THE future of a long-established counselling service looks uncertain, with the group to vacate its current premises later this year.

CrossReach Counselling was established in Dunbar 21 years ago and now offers some 4,000 face-to-face sessions a year.

However, the lease on the organisation’s building on the town’s Bayswell Road expires at the end of September.

Efforts to find a new home have so far proved unsuccessful, with the clocking ticking on finding a permanent base.

Jacqui Lindsay ran the service and now heads up counselling nationally for CrossReach, the Church of Scotland’s social care organisation.

“I have to admit I am getting worried,” she told the Courier.

“Our landlord has been very understanding but the building that we are in is to be sold for development in the autumn and we haven’t found a new home.

“We are hoping that readers of the Courier will know of empty offices or rooms in the Dunbar area close to the town’s bus routes.

“Currently we have a waiting area, an office and a several quiet rooms where our counsellors can meet clients.”

A temporary solution could be found, with CrossReach exploring potential bases, but the long-term future remains unclear.

Mrs Lindsay said it would be “an enormous loss” to the county if the service could not continue.

Offers have been made to house counselling rooms at the town’s medical centre but nothing has been found to be a permanent base for the full service.

Mrs Lindsay said: “While we have been discussing options for temporary solutions, finding a permanent new base soon would be wonderful as we wouldn’t have to worry about there being any gaps in the counselling sessions we are providing.

“We offer a lifeline to a large number of people who are referred to us because they are experiencing difficulties.

“Now we ourselves are looking for a helping hand so that we can continue to provide counselling care in Dunbar.”

Ward member Councillor Paul McLennan said that it would be a real shame if the service were lost in the town.

He told the Courier: “I am in discussions with people at [East Lothian] Council about potential sites.

“I have known Jacqui for a long time through the church, when her [former] husband Eric Foggitt was minister here.

“CrossReach is a fantastic facility in Dunbar, absolutely fantastic. It has helped lots of families in Dunbar.

“I am trying to look at various options at the moment.”