The Recipe For a Fine Christmas Gift - Apprentice & Volunteer Picks

OUR APPRENTICE & VOLUNTEER GIFT PICKS

The Recipe For a Fine Christmas Gift

What are the ingredients for the perfect present?

-

How about unique, handmade designs, that provide purposeful activity for people in prison? By choosing a Fine Cell Work gift, you're picking a present with the power to transform lives.

-

We asked Fine Cell Work volunteers and Open The Gate apprentices what they would like to gift this Christmas season - from needlepoint bookmarks and handmade decorations, to beautifully stitched cushions and more.

-

In need of more gift-spiration? Discover our staff picks below.

Explore staff gift picks

Shop all gift picks

Leonie, Open The Gate Apprentice

Fig Hand-Embroidered Linen Cushion Green, £150

"I would buy this as a gift for my partner who loves houseplants. This would go perfectly with the plants at home, and it is a bit different."

Shop Leonie's pick

Jane, Fine Cell Work Volunteer

Handmade Christmas Pudding Decoration, £18

"I would give a Christmas Pudding decoration to my friends, because they're so much fun and everyone loves a Christmas decoration! They are a good product to introduce people to the charity, and friends I have given decorations to in the past have all written to the stitchers."

Shop Jane's pick

Sona, Fine Cell Work Volunteer

Pin Cushion Bee Design Blue, £10

"I would buy one of these for my stitcher friend, because the stitching is so intricate and it is constructed beautifully."

Shop Sona's pick

Suzanne, Fine Cell Work Volunteer

London College of Fashion Embroidered Hands Cushion, £90

"My daughter would love the Hands Cushion, because she collects things with hands on -- sculptures, milagro etc., so this would be a wonderful addition to her collection!"

Shop Suzanne's pick

Prison_Calendar_Hand-Embroidered_Christmas_Decoration_-_Fine_Cell_Work.jpg

Christine, Fine Cell Work Volunteer

Prison Calendar Hand-Embroidered Christmas Decoration, £18

"As a new volunteer, I'll be gifting the prison calendar decoration - for me it stands out on its own, invites questions and signifies so much of what the charity is about - the talented stitchers, learning, progressing and stitching one stitch at a time."

Shop Christine's pick

Hand-Embroidered-Pineapple-Cushion-Blue-Green-min_f6662fa9-d708-4a08-a3ff-e9b7a4e45849.jpg

David, Open The Gate Apprentice

Pineapple Embroidered Cushion Blue and Green on Cream, £180

"I would gift this to a friend, because it is a design that I enjoyed working on, and I love telling them about it!"

Shop David's pick

Jo, Fine Cell Work Volunteer

Beetroot Needlepoint Cushion, £140

"I would gift this to my aunt, as she lives alone and the cushion would be a great conversation starter when her friends visit. I have seen first hand the amount of work and effort that goes into making one -- they're exquisitely stitched and would last forever."

Shop Jo's pick

Kitty, Fine Cell Work Volunteer

Emperor Penguin Hand-Embroidered Christmas Decoration, £25

"Every year for Christmas I give my family something for the Christmas tree. I have chosen the Emperor Penguin, because it's new this year, and they can add it to their Fine Cell Work Christmas decoration collections!"

Shop Kitty's pick

Ron, Open The Gate Apprentice

The William Morris Society Flowers Cushion, £115

"I would buy this as a gift for my wife in Australia, as she loves William Morris floral patterns."

Shop Ron's pick

Antonia, Fine Cell Work Volunteer

Geometric Pattern Needlepoint Bookmark, £12

"I would give this to my Dad, because he loves bright colours and never seems to have a bookmark!"

Shop Antonia's pick

Fiona, Fine Cell Work Volunteer

Gerbera Hand-Embroidered Linen Cushion, £95

"This would be a perfect gift for a friend who had to give up her garden - she loved growing flowers!"

Shop Fiona's pick

Handmade-William-Morris-Scarborough-Giftware-min_925732b2-ffe7-4771-a4be-e6a9150e0406.jpg

Catherine, Fine Cell Work Volunteer

The William Morris Society Scarborough Glasses Case, £15

"I would gift this to myself, because I often lose my glasses cases! Quite often, when I pull my glasses case out of my bag on the train, people comment on it, because it's so different. An added bonus is that the velvet lining cleans your glasses as you put them in and of the case!"

Shop Catherine's pick

Rosemary, Fine Cell Work Volunteer

Prison Calendar Cushion by A.A. Gill, £125

"This would make a perfect gift for one of my siblings - they all know I volunteer at Fine Cell Work, so it would be quite a fun and quirky present! It is so different and has such a great story behind it."

Shop Rosemary's pick

James, Open The Gate Apprentice

Geometric Flat Keyring, £10

"It's handy, and something you can use throughout the year. It's a perfect gift for a person who is always losing their keys!"

Shop James's pick

Jenny, Fine Cell Work Volunteer

Cressida Bell Shield Cushion Orange and Yellow, £115

"A Christmas present for myself. I would go for this, or 2, or 3 because they're just fabulous!"

Shop Jenny's pick

Jason, Fine Cell Work Volunteer

Swag Embroidered Purse Black, £22

"I would give my friend a Swag Purse, because they're so wonderfully playful and fun!"

Shop Jason's pick

Adam, Open The Gate Apprentice

14” Geometric Multicoloured Cushion, £75

"This would be a gift for one of my friends, because she works in IT and likes mathematical patterns, so she would love the geometric design!"

Shop Adam's pick

Terri, Fine Cell Work Volunteer

Cressida Bell Pyramid Embroidered Cushion Red, £115

"I would buy this as a gift for my Mum, because she would love the colours and textures of this cushion -- it's so luxurious to the touch!"

Shop Terri's pick

Noah_s_Ark_Embroidered_Cushion_-_Lion_detail_1_crop_-_Fine_Cell_Work.jpg

Tania, Open The Gate Apprentice

Noah's Ark Embroidered Lions Cushion, £125

"I would love to give one of the new Noah's Ark cushion to a new born baby this Christmas, because the lion's tufty mane is so tactile and sensory. If it was personalised with their name, they would treasure it forever."

Shop Tania's pick