Spring Hill Prison

Book and plan your visit to Spring Hill

To visit someone in Spring Hill you must:

• be on that person’s visitor list
• book your visit at least 3 working days in advance
• have the required ID with you when you go

Up to 2 adults can visit at a time, plus children. At least one visitor must be 18 or older at every visit.

There are limits to the number of visits a prisoner can have. You can check this with the prisoner.

Contact Spring Hill 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 Spring Hill
• somewhere to stay overnight
• meals

How to book family and friends visits

You can book your visit online or by telephone.

Telephone booking line: 01296 445 082
The booking line is open Monday to Friday: 10am to 12pm.
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Visiting times:

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

Visitors must not arrive before 1:30pm.

How to book legalofficial and professional visits

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Telephone:To book an official face to face visit, call 01296 445002445 002
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• Monday to Friday, 9:30am to 11:30am and 1pm1:30pm to 4:30pm.
  4:30pm

Getting to Spring Hill

Find Spring Hill on a map

The closest railway stations are Bicester Village and Bicester North which are about 8 miles from Spring Hill. There are no buses from Bicester so you will need to get a taxi.

Aylesbury station is 13 miles from Spring Hill where you can catch a local bus on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

To plan your journey by public transport:

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

There is a car park outside the main gate, including space for Blue Badge holders.

Entering Spring Hill

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.

You should also bring your booking confirmation email, either printed or on your phone.

Visitors should dress appropriately. You may be asked to cover up if you are wearing items like revealing clothing or clothing with offensive slogans.

Refreshments are available.

There are toilet facilities in the visits area and also at Grendon gate.

There are strict controls on what you can take into Spring Hill. You will have to leave most of the things you have with you in a locker or with security. The lockers provided are very small, sufficient for leaving your ID, phone and car keys in.

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 are toilet facilities available in HMP Grendon Gate

Telephone: 01296 445 243
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Family days

Children’s Days are run 3 times per year during Easter, Summer and Christmas.

Keep in touch with someone at Spring Hill

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

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 have access to phones 24 hours a day. 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 Spring Hill 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 Spring Hill.

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 Spring Hill.

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

Prisoners at Spring Hill are given a list of approved items that can be handed in during visits.

The items should be handed to staff to be opened and checked. Make sure to include the person’s name and prisoner number on the parcel.

Contact Spring Hill for more information on what’s 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 thePrison HMPPSeducation Incentivesand Policy,library services, Annex FA.

All parcels will be opened and checked by officers.

Life at Spring Hill

Spring Hill is committed to encouraging and supporting prisoner with employment, training, accommodation and other needs as they prepare for release.

Security and safeguarding

Every prisoner at Spring Hill 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 Spring Hill, 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 arriving at Spring Hill 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 330 prisoners live at Spring Hill. Most share a cell.

Prisoners have access to a gym, weights room, sports field, library and chaplaincy.

Education and work

Learning opportunities are provided by Milton Keynes College. Qualifications are available in:

• functional Skills, including IT
• carpentry
• plumbing
• horticulture
• kitchen services
• customer services, including batista skills
• mentoring

Courses are also available from Oxford Brookes University and the Open University.

Spring Hill is part of the Prisons ICT Academy (PICTA) which helps prepare prisoners for work in information and communications technology (ICT) roles.

Prisoners are encouraged to find employment. This ranges from training placements which allow prisoners to earn qualifications while working, and full-time work. Springhill provides opportunities through companies that have an ongoing relationship with the prison, such as Chef Direct, Green King and DHL. Prisoners can also find their own work.

Work placements are also available throughout the prison, for example in the kitchens, farms and gardens. Many of these come with the chance to earn qualifications at the same time.

The ‘working out’ scheme enables prisoners to also work in the community. These placements start on a voluntary basis and can progress to paid employment.

Spring Hill also offers programmes in personal development, social and life skills designed to help prisoners as they approach release.

Temporary release

Prisoners can be assessed for temporary release. This time can be used for work experience and community work, as well as preparing for release. Prisoners can apply for this within the prison.

Support for family and friends

Find out about advice and helplines for family and friends.

To contact the Head of Reducing Reoffending and Families and Significant Others lead call: 01296 445000.

Support at Spring Hill

Spring Hill’s visits coordinator can provide information, guidance and support to families and friends of prisoners. Ask in the visitors centre to learn more.

Concerns, problems and complaints

Contact category	Phone number	Additional information
Non-emergency	01296 445 026	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 Spring Hill.

Inspection reports

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

Contact Spring Hill

Governor: Olivia Phelps

Telephone (24 hours): 01296 445 000
Fax: 01296 445 001
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Address

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