Trustee Annual Report 2024-2025
Aims and Purposes
The Well Pregnancy Choices Centre was registered as a charity in December 2021 and officially launched on 14[th] March 2022.
There were 1,766 abortions in Gloucestershire in 2022. Figures have not yet been released for 2024. Research shows a woman (and her partner) are best able to cope with an unintended pregnancy decision when it is made free from pressure or fear, knowing they have made a truly informed choice, even if it is difficult at the time.
At The Well Pregnancy Choices Centre, we are able to provide the time, space and care that is needed for people facing a difficult Pregnancy Choice. Clients are given the space and support to make an informed decision without fear, pressure, or judgement. All the clients who completed evaluation forms said they found the session helpful and would recommend The Well Pregnancy Choices Centre to others.
The Centre provides caring and compassionate non-directive and nonbiased counselling and support to women, partners and their families who are suffering from any physical or mental illness or distress during or because of pregnancy or the termination of pregnancy. This is delivered by accredited practitioners.
We also seek to preserve and protect the health of women with unplanned pregnancy or pregnancy complicated by a diagnosis of foetal abnormality or maternal morbidity or the termination of pregnancy.
Charitable Objectives and Activities
The Well Pregnancy Choices centre is committed to enabling anyone in and around Gloucestershire to access our services. Our objective is that anyone who needs support due to physical or mental illness or distress during or because of pregnancy or the termination of pregnancy can do so free of charge and in their own time without feeling rushed or directed towards any particular outcome.
Achievements and Performance
CLIENT SUPPORT
Our clients come from Gloucestershire, Bristol and further afield. In the year from October 2024, we had 55 new client referrals.
In the year from October 2024, we made 15 appointments for clients to be seen at the Centre with a further 57 client appointments for our telephone and zoom support programmes. This is a total of 72 appointments, a similar number to those supported last year.
Our statistics show that new clients contacted us for support for
Miscarriage 4%
Post abortion 22%
Unplanned pregnancy 73%
Contraceptive support 1%
To ensure our service remains at a high standard, we monitor and evaluate the services that we offer. Client feedback has been encouraging:
One pregnancy choices client wrote: “ There was a structured format and the practitioner listened to everything I said and always asked if there was anything else I wanted to discuss or ask. The practitioner asked open questions and listened to everything I had to say. I felt everything I said was valid and understood.”
Another pregnancy choices client wrote: “ The session helped to give me more clarity and feel supported. I felt listened to and cared for.”
A post abortion client when asked what the most helpful part of the support programme was, responded: “ Being able to express and work through feelings that I had bottled up and tried to ignore. The material helped me explore and think about things in a different way which helped me with my loss and grief. I am able to forgive myself and know it didn’t make me a bad Mum. ”
Another post abortion client said: “From the beginning, the programme has lifted all of the negative emotions I felt and turned them into positive emotions. I was able to get to the root of my feelings and address them properly at a comfortable pace.” This year we have continued to focus on raising awareness of the centre through marketing, networking, and building relationships with other organisations in the area. It takes time to build those relationships in order for them to signpost potential clients to our centre. Business cards, leaflets and flyers have been distributed to local GP surgeries, churches and other organisations such as Cheltenham foodbank. We plan to continue to build relationships with these and other organisations.
Helen Adair, the Centre Manager has continued to work as the Centre Director of a similar centre in Bristol. We have held joint supervision sessions and will continue to develop our connection with them. They often have a 12+ week waiting list for posttermination support clients. We have seen some of their clients who wanted sessions via Zoom or the telepphone, thus reducing their waiting list and the amount of time a client had to wait for support.
We continue to plan to increase the number of trustees and will do this through advertising in the local trustee bank. We plan to increase the number of volunteers who can offer support to clients. We will fund volunteers to complete the accredited training courses.
VOLUNTEERS
The Centre is reliant on voluntary help. This keeps the cost of our support services down so we can continue to provide them free of charge. We have a team of four volunteer practitioners. Three have completed both the accredited pregnancy choices and post-abortion courses and one has completed the pregnancy choices training course and is planning to complete the post-abortion programme at the end of 2025.
Volunteers are given training and support including regular CPD from local professionals and via the Pregnancy Centres Network (PCN). The Pregnancy Centres Network (PCN) offers accredited training at Level 3 in pregnancy choices and post termination support which volunteers have completed.
Those involved in providing support have access to regular supervision. A trained supervision facilitator provides six weekly group supervision.
Our work is strengthened and improved by working together with other agencies. We are constantly working to raise our profile amongst health professionals, universities and the public by networking, forging partnerships and by advertising.
Finally, the Trustees would like to thank the volunteers who support the work of the Centre.
Structure
The Well Pregnancy Choices Centre currently has four trustees.
The Centre Manager deals with the day-to-day running of the centre, the administration, supports clients and makes connections with other organisations.
All the trustees are responsible for making decisions on all matters of general concern and importance to the centre including deciding on how the funds of The Well Pregnancy Choices centre are to be spent.
The trustees met regularly during the year.
Administrative Information
The Well Pregnancy Choices Centre is based in Cheltenham. It operates by appointment only and uses a room within a local community space to meet clients.
The administrative address is 10 Queens Head Close, Aston Cross, Tewkesbury, GL20 8FJ
It is a Charity Incorporated Organisation (CIO) and the registered Charity Number is 1197013
The Trustees are Rachel Denniss, Vanessa McCarthy, Abbey Sidery and Carole Whyborn.
Financial Review
The Well Pregnancy Choices Centre held a fundraising morning in September 2024. Other income came from individual donations.
Finally, the Trustees would like to thank all those who support the work of the Centre.
Profit & Loss
The Well Pregnancy Choices Centre
Accounting Year 2024/25
| Debit | Credit | |
|---|---|---|
| add Other Income | 713 | |
| Interest Received | 85 | |
| Refund of Other Tax Received | 627 | |
| Gross Profit | 713 | |
| less Administration Expenses | -1,148 | |
| Office Costs | 50 | |
| Web Hosting | 551 | |
| Mobile Phone | 60 | |
| Licenses and Permits | 47 | |
| Miscellaneous | 21 | |
| Advertising and Promotion | 12 | |
| Legal and Professional Fees | 12 | |
| Charitable Donations | -2,066 | |
| Insurance | 165 | |
| less Staff Costs | 1,478 | |
| Staff Training | 1,478 | |
| Operating Profit | £383 | |
| less Drawings | £0 | |
| less Profit & Loss journal entries | £0 | |
| Retained Profit this period: | £383 | |
| Retained Profit brought forward: | £12,946 | |
| Distributable Reserves / Retained Profit carried forward: | £13,329 |
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