Wigan charity recognised in National Award for the Multibank Initiative

The Multibank project was launched initially in Scotland by Amazon UK in partnership with former Prime Minister Gordon Brown then in March 2022 it was extended into England with the second Multibank that opened in Wigan by The Brick.

Amazon was named the winner of the Community impact award for ‘The Multibank Initiative’, with charity lead partners The Brick in Wigan and The Cottage Family Centre, in Scotland.

In 2022, in response to the cost-of-living crisis families were facing throughout the UK, Amazon and former Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, launched ‘The Multibank Initiative’.

Part of the initiative, and the first Multibank in England, ‘Brick by Brick’, is the community donations hub in Wigan, where Amazon and other local companies donate surplus essential goods that would otherwise have gone to waste.

The products are redistributed directly to charity groups and care professionals who have deep connections with the local community, who then give the donated products directly to the people who need them most.

Keely Dalfen, CEO of The Brick said: ‘’I am delighted that the multibank project won the award for ‘Community Impact’. The Brick has seen first-hand the growing levels of poverty in Greater Manchester, and I am very grateful that since launching the multibank, with Amazon, we are now able to offer a lifeline, to ensure that families and individuals in our community have access to the basic essentials.

“This crisis has a lasting impact on our children, our communities and across generations, and we are always looking for new business partners to join this initiative and make an even greater impact locally and further afield, if you are a business that has surplus stocks or can offer other support please contact us.’’

John Boumphrey, Amazon UK Country Manager said: “It’s been incredible to see Multibanks flourish since the first site went live in Scotland in 2022. We now have three Multibanks live across the UK, and we are working to launch three more to ultimately support 500,000 families in need. The best part about our Multibanks is that they’re led by brilliant grassroots local charities, like The Brick, who understand the challenges their communities face and are best placed to support them. This award is testament to the team at The Brick and all of our Multibank partners.”

To find out how to support ‘Brick by Brick’ Multibank visit Brick by Brick Multibank or contact [email protected]