Prisoners' families & children Prison visitors' guides HMP Grendon If you need support: For more information, support and advice on all aspects of the justice system, you can contact the Prisoners’ Families Helpline on 0808 808 2003 (9am – 8pm Monday to Friday and 10am – 3pm at the weekend). See some information that needs updating? If you notice anything that is incorrect on this page, please contact us on [email protected] Any further information can be found on the prison website at www.justice.gov.uk/contacts/prison-finder/grendon or you can ring the main switchboard on 01296 445 000. *** Address: HMP GrendonGrendon UnderwoodNr. AylesburyBuckinghamshireHP18 0TL Governor: Becky Haywood Visitors’ Centre Telephone: 01296 445243 Visiting Times Monday No Visits Tuesday No Visits Wednesday 13:45 – 15:15 Thursday No Visits Friday No Visits Saturday 13:45 – 15:15 Sunday 13:45 – 15:15 Booking a visit Visits will last for 1 hour and 30 minutes. All visits must be booked in advance. Only those visitors whose details have been listed on the Prisoner’s Authorisation Contact List (as provided by the prisoner) and those whom are named on the booking will be allowed entry into the prison. Prison staff cannot add visitor(s) to a Prisoner’s Authorisation Contact List without the consent and authorisation of a prisoner. Adults and children must all have Identification; for more information regarding Identification, please see Identification Policy below. To book your visit Social visits can be booked in two ways: Telephone: 01296 445243. Lines are open 10.00 – 12.00 from Monday to Friday. Online: www.gov.uk/prison-visits - Please note: Online bookings are suspended until further notice, please call the booking line to book a visit. You will need: the name and date of birth of the person you would like to visit, their prison number and name, full dates of births for all the visitors coming with you. You can choose up to three possible dates and times. You will receive a confirmation email confirming the visit has been booked. All visits (except induction visits) must be booked in advance. Only those visitors whose details have been listed on the Prisoner’s Authorisation Contact List (as provided by the prisoner) and those whom are named on the booking will be allowed entry into the prison. Prison staff cannot add visitor(s) to a Prisoner’s Authorisation Contact List without the consent and authorisation of a prisoner. The prisoner will be required to provide their visitors’ personal details. Full personal details required are: full name, contact number(s), full address and postcode, full date of birth. Adults and children must all have Identification; for more information regarding Identification, please see Identification Policy below. If you have made an online visit booking request and have not received a confirmation email within one to three working days, please email [email protected]. For visiting enquiries, please ring 01296 445243. At your visit Visits can be extremely emotional and the process can be confusing. All prisons have differing processes for making visits and also differing security checks. For more information You can view the updated guidance here. Security checks You may be required to have your finger or thumb prints scanned as part of a security check. You may also have an iris scan. Sometimes you will be sniffed by security dogs. Make sure you wear clothes that are not contaminated by any form of drug as you will be returned to the Visitors’ Centre and will not be able to have your visit. You may also be searched by a prison officer (of the same gender). During your visit, officers will be with you throughout and will open and lock doors in front of and behind you at all stages. Identification Policy You will need to bring one or more forms of identification with you to all your prison visits. If you have photographic identification (ID with your name and picture on - for example, a passport or driving licence) then you will only need to show this one form of ID. You can find a list of acceptable types of photographic ID in List A below. If you do not have photographic identification, you will need to show two different forms of ID before you are allowed to visit. You can find a list of the acceptable forms of non-photographic ID in List B and List C below. List A passports that meet the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) specifications for machine-readable travel documents identity cards from an EU or European Economic Area (EEA) country that follow the Council Regulation (EC) No 2252/2004 standards UK photo card driving licenses EU or EEA driving licenses that follow the European Directive 2006/126/EC NI Electoral identity cards a US passport card a proof of age card recognised under PASS with a unique reference number (This includes the Citizen ID card) an armed forces identity card a UK biometric residence permit (BRP) If you aren't able to provide one of the ID documents listed above, you will need to provide two different forms of ID – one from List B and one from List C. If you don’t have photographic ID you must provide one of the following ID documents: List B a Home Office travel document (convention travel document, stateless person’s document, one-way document or certificate of travel) an older person’s bus pass a Freedom Pass a proof of age card recognised under the Proof of Age Standards Scheme (PASS) without a unique reference number (please refer to List A where a unique reference number is present) In addition to one of the above documents, you will also need to provide one of the items from the following list: List C a birth or adoption certificate an education certificate from a regulated and recognised educational institution (such as an NVQ, SQA, GCSE, A level or degree certificate) a rental or purchase agreement for a residential property (signed and dated) a marriage or civil partnership certificate a bank, building society or credit union current account card (on which the claimed identity is shown) Any combination of the above documents should be accepted, but you will need one from List B and one from List C. If you do not have a passport or driving license you can order a citizen ID card that you can use. You can find out more here www.citizencard.com. You can also receive a 10% discount on your application by contacting [email protected]. Children’s Identification Policy Children under 18 do not need ID. Dress code For security, health and safety reasons, some prisons have a specific dress code for visitors and others have a more relaxed policy, making assessments on a case by case basis. At the time we compiled this information, the dress code at Grendon was as follows: The following types of clothing are classed as going against the dress code at HMP Grendon: Short/cropped tops that reveal naked midriff. Low cut tops or shirts that unbutton to reveal cleavage or bare chest. Vests (as a single garment) Mini-skirts that are shorter than knee length and expose thighs. Shorts that are shorter than knee length and expose thighs. All types of see-through clothing. Headwear (other than for religious purposes). Clothing that is offensive in nature or displays offensive discriminatory, or inappropriate material. Ripped clothing Smart watches Non-prescription glasses/ sunglasses Metal hair accessories. The list is not exhaustive It is up to prison staff to make decisions and judgements as to when clothing is inappropriate. When making these decisions, staff will always consider decency and diversity. You may be asked to adjust clothing or wear alternative clothing if available. As a last resort your visit may be cancelled if the dress code cannot be followed. If you are unsure about whether your clothing meets the criteria, please do contact the visitors’ centre beforehand and double check. If in any doubt, please avoid any of the above. What can I bring in for my children? The prison can supply nappies and baby wipes. You may bring in milk, as long as it is in a sealed container, and empty bottles, so they can be filled with juice. Food and drink The canteen provides light refreshments including tea and coffee. If you would like to know more specific information on what you can bring, please contact the prison directly on the details at the top of the page. Money How do I send money to a prisoner? You can no longer send money by bank transfer, cheque, postal order or send cash by post to any prison. You’ll need to send money through the Money to Prisoners Portal using a debit card instead. The Money to Prisoners Portal service is free, secure and available in all prisons in England and Wales. To get started on the Portal you will need the prisoner's date of birth and prisoner number. If you cannot use the online service, you may be able to apply for an exemption - for example if you: are unable to use a computer, a smart phone or the internet do not have a debit card You cannot give money to the prisoner during a visit. Banned items Do not attempt to bring any of the following into prison during your visit: illegal drugs, alcohol, weapons, a camera, a mobile phone, indecent or obscene material, material that threatens the security of the prison, material that is written in code. The only items allowed to be brought in on visits are books. Financial Assistance for Visits If you are on a low income or receive benefits you may be entitled to financial assistance for the cost of visiting your relative in prison. Help is provided by the Assisted Prison Visits Unit (APVU). For more information, visit: https://www.gov.uk/help-with-prison-visits Keeping in touch Phone To speak to a prisoner on the phone, the prisoner has to call you using a prison phone. Prison staff can listen to and record most types of call. Some calls aren’t monitored, for example when a prisoner calls a legal adviser. Letters Letters to prisoners should be addressed to: HMP GrendonGrendon UnderwoodNr. AylesburyBuckinghamshireHP18 0TL (Prisoners name and prison number) You must write your own name and address on the back of the envelope or it will not be delivered to the prisoner. If you do not know the prisoners’ prison number, please address the envelope as above with the prisoner’s date of birth next to his name. Email HMP Grendon uses a service called Email a Prisoner, which can be accessed at emailaprisoner.com Through this service, family and friends can send a message to the prisoner, which is printed out and delivered by prison staff by hand. Once you have signed up, you will receive an activation link via email which you must click on in order to activate your account and send a message. You must buy a minimum of £5 credit in order to use the service, which runs at a cost of 40p per email (at no charge to the recipient). Voicemail Family members and friends can sign up to Prison Voicemail at prisonvoicemail.com, a service which allows social contacts to exchange voicemails with prisoners. On signing up, you will be given a unique local landline number you can call at any time to leave a message; this message will be instantly available for your loved one to listen to. Prisoners can check their messages by dialling the same unique number from any phone in the prison and may leave a reply. When the message has been heard, the family member receives an instant text notification, signalling they may leave another message. In order to access messages, the prisoner pays the cost of a landline call, but the cost of the service itself is paid by the family or friend. Plans start from £5 per month. Secure Video Calls This prison offers a secure video call service called Prison Video. You will need to use the Prison Video app on your phone or tablet device to have a video call with someone in prison. The Prison Video app is available to download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store (or equivalent app stores outside the UK). HMPPS has produced a user guide and a list of frequently asked questions that will give you all the information you need to start using Prison Video. You can find this at https://www.prisonersfamilies.org/change-of-video-call-service Only people aged 18 or over can register for an account with Prison Video. You will need to provide your name, address, and date of birth, and upload photos of your ID and face. You will also need to add details of any other people who wish to take part in the video calls with you, such as children, and upload a clear photo of each participant’s face. You will need to upload ID for people over the age of 18 only, unless the prison specifically asks for anything else. Sending Property to a Prisoner As of 31 July 2015, all property must be posted in; nothing can be handed in at the Prison. All prisoners are able to buy the items that they want/need through the approved suppliers, whose catalogues are available in the Prison. Any prisoner wishing to have property posted in must first make an application to Property Services in Reception; this means completing an application form. The application needs to include the details of all the property that he wishes to have posted in. Only once the application has been approved should the items be sent to the prisoner. Please note that any parcels received prior to the application being approved will be returned unopened. Photographs and postal orders must also always be posted in. Only court clothes can be posted in without the need for an application being made first. The parcel must be clearly marked as ‘court clothes’ and cannot contain any other additional items. Court clothes are defined as the following: suit trousers or skirt, shirt or blouse, jacket, tie, shoes, belt (no large buckles). Should there be any additional items within the package, it will be returned, and nothing will be passed on to the prisoner. Please note that court clothes are held in reception until the prisoner is actually going to court. Lastly, jeans, t-shirts and trainers will not be accepted as court clothes. A printable version of this Visitors' Guide is available for download here: Grendon Further Information If you are worried about your loved one while they are a resident at this prison, you can contact the Safer Custody team on 01296 445 335. This line is operated by staff 24/7 and cover both HMP Grendon and HMP Springhill. If you have a non-urgent concern while your loved one is resident at this prison, or for information, advice or support on any aspect of the criminal justice system, please call the Prisoners’ Families Helpline on 0808 808 2003 (from 9am – 8pm Monday to Friday and 10am – 3pm Saturday and Sunday).