Household hospice gifts taken by thieves

Bluebell Wood, at North Anston, has seen as many as 500 bags go missing in the last two months, with collection van drivers picking up just three bags in areas where they would usually expect 80.

It is believed that thieves in unmarked vans are driving round ahead of the official collection drivers and picking up bags left out by residents.

The contents of each bag make on average between £15 and £19 for the Children’s Hospice and there are over 500 known cases of bags being stolen.

The hospice has asked donors to group together and arrange a suitable collection time for ten or more bags, or to bring their unwanted children’s clothes, toys and books to one of their seven charity shops across South Yorkshire.

They have also asked people to be vigilant against unmarked vans picking up charity bags in their area and report their registration numbers to the police straight away.

Official vans are unmistakably liveried with the Bluebell Wood logo and colours.

The Hospice provides support to children in South Yorkshire, North Derbyshire, North Nottinghamshire and North Lincolnshire who are not expected to live beyond childhood because of medical conditions.

It costs £2.5m a year to run the services and because the Hospice does not receive statutory government funding, it relies heavily on donations from the general public.

The charity is currently looking for unwanted children’s toys, books and clothes for their Christmas appeal.

Items can be placed in collection bags and picked up by drivers, or taken in to Bluebell Hospice shops in Bakewell, Dinnington, Doncaster, Sheffield, Wombwell, Worksop or Rotherham.