Rixonway Kitchens, one of the leading manufacturers working in affordable and social housing, has donated units to Thorn Cross Prison in Warrington to be used in a scheme aimed at teaching young offenders new skills to help reduce re-offending rates.

The open institution offers a ‘fitted interiors course’ run by the Open College Network North West Region (OCNNWR) which can earn a diploma or certification. The course trains ten learners a time in kitchen fitting which will provide them with a trade, as well as important social and life skills, all of which can be valuable when seeking employment on their release. Rixonway’s Operations Director Nick Greenall said: “At Rixonway we’re serious about youth engagement and we hope that through our involvement with this course the learners will have access to the resources required to make a difference to their lives.

“The trade learnt can be used to help with securing employment on release and, according to Government statistics, can reduce the risk of re-offending by between a third and a half.” John Platt head of learning and skills at Thorn Cross Prison said: “Allowing our learners to perform a task themselves rather than solely learning from text books or watching a demonstration is a brilliant resource to have. The material donated by Rixonway will allow our learners to gain hands on experience which will be key to their education. Most learners will leave with a certificate but if time allows then they can work towards a diploma. The project means that those who are only spending weeks at Thorn Cross can still achieve something.”

Rixonway is committed to youth engagement and combating worklessness in 16-24 year-olds and partners with a number of public and private sector agencies to provide jobs and opportunities.

Following its support of the ’Most Outstanding Young Person’ category in the 2010 national awards organised by the National Federation of ALMO’s (arms length management organisations), Rixonway donated a kitchen to a community centre in Barnet allowing the winner of the category to continue his work with youngsters in the area. Rixonway is also implementing an initiative to train inmates in kitchen fitting, CAD design and making display units by donating raw materials to juvenile institute HMP Hindley.

Rixonway’s work with Thorn Cross prison is the latest activity in the company’s corporate social responsibility programme that sees it working with a number of organisations to build sustainable communities such as The Harrogate Homeless Project and the Wellington Hill Residents Association in Leeds