Bullingdon Prison

Book and plan your visit to Bullingdon

To visit someone in Bullingdon you must:

• be on that person’s visitor list
• book your visit at least a day 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 Bullingdon.

Contact Bullingdon if you have any questions about visiting.

In the event of a family emergency please use the Safer custody hotline by calling: 01869 356 893.

Find out about call charges.

In an emergency, call the main switchboard and ask for the orderly officer or duty governor.

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 Bullingdon
• somewhere to stay overnight
• meals

How to book family and friends visits

You can book your visit online, by phone or by email to, socialvisits.bullingdon@justice.gov.uk

Telephone: 01869 353 176
Monday to Friday (except public holidays), 9:30am to 11:30am, 1:30pm to 4pm. Find out about call charges

To cancel a visit, call 01869 353 176 or email socialvisits.bullingdon@justice.gov.uk

Visiting times:

• Monday to Thursday, 1:45pm to 3:45pm
• Saturday, 1:45pm to 3:45pm
• Sunday, 1:45pm to 3:45pm

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Visitors can arrive at the visits centre from 12:15pm.

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Getting to Bullingdon

Find Bullingdon on a map

Bullingdon is about 5 miles from Bicester Village station and about 6 miles from Bicester North station. A regular bus runs from both stations to the prison.

To plan your journey by public transport:

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

There is a visitors car park, including space for Blue Badge holders.

Entering Bullingdon

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.

Bullingdon has a family-friendly dress code policy which means visitors should dress appropriately. You may be turned away if you are wearing see-through or revealing clothing like vests, low-cut tops, high-cut shorts or dresses or ripped jeans. Additionally, you cannot wear hoodies or anything with offensive patterns or slogans. You will be asked to remove jackets, gloves, scarves and headwear other than that worn for religious reasons.

Each group of visitors are allowed to take in a maximum of £30 in coins (bank notes are not allowed). The money can be used to buy food and drink in the visit’s hall.

There are strict controls on what you can take into Bullingdon. 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 visitors centre run by the Prison Advice and Care Trust (PACT) charity.

There are refreshments available in the visit’s hall.

Family days

Family day visits/celebration days will take place monthly at HMP Bullingdon as part of the prisons’ children and family strategy and wider reducing reoffending strategy.  They are designed to help prisoners and their families cope with the pressures that long term separation may have on the relationships between family units in particular the relationship between the children and their Father.  They will give a better quality of interaction between men and their children.  To help develop closer bonds with their children and help realise how criminality impacts upon them both.

Prisoner Eligibility

In order to ensure that prisoners and their families are able to enjoy the day in a relaxed atmosphere there is a criteria that the men must meet, this will be made to clear to the men in the application phase.

Visitor Eligibility

The relaxed regime of family day visits is to allow prisoners to develop and maintain closer relationships with their children, grandchildren or nieces / nephews.  There must be a credible relationship to the child (ren) however each application will be judged on its own individual merit.  That said the children of prisoners will always be given priority.  Therefore, all prisoners attending the family day should have children visit otherwise there is no difference to a normal social visit.  The visitors visiting with children should be:

• Wife
• Mother of Prisoners’ children
• Mother / Father
• Step Father / Mother
• Brother / Sister
• Legal guardian
• Court appointed appropriate adult
• Social worker

The Maximum number of visitors to attend is three adults (children over 10 are classed as adults for the purpose of visits) and three children under 10.  Applications for numbers outside of these limits will be taken on an individual basis.

Keep in touch with someone at Bullingdon

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

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.

Read more about how it works

Phone calls

Prisoners have phones in their cells but these do not accept incoming calls. They are able to make calls every day between 7:30am and 11pm. 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 Bullingdon 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 Bullingdon.

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 Bullingdon.

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 Bullingdon can apply for permission for visitors to hand in items during a visit.

All property will be opened and checked by officers. Make sure to include the person’s name and prisoner number on the parcel.

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 Prisonthe educationHMPPS andIncentives libraryPolicy, services, Annex AF.

Contact Bullingdon for more information on what’s allowed.

Life at Bullingdon

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

Security and safeguarding

Every prisoner at Bullingdon 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 Bullingdon, 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 Bullingdon 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

Around 1,100 prisoners are at Bullingdon across 6 houseblocks (A to F). Most prisoners share cells.

Education and work

Prisoners have access to a broad programme of learning opportunities provided by Milton Keynes College. These range from basic skills, such as English and maths, to distance learning with the Open University.

The programme includes training in a variety of trades and professions, including:

• printing
• industrial cleaning
• construction
• information and communications technology (ICT)
• barbering
• music
• cookery
• hospitality
• health and wellbeing
• nutrition and healthy eating
• business

Work is available throughout the prison in areas such as the laundry and the farms and gardens. Prisoners can earn qualifications while working.

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

Support for family and friends

Find out about advice and helplines for family and friends.

Support at Bullingdon

PACT’s family services team can provide information, guidance and support to families and friends of prisoners. Ask in the visitors centre to learn more.

Telephone: 08088 082 003

Concerns, problems and complaints

Contact category	Phone number	Additional information
Non-emergency	01869 356 893	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.

Find out about call charges

Problems and complaints

If you have any other problem contact Bullingdon.

Inspection reports

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

Contact Bullingdon

Governor: Amanda Thomson

Telephone: 01869 353 100
Fax: 01869 353 101
Find out about call charges

Address

See map