A PRISON has opened its doors to a new facility to ensure visitors feel safe and comfortable when seeing their loved ones.

A Welcome Centre has been formally opened at the HMP Kirklevington Grange, which is a category D men's and young offenders open prison near Yarm.

The prison generally houses those intending to settle in the North-East following their release.

A project to provide a Welcome Centre at the prison has brought together youth homelessness charity Centrepoint, as well as North-East charity Nepacs, to support relatives and friends of prisoners, and provide shelter for families who have travelled across the county to visit the prison.

Nepacs volunteers will work alongside the men due for release and provide part of the welcome for families, and will be able to promote some of the opportunities which HMP Kirklevington Grange provides to strengthen family ties, such as family days, family learning and the Heading Home programme to support release planning.

Helen Attewell, chief executive of Nepacs said: “I am delighted that Centrepoint and HM Prison and Probation Service have been able to create a new facility for families of prisoners visiting HMP Kirklevington Grange.

"Although these family members will probably have had experience of prison visits elsewhere, they still have support needs and Nepacs’ volunteers are looking forward to working in partnership to make sure that their visit is as pleasant and stress free as possible.”

The centre is funded by Centrepoint from HMP Kirklevington Grange and the Tees and Wear Prisons Group.

The aim of the Welcome Centre project, as well as providing a welcome space for visitors, is to give men due for release an opportunity to put into practice training they had received around roles in the hospitality and service sectors – including reception and general customer service skills.

Prisons Minister Rory Stewart said: "We know that prisoners with strong family links are less likely to reoffend, and this centre will allow the increased contact that helps to forge such ties.

"Schemes like this can not only transform prisoners’ lives but also prevent future victims. We are very keen to study and learn from this example."