Portsmouth councillor leads fundraiser to replace vandalised windows at Rowans Hospice charity shop in Fratton

Portsmouth City Council culture boss, councillor Steve Pitt started a fundraiser to help Rowans Hospice replace the windows of its Fratton Road shop, which were damaged last week.

Cllr Pitt said: ‘I think most people in the city know someone who has been helped by Rowans and it is a charity close to my heart.

‘It is awful what happened and councillor Dave Ashmore as walking along the road when it happened and a person with claw hammer ran past him before damaging the shop.

‘I know the charity is struggling because the lockdown has put a stop to all fundraising so I wanted to do the fundraiser to help them not have to spend money because of someone’s actions.’

The hospice, in Purbrook, recently had all four wheels stolen from a retail van at their Farlington warehouse but the community once again came to their aid and couple Mellony and Richard Clegg paid for the replacements.

Carol Milner, director of income generation at Rowans, said: ‘As with the situation of our retail van wheels and tyres being stolen, yet again we are so grateful by the community’s reaction to our Fratton shop windows being mindlessly vandalised.

‘Steve Pitt’s GoFundMe appeal is great example of community in action, especially during the current healthcare crisis when so many people are facing their own personal worries.

‘On behalf of the Rowans Hospice Charity, I want to say a heartfelt thank you to Mr Pitt and others in the community for their kindness, generosity and ongoing support of the charity at a time when we need it most.’

The hospice, which provides specialist palliative care to people with life-limiting or terminal illnesses across south Hampshire, is currently facing unprecedented financial losses due to the coronavirus outbreak, which has seen them have to close charity shops and cancel all fundraising events.

In 2018 it launched its Silver Jubilee Appeal to raise £7.5m to transform its facilities.

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