A team of offenders from the Sussex Probation Area Community Payback Scheme are helping Sussex Wildlife Trust (SWT) create an outdoor classroom and wildlife garden in Stanmer Park.

Friday 2 November, 11.30am
Sussex Wildlife Trust (SWT) Wildlife Garden, Stanmer Park, Brighton

Meet at the entrance to Stanmer Park Nursery left of Stanmer House
Contact: Michael Edmonds on 0781 339 0884

Funded by Legal & General, the new wildlife garden at Stanmer Park will provide SWT with a much needed site in the Brighton area to run its ever expanding programme of activities. As well as a variety of events and courses, the outdoor classroom and garden will be used for the Trust’s environmental education programme and children’s holiday clubs.

On Friday 2 November, offenders from the Community Payback team, SWT project leaders and Legal & General staff will be working side by side on the garden - hanging gates, making mini-beast homes and constructing a storytelling area.

The National Probation Service Community Payback Scheme enables members of the public to suggest projects that offenders could complete as part of their Unpaid Work hours. Unpaid Work is a punishment for offenders that also enables them to give something positive back to the local community whilst being rehabilitated. It also gives offenders additional skills to help them find paid employment which is one of the key factors
in reducing reoffending. The Sussex Community Payback scheme has so far provided over 100,000 hours of community based work.

SWT’s project at Stanmer Park utilises the work of offenders completing their Unpaid Work. Under probation service supervision the offenders have cleared and prepared the site at weekly sessions enabling SWT to begin work on their much needed wildlife garden.

Frances Borrer, Community Involvement Manager at Legal & General says,

“Legal & General are pleased to be supporting this worthwhile project which will provide a great natural resource for local schools, while offering young offenders an opportunity to learn skills and help others. Through our wide ranging community involvement programme we've been working with SWT for a number of years and remain committed to improving our local environment and community”

Ends

For further details on Community Payback in Sussex visit Sussex Probation Area’s website www.sussexprobation.gov.uk or email a suggestion for an Unpaid Work project to sussexcommunity.payback@sussex.probation.gsi.gov.uk