A hospice charity has brought forward a planned fundraiser, to help it pay for urgent security upgrades after being repeatedly targeted by criminals.

Rotherham Hospice is looking to raise £15,000 for security works to protect its site. This is part of a wider £750,000 public appeal that has been brought forward to ensure it can swiftly raise the money for security measures.

In the latest incident, which South Yorkshire Police are investigating, two masked men broke into the hospice’s ground last week by breaking down fencing. They then moved through a planned car park extension, before walking around staff and visitors’ parked cars and heading towards its outdoor storage units, before running away after being disturbed by a neighbour.

This is “the latest in a succession of break-ins and theft targeting our charity in just three months”, warned the charity.

Its donation centre has been broken into twice, its superstore has suffered a theft and the hospice grounds incident was the second time the site has been entered “despite us re-erecting and strengthening” temporary fencing.

Its £750,00 Wishes House Appeal has been launched to transform a nearby property to the hospice into a dedicated home for counselling, bereavement and family support, alongside therapeutic woodland and improved parking and access.

“It is deeply upsetting that a charity dedicated to caring for Rotherham keeps being targeted in this way,” said charity’s chief executive Mat Cottle-Shaw.

“We repaired and strengthened the fencing after the first intrusion at the hospice, but it has happened again. We now need to move faster. That is why we are launching our Wishes House Appeal early and asking our community to help us secure the site and build something better for the families who need us.”

The charity added: “We should be concentrating on care, not repeatedly repairing damage. But we are determined to turn this into a positive response from the community and build something lasting for the families who need us.”

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