The reverend of a church in Swansea which had its food bank broken into has revealed that the Prince and Princess of Wales have offered to restock it for them. St Thomas's Church in Swansea was raided over the weekend by thieves who took all food supplies from the food bank, Rev Steven Bunting told WalesOnline on Monday.
Rev Bunting said the culprit or culprits gained entry overnight to the hall on Saturday, June 3 via a fire exit. He estimated they were in the building for around 30 minutes, given the quantity of stock taken. Some of the food had been packed in bags ready to be handed to families on Monday morning.
Other donations taken included bikes and children’s toys, and when Rev Bunting posted about the incident on social media it garnered a widespread reaction which he described as “crazy”, with many generous offers. And on Wednesday afternoon he said he was stunned to be contacted by Kensington Palace on behalf of the Prince and Princess - who visited the church last year - with the touching gesture.
The royal couple clearly left a lasting impression on volunteers and churchgoers. Pat Hughes, who helps to run the food bank, said: “It was lovely…it’s something we won’t forget.” Princess Kate called the food bank a “lifeline for many people” and said the work volunteers do there is “amazing”.
Rev Bunting explained how the palace had got in contact on Wednesday because the couple wanted to make sure the church could replace the items taken. He said he “had no idea” how the royals found out about the story. He added that having met the couple he wasn’t surprised by their kindness, and said they are part of the wider church team now.
Rev Bunting had been hesitant to report the burglary to South Wales Police because he said he wanted to help the person or people responsible rather than them facing prosecution. He said they were clearly "not in a good place" and that being arrested would be "another step in the wrong direction".
He added: "I think the likelihood is that it was someone who has previously used us, which makes it all the sadder. If someone had come in and said, 'I'm absolutely desperate, I need £20,' it would have been easier for us to give it to them."
I would rather them come to us and say, 'This was me, and this is why.' We might be able to help. We are so much more than food here."
The food bank has been running for around seven years and now supports 170 to 200 individuals. Rev Bunting said the number had risen after Christmas, and that sometimes people waited for two hours before it opened.
Aside from the royal gesture, other food donations have been pouring in this week in response to the theft. The nearby Swansea Dockers Sports and Social Club has contributed £250, while an envelope with money in it was posted through his door anonymously with a note saying it was for food.
"For every bad act there are 10, 20 good ones, often anonymous," he said. "It is incredibly heart-warming. We've got to make sure we focus on that."
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