POPS' Visitor Centres are located outside of the prison and aim to provide a warm and friendly environment for families before and after a prison visit. The Visitor Centre gives families a space, dedicated to them, where they can sit down, have refreshments, use our crèche facilities and relax within comfortable surroundings.

Each centre has a Coordinator, Visitor Centre Workers, Play Workers, Tea Bar Operatives and dedicated volunteers working together to help make the visiting experience as welcoming and stress free as possible. Travelling to see a loved one in prison can be a very traumatic time, whether it is because of nerves, long distances or worrying about how your children will cope. The centres help to bring stress levels down, as our staff are on hand to lend a listening ear and provide practical advice/support when needed.

The staff can advise on numerous issues for example security, Assisted Prison Visit Unit applications, property and much more. Many of our Visitor Centres also work with the Prison and our Family Link Workers, in a multi-agency capacity, to organise special 'Family Day' visits. These visits are designed to encourage the family and the offender to bond in a more relaxed and comfortable environment. The 'Family Days' provide activities for the family unit to take part in and try to create a few hours of normality in an otherwise strange environment. POPS believe that 'Family Days' help to maintain family ties and improve parenting skills.

Our staff are instantly recognisable by their informal uniform which bears the POPS logo and corporate colours. It is often commented on by families who move from one establishment to another, that when they see the uniform they know immediately that they will be receiving the same standard of service and support as they have at the previous establishment. This immediately puts them at ease.

We manage six Visitors Centres across the North West area and their contact details can be found below:

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