Eggs-cellent response to church burglary
Members of a Sunderland church have been overwhelmed by the public response after Easter eggs meant for some of the city’s most vulnerable children were stolen.
Church windows were smashed in the break-in at Bethany City Church in Burdon Road on Saturday and up to 100 chocolate eggs which had been donated by members of the congregation were taken, along with a TV.
But after the theft, donations flooded in and within hours the church had received around three times as many eggs as were taken in the raid.
Paster Daniel Alcock, 25, has been amazed by the reaction from the wider community: "We have probably got three times the number of eggs that were stolen come in over the weekend and we are expecting to be inundated again today,” he said.
“I have no doubt more eggs are coming.”
The church will be working with Together for Children and other organisations across the city to ensure the eggs go to good homes.
"We want to send particular thanks to the many children that decided to sacrifice one of their many eggs for someone with none and to those who aren’t known or connected to our church but saw our plight and responded,” said Daniel.
"Local businesses Northview Service Station and Lickety Split at Seaham have been very kind in contributions. We have had Bowen Electricals come down with a new TV and we have had over £100 donated to the church’s bank account.”
The pastor said this is the first break-in to happen in the six years they have occupied the building on Burdon Road.
He said: "It’s heartbreaking. Obviously, we are a church, it’s a religious building and a spiritual home to many in that sense.
"But also, we do so much work for the community there.
"Be it the soup kitchen, be it the food bank, be it work with asylum seekers or refugees, be it general church stuff.
"To see such a public community centre just vandalised is very sad.”
Northumbria Police have confirmed they were called to reports of suspicious activity in the Mowbray Road area in Sunderland at 6.41am on Saturday. Officers attended the scene and enquires are ongoing.