03302 234312

Creative Community Reparation

On learning it would not be possible to proceed with Restorative Justice, due to a Court-Imposed Order, a male serving his prison sentence locally, accepted support from “Real Me.”

As an alternative option to engaging in a restorative intervention with the direct victim of his offence, it was agreed that the male could use his practical skills and enjoyment of welding to make a community bench.  Working well with his Welding Tutor, the male made this beautiful bench,  as a means of making amends for the harm caused by his offending. 

As a neuro-divergent person, making this reparative gesture, enabled the male to practically demonstrate his remorse and wish to make amends to the community as a whole.  Marking the work of Daisy Chain, the charity who support autistic and neuro-divergent people across Teesside, he decorated the bench with daises.  In a further touching gesture, a commemorative plaque honouring the late Safer Communities founding CEO John Bentley, who sadly passed away last year, has also been added to the bench.

Ian Hayton, Chief Fire Officer of Cleveland Fire and Rescue Service and Chair of the Safer Communities Board, confirmed that the bench will be placed in the community garden at the Fire Brigade headquarters in Hartlepool.  The location of the headquarters is of particular significance, as John Bentley’s hometown. The garden, which is managed as part of a Probation reparation project, serves as a space for remembrance and community connection.

Share this vacancy with a friend!
Translate »