All the work undertaken by young offenders is supervised and risk assessed.  The Youth Justice Service's reparation scheme is involved with many worthwhile projects, including conservation, gardening for the elderly and disadvantaged, graffiti removal, foot path reclaiming  and other charitable and good causes, including working at Brooklands Museum.   The scheme is very proud to be able to also have a Carpentry Workshop, which teaches young people the fundamentals of carpentry by skilled tutors.  Wherever possible, the skills taught are accredited through the Open College Network qualification.

Said Ellie Paterson, Community Reparation Officer for Surrey Youth Justice Service: “The young people involved in this project have worked really hard under the guidance of the carpenters to produce excellent results.   The partnership with Ashford and St Peters Hospital, which was established nearly 10 years ago, has enabled the Trust to benefit from the Carpentry Workshop, and more recently Procter and Gamble who have helped to sponsor some of the projects, all of which will have a long lasting benefit for sick children and their parents at both Ashford and St. Peter’s Hospitals.”

Representatives from the Youth Justice Service including carpenters employed to work with the young offenders visited the Children’s Ward at St. Peter’s hospital on Wednesday 24th September to handover the work.    The items included memory boxes for parents who have had a premature or very sick baby child who sadly has died; a bird table and nesting boxes for the garden outside the children’s oncology facility – both at St. Peter’s; and decorated items to be put up in children’s outpatient areas at Ashford Hospital.

Jenny Kirby, Hospital Play Service Co-ordinator from Ashford and St. Peter’s Hospitals NHS Trust said: “The standard of work by the young people is fantastic.   The bird table and wishing well will become features in the garden outside our children’s oncology facility, Little Oaks.   The decorated letters and animal shapes will become a feature in the children’s outpatients department at Ashford Hospital.”

Speaking about the donation of the memory boxes Deputy Sister Lynn Parker from the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit said: “It is truly sad when we are unable to save a premature or very sick baby.   The memory boxes made by the young people working with Surrey Youth Justice Service enable bereaved parents to store items associated with their baby in a special place.”