If you have driven past Lithgow Correctional Centre on the Great Western Highway, you may have noticed a sign for 'Captured Craft'.
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Captured Craft has been running for 21 years but is now coming to a close after they received a letter from Lithgow Correctional Centre stating they need to vacate the premises.
"All good things must come to an end," Founding member Dawn Brown said.
Ms Brown said that the group would be closing and not moving to a new facility because the place they were staying was rent free, and they couldn't afford to go elsewhere.
Inmates and community volunteers have been running the program, but once the correctional centre stopped running visual arts in the centre, that came to an end. It then fell on community members alone.
"I started it when I was working at the prison, and ladies were looking to sell their craft," she said.
"We started it in N block of the prison, but then the bay here [just outside the correctional facility] became available and it was the perfect spot for what we wanted to do."
Ms Brown said seeing the changes in the inmates attitudes was one of the most rewarding parts of working at the shop.
"From working in the jail and hearing what inmates have experienced, and seeing what they produce and their change of attitude is incredible," she said.
"We then take their creation and sell it and they get a small percentage."
Ms Brown said she started it because other ladies working at the prison were looking to sell their items.
"Every time we raise around $1000 we then donate it to a local charity, or small community group," she said.
Those include the VRA, Tanderra Nursing Home and Lithgow Pony Club.
Ms Brown said that getting volunteers to run the program has been the hardest part, with it falling on three of the same ladies.
"When my husband passed away, I left to go travelling and Dot Treseder and Gladys Fowler took over and kept it going," she said.
"One lady Margaret Bright has been with us for the full 21 years of operation, she comes every second Saturday morning, she is dedicated."
Ms Brown said that if they were to consider moving she would like to be on the Great Western Highway since it has more exposure.
"But it has been good here, it is very generous of corrections to allow us to have the building."
Ms Brown said she had met people from everywhere.
"A lady from Mackay dropped in, and said she had been told about it four years ago and finally when driving past managed a visit," she said.
"Others drop in and say they always see the sign when they drive past, I think the hardest thing has been trying to get the message out that they aren't in the prison."
Despite closing in around a months time, it could have come to an end a whole lot sooner when the Gospers Mountain fire came into Lithgow.
"It was about 500 metres away, and I had come down to water the garden, and then saw ambers on the ground and was putting out spot fires," she said.
"If the fire had hit the trees behind our little place, the building would've gone up. But we just had to remember it wasn't someone's house, and it wasn't as important as peoples lives and their homes.
"Where we are is absolutely gorgeous though, it is lovely and peaceful, and you don't even realise the jail is there."
According to Ms Brown the grounds officer and inmates planted trees, built shelves and more for the group.
"We have also been donated blanket boxes and shelves from Kirkconnell Prison and Bathurst Prison," she said.
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The group was given 90 days to vacate the premises but the group is hoping to close up in just 60.
"We will have our big sale on Monday, April 27, just after Easter and then that will be it," she said.
"Anything left over will go to St Vinnies, or the Salvation Army, and I will contact the ladies about whether they want to pick up their items that don't sell."
Sales on second hand items and home made crafts will begin at the store from this weekend, with items to be reduced each week.
"Thank you to the community and corrections for supporting us, without the community we would never have made it this long," she said.
"So we hope everyone can come for one last visit."
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