Vandals ruin Hillsborough garden

[StevieH]

BBC NEWS | England | Merseyside | Vandals ruin Hillsborough garden

 

 

Vandals have caused more than £10,000 of damage to a Hillsborough memorial garden in Merseyside.

Memorial stones were thrown across the gardens in Port Sunlight village and decorative balustrades were kicked and smashed during the attack.

 

Chief executive of the village trust Lionel Bolland was called out after midnight on Sunday and saw the damage.

 

He said: "I was sickened by what they had done, it is despicable. What must go through their minds?"

 

The garden was dedicated to those who lost their lives in the Hillsborough disaster shortly after the tragedy 20 years ago.

Set up by Unilever, it was created to help many of their staff, who lost loved ones in the Leppings Lane crush, pay their respects.

 

Mr Bolland said: "It is the worst act of vandalism I have ever seen and to have ever taken place in our gardens.

 

"We have gardeners who lovingly tend to the memorial lawns on a regular basis - they give a lot of comfort to a lot of people.

 

"It is just heartbreaking and I cannot comprehend why anyone would do this.

"Whoever is responsible should take a look at themselves in the mirror and think about what they have done. It is sick."

 

A police spokesman confirmed that the incident was under investigation.

The 20th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster was marked on 15 April this year with 25,000 people attending a memorial service to remember the 96 Liverpool fans who died during the club's FA Cup semi-final at the Sheffield Wednesday ground.

 

The garden is situated in Port Sunlight, a village created in the 19th Century by William Lever for the workers of his nearby soap factory.

[ratcatcher]

Despicable.

[Guest davelfc]

I used to work at Unilever (UML) when I left the RAF. Used to spend a little time very early in the morning at that memorial. I hope they catch the bastards and kick the shit out of them. It's sickening that they could do this.

[Liverpool lad]

I hope they throw the book at them for this, they must have knew the hurt they would have caused when they decided to do this.

[RoboRiise]

I don't know the ins and outs of this, whether it's still maintained by the company or whatever but if any donations are needed to help fund the repairs, I hope details get posted up on here. It's just disgraceful, a complete lack of basic human decency.

[ChrisA]

These things always appall me. What level of emotional detachment is needed to do such a thing? F*****G scum.

[1892-LFCWasBorn]

Cunts. Hope they die of Aids.

[halewood pete]

If and when they are caught,apart from going before the courts to be dealt with,they should be made to sit in a room with some of the families who lost loved ones and try to explain what the fuck they were thinking of.

[Unrighteous]

Fucking savages.

[Brownie]

Shocking, but not reallu surprising in this day and age.

[Guest TK-421]

Very saddening this year of all years. I hope they catch the culprits.

[tokyojoe]

Utter fucking scum. I totally agree wih HP's comment above.

 

RIP the 96.

[RedBadger]

If and when they are caught,apart from going before the courts to be dealt with,they should be made to sit in a room with some of the families who lost loved ones and try to explain what the fuck they were thinking of.

 

Dead right Pete

[L.F.C]

I hope they throw the book at them for this, they must have knew the hurt they would have caused when they decided to do this.

 

I hope they throw fucking knives at them.

[paddyberger15]

You know what, the older I get, the less I understand the mentality of people.

They say that Aliens walk among us, and living in this City the more sure I am that this is true. I wonder whether some of the cunts here are the same species as the rest of us.

[Section_31]

You know what, the older I get, the less I understand the mentality of people.

They say that Aliens walk among us, and living in this City the more sure I am that this is true. I wonder whether some of the cunts here are the same species as the rest of us.

 

Agreed mate. Attacking any kind of memorial, grave, plaque, anything which attacks people's grief is as low as it gets IMO, and to have it done within a stone's throw of your own city makes it so much worse. Saying that though, you're talking about a place where the slab of concrete where Anthony Walker died had racial insults written on it. Nothings surprises me anymore.

[torrific]

lock them in a room with me for 5 minutes. fucking scummy little bastards. thats what i hate about this country, fucking yobs. makes me want to emigrate.

[Anubis]

If I hear of anyone coming through the Birkenhead court system fo this I'll let you all know.

[kopitegaz]

Whoever did this are dispicable cunts. As is anyone who vandalises anything, especially memorials and graves. Fucking twats.

[Xherdan]

Disgraceful stuff.

 

If these cunts are got its our duty to find out who they were.

[captainharris]

I arranged a meeting with Port Sunlight to discuss how my Project (I work with recruiting young volunteers) could work with the fund raising/clean up of the site.

 

Apparently, it is going to cost £40,000 to fully repair the area. By the looks of it, the vandalism isn't Hillsborough related as it's the wall surrounding the memorial that has been damaged, not the memorial itself.

 

They're only in the early stages of raising awareness and planning of events.

 

Port Sunlight are having their village festival on 26th July and will be using this as the first opportunity to raise awareness about the fundraising.

 

They'll also be holding two concerts (jazz/folk) in August, again with the emphasis on raising the funds. I'll be working closely with them providing the volunteers for the events for stewarding/food stalls/awareness leaflet drops/bucket collections etc..

 

They seemed incredibly appreciative of the support we've offered and i'll keep the forum updated of any upcoming fund raisers they have in the pipeline.

[captainharris]

Just to let you all know. The Port Sunlight Village Festival is happening this Sunday.

 

There'll be be an ice rink, vintage car rally, stalls, kids activities and live entertainment.

 

IT will be the first opportunity for them to give details on the forthcoming fundraisers. There will also be bucket collections taking place on the day to help with the fund.

 

It's free to attend and runs from 11am - 5pm.

[chris71]

Is there any link to where we could donate a few bob ?

[captainharris]

No link that I know of yet, but donations can be sent to:

 

23 King George’s Drive, Port Sunlight CH62 5DX.

 

That's according to this article:

Appeal launched to repair the damaged Hillsborough Memorial in Port Sunlight (From Wirral Globe)

[Toddler]

There was an item on the offal a few weeks ago about the fund raising etc. You can send a cheque through good old fashioned snail mail or donate on line.

 

I sent them a donation myself and wrote them a letter offering to do some labouring once they were ready to get building again, cos my donation was only small.

 

They took the trouble of phoning me up and thanking me in person, but explained that they had local contractors who'd already offered to do the restoration for no charge, but the £40k is going to the stone that they have to get specially cut etc for the wall around the memorial, because Port Sunlight is protected under English Heritage or whatever, so they have very tight restrictions on what they can do in the restoration.

 

So really the only thing anyone can do, unless they're a stone mason or own a quarry, is help the fund raising.

 

How good of them was it to take the time to phone me up though eh? I was touched. That deserves another donation in itself - dig deep!