Local charitable trust 'devastated' after trailer stolen from homeless shelter

The trailer packed full of donated furniture. Photo / Supplied

A local charitable trust has been left without a vital piece of equipment after its trailer was stolen this morning.

Lynley Deane from Visions of Helping Hand Charitable Trust said the team were devastated and "very frustrated" that the trailer they use to help those in need had been taken.

It was taken from the trust's womens' and childrens' shelter at 3.30am this morning.

Deane said the trailer was important for moving furniture into the new homes of people who had previously been staying in the shelters, and also transported donated goods to the trust's storage unit.

Just last Friday, a mother who was staying in the shelter moved into her new home and the team made a day out of filling her house with donated furniture of her choice.

"We can't do things like that without it [the trailer]," Deane said.

She said fortunately the Trust is insured. However, the excess was likely to be high and, more than anything, it was time consuming.

"If someone rung tomorrow with a bunch of furniture to donate or someone in need wanted furniture for their home, we couldn't do anything."

She said on top of that, a lot of people who stay in the night shelter do their bit in moving the furniture and helping put in some "good mahi".

It gave them work opportunities and a feeling of doing their bit, she said.

Deane said the trailer was an "important part of supporting people".

A post on the trust's Facebook page asked that if anyone knew who took the trailer, they should do the right thing.

"Very sad when people steal from the ones who want to help them."

The theft came only days after the Rotorua Bike Festival's trailer was stolen.

Rotorua deputy mayor Dave Donaldson called the theft from the non-profit festival "a real kick to the guts".