Inmates at Jurby are making a positive contribution to the local community by supporting an innovative new green campaign.
The prison has joined forces with Island-based charity Zero Waste Mann as part of a project to create environmentally-friendly 'Morsbags'.
The cotton shopping bags are made from unwanted material and are designed to reduce the amount of plastic carrier bags that are used and subsequently thrown away.
Prisoners are busily working with sewing machines, fabrics and thread in order to boost the number of Morsbags in circulation in the Island. They have made 25 in the past few days under the supervision of prison education manager Judy Jackson and art and craft tutor Helen Watson.
The Morsbags will be collected periodically by representatives of Zero Waste Mann and handed out free to shoppers from the Green Centre opposite Shoprite in Chester Street, Douglas.
Mrs Jackson said ‘This really is a win-win situation. The charity supplies the materials and we supply the workforce. ‘It provides the prisoners with creative work – and they have relished the opportunity to put something constructive back into the local community and support such a worthy environmental cause.’
Roger Tomlinson, treasurer of Zero Waste Mann, added ‘The Morsbags initiative is brilliant and fits in perfectly with our recycling philosophy. We are delighted that the prison has taken it on.
‘The project was first introduced to us by Hilary Cairns during the Bright Ideas exhibition and has gone from strength to strength since that time. This is a global campaign and the Isle of Man is currently 93rd in terms of the number of Morsbags created.
‘We want as many local people and organisations as possible to get involved and the ultimate aim is to see the Island in the number one position on the Morsbag world map.’
The prison is keen to step up its production of the bags and would welcome the donation of a sewing machine to enable more prisoners to become involved.
The management team will also consider taking on other charity work and organisations can discuss any suitable projects with Judy Jackson on 891049.
Anybody interested in making their own Morsbags can collect materials, kits and instructions from the Green Centre.
