OFFENDERS who are cleaning up their act will now help clean up the streets of Hereford.

They join volunteers and county officials as part of the Time for Change (T4C) project which kicked off with a community litter pick last week.

The project - run in conjunction with Herefordshire and Ludlow College - includes the cleaning of the subway below Eign Street, litter picks, graffiti removal and the improvement of pathways and river walks.

Funded by a grant from the Community Safety Fund, deputy police and crime commissioner Barrie Sheldon, Mayor Phil Edwards, Police Cadets, and people sentenced to take part in the Community Payback Scheme are among those picking up their cleaning tools.

Barrie Sheldon said he has seen graffiti, discarded bottles and cans and the problems caused by the misuse of drugs while walking through Hereford.

He added: “At the start of the new year I was invited to a meeting at the college to discuss plans to get the T4C project moving.

"Most of the key partners associated with the project were present and I was struck by the passion, enthusiasm, and determination present in the room.

"These are people who want to make a difference, want the best for our communities within Herefordshire and are prepared to do all they can to make the city centre a safe and pleasant place to be."

Some of the scheme's aims are to reduce drink-related violence, drug use, anti-social behaviour and re-offending by developing community-based projects and providing enhanced crime prevention advice and support for victims of crime.

The project is headed by Paul Daykin, a former Metropolitan Police crime prevention specialist and Herefordshire resident. It follows a two year study of crime in Herefordshire and the scheme will last as long as funding allows.