Volunteers' Week, running from 1st to 6th June, celebrates the amazing contributions volunteers make to communities across the UK. It's a chance to recognise, celebrate and thank the UK's incredible volunteers for all they contribute to our local communities, the voluntary sector, and society as a whole. 

Volunteers are essential for Fine Cell Work, and are on the front line of our programmes, delivering our services both inside and outside of prisons. To mark Volunteers' Week, we spoke to some of the amazing individuals who give their time and energy to help deliver our services. In this article, we meet Marion Bedford who volunteers for us in the South West. 

Hi I am Marion! 

We always read those articles about stitchers. You know the ones. 

"I can't remember a time when I didn't stitch."

"Stitching is my therapy."

"Stitching helps me slow down and be mindful."

Well, I'm afraid I'm every one of those clichés wrapped up in a tapestry wool bow!

I've stitched for as long as I can remember...

...and have been known to carry stitching projects with me wherever I go! Airports, trains, hotel lounges, swimming events, croquet tournaments, waiting rooms, holidays and the occasional family gathering. If there is a chair involved, there is a fair chance I will be stitching in it!

When a Facebook post appeared asking whether I had ever considered stitching somewhere unusual, I was intrigued...

Frankly, I thought I'd already covered most unusual locations. Yet a few clicks later I had registered my interest with Fine Cell Work, completed the training and joined a volunteer group in the South West.

I help support and teach stitchers within a prison setting.

That can involve demonstrating stitches, helping decipher charts, sorting out tangled threads, celebrating victories and occasionally conducting emergency interventions when a needlepoint project appears to have developed a life of its own.

Mostly though, it is about encouraging people to discover skills they never knew they possessed and helping them gain confidence through creating something beautiful.

What first drew me to Fine Cell Work as an organisation was at first, curiosity...

...but what kept me involved was seeing the extraordinary impact of the programme.
Many of us who volunteer are huge fans of Fine Cell Work because we get to see the results first-hand. The combination of learning a highly skilled craft and being given the opportunity not to be defined solely by your past is incredibly powerful.

Fine Cell Work provides an environment where people are judged on the quality of their work, their commitment and their willingness to learn. The result is not only extraordinary stitching but also confidence, pride and the chance to imagine a different future. And, as it happens, some absolutely fabulous cushions.

There is something very special about seeing somebody realise that they are capable of producing work that others will genuinely admire. Watching confidence arrive one stitch at a time. People often begin by saying, "I won't be any good at this." Then they complete a row. Then a section. Then an entire project. Before long they're discussing colour changes, stitch tension and design details with all the seriousness of a master craftsperson.

The transformation can be remarkable. 

Volunteering at Fine Cell Work has given me perspective, friendship and a renewed appreciation for the power of creativity.

It has also reminded me that people are far more interesting than the labels attached to them. I've learned new stitching techniques, met wonderful fellow volunteers and had conversations I never expected to have, all while holding a tapestry needle. Not many hobbies can claim that!

The thing that surprises people most is how quickly stitching takes centre stage. Within minutes, conversations are focused on wool colours, stitch direction, canvas counts and whether that last row is quite as straight as we'd hoped.

The shared love of making something beautiful creates a connection that cuts across backgrounds, experiences and assumptions. Also, it may be the only volunteering role where debates about basketweave versus continental stitch can become unexpectedly passionate!

I would tell anyone who is considering volunteering to do it!

You don't need to know every stitch ever invented or own enough threads to open your own haberdashery. You simply need enthusiasm, patience and a willingness to share your skills. The training and support are excellent and you'll become part of an organisation that changes lives in practical and tangible ways.

You'll probably learn as much as you teach and you'll certainly come away with a deeper appreciation of what people can achieve when they're given an opportunity and someone believes in them.

Choosing a favourite Fine Cell Work product is a bit like asking someone to choose their favourite child!

However, I have a particular fondness for the needlepoint cushions. They are beautiful, practical and wonderfully representative of everything Fine Cell Work stands for.
Every cushion contains thousands of stitches, countless hours of concentration and an enormous amount of skill.

More importantly, each cushion tells a story about craftsmanship, perseverance and possibility. And every time someone admires one, they are admiring much more than a cushion. They are admiring what can happen when talent is nurtured, opportunities are offered and people are given the chance to create something extraordinary—one stitch at a time.

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Read an interview with another Fine Cell Work volunteer, Lucilla Solly, here. 

Learn more about volunteering with Fine Cell Work here.
Learn more about Volunteers' Week here.

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You can support our work in prisons and post-release by choosing to buy a Fine Cell Work Product, by making a donation or by leaving a legacy to Fine Cell Work.

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