cardiff prison visit number

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Cardiff Local Guide A guide to all Things Cardiff

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Cardiff Prison Address and Contact details

HM Prison Cardiff

Cardiff Prison can be found in the Adamsdown area of the city, postcode CF24 0UG, and is a category B Local/Training Male only facility.

Operated by Her Majesty’s Prison Service, Cardiff Prison holds prisoners from the surrounding court area of South East Wales and has a current capacity of 784 inmates in cellular accommodation. This was increased in 1996 after three older Victorian wings were refurbished and three new wings added to help house the number of life-sentenced prisoners, now standing at 96.

Overseen by the current governor, Richard Booty, Cardiff Prison accepts Category B & Category C prisoners along with those classed as stage 1 and stage 2 life sentences. It also houses people who have been remanded in custody from the local area. To assist inmates with their rehabilitation, the prison offers a full time education programme, training courses and employment in prison workshops, alongside a Detoxification Unit for those dependant on alcohol and drugs, a resettlement unit and work based courses.

Cardiff Prison Address Contact Details, Telephone Number and Postcode

Tel: 02920 923100

Fax: 02920 923318

Cardiff Prison Address Official website

Cardiff Prison Visiting Times

The prison has various social and official visiting times and is open to social visits throughout most of the year as follows…

Social Visiting Times

Mon: 1.45pm – 2.45 pm & 3.00pm – 4.00pm

Tue: 1.45pm – 2.45 pm & 3.00pm – 4.00pm

Wed: 1.45pm – 2.45 pm & 3.00pm – 4.00pm

Thu: 1.45pm – 2.45 pm & 3.00pm – 4.00pm

Fri: 1.45pm – 2.45 pm & 3.00pm – 4.00pm

Sat: 9.45am – 11.15am & 1.50pm – 3.20pm

Sun: 1.50pm – 3.20pm

N.B. There are no visits on the fist Wednesday of each month due to staff training.

No visits on Christmas Day, Boxing Day & Good Friday.

Other Bank Holidays are on a Saturday basis.

Cardiff Prison Official Visiting Times

9.15am – 10.30am

10.15am – 11.30am

2.00pm – 3.15pm

3.00pm – 4.15pm

For cardiff prison visit bookings, please telephone 02920 923327. Lines are open 9.00am – 7.30pm.

Cardiff Prison Address, Parking and How To Get There

Due to its location close to the city centre, Cardiff Prison has good transport links and is easily reached.

By Road: From M4 Westbound, leave the motorway at J29 onto the A48M signposted for Cardiff. Take the 3 rd exit off the dual carriageway onto the A4161 signposted to the Docks/East. Carry on along this road through several sets of traffic lights until you see the hospital on your left. Take the 1 st left after passing the Blind Institute into Fitzalan Road.

From M4 Eastbound, leave the motorway at J33 onto the A48M signposted for Cardiff Airport and take the 2 nd exit from the roundabout onto the A4232. Immediately after passing through the Buetown Tunnel, take the 1 st left and then the 2 nd exit off the roundabout. Follow the road over the flyover, from which you will see the prison walls, and then turn right, then left, then left again.

Parking: There is a multi-storey car park opposite the prison called the Knox Road Car Park, postcode CF24 0EA.

Train: Cardiff Queen Street station is adjacent to the prison and is only a 5 mins walk, a distance of approx. 400yards to the front entrance. Regular services are available from the main railway station in the city, Cardiff Central, or taxis are outside with journey times around 5-10mins depending on traffic.

Bus: Most bus services pass the prison on their way into the city centre. Ask your driver for more details on the best stop for you which you should alight, or call 029 2066 6444 for more information.

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Cardiff Prison Information

Contact information, booking a visit to cardiff prison.

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Blog Government Digital Service

https://gds.blog.gov.uk/2014/09/15/you-can-now-book-a-prison-visit-online/

You can now book a prison visit online

Booking a prison visit should be simple and straightforward. Until now that was far from the case. Booking a visit required both prisoner and visitor to jump through hoops: paper forms and drawn-out phone calls. And if the visit date turned out to be impossible, they had to start all over again.

Now you can book a visit online . It takes about 5 minutes. Before, picking an available date was pot luck. Now there's a date-picker that lets you select 3 possible slots instead of 1. It’s a straight-forward service with user-needs at its heart but, if you get stuck, you can call the prison's visits booking line and someone will help you with the booking.

Here's a very short film we've made about it:

By making it easier to book visits, prisoners will see more of their friends and family. Evidence suggests this will help their rehabilitation. Transformation isn't just about websites.

The service was built by the Ministry of Justice, with a combined team from the National Offender Management Service, HM Prison Service and MoJ Digital Services.

For more of the story behind this service, read Mike Bracken's account of his trip to HMP Rochester or check out the service’s transformation page .

Join the conversation on Twitter , and don't forget to sign up for email alerts .

You may also be interested in:

• Prison visit booking: using digital analytics to inform alpha development
• Making prison visits easier to book
• Meet the Transformation team

Sharing and comments

Share this page, 20 comments.

Comment by Pauline posted on 23 August 2015

How do you find out the prisoners number??? so you can go ahead with online booking of a visit?

Comment by Carrie Barclay posted on 24 August 2015

You can find a prisoner using this service: https://www.gov.uk/find-prisoner However it will be the prisoner's responsibility to get in touch with you to let you know their prison number etc.

Comment by linda posted on 15 August 2015

This service does not appear to work this is day 2 trying to use it

Comment by Olivia posted on 30 July 2015

Hi, If a visit is booked and someone cant make it, is it possible to change the name of one of the people to someone else?

Comment by Louise Duffy posted on 30 July 2015

It's best to contact the prison directly if this happens. You can find contact details here: http://www.justice.gov.uk/contacts/prison-finder

Thanks, Louise

Comment by Paige posted on 28 July 2015

Hi my partner was sent to nottingham today, I was on his previous list 4 months ago for a visit. Will that still be on the system all will it have to he put through again if so how long does it take to be approved for a visit? Thanks Paige.

Comment by Louise Duffy posted on 29 July 2015

You might want to get in touch with the prison first before booking a visit. You can find the contact details of the prison here: http://www.justice.gov.uk/contacts/prison-finder

Comment by Debs posted on 27 July 2015

Hello Is there a list of prisons where online booking can't be used?

Comment by Louise Duffy posted on 28 July 2015

According to the information on this page: https://www.gov.uk/prison-visits , you can arrange a visit to any prison in England and Wales through this service. If you're visiting someone in Northern Ireland or Scotland you'll need to contact the prison directly.

This link also lists the type of visits that are not covered by the online service: https://www.gov.uk/prison-visits so you need to get in touch with the prison directly.

Hope that's helpful.

Comment by c.steer posted on 26 July 2015

So how do I find the booking form to fill in I am new to computers

Comment by Louise Duffy posted on 27 July 2015

Here's the link to the booking form: https://www.gov.uk/prison-visits

You'll need this information to complete the form:

prisoner number prisoner’s date of birth dates of birth for all visitors coming with you make sure the person you’re visiting has added you to their visitor list

Hope that's useful.

Comment by Shawnaa posted on 09 May 2015

i have a visit booked which i did online but i do not have a visiting order woll the prison let me in?

Comment by Carrie Barclay posted on 11 May 2015

Your identity will be checked on arrival to make sure you’re on the visitor list.

Comment by jessicca posted on 27 January 2015

What happens after you book the visit and its confirmed by email do you need the visiting order ?

Comment by Carrie Barclay posted on 29 January 2015

The Visiting Order (VO) number is generated by the booking system, it is included in your confirmation email and you will need this to change or cancel a booking.

However, if you're visiting a prison the guidance is that you only need your ID, not the VO number. If when you visit the prison you are asked for the VO number you should report this via the Contact Us link on the Prison Visits Booking form.

I hope that helps.

Comment by Ilysa Mcnally posted on 18 November 2014

How late in advance can I book e.g. book a visit today (Tuesday) for the Sunday coming???

Comment by Carrie Barclay posted on 19 November 2014

Hi Ilysa. Thanks for your question. A visit needs to be booked 3 working days in advance. So in this case, the visit request would have to be no later than Tuesday to allow for a visit on Sunday.

Comment by carole posted on 23 October 2014

How far in advance can you book visits

Comment by Carrie Barclay posted on 23 October 2014

Hi Carole. You can book up to 28 days in advance. Thanks for your question.

Comment by kimberly posted on 16 August 2015

does anyone know how to cancel a visit online?

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Hmp cardiff.

• Inside Time Reports
• 13th December 2014
• Male Cat. B , Prison Visit , Wales

Prison information

Address: HMP CARDIFF, Knox Road Cardiff CF24 0UG Switchboard: 02920 923100 Managed by: HMPPS Region: Wales Category: Male Cat. B Link to: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/cardiff-prison

Description

The establishment holds adult convicted and remand prisoners and those awaiting sentence. It is designated to hold category B and C prisoners, including life-sentenced prisoners.

Phone: 0300 303 2301 Email: [email protected]

The lines will be open Monday to Friday from 09:00-17:00

Visit Booking: Online

Use this online service to book a social visit to a prisoner in England or Wales you need the:

• prisoner number
• prisoner’s date of birth
• dates of birth for all visitors coming with you

The prisoner must add you to their visitor list before you can book a visit.

You’ll get an email confirming your visit. It takes 1 to 3 days.

ID: Every visit Children’s Visits: Family days

Acceptable forms of ID

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Prison Inspectorates Reports

Probation Service Reports

Prisons and Probations Ombudsman

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If you have any information that you would like to be included or see anything that needs updating, contact Gary Bultitude at  [email protected]

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2 thoughts on “ HMP CARDIFF ”

Hi, I have my partner in your prison, he says it’s one of the best he’s been too, not that he’s been to many through crime, it’s through bring passed around. The only complete I have is getting through on the phone for a visit. My example today, I’v been ringing none stop since 9.30 after returning from the nursery run, and I mean none stop as redial, redial. The most annoy thing was I got through 4 times for the phone to be ringing, but no reply. For it then again tone engaged. I don’t get a chance to visit much as I don’t drive, plus I live miles away.so when I get a chance of someone bringing me, I can never get through for a visit. Yes I understand the lines are busy. But it’s so frustrating when there not answered. I’m hoping I now get through this afternoon as I have a little boy who’s not seen his daddy for 6 weeks now. This shouldn’t be his punishment…

Cardiff Prison I am a Cardiff-based writer who wondered whether there might be any opportunity to offer to facilitate a Reading/ Writing group at the prison. G.K.B.

Editorial: You should write a letter to the governor setting out what you would like to do, your qualifications to offer it and how you think it might benefit prisoners.

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Cardiff Prison

Tel: 02920 923100  –  Knox Road, Cardiff, South Glamorgan CF24 0UG

HMP Cardiff is located in the Adamstown area of the city, and is a category B local / training prison. It houses male adults, mostly those who come from the catchment area surrounding Cardiff. The prison has been there since the Victorian era, and was built to replace Cardiff Gaol, which was deemed unable to cope with the sheer volumes of prisoners. Since its construction, the prison has undergone many improvements, though has not been without its controversy. Its capacity is currently 784. If you’d like to visit HMP Cardiff, please use the map on this page.

Tel: 02920 923100

Operational capacity: 784 as of 4th September 2008

Knox Road, Cardiff, South Glamorgan CF24 0UG

Prison Phone have been saving inmates at HMP Cardiff money on their calls from the prison to any UK mobile phone since 2013.

We do this by allocating a dedicated and secure local number to your mobile phone, this means when the inmate at Cardiff prison calls the new local number we have provided they will be charged at just the local landline rate (around 10p per minute) rather than the standard mobile rate (which is around 40p per minute).

This in turn helps to stretch the inmates PINS phone credit further and reduces the amount you need to send in for them to top up!

Send me Cardiff prison details via FREE SMS

Mobile number:

Here’s some facts about Cardiff Prison

HMP Cardiff is a category B prison in Cardiff, south Wales. Opened in 1832, the prison is in Adamsdown, Cardiff and can hold 784 male prisoners.

A total of 20 executions took place at HMP Cardiff, the last being 28 year old Mahmood Mattan on the 3 September 1952. He was wrongly accused of the murder of Lily Vorpet, and was sentenced to death by hanging. His case was quashed in September 1998, and the family were awarded £725,000, the first award to a family after a person was wrongfully hanged.

A group of four men were recently arrested after a homemade bomb made out of tea whiteners erupted in HM Prison Cardiff. Bethhan Jenkins said ‘That was very concerning to them as staff”.

To view the latest inspection report, click here.

Monday to Friday visits are 13:30 – 14:30 & 14:45 – 15:45. Saturday visits are  09:45 – 10:45 & 13:30 – 14:30. Sunday visits are 13:30 – 15:00.

20 executions have taken place at HMP Cardiff. All those who were executed were buried in unmarked graves within the prison grounds.

HMP Cardiff came under considerable criticism in 1997, when it was discovered that they were chaining sick prisoners to their beds.

Keith Allen spent time here as a remand inmate .

Prison Phone offers phone tariffs that reduce the costs of calls from this prison by up to 75%! This enables prisoners to get the support and love that they are missing from home, while reducing costs for the inmate. Find out more below.

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HMP Cardiff

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We can introduce you to  experienced  lawyers can help you with parole,  probation,  immigration, adjudications, visits and any other complaints  and disputes you have with the Prison Service.

The solicitors are all experts on how the Prison Service/Criminal Law  system works and will be able to provide to you the necessary advice and support to ensure you or your loved ones are treated fairly. These lawyers are "small enough to care about you, but big enough to fight for you"

and remember the old saying:

"  A Man Who Is His Own Lawyer Has A Fool for a Client"

Click here to go to the list of lawyers in your area

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Prisons · Mid-Glamorgan

Overcrowding.

Certified Normal Accommodation (CNA): 534

Population: 765

Cardiff is a category B Victorian local prison serving courts in South Wales. It also holds category C prisoners, and has a separate unit on site for vulnerable prisoners.

Read Cardiff’s latest inspection report here.

About this information

Certified Normal Accommodation (CNA) is the prison service’s own measure of how many prisoners can be held in decent and safe accommodation. Any occupancy above CNA means that the prison in question is overcrowded.

Prisons in England and Wales fall into four separate security categories. Some prisons can operate under more than one category.

Category A : Category A prisons are high security prisons, holding those individuals considered the most threatening to the public should they escape. Category A prisons should not be overcrowded, given the high levels of security required.

Category B: Category B prisons, or local prisons, are the largest category of prison. They tend to hold un-sentenced prisoners, prisoners on remand awaiting trial, short-sentenced prisoners or those newly sentenced and awaiting transfer to another prison category. Category B prisons tend to be the most overcrowded, with a constantly churning population.

Category C: Category C prisons are sometimes called ‘training prisons’. They are meant to offer education and training to prisoners and the vast majority of prisoners on longer sentences will spend time in Category C accommodation. Historically not overcrowded, we now see more and more Category C prisons running overcrowded regimes.

Category D: Category D prisons offer open conditions and house those who can be reasonably trusted not to try to escape. Prisoners in Category D prisons will be given Release On Temporary Licence (ROTL) to work in the community or go on home leave, usually returning to the prison in the early evening. The majority of Category D prisoners will be towards the end of their sentence, and their period in open conditions is preparing them for their eventual release. Category D prisons tend not to be overcrowded.

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• Staff Information

Meet the HMP Cardiff Healthcare Team

14th March 2023

The healthcare team at HMP Cardiff work as part of a multi-disciplinary team that are involved in providing care to prisoners with a wide range of mental and physical health problems, organising admissions and the discharge of prisoners, and assessing, planning and evaluating care.

HMP Cardiff is a remand centre, covering the courts of South East Wales with space for up to 800 men. Working with a prison environment is a challenging, but unique experience, ensuring the provision of holistic and patient centred care, considering the ongoing care and support needs of prisoners on their release from prison.

The HMP Cardiff team are offering individuals a chance to hear more about the work they do to support prisoners and find out more about the roles available within prison healthcare at a dedicated ‘Meet the HMP Cardiff Healthcare Team’ drop-in event.

If you’re a GP, registered nurse, Healthcare Support Worker or Pharmacy Technician who would like to find out more about the prison and how the multi-disciplinary team operates, there will be an opportunity to have 1-1 discussions with all team members and the Governor at the drop-in session.

The event will take place on Thursday 23rd March at 6pm – 7.30pm within the Chapel at Cardiff Royal Infirmary (CRI).

On-site car parking is available both in front of CRI and at the back, accessible by using the call button.

This event is supplementary to the Recruitment Event being held by PCIC on Saturday 25 th  March, which is promoting all available community roles. To find out more, or to express your interest,  please visit this webpage.   

Staff Testimonial

Jordan White, Staff Nurse at HMP Cardiff

"Working as a staff nurse, the main aspect of my role is to deliver care to prisoners as part of multi-disciplinary team to ensure the men in our care are afforded the same healthcare they would receive in the community.

"The prisoners I work with are often vulnerable and have complex and challenging healthcare needs, and those who are well, we aim to keep well through education and various health promotion activities.

Working in a prison environment can be very challenging and is like no other healthcare job I have done before. Despite the challenges, the job is also very rewarding and I can honestly say I feel I make a difference almost every day."

Cell Block Nine-One

Cardiff’s ultimate immersive cocktail bar experience.

Behind the hustle and bustle of Cardiff’s thriving city centre is an alluring, hush-hush, immersive prison bar experience like no other. This secret cocktail speakeasy is for rule-breakers only; do the crime, sneak in your liquor past the Warden and spend the night in the clink with your favourite reprobates.

"By far the best cocktail experience I've ever encountered! All the staff were incredible, not breaking character once. Every drink that came out was delicious and the attention to detail was insane! " "> Laura Google

"One of the best experiences we've ever done. The whole experience was so much fun, the actors never broke character and the cocktails were delicious. 5 stars!" "> Samantha Google

"This was my second experience and it was just as fun if not even better this time. The actors really do make this a super fun & immersive experience. Highly recommend thank you!" "> Amy-Louise TripAdvisor

What to Expect

Immersive storylines, amazing actors and secret cocktails. ​

Get ready for a hidden, hands-on encounter of the criminal kind where you’ll live and breathe an exciting theatrical prison experience.  Alcotraz Cell Block Nine-One is Cardiff’s only secret prison cocktail bar that is about to change your nights out. To some this is the City of Castles, to us it’s the city of crooks, and you’re about to serve time. So pass on the historic towers and take on the prison guards instead. 

Once convicted, you and your fellow inmates are taken into an exciting world of mischief, with instructions by an infamous bootlegging gang to smuggle-in your liquor of choice. Practice your poker face, smuggle your liquor and enjoy a night like no other as your contraband is transformed into a series of delicious, bespoke cocktails. There are no menus in prison, so you’ll have the opportunity to get creative with what you want. Once you make it to your cell, your expert ‘serving’ mixologist will create something criminally delicious for you, to suit your tastes.

Beyond the booze, there is a rich and exciting experience as you become an integral part of one of our Alcotraz stories. Be swept away in this immersive event as our first class actors, mind-blowing real jail cells and prison radio ensnare your senses and transport you into a night like no other. Become the inmate, the janitor or even the mole with one of our incredible stories – we can’t tell them without you!

Whether you’re here for a hen party, a very different and far less boring type of corporate event, or you’d like the private hire – your cell, and your jumpsuit, awaits.

Be ready for fun, surprises and a sentence that you’ll want to repeat again and again.

Visiting Hours

MONDAY Closed for visitors

TUESDAY 19:05 – 20:50

WEDNESDAY 19:05 – 20:50

THURSDAY 19:05 – 23:15

FRIDAY 16:40 – 23:15

SATURDAY 12:00 – 23:15

SUNDAY 16:40 – 18:25

Unit 9a Brewery Quarter, Caroline St, Cardiff, CF10 1AD

• Corporate Event

Your sentence is what you make of it, so whether you’re going up against the Warden, or simply trying to enjoy a smuggled drink in the clink, we have the perfect penitentiary experience for you and your teammates. If you’d like your own mission, or a personalised storyline for you and your company, then you won’t find a better corporate event in Cardiff than what’s on offer here at Alcotraz. Immersive, engaging and not to be beaten.

• Private Hire

Want to put you and your entire friend group, hen party or event into Alcotraz solitary? Yes, you can have the whole cell block to yourselves if you’re seeking a truly unforgettable event experience. If you’d like to book a block for a party, photoshoot or gathering, one of our Cardiff team can help make your immersive sentence completely bespoke.

Want to get locked up before your nuptials are locked in? Choose Cardiff Cell Block Nine-One for a hen party to remember. Grab your gang, form a line up and celebrate with something completely, criminally different.

• Gift Vouchers

Give the gift of rehabilitation by sentencing a loved one to Alcotraz. Vouchers remain valid for one year from purchase.

Christmas Convictions

Celebrate Christmas in style with a night at Alcotraz Cardiff. Whether you’re booking a small gathering for your nearest and dearest partners in crime, or looking to hire the whole penitentiary for your corporate accomplices, we’ll have you locked up in no time.

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The truth about life inside Cardiff prison and the people trying desperately to stop inmates from taking their own lives

• 05:00, 6 AUG 2023

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Beneath the stained glass windows of the prison chapel, 15 men are sat in a semi circle collecting a cardboard certificate and a mug. There's lots of banter and leg-pulling as each receives a round of applause and a handshake from the prison governor. Most of these men are Class A drug dealers. But, as of today, they're also recognised Listeners and can now support their fellow inmates in times of need.

We've joined the Samaritans on their weekly Saturday visit to Cardiff prison as part of the Listener scheme which started 32 years ago in Swansea prison after two prisoners took their own lives in a year. By training up willing prisoners on how to be a Listener, it means there's a team of in-house Samaritans on-call 24 hours a day in case someone at the prison needs to talk.

A runaway success, the scheme now operates in almost every prison in England, Scotland and Wales. Like Samaritans volunteers on the outside, Listeners do an essential task, preventing suicide and self-harm through confidential and non-judgemental emotional support. You can read what it's like to be a listener for the Samaritans here .

According to an analysis by the Office for National Statistics, male prisoners are 3.7 times more likely to die from suicide than the public. In the 12 months to June 2023, there were 88 suicide deaths in UK prisons, up from 70 in the previous 12 months. The latest Ministry of Justice report showed there were 59,722 recorded incidents of self-harm in prisons during the same period.

Behind the banter, the Cardiff inmates are serious. They speak earnestly, almost childlike in their sincerity, as they explain what it means to them individually to be recognised. Bonnie and Alice - for the Samaritans - look on with pride as the men talk openly and mix easily with them all handing out tea and coffee and a selection of biscuits and cakes.

One of the inmates - who I'll call Ed - was desperate to make me a cup of tea in his new mug which he did with touching care and attention. He's been inside for almost a year for drugs related offences, the 36-year-old tells me. The former Barry Boys School pupil thinks long and hard before answering my question about why he wanted to be a Listener.

"Because I thought I could be of help to others," he said. "And I feel quite privileged in here being able to read and write and learn new skills and I can put them to good use." He holds my gaze as he waits for my response. What's prison like, I ask.

"I was very naïve about prison," he continued. "It's a lot of time behind locked doors. It's a daily struggle just to navigate yourself from getting up every morning and going to bed at night."

Does he have any regrets? "My biggest regret would be only realising what's important in life until after it's too late," he said carefully. After a long pause, he adds: "And being in here is what's taught me what's important." He said a series of poor decisions led him to where he is today: "The more you focus on important things in life like home and family and being at peace with yourself and who you are as a person then the less chance you have of being here," he said with surprising insight.

There's undoubtedly a sense of comradery among the men and it feels less like prison than a football changing room. One of the biggest characters, Sam, is on remand for dealing Class A drugs. All of these men are criminals and they've broken the law; even so, 52-year-old Sam has a kindly presence.

Many of the inmates are the same faces time and time again, he said. “We believe we can put something back into the system," he explained about why he joined the Listeners. He works in the prison in the healthcare wing and his ready smile is easy going. "When people first come in, they may not know about the listener scheme," he added.

"Not all prisoners are bad. These people need our help. Some of the calls we go through are horrific. We are the buffer between the staff and the prisoners and they actually listen to us. They may not know there’s something to help them so we can point them in the right direction."

Being a Listener is entirely confidential with Listeners given the same intensive training as Samaritans. Common problems include stress, and relationship problems. Often, once they start talking, the men will reveal trauma from their childhood such as sexual abuse. Those coming off drugs can be psychotic too. Nothing fazes Sam and he believes former drug dealers lend themselves to being a Listener. "It takes a lot of courage for men to talk," he said.

Next to him Ant explained he’d come in at 19 and was now one of the new Listeners: "It’s good to help someone because you feel good about it," he said. He doesn't say much and his words have little emotion. Now aged 21, he doesn't seem too bothered by any of it. When I ask where he's from he says simply: "Pill innit," and gives a explanatory smile. In for dealing Class A drugs, he added: "I handle situations really well, I just get on with it. When you are in your cell you have a lot of time to think. I feel bad for my victims and all the people I’ve hurt."

What skills have they learned with their Samaritans training I ask. They look at each other as they list empathy, how to speak to people, the importance of keeping an open mind and patience.

Rees, 33, is also in for Class A drugs. "Prison does help if you want to help yourself," he said. "If you try your hardest, it can be good for you." He’s been a listener for two years but he is anxious about the prospect of freedom: "Everything is slow and calm in here," he said. "Everything will be fast out there." The inmates are united in their belief that there is minimal support for prisoners when they first arrive and when they leave too. That’s when they really look out for people struggling.

"I do regret what I did," he said. "I’ve lost my business too."

In practice, a prisoner can ask a prison guard to call out a Listener at any time and, if the guard thinks that prisoner genuinely needs a visit, that guard will find out which Listener is on duty and arrange for that Listener to be brought to the prisoner who has requested it to have a private talk. Scot has been in for two years for drugs offences and became a Listener after a call was put out to get men into reception to “meet and greet” new prisoners.

"Everyone is different," he said about new arrivals. "Some are upset, others are cocky." The quiet ones tend to be the one's he'll have a chat to and reassure them that everything will be okay. They all know how hard it is to be away from loved ones.

For Dai, being away from his family is difficult: "The hardest bit is being kept away from my daughter," he said. She was seven when he was jailed and she’s nine now. Aside from family and relationship issues, he reckons around 90% of the men he sees struggling are because of the withdrawal from vapes and/or smoking.

The Listeners are recognised by prison staff and they’re allowed to wander between wings chatting to prisoners and making themselves known. Some prison guards are more supportive of the scheme than others but the governor, Andy, is wholeheartedly behind it. His job is to monitor levels of self harm, suicide and acts of violence and today, he's handing out the Listener awards. "The work you do helps people in crisis," he told the men. "It’s a big achievement because the lessons you learn here are life lessons."

Active listening is a skill many will take away with them. Some are keen to really turn life around, if not for themselves then at least for their families. Dai and Will say they were “caught up” in drugs couriering, tempted by the “easy money” on offer. One drove tankers and the other had a vehicle recovery business. Dai’s only regret is the fact his son was born in the middle of 2020, just as he went to jail.

“I started to chat to people,” he said about the Listener scheme. "I’ve seen a lot of change to myself. Before people would start talking and I would think: ‘Here we go’. Then one day I thought to myself, this boy does have problems. Just by listening and interacting, you go away with a much better feeling." He's started studying a degree in counselling and psychology while in prison and is due out this year.

What they do is a thankless task really, said Sam. "If we don’t enjoy what we’re doing it would be easy to quit," he said. But as Listener they know they’ve “made a difference” and that’s enough.

"Just being yourself is a massive help to me," said Ross. "We are just individuals, it’s just us being real. When you see the change you know that you’ve done that." Dai added: "Sometimes all they really need is a cwtch." It's not a word I'd usually associate with a criminal, but this is a man who regrets what he's done. He estimates he's seen six deaths since he’s been in Cardiff prison. They all know what it means to feel isolated and hopeless.

Sitting slightly apart from the others is Joe, a 23-year-old with a five-year sentence for dealing Class A and B drugs. He was in juvenile detention aged 17 and seems nonplussed by his incarceration as an adult. He’s a newly graduated Listener: “I was aware that people struggled mentally in custody", he said. "This does give people an outlet. I wanted to use my time productively. Five years out of a lifetime isn’t that long."

He's quietly spoken and looks at the floor as he speaks. "I find it easy, all my friends are in jail," he continued. From the Welsh Valleys, the Organised Crime Squad finally caught up with him after years of dealing. It's all he's ever known, he said. "If you’ve been involved in serious crime you don’t find anything intimidating," he added.

He won't be out until 2027 at the earliest and so he'll be familiar with prison life by the end. He knows he "owes a lot of time to my girlfriend" to make up for his dealing days but in the meantime he wants to study business and finance, skills he said come naturally to drug dealers.

Before the Saturday session ends, the Listeners are taken into a private room with Bonnie and Alice for a debriefing session, an opportunity for the men to offload anything difficult they may have heard or wish to discuss. It’s something which happens after every Samaritans shift too and is vitally important to the volunteers to help keep their personal lives separate from what they hear in the job.

Alice works in customer service professionally but is a Samaritan in her spare time. "It’s really rewarding," she said. "They [the prisoners] also really value as well. They know we’re giving up our free time so they see us as equals."

"You do get a good feeling helping people who need support," she added.

"People can be quick to write people off but they still deserve respect and support," said Bonnie over a cup of tea after we've left prison. She explained how many prisoners decide to become Listeners because they’ve been helped themselves by a Listener. They have to go through a security check to get the training but there’s no crime which precludes becoming one.

From that first interview with Bonnie and Alice to receiving their certificate at the end, both women enjoy seeing the change in the prisoners, particularly each man's personal growth and self confidence. The training they get and the perks of a Listener, right down to the green t-shirts they're allowed to wear, is a privilege and the men know that, said Bonnie

"Is it wrong to say that we enjoy it?" she continued. "We’re privileged to be told something they’ve never told anyone."

But as volunteers, they are thinly stretched and keen to demonstrate just how rewarding the job can be. They are desperately seeking new volunteers to join them.

During Covid, they took calls from all professions, and an awful lot of ambulance staff, doctors and nurses. "Some calls do stay with you," they admitted. It's inevitable when you consider the volume of calls they field. The organisation takes five million calls each year, 37,000 of which come from prisoners in the UK. The Listeners inside Cardiff prison have dealt with 432 of their own calls.

"I find it humbling because people will open up to you," said Bonnie. "And when people thank you at the end of a call and thank you for being there, it feels good."

Being a Listener can have its benefits both outside the jail walls and within the social fabric of prisons. It undoubtedly confers respect from prisoners and officers alike, something which is clearly evident during our Saturday visit. As a Listener, prisoners work their way up in the pecking order.

But there can be wider benefits to the Listener scheme too; nearly all the prisoners believe change needs to occur at a multitude of levels, including the wider perception of prisons. There’s a mentality if you are tough on crime and brutalise people, you will, somehow, stop reoffending.

But these men have shown that sometimes, the exact opposite is the case.

*Names have been changed

If you want to learn more about becoming a Listener for the Samaritans, visit the website here .

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• Crime, justice and law
• Prisons and probation

Cardiff: 33-35 Westgate street

33-35 Westgate street, is a probation contact centre, within the Wales region.

Applies to England and Wales

Office address and contact details.

33-35 Westgate Street Cardiff CF10 1JE

Office phone number: 0292 023 2999

Office email address: [email protected]

Opening times

• Monday: 9:30am to 4:30pm
• Tuesday: 9:30am to 4:30pm
• Wednesday: 9:30am to 4:30pm
• Thursday: 9:30am to 4:30pm
• Friday: 9:30am to 4:30pm
• Saturday: Closed
• Sunday: Closed
• Bank Holidays: Closed

Getting here

Find this probation contact centre, on a map .

• 5 minute walk from Cardiff Central train station
• 11 minute walk from Cardiff Queen street

To plan your journey by public transport

You can use TFW rail to plan your journey.

• no visitor parking
• local car parks available

Accessibility facilities

• disabled access and disabled toilet

Court Buildings

Find a court or tribunal building .

Local approved premises

See the list of approved premises in your area .

Problems and complaints

If you have any problems or complaints contact the office directly. You can also report any problems with this page at this address [email protected] .

If you can’t resolve the problem directly, you can make a complaint to HM Prison and Probation Service .

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