Visitors groups are groups of volunteers who visit Immigration Removal Centres, Prisons and Short Term Holding Facilities- anywhere a detainee may be held. Volunteers provide support, practical advice and friendship to detainees, and as such are often a lifeline for those in detention.

Visitors groups undertake a range of activities in support of detainee welfare within the particular centres they visit. AVID brings visitors groups together to ensure a national voice for visitors and detainees, working with our members to share information and best practice.

AVID's membership of visitors groups and individuals are at the heart of our work. Some members are part of their local group, others are simply concerned about immigration detention and wish to lend their support. If you would like to become a member of AVID please feel free to contact us for information using the menu on the left. Members receive a range of benefits including our monthly newsletter.

Interested in visiting? Find a visitors group near you 

Use the map below to find the nearest visitors group to you.

Type in your post code in the search bar at the top of the page, to find your nearest removal centre and information about the relevant visitor group.

Our membership

AVID's current membership includes the following groups. Please note that not all visitors groups have websites. AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE you will find full contact details for all groups. 

Asylum Welcome visit Campsfield House IRC, near Oxford 

Bristol Detainee Support, interested in immigration detention issues in the Bristol area

Detention Action (formerly London Detainee Support Group) visit Colnbrook and Harmondsworth IRCs (near Heathrow) and prisons in the London area

Dover Detainee Visitors Group visit Dover IRC

Gatwick Detainee Welfare Group visit Tinsley and Brook House IRCs, both near Gatwick airport

Haslar Visitors Group visit Haslar IRC, near Portsmouth

Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire Asylum and Refugee Network 

Jesuit Refugee Service visit Colnbrook and Harmondsworth IRCs, near Heathrow

Lewes Group visit in Lewes Prison

Liverpool Prisons Visiting Group visit Liverpool prisons

MIDST (Manchester Immigration Detainee Support Team) visit Manchester Short Term Holding Facility and Manchester Prison

Morton Hall Detainee Visitors Group visit Morton Hall IRC near Newark in Lincolnshire

Northern Ireland Law Centre concerned about immigration detention in NI

Scottish Detainee Visitors visit Dungavel IRC, near Strathaven in Scotland

SOAS Detainee Support, visit Yarl's Wood IRC in Bedfordshire

Southampton and Winchester Visitors Group support asylum seekers in Southampton

Wandsworth Refugee Network visit in Wandsworth Prison

Yarls Wood Befrienders visit Yarls Wood IRC in Bedfordshire

Zimbabwe Association support Zimbabweans in detention and in the community

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ADDRESSES AND CONTACT DETAILS: