THIEVES STEAL VITAL EQUIPMENT FROM A CHILDREN IN NEED SUPPORTED CHARITY

THIEVES STEAL VITAL EQUIPMENT FROM A CHILDREN IN NEED SUPPORTED CHARITY

 

Brogdale CIC is an organisation that works with disabled young people and adults with learning difficulties. Based in Faversham and Ashford, the organisation provides gardening and growing opportunities for people with disability.

Workers arrived at Brogdale Farm on Thursday 12^th November to find thieves had broken in to the equipment store and stolen four lawnmowers, two strimmers, a leaf blower and a hedge trimmer.

The project engages with the wider community and under expert supervision the project participants have been gaining invaluable skills and are now able to manage complex gardening and landscaping tasks.  The project is run every day and the team members spend part of their time going in to the community to cut grass and tend gardens for those people living in social housing.

However, without the equipment, which costs thousands of pounds to replace, all gardening activities for the foreseeable future have had to be scaled down.

Rebecca O’Neill, Director, said: “The site is unoccupied overnight and it is just horrible that people would do this.  As a consequence of this mindless action we will need to rethink our community working which is devastating for both our team and the wider community.  Many of the social clients we visit regularly are very grateful as they are unable to afford a commercial gardening service.”

The items were stolen from Brogdale Farm in Faversham between Tuesday 10^th and Wednesday11th November.  Rebecca also said “This equipment was not walked off with, the thieves would have needed a large van or truck.  The items were securely locked away and in a very secluded part of Brogdale Farm.  We have asked the owners for any CCTV footage and the local police have been very helpful.”

 

The Children in Need supported Charity are looking to the local community for help to purchase and replace the stolen items.

www.brogdalecic.co.uk