Tesco comes to the rescue of Westover Primary School in Portsmouth after vandals damage children’s greenhouse
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Following the ‘mindless act’ last weekend, staff and children at the school were angered that people would deliberately cause such damage at a time ‘when communities are supposed to be pulling together’.
Year 5 pupil, Hugo Murray, 10, said: ‘It was not very nice when we saw what had happened. Hopefully the people who did it will be in big trouble.’
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Hide AdHeadteacher Sarah Sadler said: ‘It makes me feel terribly sad that someone could do something like this at a time when people are being affected by a global pandemic.’
However, in the face of adversity, the local community, including the Tesco store in Fratton, has come to the Baffins school’s rescue by providing new gardening equipment and plants for the children.
Mrs Sadler said: ‘After we posted about the incident on Facebook one of the mothers who works at Tesco had mentioned in the store what had happened. We were then contacted by the supermarket who provided new soil, seeds, pots and equipment for the children to continue with their gardening.
‘We also had a local resident who heard what had happened and donated some tomato plants.’
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Hide AdWith the school still open for key worker pupils, the children have been putting the new tools to good use.
Hugo said: ‘Tesco and other people have been really kind to donate these things. I really enjoyed planting the carrots today and I hope to eventually eat them.’
Mrs Sadler added: ‘I’m delighted people cared enough to want to help replace the equipment for the children.’
The headteacher thanked Tesco for its generosity.
A Tesco spokeswoman said: ‘Our colleagues at Fratton Extra were delighted to help with some gardening equipment for the school and hope that the children enjoy their gardening when they return.’
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Hide AdHampshire police are appealing for anyone with information on the incident to get in touch.
A police spokeswoman said: ‘We were called just before 9am on March 30 to reports of damage being caused at Westover Primary School. Entry was forced into the greenhouse and damage was caused inside. This happened between March 27 and 30. Anyone with information should phone 101, quoting 442001144630.