Fife anti-poverty charity project set to expand into Falkirk, Edinburgh and the Lothians

The Cottage Centre led initiative, in conjunction with Amazon and 60 local charities and organisations, has already helped 33,000 families across Fife.

It has distributed over 200,000 surplus goods from Amazon’s fulfilment centre in Dunfermline to families in need.

The project, which started in January, now takes in social work, churches, community groups, foodbanks and health centres as it works collectively to get the help needed to people as quickly as possible.

The expansion announced this week into more regions of Scotland means more than 50,000 families will be helped by the end of the year as an additional 500 charities and organisations become involved offering support to families in Falkirk, Edinburgh and the Lothians.

Through the project, Amazon and other retail partners have donated a wide range of essential items including toilet roll, nappies, bedding, home furnishings, lighting and electrical products with donations processed at a warehouse in Lochgelly.

Former Prime Minister and Kirkcaldy MP Gordon Brown has been involved in setting up the initiative from the start.

He said: “We know that families who are now facing the most difficult of times need the greatest possible support, and in just 30 weeks nearly one-quarter of a million goods has already been given to 33,000 families, thanks to Amazon’s help and the support of their employees in Fife who voted for this project last winter.

"Now we are ready to widen the number of companies involved and extend support to 50,000 families.

“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.

"It started with Amazon and The Cottage Family Centre, and is now ready to make its next move into Edinburgh the Lothians and central Scotland.

"What Fife is achieving today the rest of the country can achieve tomorrow.”

Pauline Buchan, head of The Cottage Family Centre in Kirkcaldy, 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, and I am hugely proud of what we have all been able to achieve.

"As well as supporting families, it has also brought together and developed relationships with charities, organisations, practitioners, individuals and other sectors whose paths may never had had the opportunity to cross, allowing this project to become what is an outstanding example of what can be achieved for families and our communities if we all work together with purpose and shared values.”

John Boumphrey, UK country manager at Amazon, added: “We are proud to work with The Cottage Family CEntre and an ever-expanding coalition of charities and other partners in collaboration with former Prime Minister Gordon Brown to help families in need across Fife, Falkirk, Edinburgh and the Lothians.

"This is a model that works and can scale.

"Amazon is providing the logistics and fulfilment know-how, funding as well as product donations from our site in Dunfermline, but by working with the coalition we are getting the right products to the right people quickly.

“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.”