Ludlow Bed Push row: Group who dressed as nurses will 'do the same again'

The group supporting Ludlow Hospital raised money by pushing a bed around the town, but the trust said outfits were "demeaning".

Last week Jan Ditheridge, chief executive of Shropshire Community Health NHS Trust, has said the behaviour was "insulting".

But fundraiser Mark Hiles said they were "just having a bit of fun".

The hospital's friends group has said it was a "sad day for public support for our health services".

A letter co-written by Ms Ditheridge said: "The presentation of men dressed as female nurses in a highly-sexualised and demeaning way is wrong, very outdated and insulting to the profession."

Ms Ditheridge said: "We have previously asked that this doesn't happen and therefore don't think it's right to accept any money associated with this activity."

Mark Hiles said they had gone as nurses "because it raises more awareness"

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After the Shropshire Star published the story last Tuesday, it was picked up by local, national and international media organisations.

Fundraisers appeared on national news bulletins and their actions were praised by health care professionals, politicians and the general public.

Mr Hiles told Sunday Morning Live on BBC One that the group had "great respect for all the nursing profession", but they were "not harming anybody".

He said: "Are you going to stop the London Marathon, people dressing up... to raise money because it might offend somebody? No.

"It's a free world. We should be able to dress how we want to dress."

Mr Hiles said they had gone as nurses "because it raises more awareness" and they "stand out from the crowd more".

He also said he did not see any validity in concerns that it sexualised the profession for female nurses, who perhaps faced sexual harassment at work.

Mr Hiles said: "We've spoken to many, many nurses... I mean, there's a lot of nurses out there who've actually done this with us in the past and I haven't come across anybody that has had a problem with it."

The league of friends have been contacted by a number of health trusts and hospitals outside Shropshire who have asked for the money to be donated to them.

However, the fundraisers are adamant the money, which had been earmarked for an ECG machine, would remain in the county. In the past the bed push has paid for a new dialysis machine as well as other equipment.