Bury Hospice’s furniture store on Dale Street Industrial Estate in Radcliffe was broken into on Sunday night (January 26).
A “masked individual” broke into the warehouse on Phoenix Way and ripped a safe from the wall, taking an undisclosed amount of money that was earmarked to provide care to its hospice patients with life-limiting illnesses.
A spokesperson for the hospice said that despite the “devasting blow”, they “want to try and focus on the good”.
They added: “Our volunteers do so much great work and we want to highlight the importance of our shops.
“Not only do they generate vital funds for the hospice, they also provide work placement opportunities and more.
“We are here for the people of Bury and will not be stopped. We will not let this beat us.”
Bury Hospice has nine shops in the borough, with the Radcliffe store opening in a new location next month.
In a social media post, the hospice said that the shops have been “an integral part of the community for over 30 years.”
It comes after a Bury Hospice charity shop on The Rock in Bury had more than £200 taken from its till in November.
The spokesperson said: “We are deeply saddened and frustrated to announce that our furniture store in Radcliffe was burgled last night.
“A masked individual broke into the premises, ripped our safe from the wall, and stole vital funds intended for patient care.
“This crime not only deprives us of much-needed resources but also disrupts our trading, impacting our ability to serve the Bury community.
“Bury Hospice shops have been an integral part of the community for over thirty years.
“They provide essential funding for patient care and every penny raised in our shops goes directly towards providing compassionate care to those facing life-limiting illnesses.
“Our shops offer a sense of belonging and purpose for countless volunteers.
“We provide valuable skills development for young people and adults with additional needs.
“We prevent hundreds of millions of items from ending up in landfill.
“We offer quality clothing and homewares accessible to everyone in our community.
“This latest incident is a devastating blow to the hospice team. We are working closely with the police to apprehend those responsible and are reviewing security measures across all our retail sites to prevent future incidents.
“Despite this setback, we remain committed to our mission.
“We are immensely grateful for the unwavering support of the Bury community.
“We will not be deterred by the actions of a few and will continue to serve Bury to the best of our abilities.
“We urge anyone with information about the burglary to contact Greater Manchester Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
“Thank you for your understanding and continued support.”
Have a story to share? You can email me at lisa.valentine@newsquest.co.uk
