We shall not be moved

Residents of Lower Ridge nursing home, which is on the march route, came out to cheer and wave, along with staff, as marchers headed into Burnley town centre.

Norman Spencer, of Sycamore Close, Rishton, was protesting on behalf of his mother-in-law Mary Dawson, 90, who has lived at Accrington's Woodlands care home for four years.

He said: "The county council is wrong to close these homes. One infirm resident has told me she sold her home to move into the Woodlands and because of her finances she has to pay the full rate.

"But it has been her home for three years and she wants to stay there until she is taken in her coffin."

Hyndburn council leader Peter Britcliffe was there. He said: "It's good to see so many people out because this is something that affects everyone, not just people in homes. It's their relatives and people who may have some need of these services in the future."

Norman Harrison, 72, a resident of Ebor House, Queens Road, Burnley, joined the marchers in his wheelchair.

Norman, a bachelor, has lived in the home since 1999 and over a year ago had to move from his upstairs room to a downstairs one after his diabetes progressed to gangrene in his legs. They had to be amputated just below the knee.

He said: "I'm hoping they keep the place going for everyone. They give me specialist care. It would be a bit of a blow if it closed."

Clara Ellis, 85, and a resident of Lower Ridge Nursing Home, Belvedere Road, Burnley, was pushed along the two-mile route by her son James Ellis, 50, of Ford Street.

Clara, who has been wheelchair-bound after having two strokes and has lived at the home for three years said: "I wouldn't like to go into another home. If they close it I will either stop there or go and live in the park."

Her son James, who visits her every day, said: "I think it's out of order after what these people have done for their country. At the end of the day they deserve a rest. How can you kick somebody out of a home? These people have worked all their lives and been through two world wars."

Barbara Howard, of Brunshaw, Burnley said: "Everybody feels very strongly about this." Her mother May Cox, 72, has been at Fir Grove Nursing Home, Todmorden Road, for two years. "She has dementia but she is aware of what's going on around her and I think she would feel strongly about it closing."

Pendle councillor Mary Norcross, who represents Craven Ward, joined the march a week after the Cravenside Action Group -- a group fighting the closure of Barnoldswick's Cravenside care home -- staged a similar march.

She said: "When we first heard the news in February we got petitions up and 8,000 signatures in Barnoldswick."

Action group chairman Dean Ashley's mother Elva Ashley, 80, is a resident at Cravenside.

He said: "She has been there three years and has been a Barlicker all her life. We are totally opposed to moving her anywhere out of Barnoldswick. I don't think she would survive the move. It would be too distressing."

Paul Wright, of Ightenhill, joined the march as a supporter with no close ties to any of the homes under threat.

He said: "Why are people paying rates and taxes if they can't provide them with basic facilities? This is ordinary people coming out. It's not political. We need more things like this to get things changed."

Eric Smalley, 50, of Herbert Street, Burnley, who is disabled, walked the length of the march with the help of a walking stick.

He said he had wanted to take part in memory of his friend who had been in a care home in another part of the country. "I prepared for this march because I thought it was so important.

"I am disabled, but I am willing to make any sacrifice to be here to support what may be my future as well as the futures of those people in the homes already. People made sacrifices in the war to make this country what it is and it is up to us now to make it what it should be."

Ann Canby, 53, of Lower Manor Lane, who has been a care assistant at Ebor House in Burnley for 20 years, was there with Beryl Harrison, 56, of Kingsdale Avenue, whose 94-year-old mother, May Avery, is a resident there.

Ann said: "It is terrible for us, but it is much worse for the residents. As soon as they heard it they were in decline. The shock has just knocked some of them for six."

Beryl said: "My mother only went into the home two years ago, so you can imagine how independent she was. She has deteriorated since hearing the news.

"But everyone needs some help in the end. They want to stay in their own homes for as long as possible, but eventually they have to go somewhere. There is no real care in the community."

Mick Canby, of Lower Manor Lane, was walking with Coun Barry Richards, of Bank Hall ward in Burnley, both of whom were made redundant from Michelin two weeks ago. Mick, who was also with grandson Liam Cocker, aged six, was due to hand in a petition of almost 1,000 signatures from all over Burnley. "Because we were both employees of Michelin and were made redundant, we see both sides of this - the unemployment side for the staff, and the injustice for the residents. There are set to be 150 people just in Burnley who will lose their jobs if this goes ahead."

Coun Richards said: "The county council have got it wrong. People can't stay in their own homes when they can't look after themselves: they are scared at night, and they need help. What do we do in the future if these homes go now? I am in my late 60s and if these homes go, when I am old, I could be left in my own home with four walls to look at and no contact with the outside world. The council must rethink."