The record low temperatures across the country have been enough to keep most of us indoors, but that has not stopped a five-year-old boy on a mission.
Reuben Prince has been braving the snow everyday to raise money for struggling refugee mothers and children living in poverty in Newham.
His target is to walk 30 miles in four weeks. He reached five miles in the first day (Tuesday, February 9).
The East London borough is the most economically deprived in the whole of London. A recent study carried out by the End Child Poverty coalition states that more than half of children (52 per cent) in Newham are judged to be in households in poverty, compared to 38 per cent in a typical London borough.
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His mum, Bethany Prince is a teacher for children with special needs and accompanies him on his daily walks. She insists that Reuben is the brain and heart behind their fundraising efforts.
She said: “This is all his idea, I’m just nurturing it and tagging along for the walk really.
“He’s really enthused by it all! He knows that something’s not right and he knows that he’s very fortunate to have a home and there are some children that aren’t and he wants to help to support them.
“To him these amazing women and children aren’t refugees. They’re his best friends”
“They’re like the Olympic athletes of mothering. They are doing it with nothing”
The money raised through Reuben’s Go Fund Me page will go towards The Magpie Project. The project was founded in Forest Gate in 2018 as response to no support being offered to help women with no recourse to public funds, health services and support.
The Magpie Project’s CEO and founder Jane Williams has talked about the horrors that forced her to start the project.
Jane said: ”I would see pregnant mothers and infants staying in hostels surrounded by drugs and violence. Just really terrifying places for toddlers, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing every day. They’re like the Olympic athletes of mothering. they are doing it with nothing.”
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After raising the issue at several children’s centre meetings, Jane decided that if something was going to be done about the issue, she would have to do it herself.
“I literally stood outside of these hostels and hotels and asked them why they weren’t accessing the children’s services that they were entitled to and things got dark very quickly,” she said. “Many of the women told me that they were asylum seekers and they were fleeing from domestic violence.
“They were all struggling to feed their children and didn’t have access to running water.
“The most worrying thing for all of them was that if they went somewhere for help, social services would take their children away from them.”
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Jane was repeatedly told by local authorities and services that people from ethnic minority backgrounds were “difficult to reach” and that they had no duty of care over the refugees and their children.
She defiantly put the theory to the test. With £300, a borrowed room and a group of dedicated volunteers she opened the project.
The project was established with the goal of easing the struggles of pregnant women living in poverty and improving the life chances of children under the age of 5.
Studies show that adverse childhood experiences before the age of two lead to an increased risk of diabetes, heart disease, addiction and low educational outcomes in later life.
In the three and a half years since the Magpie Project has been open, Jane estimates that they have been able to help more than one thousand families. However, this wouldn’t be possible if it wasn’t for supporters like Reuben.
She said: “Reuben has been a supporter of the Magpie Project for most of his life. He used to raise funds by baking cakes and donating his toys and lollies to the other children.”
This is his biggest challenge yet and we hope that everyone gets behind him. He is doing for children what many adults refuse to do. He is helping them and not even the snow is stopping him!”
‘A ticking time bomb’
The project provides members – who are affectionately known as ‘Magpie Mums and Magpie Minis – with mental health support, an onsite housing advice expert from the charity Shelter and basic essentials such as toiletries and clothes.
They even go as far as to cover the cost of their travel so that mums are not put off from attending due to financial constraints.
Prior to the pandemic, The Magpie Project’s resources were stretched.
However, since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of membership requests to The Magpie Project has gone up by a staggering 150 per cent.
Jane painfully admits that whilst operating from their current space it will be impossible to help all of the mothers and children who depend on them.
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She said: “We desperately need a new building. It’s a ticking time bomb.
“We’ve become so oversubscribed we’ll be overcapacity and we hate, hate, hate turning people away. These are the women who have been turned down absolutely everywhere that they have been for help. We can’t do the same thing.”
“When women come to our door, I ask them how they found out about us and the answer they give is heart-breaking.
“They say, someone told me I could trust you.”
The Magpie Minis enjoying their new toys
(Image: Alicia Canter / [email protected] / 07724238981 – contact before use to arrange fee)
According to Reuben’s mum, not a moment has passed since they started their sponsored walk that her son has not asked about their progress.
She said: “He’s really excited about it. When we hit our first £30 he asked me to take it straight to Jane and the Magpie Project. I had to explain to him that it goes to the bank, we’re in the middle of lockdown and also that it was nearly 10 O’clock at night.
“He’s ready to go every morning. Every day starts with him asking me two questions.
“Mum are my wellies dry so that we can go out and get our walks in today? and “can we check to see if anybody donated yet?”.
If you want to donate towards Reuben’s sponsored walk click here.
If you are in need of support from The Magpie Project click here.
