IMPORTANT NEWS ABOUT OUR LONDON SERVICES

14 June 2011

We have run Visitors’ Centres and supervised play areas for children at prisons in London for several decades, and currently work throughout the capital. Many of the services we run were pioneered and developed by us to meet needs which we had identified. Earlier this year the Ministry of Justice announced a tender competition to run Visitors’ Centres at the eight prisons in London. The results were announced this week, and unfortunately pact was not awarded the contract.

"We are deeply disappointed at the outcome of the tender" said Andy Keen-Downs, Chief Executive of pact. "However, the fact that the services we have pioneered and championed are now being commissioned is in itself a great achievement. We will do everything we can to ensure services are maintained to the high standards we have set, and will focus our efforts in London on building partnerships to take forward our exciting new programmes to support the families and children of prisoners."

The award of the contract has gone to Spurgeons, a leading charity for children, young people, and families.

This news does not affect the remainder of our work in London, or across the country. We will continue to run our Integrated Family Support project at HMPs Belmarsh and Wandsworth, as well as our Kinship Care service at HMP Holloway and our Basic Caring Communities project for ex-prisoners at HMPs Brixton and Wandsworth. And later this year will see the London launch of JustPeople, our flagship Volunteer hub.