The Female Prisoners Welfare Project (FPWP) is a registered charity established in 1986 to provide support for females of all ethnic origins and nationalities within the UK criminal justice system.

Hibiscus is a branch of FPWP and was set up in 1991 to address the special needs of foreign national women imprisoned in the UK.

The detention of women, in comparison to men, has specific ramifications. Firstly it is mostly women who provide emotional and physical care for families, they also contribute significantly to household finance. Their incarceration leads to hardship for the families and can result in children being taken into care. Secondly, with the exception of two or three prisons, women are detained within a system and environment designed for the needs of male prisoners.

We provide a practical, impartial and supportive service to women who have often suffered stigma, discrimination and abuse. Please browse our website for up to date information on our work or contact us at the address below if you have a specific question or need advice.

FPWP/HIbiscus
12 Angel Gate, 320 City Road, London EC1V 2PT
tel: 020 7278 7116

Fpwp hibiscus won  the 2006 Charity Award,  Overall Award for excellence in Charity management.

What we do

Hibiscus provides emotional and practical support to Foreign National, EU National and BMER women (Black & Minority Ethnic  and / or Refugee Women, including women seeking asylum). We help women contact and maintain contacts with their families and children.
We ensure they understand the British Criminal Justice System and their rights within it and that all  women exercise their rights whilst in prison and have access to appropriate services upon their release.

The close link to our office in Kingston, Jamaica, and contacts in other countries around the world ensure that we are able to contact children and other dependant relatives. We help provide food, counselling and referrals to local support agencies.
We undertake research and offer workshops to prison staff on cultural diversity and ethnic understanding.

SERVICES WE OFFER

• Information on issues such as:

-Repatriation
-Deportation and Removal
-Early Removal Scheme (ERS)
-Facilitated Return Scheme (FRS)
-Claiming Asylum
-Immigration and Criminal Solicitors
-Sending money abroad

• Advocacy on prisoner and welfare issues
• Support and advice on welfare and family matters
• Contact with Embassies
• Befriending service
• Resettlement support advice

We also make referrals to other relevant organisations where necessary

We organise both group and individual sessions. For the group sessions we invite speakers  from various agencies including the Embassies, Sentence and Enforcement Unit, HM Immigration, and other NGOs and representatives from the legal profession to address the groups and listen to the women’s concerns.