The bed push, fronted by MPs Mike Penning and David Gauke left from Marlowes bandstand at 10am on Sunday morning and headed to Watford.

The rally was united on Watford High Street where MPs and Zena Bullmore, chairman of the Dacorum Hospital Action Group addressed the crowd.

hemeltoday followed the rally on its first ever LIVE LOG.

Our reporters and photographers on the scene sent up-to-date commentary through to hemeltoday.co.uk which was then updated live.

If you have pictures from the rally please email them to us at the Gazette on editorial@hemelgazette.co.uk

This is a record of the LIVE LOG.

15:15: WE FINISHED! When people arrived they perked up significantly and there was lots of consistent chanting from one end of Watford High Street to the other.

When the rally arrived at Watford High Street they rounded everyone up and Zena Bulmore using a megaphone - as the PA system wasn't working said: "They must take notice. This is going on all over the country. Watford needs to know what danger they are in as Watford is already overcrowded. We will fight this for as long as it takes."

David Gauke MP said: "Watford and Hemel Hempstead should be united because all of our health care is at risk. The question is how long will they cope with patients from Hemel? And the answer is 'They won't.'

Mike Penning MP said: "Some people who walked should not have thourgh ill health but have done it and are still here and I'm very proud. The bed we pushed symbolises our hospital bed and patients going from Hemel to here because patients will suffer and people will die.

Watford General Hospital told Mike Penning in a letter that they would not let people onto the hospital site.

Protestors walked up to the site on Vicarage Road - stopped shouting and chanting – and then walked silently out of respect to the patients.

Reporter Georgia Anderson spoke of her reaction to the day. She said people were very enthusiastic all the way through - every car that passed beeped their horn in suppport which helped encourage people.
"I thought there would be less people on the rally – maybe 150 or so but I think there was at least double that. We have lost some people along the way through other commitments etc but the amount of people that came does highlight how everyone feels."

13:48: The rally is just outside The Grove in Watford, only ten minutes or so from the town centre.
Mike Penning MP said: "I'm very proud of everyone who turned out today. I'm impressed with the age profile. There are young people, elderly people and even people who are disabled. They have done it because they are angry and they are frightened. There is fear in our community and it's wrong they are worried."

David Gauke MP said: "The turnout today highlights the concern in the whole of West Herts about our health service. With the dramatic cuts patient care will suffer. We've had a good number of people walking all the way through today and cars passing have been honking their horns in support. There's been a very strong feeling throughout the route that
people are very worried."

Petra McCarthy from Kings Langley is studing midwifery in Bedford. She believes if the hospital stayed open then the maternity services will return.
She said if the maternity unit did open she would work for free for one year.

Margaret Sharp, from Cotterils, Hemel Hemsptead is campaigning for the stroke unit as six years ago her husband had a stroke. The unit was built with public money. She is walking for anyone who has had a stroke and is unable to take part in the rally.

1300: PAST half way point. They are stopping traffic at A41 Langlebury lights. Many people stopped at the Bell in Kings Langley where staff were filling up water bottles.

Protestors Steve and Emma Wright, 26, from Belswains Way picked up the walk when it went passed their home.
Emma wants to do it as she has a problem with her knee and has to go Hemel hospital for check ups every six weeks since December. She doesn't drive so it'll be a nightamre for her to go to Watford. She's worried about people less able than herself who need services in Watford.


12:12: Police estimate there were close to 1,000 people in Marlowes before the walk set off and there are approximately 300-500 people now in Kings Langey.
Our reporter Georgia Anderson is currently outside the station in Kings Langely. She says there is still lots of support from drivers and passers by. MP Mike Penning is going through the crowds telling people if they are feeling unwell to get on one of the support minibuses which will take them to Watford.

11:41: Halima Kahn and Rozina Hanis, 14, are fasting for Ramadan (can't eat between sunrise and sunset) so they won't eat until 6.30pm tonight, but are walking anyway.

Katherine Higgins, 37, had a miscarriage and was taken to Hemel A&E. She had to wait for over an hour and there wasn't a consultant to see her. She was taken to Watford and she says it was terrible. She is walking with her dad Peter McDonnall, 65. Hemel A&E has saved his life four times as he has a condition where he needs quick access to antibiotics. He said the people in Hemel A&E are 'dedicated and fantastic'.

11:17 The landlords of the Three Tuns, Gillian Adams and Martyn Adams have been supporting the bed push and want to give everyone free refreshments because Gillian's mum had a heart attack and the Hemel hempstead A&E saved her life. They are worried about having to travel to Watford.

11:04 Three Tuns pub where walkers are getting free refreshments. People have stopped for a break.

11:00 Reporter Georgia Anderson who has been among the crowds has just filed this:

Denise Matthews, 27, from Grovehill said she took the day off work to do the walk after her one-year-old son had to go to Hemel hospital last week when he cut his face.
Jean Groome, 69, from Marlins Turn, walking because one of her freinds has a serious heart condition and she's worried if he makes the journey he won't get to Watford in time.
Brenda and Ronald Bradbury from Highfield Lane moved to Hemel in the 1930s when there was A&E and maternity facilities. Now the population has doubled and they are concerned about the loss of services.

10:49: Going up along Belswains Lane and people coming put of homes and looking out of windows to offer support. Very loud as people are hooting their car horns.

10:40 Coming up to junction of Durrants Hill Road. It's probably streched out for half-a-mile. I can see the front. The bed is a proper hospital bed. Traffic is being held up as the bed can't be pushed on the pavement as it's too narrow up Lawn Lane.

10:31 people from hospice of St Francis in Berkhamsted are collecting for the hospice.
Queue is stretching out for about 500 yards ahead of me along Lawn Lane.
People have brought their dogs along.

10:26: COMING past Plough roundabout. Lots of support from people hooting horns as they drive by. Quite a crowd. Probably a few hundred people on march but difficult to say.

10:16 SPEECHES from MPs Mike Penning and David Gauke and Dacorum Hospital Action Group chairman Zena Bullmore.
Zena said fight will go on for as long as it takes to save Hemel hospital and get back lost services including maternity services.
David Gauke said protest is about sending a message to Whitehall that people from this area of Herts have had enough and people are getting a poor deal. Mike Penning said if cuts continue people will die. Lots of applause following each speech.
Some disabled people are taking part in the rally.
There's one man dressed as a grim reaper.

10:18 THE long march begins - whistles and air horns blast.
There's a child with a party hat with a placard which read 'One hour to A&E'

Procession moves from Marlowes to Riverside


FIRST LOG: 9.45am A COUPLE of hundred people gathering at bandstand. There are people with banners saying: 'Don't close our hospital' and other homemade banners saying: 'Hemel needs a hospial not an extra lane on M1', and 'Save our hospital we need it.'

There are mums with prams, old people with wlaking sticks, people wearing special T shirts saying 'Save Hemel Hospital'.

The leader of Dacorum Borough Council Andrew Williams and MPs Mike Penning and David Gauke have arrived.

At the moment there are photo calls with the bed with a symbolic coffin on it representing the demise of services.



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