Community Payback improves local environment
05/11/2010
Offenders working in the community as part of their sentence, under the supervision of the Surrey and Sussex Probation Trust, are improving the environment in East Sussex.
The initiative has been designed so that the Surrey & Sussex Probation Trusts Community Payback scheme can help the Environment Agency improve community woodlands, whilst providing offenders with skills and work experience to help prevent re-offending and ensuring that convicted offenders give something back to the local community.
Work is now planned for Park Wood, Hellingly during November and December. The Community Payback team will coppice sweet chestnut wood to be used for new fencing in the wood and in flood defences on the River Ouse and dig holes and erect posts for an improved way-marking system to allow better community access to the wood.
Sonia Crozier, Surrey & Sussex Probation Trust Chief Executive said: Community Payback is hard work, carried out by offenders in the community. All those working on projects will be closely supervised at all times and because they wear orange high-visibility jackets, marked Community Payback, people can see how they are paying back the community for their crimes.
Andy Pearce, Environment Agency Area Manager, said: The Community Payback project will really benefit both the local community and communities that border the River Ouse. The projects will help make the woods more accessible and will also improve the variety of plants and wildlife there. The offenders have the chance to give something back to the community, and there are strong signs that this type of work stops people re-offending.
ENDS
For more information contact:
Rob Nicholls
Communications Officer
Surrey & Sussex Probation Trust
Tel: 01273 227970
Notes for editors
About Surrey & Sussex Probation Trust (SSPT)
- Was formed on 1 April 2010 following a merger between Surrey Probation Area and Sussex Probation Area
- Provides reports on offenders to assist magistrates and judges decide on the sentences they pass in court.
- Safely supervises people serving sentences in the community
- Ensures people complete their community sentences and take them back to court if they don't
- Prevents people from committing more crimes
- Prepares prisoners for release
- Supervises prisoners who are released into the community on licence
- Supports victims of serious crime
- Delivers specialist programmes for offenders, which are proven to reduce further offending
- Works with other agencies to protect the public.
