AN overgrown green space in Bradford is being brought back to life.

The community garden in Peel Park has been given a purpose - thanks to a new project helping to give adult offenders a fresh start.

Launched last month, Fresh Start 4U bridges the gap between offenders and support, learning opportunities and employment and helps those with an offending past to build a positive future.

Those who volunteer to become part of Fresh Start 4U are making a commitment to change their lives for the better.

"It's about people who are volunteering because they want to develop themselves and to make a difference," says project manager, Alison Bunn.

"When people see them around in the community garden they are not doing community service, they are ex-offenders who are trying to develop new skills and do something positive."

She explains the programme aims to reduce re-offending; reduce reliance on public services and support ex-offenders to become work ready.

"The key thing about Fresh Start 4U is it is giving ex offenders who want to make a change to their lives the opportunity to do so," says Alison.

She says the project also enables them to make a positive contribution to their community. Working with other community organisations helps them to broaden their communication and social skills and prepare them for the workplace.

"Some participants may go on to become volunteers who can support the development of community growing projects within their area, using the experience and knowledge they have gained on Fresh Start 4U," says Alison.

Participants will be involved in developing a service user project, two of which are currently starting at Cliffe Castle Park, Keighley and Peel Park, Bradford where they are now developing the community Incredible Edible gardens.

Launched in Todmorden in 2007, the Incredible Edible scheme has since rolled out around the globe, its ethos being to bring communities together through food growing schemes. There are currently more than 100 Incredible Edible projects in the UK and more than 700 across the globe.

Living in Todmorden, Alison was already aware of its benefits and was keen to bring it to Bradford.

She explains the community garden in Peel Park provided the perfect opportunity for an Incredible Edible Scheme.

The garden boasts large beds which have been prepared by the Community Rehabilitation Company (CRC) staff and their team of offenders who are involved in unpaid work.

They are now ready for the Fresh Start 4U team to plant a variety of fresh fruit, vegetables and herbs which will eventually be available for the public to pick once they are ripe.

"The Fresh Start 4U community garden will be underpinned by Incredible Edible principles. They will be open for people to learn and will be open to the public for them to pick the fruit and veg," explains Alison.

In the first few weeks since the launch of Fresh Start 4U, there are currently six service users which is hoped will increase to 200 over the two year period.

One of the outcomes of Fresh Start 4U is to support the participants to become work ready and move into employment. The programme will offer focused training in job searching, applications and interview techniques. A key aspect of supporting ex-offenders to make a change are employers who are willing to accept that an individual may have made mistakes in the past but is moving forward. The Fresh Start 4U programme is looking for employers who are willing to offer ex-offenders on Fresh Start 4U the opportunity to take the next step through work experience or employment.

Says Alison: "We hope it will inspire some of the service users to look at employment within horticulture or grounds maintenance but the main thing is it provides transferable skills, team work, communication skills and planning skills because they are involved in the development of the site."

Councillor David Green, leader of Bradford Council, said: "This scheme is a way for people to get their lives back on track and give them the skills to find work. It helps the individual and reduces the rates of reoffending."

Community organisations interested in working with Fresh Start 4U on growing projects and employers who are willing to offer the participants a second chance should contact Alison Bunn on Alison.bunn@bradford.gov.uk