Offenders pay community back in renovation project

OFFENDERS being rehabilitated have helped renovate and redecorate sheltered housing in Southsea as part of a community payback scheme.
From left: Jeff Harris, Mel Skinner, Mayor of Portsmouth Frank Jonas and a service userFrom left: Jeff Harris, Mel Skinner, Mayor of Portsmouth Frank Jonas and a service user
From left: Jeff Harris, Mel Skinner, Mayor of Portsmouth Frank Jonas and a service user

The Lord Mayor of Portsmouth, Councillor Frank Jonas, visited Cornwell Court recently to see the results of the project managed by the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Community Rehabilitation Company (CRC).

Cornwell Court is one of five housing units run by Agamemnon Housing Association Limited for elderly residents who have served in the Navy or Marines.

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The Mayor enjoyed a tour of Cornwell Court and saw the metal railing work which has been sanded down and repainted by Hampshire and Isle of Wight CRC service users who have been sentenced to complete hours of community payback as punishment and to make reparation for their criminal activity.

The housing association has also benefited from repaired and renovated fencing, which has increased the sense of security for residents and made the garden a more pleasant and tidy setting.

Agamemnon Housing Association Vice-Chairman, Rod Edwards, hosted the visit and introduced the Mayor to several residents as well as to warden June LeFevre.

The Mayor then met with several offenders carrying out the work, as well as Community Payback placement manager, Jeff Harris, and supervisor, Mel Skinner.

Mr Edwards welcomed the work carried out by offenders.

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He said: ‘Agamemnon Housing Association has been very appreciative of the work completed.

‘The quality has been excellent and the groups have been friendly, helpful and respectful, especially of our elderly residents.

‘The newly painted railings and repaired fencing make the place look more attractive and feel safer.

‘Our residents are very pleased with it. We are a not-for-profit organisation and the Community Payback project has made these renovations feasible.’

To find out more about the CRC project go to hampshire-crc.co.uk.