Fundraising campaign for victims of allotment garden thieves: ‘They are there almost every day’

Victims of the Amateur Gardeners Association (ATV) in Assen are still recovering. The large-scale theft, with dozens of garden sheds broken open, is devastating. “You sit at home in the evening and think: oh, those poor people.”

These are the words of Irma Smits, granddaughter of 82-year-old Antoon van den Berg. He is one of the fanatics who normally wander around the allotment complex. Now that’s pretty pointless. The sheds are empty, the things gone. Especially the loss of the helpful tractor, which makes the work easier and bearable, is a great loss for the gardeners.

“Those people need that material,” Smits underlines. When she got wind of the looting, she quickly moved on. “For these men, this is their hobby. They are there almost every day to take care of the gardens independently.”

Including grandfather Van den Berg, who had doubts. “Maybe I should stop now,” he sighed.

If it were up to Smits, he and his Asser horticulturist colleagues would continue. She is a crowdfunding campaign started to raise money for the green fingers from Assen. The total amount can be up to 10,000 euros. “You can’t buy all new stuff, but you can buy used materials.”

The first few hundred euros have now been received. “Every little bit helps,” Smits says to the well-wishers. She herself already contributed to the donation bag. “I think it’s very important that people can do what they like.”

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