North Lanarkshire offender projects pick up 3 awards

Three projects run by offenders in North Lanarkshire have won awards for their contribution to their communities.

Cumbernauld Women’s Aid, Shotts Memorial Garden and the Market Garden near Wishaw all scooped prizes at the first Scottish Community Service Awards at Glasgow’s Radisson Hotel.

The ceremony, designed to show how community service is making a difference across Scotland, highlighted the best examples of community service projects.

The projects also teach offenders new skills, increasing their chances of future employment.

Mary Castles, Executive Director of Housing and Social Work Services in North Lanarkshire Council, said: “These projects were highlighted as some of the best examples of community service initiatives across Scotland.

“Their success is testament to the hard work of the offenders involved and the staff working behind the scenes to support these fantastic projects.

“I must also pay tribute to the communities and our partners who continue to work closely with us in bringing these ideas to life.”

The Cumbernauld Women’s Aid project was a winner in the Partnership Category.

In the past two years, a North Lanarkshire Community Service team has worked closely with the project, and offenders helped with decorating, gardening and sourcing furniture from local recycling initiatives to furnish the refuge centres.

They also developed a greater understanding of domestic abuse issues.

The Shotts Memorial Garden was highly commended in the Communities Category.

Shotts Congregational Church had asked for help to clear a two-acre derelict site adjacent to the church.

The area is in the heart of the community and was being used as a dumping ground and a meeting place for under-age drinkers.

Offenders cleared 80 tonnes of waste from the site and the community was involved in the design and landscaping.

When the garden was officially opened, 200 residents attended and some of the offenders turned out with their families.

The Market Garden near Wishaw was commended in the Skills Building Category.

The project, which has been running for two years, teaches offenders skills in teamwork, hard landscaping, working machinery and all aspects of growing fruit and vegetables.

It has produced more than 20 tonnes of fruit and vegetables which have been distributed to those in need, charities and the elderly.

Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said: “There is a lot of hard work being carried out by Community Service teams.

“These awards are all about recognising those special efforts by staff behind the scenes and celebrating the success and innovation of the best examples of community service initiatives across Scotland.”