Ministry Of Justice
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Book and plan your visit to Wayland
HMP Wayland is offering visits for family and friends. Visiting times and availability may change at short notice. You should contact the prison direct for any queries.
Now that regular COVID testing of people in the wider community has ended, you are no longer required to take a COVID test before coming to see someone for a visit, although we would still encourage you to do so.
We will continue to run social visits whilst it is safe to do so.
Visiting rules may change if there is an outbreak within the prison, this may include bringing back testing before visits for a short time to protect you, the person you are visiting and staff.
If you are unable to visit someone in prison you can still keep in touch.
You can also contact the Prisoners Families Helpline on 0808 808 2003. You will not be able to book a visit using this number.
To visit someone in Wayland you must:
- be on that persons visitor list
- book your visit in advance
- have the required ID with you when you go
A visit can be booked up to 2 weeks in advance.
Contact Wayland 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 Wayland
- somewhere to stay overnight
- meals
How to book family and friends visits
Wayland is running a limited visits schedule. Visits are also happening differently than normal, observing strict guidelines, which must be followed.
You can book your visit online.
You can book your visit by telephone.
Booking line: 01953 804152
Everyday: 9:30am to 12pm and 2:30pm to 4pmFind out about call charges
You can also book social visits by email: Socialvisits.wayland@hmps.gsi.gov.uk
Visiting times:
- Monday to Wednesday: 2pm to 4pm
- Saturday and Sunday: 2pm to 4pm
How to book legal and professional visits
There are currently no legal visits taking place.
Getting to Wayland
The closest railway station is Thetford. A taxi can be booked at the station help desk.
Contact the visitors centre on 01953 804 152 for local coach or minibus information.
To plan your journey by public transport:
There is a free visitors car park, including spaces for Blue Badge holders.
Entering Wayland
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 be given a pat-down search, including children. You may also be sniffed by security dogs.
Visitors should dress appropriately. You may be turned away if you are wearing items like revealing clothing or clothing with offensive slogans.
There will be no refreshments available during your visit.
There are strict controls on what you can take into Wayland. You will have to leave most of the things you have with you in a locker in the visitors centre. 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
Theres a visitors centre at Wayland. The visitors centre has small childrens play areas inside and outside.
Inside the main visits hall in the prison theres a snack bar providing hot and cold drinks, sandwiches, hot food and other snacks. Theres also a play area for children.
Family visits
There are currently no family days taking place.
Keep in touch with someone at Wayland
There are several ways you can keep in touch with a prisoner during their time at Wayland.
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.
Phone calls
Prisoners have phones in their rooms but they are only for outgoing calls. They will always have to call you. They have to buy phone credits to do this.
At certain times of day 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.
You can send emails to someone in Wayland using the Email a Prisoner service.
You might also be able to attach photos and receive replies from the prisoner, depending on the rules at Wayland.
Letters
Include the persons name and prison number on the envelope.
If you do not know their prison number, contact Wayland.
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 Wayland sentenced for a fixed length of time may have a clothing parcel sent in to them within 28 days of sentencing.
People in Wayland serving a life sentence or an indeterminate sentence may have a clothing parcel sent in to them on their birthday each year.
Contact Wayland for more information on whats allowed.
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.
Make sure to include the persons name and prison number on the parcel.
All other parcels will be sent for storage at the National Distribution Centre at Branston and can only be returned when the prisoner is released.
All parcels will be opened and checked by officers.
Life at Wayland
Wayland is committed to providing a safe and educational environment where men can learn new skills to help them on release.
There are a range of opportunities for prisoners to recover from drug and alcohol addiction.