Prisoners at the Isle of Man Prison have been making home-made soup to help homeless people in the island.
Fresh vegetables grown in the prison garden are being used to make warm and nourishing soup for people who visit homeless charity Graih.
The vegetables, grown at the prison in Jurby, are made into soup and then chilled and delivered to the Douglas charity once a fortnight on a Friday evening.
Onchan Rotary Club has also stepped in to support the initiative, organised by the Isle of Man Prison and Probation service, by donating a new cauldron to reheat the soup ready for serving.
Michael Coleman MLC, Department of Home Affairs member with responsibility for the Prison and Probation Service, said: ‘It is always good to see prisoners making a positive contribution to the local community through their charitable efforts.
‘Two tonnes of vegetables are grown at the prison each year, which helps to save money and ensure a healthy diet is available for prisoners.
‘It is good to see the prison putting its home-grown produce to further use by joining forces with Onchan Rotary Club and Graih.’
Graih operates a drop-in centre at The Alpha Centre in Broadway, Douglas providing hot food, a place to socialise and somewhere to sleep at night on an emergency basis for homeless people.
The charity also helps people get support with substance abuse and health issues, organises activities such as walks and trips to the charity’s allotment in Braaid, as well as find accommodation for those in need of help.
Kenny Best, chairman and volunteer at Graih, said: ‘We are very grateful for the support provided by the Prison and Probation Service and Onchan Rotary Club.
‘Our service users feel the benefits of a hot meal, particularly at this time of year, and the soup has been very well received.’
To find out more information about the homeless charity and its work visit www.graih.org.im