Over 100 people have already donated to an appeal by Putney based charity Regenerate Rise for funds to help replace its stolen van. The dementia friendly vehicle which was set to provide transport to elderly people in the area, many of whom had been unable to leave their homes for the last 13 months, was taken earlier this month.
Mo Smith, who runs the centre, has launched the fundraising drive as it now seems likely that a new vehicle will have to be purchased. The insurers have agreed to cover two-thirds of the £30,000 cost and already donors have pledged over £4,000 of the extra £10,000 needed. The fundraising appeal ends on 15 May.
She said, “During the past 13 months we have provided 33,260 individual support services to almost 1000 residents across the borough or Wandsworth. We were due to open our Centre again in one week, when our minibus was stolen. Our bubbles of 8 a day were looking forward to returning and we have had to borrow minibus until we can replace the stolen one. Our insurers will cover two-thirds of the cost of a replacement bus with an electric tail lift and the conversion to being Dementia-friendly - can you help us?”
The vehicle was stolen from Darfur Street in Putney on 17 April.
The specially adapted vehicle was the newest mini-bus owned by the organisation and was later seen being driven in Balham and Southfields.
If anyone sees the bus, call 101 and let the police know the location.
