THE stalwart band on the People’s March for the NHS yesterday walked from Leicester to Market Harborough.

Supporters are turning out at every destination on the 300-mile route from Jarrow in the North East to London.

Fifty people set off from Jarrow on Saturday August 16 backed by 2,000 well-wishers. They are following the route of the historic 1936 Jarrow Crusade march against unemployment and poverty.

The march is the brainchild of a group of Darlington women calling themselves the Darlomums, who were horrified at the privatisation and destruction of the NHS by the Tories and their Liberal Democrat co-conspirators.

Among the marchers is folk singer Icarus Wilkinson from Rochdale in Lancashire. He was a counsellor for people with mental health problems until funds for the charity which employed him ran out.

He told the Morning Star yesterday: “There are about 70 of us and we are en route to Market Harborough.

“We spent last night in the Methodist church hall.

“Spirits are really high. We had a great sing-song in Leicester last night. We had a good reception and morale is great.”

In Leicester there were speeches from local campaigners for the NHS, and from one of the Darlomums, GMB national officer for the NHS Rehana Azam.

The march will pass through Market Harborough, Northampton, Bedford, Luton, St Albans and Edmonton before reaching London on Saturday, September 6, where a rally is planned.

“London is going to be huge,” said Mr Wilkinson. “We are looking forward to it.”