A sewing class is teaching male prisoners valuable life skills, as well as helping them contribute to the community.
Despite initially considering sewing "women's work", a group of prisoners at Northland Region Corrections Facility at Ngāwhā are now dedicated to the sewing workshops five mornings a week.
Corrections Officer Joanne Hammerton runs the workshops and decided to give more meaning to the work created by partnering with local charities.
Prisoners in the sewing workshop up-cycle clothing that has been donated to hospice, such as jeans and shirts that cannot be on-sold.
The items are turned into reusable bags and aprons, which prisoners donate back to Hospice Mid-Northland to sell in its shop.
Carol Jurisich-Price, the hospice's processing centre and quality control manager, says the end result is a great quality item which hospice can sell for about $15.
The money helps the hospice provide services free in its area, which is from Taupo Bay in the North to Hukerunui in the South and taking in Coast to Coast, including South Hokianga.
These atre set to be launched at Hospice Mid-Northlands annual Art & Collectables Auction, held on Friday 11th October at the Turner Centre.