Vandals rob Country Women’s Association property

VANDALS have damaged property at the Country Women Association (CWA) office in Coffs Harbour.

To their great dismay, members arrived at their rooms on Dalley Street to find that a sign and a brand new fence had been vandalised.

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In the late hours of Sunday, July 7, the vandals attempted to pull the board from its anchor and bent it.

They stood on the pool fence trying to pull the sign off the pole and broke off a pole on the ground.

“The only way to repair the fence is to replace two panels and drill a new hole for the post,” said branch manager Jodie Williams.

“We put up a pool fence because the old stone fence was constantly getting graffitied on, and we thought that this type of fence would reduce the chance of that happening.

“It’s so frustrating because we had put a fair amount of money aside for a local charity in Coffs Harbour and now that money has to be spent on repairs and a security system.”

Luckily, local contractor Mick from Bonville Fencing, who installed the fencing, was “amazing”.

“He arrived quickly to assess the damage and devise a plan to repair the fence before further damage occurred.

“A new sign will have to replace the old one, in a new location well within the border fences,” she said.

The incident prompted a decision to upgrade the building’s security system.

“The incident was reported to Coffs Clarence Police and they suggested installing a security system as there is no footage of the damage caused.

“Immediately before and after the incident, the vandals walked past the cameras at Parkside Radiology, who were very helpful by providing as much footage as possible.”

However, it was not enough for a police action.

“It is disappointing to say the least.

“Even if the damage is covered by insurance, we’re still out $1,000, plus a new security system.

“That money will now not reach the neediest charities in our community, which our members find incredibly frustrating.”

The establishment owns its own rooms, without outside financial assistance.

The local CWA spaces are available for rent, and the organization’s policy is to offer discounts to non-profit organizations and underprivileged community groups.

“We manage to do this by relying on our volunteer members to provide catering and baking for events, so we can raise enough money to not only maintain our venue but also contribute financially to our community,” says Jodie.

By Andrea FERRARI