The rewarding dividends of Community Payback

By Kath Hinchliffe

When a group of us at St Lucius' took on the Church of England’s challenge to become carbon neutral by 2030, little did we realise the time, commitment and effort it would take to become an Eco-church. 

The churchyard soon became our focus due to the size of the task. Although it had been maintained, close inspection showed that many elements had disappeared over the years.

Somehow we had to clear tons of rubble and detritus to restore the paths and walls, making the land more attractive to wildlife, plants and visitors. It soon became clear that even with help from the village, the task would require further reinforcements.

I had seen the Community ‘Pay Back’ vans out and about and chaps in orange vests doing clearance in local churchyards. So, with support from other members of our Eco-group, I decided to investigate whether they could help with our heavier tasks. 

Community sentences are issued to people who have committed a crime and been convicted by a court but not sent to prison. Sentences may be given if:

• The court thinks an individual is more likely to stop committing crime than if they go to prison.
• It’s a first conviction
• The individual has a mental health condition that affects behaviour.

Teams of six to eight people are managed by a supervisor, sites are assessed for suitability and a formal risk assessment made. We had to provide a detailed plan of work – which didn’t include tasks done by a paid worker – and we were required to ensure that workers had access to toilets.
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At St Lucius, our own helpers have gone the extra mile. The coffee, snacks and lunches provided to the workers and the non-judgmental welcome we give them has been rewarded with the establishment of excellent relationships.

​As a happy dividend, the work they have done to improve the churchyard, by repairing gravestones, building walls, improving paths and much more has been excellent.

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