NEWS

pact has launched an exciting new booklet for children visiting a parent or relative in prison.

The booklet, entitled 'My Visit', explains the visiting experience to children using brightly coloured pictures and easy-to-understand words, thanks to the help of author and illustrator Andy Ellis. There are spaces for children to draw pictures with their mum or dad.

Today's heavy snowfall is causing massive travel disruption, particularly in London and the South East.

Update: Most prisons are managing to honour pre-booked prison visits today, despite the snow.

However, all visits are cancelled at HMP Belmarsh and HMP Brixton today.

At HMP Bronzefield, the visitors' centre is closed but people with pre-booked visits should go straight to the main gate.

pact is distributing hundreds of Christmas cards sent in by kind members of the public with messages of support for serving prisoners.

We invited people to send a card to a serving prisoner who is alone at Christmas time, imprisoned far away from family and friends. The response was overwhelming.

Thank you to the many hundreds of you who wrote a friendly card to an unknown prisoner.

View some of the Christmas cards here

Are you interested in volunteering with prisoners' children and families?

pact runs the children's play area inside HMP Brixton, and the visitors' centre just outside, and we are holding an open day for potential volunteers on Tuesday 2nd December between 5pm and 7pm.

This open day has a particular focus on the volunteering opportunities that we currently have in the children's play area inside the prison. But we're also looking for volunteers in the visitors' centre.

On 16th November 2008, churches across Britain will mark Prisoners' Sunday - a day of reflection and prayer for prisoners, their families, and all those involved in the prison system.

Every year, pact sends out a Parish Pack to churches across the country, containing a wealth of useful resources, first-hand stories, prayers, children's materials, and more.