GAZETTE & HEARLD: A year after opening its doors the Chippenham Pregnancy

Crisis Centre is looking to expand to meet the demand of people facing difficult choices.

The centre was officially opened last year by MP James Gray and former Mayor Karin Meek.

Over the past year the centre has extended its hours and counselling provision as well as moving premises in order to provide a more flexible service.

It offers free, confidential and non-judgemental support and guidance for those in a pregnancy crisis. It also offers free pregnancy testing.

The centre was originally set up by Tara Sinclair and Sue Richards who ran a mothers and toddlers group in Station Hill together. While running the group they recognised there were a number of teenage mothers in Chippenham who needed help.

They contacted the crisis centre in Devizes and asked how they could set up. Then they got themselves trained and took on extra advisers and trained them.

The centre slowly took form as they got funding from local churches and through fundraising events.

Mrs Sinclair said the centre was slow to begin with but as word of mouth went round people began contacting them and dropping in.

The centre has 12 advisers who will talk to women of any age as well as their partners and families about the choices of keeping their child, adoption and abortion.

Over the past year the centre has received a range of clients who come in for different reasons.

"Some people come in for a pregnancy test and don't want to talk to anyone, which is fine. Some women find out they are pregnant and want to talk about what they are thinking of doing. We get a range of people from 16-years-old, right up to those in their late thirties. A lot of it is just listening to people.

"We can't advise them but we can take them through all the options so they can make their own decision," said Mrs Sinclair.

Two male advisers have recently come on board to specifically listen to and support men.

"We would welcome men at any stage. They are often left out in the whole process," said Mrs Sinclair.

The centre's services have also extended to include post-abortion counselling which runs for at least 12 weeks.

The centre currently based in Monkton Hill, is looking for its own premises, which would not be shared with other services, giving it more independence and flexibility.

Mrs Sinclair said: "New premises would make a huge difference. We could open more and it could be more of a drop in centre. At the moment we are limited in how many signs we can put up and we can't decorate."

The centre is looking for a safe, ground floor office with access for buggies and pushchairs. This would enable it to expand its services to antenatal classes for teenagers and parenting craft workshops.

Before it can take over new premises the centre, which is now a registered charity, needs to raise £6,000 for a year's rent and training.

Mrs Sinclair said they were pleased with the development of the centre over the last year. "We want to make the centre known to people as there is so much need for it. We know there are a lot more out there that we could help."

The centre is open Tuesday 7pm to 9pm and Wednesday and Friday noon to 2pm. No appointment is necessary but the centre can be contacted on (01249) 445992.