WE ARE

footsteps counselling & care

Footsteps Counselling & Care is a charitable organisation offering compassionate counselling and care for anyone in the Gloucestershire area affected by pregnancy-related issues, the loss of a baby for any reason, traumatic birth, fertility problems and pregnancy-related mental health issues.

Our vision is that anyone affected by fertility or pregnancy-related issues, traumatic birth or baby loss can access compassionate personalised support on the journey of coping with their traumatic experiences.

We can provide dedicated one to one or couples counselling support to anyone in Gloucestershire struggling with pregnancy-related issues or loss. We do not charge for our counselling service.

How we started

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About us

How we started

Footsteps Counselling and Care was founded in 2012 by a group of people with their own experiences of the traumas relating to pregnancy issues and loss and the lack of support available for those struggling.

Our charity has grown since then and is now headed by a Board of Trustees and supported by a dedicated staff and volunteer team.

Get in touch
Footsteps Charity shop, Gloucester

Common questions

How can counselling help?

Our experience has shown that people who are struggling to come to terms with a loss such as miscarriage or stillbirth have found that being able to talk about them in a safe space has helped them with the grieving process. Before starting counselling we ask new clients to attend an initial assessment session which gives you an opportunity to find out more about Footsteps Counselling & Care and how counselling might be of help.

Is there a waiting list?

We do have a waiting list. Due to the nature of our work it is hard to know how long the wait will be. If we put you on our list we will see you as soon as we possibly can and let you know roughly how long that wait will be.

How many sessions can I have?

At this time we are able to offer you up to 12 counselling sessions. This is to enable us to minimise the waiting time for our service. Of course, you can come for less than 12 sessions, and should you find you need more than 12, your counsellor will explain what your options are.

What is the cost of our services?
Our counselling is free to those that need it, however, to help to cover our costs we ask that clients make a donation per session if they can. You can agree an amount with your counsellor. We never turn away anyone away if they are unable to make a donation. You can donate towards the cost of our service by giving cash or a cheque to your counsellor each session, or by donating via PayPal. You can also find the link on our Facebook page
How do I refer for counselling?
We accept referrals from many organisations including bereavement midwives, health visitors, GPs, social workers, family support workers etc.

Anyone is very welcome to refer themselves to us too. Just give us a call on 01452 308618, email office@footstepscandc.org.uk or send us an enquiry via our contact form.

How can I donate to your work?
You can donate through Virgin Money Giving or our PayPal page. Please see our information on other ways to donate for further ideas.
How can I get involved?
We have a myriad of ways that you might like to be involved; from volunteering to clicking as you shop from home to raise funds. Have a look at our Volunteers page to see how you can help. Do let us know if you've got any other ideas though!
Are you open during the pandemic?
Our service is needed more than ever as people struggle without their support networks, attend appointments alone, and struggle with increased anxiety. In response, we have developed our service to include telephone and video counselling support. We do still offer some face to face sessions where regulations allow, and we have a rigorous covid safety procedure in place.

Our office team are mainly working from home and can be contacted by emailing office@footstepscandc.org.uk or by using the contact form.

Our charity shop is open too, visit our shop page to find out our opening hours and how to donate items for sale.

Get in touch

Supporting us

Ways to volunteer

We could not do what we do without our tremendous volunteer force and the many hours they dedicate to us.

People choose to volunteer for a variety of reasons. For some it offers the chance to give something back to the community or make a difference to the people around them. For others it provides an opportunity to develop new skills or build on existing experience and knowledge. It is a great way to meet new people and have fun too!

We are currently looking for retail assistants, administrative support and qualified counsellors but we are always more than happy to hear from anyone that has a skill or idea that could help our charity, do get in touch

volunteer with us

Support us

Visit our shop

Our charity shop on Westgate Street, Gloucester offers a wide range of items from books and clothes to kitchen equipment and small items of furniture.

We have strict COVID safe procedures in place to keep you and our team safe. All items are quarantined before being put out for sale and you will be required to wear a mask and sanitise your hands.

We also have an eBay shop with items added regularly.

Call our shop

Call 01452 412380

Where we are

You can find us at
51 Westgate Street, Gloucester GL1 2NW

Opening hours

Mon, Wed, Fri & Sat:
10am - 5pm.

Donate items

We are always very grateful for donations to our shop. We are happy to accept most items, but do give us a call if you’re not sure, our shop team will be happy to help.

Small donations can be made any time during shop opening hours. If you have a large donation or heavy or bulky items please give us a call to arrange a suitable time to drop off.

Find out more