A CHARITY hopes to reduce the number of people returning to prison by promoting engagement with practical activity and “creative alternatives to repeat offending”.

Making It Out was established in Portslade 18 months ago by Mark Whaley.

His aim is to bridge the gaps between different parts of society and build better relationships to reduce the likelihood of crime being committed.

Described as “somewhere between a manufacturing business and a resettlement service”, Making It Out works with prisons, probation services and volunteer services to identify individuals in need of structured occupational support.

By offering training, work experience and employment opportunities, Making It Out hopes to help those taking part to move away from criminal behaviour and towards long-term employment.

One of those who taken part said: “Leaving jail can bring unforeseen trauma, yet having Making It Out has helped install focus, structure and stability.

“Keeping myself busy by being involved in the creative arts and being constructive has been invaluable.

“The opportunity to talk to others about the shared experience of leaving prison has been a life-saver.”

The charity is currently seeking volunteers to be involved in creating a permanent public memorial to those who have lost their life while homeless in Brighton and Hove.

They want the memorial to be made by as many people who have experienced or worked with homelessness as possible, and are looking for people to join the committee that will plan the project and guide it through creation.

Potential volunteers should contact admin@makingitout.co.uk.

Making It Out is based at Portside Studios, where the charity’s members produce the practical work for their creative manufacturing programme.

In a demonstration of the charity’s commitment to integration with the wider community, workbench spaces at the Portside Studio are available for hire.

The charity is now working on a collaboration with Charleston Farmhouse in Lewes. They have produced a range of toys to be sold alongside their current exhibition of works from The Omega Workshop, which was founded in 1913 by Roger Fry to “bring fine art sensibilities” to household furniture, textiles and other accessories.

Following the style of Roger Fry’s original designs, the hand-painted toys are made by past offenders and vulnerable individuals in the Making It Out programme and will be sold in the Charleston gift shop to accompany the exhibition.

Past projects include refurbishing an old chapel building in Portslade for use as a shop by homelessness charity Emmaus.

Emmaus said that Making It Out had “transformed” the old building into “a fantastic new retail space”.

“Combining OSB wood sheet with stained glass from the original chapel, they have created a range of custom-made units and art installations, all designed and made in their Portslade Studios.”

The shop opened in June as Outfit@Emmaus.