Vandals strike at woodland shared by 1st Elgin Scouts and Liberty Kids youngsters
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VANDALS have gone on a wrecking spree at an Elgin woodland shared by local Scouts and nursery children.
Play items like mud kitchens were knocked over, sails and tarpaulins ripped down, and children's seating stamped on, smashed and thrown in a burn this week at the Wards woodland used by both the 1st Elgin Scout group and youngsters from Liberty Kids, based on Reidhaven Street.
Liberty Kids formed a community link-up with the Scouts in August last year. The children play, learn and roam at the site during daytimes from Monday to Wednesday, while the Scouts make use of the enclosed woods in the evenings.
The wild space has transformed nursery life, with children planting trees, and enjoying bug hunts, tyre swings, obstacle courses and tree climbing among many other activities.
Sam Buchanan, nursery manager at Liberty Kids, said the team had worked very hard in recent months to set up their outdoor nursery. Their spirits sank when they came across the destruction.
Sam said: "As a nursery it was very disheartening to arrive on the site to find it had been vandalised – tarpaulins ripped down, mud kitchens knocked over, children’s seating placed in the burns and items stamped on and smashed, plus damage to lots of other items.
"We were just very glad that the children had not been with us. They would have been very upset to find their nursery area in such a state.
"We have worked very hard at creating the outdoor nursery space. The nursery staff have put a lot of time and effort into allocating and placing the items, and for it to be treated in such a way was awful to see.
"The shared space is so wonderful for the community and all that use it and we are very grateful to have the opportunity to run our sessions from this site.
"It's just really sad to see that people could treat the area in this way."
Sam issued a thank-you to everyone who has offered help to tidy up the mess and get the space ready for sessions returning.
Debbie Rigby, 1st Elgin Scouts Beaver leader, added: "It’s a great shame as the group has worked hard to create a space for community groups to operate outside.
"We have seven groups using the land regularly and this will have an impact on all of those groups.
"The nursery equipment was stamped on and broken, trees snapped, and items are missing too.
"They destroyed an outdoor sail which was used to provide outdoor shelter. This was funded by the Gordon and Ena Baxter Foundation only eight months ago.
"It’s such a great shame that a few have such a negative impact on so many community groups."
