Locals rally to raise cash after thugs target school
THE clean-up operation for a vandal-hit primary has begun as locals rally round to raise cash for the school.
As told in last night’s Evening Times, louts rampaged through Gowanbank Primary, pausing only to munch on j elly and ice cream.
Heartless vandals caused mayhem in the school as they smashed up every single room in the building.
But now thoughtful locals have stepped up to help, setting up a crowdfunding page to raise cash for new school supplies.
The crowdfunding page was set up Margaret Gerrand, who wrote on the page: “We are trying to raise money towards supplies after yet another break-in at school.
“Unknown youths have run a damage spree in every room i n the school – smashed all the computers, smart boards, sinks and left them with nothing.
“So we might not be able to replace everything but let’s get a head start and raise some money for the kids.”
Thugs stole nothing from the building yet smashed or scratched every computer monitor in the school.
They tore smart boards from the walls and drew obscenities on white boards.
Crockery was shattered, fire extinguishers let off, cupboard doors pulled from their hinges and the staff room ransacked.
They made popcorn in two microwaves before smashing them to pieces and raided Gowanbank’s kitchen.
In the infants rooms, wash hand basins were smashed and resources such as crayons and paper were strewn across the floor.
But headteacher John Daly said he was overwhelmed that local people had stepped forward to help out e said: “The support of people makes a huge difference in recovering from what has happened to us. “These vandals have done this to children. They haven’t done it to me, they haven’t done it to the authorities, they haven’t done it to society, they have done it to children. And you don’t feel for yourself, you feel for the children.
“The way people in the area are rallying round just proves the goodness there is in the area.”
Gowanbank was the fifth primary school to be targeted this summer and has been subject to previous attacks.
Maureen McKenna, director of children, young people and lifelong learning, had issued an impassioned plea in the Evening Times for local communities to keep an eye out on their schools.
Money for repairs comes from the educatio.n budget and has a knoHck-on effect.
Mr Daly added: “Within a few hours of the crowdfunding page being set up there was already £50 donated de- spite the fact that people do not have much money to spare. We have had people sending their best wishes and offering to help with the clean-up effort.
“The bulk of people in the area are good people and this proves it.
“This has reaffirmed my faith in the human spirit.”
The Go Fund Me page for Gowanbank can be found at www.gofundme. com/2gmk6hw