CAMPAIGNERS are calling on people to continue sharing their stories and to join their latest protest march as the campaign to save Kingfisher Ward at Dorset County Hospital continues.

A second march will be held in Dorchester later this month and campaigners are urging people to join the march but also to keep spreading their stories of just how important the wards are.

The Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is launching a consultation next year as part of the Clinical Services Review about proposed changes to Dorset’s healthcare with one option seeing children’s services moved from DCH to the east of the county.

Naomi Patterson, whose son George requires regular treatment at Kingfisher Ward, said it was great the community had come together but wants parents to continue sharing their stories of support.

She said: “A lot of parents are now coming forward to share their stories.

“People are sharing stories everywhere.

“It goes to show just what the ward is used for.

“The CCG say the ward isn’t getting used regularly. How they say people don’t use it is just a joke really.”

Parents who use the wards have been coming forward on the campaign’s Facebook page and telling their stories in the Dorset Echo.

A group met at the Poet Laureate pub in Poundbury to talk about their stories and share experiences of the ward.

The next march through Dorchester is taking place on Saturday, December 12.

This time it is being focused on the children and to reflect this it will be a shorter march than last time, going from Top O’ Town car park down High West Street and along South Street before entertainment will take place there.

Children who are regular visitors to the ward will be marching at the front and there will be appearances from Father Christmas.

Naomi is hopeful even more people will turn out for this march than the one that took place in May where more than 1,000 people turned up to support the cause.

She said: “It’s going to be about the children really.

“They’re the ones whose voices have got to be heard.

“It should be a good day and I think there should be more people there than last time.”

Telling their stories at the meeting as well as Naomi was Paul Wyatt, whose son Ross is treated at the hospital and Caroline Pomfret, whose son Oliver receives regular treatment on the Kingfisher Ward.

Caroline and Oliver’s story appeared in the Echo earlier this year when Caroline said that without the support of Kingfisher and SCBU, Oliver ‘would have died’.