A store that helps the victims of domestic abuse and violence will be closing its doors in the town centre in readiness for an expanded Greggs. 

Swindon Sisters Alliance Community Interest Company (CIC) was set up by Emma King who wanted to do so following the murder of her sister Julie Butcher in 2005. 

The organisation manages a holiday retreat named after Julie for victims to use as well as arranges day trips and other therapeutic activities. 

She spent five months setting it up in the second half of 2020 and opened the first charity shop in a large unit on The Parade just before Christmas.

But that unit will soon be closing with a sign in the store's windows confirming the day. 

(Image: Dave Cox)

The reason for the closure is that the neighbouring Greggs was recently given planning permission to expand, taking up the unit currently home to one of the charity's few shops in town. 

A sign in the window says: "Closing our town shop on September 21. Thank you for your support the last four years."

It also advertises that the town centre store is offering 50 per cent off the marked price of everything, including puzzles, games books and clothing, and is also selling its shop displays and mannequins. 

When opening the charity from that very same unit four years ago, Emma said: "It took me seven years to get my life back in order after Julie died.

"I had all this love I couldn't give to anyone so I wanted to start a charity after getting the exclusion map approved.

"When that was done, I could stay in Swindon and get the ball rolling on starting up a charity in my hometown where we as a family have grown up all our lives.

"I once thought I'd have to leave town and take my family with me but he's been banned and now I'm doing something amazing."

(Image: Dave Cox)

Since then Emma has opened three stores in the town, the first one in the Parade which is now soon to be closing, one in Gorse Hill and a third on Moredon Road in Rodbourne Cheney, which opened last year. 

Greggs was given permission by Swindon Borough Council to operate from from its current home and the two units next to its branch in The Parade in the main shopping precinct.

The planning officers’ report recommending approval of the bakery chain’s plans said: “The proposed changes to the shopfront include extending the existing Greggs design seen at No 19 across the frontage of the two neighbouring units.