Campaigners celebrate outside the high court

The Save Lewisham Hospital Campaign is celebrating its efforts this year and the initial success of the judicial review by holding a victory dance fundraiser on Friday 27 September.

The dance will be held at the Rivoli Ballroom in Brockley and it will raise money through tickets sales and donations for the campaign. The government appealed the court’s decision to prevent the hospital closure on the final day they were allowed to do so, 21 August, so the campaign is preparing itself to keep going.

Iain Wilson, one of the Save Lewisham Hospital Campaign organisers, told EastLondonlines they were thinking of the night as a “first victory celebration” rather than a final victory. “People do have mixed feelings about it because the NHS is still under attack, but we feel that we’ve earned a bit of fun – its not often a local community stands up to the government so successfully and gets proved right by the high court. We are very proud of the campaign this year”.

“The hospital has asked the government to move more quickly with its legal case, because it’s not good to have it hanging over them. We do not see what the courts will find different to the last judicial review.”

There will also be a “victory parade” through Lewisham to Ladywell Fields on the afternoon of Saturday 14 September which was organised before the success of the judicial review was announced. This event will be family-friendly and aims to recreate the carnival atmosphere of the original demonstrations.

The victory dance is called the ‘Spirit of Lewisham’ and will be held on Friday 27 September from 7.30pm until midnight. There will be live music, DJs and a raffle. Tickets prices range from £5-£20 and can be bought through the campaign website at www.savelewishamhospital.com/victory-event-rivoli .