Amazon surplus scheme to help more families
- Published
Pauline Buchan, John Boumphrey and Gordon Brown at the Amazon warehouse in Lochgelly
Retail giant Amazon has expanded its charity initiative to help more struggling families in Scotland.
Working with a charity connected to former PM Gordon Brown, it will provide more than 50,000 families with clothing and toiletries by the end of the year.
The Fife-based scheme will extend into Edinburgh, the Lothians and Central Scotland.
Amazon said the expansion was made possible with support from many charities and businesses.
The initiative started in January with Amazon and The Cottage Family Centre working together to get surplus household goods to needy families in Fife.
So far, it has provided over 200,000 essential products to 33,000 households, and will now work with an additional 500 charities.
Donated items include toilet roll, nappies, wipes and toiletries, clothing, backpacks, home furnishings, lighting and electrical products.
Pauline Buchan, head of The Cottage Family Centre, said: "The rate in which the project has grown to be able to meet the needs of so many children, young people and their families to date has been nothing short of astounding".
The project includes donations from an additional 500 charities
Gordon Brown, who represented Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath as an MP until 2015, is the centre's patron.
He said: "The project works because the companies have the goods and we know the people who need them, with 60 charities, food banks, 150 schools and health centres and social work teams all working with churches, rotaries and Chambers of Commerce in a Fife-wide effort," the former prime minister said.
"What Fife is achieving today, the rest of the country can achieve tomorrow."
John Boumphrey, UK country manager at Amazon, said the company was proud to partner with local charities and business to support more families across Scotland.
He said: "We started in January with a goal of helping 13,000 families and we're now on track to help more than 50,000 by the end of this year, thanks to the outstanding support from charities and other businesses who are providing donations."
Those involved hope this model of giving surplus stock to local charities will be replicated across the UK.