Amazon and Scottish firms unite to help Scots families in need via charity initiative

Thousands of families north of the Border have received essentials such as toiletries and clothing thanks to a charity initiative founded by internet retail giant Amazon with key support from former Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

From left: Simon McMahon of Amazon, Pauline Buchan of The Cottage Family Centre, and former PM Gordon Brown. Picture: contributed.

The Multibank was established last year, and now says it has donated 1.5 million essential products to more than 150,000 families across Scotland and Greater Manchester.

In January 2022, Amazon announced that it was working with a coalition of Scottish charities brought together by Mr Brown to donate goods to people living in poverty from a dedicated warehouse, based in Lochgelly in Fife. Amazon has led The Multibank, working closely with local businesses and suppliers and with charity partner The Cottage Family Centre in Kirkcaldy, which supports people vulnerable to social exclusion as a result of factors including poverty and relationship breakdown.

The products are donated principally by Amazon, but include support from other businesses including Fishers Laundry, Craig & Rose Paint, Morrisons, The Paint Shed, Blue Earth Clean, the Bell Group, Tesco, SemiChem, Vision, Morrisons, Scotmid, Purvis, PepsiCo, Unilever, Accrol, Kraft Heinz and others.

Goods such as bedding, toilet roll, nappies, and toiletries, as well as clothing, backpacks, home furnishings, and electrical products have been donated, or banked, at the warehouse, which was provided free of charge ahead of the initial launch by Bob Purvis, chairman of The Purvis Group.

Amazon and The Cottage Family Centre say an independent report they commissioned, undertaken by the Social Value Lab, found that for every £1 invested by the online retailer in The Multibank, social value of £5.95 is generated.

Simon McMahon, senior programme manager for The Multibank in Amazon UK’s impact team, is originally from Fife and has overseen the project. He said: “The success of The Multibank has far exceeded our expectations… But we continue to be ambitious as more charities and businesses join The Multibank coalition in helping those who need it most.”

Gordon Brown said: “I thank Amazon for their willingness to experiment with redistributing their returned goods to families in need in Fife via the Cottage Family Centre, whose network and ability to get surplus goods directly to families and children in need is creating a path-breaking new model, where big corporations can do real social good at a grassroots level.”