Bognor-based womens' support centre faces eviction

A womens' support centre has spoken of the stress, upset and uncertainty that has been caused by its eviction from Clock Walk, Bognor.
Julie Budge from My Sister's House showing WSCC Leader Louise Goldsmith (photo submitted). SUS-160906-111122001Julie Budge from My Sister's House showing WSCC Leader Louise Goldsmith (photo submitted). SUS-160906-111122001
Julie Budge from My Sister's House showing WSCC Leader Louise Goldsmith (photo submitted). SUS-160906-111122001

My Sisters’ House, believed to be the only one of its kind in West Sussex, moved into the large site in January in order to help more people.

Julie Budge, founder and chief executive officer of the community interest company, said: “Our priority is maintaining our services and we are going to do that, it might see us working from a variety of spaces in the meantime but our dream is to find a forever home.

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“The women that need us, need the consistancy and need to know where we are.

“When we moved here were expanded our services so to be given notice means it is very challenging.”

An urgent appeal, and fundraiser, has been launched in order to find a suitable site with spaces for women to meet together around domestic, personal, and life-changing issues, including rooms for training courses, peer groups, and for one-to-one counselling sessions.

The shop at 108c London Road is still secure and from May 7 it will be the main base, however it is said to be ‘bursting at the seams’ and unable to accommodate the services full time.

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In a statement which said ‘unresolved terms of the lease with the premises provider’ was the reason the centre has been evicted, it called on local residents, businesses and commercial enterprises to ‘go all-out to rapidly help find locations where they can run unique and much-needed services for women’.

To find out more, and how to help, visit www.mysistershouse.info