Trust kicks off Community Payback scheme with Vikings help

RUGBY stars helped launch a scheme that will see neighbourhoods around Runcorn and Widnes tidied up.

Widnes Vikings got stuck into some hard labour as the Community Payback scheme was launched by Halton Housing Trust and Cheshire Probation Service.

Team players Ryan Stokes, Richie Hughes, Chaz I'Anson and Gareth Haggerty repainted walls, demolished old fences and cleared graffiti around the Upton estate.

“It’s great to see the lads helping out in this way,” said Rob Fuller, Community Manager for the Vikings’ Valhalla Foundation.

“We know how much the Trust cares for its communities so to support them with this project feels like a very worthy cause.”

Residents and Trust customers voted on the areas they wanted the Community Payback scheme to start in.

The Upton estate won the vote and the Vikings were joined by offenders in bright orange jackets on Thursday (June 9) who were there to carry out community service.

Noel Sharpe, Director of Customer Service at Halton Housing Trust, said: “This project is one of the ways we aim to make a real difference to our customers’ lives and local communities this year.

“The fact those taking part in the scheme wear the bright orange high-visibility jackets marked ‘Community Payback’ means the projects combine visible hard work with the prospect of offenders achieving vocational and crucial life skills.

“We’d like to thank the Vikings for lending some manpower to help make the start of the Community Payback scheme a real success.”

The Trust is working in partnership with Cheshire Probation to ensure the work is completed.
 
Last year, more than 170,000 hours of community payback were carried out in Cheshire, including 31,634 hours in Halton.

Tasks included removing graffiti, litter picking and clearing undergrowth from pathways to repairing and redecorating community centres and working on environmental projects.

Other areas that will benefit from the scheme include West Bank, Stewards Avenue Estate, Montgomery Road Estate and Grangeway.