Monday March 9th 2026
Big House Multibank operate as a clothes, bedding and furniture bank (photo by Sarah Brown)
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Catherine Hunter
A Scottish charity working to combat poverty while operating as a clothes, bedding, and furniture bank is looking to expand its operation into Glasgow.
Big House Multibank is an initiative that connects with companies by taking their surplus goods to reduce the effects of poverty, enabling children to access opportunities while contributing to a sustainable economy.
The multibank which also offers baby, hygiene products and toys is proposing a warehouse in the city to provide clothes, bedding, toiletries, furniture and household items to families across Scotland’s biggest region to reduce poverty.
A feasibility study will be carried out on behalf of The Multibank, Scotland which was launched in Fife four years ago by former UK Prime Minister, the Rt Hon Gordon Brown.
This will consider the prospect of a Multibank warehouse – providing clothes, bedding, toiletries, furniture and more household items – directly to families across Scotland’s biggest region, with the aim of reducing poverty and maximising sustainable re-use of surplus business stock.
The scoping work will be undertaken by Community Enterprise, a consultancy with over three decades experience of carrying out feasibility studies.
Supported and funded by Glasgow City Region the study will consider the scale and nature of poverty across communities in Glasgow and the wider region, areas of highest need, how many families might benefit, potential collaborators as well as possible funders, logistics and costs.
Commenting, Alice Moxley, CEO of Multibank Scotland said: “The Multibank concept sources surplus goods at scale from business partners. Through a robust referral system with our network of family charity partners these are redistributed, free at the point of delivery, to people who need them and are struggling to make ends meet.
“Crucially this directly improves countless lives while also reducing corporate waste by maximising social benefits. The model has proven successful, with our base in Fife and a presence in Edinburgh, Dundee, and Perth, as well as Multibanks in Manchester, Swansea, London, Birmingham and the Tees Valley.
“Glasgow itself has the highest levels of child poverty in any Scottish local government area and a potential expansion into the city and wider Region would meet a very obvious need.
“Work is at an early stage and will require careful consideration about how to design a model which helps address entrenched poverty across Glasgow. However, our hope is that in due course the feasibility study will allow us to move forward with a plan which will successfully deliver a Glasgow City Region Multibank.”
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