Volunteers help Blyth learning difficulties charity Headway Arts restore outdoor garden after damage by vandals

Staff at Headway Arts in Blyth previously arrived at the charity’s building, the former Blyth United Reformed Church on Waterloo Road, to find the gate kicked in, plants and seating trashed, building pipework stolen, and evidence of an attempt to break into the building.

The community quickly rallied behind Headway Arts, which supports adults with learning disabilities through drama, music, and creative arts, and helped restore the garden to once again be a safe place for the organisation’s members.

Creative director at Headway Arts Allie Walton-Robson said: “It is now a peaceful and beautiful outdoor sanctuary space again, where we can run our relaxing creative well-being workshops and visitors can enjoy outdoor entertainment and local craft beers from our pop-up Starlight Cafe Bar during our Blythfest celebrations in June.

“It is heartwarming to see after all the awful damage suffered.”

Ian from Lidl in Blyth, Lynsey from Morrisons in Blyth, and John at Azure in Cramlington helped to facilitate the donation of new plants for the garden.

Volunteers met on Tuesday, May 30 to clear away debris from the attack, plant the new flowers, and restore the facilities as much as possible.

Headway Arts chief executive officer Frances Castle said: “I would like to thank our team and all the community volunteers and businesses who really pulled together to help renovate our community garden.

“We are delighted with the results.”

This was not the first time the garden has been vandalised, but it was the most severe recent incident.

Headway Arts is now fundraising for new lights and fencing to help protect the building from further instances of vandalism.

The charity has now been running for 28 years, and is gearing up for Blythfest this summer, a two-week period of exhibitions, shows, and workshops around the town run by various cultural organisations.

Recently, the group received a £4,500 grant to install an accessible stage in their church headquarters, built in 1876, allowing them to host bigger, more regular events at the facility.