Book and plan your visit to Lindholme

To visit someone in Lindholme 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 prisoner can have. You can check this with Lindholme.

Contact Lindholme 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 Lindholme
• somewhere to stay overnight
• meals

How to book family and friends visits

You can book your visit online or by telephone.

Booking line: 01302 524 980
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The booking line is open:

• Monday: 1:30pm to 4pm
• Tuesday: 8:30am to 11am
• Thursday: 1:30pm to 4pm
• Friday: 8:30am to 11am

Visiting times:

• Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday: 2:15pm to 4:15pm

How to book legal and professional visits

You can book a legal phone call by email to legalvisits.lindholme@justice.gov.uk

Getting to Lindholme

Find Lindholme on a map

The closest railway station is Doncaster. From there you can get a taxi or take the bus, bus services are quite limited.

To plan your journey by public transport:

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

There is a free visitor’s car park.

There is also a disabled visitor’s car park.

Entering Lindholme

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.

Lindholme has a strict dress code policy, the following clothing is not allowed:

• low cut tops, vest tops (male or female), crop tops or tops revealing the navel, backless or see through tops
• skirts, dresses and shorts must end on the knee or below the knee. Dress straps must cover the whole of the shoulder. (Must not mirror the style of a vest). Strapless dresses and tops are not allowed
• ripped or damaged clothing – this includes inside pockets & is for the decency of staff searching you
• ponchos/cloaks
• footwear must completely cover both heels and toes. No steel toe caps or work boots, no football boots or children’s ‘Heely’ style trainers, sliders, flip flops or crocs (security reasons) are not allowed
• clothing which could easily be fashioned into a weapon such as those fitted with large buckles or spikes including belts or more than 4 chains and/or zips
• uniforms except for a child’s school uniform
• clothing bearing football team’s logos or any sports team logos
• all clothing bearing slogans that are deemed racist, insulting or derogatory
• sunglasses
• watches including smart watches
• no large items of jewellery such as large pendants or thick chains
• children’s clothing must also abide by the same restrictions

Restricted items:

• jewellery and hair accessories should be kept to a minimum X1 item of jewellery per category for example x1 necklace, bracelet.
• hats, scarves or other headwear are only allowed if they are religious articles. Any non-religious items of headwear must be removed.
• no multiple layers of the same clothing e.g., several jackets. bottoms or leggings

There are strict controls on what you can take into Lindholme. 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.

There will be refreshments available to purchase during your visit.

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.

Contact Lindholme if you have questions about visits by email Socialvisits.lindholme@justice.gov.uk

Visiting facilities

The Prison Advice and Care Trust runs a visitors centre where you can get support and information.

Telephone: 01302 524 700
Find out about call charges

Family days

HMP Lindholme run 9 family visits a year. Details on how these visits run can be found by contacting: Lindholme@prisonadvice.org.uk.

Keep in touch with someone at Lindholme

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

Secure video calls

To have a secure video call with someone in this prison you need to:

• Download the Prison Video app
• Create an account
• Register all visitors
• Add the prisoner to your contact list.

How to book a secure video call

Secure video calls at this prison can be requested by prisoners only.

You will receive a notification if a prisoner has requested a video call with you.

Read more about how it works

Phone calls

Prisoners do not have phones in their cells 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 Lindholme using the Email a Prisoner service.

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

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 Lindholme.

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

National Prison Radio’s Family and Friends request show

National Prison Radio broadcasts into prison cells across England and Wales 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 

Family and friends can stay connected with their loved ones in prison by sending song requests, written messages and voice recordings. They are then read and played out on weekly episodes. 

You can send in a message, and hear the show, at nationalprisonradio.com

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

Family and friends 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.

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

All parcels will be opened and checked by officers.

Life at Lindholme

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

Security and safeguarding

Every prisoner at Lindholme 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.

Arrival and first night

When a prisoner first arrives at Lindholme, 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 prisoner who arrives at Lindholme 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.

Lindholme runs a substance misuse programme for prisoners needing support in this area.

Accommodation

There are over 1,000 prisoners living at Lindholme, housed in 10 units with a mixture of single and double cells. There is also a purpose-built segregation unit.

Education and work

Lindholme provides individual learning plans for all prisoners. Their education, training, advice and support focus on preparing prisoners to get good jobs when they leave.

Learning and skills programmes include literacy, numeracy, GCSE English, maths and ESOL (English for speakers of other languages).

Prisoners can learn basic information technology (IT) or get higher qualifications in building computers, business admin and start-up, media and graphic design. There are courses in printing, engineering, fork lift driving, plumbing, carpentry, textiles, catering, barbering, cleaning, plastering, painting and decorating and hospitality. They can also take a range of gym qualifications.

Lindholme also offers life skills courses in family learning and drug and alcohol awareness.

Organisations Lindholme works with

For prisoners with issues around substance misuse, the CARAT team offers one-to-one support. On release, they have a drugs intervention programme worker to continue the support.

Shelter helps prisoners with accommodation when preparing to leave prison.

Support for family and friends

Find out about advice and helplines for family and friends.

To contact our head of family provision at HMP Lindholme: Mark Wilson via email Lindholme@prisonadvice.org.uk.

Concerns, problems and complaints

Contact category	Phone number	Additional information
Non-emergency	01302 524731	Call this number if you have concerns about a prisoner’s safety or wellbeing which are serious but not life-threatening or complete a safer custody contact form on the Prisoners’ Families Helpline website.
Staff Integrity Hotline	0800 917 6877 (24 hours answering machine)	This number can be called anonymously. If you are concerned about a prisoner being bullied by a member of staff, you can use this number. As this line is managed separately from the prison, you can call this number anonymously.
Prisoners’ Families Helpline	0808 808 2003	The Prisoners’ Families Helpline can provide confidential support, advice and guidance.
Unwanted Prisoner Contact	0300 060 6699	If a prisoner is contacting you and you want them to stop, you can use the Unwanted Prisoner Contact Service. You can complete the Stop prisoner contact online form, email unwantedprisonercontact@justice.gov.uk or contact by phone.

Problems and complaints

If you have any other problem contact Lindholme.

Independent inspections

HM Prison and Probation Service publishes action plans for Lindholme in response to independent inspections.

Contact Lindholme

Governor: Rob Kellett

Telephone (24 hours): 01302 524 700
Fax: 01302 524 750
Find out about call charges

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Address

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