IT IS a project aimed at improving the lives of Hampshire families affected by fathers in prison.

Spurgeons aims to reduce reoffending among prisoners upon release and the risk of children entering the criminal justice system through support groups at prison visits.

Now the organisation’s Invisible Walls Hampshire project will benefit from a grant of nearly £300,000 from the Big Lottery Fund.

The charity says around 200,000 children experience a parent being sent to prison every year. They are then three times more likely to commit antisocial behaviour than their peers, according to the Ministry of Justice.

The project has been developed in close partnership with staff at HMP Winchester, where it is recognised as a key element of reducing the risk of fathers reoffending upon release.

It offers support to families during custody visits and provides parenting support to fathers in prison.

Tim Jeffery, chief executive of Spurgeons, said: “Spurgeons is absolutely delighted to have been awarded such a significant grant from the Big Lottery Fund for our groundbreaking work with fathers who are in prison and their families.

“Through our wide-ranging work with families and the criminal justice system, we know that children of prisoners have the worst outcomes of any group of children and young people.

“Families with a member in prison are often ostracised from their communities and the relationship between the father in prison and the rest of the family can become strained and, in some cases, unworkable.

“Our innovative Invisible Walls project seeks to address these issues by providing support for the children and families both in their community and when they visit the prison.

“We also signpost them to other support facilities as well as working with fathers to enable them to maintain positive and healthy relationships with their children. This work helps to keep together families that might otherwise become separated.

“We are very proud of this work, supporting some of the most vulnerable and invisible members of society and we are very grateful to the Big Lottery Fund for enabling this work to continue and to grow.”

Jo Bird, head of learning and skills at HMP Winchester, said: “Winchester Prison is delighted that the Big Lottery Fund has recognised the importance of offenders maintaining their family ties while in custody and taking part in parenting programmes.

“The funding will enable our vibrant, inclusive and progressive visitor centre to remain fully staffed seven days a week and for the continued delivery of our highly valued parenting programmes.”