A TRUSTEE of a charity hit by theft said she was relieved that items destined to improve the lives of orphans had finally been sent overseas.

Orphans in the Wild had hundreds of items taken by thieves on Saturday, June 2, including about 200 school uniforms.

The stolen items had been collected over the past two years and the 40ft storage container was almost full and ready to be sent over to Africa.

However, thanks to the generosity of people in Evesham and the surrounding area, hundreds of donations have been made to replace the stolen ones and they were sent off on Thursday to Mufindi in Tanzania.

Trustee Marion Gough said she was delighted.

“There’s hundreds of items for the children’s orphanage,” she said. “It has lots of medical equipment, computers and laptops that have been donated. I was really terrified it would happen again.

“The charity has nearly finished building an operating theatre which will be completed by the end of the year. All the equipment will be really useful.”

Items that have been sent over include hospital beds, mattresses, linen, hand-knitted blankets nurses’ uniforms, dental and medical instruments and equipment.

Mrs Gough said: “All these items have been generously donated by hospitals, members of the public and friends – for which we really thank you.

“Special thanks goes to Darren Lothian, of White Logistics, who for the last six years has collected them for us on his return from deliveries. Without all this help and support, these donations wouldn’t get to where they are desperately needed.”

Anyone with information on the theft from the container in Bishampton, near Pershore, can call police on 101.