Wymott Prison

Book and plan your visit to Wymott

To visit someone in Wymott you must:

• be on that person’s visitor list
• book your visit in advance
• have the required ID with you when you go

At least one visitor must be 18 or older at every visit.

There may be a limit to the number of visits a person can have. You can check this with Wymott.

Contact Wymott if you have any questions about visiting.

Help with the cost of your visit

If you get certain benefits or have an NHS health certificate, you might be able to get help with the costs of your visit, including:

• travel to Wymott
• somewhere to stay overnight
• meals

How to book family and friends visits

You can book your visit online.

Wymott is running a limited visits schedule. Visits are also happening differently than normal, observing strict guidelines, which must be followed. There is a rolling rota for social visits. Please speak with the visits booking team for the up-to-date guidance.

To find out more on how to book your visit, contact Wymott. You can also register to use the secure video calls service.

You can book your visit by telephone. There is no online booking service available.

Booking lines: 01772 442 234 and 01772 442 254
The booking line is open: Monday to Friday, 9am to 3pm
Find out about call charges

Visiting times:

• Monday to Friday: 2:30pm to 3:30pm
• Saturday and Sunday: 9:30am to 10:30am and 2:30pm to 3:30pm

How to book legal and professional visits

You can make a booking by email only at: LegalVisits.Wymott@justice.gov.uk

Legal and professional visting times:

• Tuesdays and Thursdays: 9:30am to 10:30am

Getting to Wymott

Find Wymott on a map

The closest railway station is Leyland where you can catch regular buses to Wymott. There is also a taxi rank outside the station.

To plan your journey by public transport:

• use National Rail Enquiries
• use Traveline for local bus times

There is a visitors car park which Wymott shares with Garth Prison. This includes spaces for Blue Badge holders.

Entering Wymott

All visitors, aged 16 or older must prove their identity before entering the prison. Read the list of acceptable forms of ID when visiting a prison.

All visitors will need to be given a pat-down search, including children. You may also be sniffed by security dogs.

There will be no refreshments available during your visit.

There are strict controls on what you can take into Wymott. You will have to leave most of the things you have with you in a locker or with security. This includes pushchairs and car seats.

You will be told the rules by an officer at the start of your visit. If you break the rules, your visit could be cancelled and you could be banned from visiting again.

Visiting facilities

There is a family-friendly visitors centre at Wymott which provides information and support to visitors. There will be no refreshments available during your visit and the chidren’s play area will not be available to use. The toilets are available.

The visitors centre is located between HMP Wymott and HMP Garth and all visitors are still required to book in here first. Free parking is available in the visitor’s car park.

Visitors Centre Opening Times:

• Monday to Friday: 12:30pm to 4:30pm
• Saturday and Sunday: 8:30am to 11:30am and 12:30pm to 4:30pm

Family days

There are currently no family days running in line with coronavirus restrictions.

Keep in touch with someone at Wymott

There are several ways you can keep in touch with a prisoner during their time at Wymott.

Secure video calls

Secure video calling is available at this prison. Family and friends will need to download the Prison Video app, create an account, register all visitors and add the prisoner to their contact list.

Read more about how it works

Phone calls

Prisoners do not have phones in their rooms so they will always have to call you. They have to buy phone credits to do this.

They can phone anyone named on their list of friends and family. This list is checked by security when they first arrive so it may take a few days before they are able to call.

You can also exchange voicemails using the Prison Voicemail service.

Officers may listen to phone calls as a way of preventing crime and helping keep people safe.

Email

You can send emails to someone in Wymott using the Email a Prisoner service.

You might also be able to attach photos and receive replies, depending on the rules at Wymott.

Letters

You can write at any time.

Include the person’s name and prisoner number on the envelope.

If you do not know their prisoner number, contact Wymott.

All post apart from legal letters will be opened and checked by officers.

Send money and gifts

You can use the free and fast online service to send money to someone in prison.

You can no longer send money by bank transfer, cheque, postal order or send cash by post.

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

This will allow you to send money by post.

Gifts and parcels

People in Wymott are given a list of approved items that can be sent to them as gifts. Contact Wymott for more information on what’s allowed.

Make sure to include the person’s name and prisoner number on the parcel.

All parcels will be opened and checked by officers.

Friends and families of prisoners are permitted to send books directly to their loved ones, or can order books from approved retailers, which can source and send the books on to prisoners.   For the full list of approved retailers, you can read the HMPPS Incentives Policy, Annex F.

To send a book to a prisoner at HMP Wymott, the prisoner will submit an application form to the Operations team, this will then be approved and the prisoner will be informed. The prisoner will then inform their loved ones that the book can be sent in.

By waiting for the reply this will ensure that the staff at the gate have prior knowledge of any parcels being sent resulting in them being accepted.

Please note staff on the gate need to have prior knowledge of items being sent.

Prisoners can order books directly from the approved suppliers as outlined in Annex F.

Life at Wymott

Wymott is committed to providing a safe and educational environment where men can learn new skills to help them on release.

Security and safeguarding

Every person at Wymott has a right to feel safe. The staff are responsible for their safeguarding and welfare at all times.

For further information about what to do when you are worried or concerned about someone in prison visit the Prisoners’ Families helpline website.

All safeguarding processes are overseen by the Lancashire Safeguarding Adults Board.

Arrival and first night

When a prisoner first arrives at Wymott, they will be able to contact a family member by phone. This could be quite late in the evening, depending on the time they arrive.

They will get to speak to someone who will check how they’re feeling and ask about any immediate health and wellbeing needs.

Induction

Each person who arrives at Wymott gets an induction that lasts about a week. They will meet professionals who will help them with:

• health and wellbeing, including mental and sexual health
• any substance misuse issues, including drugs and alcohol
• personal development in custody and on release, including skills, education and training
• other support (sometimes called ‘interventions’), such as managing difficult emotions

Everyone also finds out about the rules, fire safety, and how things like calls and visits work.

Accommodation

Over 1100 men live at Wymott across 11 units. Six of those units are reserved for men convicted of a sex offence.

Facilities include a sports hall, exercise equipment, weight room, assault course and outdoor sports field. There is a full programme of activities for all fitness levels.

Wymott has a diverse, multi-faith chaplaincy team providing support to all prisoners.

Education and work

Prisoners have access to a broad range of vocational training, including engineering, welding, painting and decorating, bricklaying, joinery, industrial cleaning, fork lift truck driving, horticulture and catering. Each course can lead to an official qualification.

They can take classroom courses in subjects such as literacy and numeracy, IT, art and design, cookery, accountancy and history.

Wymott also runs a number of accredited offending behaviour programme courses.

VPs (vulnerable prisoners) can work at Wymott in occupations such as tailoring, laundry, welding, waste management, printing, retail, catering and horticulture.

Organisations Wymott works with

Wymott includes special facilities for elderly prisoners and those with disabilities provided in partnership with Age Concern.

Support for family and friends

Find out about advice and helplines for family and friends.

Support at Wymott

Our visitors centre is managed by Phoenix Futures, and have knowledgeable and supportive staff who are on hand to support and help navigate the new processes and social distancing guidelines. The toilets are open but no refreshments are currently available.

We have a new dedicated children’s booklet for visiting HMP Wymott during the pandemic. Explaining the importance of rules which are in place and how everyone working together will help to keep the people who live and work at HMP Wymott safe from coronavirus.

Lancashire Violence Reduction Network are working with us and our regional group of prisons on a trauma informed approach to supporting children with a parent in prison in Lancashire.

Problems and complaints

If you have a problem contact Wymott.

Contact Wymott

Governor: Graham Beck

Telephone: 01772 442 000
Fax: 01772 442 001
Find out about call charges

Follow Wymott on Twitter

Address

See map

Safer custody hotline

If you have concerns about the safety or wellbeing of a man in Wymott, call the main switchboard and ask for the orderly officer or duty governor.