Ex-PM Brown and Comic Relief invite businesses to join ‘coalition of compassion’

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Former prime minister Gordon Brown has joined forces with Comic Relief to launch an appeal to groups including big businesses to help the “growing needs” of families experiencing poverty. I’m delighted to welcome Comic Relief to our coalition of compassion, helping us to lift even more families out of material poverty whilst at the same time helping reduce waste and promote recycling and reuse of products Former prime minister Gordon Brown At an event in London on Thursday, Comic Relief and online giant Amazon will offer to help expand the initiative, with a goal of supporting half a million families from six Multibanks by the end of 2024. Our goal is to help as many families as possible by connecting surplus essentials from Amazon and other businesses with those who need it most John Boumphrey, Amazon UK “I’m delighted to welcome Comic Relief to our coalition of compassion, helping us to lift even more families out of material poverty whilst at the same time helping reduce waste and promote recycling and reuse of products. “We’re calling for businesses to come on board and join our coalition of compassion – help us to ensure that no good product goes to waste, and no family goes without the basics they need.” We are proud to help take this much-needed initiative to the next level with a new dedicated Multibank Fund and establish these critical lifelines in more communities across the UK Samir Patel, Comic Relief Samir Patel, chief executive of Comic Relief, said: “Families are in crisis across the country.