Community Payback in Rochdale
Offenders on Community Payback Redecorate Building for Adults with Learning Difficulties
OFFENDERS carrying out Community Payback have redecorated a building that will soon house a day service for adults with learning disabilities.
The premises, which is run by Rochdale Adult Care, is in Pine Street, Heywood, and has been repainted from top to bottom by teams of up to eight people working seven days a week.
Community Payback is a punishment for breaking the law and a way for offenders to make up for the harm they have done.
Adult Care asked the town’s probation service to consider doing the job only a few days before work began.
Rachel Law, head of Learning Disability Provider Services, thanked Community Payback for the work.
She added: "This is a positive new development as it will give people with learning disabilities the opportunity to engage in a range of new and exciting activities in the Heywood area.
"At the same time it provides an opportunity for people to engage with individuals with a learning disability and make a positive contribution to their local community."
Tee Shah, aged 19, was sentenced to 100 hours Community Payback as a result of committing driving offences.
He said: "I just want to get my hours over and done with; I did the biggest mistake I ever made but doing this job is good because I can see it’s useful.
"I get on with the supervisor, I didn’t want to do the job and be all big and bad because then that just makes everything harder on yourself.
"If I’d have gone to prison it would’ve screwed everything up, I’d have lost my job and it would have ruined me."
Debbie Wellford, Community Payback Officer, said: "We make sure the offenders are rigorously supervised and that it is a fitting punishment for what they have done.
"This was an ideal project because everyone knows the building will soon be put to excellent use and that helps motivate the offenders."
Bicycle Project Moves Up a Gear
More than a hundred bicycles repaird by teenage and adult offenders carrying out Community Payback are being donated to the community.
Up to eight people aged 16 to 65 working a day a week have restored the bikes in a repair workshop at Rochdale Community Payback in Heywood, Green Lane.
The bicycles are being given away for a donation to clients of Rochdale Social Services.
The young offenders involved in the project are supervised by the Youth Offending Team, but their Community Payback sentence is managed by Greater Manchester Probation Trust.
Colin Ellison, Community Payback Officer said "it is the first time we've run such a giveaway, previously bicycles had been distributed among children in foster care but we had a lot more bikes and so expanded the scheme. It's a great project, the offenders are learning skills and their compliance rates are good. Ged Jones, a supervisor, speciall trained in bike repair and maintenance teaches the offenders how to carry out repairs and how to properly test the brakes, gears and to ensure roadworthiness"
"Community Payback is a punishment for breaking the law and a way for offenders to make up to the community for the harm they have done, and because bikes are going to a good cause I think this works fantastically".
The bicycles are donated by the public. Some are repaired and others are used for spare parts. If anyone has an unwanted bicycle to give to the project please call: 01706 620702 to arrange for collection.
Boarshaw Cemetery railings
The perimeter of Boarshaw Cemetery has been transformed in the lead up to green flag assessment; offenders have stripped down approximately 1/4 of mile of old rusty railings, undercoated and re-painted. This project wouldn't of been achieved without the help of Community Payback.
Charity Car Wash
A charity Car wash took place on Saturday 17th April at Heywood Fire station. A group of offenders were kept busy throughout the day, washing cars in exchange for a donation towards the Fire Service charity.
This also gave Community Payback staff the opportunity to promote other projects within our district and other Fire Service safety initiatives.
The project was advertised in the local press which contributed towards the success of the day. A total of £370 was raised which included gift aid towards the Fire Fighters charity.
Offenders Offer Help to Elderly in Rochdale
OFFENDERS carrying out Community Payback have been clearing snow and ice from the homes of the elderly in Heywood.
Residents living in sheltered accommodation in Municipal Close, Hardfield Street and Bowling Green Street were among those to benefit from the scheme.
Many were left housebound after the big freeze descended on the country.
Over the weekend a total of 21 offenders, under supervision by the town’s probation service, braved subzero temperatures to remove snow and ice to make the area safe.
Ray Dunn, Community Payback Officer, said: “One of the residents hadn’t left his home for eight days due to the paths being covered in snow.
“The work was greatly appreciated, offenders were being offered cups of tea because the people were so grateful.
“One lady asked us to clear the car park because the ambulance was due to visit and previously had difficulty parking, another had a similar problem with home help. We were delighted to oblige.”
Temperatures dropped to a chilling minus five, but that didn’t deter the offenders.
Ray, who works for Rochdale’s Community Payback team, added: “The offenders worked hard and I’m proud of them. They could tell the work was of real benefit.
“They were paying pack to the community against which they offended.”
Councillor Ted Flynn, cabinet member for Community Safety at Rochdale Borough Council, was impressed by the work.
He said: “It was a great idea to get offenders to clear our roads of ice and snow as part of their community payback punishment.
“It meant that the safety of elderly residents living in sheltered accommodation in the town centre was greatly improved and is another example of how the community payback programme can bring real benefits to local people as well as being a tough punishment.”
Members of the public are encouraged to recommend projects for Community Payback on 01706 620702 or email: GMPT.Contact@manchester.probation.gsi.gov.uk
Many were left housebound after the big freeze descended on the country.
Over the weekend a total of 21 offenders, under supervision by the town’s probation service, braved subzero temperatures to remove snow and ice to make the area safe.
Ray Dunn, Community Payback Officer, said: “One of the residents hadn’t left his home for eight days due to the paths being covered in snow.
“The work was greatly appreciated, offenders were being offered cups of tea because the people were so grateful.
“One lady asked us to clear the car park because the ambulance was due to visit and previously had difficulty parking, another had a similar problem with home help. We were delighted to oblige.”
Temperatures dropped to a chilling minus five, but that didn’t deter the offenders.
Ray, who works for Rochdale’s Community Payback team, added: “The offenders worked hard and I’m proud of them. They could tell the work was of real benefit.
“They were paying pack to the community against which they offended.”
Councillor Ted Flynn, cabinet member for Community Safety at Rochdale Borough Council, was impressed by the work.
He said: “It was a great idea to get offenders to clear our roads of ice and snow as part of their community payback punishment.
“It meant that the safety of elderly residents living in sheltered accommodation in the town centre was greatly improved and is another example of how the community payback programme can bring real benefits to local people as well as being a tough punishment.”
Members of the public are encouraged to recommend projects for Community Payback on 01706 620702 or email: GMPT.Contact@manchester.probation.gsi.gov.uk
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