Callous thieves steal cash from youth club safe

Members and volunteers at Clipstone Youth Club were left devastated after thieves stole around £600 at the weekend.

Organiser Amanda Hill discovered the raid on Sunday morning.

She said: “I was told someone had left the back window open, but it is never opened. We found someone had chiselled their way in and took our safe.

“We are a self funding youth club here in Clipstone for 2-15 year olds and the only money we make comes in from the children.

“They have taken our safe with all our money in we need to supply sweets and equipment for the children, and all our raffle money which was to help us pay for a Christmas disco for the children as a way of saying thank you to the children for being well behaved all year round.”

The money also came from the 60p subs the children pay and from selling sweets on the coffee bar.

She said the raiders left raffle prizes inside the club untouched and just took the safe.

“Not only that, there was £15 for the Poppy appeal and we also to give a share to the air ambulance as they are a charity we like to help every year.”

Amanda has run the club which attracts more than 170 members from Clipstone, Berry Hill and Ollerton for 10 years, along with her daughters and volunteers.

Many former members of the club return to work there voluntarily.

The club is now appealing for donations to replace the stolen cash and Amanda said the community was already rallying round.

She said: “I can’t believe how much the community is coming together for the kids.

“We have already been given chocolates for the party.

A Justgiving page has been set up to raise money for the appeal, which had raised more than £200 as the Chad went to press on Tuesday afternoon.

https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/cyc?utm_id=106&utm_term=76ZVw9BmJ

A Nottinghamshire Police are investigationg the incident which is thought to have place between Saturday night and Sunday morning.

A spokesman said: “We are appealing for witnesses to a break in at Clipstone Village Hall on Church Road, Clipstone. Someone broke in and took a safe containing cash.

“Anyone with information can contact us quoting the incident 323 of the 27th of November.”