Doctors, patients and politicians were among the campaigners who braved the rain to show how much they love Hackney’s Homerton Hospital this weekend.

Protesters joined forces for the Hands around the Homerton demonstration on Saturday (July 16).

The event, which began in the park between Brooksby’s Walk and Wardle Street, was organised by the Hackney Coalition to Save the NHS group in opposition to the government’s proposed changes to the public healthcare system, set out in its health and social care bill.

Campaigners say the plans will expose the NHS to exploitation by big commercial healthcare companies and threaten hospitals such as the Homerton’s existence.

“It emphasises how important Homerton Hospital is to our local community, how we must work together to plan and deliver high class health services locally,” said Dr Adam Forman.

“It also sends an unequivocal message to the government that their current plans for the health service threaten to undermine our local and national health services and must be scrapped.”