TAKE the Cream Cake Challenge and help Save the Alex – that’s the message from campaigners fighting to keep services at the Woodrow Drive Hospital.
Helen Grant, who came up with the idea to raise awareness, is also keen to use it as a way of fighting to preserve the NHS as a whole.
Neal Stote, chairman of the Save the Alex campaign, bravely stepped forward to be the first to get a pie in his face, but underlined the serious side to the stunt.
“The closure last week of the maternity unit could have some serious repurcussions here,” he said.
“Without a maternity unit, it puts in doubt the future of paediatrics and accident and emergency, the key concerns raised by the West Midlands Clinical Senate.”
The campaign group is actively trying to raise funds to carry on the battle to save the hospital which has been hit not only by the closure of the maternity department but also the loss of emergency gynaecology care for women.
“Ultimately, the health trust has the power to close a unit they feel is unsafe, but the whole point of an emergency closure is that it is temporary and it will be interesting to see what happens in February when they come to review that decision.”
Helen added: “The Cream Cake Challenge represents the slap in the face both staff and patients are feeling at the moment and it also aims to raise awareness of the current NHS crisis and to put pressure on the Government to act now.”
The campaign was launched today, Friday (November 13) on Facebook at ‘Cream Cake Challenge’ with the aim of participants nominating three people to take the challenge, one to be a celebrity.
For those doing the challenge to save the Alex, Neal is suggesting they make a donation to their campaign fund at http://goo.gl/ucGaA9 .
Visit www.bromsgrovestandard.co.uk to see the video of Neal taking a cake in the face for the Alex.
