Do you hear the people sing?

It’s the song of angry men. And women. And children. And even the odd dog.

 Today, Bootle went on the march.

No, not the rampage, the march. We’re a bit more civilised than that in our neck of the woods, thank you. And once again, I was blown away by what this apparently small and (according to some – pah) “insignificant” community can achieve.

This was no hippy-hairy straggle; this was a slick, well-oiled, well-organised event. Marshals in high-viz vests (including one marshal dog), walkie-talkies at the ready, police standing by. They stopped the traffic top and bottom of the village, and we pulled out onto the main A595, placards at the ready.

There was everyone there. Everyone from babies in pushchairs, to old people in wheelchairs; I think I spotted someone on crutches. There were mums, dads and kids from the school, ex-pupils of all ages from 16 to 60 and beyond, and people of all ages and all walks of life with connections great and small to Captain Shaw’s, who care so much about what happens to it. Boo Bear led from the front (everybody needs a mascot, and everybody wants to be a bear!) and the dog in the Captain Shaw’s jumper got a little over-excited and the jumper got a little damp... You know what got me the most? The big brothers who’ve gone on to secondary school, the wanna-be rough-toughies, the big lads who come back and help pack the stage away after the school Christmas play – all marching with a placard and chanting with the rest “Save our SCHOOL!” Even our hoodies have a social conscience.

Someone said they reckoned there were up to 300 people there, but I swear, as we mounted Beck Brow it looked like half the west coast of Cumbria was on the march.

We stopped half-way, at the gates of the school (like I said, we’re civilised here; we don’t want to cause more disruption that necessary – maybe that’s our problem) and sang our song (look us up on Youtube if you want to hear it!) and darn fine it sounded too with all those voices behind it. We sang it first back in November at a certain “Consultation” meeting where County officers were trying to tell us they were only here to listen. They flaming well had to listen to that. And then a certain female County officer had the audacity, the brass neck, the temerity to say how nice it was and that this was why she did her job. Which job is that, madam? Closing schools?

Do I sound angry? Good. I am. There is a huge, huge injustice being perpetrated here. And worse than that, it is illogical, Captain. Would County like to see economic renewal on the barren West Coast strip? More jobs? Increased prosperity? Then Bootle’s local plan is key; and the school is key to Bootle’s plan. It is as simple as that.

Well done Tim. In technical parlance, you played a blinder.

And to all those County officers who came down to “listen”, looking like they expected to find a bunch of local yokels with sheep’s wool in their hair (and instead faced a battery of furious and well-informed campaigners) – it’s time, way past time, to start taking Bootle seriously.

Next stop Carlisle.