Friends and family
Supporting family connections
Friends and family can play a key role in helping a prisoner to cope during their time in custody, and can also have a big impact on helping to reduce their risk of further offending behaviour in the future.
At HMP Addiewell, we work in partnership with the Cyrenians to ensure you have access to support and guidance throughout your visit to a loved one. We understand that visiting can be an emotional experience, often accompanied by added pressures such as financial concerns.
The Cyrenians provide a confidential, welcoming space where you can find advice, reassurance, and a listening ear when you might need it most.
Useful information for you
New visitors
The Cyrenians visitor information pack and health information pack explains what to expect during your visit, and what support Cyrenians can provide to ensure your time with your loved one is as supported as possible.
Keeping in touch
You can use the Email a Prisoner service, which allows family and friends to send emails to their loved one in prison.
Sending money
Family and friends can use the Secure Payments Service to transfer money securely to a prisoner. It only takes a few minutes to sign up and your funds are transferred to the prison electronically.
Property
You can post in property (one parcel per month) for prisoners at your own expense - including books from our approved supplier. All parcels must have prior approval in order to be accepted and be marked for the individual’s attention with their date of birth, prisoner number and property reference number clearly displayed.
If you're an approved visitor, you can also hand in property to the property desk at visits - the same approval requirements as posting in property apply.