FUNDRAISERS are devastated after thieves stole £3,000 takings from a cancer support centre's summer fair.
The break-in happened at Maggie's in the grounds of Nottingham City Hospital just hours after the centre had been packed with supporters at the annual event yesterday.
Some of the staff were in tears this morning when they learnt of the news.
Andy Zadora-Chrzastowski, who takes photographs at Maggie's events and whose wife Sonja is a cancer support specialist at the centre, said: "It's absolutely devastating. "My wife was just in tears this morning.
To actually burgle the place you just can't fathom it. They are the lowest of the low. When they are taking money that is there to help people with cancer it is shocking. It's just unbelievable.
"If they could just hear the stories of these people. Some of them have cancer that is terminal and put everything into fundraising for the centre. It's shocking."
Anna Read, who recently finished chemotherapy and is still being treated for saliva cancer, said the news was "like a big slap in the face."
The 38-year-old from Hucknall manned the Pimm's stall at yesterday's event, where supporters ran stalls, had baked cakes for refreshments and ran a raffle.
Mrs Read added: "It was such a great day – the most successful summer fair we've had.
"People were so positive about the work Maggie's does. You hear a few people's stories which reiterated how important Maggie's is. "I can't believe that someone would do this – it's absolutely awful."
The centre, which provides emotional and practical support to cancer patients and their families, receives no statutory funding and relies entirely on fundraising to run its busy programme of one-to-one support and workshops.
Supporter Peter Smith, who was helping out at yesterday's event, said: "It's just devastating. There was such a buzz and so much effort that went into it.
"It's not just the loss of the money. What they have done to people's morale and goodwill is a shattering blow," said the 66-year-old widower, of Alexandra Park, whose wife Kathy died from a brain tumour.
