Grant Long, managing director of Norfolk Motor Group, presents the Kia Sorento to Wayland Prison.

Norwich Kia dealership Norfolk Motor Group (NMG), in conjunction with Kia Motors UK, has supplied a Kia Sorento to the mechanics workshop at HM Prison Wayland at Griston, near Watton.

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The car will be used by education provider A4e which runs various courses to help prisoners gain valuable life skills and qualifications to prepare them for law-abiding lives once they are released.

The motor mechanics workshop has experienced difficulty in obtaining funding for new equipment, so the 4x4 vehicle from Kia is a welcome gift according to Stuart Staples, who works with the prisoners at HMP Wayland.

He said: “Our vehicles and parts have started to become extremely dated so I was delighted when Kia answered my appeal for parts, equipment and vehicles for donation to the prison.

“Educating prisoners is of paramount importance, especially for the younger prisoners who haven’t had a chance at school or college. We know for a fact that if they leave the prison and enter full time employment, the chances of reoffending are greatly reduced.”

The Kia Sorento will be used to help the tutors work with prisoners to gain IMI (Institute of the Motor Industry) certifications along with various NVQs that are available to them. With technology in motoring advancing at a fast pace, his students will now get the benefit of working on a newer model to ready themselves for a potential career in the automotive industry.

Grant Long, managing director of NMG Kia, was pleased to be able to help.

He said: “Some of the offenders have had very difficult lives – we’re delighted that we can supply Stuart with the latest technology in motors so that the guys have a greater chance of finding employment when they are released.”

The partnership between Kia and HMP Wayland has started with the donation of the Kia Sorento, but Kia and A4e are keen to develop the relationship further for the future benefit of the prisoners.