Back-to-school kits donated to more than 10,500 children in need

A campaign has been launched to help parents cope with the cost of buying clothes and other items for their children ahead of the new school term.

The Multibank charity, founded by former prime minister Gordon Brown, is planning to support more than 10,500 children across the UK by partnering with major brands to donate backpacks containing back-to-school items for families in need.

Kit for Kids

The so-called Kits For Kids campaign is being rolled out this week by The Multibank in six communities in Wales, Scotland, Greater Manchester, London, Tees Valley and Birmingham.

The campaign follows research by a Multibank charity partner, The Felix Project, which found that 67% of teachers in the UK are concerned the children they teach will have experienced hunger over the summer holidays.

The Multibank is working with Amazon, book publishers Pan Macmillan, Hasbro, Colgate, the Bookmark Reading Charity and the Manchester City In The Community foundation, which has donated end-of-season kits and football shirts.

Backpacks

The backpacks for primary school pupils include a lunch bag, water bottle, colouring pens, a notepad and more, while those being given to students at secondary school contain a scientific calculator, a geometry set and a notepad among useful supplies.

The bags were packed by Amazon volunteers at The Multibank’s six UK sites.

Mr Brown said: “The hunger, poverty and the lack of opportunity being experienced by so many children across Britain this saddens all of us, but I am heartened too by the compassion across The Multibank which brings businesses and charities together to make a real difference and bring hope and the much-needed stuff of household life to families and children experiencing poverty.

“This summer The Multibank Kits For Kids campaign shows that when it comes to supporting the nation’s children, the reservoir of will across British businesses to do good as well as do well is there.”