PRESS RELEASE May 2013

Public meeting and demonstration against fluoridation with “The Girl Against Fluoride” from Ireland

South Central Strategic Health Authority has now been abolished but a new national body - Public Health England - has been set up and will continue with the SHA’s plans to fluoridate local drinking water. Ignoring both public opinion and the views of Southampton City Council and Hampshire County Council, Public Health England have pledged to add hexafluorosilicic acid in 2014. Council leaders in Southampton and Hampshire have previously vowed to fight plans for fluoridation and to terminate a scheme if implemented – we hope that they keep to their word.

Plans to fluoridate the city’s water have hit a number of obstacles. Despite commencing preparations in 2007, the SHA was unable to establish a workable scheme by April this year when they were abolished.

We know there are major problems with the implementation of this unworkable scheme and that more public money has been wasted on yet another feasibility study (over £30,000) but still problems remain. HAF has always maintained that the scheme as originally envisaged was unworkable and the costings completely wrong! We have been proved right.

HAF has organised a public meeting on Saturday May 11th at 2pm in the Solent University Conference Centre, Southampton and are pleased that Aisling Fitzgibbon – The Girl Against Fluoride — has agreed to come and talk about her campaign and legal challenge in Ireland. Southern Ireland is the only country in Europe that practices mandatory water fluoridation. Despite health concerns — particularly alarming increases in the extent of dental fluorosis among children— the Irish Government continues to support enforced mass medication. “We are thrilled that Aisling is coming to Southampton to lend support to our campaign and we hope that as many people as possible attend on Saturday to learn about the problems caused by decades of water fluoridation” says HAF member Anna Peckham.

Aisling has attracted widespread publicity and national press coverage. “The Girl Against Fluoride” campaign was created in August 2012 and kicked off with a publicity stunt at Kerry airport. Aisling bravely stripped to reveal a t-shirt which had these words printed on it: “Irish water contains toxic industrial waste” and the famous Get the F Out symbol. When the publicity photos were published, there was an amazing response and the campaign has gained support all over Ireland and beyond.

Professor Stephen Peckham will give an update on the local situation and recent changes to public health which provide new powers to local councils. We have also invited local City councillors in the hope that there will be some representatives to answer questions from the public. However, there seems to be a general unwillingness on the part of City councillors to actually face the public and many have returned “otherwise engaged” replies or not replied at all. HAF has a record for those interested in the response (or lack of) from their ward councillor. We need to know where our local representatives stand on this important issue.

There will be time for questions and discussion.

Before the meeting there will be a demonstration at 12.30 in Guildhall Square and the meeting will then take place at 2pm in the Solent University Conference Centre, Above Bar, Southampton.

The meeting is free of charge and is open to all.

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