Ripon Walled Garden has benefited from the support of Humberside, Lincolnshire & North Yorkshire CRC (HLNY CRC) as offenders working on Community Payback have been delivering unpaid work as volunteers at the social enterprise.

Ripon Walled Garden is a Community Link Project based in part of what was once the Bishop’s Palace Garden.

The Walled Garden started life promoting community participation and enabling the disadvantaged to achieve an active and healthy life. Through years of success the gardens now include a cafe and garden shop as well as beautiful beds and thriving gardens.

Joe Murphy, unpaid work placement coordinator at HLNY CRC, said: “We place service users on an individual basis working alongside volunteers and staff. Work includes painting and decorating, clearing vegetation and basic building works.

“This benefits the Walled Garden and ourselves as we are able to use the skills of the services users to meet the demands of the placement.”

Ripon Walled Garden aims to make a lasting difference to people’s lives by providing a unique range of activity for adults with learning disabilities and mental health problems in their community. This includes training on life skills, employment, learning, advocacy, health promotion, and leisure activities.

Its horticultural social enterprise provides work placements for adults and young people with learning disabilities, a venue for local community groups or business team building, and community service.

Julie Spink, business and development manager at the Ripon Walled Garden, said: “Thanks to HLNY CRC for all your hard work and dedication, we really did appreciate the many hours you volunteered in the bitterly cold weather. Thank you for the support you offered our members and your willingness to get stuck in.”

The Community Payback scheme works across a wide range of projects in the community in North Yorkshire renovating community gardens, parks, church yards and schools.

Joe said: “Community Payback schemes like the one delivered in Ripon provide a means by which those on probabtion learn new skills to support their future employment prospects and can be seen to be making a positive contribution to society and the community in which they live as part of their rehabilitation.”