The first “multibank” in London, distributing everything from basic foods to baby products and toiletries, will be officially launched this week, amid continued concerns about levels of poverty as the school summer holidays begin.
The opening of Felix’s Multibank, which has the backing of former prime minister Gordon Brown and London mayor Sadiq Khan, is the latest in a growing network of multibanks.
Brown said the new project was opening at a time when the country’s approach to the problem of destitution would change. There have been continued calls from within Labour for Keir Starmer to take stronger action on child poverty.
Brown said: “The London Felix Multibank is the fourth of six that will be opened by the end of this year across Britain. It is opening at a time of transition from a Britain where child poverty has risen dramatically to one where we wish to see child poverty falling.
“As a new anti-poverty plan is being prepared, the multibanks still need to secure more supplies and more funds from generous donors so that, working with food banks, we can provide poverty relief.”
While the concept was pioneered in Fife, Scotland, there are already multibanks operating in Greater Manchester and Swansea. Thousands of families are set to be helped by the new scheme in west London, overseen by the Felix Project, which sources surplus from the food industry that would otherwise go to waste.
Supplies donated by businesses, with Amazon the biggest contributor, will be distributed directly to teachers, social workers and other groups working directly with those struggling to afford basic necessities.
Some public funding has also been supplied for the London site’s running costs, while Amazon is also helping to run the logistics of the operation.New research this month revealed the scale of concern among teaching staff about the health of children this summer, when those in need will not have access to free school meals and other help provided in term time.
More than two-thirds of teachers in England recently said they were worried that at least one child in their class will experience hunger during the summer holidays because their parents or carers cannot afford to feed them, according to a survey by the Teacher Tapp group.
In London, a survey of 1,118 teachers also found that 68% of teachers believed at least one child in their class will experience hunger because parents and carers cannot afford to feed them during the holidays. Nearly half were worried about between one and three pupils.
Advocates of the multibank model say that it can be a powerful addition to fighting local poverty by redistributing stock that cannot be sold and taking donations from the corporate world.
However, there continues to be concern among charities about the degree to which food banks and related projects have now become a permanent fixture in relieving hardship as a result of cuts to the welfare state.
Khan said it was “appalling that so many families are going without essentials and having to turn to others for help due to the cost of living crisis”.
He added: “That’s why I pledged to support the introduction of multibanks in the capital as part of my work to help Londoners who are struggling to make ends meet.
“Multibanks do incredible work with charities and community organisations to get supplies to those who need them the most. I’m proud to be supporting the Felix Project to bring this multibank to London, as we build a fairer London for everyone.”
John Boumphrey, country manager for Amazon’s business across the UK and Ireland, said: “I am delighted we’re working with the Felix Project to launch Felix’s Multibank in London this week – the fourth multibank we’ve opened across the UK since we first launched in Scotland two years ago.
“When we work hand in hand with local charities, community groups and other businesses to provide donations and support, we know we can make a huge difference for families in need.”
• The subheading of this article was amended on 24 July 2024 to clarify the multibank opening in London is being rolled out under the model established in Fife, where the Multibank Initiative piloted its original facility. There are other community facilities known as multibanks, including the Lewisham Donations Hub in London which was set up in 2020, directly distributing a range of donated necessities to people in need.
