It’s a teeth-chatteringly cold winter’s morning in Lochgelly.
A group of men pace back and forth at the entrance to the massive warehouse.
You can almost taste their anticipation.
Any minute now, a huge lorry, filled with goods of all shapes and sizes – courtesy of online retail giant Amazon – will arrive.
Their job will be to unload it, sift through the contents, sort it into boxes, and get it ready to be collected.
Some of the products will be inevitably mundane – think hand wash and nappies – but there’s usually some weird and wacky stuff, too.
I’m at The Big House Multibank warehouse in Lochgelly.
How does the multibank work?
The initiative, set up by former prime minister Gordon Brown in 2021, takes surplus goods from Amazon and other companies, and distributes them to people who would struggle to afford them.
The warehouse stores millions of goods, and, as I cast my eye around the vast space, I see loo rolls galore.
Shockingly, many people cannot even afford this essential item.
The warehouse is the beating heart of The Big House Multibank operation.
It’s a veritable Santa’s workshop – although the ‘elves’ here wear high-viz, and, despite the chilly weather, some sport shorts.
Warehouse operative Stuart Oliver tells me more than 18,000 items have already been distributed this week – and it’s only Thursday.
It’s up to Stuart and his team to deal with the deliveries that land from Amazon, with each lorry carrying up to 24 giant palettes of goods.
What kinds of items are stocked?
I feel a bit like a child in a (huge) sweetie shop as I peer into boxes, my eyes lighting up when I spot several full of mascaras, face creams, nail polish and perfume.
Then there’s the clothing and designer shoes. And there’s food, treats and even beds for dogs.
In a corner, I spot multiple boxes of… hoverboards. I guess those will make fantastic Christmas presents for some kids.
Mixed in amongst the toiletries, staff sometimes find a variety of arguably dubious objects, including adult toys. Enough said.
“We certainly get some unusual items,” says Stuart. “Recently we had boxes of pestles and mortars. Surprisingly, they were hugely popular.”
How often do lorries arrive?
Lorries packed with goods arrive here in Lochgelly from Amazon’s colossal warehouse in Dunfermline several times a week.
Today, the team are expecting a least two deliveries – any time from 9am in the morning.
Shortly after 10am, there’s a rumble and the noise of reversing. A huge lorry has arrived, and Stuart and his team spring into action.
The latest delivery brings Christmas goodies galore including teddy bears, Transformers, dolls, cuddly toys, games, and much more.
“A lot of our charity partners make up gift bags for Christmas,” explains Stuart.
“And Amazon is really good at sending toys at this time of year.”
Giving to those in need
So how does it work? Essentially, the ‘‘coalition of compassion’, as Gordon Brown calls it, recycles companies’ surplus products by giving them to those in need.
The items, most of which hail from Amazon, but some come from other companies such as Pepsi Co, Morrisons, pharmaceutical companies, and charities, are delivered to the warehouse in Lochgelly.
After it’s been sorted by Stuart and his team, a network of volunteers and frontline workers select what is needed.
These include family support workers, teachers, health visitors, nurses, GPs and social workers.
The impact has been huge – it’s prevented families from being evicted and saved children from going into care.
It’s given many families a sense of hope: deliveries are something to look forward to, even if they include just the essentials.
Who heads to the multibank?
Addiction healthcare support workers Laura Cunningham and Kari Imrie head to the multibank every Thursday.
They both work in addiction services at Cameron Hospital near Windygates.
I catch up with the pair as they’re loading their car with goods.
“We cater for just got over 800 patients with different types of addiction,” explains Kari.
“The goods we pick up are for outpatients in highly deprived areas.
“A lot of them live in temporary accommodation so they’re expected to get tenancies without any white goods and things like that. This helps them get started.
“We try to make wee Christmas parcels for them, too. It’s a huge help.”
Kari and Laura select items from a weekly inventory, depending on their patients’ needs.
“Toiletries and things for personal care are always really important,” adds Kari.
What are some of the most popular items?
Lee Brown makes a beeline for the warehouse every week to collect items – and today she goes away armed with “loads of coffee and toilet roll”.
“I was originally just a parent, then became a volunteer, and now I’m doing a placement to be a pupil support assistant at Duloch Primary in Dunfermline,” she tells me.
“I pick up goods and put them outside the school so parents and others can come along and help themselves to what they need.
“It doesn’t matter who they are – everyone gets a chance.”
Coping with the cold
I also catch up with Gemma Morton, family support worker for the The Cottage Family Centre.
Her car is packed to the gunnels with items for two families in Kirkcaldy.
“A number of families we support struggle all year round but this time of year hits harder, with all their money going on fuel and essentials,” Gemma laments.
“Toiletries – things like toilet roll – can sometimes be a luxury, which is hard to imagine in this day and age.
“They struggle to afford things like shampoo and conditioner with their weekly shop.
“It’s so cold. Can you imagine being in a house where you can’t heat it?
“So I’ve got pillows, covers, sheets, and extra duvets for them.”
Lynn Cocker, a social worker based in Dunfermline, has been coming to the multibank three or four times a year since it launched.
“Today I’m picking up bedding, household goods like plates and cups and cleaning equipment for a family in need,” she explains.
What’s it like in the multibank warehouse?
Our chat is accompanied by the ever-present beeping of forklift trucks being used by warehouse operatives to move pallets.
These guys sure are active – and just as well because it’s an extremely cold environment, both inside the warehouse and out.
“We’re always on the go with deliveries and collections, ” says Stuart.
“But we’re well looked after, with jackets and warm gear supplied by charity partners.”
What about Gordon Brown? Surely the team are on first-name terms with the man?
Stuart laughs. “He always seems interested when he visits. He has a walk round to see what’s going on.
“Toilet rolls are his favourite, I think. He always likes to see we’ve got toilet rolls.”
From the mundane to the strange
A wander around the warehouse is mind-boggling.
There are tools, tubs of retro sweets, advent calendars, packets of spices, bedding, curtains, and seemingly hundreds of boxes of crisps and Cornflakes.
In another corner, I spot packs of paper and stationery, and even a steam wallpaper cleaner.
There’s Calvin Klein fragrance, dry shampoo, vitamins, sanitary products, designer shoes and clothing, rugby balls, jackets, sequined dresses, fluffy throws, and some cordless split end trimmers.
There’s a lot of whey protein powder, too.
“This isn’t for body builders,” says Stuart. “Those who don’t have a lot to spend on food can use this as a meal replacement.
“The thing is, by supplying these goods to people – whether bedding, nappies or toys – it means they can redirect their money to heating and food.”
How can multibank help at Christmas?
Kirsty Thomson, CEO of The Big House Multibank, points out that while Christmas is a season of “joy and generosity”, it can be “one of the most challenging times of the year” for families in poverty.
“It’s a period when the pressure to provide meals, gifts, and a festive atmosphere becomes overwhelming, especially when just meeting basic needs is already a struggle. This is where we step in,” she says.
Kirsty says many struggling families go without essentials, or take on debt to meet expectations for the season – and children can feel the sting of inequality among peers.
“The Big House Multibank fosters community care and dignity, ensuring that families can celebrate without compromising their well-being,” she adds.
“This Christmas, I hope more individuals and organisations step forward to support these efforts, whether by donating time, resources, or money.”
Who are the ‘big names’ behind the multibank?
The Big House Multibank in Lochgelly is the first of five across the UK which have redistributed an estimated five million goods to 500,000 families.
But it all began with Fife charity The Cottage Family Centre which supports families in Kirkcaldy, Gordon Brown’s home town and his constituency as an MP.
Mr Brown is the centre’s honorary patron and helps its annual Christmas food and toy appeal.
The comedian, writer and actor Arabella Weir, who made her name in BBC’s The Fast Show, is a board member of The Big House Multibank.
She’s signed up two Doctor Whos to the cause.
Peter Capaldi appears in a Christmas campaign for The Multibank while David Tennant hosted a star-studded fundraiser. Arabella is also roping in Elaine C Smith.
- This December The Courier is supporting the The Multibank Christmas campaign. You can donate money to help cover its costs and buy additional items for people in need.
Conversation