Inside the charity warehouse offering thousands of families a cost of living lifeline every month

Homelessness charity The Brick is used to putting a roof over peoples’ heads but when they had a problem with their own they called Big Issue. Now, it offers a vital lifeline for people struggling with the cost of living.

The charity operates Multibank Northwest, part of Gordon Brown’s Multibank network and backed by Amazon, distributing essentials donated by businesses to struggling families.

The Brick’s warehouse in Wigan, Greater Manchester, is piled high with toys, stationery, toiletries and other must-have items while families can select their own furniture.

More than 10,000 families a month are being supported by Multibank Northwest and the three millionth item was distributed in March this year. The centre has 30 different suppliers being sent out to 550 referral partners across the north-west of England.

But Big Issue Invest, Big Issue’s social investment arm, has made it possible with a £150,000 loan.

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“This is a warehouse that we’ve had for over 10 years now and it was completely dilapidated but it was given to us on a peppercorn rent by the owner because he didn’t need it,” said Keely Dalfen, CEO of The Brick.

“But it was awful, it was leaking through, had no roof, it was really bad so we were keeping second-hand furniture in here to distribute to people who need to furnish their first house and we’ve been doing that for a long time as well.

“We were just making do for a while, and then we decided: ‘No, if we’re going to do it, we’re going to do it properly’, and we got in touch with Big Issue Invest and said, ‘How can you help us?”

The charity, which also provides bed spaces for people experiencing homelessness and runs charities shops and a food bank across its operation, didn’t have the working capital to cover the £200,000 bill.

The £150,000 loan covered fixing the roof and now the Multibank is responded to growing need as the latest cost of living crisis bites.

Five Amazon staff have been seconded to the site for the next three years while The Brick have been able to take on their own staff too.

Raheb has been working at the Multibank for around a year in an apprenticeship.

The 26-year-old fled Taizz in Yemen in 2022 before applying for asylum in the UK. He was housed in the north of England and was given leave to remain but became homeless when he was evicted from the hotel where he was staying with just 28 days’ notice.

“I didn’t have anywhere to go,” Raheb told Big Issue. “I was excited to get my papers to stay but, at the same time, you have to leave.

“To be honest, The Brick helped me a lot at that time.”

While living in accommodation provided by The Brick under the A Bed Every Night scheme, Raheb also volunteered at the charity’s food community in St George’s Church in Wigan for 18 months.

“It was a good start,” he said. “Just to work in the community and seeing the people around you.”

“I just enjoy it, being part of a team.”

But when the chance came to become Multibank Northwest’s first apprentice, Raheb leapt at it.

Now he is working every day to support families who need help.

“I got an opportunity. I’m really thankful for that,” he said.

“To be honest, I’m lucky I have these people around me and a lovely community as well. The best thing is supporting families with everything, not just with basic things.

“I remember we went to someone’s house to deliver just an oven and we’ve seen the house is empty. The guy didn’t even have a bed to sleep on.

“On our way back, we called The Brick and told them about the situation. We just loaded the van with stuff and he was nearly crying when we came back with a full van, with a sofa, a bed, everything he needed in the house.”

Raheb is set to stay in the apprenticeship role for two years and will undergo training such as a forklift driving course to equip him for the future.

But the apprenticeship has given him stability: he now has a permanent place to live and The Brick helped him furnish it.

“The guys just gave me everything to be honest,” he told Big Issue.

“I can’t say even thank you because thank you is not enough.”

Dalfen told Big Issue that the fuel crisis in the Middle East saw an impact with more households struggling with the cost of living at the start of the year.

“I think what I’ve seen is it doesn’t take very much for people to just go into crisis,” she said.

That has seen the need grow but donations to schools, in particular, can act as a starting point to engage parents to get more support before they reach crisis point with the rising cost of living.

Providing employment to people they are already supporting means the charity can do more than just put a roof over someone’s head.

Dalfen said: “We expected it just to be quite a bit of a local operation really, but it’s just grown and grown, and that’s why the apprenticeship scheme is coming into it now.

“We can help people to get back on their feet by offering them supported volunteering opportunities in here.

“We’re all used to working with people in crisis so for people to come here and build their confidence and their self-esteem, it’s not just about the goods, it’s about everything else as well.”

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