Public raise £8,000 after yobs wreck charity bus
DEVASTATION has been turned into joy for a Macclesfield charity after a huge fundraising effort to help replace a vandalised bus.
Yobs trashed a mini-bus belonging to Space4Autism over the Bank Holiday weekend while it was being kept at Gaw End Lane, in Lyme Green.
But on hearing the news Nathaniel Simpson, who has seen what good work the charity does, started a fundraiser on its behalf.
And within just three days nearly £8,000 was collected to either help repair the bus or properly replace the vehicle if it is an insurance write-off.
Initially though, the incident had come as a ‘massive blow’. Vandals had smashed the bus door, put windows through, tried to break the windscreen and attempted to rip the interior mirror off inside.
Claire Hancock, from Space4Autism, said: “We went down there and we were just shocked, we expected maybe a little bit of graffiti or a bit of mess, but to see what they had done was shocking.
”So we got tarpaulin and tried to make it waterproof, there was nothing else we could really do. The police came and they took all details.”
Spirits have since been lifted at the charity, which is based on Mill Lane, by the fundraiser. Its staff and volunteers say they have been ‘blown away’ by people’s generosity.
The bus has not been used much during the last year because of lockdowns but as regulations loosen there had been plans made that it was vital to.
Space4Autism is now looking at how these need to be revised.
Claire added: “We have six clubs for children, a club for adults and then a club for carers and all those will be impacted.”
Nathan, whose girlfriend has a son who the charity helps, said: “Let’s come together and help this wonderful organisation.
“I just want to help them back to get a new mini bus after some disgusting vandals have destroyed the mini bus.
“It’s not only affecting the organisation but it affects the children.”
To donate visit www. gofundme.com and search ‘Raise money for new mini bus S4A’.