FOLLOWING a break-in at a local charity Mayor of Barnsley John Clarke has stepped up to donate £1,000 and help cover the costs of new security.
Barnsley Riding for the Disabled has faced repeated break-ins, with the Oakwell-based site being targeted by thieves once again earlier this month when two people climbed onto the facility’s roof, smashing in tiles and creating a hole to get into the offices.
This has prompted a push for new security measures, with the charity setting up a Go Fund Me page that has raised money for new cameras.
However, their cause received a major boost last week, Coun Clarke decided to give £1,000 from the Dove Valley Events Group to the charity.
He said: “We saw the article in the Chronicle how they’d been broken into.
“We have some money left over we’ve been giving to different groups like the Brownies and Guides or breakfast clubs – it’s meant to be for Worsbrough mostly but we’ve gone further out.”
The riding charity holds a special place in the hearts of John and his wife Doreen, as their daughter Lauren Clarke volunteered there when she was younger and studying at Kirk Balk school.
“There’s been amazing support,” added centre manager Catherine Mitchell.
“There’s been some very nice people who’ve kindly donated towards upgrading our security system. A roofer just came out after it happened to fix the roof – then we’ve had a plasterer come out to help fix the inside. It’s all been done free of charge.
“We’ve been overwhelmed with the response.”
