MOTHERS who have had a positive experience giving birth at Malmesbury Maternity Unit are being surveyed in an attempt to help the facility win a prestigious award and safeguard its future.

The National Childbirth Trust is carrying out its second Better Birth Environment survey, which asks women to talk about the environment where they had their baby.

Mothers who were particularly happy with the unit can nominate it for a Better Birth Environment Award.

Campaigner Juliana Beardsmore said the Malmesbury unit was previously a runner-up in the award and it would be great if it could do better this time. She added that it would also help the campaign to keep it open.

County councillor John Thomson is backing the campaign to recommend the unit for an award.

He said: " We are trying to keep the pressure on the Primary Care Trust not to shut down the maternity unit. We have got to do as much as we can to stress that the the new health centre needs a maternity unit."

Malmesbury Maternity Unit was forced to shut down down for six weeks last December because of staff shortages. Some 17 mothers had to go either Chippenham Community hospital Bath's Royal United Hospital or Great Western Hospital in Swindon.

Campaigner Sarah Newman who has been fighting to save the unit welcomed the idea of surveying mothers.

She said: "Malmesbury Maternity Unit is highly valued. Everyone who has used it feels very passionate about how good it is. Anything that quantifies that is a good thing. For us as campaigners to have this feedback strengthens our case."

The surveys need to be returned to the National Childbirth Trust by April 2. To obtain a form call Catherine Eden at the National Childbirth Trust on (020) 8752 2385 or going to www.nctpregnancyandbabycare.com