After 50 years the oldest abortion centre in the UK has closed. The Calthorpe Clinic abortion centre in Edgbaston announced on 12th December 2019 that it would be shutting down, and finally closed its doors for the last time on 2nd January 2020.
For nearly 30 years pro-lifers have stood in front of the facility offering alternative options to women entering the centre.
In the wake of the closure, pro-lifers have shared stories about women who have been empowered to choose life for their children instead of having an abortion at the facility.
40 Days for Life Campaign director Isabel Vaughan-Spruce recounted the story of a lady who pushed her toddler in a pram towards the volunteers praying there and told them “For a long time I’ve been meaning to come this way to say thank you. My daughter came here 3 years ago to have an abortion but changed her mind after seeing you. She never told anyone on the day why she left but I want to say thank you because without you my grandchild wouldn’t be here”.
Another couple said “‘We prayed for an angel to stop us having an abortion. The volunteer we met that day was our angel”.
This abortion facility has been at the centre of a number of scandals, most notably when one of the abortionists, Dr Andrew Gbinigie inflicted horrific injuries onto a young woman during an abortion. He tore a hole in her womb, removed an ovary, damaged part of her kidney and pulled down a piece of her bowel. The 21-year-old needed five hours of emergency surgery to save her life. This was just one of 35 women that Dr Gbinigie injured. He did not lose his medical licence.
The pro-life community in the UK is relieved that no more women and children will be harmed at this facility, however their mission does not end here.
Ms Vaughan-Spruce said, “Now this place has closed it’s time for us to move on to another abortion facility. While abortion is happening in our city we will never be silent.”