A charity supporting children with additional needs and disabilities has been forced to close on key dates after a firework was pushed through the doors of its Wirral premises. The Sensory Shack, on Fender Way in Beechwood, was targeted overnight between Sunday, September 20 and Monday, September 21.
Staff discovered a scorch mark inside the building along with a burnt firework. No one was inside at the time and the damage was limited to carpet tiles. Managing director Eleanor Belton, 24, from Bromborough, said the incident could have had devastating consequences if children had been inside.
Charity's security measures bypassed
Eleanor, who has a younger brother and sister with Down syndrome and autism, took over the charity when it was at risk of closure last year. She said the organisation had experienced several incidents in the area previously, including youths climbing on the roof, graffiti on shutters and people interfering with security grates. The Sensory Shack also had to call firefighters last week after a nearby football cage was set on fire.
But Eleanor said the latest incident went beyond anything they had experienced before. The charity has a number of security measures in place because of the complex needs of the children it supports, including a front gate with a padlock, a roller shutter and a locked entrance area. Eleanor said: "The kids would have had to jump over the gate, then kind of jimmy up the roller shutter, and then push it through. So it would have taken quite a lot of effort, which is why it's gone beyond anything that's happened before. It was a stroke of luck that we were closed and there were no kids on site."
Impact on vulnerable children
The Sensory Shack supports almost 80 families across the Wirral and is open from 9am to 7pm, seven days a week. Eleanor said some of the children using the service are particularly sensitive to noise and may not understand the danger posed by a firework. She said: "Some of our kids are really noise-sensitive anyway, so any sort of noise makes them feel really distressed. But if they were in the building, they wouldn't have the understanding to obviously stay back away from the firework. What might seem like a joke could actually have a really devastating impact."
The charity offers small group sessions with high staffing ratios, as well as support for children who are not currently accessing full-time education. It has also recently launched family-assisted days out, helping families access activities such as the zoo, aquarium and cinema when they need additional support.
Closure on Mischief Night and November 5
Eleanor said the charity had become a "lifeline" for families who struggle to access other services. She said: "The kids we support have such a high level of need that they can't access any other service, really. We're one of three services that offer respite support and fun sessions for kids with disabilities on the Wirral. It's such a point of anxiety for families to trust a service with their child, especially if their child can't communicate if they're having a good time or if they're happy or sad. And we've built up such a connection with these families that I don't want them to then feel anxious about sending their children to our service, and having one less service they can use, because they're worried that this is going to happen again."
Eleanor said families had been supportive since the incident, but the charity had made the difficult decision to close on Mischief Night and November 5. She said: "It's something that we shouldn't really have to do, but we're going to have to." The decision comes as demand for the charity's services continues to grow. The Sensory Shack has recently expanded into a neighbouring unit and has doubled the number of children it supports.
Police investigate incident
Eleanor said: "We've actually just expanded to a unit next door, because the demand for our services has grown so much. We support just shy of 80 families on the Wirral. We don't just have an endless pot of money to replace things. Thankfully, it was just the carpet tiles that was affected. But it could have been far worse. It would have a devastating impact on so many families, and that's what is such a worry for us." She believes boredom among some young people in the area could be contributing to anti-social behaviour. Eleanor said: "I think more and more incidents like this are happening because the kids are just so bored, and they've got nothing to do. That doesn't excuse that behaviour at all, but I think there's more of a deep-rooted problem. A few of them come to our back entrance, cycling around, wondering what's going on, and I do try and speak to them and explain. I think we need more police on the streets, speaking to kids, checking in on the area, because I think sometimes it can be a deterrent just to see a policeman or policewoman walking around."
Merseyside Police is investigating the incident and appealing for information. Detective Inspector Andrew West said: "To use a firework as a weapon is incredibly reckless and could have had far more serious consequences. The premises is a local charity which is a vital part of the community, and forms part of a shopping concourse serving the area. If you live locally and saw or heard anything overnight on Sunday, or captured the incident on CCTV, dashcam or other doorbell devices, please come forward and we will do all we can to find those responsible. What those involved may have thought was messing around is far more serious, and such incidents can and do have cause devastation in our communities."
Anyone with information should contact Merseyside Police social media desk via X or Facebook @MerPolCC. You can also report information via the force's website or by calling 101 quoting incident reference 26000781217. Alternatively, contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
