A CHARITY supporting the community of Salisbury has been left "saddened" and "disappointed" after the wheels were stolen from its van - putting it out of action.

The van belonging to Serve On, which is based in Chilmark, was left propped up on bricks after six tyres were taken on Monday night.

The theft is believed to have happened at around 11.30pm when the vehicle was parked near Entrain Space in Wilton.

Serve On operations director Dan Cooke said he was "saddened" and disappointed by the theft.

Salisbury Journal:

This has come at a particularly busy time for the charity who are due to move to a new headquarters on its current site in Chilmark as well as hold flood water and search and rescue training for its volunteers this weekend, and rely on the vehicle for transporting both equipment and people.

As a search and rescue organisation, Serve On can be called out to help with international emergencies and use the vehicle for transportation to airports.

Most recently the van has been used to support its Covid pandemic response including transporting PPE supplies.

Serve On volunteers distributed more than five and a half million items of PPE to clinical frontlines, care homes, public sector and schools and carried out more than 4,000 welfare checks on potentially vulnerable residents.

Dan said: "The vehicle is a community asset and to then have someone steal from us - it is not only the crime which is really disappointing it is the fact this is a charity that volunteers to give time to help other people. It is also a life-saving organisation.

"This particular crime inhibits our abilities for a while. We are used to set backs and overcoming hurdles and problems but these are the ones that leave a bad taste in your mouth."

"We always look at these things and say 'so how do we get on with what we do?' and we are a really good team but I don't think that in any way excuses stealing from a charity at the end of the day," he added.

"It would be wrong to steal off any vehicle but one that is a charity vehicle that says search and rescue down the side of it seems particularly low."

Mick Brannon, who is volunteer with Serve On in Salisbury told the Journal: "This van is vital to our role as we use it to transport all of our equipment.

"Serve On are a community resilience and water search rescue team who not only support the local community but also cover the whole of the UK in times of crisis.

"We have worked tirelessly through the Covid-19 pandemic supporting the local community.

"Without our vehicle we can’t carry out our support in the local community."

The charity's volunteers have recently been helping to clear rivers in the city.

Dan says it is not only the inconvenience but it also has potential cost implications if the charity has to rent a vehicle.

Despite the disruption, he says the team won't let this stop its work and added: "It won't stop us doing what we do."

Dan says he would love the community to show its support for Serve On not only through making donations and volunteering but also considering using the charity's expertise as it provides first aid training for businesses.

Visit: serveon.org.uk

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