Prison Rucksacks and required contents
Prisoner rucksacks are given by a prison charity for which some MU members volunteer, to prisoners who have no family to go to on the day of their release. After they have made the long journey by bus from Acklington in Northumberland to Tyneside, they need a change of clothes the following day to be presentable to sign on and to look for accommodation, and work.
Rucksack contents: Toiletries: soap, disposable razors, toothpaste, toothbrush, comb, deodorant, nail clippers, Towel, flannel, Underwear (boxers), socks, T shirts, Jogging bottoms, Fleece or jacket, gloves and woollen hat.
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‘Fresh Start’ Rucksacks
During Lent in 2025, the Mothers’ Union of St Peter’s, Monkseaton, aimed to buy and assemble some rucksacks full of gifts for prisoners at HMP Northumberland who have no family to return to on the day of their release. We did this with the generous help and support of our congregation: sharing Mothers’ Union projects with them helps to bring us together and highlights what MU seeks to do. Together we collected over £200, which enabled us to buy and fill four rucksacks: each contains a full range of toiletries and warm clothing, as well as a fleece top and joggers to enable the ex-prisoner to be presentable to sign on or look for accommodation or a job interview on the day after release. Norma Willmott