Maryam Qaiser Senior Journalist

21/03/2025

This Ramadan, Muslim Hands and Notts County Foundation came together at Meadow Lane to provide free hot Iftar meals to those in need – a lifeline for many facing food insecurity.

Through our Open Kitchen, we've served over 120,000 meals since 2021 – and this month alone, thousands more are being fed across Nottingham.

From Magpies fans to families, refugees to the homeless – we’re proving that compassion has no boundaries. 🌙🍽️

🤝 A huge thank you to Notts County Foundation for standing with us this Ramadan and to Maryam Qaiser Senior Journalist for her article in the Daily Mirror!

Together, we’re building a stronger, more united community.

If you’d like to read the full article, click the link in our bio!

🔗 Support our Open Kitchen and help us feed even more people in need: https://mhuk.ngo/ok

21/03/2025

This is a special story to me for several reasons, firstly it’s in Nottingham, secondly Muslim Hands is a charity I’ve supported for a long time, thirdly the story has been published in Ramadan and more specifically in the last 10 blessed days, what more could I ask for.

This Ramadan I headed to the Notts County Football Club ground where Notts County Foundation and Muslim Hands UK hosted a special iftar to bring ‘all four corners of Nottingham together’. Muslim and non-Muslims broke fast together, while the Azan (call to prayer) echoed across the grounds. There were speeches on the importance of charity, inclusion and diversity and breaking down barriers.

I also headed to The Open Kitchen to break fast with them. This amazing, amazing service provides over 130 hot meals a day to people in need across the city, 365 days a year, doesn’t matter what your colour, faith, or background is, or your situation is. they welcome EVERYONE. This service is a lifeline to many.

People told me, they’d be stealing and going without a hot meal for days if it wasn’t for the Open Kitchen Nottingham.

This year they’re hosting weekly Iftars for all so pop down, last week is your last chance!

This isn’t about banging the Islam drum, it’s about humanity, kindness, and making sure no one goes hungry.

As our beloved Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said, “spread peace, feed the needy, be kind”

📷 Andy Stenning

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/i-wont-eat-three-days-34902380

28/02/2025

For I spoke to Ukrainian families living in the UK who face huge issues with housing & employment. Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian nationals who were given sanctuary in 2022 will now need to apply for a visa extension.
"Ukrainians in the UK face losing our jobs and tenancy agreements due to our temporary visas running out. Mentally, it is killing us. I feel like we’re not wanted here", says Olga.
In today's Mirror.

Olga Pasichnyk fled to the UK when war broke out in Ukraine three years ago, but now her future and safety hangs in the balance due to a visa rule that affects many in her position

15/02/2025

We’re delighted to be nominated for the Press Awards UK, in the Excellence in Diversity for our project. Our multimedia project observed what it was like to be a young working class teen born in 2010 - known as the austerity generation.
We spent much of the year with them, working with our video team we created several short films and invited the inspiring bunch of teens to Labour Conference 2024.
Teamwork 👊🏼 Ros Wynne-Jones Claire Donnelly!

14/02/2025

🇦🇪 EXCLUSIVE: I had a Dubai blowout and then took on the luxury city on a budget!
Last year I had the amazing opportunity to jet off to Dubai to samples the desert city’s food & fun without a care for my wallet and then on a budget, seeing whether Dubai could offer tourists both.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/travel/i-dubai-blowout-took-luxury-34583166

31/01/2025

I headed to Weston-Super-Mare to visit Bournville Primary School to meet bagel queen aka Michelle, other staff & kids to go behind the scenes to see how their ‘magical’ breakfast club works, ahead of Labour’s pilot project.
Weston-super-Mare is 140 miles from Westminster but a quiet breakfast revolution is happening here that ministers hope will soon transform the lives of millions of children.

Ahead of Labour's pilot scheme for breakfast clubs in 750 schools, Real Britain visited one which is already making a huge difference for children at Bournville Primary School in Weston-super-Mare

06/12/2024

For this week, I spoke to a great bunch of dads from Dad La Soul, a network of over 3,500 men across the globe, who are working together to tackle men's alongside having fun with their kids.
In the UK 84, men take their own lives weekly. Tyler is just 1 of the ­extraordinary dads from Dad La Soul. He became very depressed. His wife was recovering from a difficult ­pregnancy & was struggling at work. "I went AWOL. I got ­intoxicated & took myself ­somewhere dangerous."
Tyler, who left his job to become a health and wellbeing coach, now runs VS Life, a holistic approach to fitness. He runs 5am sea swim and beach sauna sessions for the dads.
Founder Dan of Dad La Soul has now hosted hundreds of events for dads and kids.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting has unveiled plans for the first ever “men’s health strategy”, it'll include men’s mental health & su***de prevention.
Dan is now inviting Mr Streeting to a Dad La Soul playdate on the South Coast as a model for change.

Every week in the UK, 84 men take their own lives. Real Britain meets the innovative Dad La Soul group which is bringing men together organically, and invites Wes Streeting to come and see how their approach to men’s health is working

06/12/2024

Hey Wes Streeting – here's an open invite to come and see how we're succeeding in improving men's mental health on the south coast and beyond!

Thank you to Ros Wynne-Jones, Maryam Qaiser Senior Journalist and The Mirror for highlighting our story >>> https://buff.ly/3Vp3K0o

15/11/2024

‘I was evicted from care on my 18th birthday - this is the reality of social care in Britain'

New figures show the devastating extent of the care crisis across Britain, Jules’ story is a living example of the damage being inflicted on looked-after children.

This week I spoke to three young people who spent their teens in care. After a difficult & dangerous start, Jules spent 6 years in different foster homes, children’s homes & a hostel.
"The care system needs a complete reform", says Jules.

New data shows 18,040 children in care in England had moved more than 20 miles away from home. That’s more than 1 in 5 children.
Kayleigh went into care aged 12, to a placement over an hour away. "I had such bad mental health, I went through three breakdowns & nobody helped me."

Amirali was smuggled into Europe alone at 14 because of political persecution. He survived difficult experiences in 2 care homes but achieved 12 GCSEs including 10 A*s. "Staff were caught taking the food which was for children. Some of the children were involved in gang crime."

Figures also show over 14,000 care leavers aged 19-21 were not in education, employment & training while 2,570 care leavers aged 17 to 21 were living in accommodation deemed unsuitable by local authority.

In today’s Daily Mirror

As new figures are released showing the devastating extent of the care crisis across Britain, Jules’ story is a living example of the damage being inflicted on looked-after children every day

18/10/2024

Clair told me she spent months living in her car, while Tyra was a homeless student & Val lost everything when her husband died of cancer. Saf went to school hungry & Karen hasn’t had her hot water on in 3 yrs. They wrote to the PM ahead of the budget.
These are just five of a delegation of people who delivered letters to the PM ahead of Rachel Reeves’ budget in just two weeks.
“Poverty is not just about a lack of money. It’s a major contributor to stress that leads to mental and physical ill health”, Val writes to the PM.
In today’s Daily Mirror

Real Britain is a Mirror series that stands up for your community and asks how politics affects real people. This week Ros Wynne-Jones and Maryam Qaiser report on the delegation of people who visited Downing Street and left powerful letters for Starmer suggesting solutions that could help millions o...