North Belfast youth club 'devastated' as minibus smashed after repairs to get it back on the road

North Belfast youth club 'devastated' as minibus smashed after repairs to get it back on the road "This isn't just damage to a vehicle, it is damage to opportunities for the young people in our community" 14:43, 21 Jul 2026 A youth club in North Belfast said they are "absolutely devastated" as their grounds were broken into with the windows of their minibus smashed at the weekend. Deanby Youth Club, located in the Oldpark area , said their grounds were broken into on Sunday, July 19, with their minibus vandalised. The club said they had worked hard to get the minibus back on the road, and after fundraising, saving, and hours of work, it was almost ready to return to use. The youth club said the damage caused isn't just to the vehicle, but to opportunities for local young people, who are now missing out on trips and activities. "On Sunday, our youth club grounds were broken into, and our minibus was vandalised, with all of the windows and wing mirrors smashed. It is heartbreaking to see something that means so much to our young people damaged in this way," a spokesperson for Deanby Youth Club said. "We have worked incredibly hard to get this minibus back on the road. Through fundraising, saving every penny we could, and putting in countless hours of work, we had almost reached our goal. We were just one repaired indicator away from having it ready for use. "As many youth clubs will understand, transport takes up a huge portion of our already limited summer funding. Getting our own minibus back on the road would have allowed us to take our young people on trips, activities, and experiences without placing even more pressure on our budget. "Like many community organisations, we work with very limited funding , but we always do our very best to provide the highest quality youth provision for local young people. To have something we have worked so hard for destroyed like this is truly heartbreaking. "This isn't just damage to a vehicle, it is damage to opportunities for the young people in our community." The youth club said the incident has been reported to police, with anyone with information encouraged to contact them. They added: We have reported the incident to the PSNI , and they are dealing with the matter. If anyone witnessed anything suspicious or has any information that could help, we would encourage you to contact our page or the PSNI, quoting the relevant incident details if requested. "Despite this setback, we will continue to do everything we can for our young people. We would like to thank everyone for their continued support, it means more than you know. "Our hope is that whoever is responsible reflects on the impact of their actions, not just on property, but on the opportunities they have taken away from local young people. Together, we can continue to support the young people of the Oldpark and surrounding areas who deserve better." Independent councillor Paul McCusker said: "Disgusting attack on Deanby Youth Club minibus as the club was working hard to get the bus back on the road. If anyone has any information please share it. We need to get behind the club to get this bus fixed and in use." The PSNI have been contacted for comment. Article continues below For all the latest news, visit the homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.