![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Sticky_Fish_shelter_before.jpg\")
The shelter pictured just after it was finished in 2023<\/p>\nARSONISTS have destroyed a shelter used by children at a Fishponds pre-school.<\/p>\n
The wooden structure was built two years ago as part of a project to create a \u2018wild garden\u2019 at Sticky Fish Pre-School, at Fishponds Baptist Church in Downend Road.<\/p>\n
The project was led by the pre-school\u2019s late manager Liz Tomlinson, who died earlier this year.<\/p>\n
New pre-school manager Jen Wylie said: \u201cIt\u2019s a great shame as for us as a preschool, as it\u2019s taken away something of meaning for us.<\/p>\n
\u201cLiz wanted to use the shelter to take groups of children out for music and stories outdoors. We can\u2019t do that now because it has been destroyed.\u201d<\/p>\n
Liz led a fundraising campaign towards the \u00a315,000 overall cost of the wild garden project.<\/p>\n
The shelter pictured just after it was finished in 2023<\/p>\n
The shelter (above) was designed and built using locally-sourced wood by the East Bristol Carpentry Collective in St Werburgh\u2019s.<\/p>\n
The Wild Garden is on church property and accessible via the graveyard, which is open for people to pay their respects to loved ones.<\/p>\n
It was intended to be accessible to the community \u2013 but Jen said this had been abused.<\/p>\n
She said neighbours had reported anti-social behaviour happening within the garden, including drug taking and even dog fights.<\/p>\n
Jen said: \u201cLiz didn\u2019t want a massive fence around it, and neither did the church.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe had staff in the daytime finding kids smoking weed in the shelter. We said we don\u2019t mind you being here, but please can you respect the garden?\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Sticky_Fish_Liz_Ofsted.jpg\")
Sticky Fish manager Liz Tomlinson pictured in the outdoor learning area next to the Wild Garden, with early years teacher Tanya Bashford and children. Liz, who died earlier this year, led a fundraising campaign for the Wild Garden <\/p>\n
The pre-school has launched an online appeal<\/a> to pay for improvements to its outdoor environment in the aftermath of the attack.<\/p>\n