hmp parc purple visits

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Visiting the prison

Booking a visit - domestic visits (Family & Friends)

Prisoners are responsible for booking their own visits; this is done by using an application on the Central Management System (CMS) – accessed via touchscreen computer terminals that are located on each unit in the establishment. Once a visit has been approved it is up the individual prisoner to inform his family and friends of the date and time of the visit.

The maximum time a visit can be booked is 14 days in advance and the minimum is 3 days in advance.

Prisoners can book up to 3 adult visitors per session and 3 children less than 18 Years of age. However, if the child is over 17 they will be classed as an adult.

It is the responsibility of the prisoner to book and inform friends and family of the time and date of visits.

Staff are not responsible for booking or informing family and friends of visits or cancellation of visits.

It is also the responsibility of the prisoner to inform visitors of correct identification requirements as well as other visit regulations, however visitors are encouraged to check the website for further details.

For sending correspondence / emails to your family or friend in prison, you can take advantage of the emailaprisoner.com system. Please log on to https://www.emailaprisoner.com and follow the instructions.

Domestic visitors’ identification

All visitors to closed prisons, both Adults and Children, whether visiting for social or official purposes must be required to prove their identity on Reception. (Children’s birth certificates are suitable to prove the name and date of birth).

Two separate forms of up-to-date identification will be required to gain entry to the prison, including one photographic identification and two proof of address:

• Driving Licence - Acceptable on its own if photograph and the address matches the address provided by the prisoner on CMS.
• Passport - Including foreign passports and time expired passports where the photograph is still recognisable.
• Bus Pass (elderly only) - Must have been issued by the Local Authority. Photograph must match.
• Student / Employers I.D. - Must clearly show the name of the visitor and educational establishment / employer. Photograph must match.
• Citizen Card - A Citizen Card is an official UK ID / proof of age card recognised as such by the Home Office. Obtained online. A Standard application costs £15 and takes 21 days (card posted by Royal Mail 2nd class); an Urgent application costs £30 and takes 1-2 workingdays (subject to verification; card posted by Special Delivery guaranteed Next Day by 1pm). you can find out more at www.citizencard.com. Must be official, the photograph must match.

Two Proof of address can include: (No more than 6 Months old)

• Utility bill
• Benefit book / Letter
• Council tax/tax credit award
• Household bill or statement with the address on

For other forms of ID that may be acceptable please ensure you contact the prison Visits Booking line for advice.

If a visitor is unable to produce ID as above, staff may accept combinations of two or more of the following below, but must also include two proof of addresses:

• ‘Birth/marriage certificate
• ‘Rail or bus pass with photo
• ‘Cheque book or credit/debit card (counts as one, do not accept as two)
• ‘Employer’s pass or ID or student ID card not acceptable under paragraph 2
• ‘Young person’s ‘proof of age’ card
• ‘Trade Union or National Students’ union membership card
• ‘Library card, if it has a signature that can be compared with the visitor’s signature
• ‘Rent book
• ‘Foreign identity or resident’s card (other than EC ID cards acceptable in their own right)
• ‘Expired documents from the above lists that appear satisfactory in other ways
• ‘ID Card from Prison Visitors Organisations

You may be refused entry if you do not have sufficient ID. This will be decided by the Visits Manager on duty. The Director has the discretion to accept any form of identification that clearly identifies the visitor in a satisfactory way.

Having had ID checked all visitors will have their photograph taken, fingerprints and hand stamped with UV ink.

All adults and children over 10 years of age will have their finger-prints taken.

Booking a visit - legal/officials only

Our dedicated booking line is staffed: Monday to Friday between 0830-1630 hrs.

Official visitors can book by phone or via email.

[email protected]

To book by phone call: +44(0) 151 522 2196 / +44(0) 151 522 2047

For non-confidential correspondence to your clients, you can take advantage of the emailaprisoner.com system. Please log on to https://www.emailaprisoner.com/ and follow the instructions.

Legal visitors’ identification

The forms of identification set out below are acceptable. If the visitor does not possess such identification then the forms of identification for social visitors are also acceptable. If in doubt, Visits staff may telephone the visitor’s employer (e.g. solicitors office, barrister’s chambers, probation department) to check the visitor is bona fide. Get the telephone number from the phone book or direct enquiries, not from the visitor:

• Members of either House of Parliament: Houses of Parliament ID card.
• Legal Advisers: identity card issued by firm/ chambers, or introductory letter on headed letter paper of firm/chambers.
• Police, Immigration and Customs Officers: warrant card.
• Probation Officers: probation department ID card.
• Staff from other prisons, HQ or Home Office Staff: prison service security pass or home office pass.
• Consular Officials: consular ID card.
• Other public officials: departmental or local authority pass or ID card (but only if it shows the name of the visitor and the name of the department or local authority).
• Social workers: identification cards.
• Researchers: Security Photo pass or official letter (visits must be pre-arranged) and
• NHS: photographic identification badge/card. Independent sector healthcare photographic identification badge/card.

Visitors Centre

Safe Ground is the organisation responsible for the day to day running of the Visitors Centre at HMP Altcourse where our team is working hard to create a space and a service which is welcoming, comfortable, efficient, and conducive to meaningful engagement. In time, visitors also have the opportunity to access therapeutic spaces facilitated by a specialist member of the team based on site.  Alongside our day-to-day delivery of the Visitors Centre service and family support work, Safe Ground is delivering therapeutic group work programmes to men in custody. Together, our services represent the movement of the establishment towards a model of best practice in implementing ground-breaking person-centred interventions. For more information visit  Safe Ground - Social Interest Group - Social Interest Group

Visiting times until 1 st October

Visitors will need to arrive at the visits centre at least one hour prior to the visiting time in order to be processed in time for the visit to commence.

Monday to Friday

13:30-14:30 (BOOKING - VISITORS TO BOOK IN 12.15pm)

15:15-16:15 (BOOKING - VISITORS TO BOOK IN 14:15hrs)

18:15-19:15 (BOOKING - VISITORS TO BOOK IN 17:00hrs)

09:15-10:15 (BOOKING - VISITORS TO BOOK IN 08:15hrs)

11:00-12:00 (BOOKING - VISITORS TO BOOK IN 10:00hrs)

14:00-16:00 (BOOKING - VISITORS TO BOOK IN 13:00hrs)

13:45-14:45 (BOOKING - VISITORS TO BOOK IN 12:45hrs)

15:30-16:30 (BOOKING - VISITORS TO BOOK IN 14:30hrs)

Visiting times from 2nd October

Official Visits Monday to Friday

AM Sessions

1 st Session. Solicitor Arrive at search area 08:30. Visit Time 09:00 to 10:00

2 nd Session. Solicitor Arrive at search area 10:00. Visit Time 10:30 to 11:30

PM Sessions

1 st Session. Solicitor Arrive at search area 14:00. Visit Time 14:30 to 15:30

2 nd Session. Solicitor Arrive at search area 15:30. Visit Time 16:00 to 17:00

NB Duration of each session is 1 Hour. A request for an extended 2 Hour session can be authorised subject to availability.

On arrival Legal Visitors do not need to go to the Visits Centre. Report directly to the main reception with your ID.

Social Visits Monday to Sunday

1 st Session. Visitor Arrives in VC 08:00. Visitor comes through search area 08:30. Visit Time 09:00 to 10:00.

2 nd Session. Visitor Arrives in VC 09:30. Visitor comes through search area 10:00. Visit Time 10:30 to 11:30.

1 st Session. Visitor Arrives in VC 13:30. Visitor comes through search area 14:00. Visit Time 14:30 to 15:30.

2 nd Session. Visitor Arrives in VC 15:00. Visitor comes through search area 15:30. Visit Time 16:00 to 17:00.

Purple Video Visits

Purple Visits will take place on a Saturday and Sunday only and the times are the same as the Social Visits Sessions and will be booked in the usual way.

All of the above Visiting Times will come into effect from the 2 nd October 2023.

Visits Staff retain discretion to accept any other forms of identification, singly or in combination, that clearly identify the visitor in a satisfactory way.

The following list of items must not be brought into or taken out of the prison by staff or visitors:

• Explosives and other dangerous items
• Any item of contraband such as illegal or unauthorised substances (including steroids etc)
• Any article intended for a prisoner
• Weapons of any description including imitation weapons
• Alcohol (except Communion wine brought in by Chaplaincy staff)
• Aerosols (e.g. spray deodorant / hairspray)
• Cans (e.g. drinks can)
• Metal Cutlery (beyond P4)
• Metal nail files
• Civilian Clothing (if in uniform)
• Spare uniform
• Chewing Gum
• Mobile Phones and associated parts (unless authorised under the Offender Management Act
• Pagers (unless authorised)
• Cameras (unless authorised under the Offender Management Act )
• Video Cameras (unless authorised under the Offender Management Act
• Any other sound or picture recording devices (unless authorised under the OMA)
• DVD recorder / players
• Non healthcare / prescribed drugs
• Tobacco, lighters, matches or any other smoking paraphernalia
• Large amounts of money
• Unofficial tools e.g. personal screwdrivers
• Tool repair kits

How we collect and use your data

Learn more Close

COLLECTION OF DATA

In order to facilitate your visit to one of our prisons and to ensure that we deliver appropriate levels of security and safety and prevent crime, for identification purposes we shall collect your name, date of birth, address, a biometric template of your fingerprint and a photograph. A series of reference points from a finger print are collected, allowing a unique identification pattern. We do not collect or hold actual fingerprints.

Our prisons operate CCTV and staff may wear Body Worn Video Recording Equipment. We do not collect biometric readings or photographs of children under 16, however with the use of CCTV, images may routinely be captured.

DATA SHARING

We will only share your information with a third party where there is a legal obligation to do so.

RIGHTS OF ACCESS, CORRECTION, ERASURE AND RESTRICTION

You have legal rights in connection with personal information. Under certain circumstances, by law you have the right to:

• Request access to your personal information (commonly known as a “data subject access request”). This enables you to receive a copy of the personal information we hold about you and to check that we are lawfully processing it.
• Request correction of the personal information that we hold about you. This enables you to have any incomplete or inaccurate information we hold about you corrected.
• Request erasure of your personal information. This enables you to ask us to delete or remove personal information where there is no good reason for us continuing to process it. You also have the right to ask us to delete or remove your personal information where you have exercised your right to object to processing.
• Object to processing of your personal information by us or on our behalf in certain situations.
• Request the restriction of processing of your personal information. This enables you to ask us to suspend the processing of personal information about you, for example if you want us to establish its accuracy or the reason for processing it.

DATA RETENTION

We keep personal data in accordance with our clients’ and Sodexo’s retention procedures. These retention periods depend on the nature of the information (e.g. we apply different retention periods to different type of information such as CCTV and your visitor record), and may be subject to change.

If you have any questions or concerns about how long we retain your personal data, please contact the Data Protection Officer using the details below.

FURTHER ADVICE / GUIDANCE

To exercise your rights, you can contact us by writing to us at the following address: [email protected] or email the Global Data Protection Office at the following email address: [email protected] stating your surname, first name and the reason for your request. We will most likely ask you for additional information in order to identify you and to enable us to deal with your request

You also have the right to contact the Information Commissioner’s Office and file a complaint. ( https://ico.org.uk/concerns/ )

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• Crime, justice and law
• Prisons and probation

Secure video calls with prisoners

How to book and make a secure video call with somebody in prison.

Applies to England and Wales

You can take part in a secure video call with a family member or friend in prisons in England and Wales.

Video calls last up to 60 minutes and can have up to 4 people on the call talking to a prisoner. All callers must be on the prisoner’s visitor list and the ‘main caller’ must be over 18. People under 18 can be on the video call, as long as they are on the prisoner’s visitor list.

Every adult prisoner and young person in custody is offered up to two 30-minute video calls or one 60-minute video call per month. The governor may allow additional calls for wellbeing reasons and in exceptional circumstances.

Video call security

You’ll need to follow the usual prison rules around what to wear and how to behave. Remember that all calls are recorded, and prison staff may view or listen to calls as they are happening. The call can be paused or ended if prison rules are not followed.

What you’ll need to make a video call

• Mobile phone or tablet – this service is not available using a computer
• An account with a secure video calling application
• Passport, driving license or another government-issued photo ID
• Proof of address (if your ID does not include this)
• The prisoner’s name, number and date of birth
• Names, dates of birth and addresses for everyone who would like to be on the video call

How to get set up for a video call

You need to use one of 2 apps to have a video call with someone in prison. The app you need to use will depend on the prison.

To find out which app is used by the prison you wish to call, please visit the relevant GOV.UK page for individual prisons .

Step 1: Download and install an app

Download the app being used at the prison.

You can download the Prison Video app via the Prison Video website and Purple Visits app via the Purple Visits website .

Both apps are free and also available from Google Play or the Apple App Store .

You will need to install the app on your phone or tablet.

Step 2: Create an account in the app and add everyone who will be on the call

To create an account on either app you will need to be over 18 years old and have a picture of your driving license, passport or other government-issued photo ID.

It can take up to 24 hours for your account to be verified.

Once verified, set up the call: You must include the names and dates of birth of everyone who will be on the video call. You will also need to upload ID for people over 18.

Finally, add the name of the person you want to want to have the video call with as a ‘contact’.

Step 3: Make a video call request

The exact process of booking a call will depend on the prison.

For some prisons, you will be able to select a possible date and time in the next 7 days in the app. In other prisons, staff will book a date and time following a request from the prisoner.

Either way, you’ll receive a confirmation email when your video call has been scheduled.

Step 4: Get set up for the video call

You need a reliable internet connection. Wi-Fi is recommended, but you can also use 3G or 4G mobile data.

You don’t need headphones for the video call, but it may help with the sound quality.

Step 5: Have the video call

You should open your app ahead of the scheduled video call time and be ready for the call to start. Call times are fixed and cannot be extended.

Calls will be paused if anyone:

• who is not booked on the call appears on the camera
• behaves in a way that would not be appropriate for a social prison visit
• tries to record the call or take a screenshot

If a call is paused, you will need to go through a security check before it can start again.

Tips for a successful video call

Keep the camera still.

Try to keep your phone or tablet as still as possible. It may be best to rest it against something.

Good lighting and a plain background

You must have the call in a private place rather than a cafe or public space. Make sure the room is well-lit. Uneven lighting, for example sunlight, can disrupt the way the system recognises faces.

It is best to sit in front of a plain wall. Pictures or patterns in the background may affect the camera being able to stay focused on your face.

Clear sight of everyone on the call

Make sure that your whole face – and the faces of any additional people – can be seen clearly.

If there are young children on the call, make sure they either look directly at the camera or else stay out of the picture.

The call may be paused if only part of a face or the back of a head can be seen.

Updated to reflect the change to free video calls

Secure video calls information has been updated.

Removed a line about a person's face needing to be in view of the camera at all times so the call doesn't pause. Linked to the prison directory instead of listing all prisons where calls are available.

Added more prisons where video calls are available.

Added to the list of prisons where secure video calls are available

Added prisons where video calls are available

Updated list of prisons offering secure video calls

First published.

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Inspection report (PDF, 918.9 KB)

Report on an unannounced inspection of HMP Parc by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons (21–22 June and 4–8 July 2022)

Action plan

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Visiting the prison

Maintaining contact with family members or close friends is an important part of the rehabilitation process and helps to support our prisoners during their sentence.  Our large, open-plan visits halls provide a relaxed atmosphere for both prisoners and their visitors. With refreshments available to purchase (card payments ONLY) and play areas for younger children, we want to make your visiting experience as comfortable and enjoyable as possible.

We understand that visiting a prison can be quite daunting, especially if it is your first visit, so we try to make your experience as positive as possible. We want you to enjoy your visit so we operate a zero tolerance for violence and aggressive behaviour to help us maintain a calm, friendly environment.

Children under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult.

Prohibited items There are certain items that are not allowed in a prison environment. Please take the time to read and familiarise yourself with the list. View the prohibited items list .

We provide lockers for you to store personal belongings such as wallets, mobile phones and tobacco.

Smoke-free site HMP & YOI Bronzefield is a smoke free site. We therefore do not allow any tobacco, lighters, vapes or other smoking paraphernalia in the visits hall.

Visiting times and frequency

Details about visiting times allowed at HMP & YOI Bronzefield.

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Visit Times

From 19th June 2023

Remand prisoners can have hourly visits on all the days that we are open.

Sentenced prisoners can have 5 visits per month.

What to expect

Guidelines of what to expect when visiting HMP & YOI Bronzefield prison.

When visiting, make sure you bring photo ID with you and proof of your address , such as a utility bill (gas, electricity, water, council tax etc.) or a bank or building society statement. These must be less than three months old.

Accepted forms of photo ID are:

• Driving licence (photo card)
• Valid passport
• Citizenship card
• Blue Badge with photo

If you do not have photo ID you should bring either your birth certificate plus two utility bills or bank/building society statements. Or you can bring three utility bills/bank or building society statements – each must be from a different organisation.

Car parking

Visitors' parking is provided free of charge. If the visitors' car park is full, please use the overflow car park at the top of the drive. Please do not park along the drive as this can be a safety risk for cars and pedestrians.

Check-in to our visitors centre

When you arrive you will need to check-in to our visitors centre which is the small building on the right before you reach the prison. You will be welcomed by a member of our team who will check your name against the list of visitors and check your ID. Here you can wait until your visit time.

The Centre opens 45 minutes prior to the start of visits – please arrive at least 30 minutes prior to the start of your visit.

There’s a soft play area for little ones and a small kiosk to get a drink (similar to inside the prison, this is card payments only) . It’s best to use the toilet facilities here before you go into the visits hall.

You will be directed to the main prison building where our visits hall is based. Here you can hand in any property that you have brought with you for the person you are visiting. 

Refreshments

We are pleased that visitors can now buy hot and cold snacks and drinks in the Vita Nova Visits Coffee Shop. Please remember card only payments .

You can use a locker to leave your personal belongings such as, such as keys, mobile phones, cigarettes, tobacco, lighters etc.

Within the Visits Hall there is a tea bar operated by the Vita Nova Visits Coffee Shop. Please remember card only payments . There are also toilet, baby changing and wash facilities available. 

When it is time to go through for your visit, you will pass through an airport-style security.

Any bags will be passed through a scanner and you will walk through a metal detector.

You’ll also need to agree to a ‘level A’ rub down search. Official visitors are required to agree to a ‘level B’ rub down search.

If you refuse to be searched, you will not be allowed to enter the prison. Please be advised that we have a drug detecting machine which, if proven positive, will determine whether your visit continues and if it continues under closed conditions.

Once you’ve passed through security, you’ll then go through our airlock door system before entering the visits hall.

Types of visit

Details about the social (friends and family), Purple Visits and legal allowed at HMP & YOI Bronzefield.

Face to Face Legal Visits:

Monday to Friday – 09.00am to 11.00am in the Visits Hall

Booking email address –  [email protected]

Virtual Legal Visits (Video Link):

Monday to Thursday – 08.00am to 18.00pm 

Fridays – 08.00am to 17.00pm 

Booking email address – [email protected]

Social Visits:

Social visits are booked by the prisoners using our Internal Pods system. Prisoners are shown how to use this on their induction (normally within the first 3 days). They need to register all their visitors details and then request a visit. This can take a few days. Unfortunately due to data protection we are unable to book any social visits for anyone calling in.

We have a Tea Bar in the Visits Hall where you can purchase hot drinks and snacks. Please be advised we can only accept payment via a credit card (cannot accept cash).

Please note that social visits are booked by the prisoner

Purple Visits (Virtual Visits) are also available from 09.00am to 18.00pm Monday to Thursdays and 09.00am to 17.00pm on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

If you would like to book one please download the application to your mobile device/tablet via the apple app store or google play and follow the instructions. Or  visit https://www.purplevisits.com/

If you can only visit outside of these hours, please contact the Visits department and we will do our best to accommodate the visit.

Please download and complete a VideoLink Booking Form

please note: these departments will not be able to give out any prisoner information

How we collect and use your data

COLLECTION OF DATA

In order to facilitate your visit to one of our prisons and to ensure that we deliver appropriate levels of security and safety and prevent crime, for identification purposes we shall collect your name, date of birth, address, a biometric template of your fingerprint and a photograph. A series of reference points from a finger print are collected, allowing a unique identification pattern. We do not collect or hold actual fingerprints.

Our prisons operate CCTV and staff may wear Body Worn Video Recording Equipment. We do not collect biometric readings or photographs of children under 16, however with the use of CCTV, images may routinely be captured.

DATA SHARING

We will only share your information with a third party where there is a legal obligation to do so.

RIGHTS OF ACCESS, CORRECTION, ERASURE AND RESTRICTION

You have legal rights in connection with personal information. Under certain circumstances, by law you have the right to:

• Request access to your personal information (commonly known as a “data subject access request”). This enables you to receive a copy of the personal information we hold about you and to check that we are lawfully processing it.
• Request correction of the personal information that we hold about you. This enables you to have any incomplete or inaccurate information we hold about you corrected.
• Request erasure of your personal information. This enables you to ask us to delete or remove personal information where there is no good reason for us continuing to process it. You also have the right to ask us to delete or remove your personal information where you have exercised your right to object to processing.
• Object to processing of your personal information by us or on our behalf in certain situations.
• Request the restriction of processing of your personal information. This enables you to ask us to suspend the processing of personal information about you, for example if you want us to establish its accuracy or the reason for processing it.

DATA RETENTION

We keep personal data in accordance with our clients’ and Sodexo’s retention procedures. These retention periods depend on the nature of the information (e.g. we apply different retention periods to different type of information such as CCTV and your visitor record), and may be subject to change.

If you have any questions or concerns about how long we retain your personal data, please contact the Data Protection Officer using the details below.

FURTHER ADVICE / GUIDANCE

To exercise your rights, you can contact us by writing to us at the following address: [email protected] or email the Global Data Protection Office at the following email address: [email protected] stating your surname, first name and the reason for your request. We will most likely ask you for additional information in order to identify you and to enable us to deal with your request

You also have the right to contact the Information Commissioner’s Office and file a complaint. ( https://ico.org.uk/concerns/ )

HMP & YOI Bronzefield Woodthorpe Road Ashford Middlesex TW15 3JZ

Tel : 01784 425690 Fax : 01784 425691

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Purple Visits

December 30, 2020

Introducing Purple Visits

Purple Visits are now live at Forest Bank and allow video calling with family and friends; this is a great way for you to support residents while the current visiting restrictions are in place.

Here we’re answering some of the common questions about the service: 

Q. What is the video calls service?  Sodexo and HMPPS are working with a private company, Purple Visits, to provide secure video calls in prisons whilst social visits are cancelled. The service allows you to hold a private video call with your friends and family.   

Q. Who can have a video call?  Most residents will be able to have a video call however some residents will not be eligible if there is an identified risk.  Any resident who is ineligible will be fully notified of the reason.  

Q. How do I apply for a video call?   From Monday 7 th December you’ll see a new application on the Kiosk under the Visits tab, scroll down to virtual visits which will take you through the application process. You’ll need your name, your prison number and the names of your video callers to apply. 

Q. How much do video calls cost?  The video calls are free while social visits are suspended. 

Q. When might I be able to have my first call?  We expect demand for this service to be very high. We will work to ensure all eligible residents are scheduled for a call within a month of going live.

Q. How often can I have video calls?  Currently once a month. 

Q. How long are the calls?  Calls are 30 minutes each. Calls will start and finish promptly at the scheduled time. 

Q. How do the calls get arranged?  Currently we are asking family members to request a visit via the app. Please inform your loved ones to log onto the app and request a slot, this will then be confirmed and you will be notified by a member of the visits team.

Q. What do I need to know about making sure my family can join the call?   The main caller must be over 18.  - You can only have video calls with people on your approved visitor list.  - There can be four people on each secure video call with you and they must all be registered for the call in the Purple Visits app. If someone appears on the call who is not registered for the call, or who is not on your visitor list, the call may be paused or stopped.

Q. What do I need to tell my family to do before the call?  Ask them to download an app called Purple Visits to their smartphone or tablet and set up an account using approved ID (passport or driver’s licence). They’ll also need to add your name and prisoner number and the name of this prison to make sure they can connect with you. 

Q. What happens when it’s time for my video call?  You will be unlocked and escorted to the room where the video call will happen about 15 minutes before the call time. You’ll need your prison number to sign in to the app. Once signed in, you will be in a virtual waiting room until the video call starts. Before the call starts, you will be asked to read and sign a Communications Compact which explains the terms and conditions of the call and circumstances for monitoring.  You must sign to agree with these conditions before the call is activated.   

Q. How does the app work?  It uses the latest facial recognition technology. If the software sees someone unexpected, or identifies anything inappropriate, it will pause the video call.  Please ensure your family are in a room with a blank background- any photos or canvas’s could distract the facial recognition and could cause the call to end prematurely.  

Q. Will someone sit with me during my video call?  No but all secure video calls will be recorded under Prison Rule 35A.  When monitoring, prison staff will view all live video calls via a camera. 

In addition to all video calls being viewed your call may also be subject to audio monitoring.

You will also need to follow the usual prison rules around what to wear and how to behave. 

Q. Will video calls continue once we’re allowed social visits again?  At the moment, secure video calls are replacing social visits. There may be plans to extend secure video calls in prisons, but nothing has been decided yet.

We appreciate your patience during the this difficult time and thank you for your continued support.  We hope to get Social Visits up and running again as soon as we safely can.

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Where to watch movies for free in Moscow this summer

People watching a movie in a Pioner 24-hour open-air cinema in Gorky Park.

Temporary cinemas will be popping up across Moscow very soon, starting from July 16. All of the spots are brilliant examples of either constructivist or avant-garde architecture, so expect striking settings. A selection of classic Soviet films will be aired using cinematic equipment from the last century. All the screenings are free although online registration is required beforehand, while there will also be guided tours of the spaces, organized by the “Moscow through the Engineer's Eyes” company.

Registration will be open soon at mos-kino.ru

Bread factory

Following the success of former factories transformed into art spaces (VinZavod, Arma, Trekhgornaya manufacture), Khlebzavod (“bread factory”) No 9 is one newly opened joint that is attracting creative types from all over the city. The movie Time! Forward! will be screened in the building’s boiler room on July 16. It follows workers from the Magnitogorsk Iron and Steel Works, one of the largest steel companies in Russia, and is based on a novel by Soviet writer Valentin Kataev.

What’s more, Khlebzavod is a monument to constructivist architecture. Where better to watch such a film?

Novodmitrovskaya St. 1

Roof of the Narkomfin Building

The Narkomfin Building was originally designed to house high ranking employees at the Commissariat of Finance. It was built by architects Moisei Ginsburg and Ignaty Milinis. Also a fine example of constructivism, it’s currently in a state of disrepair, locked down, and fairly difficult to get into - which is like a red flag to a bull for more adventurous types.

However, on July 30 the place will be opened up and people will be welcomed onto the roof to watch the film Faith and Truth.

Novinsky Blvrd . 25b1

Khrushchyovka courtyard

A courtyard located in the 9th experimental block of the Novye Cheremushki district will turn into an outdoor cinema this summer. Cheremushki is the first district where Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchyov decided to build the iconic Khrushchyovka apartment blocks in the 1950s. As a result, thousands of Russians were given their own pads after decades living huddled together in communal apartments known as kommunalka .

Cheremushki is the adapted film-version of Dmitry Shostakovich’s operetta and will be shown here on Aug. 6. The organizers of the multiple screenings - the Moskino cinema chain - say they will revive the Soviet tradition of neighbors meeting in courtyards for a good old tongue wag. There will also be a guided tour of the block.

Address to be confirmed at mos-kino.ru

Pioneers Palace

If you want a slice of the postwar Soviet avant-garde style, head to the Pioneers Palace at Vorobyevy Gory. Pioneers Palaces were youth centers for sport, creativity, and hobbies for Young Pioneers (a communist organization for children) during the Soviet Union. There were dance classes, martial arts, drawing, and many other activities.

To Love a Man , a movie about two young architects building a new town in Siberia, will be shown here on Aug. 22. There will also be a lecture about building experiments in the 20th century.

Kosygina St. 17b2

A secret place

The last cinema venue remains a secret. On Aug. 27 there will be a screening, but at the moment no one knows where. Information will appear on mos-kino.ru but those who attend all four screenings above will be able to guess the last location.

A talk about architecture and Soviet history also will be hosted here.

Read more: Relics of Constructivist Architecture in post-Soviet countries

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Requesting a Purple Visits Video Call

If the prison allows you to request a video call you will be able to make these requests directly through the mobile app.

How to request a Purple Visits Video Call

• Tap on the Request Video Call tab from the in app menu and the select your contact.
• If the prison allows you to request a video call you will then be asked to select a date and slot that you require. This video call request will be reviewed by a member of the team within the prison and then hopefully approved. (if rejected they will give you a reason why)
• If however the prison that your contact is in doesn’t accept video call requests you will need to ask your contact to request the video call from within the prison its self (just as they would request a  social visit)
• Purple Visits do not control the video call availability so please get in touch with the prison directly to discuss any issues you may have.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are the answers to the most frequently asked questions on Requesting a Purple Visits Video Call.

Each establishment have their own set of criteria in terms of video calling, please contact them for more information. However, during the Covid-19 pandemic video calls will be limited to one call per month to ensure everyone can be included.

If the establishment allows members of the public to request Purple Visits video calls you will be able to make these requests directly through the mobile app.

• Tap on the “ Request Video Call ” tab from the in app menu and the select your contact.
• If the establishment allows you to request a call you will then be asked to select a date and slot that you require. This video call request will be reviewed by a member of the team within the establishment and then hopefully approved.
• If however the establishment that your contact is in doesn’t accept video call requests you will need to ask your contact to request the video call from within the establishment itself (just as they would request a social visit)
• Purple Visits do not control the video call availability so please get in touch with the establishment directly to discuss any issues you may have.

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Out of the Centre

Savvino-storozhevsky monastery and museum.

Zvenigorod's most famous sight is the Savvino-Storozhevsky Monastery, which was founded in 1398 by the monk Savva from the Troitse-Sergieva Lavra, at the invitation and with the support of Prince Yury Dmitrievich of Zvenigorod. Savva was later canonised as St Sabbas (Savva) of Storozhev. The monastery late flourished under the reign of Tsar Alexis, who chose the monastery as his family church and often went on pilgrimage there and made lots of donations to it. Most of the monastery’s buildings date from this time. The monastery is heavily fortified with thick walls and six towers, the most impressive of which is the Krasny Tower which also serves as the eastern entrance. The monastery was closed in 1918 and only reopened in 1995. In 1998 Patriarch Alexius II took part in a service to return the relics of St Sabbas to the monastery. Today the monastery has the status of a stauropegic monastery, which is second in status to a lavra. In addition to being a working monastery, it also holds the Zvenigorod Historical, Architectural and Art Museum.

Belfry and Neighbouring Churches

Located near the main entrance is the monastery's belfry which is perhaps the calling card of the monastery due to its uniqueness. It was built in the 1650s and the St Sergius of Radonezh’s Church was opened on the middle tier in the mid-17th century, although it was originally dedicated to the Trinity. The belfry's 35-tonne Great Bladgovestny Bell fell in 1941 and was only restored and returned in 2003. Attached to the belfry is a large refectory and the Transfiguration Church, both of which were built on the orders of Tsar Alexis in the 1650s.  

To the left of the belfry is another, smaller, refectory which is attached to the Trinity Gate-Church, which was also constructed in the 1650s on the orders of Tsar Alexis who made it his own family church. The church is elaborately decorated with colourful trims and underneath the archway is a beautiful 19th century fresco.

Nativity of Virgin Mary Cathedral

The Nativity of Virgin Mary Cathedral is the oldest building in the monastery and among the oldest buildings in the Moscow Region. It was built between 1404 and 1405 during the lifetime of St Sabbas and using the funds of Prince Yury of Zvenigorod. The white-stone cathedral is a standard four-pillar design with a single golden dome. After the death of St Sabbas he was interred in the cathedral and a new altar dedicated to him was added.

Under the reign of Tsar Alexis the cathedral was decorated with frescoes by Stepan Ryazanets, some of which remain today. Tsar Alexis also presented the cathedral with a five-tier iconostasis, the top row of icons have been preserved.

Tsaritsa's Chambers

The Nativity of Virgin Mary Cathedral is located between the Tsaritsa's Chambers of the left and the Palace of Tsar Alexis on the right. The Tsaritsa's Chambers were built in the mid-17th century for the wife of Tsar Alexey - Tsaritsa Maria Ilinichna Miloskavskaya. The design of the building is influenced by the ancient Russian architectural style. Is prettier than the Tsar's chambers opposite, being red in colour with elaborately decorated window frames and entrance.

At present the Tsaritsa's Chambers houses the Zvenigorod Historical, Architectural and Art Museum. Among its displays is an accurate recreation of the interior of a noble lady's chambers including furniture, decorations and a decorated tiled oven, and an exhibition on the history of Zvenigorod and the monastery.

Palace of Tsar Alexis

The Palace of Tsar Alexis was built in the 1650s and is now one of the best surviving examples of non-religious architecture of that era. It was built especially for Tsar Alexis who often visited the monastery on religious pilgrimages. Its most striking feature is its pretty row of nine chimney spouts which resemble towers.

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