PUPILS at a North Belfast Belfast school have been left ‘devastated’ after the wanton destruction of their polytunnel.
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Posted by Our Lady's Girls' Primary School on Monday, May 10, 2021
Staff returned for another week of learning at Our Lady's Girls' Primary School in Deanby Gardens in the Oldpark to find that their polytunnel had been destroyed over the weekend. The polytunnel is used for growing various plants and vegetables at the school as well as for educational purposes.
Teacher Bronagh O’Donnell, who helped set up the facility at the school, said: “The polytunnel is one of the biggest you can get. We got a grant several years ago and decided to use the piece of land we have to construct one.
“It is like a large greenhouse that allows plants to grow inside and get a lot of heat, usually ones that wouldn’t be able to grow outside. We have grown things like lettuce, leeks and tomatoes.
“We have been taking part in the ‘Let it grow’ project with Urban Villages. Beside the polytunnel, we have an outdoor classroom with tables.
“We bring the children down and teach them about planting veg, weeding, the use of water and sunlight and things like that. We then use the food for cooking demonstrations. It is very educational for them and we really make the use of this piece of green space that we have for them.
“It has taken years and years of hard work to get it the way it is now.”
Bronagh said there is anger as well as sadness in the school about what happened, but says she also feels sad for those responsible for the destruction.
VANDALISM: The polytunnel was slashed and ransacked inside.
“To find out on Monday morning, it had been vandalised over the weekend was just the most disheartening thing,” she added.
“I am very angry but sad for the children and the school but also for the people who did this. Probably ten minutes of wanton destruction has destroyed years and years of development.
“It is so sad that those responsible were probably young teenagers and this is what they do for a kick with no sense of the repercussions for the children and the school. Is this what their lives are about?
“This vandalism will cost us thousands of pounds. This is a different level to anti-social behaviour. Those responsible lifted whatever equipment in the polytunnel to slash the polystyrene and pulled out all the plants as well.
“The plants were put in from seed and the children have spent months caring for them.
“We put a short post up on Facebook and it is always hard to put something negative on social media but we decided it had to be done.”
The school has received widespread support and condemnation from the local community.
“The sense of outrage from the local community has been overwhelming. It is like someone coming in and breaking the windows of a house,” continued Bronagh.
“Those behind this vandalism need to know that the community is outraged by their behaviour and it is totally unacceptable. They have ruined a valuable resource in their own community.
“The polytunnel and garden area has been a vital resource for the children, especially on their recent return to school after being cooked up in their houses for so long with the lockdowns.
“We are determined that we will rebuild the polytunnel. This vandalism will not beat us. It is too important to just let it go.”
North Belfast Sinn Féin MLA Carál Ní Chuilín said she was ‘disgusted’ by the vandalism.
“I’m absolutely disgusted to learn of the considerable damage done at Our Lady’s Primary School," she said.
“The polytunnel has been a fantastic project for the girls at the school.
“Initiatives like this are a credit to the staff and pupils and this news will come as a serious blow to the school and local community.
“The value of projects like this at our excellent North Belfast schools cannot be overstated, offering a chance for pupils to have a hands on experience of planting and watching their hard work bloom.
“I would appeal to anyone with information about this incident to come forward as we must make every effort to avoid a repeat of this incident.”
Police are investigating and have asked anyone would has any information to call police at Tennent Street on the non-emergency number 101 quoting reference number 891 10/05/21, or to submit a report online using our non-emergency reporting form.
