THIEVES STOLE GENERATORS USED FOR REMEMBRANCE SERVICE
Event was thrown into doubt until local firms stepped in to help
ORGANISERS of a remembrance service at one of the city’s biggest parks almost had to cancel tomorrow’s event after being targeted by thieves.
Offenders broke into a unit on Queens Park, in Longton, where they swiped two generators used to power events at the site. And following the theft – which took place earlier in the week – members of the Queens Park Partnership feared they would have to call off tomorrow’s remembrance service.
But city firms Morris Mechanical Services and Holdcroft Heating donated two generators so the service could go ahead as planned.
The theft had also put the Christmas in the Park event on December 2 in doubt as the generators were needed to power the PA system.
Ward councillor Lilian Dodd, below, says volunteers have been left angry that thieves would target them.
The Stoke-on-trent Lord Mayor said: “Without the generators we would not have been able to do the remembrance service, but we’ve had a lot of kind people coming forward and we’ve had two donated. “I am fuming that someone stole them because we have been going for 10 years and worked so hard for the equipment. We have also helped raise enough for £200,000 worth of improvements for the park. “The equipment was insured, but we would not have been able to sort everything in time for Remembrance Day. These people were professionals, they knew what they were doing.”
The partnership has traditionally held one event a month, but will now focus on its dog show, Easter event, Armed Forces Day, and Christmas.
Councillor Dodd added: “Next year will just be the four events and the morale is not good, especially when you are volunteers working hard and something like this happens.”
Partnership chairwoman Sue Whalley added: “We only just bought one of the generators, and another was just 12-months-old.
“It has been very upsetting and is awful for all the volunteers because these events take a lot of work.”
The firms who helped say it was a ‘nobrainer’ to step in.
Gary Morris, of Morris Mechanical Services, said: “We decided to donate a generator because we wanted these events to keep running in the city.”
Steve Holdcroft, from Holdcroft Heating, added: “The armed forces has always been close to our hearts and when we heard the service might not go ahead it was a no-brainer, we wanted to help so we did. It is important these events can go ahead.”
Staffordshire Police is appealing for witnesses.
Anyone with information should contact the force on 101.