Chivenor campaign at 10 Downing Street ¦ this is north devon

THE campaign to retain Chivenor's Search and Rescue helicopters as a 24-hour service went to the very doorstep of Government last week.

The

CAMPAIGNERS: Presenting petitions in support of the Search and Rescue helicopters at Chivenor are: (l-r) Nick Harvey MP, handing over the petitions to a waiting policeman with Judith Thompson from the Facebook group, campaign leader Bob Thompson and Journal community editor Kate Helyer.
Presenting petitions in support of the Search and rescue helicopters at Chivenor: (l-r) Nick Harvey, Kate Helyer, Bob Thompson and Judith Thompson.

Journal's

strongly supported '24 Not 12 for Chivenor' campaign was presented at Number 10 Downing Street by community editor Kate Helyer.

Readers added their voice to the already widespread campaign by sending in 1,500

Journal

coupons indicating their support for the crucial rescue service.

Kate joined campaigners Bob and Judith Thompson and North Devon MP Nick Harvey to present the coupons and petitions at the Prime Minister's residence.

Mr Thompson said: "It's fantastic to be here and meet our MP to make this presentation. This is just the next logical step of the campaign.

"We don't see this as the end of the campaign, only the beginning of the next stage."

In total, more than 18,000 people across the South West and Wales have added their names to the collection of petitions, including 11,000 who joined the Facebook support group.

Letters of support, including one from Devon County Council were also handed over.

Mr Harvey agreed the fight was far from over.

He said: "We have been building up this reservoir of good will and now is the time to tell the Government about it officially.

"This is the point at which we confront the Government with the force of public opposition — opposition which includes some very important national interest groups, such as the mountain rescue organisations and the British Surfing Association.

"The scale of opposition is now at a national level."

Under MoD proposals to privatise the UK's Search and Rescue service, Chivenor's operation would be reduced to flying on missions for 12 hours, between 9am and 9pm.

Across the South West, Bristol Channel and South Wales, any night-time rescues and vital transfer of patients between hospitals would be covered by RNAS Culdrose on the tip of Cornwall, RAF Valley on Anglesey or from the MCA base at Lee on Solent.

Anxious campaigners believe that despite the proposals for a fleet of new, faster helicopters, the delays could cost lives — including the influx of thousands of tourists during the summer months.

The Soteria Consortium — which includes the Government-owned Royal Bank of Scotland — has been named as the Government's preferred bidder in the £1.6 billion deal.