A pioneering scheme designed to help ex-offenders to turn their lives around with jobs and training in the food industry must be welcomed as an important new initiative.

Fresh Start offers participants a chance to get themselves back on the right track within the growing catering industry in the Bradford district.

If approved by the Council’s executive next week, the scheme would also involve agencies such as the police, probation, the NHS, prisons, and others.

Importantly, it will not just be looking at training and work; the scheme will also look to tackle factors that can lead to participants re-offending, such as housing, alcohol and drug use, and mental and physical wellbeing.

That is a vital strand of this scheme – without this holistic approach, many of those involved will be tempted to revert to old habits, and all the good work will be lost.

And however strong the safety nets, there will be some who cannot keep to the straight and narrow and will succumb to their bad old ways.

But in most cases, people deserve a second chance, and this scheme gives that opportunity, and gives those who might otherwise be discarded the way of contributing meaningfully to society.

If successful, it should also help save money in terms of crime prevention, homeless service, and health expenditure on alcohol and drug problems.

Ultimately, people are responsible for their own lives, and it is down to those involved to ensure they make the most of this opportunity.

If it sees some of the district’s offenders turning over a new leaf and contributing rather than simply taking, then the cost of this project will be much more digestible.