Appeal issued after windows of Blackburn Foodbank smashed

At around 7.20pm on Saturday, February 17, several windows of the Oakenhurst Road site were damaged.

According to police, two male teenagers used a “large catapult” to smash windows at the site.

The damage was not discovered until Monday, February 19.

Gill Fourie, operations manager at the foodbank, believes it will cost around £1,000 to replace the windows and said the incident left workers and volunteers feeling “shaken”.

Gill Fourie, operations manager at Blackburn Foodbank (Image: Blackburn Foodbank)She said: “It’s just mindless vandalism and the last thing we need.

"The £1,000 that should have been spent on food and fresh vegetables and now we have to use it to repair the windows.

“It really upset the staff and volunteers because we are a charity and just trying our best to help the vulnerable in society.

“We had to spend our time on that Monday morning clearing up mess, fixing windows and securing the site.

“It was unsettling to think that we had been targeted, especially when we didn’t know anything about why it happened or who it was. It really shook everyone up.”

Damaged caused to Blackburn Foodbank (Image: Police)Gill is urging those responsible to come forward.

She said: “I want to encourage those responsible to never do this again and consider doing some kind of sponsored event to raise the money needed for repairs.”

CCTV shows two male teenagers with a large catapult aiming stones at the windows.

Due to the potential age of the suspects, police have opted not to show an image but they are dressed all in black with an orange catapult.

A  Lancashire Police spokesperson said: “On the evening of Saturday,  February 17, at roughly 7.20pm, several windows have been damaged at Blackburn Foodbank in Oakenhurst Road costing nearly £1,000 to replace.

“CCTV shows two male teenagers with a large catapult aiming stones at the windows. If anyone has information to who the suspects could be please get in touch via this message, due to the potential age of the suspects we cannot show an image but they are dressed all in black with an orange catapult. 

“This lay undetected until staff opened the building on Monday , February 19, if you happen to see anything suspicious or see damage on this scale please report it via 101.”

Blackburn Foodbank recently spoke to the Lancashire Telegraph and said it has seen an influx of people needing to use the foodbank’s services.

The data for the foodbank’s usage in January was said to be “heartbreaking”.

Around 1,600 people were provided with enough meals for three days. The foodbank saw an average of 70 families a day.

Currently, the foodbank needs donations of tinned soup, UHT milk and rice.

Anyone with information about the vandalism has been asked to call 101 quoting log refence: LC-20240219-0300.