Wymott Prison
Wymott is a prison for men near Leyland, Lancashire, including men convicted of a sex offence.
Applies to England and Wales
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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 or by telephone.
Booking line: 01772 442 234
Monday to Friday: 9am to 3pm
Find out about call charges
Visiting times:
- Monday: 2:15pm to 3:45pm
- Tuesday: 2:15pm to 3:45pm
- Wednesday: 2:15pm to 3:45pm
- Thursday: 2:15pm to 3:45pm
- Friday: No Visits
- Saturday: 9:15am to 11:15am
- Sunday: 9:15am to 11:15am
Visiting times are 1 hour slots and are subject to change. Visitors will be notified of any changes.
How to book legal and professional visits
You can only book by email to LegalVisits.Wymott@justice.gov.uk.
Visiting times:
- Tuesday and Thursdays: 9am to 11am
Getting to Wymott
The closest railway station is Leyland, from there you can get a taxi or take the bus.
The closest railway station is Leyland which is about 6 miles away from the prison. Taxis are available at the station, call 01772 424 242. The nearest minor station is Croston which is around 1 to 2 miles away, but there are limited facilities and there may not be any taxi’s, call 01772 600 489.
To plan your journey by public transport:
By Car from M6 (junction 28): Turn left, follow mini-roundabout, go straight across and follow road to traffic lights. Turn left, go through next set of lights, follow road round to right (leisure centre on left). At end, turn left and then immediately right. Follow road to end (mini-roundabout) and turn right. At next mini-roundabout, go straight across. Bear left into Slater Lane and go straight across at the traffic lights. Follow the road to the end and turn left. Garth is approximately one mile on the right (follow signs).
There is a free visitors car park and there is also a disabled visitors car park.
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.
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 Wymott. You will have to leave most of the things you have with you in a locker in the visitors’ centre or in your car - this includes pushchairs and car seats.
Call the booking line if you have any questions about visiting.
There is a visitor’s centre located between HMP Wymott and HMP Garth. Visitors must book in here first. You can leave items like mobile phones, cigarettes, food and drink etc. in lockers here while you have your visit. Visitors are required to produce Photographic ID and proof of address before being admitted to the prison and you will be searched by prison staff.
Please make sure you arrive at the visitors centre well before the time of your visit so that all the paperwork/formalities are completed.
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 coffee machine available for drinks at the visitor’s centre when you arrive, and there is a food hub inside the visit’s hall to purchase food and drinks during your visit. There is a children’s play area in both areas.
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
HMP Wymott run regular family days throughout the year. Details on how these visits run can be found by contacting: Wymott.families@justice.gov.uk.
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
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.
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.
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.
Any parcels or books that family and friends wish to send in, must have prior approval from Wymott before sending items into the prison.
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 prisoners 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.
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.
Induction and first night interview is conducted on arrival at Wymott. All prisoners are screened by healthcare professionals and provided with an induction pack.
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 1,100 prisoners are housed 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
HMP Wymott and Novus work in partnership to offer skills and qualifications to enable prisoners to gain employment and have a positive role in society. Employability and vocational training is accessible alongside functional English and Maths pass to level 2.
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
Family services at Wymott are provided by POPS.
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.
To contact our Family and Significant Others lead email: Wymott.families@justice.gov.uk.
Concerns, problems and complaints
In an emergency
Call 01772 442 000 if you think a prisoner is at immediate risk of harm. Ask for the Orderly Officer and explain that your concern is an emergency.
| Contact category | Phone number | Additional information |
|---|---|---|
| Non-emergency | 0800 496 1481 | 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 Wymott.
Contact Wymott
Governor: Mahala McGuffie
Telephone: 01772 442 000
Fax: 01772 442 001
Find out about call charges
You can get in touch with our social media team by email to SocialMedia.Wymott@Justice.gov.uk
Address
HMP Wymott
Ulnes Walton Lane
Leyland
Preston
Lancashire
PR26 8LW
Help us to improve this page. Give us your feedback in this 2-minute survey.
Updates to this page
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Updated Governor to Mahala McGuffie
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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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Added link to information about testing for physical contact at visits.
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Clarification on the rules for sending in books, under the 'Gifts and parcels' section
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New visiting times and booking information added.
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Additional guidance about new COVID-19 variant in the Bolton and Blackburn areas.
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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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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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Updated visiting restrictions
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Updated information about secure video calls.
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Updated video call info
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added survey link
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First published.