OUTRAGED mums-to-be, midwives and National Childbirth Trust members suspect "sinister subplots" and "hidden agendas" are behind a decision to close Petersfield's Grange Birth Centre. It was announced last week that The Grange is to close for six months from next Thursday, giving expectant mothers just two weeks' notice to make other arrangements. But campaigners are preparing themselves for a battle, planning demonstrations, letters of protest and petitions in a bid to reverse the decision. On Monday night 176 campaigners crowded into the Petersfield United Reformed Church vowing to "capture the hearts and minds of the public". They were drawing up plans and voicing their concerns at what they believe to be a thinly veiled attempt to close the centre permanently. One woman, who was due to use The Grange for giving birth, said: "Why was the notice only two weeks? As a heavily pregnant woman, this is a big deal for me." Another said: "Surely St Mary's can't cope with the extra numbers." Sarah Roberts of the Petersfield and Liss Branch of the NCT chaired the meeting, and called on protesters to make themselves heard over the coming weeks. "Tonight confirms how passionate we are about our centre in Petersfield," said Mrs Roberts. "This closure has got huge implications, not just in Petersfield but the whole surrounding area. "We need to stand up and fight for our cause. We want to take action and take action fast." Breastfeeding councillor Sue Saxey added: "We were all utterly appalled. "I would suspect that saving money would have a lot to do with this. "Real people and real people's lives are being affected by the closure of The Grange." Portsmouth Hospital Trust says the closure of the Petersfield and Blackbrook (Gosport Peninsula) units were necessary due to staff shortages elsewhere in the region. Mothers have been told 11 full-time midwives out of 183, along with a number of healthcare support workers, are either on, or about to go on, maternity leave. A further eight are sick. And women expecting to have their babies at The Grange have been told that from July 4 they will have the choice of a home birth or having their baby in the Mary Rose Unit at St Mary's Hospital in Portsmouth. But campaigners have been buoyed by the news that East Hampshire MP Michael Mates has thrown his weight behind the effort to save The Grange. Mr Mates said: "I am shocked and dismayed that, for the second time, The Grange maternity ward is to be closed because of staff shortages. "Giving mothers-to-be just 14 days notice that they will have to completely change their birthing plans is unfair and unnecessary. "One would have thought that, of all people, a midwifery service would be aware of a likely increase in demand for maternity leave amongst its own staff several months before it happened. "I have written to the chief executive of the hospitals trust both to object to the principle of the closure of The Grange ward, but also to complain about the exceptionally short notice. "For many expectant mothers, it is the short notice of the closure which is as much the issue as the disappointment at the withdrawal of a valued local facility. "The trust needs to demonstrate that it is improving its staff management to ensure that this does not happen again and to show the community that there is no hidden agenda to close The Grange permanently, as many people fear." And Sam Payne, Hampshire county councillor for Petersfield Butser, is set to ask for an emergency meeting of the county's health and scrutiny committee to address the problem. "The main purpose is to see that it doesn't close permanently. We need an emergency health and scrutiny meeting to bring in the appropriate people," she said. A spokesman for the Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust told The Herald that no money would be saved from the closure and that it was a decision based purely on staffing matters. "We don't save anything from doing this. The buildings still have to be maintained. "This is a Portsmouth Hospitals decision, not a decision of East Hampshire Primary Care Trust. Portsmouth Hospital Trust is not in financial difficulty," he said. l Protestors have planned a pram rally for Monday (July 4) to be held in The Square, and experienced campaigner Richard Hallett is on board to help with negotiations. Mr Hallett has offered hope to expectant mothers, citing his successful campaign to save a similar centre in Crowborough, East Sussex. "It has been done before. It is not the first time a small unit has been under threat and then saved," said Mr Hallett. "Be encouraged. It is a war of attrition. We have one problem, they have many, so we will be more focussed, faster and quicker. We need to be a nuisance." For more information on the campaign visit the NCT's website at http://www.petersfieldandlissnct.org.uk">www.petersfieldandlissnct.org.uk