A service providing food in Stockton for the homeless/needy was sadly broken into and burgled last month.

Project Must Eat, based on Yarm Lane in Stockton, provides hot and cold food for those who need it.

Steve and Karen Lea, who run the community interest company, ask for 20p for a meal, or accept donations.

35-40 people accessed this service daily, and Steve and Karen felt good about the positive impact this was having on those who needed it most.

Sadly, on Sunday, June 12, the shop was broken into and roughly £200 was stolen from the cash box.

The Northern Echo: Project Must Eat is located on Yarm Lane in Stockton. Picture: SARAH CALDECOTTProject Must Eat is located on Yarm Lane in Stockton. Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT

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The Northern Echo: The window was smashed from the outside. Picture: KAREN LEAThe window was smashed from the outside. Picture: KAREN LEA

Steve said: “Unfortunately I do think it’s likely that it’s one of the people we look after who’s done this, talk about biting the hand that feeds you.

“If they were to come forward and tell the truth and say that they need help, we would not turn them in to the police. We’re here to help and that’s what we want to do.

“When we went in on the Monday morning, to say there was glass everywhere would be an understatement. It was just absolutely all over the place. They’d (the person responsible) broken the window with a fire extinguisher and the window was just over the sink so there was loads of glass in the sink.

“It’s frustrating and sad because we’ve put so much work into this. The donations we receive allow us to keep supplying food.”

The Northern Echo: A fire extinguisher was used to smash the window. Picture: KAREN LEAA fire extinguisher was used to smash the window. Picture: KAREN LEA

The Northern Echo: The floor and the sink were covered in glass. Picture: KAREN LEAThe floor and the sink were covered in glass. Picture: KAREN LEA

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Steve and Karen started the project in December last year and were both happy about the fact that they were providing help in a non-judgemental way to the needy.

Steve said: “We’ve now had to reduce our opening times to just one hour a day between 2pm and 3pm through a serving hatch.”

A notice on the door of the shop reads: “We are sorry to say, due to the burglary last Sunday (June 12), some sponsors have stopped funding our brilliant service. Free food and drinks will only be served between 2pm and 3pm at 16 Yarm Lane, Stockton, until further notice. Helpful numbers and contacts of useful organisations for those in crises will be posted for you. We hope to resume full service as soon as possible. Yours Sincerely, the management.”

The investigation is ongoing.

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