Banbury MP urges public to join Hands Around the Horton

Victoria Prentis with Keith Strangwood and Kate Spencer of Keep the Horton General NNL-160816-112049001

One of the biggest protest demonstrations of the campaign to keep consultant led services at the Horton General Hospital takes place on Sunday when hundreds of people join hands around the Oxford Road site.

The Hands Around the Horton event is a highly symbolic demonstration echoing the famous event headed by Keep the Horton General (KTHG) leader George Parish in 2007.

Sunday’s event at 10.30am is being promoted by Banbury MP Victoria Prentis and supported by the current Keep the Horton General members, numerous local politicians and a huge swathe of the Banbury public.

“The plan is to join hands around the perimeter of the hospital site in a public demonstration of opposition to plans to move key services away from the Horton,” said Mrs Prentis.

“We hope to bring everyone together. We want people from Banbury, Bicester, villages and farms, as well as elected officials, campaign groups, Horton babies and everybody else to come. We want to show our support for our much needed general hospital, where so many of us have been treated.

“I was born in the Horton and generations of my family have been treated there countless times. I very much hope we can maintain Horton services as we know them today and I will continue to fight for their protection. I urge everyone in north Oxfordshire and beyond to come along on Sunday to join hands around the Horton and show their support.

“The event will begin at 10.30am and we will do our best to get everyone organised so they can go on to the Banbury Food Fair afterwards.”