Beloved Clevedon Men's Shed targeted in arson attack

The Clevedon Men's Shed - a community workshop that sees men able to use a workshop and meet - was targeted some time between 7pm on Tuesday (April 19) and 12.30am the following morning.

"Offenders set fire to a decking and seating area at the Clevedon Men’s Shed, behind Clevedon Community Centre, in Princes Road," said an Avon and Somerset Police spokesperson.

"The charity is run by a group for men to meet and socialise to overcome loneliness and to work on community outreach projects.

"This year the charity helped to purchase a defibrillator for local community use.

"We’re appealing for any information which could help us identify the offenders, including anyone who saw or heard anything suspicious around the area of the community centre in the timeframe the incidents occurred."

The group has now launched a GoFundMe appeal to raise funds to repair the damage.

Police are appealing for information regarding the incident (Image: Mike Somerton)

David Young, secretary and a trustee of Clevedon Men's Shed, said: "Vandals burnt down our charity’s outside decking and seating area where our members meet for coffee breaks from our work making wooden items to sell and working on community outreach projects.

"It took us three years of hard work by mostly elderly retired men to turn a patch of land from a tip into a perfect area for meeting and socialising to overcome loneliness and social isolation.

"We are asking for donations to help us clear the damage and rebuild our decking, seating overhead pergola, an outside work station and a timber store. We will do the work ourselves."

You can find the appeal at https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-us-restore-our-vandalised-seating-area

Anyone with information should contact police on 101 and give the call handler the reference number 5222092911.