gardening – The Magpie Project

We have long-outgrown the gorgeous Forest Lane Lodge, and the time for our Magpie Mums and Minis to fly to a new nest is upon us.

We love Forest Lane Lodge, and it has been a wonderful base – it kept us safe and still functioning during lockdown, it nurtured all our dreams, our babies, our emerging projects and activities – but now we are too big for it. It is time to move.

Those of you following our ‘new building saga’ know that we have been trying to secure a new home for a VERY long time – and those of you who have already signed on to help know that you did so years ago. That is why we are checking in, and updating. We have a new building, we are really doing it this time!

The good news

We have found a wonderful building. The Grassroots centre, in Memorial Park, next to West Ham tube.

We are excited because:

There will be SO much more space, including a dedicated play room, kitchen, cafe area, case work offices, meeting rooms, prayer/quiet room, workshop rooms…. basically so many many rooms!
We will have sole use of the building. We will have an outside play areas all to ourselves with planters and (we hope a flower meadow)
The building is situated in a park with good transport links
Our minis will have a private, safe space (indoor and out) to play,
We will have capacity inside to invite all of our beloved professional partners such as, Health Visitors, Family Support workers, Shelter advisers, Praxis, Beauticians, Reiki practitioners, dance artists, artists, theatre practitioners to come, spread out and do their thing.

We are also hoping that the space will allow for a:

Laundrette
Cafe/cooking collective
Community garden
Digital hub, but most important
Chatting, play, controlled chaos and creating minis’ memories and mums’ belonging.

We could also imagine the wider community using the space for:

Hot desking,
Birthday parties,
Evening classes, etc.

It is daunting, and we will need your help because:

The building has been offices and – well – it needs Magpie-ing up. Alongside some essentials that we are missing we also need a whole lot of colour, love, community and creativity poured in to what could be seen as a bit of a concrete shell right now.

To make the building what we dream it could be for our families we need:

Corporate or community groups to volunteer to clean and help us move
Builders/developers to help with fitting and furnishing
Gardeners/landscape artists to help create a beautiful outdoor space
Interior designers to help us imagine an amazing and magical place where mums and minis are centered
Furniture suppliers to help us kit the place out
Kitchen suppliers to help us create a beautiful collective cooking space, or
The money to pay for any of the above that we cannot beg or borrow in-kind.
Outdoor play equipment
Buggy storage and outdoor shed

So here’s where we need your help

We know we ask a lot of you, our beautiful, bountiful community. And here we are asking again, after a period of years where we have all given more than we ever thought possible. But – you know – it’s just so important to show up for our most at risk children and mothers. The brilliant thing is that with a little time and generosity we can, together, make something really beautiful and meaningful happen.

What can you pledge?

We feel as though we need to get an idea of how big our dreams can be. We know – from the amazing support we have had in the past years – that there are many, many of you who help us, answer our call-outs, come to our aid. But it would be great if we get an idea of who is out there and what we an do together.

If you are interested in helping us give our mums and minis a safe, beautiful space to heal, learn and thrive please fill in the pledge form below. Then we will be in touch. If you did this 3 years ago when we thought we were gonna be able to move to a different building (the less said the better!) then we will be in touch too.

Name

Your organisational or professional or group website

What can you help us with(required)

General volunteering

Corporate or community group volunteering

Gardening or landscaping expertise

Design or interiors expertise

Building/carpentry, trades expertise

Project management expertise

Other (please specify below)

If OTHER please specify

What would you like to see the building become during the holidays and evenings?

Do you need to rent space in a community building on any given evening or weekend, what for?

Thank you so much, as always, for being there for our families. We will be in touch, hopefully with good news and a call to action as soon as we can.

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Card Number	A 16-digit number with that is found on the front of your debit/credit card.
Credit Card	A credit card doesn’t spend your money. It spends the bank’s money and you must pay it back. This means you can spend more than is in your account, but you might be charged extra for doing this, especially if you are late paying the bank.
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Debit Card	A debit card is a card that lets you take out money from ATMs and make payments in stores or online from your account.
Financial Service Compensation Scheme (FSCS)	An organisation set up to protect the money you put in bank accounts. If you have a current or basic account, the FSCS will pay you up to £85,000 if your bank goes bankrupt.
National Insurance Number (NI)	The number makes sure that the National Insurance contributions and tax you pay are properly recorded on your account. It also acts as a reference number for the whole social security system.
Overdraft	An amount of money you can spend even when you have no money in your account. It is like a small loan from your bank. Overdrafts are often not free, so you need to be very aware what the costs are before using one.
Personal Identification Number (PIN)	A PIN is a 4-digit number that is given to you with a debit card. This is used when taking out money from ATMs or when making in-store purchases with your card. Never share your PIN with anyone as it could be used to commit fraud.
Security Code	A 3-4 digit number found on the back of your debit/credit card in the signature section. This number will be required for nearly all online payments. The code provides an extra layer of security to safeguard you from fraud.
Sort Code	A 6-digit number that is used to identify your bank. You can find your sort code on your online banking platform, on bank statements or on your debit card.
Standing Order	When a fixed amount that you choose is paid from your account to another person or organisation. This is different from the direct debit as the amount that is paid is the same each time.

Saves time – you don’t need to remember to pay a bill.	You need to make sure there is enough money in your account when the direct debit or standing order will be taken. If there is not enough money, you could be charged extra by the bank.
You will get money back for any incorrect payments for direct debits only.	You must remember to cancel standing orders when you want to stop paying someone regularly.
You can cancel a direct debit or a standing order at any time through your online banking account or by contacting your bank.	Sometimes you might think you are setting up a direct debit, but it is actually a recurring payment or continuous payment authority (CPA). Be careful if companies ask for the long number on your card instead of your sort code and account number. This will mean they can take money whenever they think they are owed.

Saves Time	Make sure there is enough money in your account when the direct debit or standing order will be taken. If there is not enough money, you could be charged extra by the bank.
You don’t need to remember to pay a bill	You must remember to cancel standing orders when you want to stop paying someone regularly.
You will get money back for any incorrect payments for direct debits only.	Sometimes you might think you are setting up a direct debit, but it is actually a recurring payment or continuous payment authority (CPA). Be careful if companies ask for the long number on your card instead of your sort code and account number. This will mean they can take money whenever they think they are owed.
You can cancel a direct debit or a standing order at any time through your online banking account or by contacting your bank.


Magpie Mums say: “Always use direct debits if you can, so you don’t forget to pay and are charged. If you can’t use direct debits, make sure you put the dates when you’re supposed to make payments in your phone calendar.” “I’m used to it. It’s easy on the phone. I try to avoid going to banks.”

Bank Examples	Forms of Identity Needed
Metro Bank	Asylum seekers can apply for a cash account and/or savings account. This requires an Application Registration Card (ARC), proof of address and confirmation of asylum seekers support allowance or other income.
Lloyds	You can apply for a Classic Current account with a BRP, ARC or a Home Office Immigration Status document. Refugees and asylum seekers can apply for a ‘Classic current account’. This includes an arranged overdraft. Fees are charged if you go into your overdraft.
Nationwide	You can get a ‘FlexBasic account’ (basic bank account) and an ‘Instant Access saver’ (basic savings account). They accept BRP, ARC and Home Office Immigration Status document.
HSBC	You cannot open a bank account if you are from outside the EU. They accept BRP but NOT ARC. They accept BRP but NOT ARC.
Monzo	Refugees can open a current account with a BRP and their UK address. However, Monzo do not accept ARC. You can get your benefits or salary (depending on your employer) paid into your Monzo account 1 day earlier.

Tag: gardening

Grassroots: a new nest for our Magpie Minis