Charity shops continue to be an important way for charities to generate income so when YMCA Thames Gateway Group’s Tunbridge Wells shop was broken into last Thursday night (1 November), the impact felt was tangible.
The furniture store on Goods Station Road was the only shop in the area to be targeted, with £40 stolen from the till and a further £40 from the charity’s donation bucket. The shop window and till were also badly damaged during the break in, adding to the costs the charity will need to find to put things right.
The team are now appealing for the local community and supporters to urgently support the store to recover some of their repair costs.
Samantha Latouche, the charity’s Director of Communities, said:
“We are working with the police to help their investigations following a devastating break in on Thursday evening.
“While £80 may not seem like an awful lot, to a charity it is a significant amount which can make all the difference to the vulnerable people we support. For example, £80 could have provided two nights’ accommodation for someone experiencing homelessness.
“We’re saddened this has happened and are urgently appealing to the public to support us and help get the store back on its feet.”
To make an online donation, visit https://supportus.ymcatg.org/donation/ymca-thames-gateway-group. You can also support the furniture store by donating and shopping for quality items.
For more information please visit the charity’s website at www.ymcatg.org
