Sudbury Prison
Sudbury Prison is a men’s prison near Ashbourne in Derbyshire.
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Book and plan your visit to Sudbury
To visit someone in Sudbury you must:
- be on that person’s visitor list
- book your visit up to 28 days 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 Sudbury.
Contact Sudbury 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 Sudbury
- somewhere to stay overnight
- meals
How to book family and friends visits
You can book your visit online.
You can book your visit by telephone.
Booking line: 01283 584175
Monday to Friday: 8am to 3pm
Find out about call charges
Or email: socialvisitssudbury@justice.gov.uk.
Visiting times:
- Wednesday: 1:45pm to 2:45pm and 3:15pm to 4:15pm
- Thursday: 1:45pm to 2:45pm and 3:15pm to 4:15pm
- Saturday Kids Club: 9:30am to 11:30am (not weekly)
- Saturday: 1:45pm to 2:45pm and 3:15pm to 4:15pm
- Sunday: 1:45pm to 2:45pm and 3:15pm to 4:15pm
How to book legal and professional visits
There are currently no legal visits taking place.
Getting to Sudbury Prison
The closest main-line railway stations to the prison are at Tutbury and Uttoxeter which are served by Derby, Stoke and Crew stations. From there you can get a taxi or the bus service runs every hour, Monday to Saturday with a limited service on Sundays.
To plan your journey by public transport use:
There is a free visitors car park. There are spaces for disabled visitors to the left as you drive in.
Entering Sudbury Prison
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.
- Visitors may be given a pat-down search, including children
- You may also be sniffed by security dogs
- Visitors must adhere to the prison dress code that applies, further details can be requested on your first visit
- There are strict controls on what you can take into Sudbury. You will have to leave most of the things you have with you in a locker in the visitors’ waiting room or in your car. Lockers need a returnable £1 coin to operate
- Call the booking line if you have any questions about visiting on 01283 584175
Visiting facilities
There is a family-friendly visitors centre run by the Prison Advice and Care Trust (PACT).
Visitors are offered a warm welcome, information and support. There are books and colouring in for children.
There will be no refreshments available during your visit.
There are no toilet facilities except in the visits hall.
Family days
Sudbury run regular themed Family visits throughout the year. Usually during school holidays from 10.00-15.00hrs with lunch included. Your loved one can apply for these.
Saturday Kids Club is also available as an extended visit from 9:30am to 11:30am and is generally aimed at families with children 12 years old and under. ‘Make Some Noise’ attend to run activities for the children to encourage family interaction. This can be quite noisy (and fun) but if your child struggles with this environment we have a quieter family room available on request. Numbers are limited and this does not run each week but can be booked via email or through internal application.
Keep in touch with someone at Sudbury
There are several ways you can keep in touch with a prisoner during their time at Sudbury.
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
You can request a secure video call with someone in this prison via the Prison Video app.
You will receive a notification when your request has been accepted.
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 exchange voicemails using the Prison Voicemail service. Find more information about this service by visiting https://prisonvoicemail.com/?countrySelected=GBR
You can book video visits through Phone Hub on Prison Video
You can send emails to someone in Sudbury using the Email a Prisoner service at www.emailaprisoner.com
Officers may listen to phone calls as a way of preventing crime and helping keep people safe.
You can send emails to someone in Sudbury 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 Sudbury.
Letters
You can write at any time.
Include the person’s name and prisoner number or date of birth on the envelope. Also add your name and address on the back of the envelope.
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
Prisoners in Sudbury must first apply to have any items brought in. Then the visitor brings the items to the prison when they visit. They are signed for and secured. Once opened, checked and processed at reception, the prisoner can pick them up.
Items such as bedding, clothes and footwear are allowed as parcels if men are not receiving visits.
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.
Life at Sudbury
Sudbury is a rehabilitation and resettlement prison. Sudbury is committed to providing a safe and educational environment where men can learn new skills to help them on release.
Prisoners are required to work, attend education classes or training courses.
Sudbury aims to provide prisoners with healthcare equivalent to that in the community, sport and leisure facilities and opportunities to practice their religion.
Security and safeguarding
Every person at Sudbury 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 Derbyshire Safeguarding Adults Board.
Support networks are available to prisoners including a listeners scheme, Samaritans and peer supporters.
Arrival and first night
When a prisoner first arrives at Sudbury, 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 Sudbury 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.
They will meet their supervisor from the Offender Management Unit (OMU) within 10 days of their arrival who will deal with any individual issues.
Accommodation
Almost 600 men live at Sudbury in double rooms in 14 dormitories. There are communal washing facilities available.
There are 6 other dorms which are single occupancy and prisoners go on a waiting list for these.
We also have rooms accessible for people with disabilities.
Education and work
All prisoners in Sudbury Prison are expected to work, unless they’re unable to due to age or disability. Sudbury has a number of partners who provide work opportunities both inside and outside the prison.
Opportunities inside Sudbury include working in:
- kitchens
- gardens
- farm shop
- waste management
- workshops
- painting and decorating
- carpentry
- bricklaying
- plastering
Outside Sudbury, there are opportunities for:
- community and charity placements
- work experience
- educational courses
- paid employment
Prisoners can get help with drug and alcohol issues and attend offending behaviour courses. Men in Sudbury must sign up to a drug testing programme.
They can also train to be peer support workers in most areas of the prison.
Men in Sudbury get help with opening a bank account and advice on managing debt and finding accommodation.
Job Centre Plus attends the prison to help with issues related to work or benefits. There is also a National Career Service worker to help prisoners identify and achieve employment goals.
Temporary release
Sudburys prisoners can apply for release on temporary licence (ROTL).
This can be used to gain work experience in the local community, maintain family ties and prepare for release.
The prison follows the most up to date policies for assessing whether a prisoner is suitable. This will be explained to the prisoner when he meets with his offender supervisor.
Organisations Sudbury works with
Sudbury works with many organisations including:
- Care after Combat
- Armed forces veterans breakfast club
- Amey
- Phoenix
- Alcoholic Anonymous
- The Samaritans
- People Plus
- Trackwork Limited
- Learning Together – Nottingham University
- RMF Construction
- Suffolk Libraries
- Derbyshire Police
- Derbyshire Social Care Services
- Remidi (restorative justice)
- West Midlands Mentoring (Guns & Gangs)
- St Giles
- Shaw Trust
Support for family and friends
Find out about advice and helplines for family and friends.
To contact our head of family provision at HMP & YOI Sudbury: Resettlement.Sudbury@justice.gov.uk
To contact our Family Engagement Manager email: FaSO.Sudbury@justice.gov.uk
Support at Sudbury
The Prison Advice and Care Trust (PACT) can provide information and support.
Problems and complaints
If you have a problem contact Sudbury.
Contact Sudbury Prison
Governor: Craig Smith
Head of Families and Significant Lead: Louise Duke
Telephone (24 hours): 01283 584 000
Find out about call charges
Follow Sudbury Prison on Twitter
Address
HMP Sudbury
Ashbourne
Derbyshire
DE6 5HW
In an emergency
Call 01283 584066 if you have an immediate or emergency concern about the welfare of a prisoner and ask for the Orderly Officer or Duty Governor.
Safer custody hotline
If you have concerns about the safety or wellbeing of a prisoner at Sudbury prison that are not an immediate concern, call the safer custody hotline.
Telephone: 01283 584109 24-hour answering machine. This is checked four times in every 24-hours. Find out about call charges Leave a message giving as many details as possible about your loved-one including their name, prisoner number and what room they are in, if you know it. If you wish, you can leave your own details and a contact number so the prison can give you feedback, if appropriate.
You can also read more information about safer custody concerns on the Prisoners Families website.
Last updated 10 June 2022 + show all updates
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Updated visiting information
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Updated visiting guidance based on 1 April COVID rule changes
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Added link to new safer custody information under Security and safeguarding.
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Updated visiting information: Reduced visit schedule and testing for visitors aged 12 and over.
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Updated visiting information: Testing for visitors aged 12 and over.
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Updated physical contact guidance
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Updated physical contact guidance
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New visiting times and booking information added.
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Prison moved into National Stage 3 framework and is now preparing to open visits for family, friends and significant others. We will update this page with specific visiting information as soon as possible.
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Governor change update.
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Visits update
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Updated visiting information in line with new local restriction tiers.
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Updated visiting information in line with new local restriction tiers.
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Updated visiting information in line with new national restrictions in England.
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Added information about secure video calls.
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Updated: HMP Sudbury visiting times and visiting procedure changes during coronavirus.
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First published.