Jersey inmates build hedgehog boxes for
Prisoners at HMP La Moye built 20 hedgehog boxes for a local preservation group, raising charity funds and learning vocational skills.
An animal charity has thanked inmates at a Jersey prison for building boxes that are saving hedgehogs' lives. Prisoners at HMP La Moye in St Brelade constructed 20 feeding and nesting boxes from reclaimed pallet timber for the Jersey Hedgehog Preservation Group earlier in August.
Dru Burdon from the hedgehog group said the project began after a chance meeting with a prison officer at a veterinary clinic. "He found a little hedgehog in need of care and we got talking," Burdon explained. The result was that she provided the prison with templates for both nesting and feeding boxes.
Project benefits for inmates
Peter Gould, the prison's vocational manager, stated that the work helps teach inmates skills to support future employment. He said it could help reduce reoffending. The project also teaches health and safety best practice and gives prisoners experience using machinery and equipment.
"For some, the project provides a valuable introduction to skills that could lead to recognised qualifications and careers in the construction industry," Gould said. He added that the work gives inmates a sense of purpose, achievement, and connection to the community, which he described as incredibly valuable.
Fundraising and public response
The boxes have also served as a successful fundraiser for the charity. Burdon reported that all the feeding boxes sold out, raising £20 each. Only a few of the £25 nesting boxes remained. "The response from the public and our members has been terrific," she added.
Burdon emphasized the direct wildlife benefit. "If it helps with carpentry skills training, so much the better," she said. "These boxes are certainly saving hedgehogs' lives."
Wider prison vocational projects
Gould noted that the hedgehog box initiative is part of a broader programme of vocational projects at HMP La Moye. Other projects include refurbishing bikes for donation to the Age Concern Jersey charity and restoring memorial benches. Inmates also grow plants and vegetables for the prison kitchen and for charity, and help create wildlife habitats.
"We're proud of the positive contribution prisoners can make through this work," Gould said, "and pleased to see these projects being recognised." The charity's thanks were reported by BBC Jersey.
