Eleven men are currently in the workshop with plans to increase this to 20 in due course. The first load of upcycled furniture hit the shops on the March 12. The items can be bought at Mary Ann Evans Home Store which can be found at:
1a Weddington Terrace, Nuneaton, CV10 0AG.
The store is open Monday - Saturdays from 10am to 4pm.
Any unwanted furniture can be donated at FCCs Judkins Reuse Shop:
Judkins Recycling Centre, Nuneaton, CV10 0HR.
The shop is open Monday - Friday: 9.30am - 3.15pm, Saturday - Sunday 8.30am - 4.15pm.
Or it can be donated at the Home Store via a pre-booked appointment by calling 02476 385986. Mary Ann Evans Hospice also offer a home collection service for larger or multiple pieces which can be arranged by calling or visiting the Home Store.
All profits raised from the sales of the upcycled furniture will help Mary Ann Evans hospice provide support for patients and their families living with life limiting or life threatening illnesses in the local area Services - Mary Ann Evans Hospice
Danny Gilbert, Mary Ann Evans Retail Business Development Manager commented: “We are excited to be working with FCC Environment and HMP Birmingham. Many of the upcycled items of furniture would not have been saleable previously due to damage, or not being fashionable. The quality of the workmanship is fantastic, and we are confident that the furniture will raise vital funds for the hospice.”
Dean Whitehouse HMP Birmingham’s Workshop Officer Instructor added: “HMP Birmingham has a number of workshops where prisoners are employed. One of these is the Waste Management Recycling workshop. There is a fluctuating number of men in the workshop. This is due to prisoners being transferred to other Establishments or appearing in Court. However, there are some men who have been employed in the workshop since it opened in October 2024.
"The workshop attends to many and varied roles within the Waste Recycling remit. This can be as varied as the baling of cardboard or metals, to the repairing or rejuvenating of other items within the establishment. Examples of which are prisoners’ boots or clothing and items such as furniture or electrics. This enables savings to be made on budgets.
"When the Waste Management Recycling workshop was first created, it was with the idea of having a work ethos that would give the staff members and prisoners something to ‘buy in to’. Not just turn up and get through the day. Areas within this ethos are teamwork, responsibility, integrity, initiative and creativity. All of these fit well into employability skills. It is hoped that men will build upon these as they gain knowledge and competence with tools.
"Amongst other waste/recycling roles there is the upcycling of unwanted or old furniture. This has become available through the partnership with FCC Environment and Mary Ann Evans Hospice. Selected items of furniture come into the workshop. The men have a look through the items with the staff. Ideas about what could be done to repair or upcycle the furniture are discussed. There is a degree of excitement amongst the prisoners as the select, begin and continue to work upon the furniture.
"So far, there have been around 40 items of furniture that have been completed. The men in the Workshop stated how they enjoy the work involved. Giving them the opportunity to gain new skills and confidence completing work that they never imagined that they could do. It is fair to say, the quality of pieces that have been finished is very high. The prisoners are proud of their work and like the fact that they are giving back to the community in some way.”