Sheffield care homes hit by thefts get donations of £3,700

A funding campaign launched by Sheffield care home charity Sheffcare after two of its homes in the city were hit by thieves during lockdown has smashed its £2,000 target.
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First to be be targeted was Cotleigh care home in Hackenthorpe, where tables and chairs worth more than £600 were stolen from an outdoor staff break time area.

Then, just two weeks later, Housteads care home in Richmond was hit when thieves left a trail of damage as they stole items from a secure garden area created for residents living with dementia.

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Sheffcare launched a fundraising page on internet platform Gofundme in a bid to replace the items stolen.

A thumbs up from hard-working Sheffcare staffA thumbs up from hard-working Sheffcare staff
A thumbs up from hard-working Sheffcare staff

The campaign has now reached a final total of £3,745, after a private donation of £2,000 came through.

The money will now go towards improving garden provision at all 10 Sheffcare homes across the city.

Sheffcare chief executive Belinda Black said: “We were appalled and saddened that two of our homes were targeted in this particularly cruel way but the level of support this campaign has received renews our faith in people.

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“The staff at all 10 of our homes have been working tirelessly under very challenging circumstances throughout these difficult times so you can imagine how they feel when our homes are targeted in such a callous way.

“We know from the messages of support we have received since the thefts that the majority of people are as shocked as we are by this sort of behaviour.

“Our sincere thanks to everybody who has contributed and shown their support for the work we are doing.”

On the Gofundme page, Belinda wrote: “Our care staff have been doing a fantastic job on the front line in our care homes in very difficult circumstances, making sure that our residents who have been severely affected by Covid-19 are being cared for by staff who cherish them.

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“Our staff have gone above and beyond their duty and we would like to show our appreciation.

“We are raising funds to create garden spaces of tranquillity where staff can enjoy a moment of reflection and calm whilst having a well-deserved break.”

For information on Sheffcare, which was set up when the city council transferred its care homes out of local authority control in 1994, go to www.sheffcare.co.uk

In these confusing and worrying times, local journalism is more vital than ever. Thanks to everyone who helps us ask the questions that matter by taking out a digital subscription or buying a paper. We stand together. Nancy Fielder, editor