
11:00 | Housman Statue
Contact: bromsgrovelabourparty@gmail.com
12 noon | High Street
Contact: judibyrne2604@gmail.com
Cambridge | 10:30 | [Assembly point TBC]
Contact: cambskonp@gmail.com
Chester | 12:00 | Northgate St (between Town Hall and The Cross)
Contact: konpcheshire@gmail.com
Chesterfield | 11:00 | Rykneld Square
Contact email: jeannie.rob48@gmail.com
Chipping Norton | 09:00 | Chipping Norton Market Place | Street stall
Contact: steveakers55@gmail.com
Coventry | 11:00 | Broadgate
Contact: covkonp@gmail.com
Crawley | 13:30 | Leafleting
Contact: SE.UniteCommunity@Unitetheunion.org
Crewe | 11:00 | [Assembly point TBA]
Contact: babobbyanderson746@gmail.com
Darlington | 11:30 | High Row, Darlington
Contact: darlingtontuc@gmail.com
Dewsbury | 10:00 | Dewsbury Hospital Main Entrance
Contact: Fazloonatlabour@gmail.com
Eastbourne | 12 noon | Banker’s Corner, Terminus Road | Street stall
Contact: esussexsavethenhs@outlook.com
FB event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1062435737955286/
Ellesmere Port | 13:30 | CH65 (walkway between Asda and Port Arcades)
Contact: konpcheshire@gmail.com
Exeter | 11:00 | Bedford Square
Contact: davidjkevans@googlemail.com
Faringdon | 09:30 | [Assembly point TBA]
Contact: lucynpalmer@outlook.com
Glasgow | 13:00 | George Square
Contact: ashleymcfarlane@me.com
Hastings | 12 noon | Robertson Street (TN34 1HT) | Street stall
Contact: SE.UniteCommunity@Unitetheunion.org
Ilford | 12:30 | Outside Ilford town hall
Contact: wendytaylor99@gmail.com
Ipswich | 11:00 | Tavern Street, town centre (near Boots)
Contact: anthony.dooley@ntlworld.com
Kendal (Cumbria) | 11:00 | War Memorial, Market place, Stricklandgate
Contact: trevor@trevorbatchelor.com
King’s Lynn | 12:00 | Burtons shop on the High Street
Contact: jo4nn3rust@hotmail.co.uk
Hebden Bridge | 11:00 | Junction of Market St / Holme St
Contact: nigelfsmith1954@yahoo.co.uk
High Wycombe | 11:00 | White Hart St, Wycombe town centre | Street stall
Contact: lindaj2ohnson56@hotmail.com
Huddersfield | 12 noon | Huddersfield Royal Infirmary
Contact: mike.forster56@gmail.com
Lancaster | 14:00 | Royal Lancaster Infirmary (White Cross entrance)
Contact: LancasterSaveOurHospitals@gmail.com
https://fb.me/e/2RXhjYwQX
Leamington | 11:00 | Leamington Town Hall
Contact email: martin.drew@me.com
Leeds | 12 noon | City centre (old Debenhams site, 121 Briggate) | Leafleting, live music and Town Hall photo-call
Contact: john.puntis@yahoo.co.uk
Leicester | 12 noon | Gallowtree Gate (near NatWest), city centre
Contact: tom.p.barker@googlemail.com
Liverpool | 11:30 | Bold St (steps of St Luke’s)
Contact: SaveLWH@outlook.com
London – Barnet:
11:00 – 13:00 | Tescos Ballards Lane, N3 1XP
11:00 – 13:00 | The Bohemian, High Road N12 9QH
11:00 – 13:00 | The Spires, 111 High Street, EN5 5XY
11:00 – 13:00 | Burnt Oak, Montrose Park (corner of Montrose Ave and Silkstream) HA8 0DT
Contact for all above: Janette876@hotmail.co.uk
14:15 – 15:15 | Muswell Hill Broadway (near Planet Organic)
Contact: noeleen.grattan@gmail.com
London – Bexley | 12 noon | Bexleyheath Clock Tower
Contact: richard.crook973@btinternet.com
London – Camden (GOSH) | 12 noon | Great Ormond Street Hospital
Contact: NHSStaffVoices.KONP@gmail.com
FB event: https://www.facebook.com/events/637472310851503/
London – Ealing | 12 noon | Ealing Hospital
Contact: eveturner@btopenworld.com
London – Enfield | 11:00 | The Triangle, Palmers Green
Contact: defendenfieldnhs@gmail.com
London – Greenwich | 12 noon | General Gordon Square, Woolwich
Contact: jeannelawes@hotmail.com
London – Hackney | 12 noon | Abney Park Cemetry, Stoke Newington Church Street entrance | Stall
Contact: Marion.macalpine@blueyonder.co.uk
London – Hammersmith & Fulham | 11:30 | Lyric Square, Hammersmith
Contact: scxandh@gmail.com
London – Haringey:
11:00 – 12:30 | Wood Green Library, N22
Contact: nprdavidson@yahoo.co.uk)
11:00 – 12:30 | Tottenham Market, Holcombe Road N17
Contact: keithdobie1949@yahoo.co.uk)
London – Islington:
11:00 – 13:00 | 3 stalls: Angel station, Archway station and Nag’s Head
14:00 – 15:30 | Rally at Highbury Fields (near Highbury & Islington station)
Contact: profrichards@tiscali.co.uk
London – Lambeth | 12 noon | Windrush Square
Contact: wendyhorler@hotmail.com
London – Lewisham | 11:00 | The Clock Tower (Lewisham Shopping Centre)
Contact: savelewishamhospital@yahoo.com
London – Merton | 11:00 | Centre Court (exit of Wimbledon station)
Contact: gmccall52@btinternet.com
London – Newham
12 noon | Stratford station
Contact: francesontour@yahoo.co.uk
London – Waltham Forest | 10:30 | Walthamstow Library
Contact: wfsonhs@googlegroups.com
London – Wandsworth | 11:00 | Tooting Broadway Tube station | Street stall
Contact: drmikesquires@gmail.com
Lytham | 11:00 | [Assembly point TBA]
Contact: fell80@yahoo.co.uk
Manchester | 14:00 | St Peters Square
Contact: konpmcr@hotmail.com
FB event: https://www.facebook.com/events/515182456466445/
Margate | 12 noon | QEQM Hospital | Demonstration
Contact: candygregory@btinternet.com
FB event: https://www.facebook.com/events/2718652805098003
Market Harborough | 12 noon | The Square (E16 7PA)
Contact: tom.p.barker@googlemail.com
FB event: https://www.facebook.com/events/521472095903479/
Milton Keynes | 12 noon | City centre (near Marks & Spencer) | Rally, stall, music and street theatre
Contact: csosseh@hotmail.co.uk
Newcastle | 12 noon | Grey’s Monument
Contact: konpnortheast@gmail.com
Norwich | 12 noon | Guildhall Hill (near Tesco Express) | Community stall
Contact: wjsmith2905@gmail.com
FB event: https://www.facebook.com/events/974600346811216/
Nottingham
11:30 | Council House Market Square Street stall
13:00 | Mass leafleting of crowds at Nottingham Forest football ground (Brian Clough stand) Contact (for both): richardbuckwell@hotmail.com
Orpington | 11:30 | Main Entrance Princess Royal University Hospital
Contact email: bromcrouc@gmail.com
Oxford | 14:00 | Manzil Way | March and rally at Bonn Square (15:30)
Contact: ian.mckendrick@gmail.com
FB event: https://www.facebook.com/events/509821233821552
Portsmouth | 12:30 | Queen Alexandra Hospital | Stall and photo opp
Contact: kelly.tomlinson@unitetheunion.org
Plymouth | 12 noon | Plymouth Hoe
Contact: rjaldred@hotmail.com
FB event: https://www.facebook.com/events/933243820888514
Preston | 11:00 | The Flag Market
Contact: csr.nhs.campaign@gmail.com
Reading | 12 noon | Broad Street | March and rally at Town Hall
Contact: mcnamara.danny@gmail.com
Sheffield | 12 noon | Sheffield Town Hall
Contact: holly.johnston83.hj@gmail.com
Sittingbourne | 10:00 | The Forum, Sittingbourne High St
Contact: SE.UniteCommunity@Unitetheunion.org
Slough | 12 noon | Slough Town Square | Leafleting
Contact: SE.UniteCommunity@Unitetheunion.org
Solihull | 10:30 | Solihull Hospital (Lode Lane Entrance)
Contact: solihullkonp@outlook.com
FB event: https://www.facebook.com/events/949328685719957/
Southampton | 13:30 | Bargate, city centre
Contact: hell.field@btinternet.com
FB event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1411672239248133/
Southport | 10:30 | Chapel Street | Street stall and petitioning
Contact: MerseysidePicturemish@yahoo.com
FB event: https://www.facebook.com/events/481466573354569/
Sunderland | Seaburn Beach | 15:00
Contact: konpsdsec@btinternet.com
Torquay | 12 noon | Torbay Hospital (Lawes Bridge entrance) | Rally
Contact: lynngunnigle@hotmail.co.uk
Totnes | 11:00 | Totnes Hospital (Station Road entrance)
Contact: dave@starlynx.plus.com
Tunbridge Wells | 10:00 | 2-4 Calverley Road (near Metro Bank) | Street stall
Contact: cajunbarn@outlook.com
Tynemouth | 14:30 | Long Sands Beach (near Grand Hotel)
Contact: konpnortheast@gmail.com
Wells | 11:00 | Market Square
Contact: julia.adams53@btinternet.com
Whitstable | 11:00 | Whitstable High St (near old Barclays building) | Street stall
Contact: SE.UniteCommunity@Unitetheunion.org
Wirral | 12:30 | Hamilton Square, Birkenhead
Contact: fandg08@yahoo.com
Witney | 10:00 | Witney Market place | Street stall
Contact: judith@allcittern.co.uk
Worthing | 12 noon | Worthing Hospital | Photo opp at hospital, then street stall in town centre (12:30, Chapel Rd / Warwick St)
Contact: SE.UniteCommunity@Unitetheunion.org
