Prison staff reach out

Christmas spirit was in abundance at the Department of Corrections. 

Staff reached out to help needy islanders and the charities that assist them.

Spearheading the drive was The Transformation Committee — an independent group of staff at the department.

The committee was formed in, July, 2012 with set goals to organize recreation/social events for correction staff (including civilian staff) and their families to improve team performance and relationships to enrich the lives of members of staff lives and help reduce stress.

The aim was also to: develop care, compassion and mutual respect in the workplace; help staff to see things differently and to use different thinking styles; help strengthen sense of purpose and responsibility and build confidence; bridge the gap between ranks, programme staff and correction officers.

Teamwork

While some of the original members of the Transformation Committee have retired, the current members are Principal Officers Carla Simmons and Phillip Downie,  Divisional Officers Adrienne Mouchette, Donald Norford, and Gerald Bean, Acting Chief of Security Officer Shaun Bailey, and Social Worker Yvette Brown. New staff members have recently joined the team. 

Members assisted with the Salvation Army’s mobile Soup & Sandwich evening programme for the homeless in November and helped in December with the annual Salvation Army Christmas dinner where approximately 200 needy people were served a hot Christmas meal with all the trimmings and dessert and given a gift bag before departure.

Several  hampers of food and toiletries were donated to Herb Gardens and Serenity Gardens Nursing Home with Ms Carla Lowe, RN receiving for the latter. 

A ham and a 22-pound turkey were donated to the Hands of Love Ministry. A Warwick parish family with four children received the items on behalf of the Prison Officers Recreation Club (PORC) who donated to the Transformation Committee. Donations also graciously poured in from other staff at the Department of Corrections, The Market Place and Arnold’s Markets.