Thugs pour FIVE KILOS of salt on charity allotment, wrecking crops meant to feed hundreds
Heartless attack on local veggie patch
Carly Burd, 43, has been left devastated after vandals dumped over five kilogrammes of salt on her community allotment in Harlow, Essex. The salt ruined onions and potatoes grown to feed more than 300 people during a time of soaring food prices.
The mother-of-three, who battles multiple sclerosis and lupus and relies on disability benefits, started growing vegetables in July 2022. From her backyard and nearby allotment, she has since fed 1,600 people.
“I felt like I’d been punched in the face”
On Saturday, April 8, Carly arrived at the allotment to find the heartbreaking destruction.
“Over five kilogrammes of salt have been poured over my garden. This wasn’t a kid messing about — it was an adult who knew exactly what they were doing,” Carly said. “I felt like I got punched in the face.”
She slammed the act as “the most repulsive” she has ever witnessed and warned of the lasting damage.
“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.”
Determined to bounce back and help others
Despite the setback, Carly is refusing to be beaten.
She plans to turn the ruined patch into an outdoor community space with meals and refreshments, while growing vegetables on a different part of the allotment to keep supplying food parcels.
“We’ll keep moving forward. We’re digging up as much as we can to get veg in the ground,” she said. “We can’t plant anything on that land now. Nothing will grow there.”
She has also launched a GoFundMe page to rebuild her effort. The initial £4,000 target was smashed, raising over £38,000 to help her bounce back.
Carly’s dedication is a beacon of hope for her community, proving that even cruelty can’t crush the spirit of kindness.
