In this section you can find out more about some of the excellent projects we have been involved in recently.
Bristol Estate, Brighton
Work to reduce fear of crime and improve the environment on a large housing estate. More than 750 offenders have worked on the estate since January 2008 in groups of up to 35.
The work carried out has been vital in improving the environment and reducing antisocial behaviour, vandalism and fear of crime. Work has included:
- Clearing large overgrown hedgerows to improve safety
- Refurbishing the basements of 11 tower blocks
- Removing litter and graffiti
- Painting railings and steps
- Clearing fly-tipped rubbish
- Clearing allotments
Eastbourne Town Centre
Making the town centre look better and feel safer by cleaning-up alleyways used by street drinkers and drug users. A group of eight offenders spent three days removing rubbish from alleyways in Station Approach, Cornfield Road, Andwell Court and Ashford Road.
A large skip and more than 20 wheelie-bins of rubbish including hundreds of beer cans, shopping trolleys, drug paraphernalia and food packaging were removed.
Community Payback teams will return to the alleys every few weeks to ensure they stay clear.
Hastings Seafront
Revamping two seafront landmarks which were targets for vandalism. Offenders spent around 100 hours repainting the 20 beach huts in a new red, blue and green colour scheme and also painted the 400-yard-long Bottle Alley.
Councillor Peter Pragnell, leader of Hastings Borough Council, said "I'm pleased that the beach area has seen the benefit of this work. We are more than happy to work with Sussex Probation in providing the materials and I hope the offenders get a sense of achievement from their efforts.
" I look forward to seeing more improvements stemming from this partnership working."
Goodwood Estate
Award-winning environmental project to improve a large country estate for use as an education centre for children. Offenders carried out more than 2,000 hours of unpaid work at the 15-hectare Goodwood Estate, near Chichester.
Up to 50 offenders a month were involved in a variety of work including coppicing, planting hedgerows, clearing paths, erecting fences, installing bird and hedgehog boxes, redecorating the visitor centre and building benches.
The work has resulted in an increase in numbers of deer, bird species and rare insects. The scheme won a Howard League for Penal Reform Award 2008.
