Families and loved ones of north east prisoners invited to have their say.
A North East charity is inviting friends and families of prisoners in North East prisons to come along to a virtual event in April to have their say on how well local prisons support family ties, and to work with the charity and local prisons to make improvements for the future.
The Visitors’ Voice event will take place on:
Date: Thursday 8 April 2021
Time: 9.30am – 12noon
Venue: Zoom
Nepacs, a long-standing charity in the North East of England which aims to support a positive future for prisoners and their families, has organised the annual event to give anyone currently with a loved one in prison in the North East of England a ‘voice’ about how the support they receive can be improved.
Amanda Lacey, chief executive of Nepacs said: “It has been almost a year since lockdown and restrictions have been introduced in our prisons due to Covid-19. At Nepacs our staff and volunteers have noticed the struggles that residents and their loved ones are experiencing and the impact that cancellation of visits has had on them, particularly children.
“To help Nepacs and North East prisons develop support for residents and their loved ones during Covid-19, we have undertaken surveys with prison residents and their loved ones about visits, video calls and the impact of Covid-19 restrictions on family relationships. The virtual Visitors Voice event will provide an additional opportunity for loved ones to talk about their experience with Nepacs and prison staff, and other family members in a similar situation.
“If you have a loved one in prison in the North East please come along to our virtual Visitors’ Voice event. We want to find out what you think about the help and support you are receiving, and how we can make your experience better. There will also be an opportunity to talk to prison staff, hear from the prison health care teams and help to identify what support families or friends of prisoners would like in the community during a loved one’s sentence.”
For more information about the event or to book a place please email training@nepacs.co.uk or telephone 0800 012 1539. Alternatively, please speak to their visits teams to book a place.
For more information about the event or to book a place please email training@nepacs.co.uk or telephone 0800 012 1539.
Alternatively, please speak to their visits teams at a North East prison to book a place (details on the website www.nepacs.co.uk)