Press release archive


2011


Offenders carry out big clean-up Residents of Brockhampton Close expressed their gratitude as offenders carrying out Community Payback transformed the area this weekend.
20 January 2011
Offenders carry out big clean-up


MP Karen Lumley visits West Mercia Probation Karen Lumley MP has welcomed the Government move to increase the use of community sentences.
18 January 2011
MP Karen Lumley visits West Mercia Probation


MP Owen Paterson visits Probation Community Payback project Owen Paterson, MP for North Shropshire, was in his constituency today visiting offenders who were sprucing up Brownlow Community Centre in Whitchurch.
14 January 2011
MP Owen Paterson visits Probation Community Payback project


MP Peter Luff salutes the work of the probation service Government moves to increase the use of community sentences have been welcomed by local MP, Peter Luff.
10 January 2011
MP Peter Luff salutes the work of the probation service


2010


Offenders help smarten up the city West Mercia Probation Trust has joined forces with Worcester City Council in a pilot scheme to help clean up the city.
01/09/2010
Offenders help smarten up the city


Farewell to Helen Allen Shropshire woman, Helen Allen, has retired from her Assistant Chief Officer role after nearly 30 years in probation.
01/09/2010
Farewell to Helen Allen Shropshire woman


Driver Awareness Workshops Launched West Mercia Probation and Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service have joined forces to launch a series of Driver Awareness Workshops to help educate those convicted of driving offences and make our roads safer.
30/07/2010
Driver Awareness Workshops Launched


All in a day’s work Probation and other criminal justice staff celebrated at a local justice awards evening held by the West Mercia Criminal Justice Board.
26/02/10
All in a day’s work


Driver Rehabilitation Workshop West Mercia Probation has joined forces with Shropshire and Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Services to help educate dangerous drivers and make our roads safer.
19/03/10
Driver Rehabilitation Workshop

Local Crime Community Sentence Scheme West Mercia Probation has joined forces with the Courts to launch the Local Crime Community Sentence (LCCS) initiative in West Mercia.
12/04/10
Local Crime Community Sentence Scheme


Preferred Partner Agreement Signed West Mercia Probation Trust has signed an agreement with YSS (Youth Support Services) which appoints them as the Trust’s preferred partner.
17/05/10
Preferred Partner Agreement Signed


Offenders help smarten up the area Offenders on Community Payback have given Offmore and Comberton housing estates in Kidderminster a spring clean to remove litter and make the area more pleasant for residents.
27/05/10
Offenders help smarten up the area


Carole Celebrates over 40 years at the hostel Carole Crouch celebrated over 40 years working at the probation hostel in Worcester.
12/07/10
Carole Celebrates over 40 years at the hostel


Offenders help out with conservation work Offenders on Community Payback have helped out with valuable conservation work at Burlish Top Nature Reserve, Stourport-on-Severn.
12/07/10
Offenders help out with conservation work


2009

First Birthday for Offender Community Payback Jackets in West Mercia High-visibility orange jackets for offenders to wear on Community Payback sentences have reached their one year anniversary in West Mercia today.
1/12/09
First Birthday for Offender Community Payback


Offenders help with park improvements Parks and open spaces across Wyre Forest will be undergoing improvements thanks to a scheme set up by Wyre Forest District Council and the Probation Service.
30/11/09
Offenders help with park improvements


Breaking the cycle of crime - is social enterprise the key? Re-offending prisoners are a huge expense to the taxpayer, yet many ex-offenders find it difficult to get the training and employment opportunities they need to get a job and stay on the right side of the law. Social enterprises could be the answer, and the West Mercia Probation Trust is eager to work with them.
20/06/09
Breaking the cycle of crime

Tackling Drugs in Worcester Staff at Worcester Probation Office have organised an event on Friday (12 June) as part of National Tackling Drugs Week. National Tackling Drugs Week runs between 8-12 June 2009 and is a Home Office initiative. It aims to increase public confidence in and awareness of the work being done locally to respond to people’s concerns about drugs.
10/06/09
Tackling Drugs in Worcester


Villagers in Suckley Villagersare pleased with the transformation of their village hall which has been carried out by offenders on Community Payback with West Mercia Probation Trust.
06/05/09
Villagers in Suckly


Probation service and city work together in Angel Place clean up in trial BID project Worcester City’s Angel Place has been given a spring makeover, thanks to the West Mercia Probation Service. The three-week trial initiative was the brainchild of Visit Worcester, CrownGate Shopping Centre and Worcester City Council who worked together to both fund and organise the scheme designed to brighten an often criticised part of the city centre.
24/03/09
Angel Place clean up trail


2008

Probation praised for ‘hard work and consistent attention to managing the risk of harm’
A report published today by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Probation shows West Mercia Probation Trust is carrying out some quality work with offenders.
25/11/08
Probation praised for ‘hard work

Justice works with charity
Her Majesty Courts Services Area Director for the Black Country, Staffordshire and West Mercia, Peter Hammersley, joined a Telford and Wrekin unpaid work party on community sentences at local charity CARE that provides support services for adults with learning disabilities to help with the refurbishment of a house at Ironbridge, all in aid of ‘Inside Justice Week 2008’.
28/10/08
Justice works with charity


Chief Crown Prosecutor on community sentence
West Mercia Chief Crown Prosecutor Colin Chapman joined an unpaid work party on a community sentence at Worcester Countryside Centre, as another one of many planned events for Inside Justice Week 2008 to inform people all about the Criminal Justice System.
21/10/08
Chief Crown Prosecutor


Former addict goes back to school
On Thursday 23rd October students at King Charles School are being given a unique opportunity to get ‘another’ chance to meet with a former drug addict who has transformed his crime-ridden life and now advises government.
21/10/08
Former addict goes back to school


Mappa monitors record number of offenders to protect the public in West Mercia A multi-agency approach to managing dangerous offenders in the community in West Mercia is ensuring the public is protected from more offenders than ever according to new figures published today.
21/10/08
MAPPA Monitor Numbers


Ex drug offenders prepare for Royal visit
A group of ex drug using offenders prepare to meet the Princess Royal in September when she visits a project they are involved in as part of their community orders.
11/09/08
Ex drug offenders prepare for Royal visit


Justice Minister Visits ‘Offender Compact’ Pilots in Shropshire
Justice Minister David Hanson MP was in Shropshire today to meet with offenders in Shrewsbury Prison and those being supervised on probation by West Mercia Probation Trust who have signed up to new ‘Offender Compacts’ being piloted in the area.
11/09/08
Justice Minister Visit


Redditch clean up
Neglected areas of Redditch are to be cleared up in a joint venture between the police and probation service.
Redditch clean up


West Mercia Probation Trust
Chief Executive, David Chantler and local Board Member, Libhin Bromley, visited Herefordshire Probation Office on Friday to congratulate the team on achieving all 15 of its targets for 2007-2008
28/07/08
Herefordshire – simply the best!


Offenders construct garden for local residents
Offenders serving community orders have worked for over four months to construct a new garden from scratch at the Warndon Community Centre. The garden will be officially opened to centre users this weekend.
24/07/08
Offenders construct garden for local residents


Rehabilitation versus Punishment – Judge for Yourself
An innovative on-line programme in which members of the public can decide what they think is the most suitable sentence for virtual offenders was launched by Justice Minister David Hanson MP today as a new poll shows the public think reforming offenders to cut re-offending is equally as important as punishment.
01/07/08
Rehabilitation versus Punishment – Judge for Yourself


3 star rating for new Probation Trust
West Mercia Probation Trust has been commended for achieving a 3 star performance rating.
30/06/08
3 star rating for new Probation Trust


Award for team offering employment advice to offenders
A team of probation workers that help offenders get into employment and training won the prestigious High Sheriffs’ award for the significant contribution they have made over the last year.
30/06/08
Award for team offering employment advice to offenders


Offenders construct prize winning garden
A group of offenders on community orders helped to construct a prize winning Celtic garden at the Malvern Spring Gardening Show last weekend.
13/05/08
Ofenders construct prize winning garden


New Probation Trust consults
Following its launch on 1 April, the new West Mercia Probation Trust is consulting with key stakeholders in the community about working together to tackle crime locally. 24/04/08
New Probation Trust consults


Offenders help restore Redditch garages
Offenders performing unpaid work as part of their community orders have been working with the Council and Probation Service to restore garages in the Woodrow area of Redditch.
18/04/08
Offenders help restore Redditch garages


Ross CC undertakes annual makeover
This weekend and for the fourth year in succession, Ross CC energetically embraced the England and Wales Cricket Board’s NatWest Cricketforce challenge – a national initiative which encourages cricket supporters, their friends and families to give something back to their local community cricket club by volunteering to undertake major renovations to clubhouses and grounds.
16/04/08
Ross CC undertakes annual makeove


Local author launches new Probation Trust
Probation staff at Kidderminster were today celebrating the launch of the new West Mercia Probation Trust. Mark Johnson, ex-offender from Kidderminster and now best selling author of ‘Wasted’, was invited to join the celebrations and cut the official Trust cake.
27/03/08
Local author launches new Probation Trust.


Boxing Champ punches a positive message to offenders
Former World Champion boxer, Richie Woodall, presented certificates to a group of Telford offenders last night, who successfully completed a sports project as part of their community orders.
05/03/08
Boxing Champ punches a positive message to offenders


Wychavon District Council is working hard to get allotments in Evesham cleared and back in use
In partnership with Rooftop Housing, Evesham Town Council and The Probation Service, Evesham Allotments will soon be cleared of the fly-tipped rubbish and returned to a green and growable state once more..
04/03/08
Wychavon District Council