North Sea Camp Prison
North Sea Camp is an open prison for men aged 18 and over in Boston, Lincolnshire.
Applies to England and Wales
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Book and plan your visit to North Sea Camp
To visit someone in North Sea Camp you must:
- be on that person’s visitor list
- book your visit in advance
- have the required ID with you when you go
At least one visitor must be 18 or older at every visit. Prisoners can have up to 3 visitors over the age of 10 at one time, plus any younger children.
There may be a limit to the number of visits a prisoner can have. You can check this with North Sea Camp.
Contact North Sea Camp 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, including:
- travel to North Sea Camp
- somewhere to stay overnight
- meals
How to book family and friends visits
You can book your visit online.
You will then receive confirmation of your visit via the email you use to register. The online booking system is monitored 24 hours a day.
Alternatively, you can use the telephone to book a visit. This can be done by phoning the booking line on 10205 769368. The booking line is open on the following days:
- Monday to Friday: 9:30am to 11:30am and 2:30pm to 3:30pm
- Saturday and Sunday: 2:30pm to 3:30pm
Visiting times:
- Wednesday: 1:45pm to 3:45pm
- Saturday: 9:30am to 11:30am and 1:45pm to 3:45pm
- Sunday: 9:30am to 11:30am
How to book legal and professional visits
You can book your visit by telephone. There is no online booking service available.
Booking line: 01205 769 368
The booking line is open:
- Monday to Friday: 9:30am to 11:30am and 2:30pm to 3:30pm
- Saturday and Sunday: 2:30pm to 3:30pm
We would recommend using the online booking service where possible and if you need any advice on using this system it is available on the webpage.
Visiting times:
- Wednesday: 9.30am - 11.30am
Getting to North Sea Camp
Find North Sea Camp Prison on a map
There is a visitor car park just before the entrance to the prison and you can report to the gate lodge on arrival.
To plan your journey by public transport, use National Rail Enquiries.
The closest railway station is Boston. The prison provides transport to and from the station, which must be booked at the time of booking your visit.
Entering North Sea Camp
All visitors, aged 16 or older must prove their identity before entering the prison. Read the list of acceptable forms of ID when visiting a prison.
All visitors will need to be given a pat-down search, including children.
The prison has a strict dress code policy, which means visitors should be properly dressed at all times (no vests, no low-cut tops, no shorts, no short dresses and no headwear, other than that worn for religious reasons).
There are strict controls on what you can take into the prison. You will have to leave most of the things you have with you in a locker or with security. This includes pushchairs and car seats.
You will be told the rules by an officer at the start of your visit. If you break the rules, your visit could be cancelled and you could be banned from visiting again.
Visiting facilities
There is a small children’s play area and a café which sells snacks and a selection of hot food. There is also the option of seating both inside the visit’s hall and outside on a lawn with picnic benches and parasols.
Family days
Family days are taking place.
Keep in touch with someone at North Sea Camp
There are several ways you can keep in touch with a prisoner during their time at North Sea Camp.
Secure video calls
To have a secure video call with someone in this prison you need to:
- Download the Prison Video 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.
Video times:
- Tuesday: 5pm to 7pm
- Thursday: 5pm to 7pm
- Friday: 5pm to 7pm
- Sunday: 2pm to 4pm
Phone calls
Prisoners do not have phones in their cells so they will always have to call you. They have to buy phone credits to do this. Prisoners can call between 7am and 11.45pm.
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.
Officers may listen to phone calls as a way of preventing crime and helping keep people safe.
You can send emails to someone in North Sea Camp using the Email a Prisoner service.
You might also be able to attach photos and receive replies from the prisoner, depending on the rules at North Sea Camp.
Letters
You can write to a prisoner at any time.
Include the person’s name and prison number on the envelope.
If you do not know their prison number, contact North Sea Camp.
All post, apart from legal letters, will be opened and checked by officers.
Send money and gifts
You can use the free and fast online service to send money to someone in prison.
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 - 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 North Sea Camp are given a list of approved items that can be sent to them as gifts. The prisoner needs to apply for the ‘56 day’ parcel. Items can only be sent in 56 days from the day the prisoner arrived at the prison.
Contact North Sea Camp for more information on what’s allowed.
Family and friends 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 the HMPPS Incentives Policy, Annex F.
Make sure to include the person’s name and prison number on the parcel.
All parcels will be opened and checked by officers.
Life at North Sea Camp
North Sea Camp is committed to providing a safe and educational environment where prisoners can learn new skills to help them on release.
As an open prison, its main focus is on resettling the prisoners and getting them used to working in the community. There is a job club and Jobcentre Plus, self-employment classes and paid opportunities to work outside prison.
Security and safeguarding
Every prisoner at North Sea Camp has a right to feel safe. The staff are responsible for their safeguarding and welfare at all times.
For further information about what to do when you are worried or concerned about someone in prison visit the Prisoners’ Families helpline website.
Arrival and first night
When a prisoner first arrives at North Sea Camp, 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 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 North Sea Camp 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
- offender management processes, including guidance on release on temporary licence (ROTL), parole and home detention curfew
Everyone also finds out about the rules, fire safety and how things like calls and visits work.
Accommodation
The North and South units were originally dormitories that have been converted to smaller multi-occupancy cells. Most have 2 prisoners in each cell but have some bigger dormitories, used mostly for the induction of new prisoners.
All accommodation is non-smoking, but there are smoking areas open from 7am to 10pm.
There is disabled shower access on the North unit.
There are 6 single cells on the South unit that are generally allocated to prisoners who have shown a continuous period of ‘enhanced’ behaviour.
The Jubilee accommodation is made up of 5 houses, 4 of which are on the outer borders of the prison estate, while the other is closer to the prison. This is to encourage prisoners to engage with their rehabilitation and to incentivise good behaviour.
There is an emphasis on allowing prisoners to develop independent living skills when living in the Jubilee houses. Prisoners have access to fridges and cooking facilities. Nine of the cells are singles, the other 29 cells house 2 prisoners. They take part in restorative justice work, attend offending behaviour programmes and engage in activity and employment in preparation for release.
Education and work
Full and part-time education courses cover functional skills qualifications.
All prisoners are encouraged to achieve their level 2 maths and English.
Other courses include IT and personal development, along with workshops in painting, decorating, streetwork, warehousing, health and safety, recycling and bricklaying. NVQs are available in catering.
Prisoners are also offered support with business, Virtual Campus, distance learning, art, employability and resettlement.
Farms and gardens offer courses in horticulture, tractor driving, lawnmower repair, animal care and fork-lift truck driving.
External training opportunities are available as part of the resettlement packages. Weekend courses are also available including food safety, health and safety and IT.
Educational facilities are open all day, evenings and at weekends to allow maximum participation from prisoners and to allow those working in the community to continue their learning.
With a strong emphasis on resettlement in the community, almost a third of prisoners do community or paid work.
There is also drug and alcohol support and counselling.
Courses such as anger management and thinking skills and short-duration programmes are offered in the community to some of the prisoners.
A ‘listener’ scheme operates for prioners who are considered to be at risk of suicide or self-harm.
There are also several external work opportunities for prisoners to access on ROTL.
Temporary release
Release on temporary licence (ROTL) is a large part of life at North Sea Camp. The focus is on prisoners moving from custody to community. Reintegration is achieved through a re-settlement programme, training and unpaid work opportunities.
With the prisoner’s permission, the Lincolnshire Action Trust (LAT) offers advice and help to families about how ROTL will work.
The prison works closely with Jobcentre Plus, external training providers and local and national businesses. With the New Futures Network, work is arranged while on day release.
Our prisoner-led job club advertises its current internal and external opportunities and guides other prisoners through application processes.
The re-settlement programme offers a business course for prisoners hoping to be self employed, covering aspects of finance, planning and business proposals.
It also helps maintain family ties and to complete practical tasks like getting a driving licence and opening a bank account.
The Governor recognises the achievements of the prisoners as they prepare for release. They have an informal ceremony in their final week where they discuss past experiences and hopes for the future.
Organisations North Sea Camp Prison works with
The prison works with Shelter which offers housing advice for prisoners in the 12 weeks before release.
St Barnabas offers bereavement counselling on a one-to-one basis or in group sessions.
Support for family and friends
Find out about advice and helplines for family and friends.
Family services at North Sea Camp are provided by Lincolnshire Action Trust..
If you need support, information and advice about keeping in contact, please call the LAT Children and Families Team on 01522 663355.
The Family and significant others Lead is the Head of Reducing Reoffending.
The Family and significant others Champion is the Reducing Reoffending Custodial manager.
To contact them please email Activities.Northseacamp@justice.gov.uk.
Support at North Sea Camp
The prison encourages family and friends to join in stages of the prisoner’s sentence, for example, to their sentence planning review process and to any parole hearings.
Concerns, problems and complaints
In an emergency
Call 01205 769300 if you think a prisoner is at immediate risk of harm. Ask for the Orderly Officer and explain that your concern is an emergency.
| Contact category | Phone number | Additional information |
|---|---|---|
| Non-emergency | 01205 769 359 | Call this number if you have concerns about a prisoner’s safety or wellbeing which are serious but not life-threatening or complete a safer custody contact form on the Prisoners’ Families Helpline website. |
| Staff Integrity Hotline | 0800 917 6877 (24 hours answering machine) |
This number can be called anonymously. If you are concerned about a prisoner being bullied by a member of staff, you can use this number. As this line is managed separately from the prison, you can call this number anonymously. |
| Prisoners’ Families Helpline | 0808 808 2003 | The Prisoners’ Families Helpline can provide confidential support, advice and guidance. |
| Unwanted Prisoner Contact | 0300 060 6699 | If a prisoner is contacting you and you want them to stop, you can use the Unwanted Prisoner Contact Service. You can complete the Stop prisoner contact online form, email unwantedprisonercontact@justice.gov.uk or contact by phone. |
Problems and complaints
If you have any other problem contact North Sea Camp.
Contact North Sea Camp
Acting Governor: Mandy Lee
Telephone: 01205 769 300
Fax: 01205 769 301
Find out about call charges
Address
HMP North Sea Camp
Croppers Lane
Freiston
Boston
Lincolnshire
PE22 0QX
Help us to improve this page. Give us your feedback in this 2-minute survey.
Updates to this page
Published 18 December 2019Last updated 1 April 2022 + show all updates
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Updated visiting guidance based on 1 April COVID rule changes
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Added link to new safer custody information under Security and safeguarding.
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Updated visiting information: Testing for visitors aged 12 and over.
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Added link to information about testing for physical contact at visits.
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New visiting times and booking information added.
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Prison moved into National Stage 3 framework and is now preparing to open visits for family, friends and significant others. We will update this page with specific visiting information as soon as possible.
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visits update
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Updated visit info
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Updated visit info
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Updated visiting information in line with new national restrictions in England.
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Updated COVID-19 legalvisit times
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Updated visiting information in line with coronavirus restrictions.
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Updated: HMP North Sea Camp visiting times and visiting procedure changes in line with coronavirus restrictions.
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Edited support section
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edited Support for family and friends section
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updated survey link
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Prison visits update.
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First published.