Press Release
Offenders work to benefit community
Gonfirth Kirk.
The Community Service scheme is operated by Shetland Islands Council’s Criminal Justice Service and manages offenders who have been sentenced to unpaid work.
They run a range of projects, from redecoration of community halls and churches to beach cleaning. Offenders are able to repay for their crimes by taking part in unpaid work to benefit the community.
Two long term projects that have been successfully completed are the renovation of the Gonfirth and Bressay Kirks.
Work started on the Gonfirth Kirk in September 2010 and was completed in December of that year. A group of between 6 and 10 offenders completely redecorated the interior of the building. They sanded, filled and painted the walls, floor, ceiling and doors and renovated and decorated the pews.
A thank you letter from representatives of the Kirk states that they are “delighted with the transformation” and are “most grateful for this help to make the building more able to be used at present and into the future”.
Gonfirth Kirk.
Work on the Bressay Kirk began in January this year and was completed in June. Again a group of between 6 and 10 offenders worked to renovate the building; sanding and varnishing the balcony, re-staining all the pews on the ground and first floors and removing some of the pews to allow for disabled access and seating.
Representatives of the Kirk also sent a thank you letter, which states that they are “very pleased with the work done” and that the renovations have “brought life to an old building and introduced the welcome factor to our church”.
The Council’s Executive Manager of Criminal Justice, Denise Morgan said:
“Unpaid work is a very positive community sentence as it not only enables the offender to undertake work that will benefit local communities, but it also enables the offender to learn new skills which can benefit them when searching for employment.
“We are delighted to have been involved in the refurbishment of the Gonfirth Chapel and Bressay Kirk, the finished product is testimony to the hard work of the offenders and supervisors”.
For more information on the Community Service scheme, please contact the Criminal Justice Service on 01595 74 4446.
Bressay Kirk.