Heartless Thugs Wreck Community Allotment with 5kg of Salt
Carly Burd was left devastated after vandals poured “five kilogrammes of salt” all over her allotment, destroying onions and potatoes meant to feed hundreds of people. The 43-year-old, who has been growing vegetables since July 2022, says the attack will impact the local community deeply.
From Growing Food to Growing Hope
A mother-of-three living with multiple sclerosis and lupus, Carly relies on disability benefits. She started growing veggies in her backyard before moving to a nearby allotment to supply fresh produce to locals battling soaring food prices. She proudly claims to have fed over 1,600 people with her crops.
But on Saturday, April 8, Carly discovered the shocking vandalism. “I just came down on Saturday morning and tasted and saw,” she revealed. “Over five kilogrammes of salt have been poured over my garden. It wasn’t a child—it was an adult who knew exactly what they were doing.”
Community Effort Sabotaged
The onions destroyed were planted by local children eager to give back. “I felt like I got punched in the face. Who would do such a thing? It’s the most repulsive act I’ve ever witnessed,” Carly said.
She added, “Not only will it affect a large number of people, but it will also have an impact on nature. Everything in the ground, all the worms—they’re all dead. It has a huge impact.”
Carly Vows to Bounce Back
Despite the setback, Carly is determined to carry on. She plans to transform the ruined allotment space into an outdoor community hub with meal nights, tea, and coffee. Meanwhile, she will use another part of the allotment to continue growing vegetables and provide food parcels.
“We’ll keep moving forward,” she said. “We’re digging up as much as we can to get as much veg in the ground as possible. About 300 people depended on that patch—it’s a lot of food lost.”
Carly has also launched a GoFundMe page to help rebuild her efforts, smashing her £4,000 goal by raising over £38,000 so far.
“We can’t plant anything on that salted land, so instead, we’ll invite the community over for meals and social nights. All I can do right now is keep going; I can’t do anything else.”
