Serving the Community in Perth
People carrying out unpaid work as part of their community sentences have helped create an accessible bench for the public to enjoy in Rodney Gardens in Perth.
The circular bench with raised planters has been built around a tree in the butterfly garden. It allows visitors and volunteers – including those with reduced mobility – to more easily take part in planting and maintenance.
Rodney Gardens features plants designed to attract butterflies, along with information boards to help visitors identify different species.
Unpaid work teams have supported volunteers from Beautiful Perth for many years, contributing to improvements at Rodney Gardens and across the city. The bench was designed by Perth and Kinross project officer Gregor Thompson who supervised the making of it by unpaid work teams.
Euna Scott, vice chair of Beautiful Perth, said: “We work in partnership with volunteers, Perth & Kinross Council Community Greenspace, the business sector and unpaid work teams making sure Perth is a place to enjoy for residents and tourists. It’s about the community coming together.
The unpaid work team have helped a great deal whether it’s painting or tidying around the gardens or designing and constructing this fabulous bench. It helps get some pride back in the community and lifts everyone’s spirits.
There’s a lot we couldn’t have done without the help of the unpaid work teams.
They also transformed our base at Westbank, where we have a polytunnel to grow our plants. They laid paving and chippings and made the work benches safe meaning we could run training sessions in potting plants for our volunteers and local school children. There is so much benefit to the community.”
Across Scotland, more than 12.5 million hours of supervised unpaid work have been completed since 2011, helping to improve local areas.
Councillor Chris Ahern, Chair of the Community Justice and Safety Partnership in Perth and Kinross, said: “This is community justice in action. Unpaid work teams make a real difference locally, whether through environmental projects or helping people who are unable to maintain their homes. It also gives those involved the chance to make a positive contribution and build confidence. The vast majority say the work they do is worthwhile, which speaks for itself.”