Employees from Amazon’s global development centre in Swansea have packed and donated 950 backpacks filled with essential back-to-school items to help ensure local children are equipped with the tools to succeed this new school year.
The backpacks have been donated to the Cwtch Mawr Multibank, which is run by Swansea-based charity Faith in Families. It distributes essential items to families in need across Swansea.
The primary school kits include a lunch bag, a water bottle, colouring pens, a notepad and more, while the backpacks being given to secondary school pupils contain a scientific calculator, a geometry set, and a notepad.
Aisling Miller, a volunteer from Amazon in Swansea, took part in the kitting. She said:
“Packing these backpacks with my colleagues was incredibly rewarding – knowing that each one will help a child start the school year with confidence and the tools they need to succeed. It's amazing to see how our small actions can make such a big difference in our community.”
John Boumphrey, Amazon UK & Ireland Country Manager, added:
“At Amazon, we’re proud to extend our partnership with the Multibank initiative this summer by providing 10,500 backpacks to children in need across the UK. This builds on the incredible work we’ve achieved together over the past three years. When children have the proper tools for learning, it opens doors of opportunity. These backpacks represent more than just school supplies -they provide dignity and confidence to young people who deserve the same chance to succeed as everyone else.
“Working alongside our Multibank charity partners in London, Swansea, Birmingham, Wigan, Tees Valley and Fife, we’re ensuring these essential items reach families experiencing poverty before the new school year begins. This is exactly why we co-founded The Multibank with Gordon Brown – to make tangible differences in communities where support is needed most – and we are delighted that other businesses are joining our coalition of compassion.”
Cherrie Bija, CEO of Faith in Families, said:
“For many families in the area, Cwtch Mawr is an essential resource for them to access necessities to improve their day-to-day life. Thanks to the team of volunteers at Amazon and their donation partners, we’re able to continue bridging the gap felt by those in need, and provide important back to school items that some of us can often take for granted. Thank you to Amazon and everyone involved for their efforts.”
Cwtch Mawr is part of The Multibank charity, co-founded by former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown. The charity is supporting more than 10,000 children across the UK with this campaign, by partnering with some of Britain’s most famous brand names, alongside teams of volunteers from Amazon.
The Kits for Kids campaign follows research by Multibank charity partner, The Felix Project, which reports 67% of teachers in the UK are concerned the children they teach will be experiencing holiday hunger this summer.
To help support parents across the country, The Multibank is working with Amazon, as well as book publishers Pan Macmillan, Hasbro games manufacturers, Colgate, Bookmark Reading Charity, Morrisons, football foundation Manchester City in the Community and sportswear giant Under Armour.
