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Money box theft 'a huge blow' to community centre

Harry StevensNorthamptonshire
News imageBBC Nina Robinson with blonde hair wearing a grey hoodie standing in a blue room, with a wall with hand-drawn images behind her. BBC
Nina Robinson founded RUSH 2THE DEN about 12 years ago and said she was "seething" about the theft

The founder of a community hub said the theft of a donation box was a "huge blow" for the centre.

RUSH 2The DEN in Rushden, Northamptonshire, provides a youth club for children aged five to seven, adult and baby play sessions, as well as children's parties, food donations and counselling services.

Founder Nina Robinson said the money inside the box, thought to be between £400 and £600, would have contributed towards building works currently taking place.

Northamptonshire Police said the box was stolen from the Fitzwilliam Street site at about 19:30 BST on Friday, 8 May, and it has appealed for information.

News imageRUSH 2The DEN A luminous plastic money box, with butterfly designs on the front in front of a brick wall. RUSH 2The DEN
The donation box was found empty in an alleyway on Saturday

Robinson said: "It's a huge blow, I'm seething, I was not very happy [when I found out] and I'm still not very happy.

"We try our hardest to do everything we possibly can and we find [the incident] quite disappointing.

"The kids call the donation box 'dink dink' because of the noise the coins make going inside it, they love it."

Nina said the money would have helped furnish a mezzanine level which is currently being built.

"[The money could have] decorated a special room, making it homely, making sure that there's carpet on the floor instead of floorboards.

"It's that sort of impact that we've lost and we've got to now work harder again to regain.

"We've never had anything like this happen since we started 12 years go."

News imageBethany Carr with brown hair in a striped top standing in front of a wall with hand-drawn images.
Bethany Carr found the donation box and said it was hard telling the centre the money was gone

Bethany Carr attends the centre with her son and found the empty donation box nearby on Saturday.

"I saw the money box in an alleyway so I messaged RUSH 2The DEN to see if they knew it was there.

"I had to tell the centre that the money had gone from it.

"I just thought, first of all, who would steal from this charity? It's just horrible.

"[My son and I] have come here for three years and we will always support RUSH 2The DEN," she added.

Northamptonshire Police said witnesses or anyone with information should contact 101.

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