On Tuesday 16th June, Mark and I proudly made our way to Downing Street. We were honoured to be part of a small group of campaigners invited to present the MND Charter to Number 10. Along with Charlotte Hawkins, MNDA Patron and Sally Light, CEO of the Association we gathered to be told the final total of signatures ? a massive 33, 630. The side gate opened and our names were ticked off the security list and we were ushered through security. We were all wearing as much blue and orange as we could, the Association?s colours. We walked up to the pavement outside the iconic black shiny door. As a campaigner you never dream that you will get to go through the gates. Once outside Number 10 we lined up for photos, some used straight away for social media, some to be published later. I have to confess I was anxious to meet Larry the Downing Street Cat and true to form he was lying in the gutter, on the sunny side of the street ignoring us totally. Once the photos were all taken, Sally Light knocked on the door and a man opened it slowly and took the huge box of signatures. We cheered, smiled and made our way back through the gates. It was all over. I?ve never been more proud: proud of everyone who had taken the time to ask someone to sign the Charter, proud of all those individuals who had signed and proud to be there to tell the government that people with MND and their families deserve better.
Reported by Katy Styles
Full report from?mndassociation.org ?web site?
The delivery of the report was followed by a Parliamentary Reception at which there must have been at least 200 volunteers and we were honoured by the presence of some 75 Members of Parliament and their representatives.
There were speeches from Sally Light, welcoming everybody and asking for support from MP’s present.
A superb speech from David Setters, who is living with MND and has lost the use of his arms.? Absolutely inspirational.
Our Patron Charlotte Hawkins also delivered an emotional speech about her experience of losing her father to MND.
Finally Eric Rivers delivered an address through his speech machine which held the floor spellbound.
All of the speeches were remarkable and were the highlight of a remarkable day at the end of a remarkable campaign.
Huge congratulations to everyone who organised the day, the Charter Campaign, to all the Parliamentarians who attended and to all the MNDA Volunteers who travelled from all over the country.