OFFENDERS HELP CLEAR THE WAY FOR GUILD WHEEL
16 Mar 2010
Lancashire Probation Trust has teamed up with Lancashire County Council to get offenders serving community sentences to help construct the Preston Guild Wheel – a major cycling route and one of Preston’s largest public transport projects. Offenders will be starting work on part of the route at Cottam on Tuesday 16th March.
The Guild Wheel is a 21-mile route that will join together existing and new cycle paths to create a wheel-shaped route around the city. Lancashire County Council is investing £1.5million in the creation of the Wheel and is leading a partnership with Preston City Council and other agencies to ensure that it is completed in time for Preston’s 2012 Guild celebrations.
Community Payback offenders will be working on the project in the run up to the Guild celebrations in 2012 to prepare the route. Up to six offenders at a time will be working hard to clear back vegetation from the route, remove litter and prepare it for other agencies to come to work on at a later date.
Lancashire Probation’s Area Director Geri Byrne-Thompson said: "The Preston Guild celebrations are a massive milestone for the city and the legacy of the Wheel will be enjoyed by residents and tourist for many years to come. We are extremely pleased that offenders who are sentenced to payback for their crimes will be able to work on a project that will directly benefit so many local communities around the city.”
County Councillor Geoff Driver, leader of Lancashire County Council, said: "The Guild Wheel will create a major landmark cycle route around Preston that will bring lasting benefits for both the city and the surrounding area. It will also provide greater access to the countryside and help to improve people's quality of life. This exciting project is an excellent opportunity for the probation service to get involved and highlights how the Community Payback scheme can work at a local level."
The project is just one of many undertaken by offenders working as part of their court punishment on Community Payback. Every year, a total of over 40,000 hours are worked across Preston and Leyland by offenders unpaid for the benefit of local people and neighbourhoods. That’s an equivalent value of almost £¼ million at basic wage.
Anyone can suggest work projects for offenders to do - apply online at www.lancashireprobation.co.uk . All work schemes must be for public or charity or non-profit community benefit.
