Inverness community cupboard vandalised in break-in attempt

A community cupboard offering food and other necessities to local people in need in Inverness has been vandalised.

Members of the Crown Connects community group were shocked to discover damage to the store near the top of Market Brae Steps on Tuesday morning.

Police were alerted, with a culprit or culprits having smashed wooden panels and attempted to force entry at several points.

Based beside an eco-café run by the Scottish Highlands and Islands and Moray Chinese Association (SHIMCA), the Crown Community Cupboard has distributed many thousands of items since opening in late June.

The eco-initiative takes fresh and packaged food donations from the likes of Tesco, Inverness Botanic Gardens and Torbreck Orchard that might otherwise go to waste.

Members of the public can also make contributions.

With Highlands and Island Enterprise support, it also buys in baby food and care products and other supplies for those struggling to make ends meet.

The 8am to 8pm service, based entirely on trust, is mostly unstaffed, with no need for referral or payment.

Jane Ferguson, of parent community group Crown Connects, said: “Basically someone has tried to break the lock and get into the key box.

“They weren’t successful, so they’ve tried to kick through the outside panel of the shed. They’ve not got anything and there’s never cash on the premises at any time, anyway.

“It is the sort of the initiative that brings out the very best in people and we’ve had such positive feedback and support.

“This is really disappointing – a breach of trust – but we’re determined all the positive work and incredible goodwill generated won’t be affected by one negative incident like this. One of our members has already repaired the damage.”

Ms Ferguson has been amazed by the cupboard’s success.

She added: “It has been insanely popular. It has just taken off. We didn’t want to have gatekeepers or monitor throughput because we didn’t want people to feel like we were spying on them.

“But it has just been crazy successful. We’re going through a lot of food and necessities, but the great thing is the more people know about it, the more people drop stuff off.”

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