Appeal for help as thieves target Derbyshire charity shop supporting children in Africa

This week The Faso Fund Charity shop on Somercotes Hill, Alfreton found the gas pipes outside their venue had been stolen.

The shop, which has been in Derbyshire for the last 14 years, donates funds to children from Burkina Faso and cooperates with a local school, orphanage and hospital.

Susan Smart, 66, founder and manager at the shop said: “ I visited the complex in Africa and saw how far poverty has stricken the children and desperately wanted to do anything to get some money to help them.That’s why I started the shop fourteen years ago”

The shop which collects and sells pre-loved items including clothing, toys and furniture, CDs and videos has recently been targeted by thieves, who disconnected the pipes from the metre outside of the building and now Susan is not able to provide heating or hot water for both volunteers and customers.

Susan said: “We switched off the gas two months ago because we could smell it in the shop. The gasman came on Tuesday to switch it back on. And that's when we found out that the pipes were stolen.”

After realising the pipes are missing, Susan contacted Derbyshire Police.

A Derbyshire Police spokesperson said: “We have received the report and would urge anyone with any information to contact us with reference 22000610359.”

Despite the missing pipes and no heating, Faso Fund Charity shop remains open for customers and is accepting donations.

Susan added: “We are very busy. We would like to ask for more item donations and we would love to welcome more volunteers. Fund donations at the shop to help with installing new pipes would be gorgeous.”