A charity that seeks to support prisoners at Erlestoke Prison and their families has received a boost after the Duchess of Cornwall agreed to be its patron.

The Duchess, who visited the prison in March last year to see a performance of the musical Les Miserables given by Pimlico Opera Group and featuring several inmates, has agreed to be patron of the Friends of Erlestoke Prison for a five-year period, which started in July.

A spokesman for the Friends of Erlestoke Prison said: “The Duchess is well known for her considerable portfolio of charity work and patronages, but this is her first patronage of a charity dedicated to the rehabilitation and resettlement of offenders.”

The Friends was registered as a charity in June last year and is based at HMP Erlestoke, Wiltshire’s only prison, near Devizes.

The Friends aim to reduce re-offending rates by supporting projects that help prisoners maintain and build relationships with their partners and children.

They also help them find education and work opportunities, and make sure they have somewhere to call home when they leave prison.

They also help families by arranging a volunteer pick-up and drop-off point at local railway stations for those without their own transport coming from a distance. The group is always looking for new volunteers and anyone interested can go to their website www.friendsoferlestokeprison.com or email info@friendsoferlestokeprison.com