LP PRIORY WOODS AFTER THE SCHOOL FACED MINDLESS VANDALISM ON THREE OF THE FIVE SCHOOL MINIBUSES ❤️🚌

Three minibuses. Three lifelines for children with special educational needs and disabilities — deliberately damaged.

We are absolutely devastated.

Priory Woods School in Middlesbrough supports incredible children with a wide range of special educational needs and disabilities.

For these children, the school's minibuses are far more than vehicles.

They are a lifeline.

They help children get to and from school and, importantly, give them access to experiences and opportunities many of us take for granted.

A trip to the beach.

A walk in the woods.

A visit to the theatre.

A day at a theme park.

School trips, activities and opportunities to experience the world outside the classroom.

These buses provide freedom, independence, inclusion and memories.

Now, just as the children prepare to return to school, all three minibuses have been badly damaged.

Windows have been smashed, windscreens have been destroyed and the vehicles have been left unable to safely transport the children.

One of the damaged minibuses is particularly close to our hearts.

The Teesside Family Foundation contributed £30,000 towards it.

That £30,000 came from the generosity of the people of Teesside — runners, businesses, volunteers, fundraisers, families and ordinary people who donated because they wanted to make life better for local children.

To see it sitting there so badly damaged is heartbreaking.

But we refuse to let this be the end of the story.

WE NEED TEESSIDE TO COME TOGETHER ❤️

Following discussions about the immediate situation, we are raising funds to help Priory Woods through the difficult weeks ahead.

Our hope is that funds raised can help towards:

- Repairing the two minibuses which appear to have suffered the least damage, where repairs are possible.

- Temporary transport costs while the school's own vehicles are unavailable.

- Easing the additional financial burden on the school caused by this incident.

- Supporting the school while the minibus with the most significant damage is professionally assessed and dealt with through the insurance process.

We don't yet know exactly what the final costs will be.

What we do know is that Priory Woods shouldn't have to face those costs alone because somebody chose to do this.

Every single donation matters.

£5, £10, £20, £50 — whatever you can afford.

And if you can't donate, please share this appeal.

Let's turn something absolutely awful into another example of what happens when Teesside looks after its own.

Whoever caused this damage may have smashed the windows.

But together, we won't allow them to take away the opportunities these buses give to these children.

Let's help get their minibuses back on the road.

Let's help keep their trips and activities going.

Let's make sure the children don't miss out because of somebody else's actions.

LET'S DO THIS FOR THE CHILDREN OF PRIORY WOODS. ❤️

Together for Teesside.

The Teesside Family Foundation