Home Putting Melton First Saving the War Memorial Hospital Hill House Project Craven Lodge Messages & Support News Releases Clippings Archive Contact 28/08/2008 15:12 Welcome Home! Chairman's Introduction John Southerington explains Melton First's important community role... REGISTER OLD HOSPITAL CLOSURES HERE! If your old local hospital is being sold, register it here so Melton First can lobby to change the law... Royal home is second Melton First project In the years leading to the abdication, Craven Lodge was the country home of Edward, Prince of Wales... Save The War Memorial Hospital Originally bequeathed to the town, Melton's much loved War Memorial Hospital is being sold... Launched 25th May: NEW MELTON FIRST CAMPAIGN POSTER! ... Download HERE! Supporting Melton First is one of the area's most respected organisations... NEWS RELEASE! 1 June 2004 WAR HEROES & HERITAGE SOLD OFF TO HIGHEST BIDDER: MELTON FIRST LAUNCHES NATIONAL APPEAL In the week of the 60th anniversary of D-Day, Melton First is launching a national appeal to discover the number of War Memorial hospitals that are being sold off around the country, and to lobby parliament to change the law in order to prevent a sale where there is community interest. The appeal is the result of Melton First's own attempts to keep the Melton & District War Memorial Hospital, set in 15 acres of natural parkland, in community hands. The voluntary group seeks to turn the site into a regional design arts centre, and prevent it becoming a housing estate. The War Memorial hospitals, generally bequeathed by a local benefactor in memory of the town's fallen, were operated privately in large country houses or purpose-built residences until they were taken over, without payment, by the newly formed National Health Service in 1948. Over the past few years the country's old hospitals, many of which have been run down by their NHS owners, have become unsuited to modern health provision, and are being sold off as new hospitals are built elsewhere. The new capital builds are not dependent on these sales. Many of the NHS's old hospitals are listed, although according to the NHS, less than 5% are Grade II* or Grade I, which means that English Heritage has limited interest in their future. Instead, it's up to community groups to put together bids that equal or better the open market value of housing developers, currently the highest paying option. Mitch de Faria, Melton First founder, said today, "Melton First is offering more than £1.5m for the Grade II listed Melton War Memorial Hospital and grounds, but housing developers have much deeper pockets. For all the NHS's so-called concerns for the community and the environment, the NHS is selling our heritage to the highest bidder, and paying scant regard to those who laid down their lives and had marvellous sites like ours bequeathed in their name. And this is happening all over the country." If the Melton Hospital had been covenanted, Melton First may have been able to prevent a sale. Mitch says, "Melton War Memorial Hospital has already been left to the townspeople once. Now, despite the community's strength of feeling and the fact that we're going to lose a much used and loved local resource, the Melton, Rutland & Harborough Primary Care Trust is ignoring the community completely." "The PCT has deferred the announcement of a successful purchaser from 20 May until 17 June, saying they need to speak further with shortlisted bidders. Melton First has proposed the only non-housing option, but the PCT hasn't spoken to us since March. That's how much the PCT cares about the community." Melton First is writing to UK newspapers asking for details of old hospitals that have been or are being sold, particularly War Memorial Hospitals. The group then intends to lobby to have the law changed. "Where there is no community interest, then sale of an old hospital for housing may be the most sensible option," said Mitch today, "but where there is strong community support and a workable plan for the future of the site, then we believe that these old hospitals should remain in the hands of the community. The NHS may have the legal right to sell, but they clearly don't have the moral right; these buildings and landscapes are our heritage and in caring hands can also be our future." ENDS Editor's Notes: Further Melton First information & pictures are available at www.MeltonFirst.co.uk Old hospital sales: please forward details by email to hospitals@meltonfirst.co.uk or snail mail to Melton First, Steans Yard, 12 Burton Road, Melton Mowbray LE13 1DJ. Donations to the Melton First Fighting Fund can be made at any Melton Mowbray Building Society branch, or via the banking transfer system, to Melton Mowbray Building Society, Sort Code 40-32-14; Account Number 10572780, Ref Melton First 3315711. Available to discuss the future of War Memorial hospitals: Cmdr Josh Cosnett OBE RNR Tel 01883 714257 email Josh@cosnett.co.uk For further Melton First information contact: Mitch de Faria at Melton First Tel 01664 561700 email Mitch@MeltonFirst.co.uk HOW YOU CAN HELP YOU CAN HELP SAVE THE WAR MEMORIAL HOSPITAL FOR THE COMMUNITY... Read some of Melton First's many letters of support, and send us some of your own...! Hill House Regional Design & Arts Centre Melton First's proposed Hill House Project includes new event facilities for the town... Eco charity Environ is an active partner in the fully sustainable Hill House Project proposal... Wealth from the land Melton Mowbray's economic success was forged through agriculture and hunting... Fighting for the Community Melton First protested the time allowed to prepare an effective community bid... Community Benefits Melton First offers social, environmental and economic benefits... Melton First       -       From the Land to the Hand