Leaders, staff and volunteers of the Play-Links playgroup in Strangford along with the wider community are aghast at the wanton destruction of play items and equipment after an attack which saw dolls’ heads chopped off and their bodies burned.
On Friday afternoon 29th April between 3-5pm, a group of teenagers believed not to be from the village, launched themselves at the Strangford Play-Links causing extensive damage.
Wanda Smyth, Play-Links Leader said: “This act of vandalism is terrible. We have tried to keep the children away from the damaged area until we get it all repaired. The is a serious invasion of their space. We have been taking the children to Castleward which they love.
“I received a telephone call that a group of teenagers were running amok in the premises in the outside area and I called over immediately and phoned the police. The damage I saw initially when I arrive was extensive. But with the very welcome help of the SERC apprentices from the construction trades, we will be able to get the equipment repaired and made safe again.
“Myself and local neighbours took photos of these youths which the police now have. We will be able to identify them. The damage included:
* broken glass in the mud kitchen,
* dolls with heads ripped off and bodies burned,
* four spades broken,
* tables and chair broken,
* firemen and police hats in the shed were smashed,
* rope for the bridge were cut,
* windows in the playhouse were smashed,
* the storage box for the wellies was forced open and they were thrown around everywhere,
* toys in the shed were smashed,
“It was basically a crime scene of destruction. We were all gutted. When SERC heard of this they volunteered their help which we were very glad of. A number of local people had come in  right away and started to help clear up the mess. We even had one elderly grannie in helping to clear up who was incensed at the damage caused.
“Every day I as the leader have to do a risk assessment of the facility and equipment. We will not be able to open until everything has been repaired and is in working order and there is no glass around. The children are outside as much as the weather permits.
“I’d like to thank everyone for their help. It was very much appreciated. And a very special thank you to the staff and apprentices at SERC who have worked so well to get this mess repaired and cleaned up for us.”
SERC apprentice manager Fintan Lawlor, who supervises the apprentices, explained: “We were delighted to be able to help the Play-Links group. We do a lot of work in the community as part of our trying programme and this has been a useful experience for the the SERC apprentices. I basically look after all the projects for the SERC campuses. When the building firms were collapsing during the recession, the SERC developed the idea of work in the community to give the apprentices the necessary practical knowledge. They still attend college a couple of days a week to cover their theory.
“Our students really benefit from these sort of projects. They also learn personal and social skills along the way and mature as young citizens. So it was with disbelief that we arrived at the scene at Play-Links to witness the widespread destruction around the facility.
“This site vocational experience is invaluable to the students. They see other trades at work and learn from them too. It is a win-win situation. The main emphasis is on the apprentices getting experience and work, while they also create real community impact benefiting many charities and groups across the Down area.
“We do not do work that other trades people do. We do not displace their work which would ne unfair. We certainly do not tired on their toes.”
But Fintan Lawlor has an ace up his sleeve. He has a good working relationship with local builders and suppliers and asks them for donations of materials which are mostly forthcoming.
Fintan said: “One job we were on lasted for 18 months working with Action Mental Health in Downpatrick refurbishing their property. This was a major internal job for us and the students really benefitted from it.
“Our apprentice initiative has been going six years. We have worked at the Rudolf Steiner School in Hollywood, Lorne House, and Daisy Lodge and at many play park facilities… our aim is to make a difference to our communities and give the apprentices the necessary grounding they need.”
In the past two weeks there has been considerable unrest in the Lecale area as large groups of  youth assemble, drink alcohol and cause mayhem. There has to date been serious public incidents in Ardglass and Killough, and now in Portaferry.
