Rotary Club of Senlac

FASCINATION surrounded the Rotary Club of Senlac who were intrigued to know what My Life Inside really meant when a lady entered with a travel bag which was full to capacity.

Suddenly the speaker was announced as June Cox who commenced to unfold the mysteries of working inside a prison for nine years as a craft worker.

The prison, until 1992, was category 'C', Northeye Prison. From an initial request June was asked whether it was possible to take over craft classes twice a week.

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Asking ''When would you require me to start'', the answer was "Now''.

Advice was that one should not look for faults. The prison accommodated 400 men!

The initial thought of teaching the inmates was frightening and evoked fear - high fences and driving a car through barriers then having to walk to point of teaching encouraged prisoners to ask 'Are you the new girl'?

Blocks of huts and being Category 'C' (minor offences) meant prisoners could walk around freely. Many started life in borstal, then prison and could not face outside world, once released; some only four months before re-entering the environment they were used to. Eighteen to 20 attended craft classes where tutors were females.

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Toy-making (cuddly toys made with felt and fur) provided the emphasis on practical education.

Lessons were quickly learnt to ensure all scissors were signed for, in and out and to never take too much equipment into class (thread, sewing cotton, needles)!

Patterns were available for cutting necessary material.

Several finished toys emerged from the travel bag. It was permissible to make three toys which could be paid for as gifts for sons, daughters, partner/girlfriend.

Occasionally an ex-prisoner was seen in the street when an acknowledgement and thank you exchanged in conversation. There was always a sense of not knowing how the mind of a prisoner was working.

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Many prisoners did think and scheme towards possible escape.

Monday was 'new intake ' day. Requests to see the Prison Governor were normal occurrences.

Many anecdotes were spoken of. A party was held at Christmas - making tea was in a kettle! A game emerged when cigarettes were handed round - supposedly one each!

In the workshops prisoners made boxes from matchsticks using a lathe - one lid indicated a 'J' positioned centrally. Respect for lecturers was virtually non-existent.

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It was the great fire of 1986 (destruction of workshops, library and records) which was the exit for June Cox into retirement.

Rotarian Robin Poll, in offering the vote of thanks was full of admiration for the speaker who had experienced working in an enclosure which needed courage to overcome fear and a degree of trust that personal safety was assured rather than doubted through interaction.

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