These might seem like staple household items for some. But for people helped by the North East’s first multibank, they made families feel like “Christmas had come early”.
The Junction Multibank, based in Middlesbrough, was launched last month by former Prime Minister Gordon Brown to help those struggling with the cost of living crisis.
Operated by local charity The Junction, it’s a place that has been branded a “lifeline” for families across the region, helping them through their “crisis points”.
And despite only being open a matter of weeks, people have no longer been forced to choose between food and heating – and can have both.
In the midst of the Christmas rush, The Northern Echo went inside The Junction Multibank to see all of the vital work being done to help communities across the North East.
The 12,000 sq. ft donation hub, co-founded by Mr Brown and Amazon, takes surplus products donated by businesses and offers them to social workers, teachers, charities and community groups to distribute to families.
The Junction Multibank, in Middlesbrough (Image: THE NORTHERN ECHO)
It might be items that have come to the end of their product line, or items that Amazon no longer needs to store in its warehouses.
The site – which holds 650,000 items – can stock everything from clothing and crockery to toiletries and cleaning products.
Manager Simon Nott, who has been with The Junction charity for three and a half years, explains: “The multibank helps address some of the issues of poverty.
The Junction Multibank Manager Simon Nott (Image: THE NORTHERN ECHO)
“The Tees Valley has significant degrees of poverty – in terms of child poverty, we are one of the areas with the highest rates in the country.”
Amazon helped set-up the warehouse operations and provided five team members from its Stockton site, who will work on-site full-time for the first year.
Simon continued: “Amazon supported us to open in this warehouse – the Amazon staff are in effect teaching others how to work in a warehouse.
“Over time they will swap the team of staff for The Junction staff and we will take over complete running of the site in about three years.”
‘We are making a massive difference’
In the first week of December, 107,000 items were distributed from the warehouse to 11,400 households, helping 32,700 individuals.
And, to remind people of the reason behind the initiative, a quote wall has been set up in the warehouse that is both touching and heartbreaking.
The wall of notes at The Junction Multibank (Image: THE NORTHERN ECHO)
“I can’t afford to keep the heating on for too long… my kids were kept warm because of your help,” one note said.
“I can get out of the bed without my feet freezing”, another added.
And it’s not just families and children being helped either, with another quote adding: “We are both in our 80s struggling – we’ve been kept warm by your help of cosy blankets, fluffy socks, hoodies, and thermal vests.”
Just metres away from the wall, one woman, who wished to remain anonymous, told The Echo how everyone at The Junction was “doing their little bit” to help others.
The Junction Multibank, in Middlesbrough (Image: THE NORTHERN ECHO)
She explained: “I know that when I pack an order, it has come from the heart. This is going straight to children who may have turned up at social services with just their clothes on.
“It is a lifeline. It’s helping the people of Teesside – to read the stories, we are making a difference, a massive difference. And that means a lot.
“It’s for people who have to choose between buying soap or food – they are going to buy food. They now don’t have to worry and can have both.”
Gordon Brown opening The Junction (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)
‘It is essential’
A recent report from the End Childhood Poverty coalition revealed at least one in four children in the North East of England is growing up in poverty.
This is something Junction worker Tim Coyle, 49, is very aware of: “The community of Teesside need support – they need the multibank.
Tim Coyle at The Junction Multibank (Image: THE NORTHERN ECHO)
“It helps people through their crisis points. Essentials are essential – but lots of that will also make a huge difference to their mental health wellbeing.”
The Redcar resident agreed that the multibank is a lifeline: “100%. One of my referral partners said – and we’ve only been open nine weeks – that he can’t imagine what some people did before this opened.”
Fellow worker Kyra Cullen, 24, said the reason she does this is simple: “It’s about helping other people. It’s helping children and families.
“We are going above and beyond to help meet all their different needs and you can provide families with those essential items.”
Amazon worker Sandra DaSilva, from Middlesbrough, said she decided to move to the multibank because “people do need help” across the region.
Sandra DaSilva (Image: THE NORTHERN ECHO)
The 48-year-old said: “It was a new opportunity to see what was going on. When we are trying to make an order, we get to see the story, so we can try and put in some extra stuff.”
The Christmas campaign
In the run up to Christmas, the multibank welcomed volunteers to help prep 61 hampers, with gifting from the likes of Unilever, Biffa, Cygnet Law, HSBC, Darlington Building Society, SEAH Wind, Redhouse School, Sygnal, and Amazon.
At the time of The Echo’s visit, a team from Biffa were volunteering to pack hampers.
Donna Livingstone, who has worked for Biffa for nine years, decided to choose The Junction Multibank after coming to the launch.
Donna Livingstone from Biffa at The Junction Multibank (Image: THE NORTHERN ECHO)
“It is nice to be able to give back to the community that people at Biffa live and work in,” she said. “They have all donated and supported.”
And the people helped on the lead up to the big day were happy to tell of the positive impact the initiative has had on them.
One young carer’s parent, whose child is in their early teens, said: “I was dreading Christmas knowing that I couldn’t afford presents for them.
Volunteers preparing the Christmas hampers at The Junction Multibank, in Middlesbrough (Image: THE NORTHERN ECHO)
“After you dropped them off, I cried because I know the kids will have a Christmas after a very hard couple of years. I am so grateful for everything you do for me and the kids. ”
Another young carer’s mother said: “This is honestly amazing we haven’t celebrated Christmas for a while and this will really help make this year extra special”.
Chris McEwan, Darlington Council deputy leader and cabinet member for economy, is a trustee of The Junction, and visited ahead of Christmas on the same day as The Echo.
Chris McEwan with Beth Major, chief executive at The Junction (Image: CONTRIBUTOR)
He said: “As someone who has always lived in the Tees Valley all of my life, I am aware of the impact The Junction Multibank will have for residents who are experiencing poverty particularly, supporting up to 75,000 individuals in its first year.
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“As a Trustee of The Junction I’m proud that we are able to support families and individuals , through direct support in our own services and across our referral partners, to ensure no one struggle alone this Christmas.”
Beth Major, chief executive at The Junction, added: “We are able to support thousands of families who would otherwise struggle this year through both The Junctions Services and through our network of referral partners.”
You can see more from The Junction here: https://www.thejunctionfoundation.com/