An act of pure selfishness and disgust has triggered an overwhelming, kind-hearted response as many members of the public send regards and donations to the hospice Ellenor following a theft that has cause this particular location to become immobile. During the late hours of Tuesday the 30th of January, a theft occurred at Ellenor in Coldharbour, Northfleet. The catalytic converters from the two minibuses that the hospice own were taken. For those unfamiliar with vehicle terminology, it’s a component that converts the toxic gases a vehicle produces into gases that aren’t as harmful. The components contain elements such as platinum and palladium, which may have been the trigger of this robbery. The lack of the catalytic converters meant that the minibuses were unable to be used until these parts were replaced.
An explanation on the Ellenor website news column explains how the buses are driven by volunteers helping the hospice. They collect patients who are ill, have mobility problems or who are elderly and hence frailer and transport them to places where they receive support. Without these minibuses, these vulnerable patients are unable to attend their beneficial sessions with the charity.
Since the incident has occurred, Ellenor has expressed their gratitude towards the influx of donations and support they have been receiving, stating, ‘We have been
completely overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from our community.’ They have since opened a Justgiving page in response to the constant flow of calls asking to give donations to help the minibus service get back up on its feet. The campaign to raise money ended on the ninth of February and was a huge success. The generosity of 357 supporters raised £6,410.00 pounds for the replacement and the charity has promised to spend the excess money on ‘funding our vital service costs’. They have also expressed their many thanks to those who donated or gave support from everyone in their organisation.
The repercussions of this unforgivable crime can be seen across the South-East amongst several people. An example of this is found in the form of a young adult in Welling who has volunteered with the charity prior to the incident. When asked about her thoughts on the theft as well as the response of the public, she replied ‘It’s a disgusting act but it’s very generous for people to come forward to donate to the hospice. However, the money should go towards benefiting the hospice not repaying the cost of the theft.’
Though the situation is a bad one, it’s great to see so many people banding together to help a much loved hospice service who dedicate so much time to helping those around them.
Liam Malcolm, Welling School
