We aim to provide free, impartial advice to everyone in our local community, whoever they are, whatever their situation. This includes providing advice and support to men held in HM Prison Winchester, a service which we’ve been delivering for over thirty years. The prison is home to some 600 men at any one time and its population is constantly changing as men come to await trial, for short sentences, or to transfer to another prison.
When someone is taken into prison, they can have all sorts of queries about their home life that they might need support and advice on such as: repayment of debts and loans, storage of their possessions, benefits queries, housing advice or understanding their rights in relation to seeing children. We currently offer an email-based advice service to the men in Winchester prison which is coordinated through the prison staff. Delivering advice to prisoners can take time and patience given the restrictions on individuals in the prison environment, such as no internet access and restricted phone access.
