MANAGERS, staff and volunteers at an Andover charity have been left shocked and angry after a jar containing up to £400 worth of foreign currency was stolen from its offices.

The large glass container is thought to have been taken from Neighbourcare’s Union Street premises at some point between Wednesday, August 16 and Friday, August 18.

It was only on the following Monday morning that the charity’s staff realised the jar, which usually sits on a desk in the middle of the office, was gone and there was no evidence that the site had been broken into.

Transport co-ordinator, Margaret Thompson, said: “We had somebody who was going to take the money and sell some of the more unusual coins and notes on eBay, so at first we thought she had been in and collected it but when we spoke to her she said she hadn’t.”

She added: “It is so large, you can’t just walk away with it without somebody noticing. It is too big and too heavy. We do get a few people coming in here but it is not the sort of thing that you can cover with your jacket.

“You would have to get your hand under it to pick it up.”

Andover Neighbourcare operates out of three units on Union Street, which includes a community shop, and offers support services to the community including transport, domestic help, laundry and cleaning services, shopping and preparing meals.

The charity also runs a number of clubs including the Time Out Club, The Monday Afternoon Club, the Connexions Club and Silver Surfers computer lessons.

As the organisation receives no secured funding from either Hampshire County Council or Test Valley Borough Council for running costs, the £400 taken would cover the cost of keeping its Connexions Club going for a year or go towards rent on the three premises.

Mrs Thompson added: “I think a lot of people are under the illusion that we get our rents paid, but we don’t.

“We pay three full rents so before we begin each financial year we have to find £27,000. £400 would go a long way towards keeping our services running.”

Talking about how the theft has left staff shaken, she said: “It is a little unnerving because there are times when we are in here on our own.”

Shop manager, Natalie Colebrook, added: “It is quite scary the fact that somebody can just walk in here and take it, and to think that they might come back and how far they might take it next time. I’m really angry about it because we all work very hard.”

The charity’s manager Pam Delderfield, added: “I am extremely disappointed for the staff and the volunteers who work so hard.”

The theft has been reported to police and CCTV has since been installed in the shop. Anyone with information about the theft should call 101 quoting reference 44170335964.