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The Probation Board for Northern Ireland (PBNI) is again working closely the Briggs Equipment North West 200, Northern Ireland’s largest outdoor sporting event, to assist with road and stand preparation in advance of the crowds on 4th May.
Last year PBNI’s community service squads helped make sure the Pit area and stands were clean and safe to make the experience for everyone as memorable as possible. This year, community service squads are back to help as they worked in the Pit area cutting grass, cleaning the mobile huts, setting up tables and chairs, litter picking and powerhosing.
North West 200 Event Director Mervyn Whyte MBE acknowledged the hard work community service squads provided, saying, “I can see firsthand that community service has a positive effect on individuals and on the North West 200. It gives people an opportunity to make a positive contribution and develop new skills, while supporting a world renowned road race event.
This event runs each year on passion, determination and the commitment of our volunteers, and the work carried out through community service has helped ease some of the pressure on them. It is a win win for people on community service, the North West 200 and the wider community.”
A person sentenced to a Community Service Order or have a community service element in their sentence must complete supervised unpaid work that can last between 40 hours to 240 hours. Each year people subject to a community service order deliver an average of 100,000 hours of unpaid work to the community. It is one of the most successful community sentences with three out of four people who complete it not going on to re-offend.
PBNI Manager David Young said, “The North West 200 relies on a large voluntary effort for it to happen and I am pleased that our community service was able to contribute to that. We are helping a large community, local residents and sports enthusiasts, to enjoy an incredible sporting event while those we supervise have a positive experience through the work they provide. I am delighted we were able to work in partnership with Mervyn and his team as the North West 200 is a celebration of motorbike racing, community spirit and positivity.”
Director of Operations Gillian Montgomery commented, “Community service is a robust sentence that provides individuals with an opportunity to make amends for the harm they have caused.
It is a visible and practical way of giving back to local communities, while also supporting people serving community sentences to acknowledge responsibility and change their behaviour. Victims of crime also have the opportunity to contribute their views on the type of work undertaken.
Through this project at the North West 200, people serving community sentences have been able to give back to society in a meaningful and constructive way.”