One year since opening its doors, London’s first Multibank depot in Greenford — run by food redistribution charity The Felix Project — has distributed more than 2.4 million essential items to people in need across the capital.
Launched in July 2024 in partnership with Amazon, Comic Relief, former Prime Minister Gordon Brown, and the Greater London Authority, the Multibank was created to tackle hygiene and essential goods poverty by redistributing surplus non-food items such as toiletries, cleaning products, nappies, clothing, bedding and toys.
The Greater London Authority provided £250,000 towards running costs, while £1 million in seed funding came from Amazon and Comic Relief.
In its first year of operation, the Multibank distributed 2,443,360 units of essential goods to 130 community organisations and reached 101,070 individuals each week, according to The Felix Project.
Speaking to EALING.NEWS, Rachel Ledwith, head of community engagement at The Felix Project, said: “It has been an amazing first year for Felix’s Multibank. We already know how much the food we give organisations makes a difference to people they help, and now so many are able to also benefit from the goods we have rescued.
“It is heart-warming when you hear stories from these charities — for example, one told us how, for the first time, a parent had been able to give their child a toy for their birthday that was new instead of from a charity shop, another how they gave a parent a bottle of laundry detergent who said they could finally send their children to school in clean uniforms because before that they had been using nothing in the washing machine.”
Ms Ledwith added: “From hygiene and household essentials to the much wider range of products offered by Multibank, these items are helping families far beyond just getting by, they are helping them to feel good about themselves, to feel happy, to feel able to take on the day and bring a smile to theirs and their children’s faces. That is priceless and something we are incredibly humbled to be part of.”
London Assembly Member for Ealing and Hillingdon, Bassam Mahfouz told EALING.NEWS about how important the work of the Multibank is.
He said: “Having run a local charity myself, I know how much harder things have gotten for families struggling with the basics – food, toiletries, and everyday essentials. That’s why seeing the work of The Felix Project and the Multibank firsthand really moved me. In just one year, they’ve teamed up with hundreds of charities to get 2.4 million essential items to people who need them. That’s not just a number – it’s thousands of Londoners given a lifeline.
“I’m so proud that this vital work is rooted right here in Ealing, supporting families across the capital. It started with backing from the Mayor of London, but it’s the dedication of frontline charities and volunteers that brings it to life. No family should have to rely on support like this, but hearing directly from those on the ground—how it’s not just about food, but dignity, hope, and a chance to thrive—shows why this work matters so much.”
