A bridge along the Grand Union Canal in Northampton has been transformed into a piece of art thanks to work completed by the Immediate Justice Team, which is part of the work of Northamptonshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Danielle Stone.
The Immediate Justice programme offers people who have committed anti-social behaviour and low-level crimes a way to repay for their behaviour through reparative work such as litter picking, gardening and removing graffiti, as an alternative to being prosecuted.
Hunsbury Meadows Parish Council got in touch with the Immediate Justice team to ask for help to clear underneath a bridge on a stretch of the canal that had been tagged with graffiti. Once the graffiti was cleared, the Parish Council planned for a mural to be created by the Northampton Nene Angling Club and pupils from Rothersthorpe Church of England Primary School.
The Immediate Justice Team brought in three adults who had received a penalty for committing anti-social behaviour, to spend a total of 16 hours clearing the area and painting over the graffiti, ready for it to be repainted into a wildflower mural, blending in nicely with the surrounding area.
Chair of the Hunsbury Meadows Parish Council, Mandy Caunt, is pleased that the canal has become a more welcoming, pleasant place to walk.
She said, “We have seen an increase in graffiti in the area and along the canal, which brings down the neighbourhood and makes the area look unkept. I am pleased that the Immediate Justice Team helped us with the project. They cleaned the area up, which made it possible for us to do the lovely mural we now have.
“It has been such a rewarding process to see it from the beginning and for people that walk along the canal to know that it is a well looked after, welcoming place to spend time, hopefully discouraging anymore anti-social behaviour.”
Sue Galloway from the Northampton Nene Angling Club, organised the repainting. She designed and mapped out the mural, ready for children from the club and the primary school to join in the repainting.
Sue was pleased to have been involved with the project. She said: “Everyone that has been involved has been fantastic, and I was so glad to have been able to help. All the children who contributed have thoroughly enjoyed it and it has been very rewarding.”
The Immediate Justice programme has now facilitated over 1300 hours of reparative work in public areas, parks and community spaces all over the county, helping make it a safer, more welcoming place to live.
Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Danielle Stone is pleased that the programme is having a positive impact on our communities.
She said “It is fantastic that the Immediate Justice team have been able to work with partners from the Parish to repair damage, make an area feel cared for, and create such a wonderful space for members of the public to enjoy.
“People should feel safe while spending time in our public spaces and having this new wonderful mural here instead of the graffiti shows that it is a looked after and a loved place that should not be damaged.”
Work to make neighbourhoods safer will be continuing throughout the summer as part of the Home Office’s Safer Streets Summer campaign, which is being led locally by Danielle’s office in partnership with police, fire and rescue, councils, schools, health services, business, transport and community organisations.
