Kindness of strangers touches hostel staff with donation in name of London victim

Staff at the YMCA in Toward Road, Hendon, were moved to find a note in the container, explaining the gesture had been made in the name of Christine Archibald.

The 30-year-old former homeless shelter worker was among the dead following Saturday night’s tragedy.

In a statement after her death, Christine’s family said: “Please honour her by making your community a better place. Volunteer your time and labour or donate to a homeless shelter. Tell them Chrissy sent you.”

Workers took delivery of the box of toiletries and food yesterday morning from a woman and a young girl, but now hope to track them down.

Outreach worker John Hunter said: “We get donations pretty regularly and the woman came in when we were pretty busy and we just said thanks and then she was gone and that was it.

“When we found the letter, it was really touching, so we really hope we can find her to say a proper thank you. It was a really nice thing to do and it is very much appreciated.

“It really means something, especially because it was in the name of this lass.

“What happened was absolutely disgusting.

“Here we help people of all backgrounds, religion, race and sexual orientation, we don’t discriminate.”

Yesterday, shoppers at The Bridges and people across Sunderland stood still at 11am for a minute’s silence.

The YMCA offers 25 beds for 16 to 24-year-olds at its base in Hendon, another 32 through its outreach programme, seven at its Fence Houses centre, eight in Houghton and another 20 in Chester-le-Street. The Toward Road YMCA can be called on 0191 567 6160.