A PETITION to have Knutsford’s Intermediate Care Tatton Ward and Bexton Court Dementia Centre reopened is gaining momentum.

Cheshire Area for Cheshire Action has launched a petition calling on Cheshire East Council, East Cheshire NHS Trust and Eastern Cheshire CCG to reopen the town’s public intermediate care, dementia care, day, respite and assessment care and ancillary facilities.

More than 100 copies of the petition have been placed in locations across Cheshire East and Charlotte Peters Rock, founder of the health campaign group, hopes her goal of getting thousands of signatures will soon be realised.

She said: “To keep people out of hospital - and away from A&E departments - we really must ensure that the necessary care is offered in support. That needs to be in good quality, accessible, local facilities, which are in public hands.”

The petition also calls for other ‘under threat’ centres across Eastern Cheshire to remain open and for the council to steer away from the commercialisation of public services.

Charlotte added: “Selling off our care, to commercial organisations which, in the isolation of desperate carers' homes, serves them very poorly must be stopped.

“We have already paid for a Welfare State. We now need the services for which we have paid.”

To sign the petition, visit change.org and search for 'Cheshire Area for Cheshire Action'.