Parklea Correctional Centre’s horticultural team has triumphed again, taking out two awards at this year’s Blacktown City Garden Competition.
This year their green thumbs were recognised with First Place for Best Community Garden and Second Place for Best Sustainable Garden.
This is the sixth straight year Parklea has entered the competition and been victorious.
The award-winning group consists of 28 inmates, who are supervised by overseers Sanjeev Kumar and Fetaitai Patiole.
The impressive gardens include native Australian plants, as well as a vegetable patch and a greenhouse with potted herbs.
Not only do the inmate’s efforts beautify the prison grounds, but they are also making a contribution to the Blacktown community by donating lettuces, rocket and bok choy they have grown to local charities who provide food hampers to those in need.
These include the Harman Foundation and Care Van Blacktown.
They are also learning valuable skills in the process and have meaningful work to do each day.
They can earn a Cert II in Horticulture to improve their chances of employment when they leave prison.
Sanjeev and Fetaitai are pictured with Gardening Australia presenter Hannah Moloney and Blacktown Mayor Brad Bunting.
