This week, we’d like to provide warm coats and new underwear for some children in need of help.

Last year, we worked with the Magpie Project in Newham to supply warm winter clothes for dozens of babies and toddlers. With your help, we’d like to provide them again this year, before the cold weather hits.

The families we’ll be helping all have children under 5 and are living in temporary accommodation, usually a mixture of hostels or tiny rooms in houses shared with complete strangers. Last year I volunteered with the Magpie Project for a day and was shocked by what I saw and heard ... there were so many children in serious need of help. The charity provides a safe haven for families in crisis - somewhere they can go to feel safe and supported, with no judgement or fear. They provide basic essentials for the children, hot lunches, as well as access to a range of mini-music and arts classes, and visits from specialists who work in child development, housing and immigration to give the mums the advice they need. They want to help ensure that the children’s long-term well-being is not affected by this period of homelessness.

They receive clothing donations throughout the year, but at the moment they are very short on donations of good quality coats, and are also in need of new packs of underwear for the children.

With your help, we’d like to provide new coats and underwear for all of the children before the cold weather hits.