Bendigo Baptist Community Care op shop staff threatened, windows smashed

Founding director of Make A Difference Change Our World (MADCOW), Matthew Parkinson, said the vandalism came after staff were threatened by an individual who had been banned from entering the premises.

MADCOW and its auspicing organisation Bendigo Baptist Community Care operate breakfast and lunch services everyday at the Hargreaves Street site, in the same building as the op shop.

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Mr Parkinson said while people accessing homelessness support could be aggressive, most were not.

"Ninety-eight per cent of our guests are really nice people, and they're doing it tough," he said. "It's spoiling it for them as well.

"This person is aggressive and that's one thing we can't tolerate.

"People get cranky. They're living on the street we get that, but not with us, that's not acceptable. It is a bit disturbing that it's been so severe."

Two staff and 30 volunteers work in the MADCOW's homeless services area, which also provides storage and laundry facilities.

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Mr Parkinson said the service has had to resort to temporarily banning people in the past, however this is the first instance of vandalism.

"There's a couple that are permanently banned and that's for our safety," he said.

"Generally in the past they've acknowledged that, but this person is choosing to push the boundaries."

Mr Parkinson said the vandal had not been formally identified however police had been notified and CCTV footage is being reviewed.

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