Volunteers from the Amazon fulfilment centre in Durham have been working with the East Durham Trust, based in Peterlee and supporting community organisations across 22 towns and villages.
A donation of £1,000 has also been made towards its new community hub.
Established in 2006, East Durham Trust works directly with community members and partners to facilitate preventative intervention and crisis support services. As the next phase of developing the infrastructure for community development and resilience, the Trust is working in partnership with a range of charities and support organisations to provide a “one stop shop” for all members of the community.
Across three sessions, 21 employees from the Amazon fulfilment centre in Durham volunteered to move furniture and equipment, assist with painting, cleared an outdoor space and a range of other activities to bring the space to life. Partners at the hub include Age UK County Durham, Durham Christian Partnership, a national advice charity and a growing list of other organisations.
The community hub will include two foodbanks working together, regular coffee mornings, appointment-based benefits and debt advice, and support with budgeting as part of the first phase of a development project as the Trust evolves.
David Hall, General Manager at Amazon in Durham, said: “East Durham Trust is a vital organisation in our area, with well-established partnerships that help it to advocate for the community. We are proud to be involved in supporting the creation of a community hub and wish the staff and volunteers the best ahead of its reopening.”
Sammie Hurton works at Amazon in Durham and took part in the volunteer day. She added: “It was brilliant to be involved in helping out at the new community hub with members of our team and other local organisations. We had a great day coming together for an important cause.”
Graham Lindup at East Durham Trust said: “Thank you to David and the team in Durham for their support, enthusiasm and assistance in getting our new community hub ready. We couldn’t have done it so quickly without their help, and it’s great to have the hub ready ahead of Christmas, which can be a challenging time for many.
“Two of the volunteers who attended as part of the groups are now volunteering individually using their professional skills to help the Trust progress forward on its mission. Both of which are doing so in their free time, which is testament to the character of the Amazon staff’s dedication to support their local community.”
Community donations and employee volunteering are just two of the ways Amazon supports the communities where it operates. Amazon co-founded the Multibank initiative with former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown to support families in need. The initiative has donated more than three million surplus goods to over 400,000 families across Scotland, Wales, Greater Manchester, and London.
Amazon has supported more than 700,000 students across the UK with free STEM education programmes through Amazon Future Engineer and helps community organisations transport meals and other essentials to families in need through its pro bono logistics programme, Amazon Local Good.
Amazon partners with Comic Relief and is the official home of the charity’s iconic Red Nose. Together with its employees, customers, and partners, Amazon has raised over £4.8 million to fund projects that support people across the UK, and around the world.
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