Cheeky campaigners armed with party hats and balloons attempted to gatecrash a ‘party’ for CCG staff this morning.
Following a tip-off members of #HandsOffHRI descended on Briar Court with garlands, party horns and streamers to ‘welcome’ staff from Greater Huddersfield CCG.
The CCG (clinical commissioning group) is one of the two local NHS organisations behind a plan which could close Huddersfield’s A&E and centralise emergency care at Calderdale Royal Hospital, Halifax.
Members of #HandsOffHRI were given a variety of explanations by people attending the event as to what was going on inside the Birchencliffe Hotel.
CCG medical chief Dr Steve Ollerton was photographed entering the hotel this morning – although he remained tight-lipped about what he was attending.
Nicola Jowett, of #HandsOffHRI, said: “There must have been something said because we got all sorts of replies when we asked what was going on and said we’d come to join their celebration...
“The most popular answer was ‘we don’t know’ the best one was ‘we can’t tell you’.”
Nicola said of the #HandsOffHRI campaign: “You can’t just stick to the serious stuff because people get battle weary.
“It was fun for us – but I don’t think they liked our welcoming committee!”
A spokesperson for Greater Huddersfield CCG said the event was an ‘annual staff development workshop’ where one member of staff received a long service award.
