Members of The Broughton Trust have asked for help to find a bench they say was stolen from outside The Humphrey Booth Centre in Salford.
The bench was made in honour of the founder of the Broughton Trust, Mike Thorpe, who died in January last year.
Dave Mayers, the Chief Officer of The Broughton Trust, said: “Right now, all we’re bothered about is getting the bench back.
“It means much more to us than any financial loss. It’s sentimental.”
The Broughton Trust is a charity and non-profit organisation which provides adult learning, youth work, employment support and community development across Salford.
The bench was paid for by the staff at the trust to have the bench made in memory of their founder.
It is a wooden bench engraved with the words “In honour of Mike Thorpe, an unforgettable boss.”
Dave added: “What drove Mike was the belief that everybody had the right to access learning, no matter what their background was.
“Everybody loved him. He benefited and continues to benefit so many people. His legacy is ongoing.”
The bench sat facing a patch of land called Mike’s Meadow, an area where the trust plants wild flowers and plants to attract bees and wildlife.
Dave said: “It was a place where you could just sit, have a coffee, relax, contemplate. It was to honour Mike and the work that he had done. It meant a great deal to us.”
The Broughton Trust is urging anyone with information regarding the bench’s whereabouts to come forward.
The trust can be contacted via its Facebook page, their email office@thebroughtontrust.org.uk or over the phone on 0161 831 9807.
Alternatively, the bench can be returned to the trust at The Broughton Trust, Heath Avenue, Broughton, Salford, M7 1NY.
