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Newspaper joins fight to save hospital

A weekly newspaper has given its full support to a campaign to save a hospital in Cornwall.

The Cornishman is backing Hands off our Hospital, a campaign launched by locals to safeguard the future of West Cornwall Hospital in Penzance, which is at risk of having its services cut by Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust.

On Saturday thousands of people attended a demonstration in support of the hospital and linked hands around the building after the newspaper ran a story encouraging readers join the protest.

Following the march the Cornishman reported that ‘supporters came from across west Cornwall and beyond to send out a loud and clear message to the Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust.’

The campaign also aims to fight for the reinstatement of services that have previously been promised at West Cornwall, such as the reopening of the recently-closed hospital ward and 24-hour doctor-led acute care.

The demonstration was organised by the Hands off our Hospital campaign group and supported by The Cornishman, the Mayors of Penzance, St Just, Marazion, Hayle and St Ives, and health groups from across west Cornwall.

St Ives MP Andrew George has also given his support to the campaign.

He told the Cornishman: “I think it is important that the local community demonstrates their support for the hospital.

“We are hoping to show through numbers, wrapping our hands around the hospital, that we care about it. I would be there to demonstrate my support for that kind of message.”