THE Gawler community has rallied around Evanston’s Sunrise Bakery, a week after thieves stole a charity tin from the business.

Facebook page ‘I’m from Gawler’ set up an event last Monday, calling for locals to support the bakery on Saturday after offenders broke into the store and took around $400 worth of donations.

The money was to be used by the bakery to provide a free soup kitchen for those less fortunate.

Bakery owner Leah King said customers throughout the week had donated more than usual in support of the business’ charitable plans.

“People have been very kind, we’ve got our tally back up to around $230 now,” she said.

“I’m very humbled, I didn’t realise how much people actually appreciate the work we do.

“I’ve done that (had a charity tin there) for the past nine years I’ve been here – it will always be there.

“The Gawler community and the Evanston community are the best, I don’t care what anyone says.”

In the past, Sunrise Bakery has donated money from its charity tin to the Daniel Morcombe Foundation, Bale of Hay and the Royal Society for the Blind.

The bakery is preparing to run its next free soup kitchen on November 1, with Mrs King planning to get local businesses involved to set up market stalls on the night.

“I’m going to make it a big event, I want to put twilight markets on as well and make it a big shindig,” Mrs King said.

“We’re still about $200 short of what was stolen, but in the next few weeks I’m confident we can raise it, or I’ll make up the difference.

“We’ll then have another kitchen at Christmas and that will be our last one for the year.”