OFFENDERS from Chester and Ellesmere Port have been using their time under the community payback scheme to help run a 200-acre estate near Chester.
For several months groups of workers under the control of Cheshire Probation Area have been carrying out a variety of tasks at Bickley Hall Farm, near Malpas, the headquarters of Cheshire Wildlife Trust.
The Trust has been based at the historic hall, which is part of the Cholmondley estate, since 2006 and volunteers have worked to tidy up the buildings and improve the environment.
Last year Jackie Hulse, the Trust’s head of estate and land management, approached the probation service to see if offenders, under the community payback scheme, could carry out unpaid work as part of their sentences.
Over recent months teams of about eight offenders have visited the site each week to erect fences and plant hedges, replacing those which had been torn up under Government grant schemes some years ago.
“In total about 3,000 holly, blackthorn, hawthorn and oak plants are being planted,” said Andy James, the Probation Service’s community payback supervisor for Chester and Ellesmere Port.
Ash Boss, 21, from Chester, was ordered to carry out 140 hours of unpaid work by magistrates and has been involved in various projects, but found the work at Bickley particularly rewarding.
“When you see the lines of hedges it does give you a sense of achievement,” he said.
Anthony Prosser, 23, from Neston, who was ordered to complete 100 hours, added: “I’ve done things like cleaning graffiti, painting and clearing churchyards previously, but this is definitely the best from my point of view.”
Some of the offenders, having complete their stipulated number of hours, have even returned to the site to continue their work as volunteers.
Steve Collett, the chief officer of the Cheshire Probation area, added: “Community punishments are hard work, restrict liberty, but crucially encourage rehabilitation and reduce re-offending.”
“The project at Bickley Hall Farm is a perfect example of community payback in action,” he added.