The CEO of Cockenzie-based charity Heavy Sound CIC says he is “not angry” with the vandals who targeted the charity’s bus and will work with the culprits in the future.

Staff at the charity discovered the vandalism to the bus after going to pick it up from the East Lothian Council car park at Macmerry Industrial Estate yesterday (Thursday).

The side windows of the bus had been fully smashed in while the windscreen had also been smashed. Inside wrapped seats had also been damaged while the music and kitchen area had also been destroyed.

Heavy Sound aims to transform the lives of vulnerable and disengaged people across East Lothian, Midlothian and Edinburgh improving their health, wellbeing and capability by teaching them new skills in music, biking, sports, life skills and mentoring.

The 40ft bus nicknamed “The Crib” was designed by prisoners at HMP Edinburgh and features a kitchen space, hairdressing area, music studio, office spaces and more. The renovation project cost £20,000. The bus travels into communities and works with various groups to learn key skills.

Jordan Butler, CEO of the charity, told the Courier: “We hadn’t had the van out over the Easter period and we went to pick it up today at the council offices to find it completely destroyed.

“Being honest I could see it being written off with how badly it was damaged.

“The project was originally started at HMP Edinburgh prison. Residents within the prison completely refurbished the bus and made it what it is. That project cost £20,000 and the bus itself was £4,000. So it is a significant loss for us.”

The team at Heavy Sound have set up a fundraising page to help get the bus on the road again or to replace it.

Jordan said that while he is frustrated by what had happened. He would be willing to work with and forgive those who did it.

He said: “I think it is important that those who did it know that we are not angry.

“I think this is an opportunity based on the work that we do to change the narrative here.

“This highlights why we do the work that we do. There are a lack of services and community resources available to people in East Lothian.

“That can lead to people looking for things to do and sometimes that could be smashing up a bus window.

“A lot of the work we do involves looking at why people do these things and trying to change that behaviour.

“We would happily work with whoever did this if we find out who. We wouldn’t be looking to know necessarily why they did it. But we would work with them to try and help them.”

The incident has been reported to police and Jordan said he had been overwhelmed by the support so far from the community.

He said: “We have started a fundraiser to try and repair the damage. We had plans to have the bus involved in a community project with East Lothian Council where we would take it out into communities and work with young people.

“That was to be a three year project. But we are confident we will make something work so that we can keep delivering the services we do to the community.”

Jordan said police were due to speak with the charity tomorrow.

A police spokesperson said: "Around 1.15pm on Thursday, 4 May, 2023, we received a report of a vandalism to a bus which happened at Macmerry Business Park."