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GIVING PROPERTY AND MONEY TO A PRISONER AT HMP HOLLOWAY

Giving property to a prisoner
Items that need an application
items that do not need an application
Items that are not allowed
How to hand in property
Giving money to a prisoner
Can I send flowers?
What about newspapers and magazines?
Collecting property from a prisoner

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Giving property to a prisoner
You can give property to a prisoner in HMP Holloway, but there are rules and regulations:

  • when someone is first sent to HMP Holloway, they are entitled to have 25 items of clothing given to them. You can either post the items, or hand them in at the parcels office in the Visitors' Centre
  • after 14 days inside, if the prisoner wants to receive any more clothing, they must make an application for a further 14 items - making a total of 39 items
  • you can give a prisoner unlimited supplies of underwear, including knickers, bras, socks, boxers and all-in-ones. No application is necessary

About making applications

  • the prisoner must make applications (not the visitor)
  • applications may take up to seven days to be cleared, but any application made before Wednesday on any given week should be approved and valid by Saturday
  • an application made after Wednesday will not become "live" until the following Saturday and will remain valid for 14 days
  • visitors' centre staff will be happy to check whether an application has been made and approved; just give us a ring before you come up and we will check with the parcels office

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Items that need an application
A prisoner can start applying for additional items as soon as they arrive. These include radios, CD or cassette players, Walkmans, cassette tapes, computer games, board games and craft materials. Some of these items carry restrictions:

  • radio, cassette or CD players must not measure more than 11 inches long, 9 inches high and 6 inches wide, and must not have a liquid display (i.e. a digital clock feature), alarm facility or digital clock. It can be battery operated but batteries must be non-alkaline and non-mercury (we recommend Panasonic)
  • please note that Baygen wind-up radios have now been approved for prison use. These are transparent radios that do not require batteries. They are available from Argos. The model you purchase must still adhere to the above specification.
  • cassette tapes must be completely transparent
  • Duracell batteries (or any batteries with alkaline or mercury) are not permitted and we recommend Panasonic batteries
  • batteries alone cannot be handed in, but the prisoner can purchase them within the prison

For details of other restrictions, please ring the Visitors? Centre before buying or bringing in items.

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Items that do not need an application
The following items can be brought (or sent) in for the prisoner without them needing to make an application:

  • a toothbrush
  • a comb
  • envelopes
  • writing paper
  • stamps
  • see-through pens
  • pencils (without rubbers)
  • exercise books or pads of paper (spiral bound notebooks are not allowed)
  • photographs, but no more than 8 at a time
  • religious items and texts are also generally allowed, but as these vary greatly, it is best to check with parcels office staff before submitting them

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Items that are not allowed
There are several items that cannot be handed in either with or without an application and these include:

  • toiletries
  • magazines
  • tobacco
  • telephone cards
  • jewellery

For information about money, see below.

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How to hand in property

  • all property must be handed in through the parcels office at the back of the Visitors' Centre. You will need to fill in a form at the Visitors? Centre in order to hand in property.
  • the parcels office opening hours are:
    Monday, Tuesday and Thursday: 1.30pm - 4.30pm
    Wednesday: 11am - 12.30pm, 1.30pm - 4pm
    Friday: 11am - 12.30pm, 1.30pm - 3.30pm
    Saturday and Sunday: 10am - 12.30pm, 1.30pm - 3.30pm
  • you do not need to be visiting to hand in property but parcels will not be accepted outside of these times
  • visitors' centre staff are not able to hand in property for you so please make sure you take it with you when you leave the Centre
  • handing in property is a lengthy process; please allow yourself enough time

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Giving money to a prisoner
You cannot hand in money for the prisoner - you have to send it in the post.

  • please send a postal order, made payable to 'the Governor'
  • write the prisoner's name and number on the back, and your name and address
  • it may take up to a week for the money to be credited to the prisoner's account

Prisoners on remand can spend ?30 a week plus any money they earn.

Convicted prisoners can spend ?10 per week plus any money earned.

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Can I send flowers?
Flowers can be ordered for prisoners, but only through an approved shop:
Impulse Flowers, 415-417 Holloway Road, London N7 6HJ
Phone 020 7607 3337
Fax 020 7619 0279

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What about newspapers and magazines?
At present, magazines can be handed at the parcel office where clothing is handed in. However, newspapers are not allowed unless they are in a foreign language. Prisoners have access to newspapers from the prison library.

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Collecting property from a prisoner

  • a prisoner may occasionally hand out property to the person who is visiting
  • this could be clothes for washing, items they have made, or valuables they do not wish to keep while in prison
  • the Visitors? Centre staff will be happy to find out for you if anything has been left for you
  • property is picked up at the parcels office
  • ID will be needed to make sure the property is handed out to the right person and it is best to check in advance that you are the person named to receive it
  • valuables are kept in a safe in the main prison and may take a little longer to collect. Valuables can only be collected Monday to Friday