Show of solidarity for Standish site (From Gazette Series)

Show of solidarity for Standish site

THE importance of the Standish Hospital site to the local community will be demonstrated this week with a public show of solidarity.

The Standish Mutual Care Trust is urging anyone who cares about the future of the site to show their support at a "sit in" due to take place at 10am tomorrow, Saturday.

It is expected that local MPs and mayors will be present on the day, giving their backing to the trust's plans for the site.

The Standish Mutual Care Trust (SMC) is a community-led group, determined to bring an exciting range of health and care services to the former hospital site.

They want to return the 31-acre site to its former role as a publicly-owned centre for health and well being and are urging the Government to make a decision on the empty site now before it deteriorates any further.

Dr Karin Von Degenberg, project director, said this week: "We really need the public to show their support on Saturday. There is only so much we can do without them.

"If they want this fantastic facility as much as we do, they need to stand up and be counted."

The SMC plan is to lease the site from the Department of Health and bring in at least 14 different companies and not-for-profit organisations to operate services there.

The trust believes this offers a fast and effective answer to ministers who are faced with the embarrassment of buildings which are becoming an increasing liability.

There is also a considerable amount of opposition to losing the hospital and its land as a community asset.

Standish Hospital has been a place of sanctuary for thousands of patients since its early days as a TB hospital in the 1920s. Its grounds and quiet pace of life make a stark contrast to the modern concrete of Gloucester Royal.