A group of probationers is helping to return a well-loved Birmingham building to community use under the guidance of the Probation Service and one of the city's leading social enterprises.

Wyrley Hall, on the Wyrley Birch estate, is owned by Birmingham City Council and managed by Enta, a not-for-profit community interest company that has worked with some of Birmingham's hardest-to-reach and under-privileged communities for more than 30 years.

Parts of the building - including a former social club - had fallen into disrepair and Enta was looking for ways of creating something useful from the derelict space.

At the same time, the Probation Services was seeking projects to occupy some of its young charges who had fallen foul of the law for a variety of reasons and required to undertake 'community payback' work.

It was an ideal match, according to Robert Terry, the Probation Service officer supervising the work.

"Enta approached my office with a request for help at the Hall, and we were only too pleased to oblige," said Mr Terry. "We're always on the lookout for good quality projects that benefit the community and which our young offenders recognise as being useful employment for their skills.

"It was a very good arrangement; Enta provided the materials and we provided the manpower, and it's working out very well."

Up to 10 young offenders at a time are engaged on transforming the former social club's lounge bar, under the watchful eye of Probation Service tutors, whose job it is to provide training in a range of construction industry skills.

Judy Tullett, Enta's Business Development Manager, added: "We have managed Wyrley Hall for more than five years and one part of the building had deteriorated because there was no money to spend on it.

"We received a commercial quote of £30,000 to do the work, which we couldn't afford, but over the years and from various sources we have gathered together quite a respectable amount of funding."

Thanks largely to the generosity of the Erdington Constituency, Castle Vale Community Housing Association, and the Housing Liaison Board for Erdington, the organisation amassed a pot of cash totalling £9,600.

"We had managed to raise enough for the materials and with the Probation Service in a position to supply the workforce and the skills required, we were able to get this badly-needed project under way," added Judy.

The refurbished area will be used for yoga sessions, cooking instruction, and dance classes, and will provide a meeting area for clubs and organsations including Brownies, Guides and Scouts.

"The team has stripped the old bar area, repainted it, scrubbed tiles in the kitchen - they've totally transformed it. Their involvement has really allowed us to stretch the money we raised to cover so much more than we thought it could," she added.

"I'm also thrilled with the quality of the work. They seem to have really engaged with it and we've taken the opportunity to offer some of those on the community payback scheme Next Step training and career advice too.

"Wyrley Hall is a great new facility and we now need the community involvement to ensure it's well used and a success."