## Rotherham Charity Devastated After Two Break-Ins## Rotherham Charity Devastated After Two Break-Ins Rotherham Parents Forum Limited (RPFL) staff have expressed devastation after their office building was broken into on consecutive nights. The charity, which supports families with children and young people with special educational needs or disabilities, discovered a broken window and a smashed door on Tuesday morning. On Wednesday, staff discovered further damage and missing items from a garden shed. Louise Graham, RPFL operations director, expressed outrage at the incidents. “It feels like they couldn’t get what they wanted on the first night, so they came back better prepared the second night,” she said. The charity, which also provides support to adults with neurodiversity, was founded in 2009 and became a registered charity in 2011. It is run by parents whose own children have special educational needs. Claire Callear, another RPFL staff member, described feeling “sick” after seeing the damage. “I saw the door on the ground and I feel shocked,” she said. “It’s the foul that gets you.” Local residents and businesses have rallied around the charity, offering help and support. A local handyman boarded up the broken windows, and a resident offered to provide CCTV footage. “It’s really emotional, we support local families and try to do fun things,” Graham said. “Who would do anything to a charity like ours? It’s disgusting.” The incidents have been reported to South Yorkshire Police.
Image source, Simon Thake/BBC
Image caption, RPFL’s Louise Graham said it was “disgusting” to target the charity Item information
- Author, Simon Thake
- Role, BBC news
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6 minutes ago
Rotherham charity staff said they were left “devastated” after two break-ins at their office on consecutive nights.
Rotherham Parents Forum Limited (RPFL) is run from an office on Green Lane in Rawmarsh.
Staff found a broken window and a smashed door when they arrived at the property on Tuesday, and on Wednesday discovered a second break-in with further damage to the building and items stolen from a garden shed.
Louise Graham, RPFL operations director, said: “It feels like they couldn’t get what they wanted on the first night, so they came back better prepared the second night.”
Image source, Simon Thake/BBC
Image caption, A window was damaged at Rotherham Adult Neurodiversity Support Service, which shares the building
RPFL is a small charity providing support to families of children and young people with special educational needs or disabilities.
The group was originally set up in 2009 and is still run by parents whose own children have special educational needs. In 2011 it became a registered charity.
The door of the garden hut used for charity functions was found broken open on Tuesday morning.
Then on Wednesday Claire Callear, who works at RPFL, discovered the boarded up door had now been ripped off its hinges and several items were missing, including a TV, fridge and tea and coffee caddies.
Ms Callear said she felt “sick” from the damage.
“I saw the door on the ground and I feel shocked, it’s the foul that gets you.”
Image source, Simon Take
Image caption, The garden hut used by RPFL for meetings was broken into, with a TV and refrigerator stolen from inside
The charity announced the double burglary on its Facebook page and community members have offered help and support.
A local handyman boarded up the broken windows and a local resident offered to supply CCTV footage to the charity.
Ms Graham confirmed the burglaries had been reported to South Yorkshire Police, but acknowledged the distress caused by the incidents was “strongly felt” by all staff.
She said: “It’s really emotional, we support local families and try to do fun things.
“Who would do anything to a charity like ours? It’s disgusting.”
