More features

Update 20/12/2007

Reverend Tony Kinch, from the Methodist Centre in Darlington Street, Wolverhampton, has told BBC Midlands Today that their appeal for gifts and food for the homeless has been a success - the "phone has not stopped ringing".

More gifts for the homeless

The Homeless Project  based at the Centre made the appeal after items they'd collected were stolen from their store room.

Gifts of money, clothing and food have been donated to replace the items taken. Reverend Kinch thanked the people of Wolverhampton, and the Midlands, for their generosity.

Background to the story

In the past fortnight more than 200 gifts have been donated to Wolverhampton city council’s charity gift appeal, part of the wider Christmas Festival.

Brother William

Local people left gifts at the Civic Centre, the Art Gallery and the Visitor Information Centre in Queen Square for two city based charities - the Little Brothers of the Good Shepherd Homeless project and The Haven Refuge for women and children.

Homeless Project broken into

The Little Brothers of the Good Shepherd Homeless Project is based at the Methodist Centre in Darlington Street.

Their storeroom containing the gifts, and food for a Christmas party for 180 homeless people, was broken into on Tuesday night 18th December 2007.

Smashed window - storeroom

"It was a shock when I opened the door" said Brother William, from the Little Brothers.

"They came in through the outside and pushed the bars apart. The place is in chaos - everything strewn all over the floor, boxes broken open".

The thieves have taken the donated gifts, food for the party, and warm clothing - including hats, gloves and scarves that would have made life on the streets more bearable.

"It was really very selfish. You feel very angry - other people have put a lot of work in - collecting all of this stuff for us - the Christmas puddings and things like that - some of that had been bought" said Brother William.

Councillor Pat Byrne, a member of the Wolverhampton Christmas festival steering group, was more forthright: "I am devastated and appalled by this theft. To think people could do such a thing at anytime, let alone Christmas, is despicable.

Methodist Centre in Darlington Street

"These gifts had been kindly donated by council staff and the public to help some of society's most vulnerable and now they won't benefit from them. I thank everyone who made a donation and I am just so sad that this has happened."

The party will go ahead

The Little Brothers are determined that their annual party for the homeless - on Friday 21st December - will go ahead. They're having to ask, once again, for donations:

"We hope that they wouldn't get disheartened and that they would give something again. We have some people who have already come to give something - to offer, for the party.

"... because the homeless people, and the people on the streets, depend on scarves and gloves and woolly hats to keep them warm."

The Methodist Centre in Darlington Street will be open tomorrow, Thursday 10.30am-4pm. Donations of Christmas food, presents, clothes, and toiletries would be very welcome.

"We'd be ever so grateful, again, for that" said Brother William.

Wolverhampton charities

The Little Brothers of the Good Shepherd Homeless Project is based at the Methodist Centre in Darlington Street and offers free services to homeless men including takeaway sandwiches and food parcels, clothing, blankets and showering facilities.

The Haven offers refuge to women and children who are the victims of domestic violence and/or homelessness.  It has been based in the city since 1973 and receives 2,000 distress calls every year. The gifts for this charity had already been handed over.

Hard Christmas?

If you need help and advice for coping with the festive season call the BBC Helpline on 0800 934 999 or visit the website at www.bbc.co.uk/hardchristmas