Wayland Prison
Source: gov.uk (2025-10-30)

Wayland is a men’s prison near Thetford, Norfolk.

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Book and plan your visit to Wayland

To visit someone in Wayland you must:
- be on that person’s visitor list
- book your visit in advance
- have the required ID (#entering-Wayland) with you when you go
A visit can be booked up to 2 weeks in advance.

Contact Wayland (#contacts) 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 (https://www.gov.uk/help-with-prison-visits), including:
- travel to Wayland
- somewhere to stay overnight
- meals
How to book family and friends visits

You can book by:
- booking your visit online (https://www.gov.uk/prison-visits)
- telephoning xx-xxxx-xxxx (Monday to Friday: 9am to 4pm)
Find out about call charges (https://www.gov.uk/call-charges)

You can also book social visits by email: xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx)

Visiting times:
- Monday, 2pm to 4pm
- Wednesday, 2pm to 4pm
- Thursday, 2pm to 4pm
- Friday, 2pm to 4pm
- Saturday, 2pm to 4pm
- Sunday, 2pm to 4pm
Booking-in starts at 1pm, last admission into the prison is at 3pm.
- Two Mondays each month are classed as family or children’s visits, between midday and 4pm. The prisoner can apply for these visits.
How to book official visits

You can book an official visit by email, xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx).

Official video visit times:
- Monday to Friday, 9am to 9:45am, 10am to 10:45am, 11am to 11:45am
You can book multiple sessions on each day.

Face to face legal visiting times:
- Tuesday, 10am to 11:45am, 11am to 11:45am
- Friday, 10am to 11:45am, 11am to 11:45am
Half hourly sessions can be combined to make up to 2 hours.

You are not allowed to bring any paperwork into the prison.

Any laptop must be pre-approved by security a minimum of 2 working days prior to the visit - request a prohibited article form.

Getting to Wayland

Find Wayland on a map (https://consent.google.com/m?continue=https://xxx@xxx.xx,xx-xxxx-xxxx,17z/data%3D!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x47d9d23f0df3056f:0xf79e84f2e4a9f92a!8m2!3d52.5538889!4d0.8580556?shorturl%3D1&gl=IE&m=0&pc=m&uxe=eomtm&cm=2&hl=en&src=1)

The closest railway station is Thetford. A taxi can be booked at the station help desk.

Contact the visitors centre on xx-xxxx-xxxx for local coach or minibus information.

To plan your journey by public transport:
- use National Rail enquiries (https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/)
- use Traveline for local bus times (https://www.traveline.info/)
There is a free visitor car park with disabled parking available.

Entering Wayland

All visitors, aged 16 or older must prove their identity before entering the prison. For babies this can be the birth certificate or Red Book. Read the list of acceptable forms of ID when visiting a prison (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/management-of-security-at-visits-policy-framework-open-estate/acceptable-forms-of-identification-id-when-visiting-a-prison-in-england-and-wales-annex-a). You will also be asked for your car registration when booking in on the day.

All visitors will need to be given a non-invasive pat-down search, including children. You may also be sniffed by passive security dogs.

Visitors must follow the prison dress code that applies, further details can be requested at point of booking, further information is displayed in the visit centre.

There are strict controls on what you can take into HMP Wayland. 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. Lockers are operated with a £1 coin.

Refreshments and food are available inside the visits hall. Visitors are reminded that there is a limit to how much money (no cards) can be brought into the hall. £60.00 for normal domestic visits and £70.00 for special /family sessions. (no £50 notes please)

Call the booking line or email the social email address, if you have any questions about visiting.

Visiting facilities

There’s a visitors centre at Wayland with a small children’s play areas inside and outside.

Inside the main visits hall in the prison there’s a snack bar providing hot and cold drinks, sandwiches, hot food and other snacks. There’s also a play area for children.

Family visits

HMP Wayland run family visits on 2 Mondays every month throughout the year. They run from midday to 4pm.

These can only be applied for by a family member. For further information email xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx).

Keep in touch with someone at Wayland

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

Secure video calls

To have a secure video call with someone in this prison you need to:
- Download the Prison Video app (https://prisonvideo.com/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 (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/visit-a-prisoner-using-a-video-call)

Prison video call times

Monday to Friday, 8:45am to 9:15am, 9:30am to 10am, 10:15am to 10:45am

Evening calls (on Monday to Thursday), 6pm to 6:30pm and 6:40pm to 7:10pm

Saturday and Sunday: 9am to 9:30am, 9:45am to 10:15am, 10:30am to 11:00am

Phone calls

Prisoners have phones in their cells but they are only for outgoing calls. They will always have to call you. They have to buy phone credits to do this.

At certain times of day 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 (https://prisonvoicemail.com/).

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 Wayland using the Email a Prisoner service (https://www.emailaprisoner.com/).

You might also be able to attach photos and receive replies from the prisoner, depending on the rules at Wayland.

Letters

Include the person’s name and prison number on the envelope.

If you do not know their prison number, contact Wayland (#contacts).

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 (https://prison.radio/national-prison-radio/#songrequest)

Send money and gifts

You can use the free and fast online service to send money to someone in prison (https://www.gov.uk/send-prisoner-money).

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 (https://send-money-to-prisoner.service.gov.uk/help/apply-for-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 Wayland sentenced for a fixed length of time may have a clothing parcel sent in to them within 28 days of sentencing.

People in Wayland serving a life sentence or an indeterminate sentence may have a clothing parcel sent in to them on their birthday each year.

Contact Wayland (#contacts) 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, Prison education and library services, Annex A (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/prison-education-and-library-services-for-adult-prisons-in-england/annex-a-sending-and-handing-in-of-books-to-prisoners).

Make sure to include the person’s name and prison number on the parcel.

All other parcels will be sent for storage at the National Distribution Centre at Branston and can only be returned when the prisoner is released.

All parcels will be opened and checked by officers.

Life at Wayland

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

There are a range of opportunities for prisoners to recover from drug and alcohol addiction.

Security and safeguarding

Every prisoner at Wayland has a right to feel safe. The staff are responsible for their safeguarding and welfare at all times.

If you have any concerns about a prisoner at Wayland, [you can contact Wayland].(#concerns)

For further information about what to do when you are worried or concerned about someone in prison you can also visit the Prisoners’ Families helpline website (https://www.prisonersfamilies.org/pages/category/need-urgent-help?Take=24).

Arrival and first night

When a prisoner first arrives at Wayland, 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 Wayland 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 1,000 prisoners live at Wayland, across 13 units. Most cells are single.

The induction area has shared cells, as well as in some of the other units. Some units have in-cell showers and many have privacy keys and kitchen facilities. Communal eating areas are also available.

There are specialist units for drug treatment programmes, a drug-free area, and for those preparing for release.

There is a healthcare centre at Wayland.

Education and work

Wayland has a wide range of training facilities with opportunities to gain qualifications. Workshops include electrics, bricklaying, plumbing, carpentry, plastering, streetworks, industrial cleaning. There is also a farms and gardens area.

Wayland’s large education department and library offers prisoners the opportunity to improve their literacy and numeracy.

To prepare for release, Wayland works with partners to help prisoners find employment and resettle in the community.

Wayland also offers behaviour programmes and a range of opportunities for prisoners to recover from drug and alcohol addiction.

Temporary release

Prisoners in Wayland can apply for Release On Temporary License (ROTL). This includes day release and overnight release.

It will be linked to objectives in prisoners’ sentence plans. It is used to help prepare for release by rebuilding family relationships, re-establishing links in the local community and attending interviews for work, training or accommodation.

The prisoner can apply to the offender management unit who will assess if they can apply.

Support for family and friends

Find out about advice and helplines for family and friends (https://www.gov.uk/support-for-families-friends-of-prisoners).

Support at Wayland

Family services at Wayland are provided by Ormiston Families (https://www.ormiston.org/services/prisoners-family-services/).

Concerns, problems and complaints

In an emergency

Call xx-xxxx-xxxx if you think a prisoner is at immediate risk of harm. Ask for the Orderly Officer and explain that your concern is an emergency.

If you have a problem contact Wayland:

Contact Wayland

Governor: Kevin Clark

Telephone: xx-xxxx-xxxx Fax: xx-xxxx-xxxx Find out about call charges (https://www.gov.uk/call-charges)

Address

HMP WaylandGristonThetfordNorfolkIP25 6RL

See map (https://consent.google.com/m?continue=https://xxx@xxx.xx,xx-xxxx-xxxx,17z/data%3D!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x47d9d23f0df3056f:0xf79e84f2e4a9f92a!8m2!3d52.5538889!4d0.8580556?shorturl%3D1&gl=IE&m=0&pc=m&uxe=eomtm&cm=2&hl=en&src=1)

Help us to improve this page. Give us your feedback in this 2-minute survey (https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/wayland/).