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As the ongoing cost of living crisis continues to affect communities across the UK, Jay Blades has visited The Brick’s innovative project, Brick by Brick, which is supported by Comic Relief
Brick by Brick is a multibank run by The Brick and offers donated warm clothes, hygiene products, school uniforms, and bedding to people and families in the North West who are struggling to make ends meet
Money raised this Red Nose Day could help to put food on plates and roofs over heads, keep little ones safe and help support families affected by conflict and climate change
Viewers can watch the film in full during the Red Nose Day night of TV on Friday 15 March, from 7pm on BBC One and iPlayer
To support Comic Relief, you can donate online at comicrelief.com/donate
Thursday 14 March: This Red Nose Day, Jay Blades has visited a multibank in the North West of England to help shed light on the devastating impact of the ongoing cost of living crisis in the UK and the incredible work being done to help families who are struggling and can’t make ends meet.
According to a recent report from The Joseph Rowntree Foundation(opens in new window), approximately 3.8 million people in the UK, and around 1 million children, experienced destitution in 2023 – meaning they could not afford to adequately feed, clothe or clean themselves, or keep themselves warm.
The Brick, based in Wigan, is supporting people who are facing the most difficult circumstances at home and struggling to stay afloat. Through Brick by Brick, a multibank supported by Comic Relief, they provide essential support to individuals and families, taking surplus goods that have been donated by companies such as Amazon, and redistributing them to people who need them the most. This includes clothing, bedding, baby essentials, hygiene products, and school uniforms.
To best understand the needs of their local community, Brick by Brick work with charities, schools, social work teams, foodbanks, and health providers to help reduce the effects of hardship in the local area. This also contributes to a more circular economy by putting surplus products to good use by redistributing them to those in the greatest need instead.
During his visit, Jay spent time with The Brick’s CEO, Keely Dalfen, warehouse staff and staff from local organisations who make good use of the donations. Jay learnt how financial poverty and the cost-of-living crisis is impacting families in the area, and how vital support from Brick by Brick is providing more than just emergency help. He also learnt about how access to these essential goods can enable children to go to school in new clothes, remove the worry and burden of being unable to afford essential goods that most of us take for granted, and allow people to retain their dignity.
Jay Blades said: "I was completely blown away. I've worked with charities for 20 years, but I’ve never seen anything on this scale. What they are doing is phenomenal. I know things are so hard for so many people right now, but if you’re able to help, please donate what you can. With your help, Comic Relief can support even more incredible charities like The Brick to do the good work they’re doing. Just imagine how many families we can help if we all come together this Red Nose Day."
Keely Dalfen, CEO of The Brick by Wigan, said: "People around the world and in the UK are struggling, including those that could be living in our own streets. There are millions and millions of people in this country who are going without the basic essentials that we take for granted every day, like warm clothes, shampoo and bedding. The Brick is inclusive and needing help is not something anyone should feel ashamed of. Support from Comic Relief means we can reach even more families in the local area, helping to reduce some of the worries and stresses they face every day."
Keely added: “Everybody has a talent and poverty deprives us of that talent, I want to see people thrive and be able to reach their absolute potential. My hope for the future is that this is a stepping stone for people, and we can move towards a place where people can live comfortably."
Samir Patel, CEO of Comic Relief, said: "We're proud to support organisations like The Brick who are providing a lifeline to families and communities who need it the most. Right now, millions of families across the country are in need our urgent support.
“Our thanks go out to Jay for helping to raise awareness of the stark reality facing so many people here in the UK and to all the incredible people working tirelessly to support those who are struggling to get by. With your brilliant support this Red Nose Day, we can help even more people that are experiencing the impact of poverty in their daily lives."
Comic Relief and Amazon have partnered to help establish multibanks, like Brick by Brick. Together they have created a new Multibank Fund and aim to support six multibanks by the end of the year, with a goal of supporting hundreds of thousands of families across the UK.
The Red Nose Day night of TV returns on Friday 15 March, from 7pm on BBC One, BBC Two and iPlayer. Throughout the evening, a range of films – including Jay’s visit to The Brick – will allow viewers to see how their donations could help, and have helped, people trying to get by in the face of poverty and injustice in the UK and around the world.
To support Comic Relief, donate online at comicrelief.com/donate.
ENDS
*Data taken from the following report: Destitution in the UK 2023 | Joseph Rowntree Foundation (jrf.org.uk)(opens in new window)
ASSETS AVAILABLE
Photos of Jay Blades visiting The Brick – available here: https://dam.gettyimages.com/s/nbwpgpxjwvrrcgcn8qv2(opens in new window)
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Comic Relief Press Office
020 7820 2500
media@comicrelief.com
www.comicrelief.com/media-centre
Out of hours enquiries: 07984 510 473
NOTES TO EDITORS
About Red Nose Day
Red Nose Day is back on Friday 15 March 2024!
It’s that time of year when incredible cake-bakers, joke-makers, telly-watchers, t shirt-wearers, Red Nose-buyers and laugh-til-you-cryers, do something to fight poverty through humour and fun, for communities here in the UK and around the world.
We know that when people come together, great things can happen. So, this March, Comic Relief is uniting the nation to Do Something Funny for Money. The money raised could help put food on plates and roofs over heads, keep little ones safe and help support families affected by conflict and climate change. Having a laugh can make a serious difference.
There are lots of ways to take part in Red Nose Day. To find out more, visit www.comicrelief.com/rednoseday or follow @comicrelief on social media.
Red Nose Day is an initiative of Comic Relief.
About Comic Relief
Comic Relief is a UK charity that uses the power of entertainment and popular culture to work towards a vision of a just world free from poverty. We raise money to support organisations that are closest to the communities who can make change happen. We support work that will tackle the impact of poverty, injustice, conflict, and climate change in the UK and around the world.
Since launching in 1985, we have raised over £1.5 billion thanks to the huge generosity and kindness of the public and our partners. For more information on our work, visit www.comicrelief.com or follow @comicrelief on X (opens in new window)(formerly Twitter), Facebook(opens in new window), Instagram(opens in new window), LinkedIn (opens in new window)and TikTok (opens in new window)for the latest content and news.
Comic Relief is the operating name of Charity Projects, registered charity in England & Wales (326568) and Scotland (SC039730).
