A KIDDERMINSTER youth club has conveyed its heart-felt thanks to the Wyre Forest community which helped it raise enough funds for a new minibus after its was stolen earlier this year.
We reported in August how two raiders targeted the KDYT (Kidderminster and District Youth Trust) and broke into the vehicle while it was parked on the youth club car park on Bromsgrove Street.
One drove it away and the vehicle’s number plates were found discarded in a river near Tenbury but the minibus itself was never found.
In a post on Facebook, the group said: “Following the theft of the minibus, young people and the KDYT team felt a little bruised. We were in the middle of a really busy summer holiday programme and it hit hard that someone would steal from a small local charity.
“Then the Wyre Forest community got behind us. Ricky Carter started a JustGiving page which raised £2,000 – thanks to every one of you who donated to us this way.”
The group also thanked Coun Bill Hopkins and Coun Ruth Morgan who donated from their divisional funds and a community member who made a private donation after being inspired by KDYT’s work building links with German twin town Husum.
Perdiswell Young People’s Leisure Club loaned the group a minibus and the West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner John Campion covered the hire costs of another minibus to ensure KDYT could put on its summer programme.
The group added: “Due to this amazing support, we have managed to source a fabulous replacement minibus. Outpost Custom has sign-written it beautifully and it is already having a big impact, taking over 70 young people and community members on exciting days out.
“KDYT has been part of the local community for decades, lots of you have been to youth clubs at Youth House as far back and the 1970s and 80s – we cannot tell you how much the support of our community means to us
“So, from all the young people and team at KDYT, thank you all.”
