A QUALITY bench made and delivered by Portland prisoners will be enabling elderly day centre users to sit out in the fresh air this summer.

The kind donation from The Verne Prison is the first bit of furniture to grace the new decked area, which was recently completed in front of Fairfield Day Centre, Fortuneswell.

It was the idea of prison officer Keith Bedford, whose father-in-law Arthur Westman, 88, attends the day centre.

Mr Westman was among the service users to gather with members of staff and Ian McArthur, an inmate from The Verne, and mark the bench’s arrival.

Mr Bedford, who works in the prison reception, said: “The Fairfield centre is a brilliant service, it really is.

“The staff are so nice down there, I just thought it would be nice to give a little back to the community.

“I spoke to our new governor David Bourne to see if we could get our wood mill to help the cause.

“He agreed and said he would like to get some prisoners involved.

“One of our prisoners, Ian McArthur, who does the outside gardening at the Verne also helped to load it on the wagon and deliver it “It’s a really nice hardwood bench which would probably cost about £200 if you were to pay for it.

“My wife Diane is going to make some cushions to go on it.”

Fairfield centre manager Trudy Comben said: It’s our first piece of new furniture for our new decking so we’re really pleased.

“Our service users tried it out and really enjoyed sitting out on it, it’s come just in time for the summer.

“We’re going to get it fitted to the decking so it’s really secure.

“We put in a successful bid to the Partnership for Older People Programme (POPPS) for gardening equipment.

Plans for the decking include bird boxes and feeding tables so that the centre users will be able to study the birds as well as an area where vegetables and flowers can be planted.

To donate, contact Fairfield Day Centre call 01305 821337.