THE loss of the community payback team from South Cumbria would have a 'profound' effect on at least one charity.

The Bendrigg Trust, based at Old Hutton, relies on regular visits from the the team for much of its basic groundwork, said its founder and principal Trevor Clarke.

He told the Gazette: "Quite simply the Bendrigg Trust wouldn't work without the voluntary help we get from volunteers from local companies and other groups in our 15 acres of grounds.

"A crucial part of that is the regular help we get from the community payback team who do jobs like chopping wood to keep all of our buildings supplied with kindling and preparing our grounds for the summer fete and various other events we hold – in fact any task we point their way.

"We have also found that the work that we give them is something the team members find quite rewarding and I understand that they have one of the highest completion rates in the country because of that – they can actually see that they are making a difference and that the work they do matters."

Mr Clarke added: "If we were to lose the community payback team it would be a step back. I believe it would be damaging to both the Bendrigg Trust and others like us whom they help and to the community payback team themselves."