More vigils planned across Shropshire in support of NHS and striking workers

Organisers of a torchlight vigil that started in Ludlow around Christmas say more demonstrations have been planned in Ludlow, Wellington, Telford and Shrewsbury on Wednesday, January 18.

All the vigils are taking place outside the offices of local Conservative MPs, at either 5.30pm or 6pm but one of the organisers says it is not party political.

Gill George, who chairs Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin Defend Our NHS, said: "The vigils are outside the constituency offices of local MPs because the state of the NHS is down to political choices made over the last 12 years.

"But it is not party political. Underfunding of the NHS began under a coalition government and we would be saying the same things whether [to] a Labour or a Lib Dem MP."

There are also hopes that vigils will spread to other places, including Oswestry - in the constituency of the county's only non-Tory MP - and Bridgnorth.

"We have chosen January 18 because it coincides with the two-day nurses' strike," said Ms George.

Councillor and Shropshire Needs Ambulances campaigner Darren Childs and Ms George said in a statement: “It’s time for Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin to speak with one voice. We’re losing our NHS, people are dying avoidably, and this has to end.

"We’re organising torchlight vigils across the county on the evening of January 18, to coincide with the industrial action by nurses. We urge as many people as possible to turn out for these events. Our NHS and our NHS workers desperately need our solidarity and support.”

The vigils from 5.30pm on January 18 will be taking place in Ludlow, outside the Conservative Party office, in Broad Street; Shrewsbury, outside the Conservative Party office, in Meadow Place.

From 6pm there will be a vigil outside Lucy Allan’s constituency office, at Preston House, Hawksworth Road, Central Park, and in Wellington, outside Mark Pritchard’s constituency office, in Church Street.