16
Apr
Ripon charity shop left to foot £5,000 bill after break-in
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A charity shop in Ripon has been left with a huge bill after vandals struck and the store was burgled last night (April 14).
Saint Michael’s Hospice said on social media staff and volunteers arrived at the North Street branch yesterday (April 15) morning to find the shop front had been "vandalised" and the inside of the store “raided”.
The team expects the shop to be closed for at least two days to allow for essential repairs to be carried out.
The post added the cost of repair bills and loss of earnings from the closure of the store is expected to be at least £5,000.
“This figure equates to two days of nursing costs for the Saint Michael’s in-patient unit”, it adds.
Maria Corbin, who volunteers at the Ripon shop, said she was “absolutely appalled” by the incident.
Saint Michael’s Hospice cared for Maria’s late husband, Tony, before he died of cancer in August 2023.
Today’s post added Maria is determined to “help the Ripon shop to recoup vital costs” and has even pledged to put her own money towards additional security measures.
She said:
It's devastating that a shop that helps provide that care for families has been broken in to. When Tony died, we created a tribute page for him and raised £4,000 for Saint Michael’s and I will happily donate again to help the Ripon shop.
What people don’t understand is that care at the hospice is free at the point of need, and with inadequate government funding, it’s the generosity of the community and charity shops like Ripon that help provide vital income.
We haven't been able to take any money today because obviously the shop is shut. We can't open until the police have been either, so we've lost revenue today, and we need to make that revenue up one way or another.
A JustGiving page raising funds to cover the costs of repairs and loss of takings has since been set up.
St Michael’s Hospice’s social media post also added:
If people can kindly donate cash or items to the shop, then we won't have lost out. And if we don't lose out as a shop, then the people who need help in the community and at the hospice won’t lose out either. It’s so sad that this has happened. I can’t believe anyone would be so cruel as to target a charity shop.
The charity also urged anyone with information about the incident to call North Yorkshire Police on 101, quoting reference 15052025-0119.
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