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Watch the protest in
action and hear Gillingham and Rainham MP Paul Clark's views on the
mast.

by Jenni Horn

jhorn@thekmgroup.co.uk

Put children before profits. That was the message from
parents and pupils who gathered to protest against a phone mast
which has been put up next to their school.

Campaigners have refused to give up after a 3G Vodafone mast was
installed just 100ft from St Mary’s Roman Catholic Primary School
in Gillingham.

They began their fight against the mast four years ago, when
Vodafone first submitted its application to Medway Council. The
application was turned down by Medway Council twice but the
decision was overturned by a government planning inspector earlier
this year.

Worried parents, who have vowed to keep fighting to get the mast
pulled down, gathered with their children to hold a protest march
and rally on Friday .

The 130-strong group marched from the school in Greenfield Road to
Gillingham town centre. The children and parents could be heard
chanting 'Knock down the mast’ as they made their way to the High
Street.

A rally was held outside WHSmith and speakers included Gillingham
and Rainham MP Paul Clark, Lib Dem ward councillor Andy Stamp,
Conservative councillor and parliamentary candidate Reh Chishti and
Steve Dawe from the Green Party.

Mike Evans, whose six-year-old daughter Cerys goes to St Mary’s,
organised the event.

He said: “I’m thrilled with the turnout. Not only have we had
representatives from all four political parties, we had 130 parents
and children take part, which shows the strength of feeling against
this mast.

“Hopefully we have drawn attention to the fact that this mast, near
the railway station, is not there for the people of Gillingham, it
is there for the commuters.”

Cllr Stamp revealed he is putting a resolution forward at
Medway’s full council meeting later this month.

He said: “I want to get cross party support so the leader of Medway
Council can write to Vodafone, instructing them that the mast
should not be located near a school in such a densely populated
area.

“There is no operational need for the mast, as Vodafone already had
good coverage in that area before the mast went up.

“If everyone unites, with all parties working with the school,
parents and pupils, we can win this campaign.”