Grassroots library praises Tudors Supporters Club 'kind generosity' after donation to hospice in Berkhamsted

A community library in Berkhamsted has praised the 'kind generosity' of The Tudors Supporters Club who have made a donation to the Hospice of Francis, after money for the hospice was stolen from the library last week.

Geoff Wiggett and his partner created a mini-library from the footpath running through Geoff's garden, donations can be placed in a bucket on the bottom shelf.

Customers are invited to lend, borrow or buy books, magazines and videos - with the money going to the Hospice of St Francis in Berkhamsted.

Last week, The Gazette, reported that Big Lend Library in Berkhamsted - which had only been open for six weeks - was robbed of the money it raised for the Hospice of St Francis.

After reading what had happened, Tudor's Supporters' Club - the supporters of Hemel Hempstead football club - contacted The Gazette in a bid to help Geoff and the Big Lend Library.

The club donated £36 directly to the hospice.

Geoff said: "It is a really kind gesture and is much appreciated.

"Upon hearing of our anguish and sadness at this mean-minded crime, and with the help of Hemel Gazette, the supporters of Hemel Hempstead football club, 'The Tudors', generously donated a sum of £36 to the hospice, enough to cover the cost of two hours dedicated and expert nursing care for a patient.

"They did it off their own backs after reading the story online.

"The Tudors' supporters deserve a huge round of applause. This is an incredibly magnanimous gesture and we are extremely grateful. It restored our faith in humanity.

"We have now devised a safer way of collecting future generous and unselfish cash donations and hope that the hospice continues to benefit.

"The hospice will also be giving us a QR code, which we will stick on the fence and people can make donations directly from there.

"My partner volunteers at the hospice, she is a gardener, and I also volunteer now and again, it is a great place."

Geoff will continue to open the library, which is located just off the canal bridge that connects Bank Mill and Bank Mill Lane near to the now-closed Old Mill pub, every day.

A spokesperson for Tudors Supporters Club said: "As a group, we were saddening to read the library suffered the theft and the fact it was aiming to support a local charity that is important to so many people made it worse.

"We were fortunate to be in a position to make a donation and replace the stolen funds; we donated £36 to the Hospice, which is enough to cover the cost of two hours of dedicated, expert, nursing care for a patient at the Hospice.

"Although we're primarily a football supporters group, as a community organisation in Dacorum we're proud to also support local charities and initiatives."