A community centre West Lothian was victim to a heartless vandal attack that saw doors broken and windows smashed.
This has led to staff, parents and local residents rallying together to ensure that the business could operate as normal after the damage was inflicted on Thursday March 9.
The Blackburn Family Centre (BFC) say that not only did vandals target windows and doors but that they also unsuccessfully tried to set fire to curtains.
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Whilst BFC project manager, Traci Mackie, lashed out at those that inflicted the damage, she celebrated the efforts of the community who rushed to their aid to help clean up the aftermath of the attack, the Daily Record reports.
The space is a non-profit organisation which runs an early learning and childcare programme from the building at the Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School for 25 years.
Traci was horrified when she received a call from the cleaner at around 9pm who informed her that the act of vandalism had taken place.
She said: “The setting is fully fenced and the gates were padlocked. The three culprits presumably gained access by climbing over the fence.
“On our CCTV footage, you can see them breaking the windows and the door of the wooden cabin, then once inside trying to set the curtains alight.
“Thank goodness the curtains were non-flammable. They also ripped apart the cabin’s insulation.”
She added: “Some of our staff rushed to the site to assess the damage while others managed our social media communications.
“By midnight and with the help of our parents and the greater community we had a pretty good clean-up plan all set to roll-out first thing in the morning.
“It was really heart-warming to experience the community spirit of Blackburn. Late into Friday, the people of Blackburn were still making contact and popping in to find out what they could do to help.”
Chairperson Ashleigh Speirs added: “It goes to show that the people of Blackburn come together and support one another when things go wrong. It’s who we are.
“We had people offering assistance via social media as soon we posted it on our Facebook page on Thursday night. Even people who have no direct relationship to Blackburn Family Centre offered their help.
“We rely on grants and donations to be able to subsidise our fees so that families can afford to attend the nursery.
“Almost 70 families rely on us for childcare at the moment. That doesn’t include the health and well-being programme that is run from our main building at the Trindleyknowe.”
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Around 9.05pm on Thursday, March 9, 2023, officers received a report of a housebreaking at a premises on Whitehill Road, Blackburn.
“Enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances.”
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