PLEDGES of support for the Wycombe Rape Crisis Centre will be presented to the House of Commons later this month.

The centre, which helps around 200 victims of sexual assault a year, nearly closed after cuts in funding forced volunteers to axe services.

Barclays Bank, Thames Valley Police and Wycombe District Council came to the centre's rescue with donations which have enabled volunteers to keep vital services running until the end of this financial year.

Hundreds of readers have sent in pledges of support for the centre to the South Bucks Star and petitions were set up in shops to get more people behind it.

Paul Goodman, MP for Wycombe, said he will present the Star pledges of support to the House. He said: "The centre helps over 200 women each year. If it closes these women and others like them will not be able to get help that they clearly need. The Government says it wants to help victims of sexual assault. This is a good ambition but they cannot achieve it without providing convincing support to these centres."

Meanwhile, a mother and daughter team will be trekking over peaks in the Andes in an attempt to raise £12,000 for the beleaguered centre.

Carol and Laura Colclough, 55 and 26 respectively, are spearheading the new drive for funds.

They will be beginning their trek through Peru on October 19. The pair will climb to heights of more than 13,000ft, and risk altitude sickness and rough weather to earn their £6,000 each.

Laura, who is a youth outreach worker at the centre, said: "We've been training by doing long walks at the weekend - six to 11 miles at a time. We do shorter walks in the week and have been going to the gym regularly. We are worried about the altitude, as we haven't been able to train there.

"The Rape Crisis Centre provides a valuable place for victims to come and get support."

Carol and Laura Colclough are accepting donations for their trek. These should be sent to: Carol and Laura's Trek, Rape Crisis, C/o The Priory Centre, 11 Priory Road, High Wycombe, HP13 6SL.

There's still time to get your letters of support to the South Bucks Star. They can be posted to Rape Crisis Centre Petition, South Bucks Star, Loudwater Mill, Station Road, Loudwater, HP19 9TY.

Alternatively, this can be done online by logging on to www.bucksfreepress.co.uk and clicking "News" followed by "Wycombe Rape Crisis" on the left hand bar.