AN innovative idea to help local charities and prisoners on the Resettlement Unit at Dartmoor Prison is now on the cards.
Prisoners and staff on the unit recently announced they would like to help a local charity by offering to volunteer 'hard labour'.
Over the years the unit has been involved in work for charities and the local community, including providing fresh vegetables to residential homes in Princetown from the gardens on the unit, and raising money through various sponsored events.
Officer Ivan Judd from the Resettlement Unit said prisoners on the unit would like to offer their services to a local charity — for example by making wooden toys.
He said: 'A local charity could provide the unit with the parts, and the prisoners on the unit could construct the toys and box them up ready to be delivered back to the charity for distribution.
'The charity gains by way of a little hard labour, and the prisoner gains knowing he has been able to contribute and put something back into the local community. The unit is not very big so the type of work we undertake will be limited.'
For information call Contact Officer Judd at Dartmoor Prison on 01822 322000.