Offenders give new look to Purbeck radar station (From Dorset Echo)

Offenders give new look to Purbeck radar station

4:00pm Saturday 4th September 2010 in

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A BATTLE of Britain radar station that played a vital role in fighting off the Luftwaffe during the Second World War has been restored by an unlikely source – a group of convicted offenders.

The buildings, near Worth Matravers, Purbeck, house the David Donald Field Studies Base – but during the summer of 1940 they formed part of an early warning system that gave our legendary RAF flyers the edge.

Now, young people and adult groups use the site, owned by the Poole and Dorset Adventure Centre charity, for field studies and outdoor activities along the Jurassic Coast.

But it was a partnership between the charity and the Dorset Probation Trust’s Community Payback Unit that led to the restoration of the buildings and surrounding grounds.

As the new facilities were officially launched, John Howes of the adventure centre said: “The offenders did a marvellous job and paid their dues back tenfold.

“It showed the value of community payback and we are extremely grateful for the wonderful job they did.”

Offenders sentenced to unpaid work by the courts have worked on the site, under probation service supervision, for months.

Community Payback Unit manager Matt Douglas said: “This is not just hard physical labour, which ensures that offenders sentenced to unpaid work by the courts are able to make suitable reparations to the community, but it also creates a sense of pride in the work undertaken and opportunities for offenders to gain skills which will increase their employability and reduce their likelihood of reoffending.”

Mr Howes recalled the centre was in a ‘sorry state and badly in need of decorating’ before the work.

He said the probation staff and ‘clients’ worked tirelessly and were ‘totally responsible for the centre being returned to its original condition of the war years’.

He added: “I think it is very appropriate because the Battle of Britain is celebrating its 70th anniversary.”