Former Prime Minster Gordon Brown launches huge new charity project in Wigan

The Brick-by-Brick project has been officially launched by The Brick, Amazon, ex-PM Gordon Brown and Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham.

England’s first “multibank” has already helped 13,000 families with 100,000 essential items since December.

It’s a community donations hub where Amazon and other companies will give more than 400,000 surplus products and reach people through a network of charities and care professionals, including teachers, midwives and social workers.

The project follows the similar model launched in Fife as The Big House in 2022, which was was led by Amazon, Mr Brown and charity The Cottage Family Centre.

Amazon helped set up warehouse operations at Brick-by-Brick in Wigan, contributing pro-bono staffing, operations advice and £100,000 to support recruitment, salaries and training.

Mr Brown said: “This a great day for the Brick, Brick-by-Brick and for Wigan.

"I’m incredibly proud to be here to congratulate them.

"Its helping so many people in the area already.

"There are thousands of people that are about to be helped.

"We’re now seeing poverty that is forcing elderly people to choose between eating and heating.

"If we all come together, we can help make a huge difference.”

UK country manager John Boumphrey said: “It started back in September 2021, I had an email from Gordon Brown, who was involved with some charities up in Fife and that there might be an opportunity to take Amazon’s logistic expertise and surplus products and help charities.

“In January last year, we launched a warehouse similar to Brick-by-Brick in Fife and we said ‘wouldn’t it be great if we could help 13,000 families’.

"We ended up 50,000 families, we were able to have a big impact.

"One of the ways we did that was by having a lead charity partner which recruited other charities, schools and social workers.

"The model has been really successful.

"We’re really excited to be here in Wigan to launch Brick-by-Brick, which is the first time we have taken this model into England.”

More than 32,500 people in Wigan and Leigh claimed universal credit last month and 29 of the borough’s 200 neighbourhoods fall within the 10 per cent most deprived in England, accounting for roughly 15 percent of Wigan’s total population.

Keely Dalfen, The Brick’s CEO, said: "I’m really proud that the Brick is doing this and stepping up.

"We’re here not just supporting families, we’re supporting the local charity sector as well.

"We’ve got around 150 charity partners that we’ve drafted in.

“It is very bittersweet (that we have this project).

"In Wigan and across Greater Manchester, we all believe in a fairer future.

"We believe in a place and a time were people will have enough money in their pockets to buy these things.

"But unfortunately we’re not there yet and that’s why we’ve stepped up, we will be there for people that need us.”

Mr Burnham said: "This is a support system that will cover the needs that people have.

"It is about helping people through the cost-of-living crisis.

"I immediately thought of the Brick as I know them well from being a former MP in the borough.

"I’ve seen them grow over the years, it is an outstanding organisation.

"When they were saying you should expand it to Greater Manchester, it was who I immediately thought of.

“Its proof of how good the Brick is, with this centre already in operation.

"Its a sad reflection of were we are but good that this is here”