Weeks’ worth of toilet roll stolen from Heeley City Farm as coronavirus fears grow in Sheffield

When Aloysius Lalloo, learning disability manager at Heeley City Farm came to re-stock the toilet rolls on Monday, she was surprised to find that the farm’s stock of rolls, which usually lasts a week, had gone.

She said: “We had 80 rolls go over the weekend, which usually lasts for the week, with a bit to spare.

“We are a charity, so it’s not just the cost of replacing the toilet roll – we have up to 70 guys with learning disabilities come a week, and If I run out and can’t buy any more, it impacts on them.

“It impacts on our visitors too, it makes things difficult for everyone.”

A statement from the farm, which is free to enter and funded largely by grants, said: “We know that people are concerned about the current coronavirus situation, and that there have been unnecessary incidences of panic buying of such products across the country, however incidents on the farm like this have a big impact on our service users, visitors and a knock on effect on what we do as an organisation.

“Our charity receives no core funding, so things like toilet rolls come out of the same funds that keep our charitable activities going.

“Having to re-place stolen items does have a big impact on our costs. We would like to request that you don’t help yourselves to the toilet rolls in our onsite toilets.”

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