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se2 partnership - social enterprise south east

Fine Cell Work - stitching in time gives prisoners dignity

Fine Cell Work ....

  • An innovative social enterprise enabling prisoners to learn new creative skills.
  • Income helps fund the charity and creates a nest-egg on release.
  • Connecting prisoners and the outside world through high quality creative work.

There can be few concepts more enterprising than a self-sufficient project enlisting the skills fine_cell_work_exampleof prisoners. This is what an ingenious social enterprise called Fine Cell Work is all about. It is a Registered Charity that teaches needlework to prison inmates, who then work on tapestry, quilting, rugs and cushions while they are locked in their cells. The finished results are then sold on their behalf to the world outside.

The charity was the brainchild of Lady Anne Tree who, as an enlightened prison visitor back in the 1960s, enlisted the help of the Royal College of Needlework to enable two lifers to make needlepoint carpets which were then sold as collector's items in New York. Back then, prisoners were not allowed to receive money for their work, but Lady Anne's perseverance and determination led to the establishment of an organisation in which prisoners could learn a skill to the highest level and be paid for their efforts. Today, Fine Cell Work operates as a successful self-funding charity, with much of its income generated by the inmates.

There are 300 prisoners across the country who sew for Fine Cell Work, including a very successful project at HMP Albany on the Isle of Wight, set up by one of the prisoners. This first ever inmate-run needlework class has become one of the most productive groups, achieving high standards of embroidery. The inmate in question, William Trotter, was released with 'needlework' savings of roughly £3,000 and continued to stitch for Fine Cell Work even as he tried to adjust to life outside, eventually getting a job and finding his own accommodation.

Fine Cell Work is subsidised by various charitable foundations – the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation, the Tudor Trust and the Paul Hamlyn Foundation. In addition, half of its overheads are covered by sales of the prisoners' work. The inmates are all taught by volunteers from the Embroiderers Guild, the Royal School of Needlework and the world of professional design. In total there are around 90 volunteers, including 20 trained prisoners, vital for the success of the organisation.

The people who benefit from Fine Cell Work are, first and foremost, the prisoners themselves. The aim is to enable them to save a nest-egg for when they are released, but at the same time the psychological benefits of such work while inside are immeasurable. Inmates experience creativity and learning in a structured way, which often helps them combat depression and despair. They re-gain some pride and self-esteem by being able to earn and save money and, most importantly, feel valued and appreciated. There is a knock-on effect to their families outside as well, as some inmates choose to send their Fine Cell Work income to their relatives. As Dr Katy Emck, Fine Cell's Work's Executive Director for the past ten years, says: “for many of the prisoners who carry out work for us, the whole process can be a building block to resettlement”.

The benefits to the wider community are perhaps more subtle. It may be that it changes the public perception of some offenders and promotes greater understanding of their situation. Many customers who have bought the work feel genuine pleasure at owning the pieces, sending thank-you letters back to the prisoners, who often cherish such positive responses. This suggests that the Fine Cell Work experience is a two-way process. Within the narrow confines of each prison, Fine Cell Work helps to create a self-contained, sustainable community, fostering a culture of mutual support and encouragement and allowing prisoners to have a stake in their own destiny.

More broadly the work goes some way towards rehabilitation of inmates and may even prevent them re-offending. The organisation works closely with the Prison Service, and prison officers. As an officer in HMP Wandsworth says: “Fine Cell Work gives these men dignity in work, and through this, dignity in life. When a man gains self-respect he may see his way to addressing his offending behaviour”.

In 2007, Fine Cell Work's income was £148,000 (ex VAT), and sales rose by £33,000. Sales have increased every year since the charity’s inception in 1997, and rose by increasingly high margins of £24,000 in both 2006 and 2005. It has also enlisted the help of Pilotlight, an organisation that brings business skills to appropriate charities to help them become stronger and more sustainable. As a result, Fine Cell Work is currently building an infrastructure that better supports growth, evaluation, marketing and diversification of income streams.

Katy Emck feels much of Fine Cell Work's bargaining power is in the fact that the quality of the work is of such a high standard. Many clients are astounded at the meticulous care and attention to detail that has gone into the creation of the products. As Katy says: “You should always have faith in the abilities of people. You should believe in those whom you are working with and for. It is surprising how many people have untapped skills and how many are capable of great things”.

 

www.finecellwork.co.uk