52 Lives

#234 Homeless mums

Request: Toys and toiletries from a wishlist / Donations for clothes / Kind messages

This week, we’d like to help some homeless children in East London.

In the past we have worked with The Magpie Project – a charity that helps homeless under 5’s in Newham – to provide warm and waterproof clothing for toddlers. This week, we would like to do more to help them.

There are 2000 homeless children aged under 5 in Newham alone. Some of the mums and children that come to the Magpie Project are sleeping in hostels, some are given a tiny room in a house shared with 5 other families, and some sleep on the night bus.

The Magpie Project offers a safe place, where they feel supported with no judgement or fear. They’re given nappies, wipes, clothing, a hot lunch, as well as access to a range of children’s music and arts classes, and visits from specialists who work in child development, housing and immigration to give them the advice they need. Jane, who runs the project, said although they can’t fix the lack of accommodation, they can do their best to ensure that the children’s long-term well-being is not affected by this period of homelessness.

The Magpie Project is in need of clothes for boys ages 2-4, and also some specific toys for the children. They are also starting to put together some packs to help the mums and children who need to self-isolate during the Covid-19 pandemic (an incredibly difficult task when you're staying in cramped accommodation with so many other people). With your help, we’d like to provide as much as we can.

What We Need

1. Things from the Wishlist: We have set up a wishlist with some toys they requested, some clothes, as well as some essential items to go in the packs they're putting together. To buy an item from the wishlist, please click the link below. It will be sent directly to the Magpie Project to distribute to the mums and toddlers who need them.

2. Donations for Clothes / and hard to find items: We can get a good deal on children's clothes from a high street shop, so your donations will be used to buy some additional tracksuit bottoms and tops for the children. We will also use funds to buy items for the emergency packs that are not available on Amazon. Any funds raised above what is needed for these items will be used to help them in other ways. 100% of what you give will be used to help these families. To make a donation, please click the link below.
(Please note, we can accept a small number of second hand clothing items, but they must be in very good condition. These families only ever receive second hand clothes, so we try to give them new where possible)

3. Messages: When the Magpies deliver their emergency packs to the mums and toddlers, we'd love to include some kind messages inside to let these mums know they are not alone. To send a kind message, please write it in the form below and we will pass them along (your contact details will not be shared). Or you can post a message to 52 Lives (Life 234) PO Box 3154, Reading, RG1 9AT.

Buy a Gift

WHAT WE DID

Thanks to all of you, every item was bought from the wishlist - even after we replenished it 3 times! We also raised almost £900 to help (the target was £500) and sent so many kind messages to let them know they are not alone. Your support will help them to stay in temporary accommodation with the essentials they need. Thank you all so much.