SAVE our National Health Service – that was the message from local campaigners aiming to attract support from people across Basingstoke as part of a nationwide campaign.

Local campaigners braved the wet weather at the Top of The Town last Saturday to try and get signatures for a petition set up by national campaign group 38 Degrees to save the NHS.

It calls on politicians to put a stop to the privatisation of the national organisation, to make sure it has the funding it needs to provide high-quality healthcare and to protect it from US healthcare corporations by ensuring the NHS is kept out of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) with America.

Mother-of-one Christy Cullum, who is an anticoagulation practitioner at Basingstoke hospital, arranged a Basingstoke event as part of the national campaign.

The 30-year-old, who lives in Morley Road, Cranbourne, told The Gazette: “The NHS is such an important organisation.

“I come from a family of nurses and I am seeing it being stripped back and I thought the public should be aware of that.

“It has been fantastic today. It hasn’t been the best day for it but we have had a good reaction from most people and a lot of people just need education.”

Grandmother-of-10 Eileen Sanders, of Cherry Tree Walk, Oakridge, came to sign the petition.

The 89-year-old said: “I came here in the cold, wet weather to make a stand to ensure all people have healthcare at the point of need.

“I have grown to have the system and I don’t want to see it divided up. It is a worry.”

To sign the petition, visit 38degrees.org.uk/nhs.