COMMUNITY Payback is throwing the spotlight on probation and hosting a 'Twitterthon' on Thursday to promote the work being carried out by offenders in Northwich.

The Cheshire & Greater Manchester Community Rehabilitation Company supervises offenders sentenced to complete Community Payback.

Across the borough, offenders have completed a total of 7,601 hours of unpaid work from April 1 to October 24.

During the same period, the work’s value to the community – calculated as per the minimum wage – is £49,406.

Projects that are regularly undertaken include maintaining cemeteries and churchyards, cutting back overgrowth and working at local parks to improve the facilities.

Dave Cringle, community payback manager, said: “We are proud of the high-quality work that is carried out by offenders.

“It is work that not only benefits people across the communities we serve, but that also ensures offenders are being held to account for their actions.

“We also strive to ensure that the projects we carry out give offenders the skills they need to progress. This can contribute to stopping them from reoffending.”

Magistrates and Crown Courts sentence offenders to Community Payback for a range of crimes. The orders can accompany other requirements, such as probation supervision.

More than 260 groups carry out work across Northwich every year.

Dave added: “I hope the Twitterthon will help lift the lid on this aspect of probation and to demonstrate to the public the way in which offenders are able to make reparation for the crimes they have committed. For example, not many people know that they can ask for work in their areas to be carried out by Community Payback groups."

Dave Cringle and Community Payback colleagues will be tweeting all day on Thursday, November 6.

To follow his twitter feed, search for @cwcompayback. The hashtag #probationworks will also be used.