THE heartbreak suffered by students and teachers at Bathurst South Public School will soon start to heal, thanks to the generosity of an entire community.
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When news broke that a flock of five chickens at the school had been cruelly slaughtered and their nesting box set on fire, the Bathurst community vented its anger.
But principal Greg Cross said he has been overwhelmed by support from the wider community to help re-establish the school’s chickens and provide a new coop.
Mr Cross said he has received countless calls of support as well as offers of new chickens, a new coop and feed.
“We’ve been offered more than 100 chickens from people,” he said.
“People with no links to the school have just walked in off the street and donated money.”
Among the donations was $1000 from Michael Whittaker at Bathurst Real Estate for a new chicken coop.
“We’ve purchased a new secure metal chicken coop that is being delivered as we speak,” he said.
“Lots of dads and granddads [of students at the school] have offered to build if needed.”
The offer of new chickens have come from far and wide, with the school to receive six new chickens and feed from Bedwells Feed Barn.
“All the staff at Bedwells were saddened and shocked by what happened to the chooks,” Bedwells’ Robert Henigan said. “Chickens are the sort of animal that get kids involved.”
New nesting boxes have been custom-made by Tobbie Muldoon from Country Bumpkin.
Mr Cross said the new chickens will be safer in their new coop thanks to a CCTV system to be installed at the school.
“A dad’s organised CCTV surveillance to go in the area and that should get installed in the next week or so,” he said.
Mr Cross said there have been countless other people who have offered their support.