Prisoners restore vintage mower for museum

The restored mower.

High security prisoners at Whanganui Prison have been busy restoring weed eaters and mowers in a move that will help the community and help the prisoners gain valuable skills.

Bob Little, a local businessman who has retired after 40 years in business, donated 50 old weed eaters, 20 mower motors and old vintage mowers to the site for the prisoners to repair.

Up to eight men work in the prison's small motors workshop at a time and learn to rebuild, repair and service small machinery, including lawn mowers, weed whackers and brush cutters. The men earn NZQA unit standards throughout the course via the open polytechnic which adds to part of a level 2 NZ certificate.

Among the collection of mowers was an antique mower which the group was able to restore and donate to a local museum.

The prisoners took the mower apart, hand sanded and polished the pieces back to bare metal and put it back together again.

Ed Boyd, owner of Boyd's Autobarn - a private vehicle collection in Whanganui, was grateful for the work the men had put in and couldn't wait to get the newly restored mower to his museum.

The skills they learn will help the men become self-sufficient in repairing the grounds equipment used on site. The prisoners have also been able to service and repair the Community Corrections owned mowers and equipment. They have also learnt skills that may help them gain jobs on release and move towards a crime-free life.

"The men are very proud of the work they have put in to restoring these mowers," says Reti Pearse, Prison Director Whanganui Prison. "Being able to finish a piece of work that can be put to use and proudly displayed in their community is a great achievement for them."