The Prince and Princess of Wales have offered to replace food stolen from a Welsh foodbank last week.
St Thomas Church foodbank in Swansea announced it had “no food to give out” after a break-in at the weekend, but when the royal couple heard about what happened they were quick to get in touch with the church.
In a statement published on Facebook on Monday, the church said: “Over the weekend we have been broken into and all of our foodbank food has been stolen.
“Other items including an orange bike that had been donated for a family, our youth group tuck shop supplies and baby items have also been taken.
“We simply have no food to give out because every bag of food has been taken.
“We are here to support the most vulnerable in society and the most desperate.
“If you find yourself in a position where the only option is to steal food from a foodbank then please get in touch well before that.
“We are a forgiving bunch and would love to support you out of that situation.”
Speaking to ITV News, Reverend Steven Bunting said: “So we opened up on Monday to move our food into our church where we give our food away and all the bags had been taken, all the existing food supplies have gone and other items had been taken, a bike and some children’s toys from our baby charity.”
He added: “Yeh, it’s been crazy – the response.
“It’s been so hard to be discouraged when we’ve been surrounded by so much love and generosity.
“We’ve had people coming in donating £5 all the way up to the local working man’s club, the local schools and businesses, and as you said, the Prince and Princess of Wales contacted us earlier to offer their love and support as well.
“They would like to replace the food that was taken, they very much want to do that.”
The royal couple visited the church in September last year in their first royal engagement with their titles where they first met Rev Bunting.
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