Prisoners help meet demand for healthy meals to feed the hungry

Prisoners from around the state are helping put healthy food on the table for thousands of hungry Queenslanders, while also learning useful job skills which may help them reintegrate into the community on their release.

In an agreement between Queensland Corrective Services (QCS) and BeefBank, which provides meat to the disadvantaged Queenslanders through Foodbank, QCS provides cattle raised on its prison farms to the charity.

Lotus Glen Correctional Centre (LGCC) Manager Doug Vidler, who was instrumental in establishing the agreement, said the farms, at LGCC, Numinbah, Palen Creek and Townsville correctional centres, play an important role in the rehabilitation of prisoners.

“The prisoners looking after the herd gain hands-on skills that are easily transferrable wherever they go, such as vehicle maintenance, cattle management, fencing and general farm maintenance.

“It gives them confidence, self-satisfaction and achievement to learn about weaner development and continue daily feeding and finishing of the calves,” Mr Vidler said.

The farming program is part of QCS Prison Industries, which help improve the safety and security of centres by providing prisoners with meaningful employment as part of a structured day.

It also provides a high level of theory and practical training for the prisoners, providing vocational skills which improve their chances of avoiding reoffending on release.

Andrew Rodgers, director of BeefBank, which was established by Rotary Club of Brisbane Centenary Inc, said the charity appreciated QCS providing the cattle.

“One cow can provide 2500 meals when processed and it is particularly important to provide meat as part of the makings of a hot meal as the weather gets colder,” Mr Rodgers said.

As part of the agreement, BeefBank will provide LGCC with semen straws to continue to improve the herd.