Merton Council, in partnership with the London Probation Trust, will be coming to the Cricket Green area of Mitcham on Friday 17 September with its Community Payback teams as part of ‘Action in Merton’ taking place on Friday 17 September and Saturday 18 September.

As part of Merton’s borough wide initiative, Action in Merton (AIM), the Community Payback project will be in the area on the Friday helping to remove graffiti, tidy green spaces, re-paint, clear overgrowth and anything else that will help the community enjoy the space more.

Community Payback is the visible face of the unpaid, court ordered, community service work carried out by offenders. Primarily a punishment, Community Payback benefits the community through the work undertaken and is an effective method of reducing re-offending.

As part of AIM project so far the Community Payback teams have helped remove graffiti around the High Path estate, clear overgrowth around garages in St Helier as well as litter picking and re-painting of railings around Shannon’s Corner.

Aside from AIM, since April 2010 the Payback teams have done 30 different projects with Merton and since the council’s partnership with the London Probation service launched in 2005 they have completed 253 different projects ranging from wide scale community tasks.

Day two of this AIM event on Saturday 18 September invites all residents to come and meet the AIM teams from 10am until 2pm at Fair Green in Mitcham town centre for information and advice on crime prevention, environmental issues and keeping healthy. Children’s favourite PCSO Steve will also be there and residents will have an opportunity to meet their local Safer Neighbourhood Team too. Also on board, the Jeremiah Project will be attending with their Hope Bus.

Councillor Andrew Judge, Merton Council cabinet member for environmental sustainability and regeneration said:

‘Merton is one of the safest London boroughs and we work hard to help make our residents safe. Action in Merton events give them a chance to tell us about their concerns, so that we can take specific action and achieve real results.

“Residents also want to know what they can do themselves to make their property safer, what they can do for the environment and recycling and how they can keep healthy. I do hope local people take advantage of the information and advice on offer on Saturday by coming down and joining us in Mitcham town centre.’

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Press Contact:

Leoni Munslow

Communications Assistant

London Borough of Merton

020 8545 4654