2 June 2016
Prisoners support Turangi Bullyproof with bike

Prisoners at Tongariro Prison have supported Turangi Bullyproof by restoring a recovered bike and donating it to the organisation on Pink Shirt Day during anti-bullying week.

Turangi Bullyproof is a community campaign to reduce bullying in the area, while Pink Shirt Day aims to create schools, workplaces and communities where all people feel safe, valued and respected.

Over two days, the recovered stolen bike was stripped, airbrushed and rebuilt by eight prisoners training in the prison’s painting and bicycle repair workshops .

Turangi Bullyproof donated the bike as a raffle prize, with funds raised going towards anti-bullying initiatives and activities.

The prison also donated a carving, created by a prisoner completing Te Tirohanga (a programme based in the Māori Focus Unit), which Turangi Bullyproof will present to a community business that has shown great support for their cause.

Tongariro Prison Director Lyn O’Connor says it is projects like these that help the men give back to the local community in a meaningful way.

“Several of the prisoners have children and they feel that Turangi Bullyproof is a really worthy cause. They hope that it may even help prevent kids ending up where they are today. It’s great to do work that supports such a worthy cause.”

ENDS

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