The Children’s Air Ambulance (TCAA) charity store in Newark was broken into during the night of 2 January and early hours of 3 January 2025.
The intruders caused significant damage and financial loss to the charity which helps critically ill babies and children across the UK.
Thieves broke into the store, causing extensive damage to both external and internal doors, as well as to a safe and a till. They also stole the day’s takings, estimated at around £500 in cash, alongside a mobile phone.
The estimated total cost of the break-in, including repairs, loss of earnings, and the stolen items, is expected to be between £4,000 and £6,000.
Simon Trzopek, Retail Area Manager at the Children’s Air Ambulance said:
“This is a devastating blow to our team, and it is heart-wrenching to know that thieves have targeted a charity store dedicated to supporting lifesaving services for children. The damage is significant, not just financially, but emotionally. Our hardworking staff and volunteers put in so much effort to run the store, and to see it targeted in this way is truly upsetting.”
The Children’s Air Ambulance is a pioneering charity dedicated to providing specialist and often lifesaving air transportation for critically ill babies and children in need of urgent care. The charity works in partnership with 11 NHS paediatric and neonatal retrieval teams across the UK, enabling them to bring their specialist equipment on board to safely transfer their patients from one hospital to another. If a child is too sick to fly, then the Children’s Air Ambulance can fly a specialist team directly to them, enabling babies and children to receive the crucial care they need.
The charity relies entirely on public donations to fund its operations, with each mission costing on average £3,600. It continues to be an essential service for families in need. The loss of funds from this break-in comes at a time when every penny raised is vital to ensuring that these young patients can receive the urgent treatment they need as quickly and safely as possible.
Simon Trzopek continued: “We are asking our supporters and the local community to help us recover from this setback. Any donation, large or small, will go directly towards supporting the lifesaving work of the Children’s Air Ambulance, ensuring that we can continue to fly and keep hope alive for these patients and their families in their time of need.”
The national charity is now calling on its communities and supporters to help make up for this financial loss. Donations, both in-store and online, are needed more than ever to help continue providing the crucial services that families rely on.
To donate and support the Children’s Air Ambulance, visit their website and help fund the next lifesaving flight, call 0300 3045 999 or visit www.childrensairambulance.org.uk
