“Heartbroken” Portsmouth charity left £30,000 out of pocket after burglary as fundraiser is launched
”It is difficult to come to terms with the fact that people would steal from a charity”
A fundraiser has been launched for a “heartbroken” Portsmouth charity after a burglary left it £30,000 out of pocket and asking why anyone would target it.
URBOND, a youth development and community integration charity based in Lake Road, said its building was burgled in the early hours of Wednesday (November 11) morning with all three floors of its building broken into. It said doors were damaged and goods stolen including laptops, iPads, games consoles, money, food bank items and personal belongings.
This has prompted a GoFundMe fundraiser to help it recover its losses, with more than £600 already donated by kind-hearted supporters.
The fundraiser said: “Taking into consideration the damage caused and stolen items, we are currently looking at an approximate £30,000 loss.
“As you can all understand, this has been an upsetting time for the whole URBOND team. Beyond the financial loss and damage, it is difficult to come to terms with the fact that people would steal from a charity that works so hard to support its community. Our building is a place of safety, opportunity and support for so many people, and to have it treated this way is heartbreaking.
“Despite everything, we are keeping our heads held high as a team. We refuse to let this incident knock us down or distract us from the work we do and the people who depend on us. URBOND has always been built on resilience, determination and community, and that is exactly what we intend to continue.
“Moments like this show us how kind and supportive our community is, so thank you for standing with URBOND at this time. Any help people are willing to offer, whether financial or not, is welcome.”
For more details of the fundraiser visit www.justgiving.com/page/urbondcharity.
The News has contacted both URBOND and Hampshire Police for more information.