A familiar Tenby landmark has returned to the town. Brian Charles (left) and Nigel Ayers, of Tenby Rotary Club, are pictured with the RNIB collecting box which is back in situ on the Esplanade after undergoing a major refurbishment. A Tenby landmark is now back home after being given a much-needed makeover by a group of young offenders.

The RNIB model charity box, which has stood at the end of the Esplanade for decades, has been fully restored by the youngsters as part of a Rotary Club of Tenby project.

The model, which shows the former Sunshine Home for Blind Babies in Southerndown, has been cleaned, sanded and repainted before being returned to its site. The youngsters carried out the work outside of their normal training hours with Pembrokeshire County Council's Youth Offending and Prevention Service (YOPS).

"These youngsters undertake reparation as part of court orders, where they must give something back to their community for the harm they have caused through their offending behaviour," said Clr. Sue Perkins, cabinet member for children's services.

"Children who offend are not of necessity set in their ways, but can make positive changes and turn their lives around with guidance and positive attention," she said. "These youngsters worked hard on this project - cleaning sanding and repainting the model - outside of their school and training hours and are to be commended for their efforts."

Kathryn Treherne, of the Youth Offending Team, said they had been pleasantly surprised by how the teenagers had focused on their task.

"One youngster in particular took to the model repair work so well that we purchased him a model making aeroplane kit so that he could continue the constructive activity at home. It's not something you would normally consider to generate interest in today's youth culture."

Brian Charles OBE, president of the Rotary Club of Tenby, said that the club was delighted that the Youth Offending Unit had offered to help with the refurbishment.

"We are very pleased with the work that the youngsters involved have done. They should be really proud of their work on this project, which is of great credit to everyone involved," he said. "It really is a win-win situation, with the RNIB now having a superbly refurbished model, while the youngsters involved have benefited from taking part in such a worthwhile community project, which hopefully will stand them well for the future."

He added that the club would be pleased to work with the Youth Offending Unit in the future, as involvement in suitable projects was worthwhile for all involved.

The Sunshine Home for Blind Babies in Southerndown, near Bridgend, was originally opened in the 1950s by Cardiff-based Tenovus. In the 1960s, the charity changed policy to concentrate on its cancer charity work, so the proceeds of the box went to the Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB).

The home itself continued until the 1970s when it closed. It is now a private home.

All money - including unwanted foreign or commemorative coins - collected from the box goes to support the work of the RNIB.

The Rotary Club is also very grateful to Mr. Nigel Beynon and team at Celvac Ltd, Tenby, for transporting the collection box to and from the Young Offenders Centre in Pembroke Dock.