Warwick Work Camp chips in baked treats for fire survivors

Women from the Warwick Work Camp have pitched in to cook up sweet treats for the people affected by the fires in surrounding regions.

The women joined volunteers from the Warwick Show Society to bake biscuits, cakes and slices as part of “Baked Relief”, which distributes supplies to safe points for people in the community to collect and enjoy brief respite.

The women baked the treats at the work camp with ingredients donated by the people of Warwick.

Superintendent Julie Steinheuer ACM, Deputy General Manager of Numinbah Correctional Centre (NCC), which manages the Warwick Work Farm, said the women were eager to help.

“The women at the work camp know the value of making reparations to the community and how meaningful work helps in their rehabilitation, but they also responded as anyone would in a time of crisis,” Superintendent Steinheuer said.

“They simply wanted to help out people in greater need than themselves.”

The Warwick Work Camp is a 10-bed facility operated as   an option for low-risk prisoners from NCC to assist with their transition back into the general community.

Queensland Corrective Services (QCS) recognises the importance of community service as an opportunity for low-security prisoners to make reparation to the community harmed by their behaviour and to develop valuable employment skills.

The QCS Work Program also provides a benefit to the surrounding community.

In 2018-19, prisoners on the Work Program completed 176,509 hours of community service equating to more than $4.6 million worth of labour provided to support regional Queensland, particularly in times of natural disaster.

The Warwick Work Camp was established in 1995 and was the first prisoner work camp for women in Australia.