MAGILLIGAN PRISON PLAYS SANTA FOR SCHOOL KIDS

Staff from Magilligan Prison today gave more than 250 children from three primary schools in the village of Bellarena an early Christmas present of personalised Christmas stocking.

The Christmas stockings were made and individually embroidered by inmates from Foyleview Resettlement Unit for the pupils of St Anthony’s PS, St Aidan’s PS and Bellarena PS.

The idea was hatched by Foyleview’s very own ‘Saint Nick’, Senior Officer Trevor Barr.

“I thought it would be a nice gesture, so I approached the three schools with the idea. The teachers gave me the first names of all the children so we could put them on all the stockings. The inmates have been working hard in the workshops over the past few weeks to get them ready,” he said.

Trevor Barr and Foyleview Governor Gary McLean visited the schools today to give out the stockings just in time for Christmas Eve.

Governor McLean said: “Magilligan Prison is involved in a host of initiatives aimed at reaching out to the local community and we hope the Christmas stockings will give the children a lot of pleasure during the festive season.

“The inmates were happy to become involved in such a worthy project. It was an opportunity for them to make to use of the skills they have acquired in Magilligan and to help them with the process of preparing for release.

“Now that all the school kids in Bellarena have their names on their stockings, there should be no excuse for Santa to get their presents mixed up on December 24!” he added.

Meanwhile, the Principal Officer of Foyleview, AP Wilson, has appealed to charities and organisations that could benefit from the help of Magilligan Prison to contact him.

“If there are any charities or organisations in the area that could do with our help, don’t hesitate to phone me. I can be contacted on 028 77720549.”

For photographs contact Seamus Loughrey on 07770833830

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