Usually any stories that we share from the Hawbush Project have a feel-good factor to them and are a sign of a positive change in someone’s life. Today I don’t bring such a story. Today bring’s a stark reminder of why the presence of a Christian project is so important for a place like Hawbush.
This week it was discovered that there had been a break in at the nearby Hawbush Community Gardens which has caused large scale damage to the building.
Paint has been thrown onto the walls, windows have been smashed, doors have been broken, the toilet has been blocked and damaged, machinery has been vandalised, fire extinguishers let off and there are countless acts of mindless damage.
The Police Forensic team have been to the site to dust for fingerprints and footprints which may lead to finding the culprits and were able to gain some very detailed evidence. We have also been helped out by some of our friends on the estate who have given us some very strong leads.
The Hawbush Community Gardens is a lovely environmental site which we use throughout the year to do a varied range of activities. We have likely used it 15 or 20 times in 2013 and it is a vital part of what we do, a great resource for working with the community.
Although many of you may see this story and want to help, we don’t actually require volunteer help or finance at this stage as the building is council owned, we are just the main users of the site and have taken the lead on the site in the last 2 years.
Simon Ashby (Fish) who runs the Hawbush Project said: “I can’t tell you how disheartened I was when I went to the site today removed the metal shutter and saw the door had been kicked in and the scale of the damage was deeply saddening.
“But as with all these things it just reminds me why we do the things we do, and why for the Amblecote Christian Centre, local mission is so vitally important. Somewhere in our community, a group of young people (We assume) have done this, and those people may only be changed the day they become a Christian and are born again. We take heart from such events that help is still needed.”
Simon Ashby
So very sad that such things as this take place in areas where money and time are given to help the very people who are trying to be helped. But if God loves them so must we. B.H.