HELPING tens of thousands of people in Oswestry will be the legacy of a counselling business set to close in July, its founder has said.

U& Counselling, in English Walls, will close its doors in July as co-director and founder Wendy Hickson retires for a new role in life as a nana to her new grandchild.

Wendy founded the business in 2011 with her husband Peter and says since then, U&I has seen around 10,000 children, young people and adults.

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But she said the time is right to retire and support her family after many years of them supporting her.

“It’s retirement – my daughter had a baby and will be going back to work so I’m on nana duties,” she said.

“A lot of things have tied up – I’ve always said that I wanted to help with care and it’s a blessing.

“We’ve probably seen around 10,000 people and knocking on the door of around 200 counsellors and it’s been a very important thing in my life.

“I always wanted to be a counsellor so I retrained to be a children’s counsellor, from a teaching background in nursery to A-Level.

“I was aware that that structure of giving children support in schools was missing and I wanted to do more, but when I started to train I was asked what I wanted to do.

Border Counties Advertizer: Wendy Hickson. Wendy Hickson. (Image: Newsquest)

“I said I wanted to create a volunteer organization that saw children but gave access to all so that people who can afford to pay can support those who can’t.

“I was laughed at for that – someone called it utopian – but when the trainer of that course came to give do some more here, she said I did it.

“That’s how we’ve survived because it is a volunteer organisation and is a genuine CIC.”

Wendy says she is proud of the collective created at U&I, moving from one room to five across a whole floor.

She added that her way of working is based on the person in front of her counsellors, with many trained at the company.

“I hope our legacy is delivering face-to-face counselling to all in a very open and non-judgmental environment,” said Wendy.

“I’m very grateful to our landlord Nick O’Connor who gave us the rooms at a low rate and waived rent over Covid too, which made it possible to continue.

“Our legacy is a dream fulfilled – we have a whole range of therapists that have trained and worked with us and without them, it wouldn’t exist.

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“I am very grateful to Peter for that – he funded the first three months for me and I’m so grateful to him for that and to my family for their support.

“I don’t think they missed out on me – they believed in it – but they kind of want me back now.”

Wendy added her thanks to those who have supported the company such as former mayors Jay Moore and Vince Hunt, current councillor Les Maguire and also Oswestry Town Council, Priscilla Hilton Jones Charitable Trust and the Rotary Clubs.