Fundraising appeal after £5k vandalism at Lincoln nursery

The headteacher at a Lincoln nursery has spoken of her disappointment after the premises were vandalised twice this month, in two incidents causing over £5,000 of damage.

The damage at St Giles Nursery School on Addison Drive included the windows of the new Kindness Cabin in the garden, which provides a tranquil new learning environment for pupils.

Headteacher Amy Stancer told The Lincolnite about the incidents and allegations that a group of youngsters climbed over into the school roofs at around 7pm on July 10. Once on the school roof, they allegedly starting throwing roof tiles.

They damaged play equipment and drainpipes to gain access into the the premises, and also broke windows at the Kindness Cabin. The youngsters are also said to have broken the school’s CCTV cameras by throwing rocks at them.

During the evening of Sunday, July 24 there was another incident with a group of youngsters, who smashed the same windows which had only recently been replaced, as well as the windows of the school itself. There was glass everywhere inside and outside, and staff even had to hoover glass off the grass to make it safe.

The windows and damaged property need replacing, which will cost around £5,000. The school will need to raise the funds to pay for the damage itself and has reached out to the local community for help by creating a fundraising page.

Donations can be made to the school’s fundraiser online here

The windows at St Giles Nursery School have been damaged twice this month.

Headteacher Amy Stancer told The Lincolnite: “It is really disappointing that the young people of our locality don’t want to look after the younger children in their community and let them have a safe space.

“It’s the children who suffer. Our 2-4 year-olds have been unable to play in the garden Monday. There is glass everywhere and the playhouses have been tipped over and broken.

“The new Kindness Cabin has had the windows smashed twice and we will have to spend funds, which should be spent on giving our children the best, on the mending.”

“The staff team all came in early to tidy the damage, but this takes us away from the teaching. Please speak to your teenage young people and talk to them about caring for young children and keeping them safe.”

Glass shattered everywhere!

She added that the youngsters were also seen throwing bricks from cars at St Giles Academy, which is opposite the nursery.

As a result of the latest incident, the nursery’s Forest School is currently out of use due to the shattered glass, which staff have been cleaning up.

However, there are still enough available areas in the premises that it the rest of the school, which has around 150 pupils aged 2-4, can remain open.

The school’s new Kindness Cabin was vandalised again only weeks after the window had been replaced.

In a post on Facebook, the school said: “Please forgive us if the office staff aren’t smiley. Our school has been vandalised again and we have so much damage.”

Angry parent Vicki Lang told The Lincolnite: “It is absolutely awful that there are people out there that would do this!

“The nursery has worked so hard to make the garden and kindness hut a safe, special place for these children to enjoy, and for it to be ruined by senseless vandalism is just disgusting.

“It is my daughter’s last day in nursery tomorrow (Tuesday) before moving on to infant school in September, and it makes me feel so sad that her amazing teachers are having to deal with the mess and destruction and that my daughter is unable to use these areas.”

The Lincolnite has also contacted Lincolnshire Police for a statement, but there was no reply by the time of publication.