A Glasgow nursery has praised the local community who rallied round for a fundraiser after they suffered countless attacks of vandalism on their property. 

From their sheds “vital” for storing resources and toys overnight being rendered unusable to broken glass left in the garden, children and staff at Rosshall Nursery in Cardonald have been feeling the “profound” impacts of the “persistent, senseless destruction” since it began last year. 

Glasgow Times:

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Natasha MacArthur, head of Rosshall, told the Glasgow Times: “We feel so frustrated by the senseless destruction of (the nursery’s) property. 

“The staff are feeling a range of emotions, namely frustration, disappointment, and concern – especially for the safety of the children.

"The kids have been left confused and upset because they sense a disruption in their familiar environment. 

“They have been asking questions about what happened and why things look different. They have concerns about their own safety and the security of their belongings.” 

Natasha added: “The vandalism has remained a persistent problem and is leaving a profound impact on our children and families.” 

Glasgow Times:

Parent Angela Kelly concurred saying: “It just makes me feel upset, annoyed and angry. 

“These are resources that the kids use for learning or items they make at the nursery – it’s their work being destroyed which is disheartening to kids, staff, and parents.”

Angela added that her husband tries his best to repair as much as he can. 

She said: “When my little boy sees something broke within the nursery, he says, 'my daddy will fix it' -  and that’s not something he should need to say while going to his place of learning.” 

The vandalism began last year and ceased slightly in November, before starting up again over Easter. 

Glasgow Times:

In the fallout of the latest bout of vandalism over the Easter weekend, the community has now rallied together to raise just short of £1,000 for the nursery. 

It comes after Rosshall Nursery set up a GoFundMe. 

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Natasha said: “We have been truly amazed by the incredible amount that has been raised thus far. It's been absolutely wonderful and we're incredibly grateful to everyone involved. 

“The unity and support shown by our nursery and local community in raising funds to enhance our garden are truly heartening. It's fantastic to see such dedication to ensuring the safety and usability of this space for our children. 

“We firmly believe that outdoor experiences are integral to their learning and development, and this effort will undoubtedly contribute to that goal.”

Angela added: “It’s amazing to watch how kind and generous people are in helping make it a better place for our children and staff, but it's also sad that this needs to be done in the first place.” 

The children and staff at Rosshall also hosted a danceathon to raise some more money. 

Glasgow Times:

Funds raised will be used to erect more safety measures and to refurbish what has been damaged including procuring new sheds, erecting a sturdy fence, and revitalising the nursery garden. 

The vandalism has been reported to the police and community officers. Community police have provided the nursery with advice on safeguarding the garden and deterring future incidents and both police and community wardens have increased patrols in the area. Due to this, Natasha said the past few weekends have been relatively calm.

The link to the GoFundMe can be found HERE