Amazon has donated £1,000 to a Romford charity that positively impacts young people through music.

The donation was made to Romford Drum and Trumpet Corps (RDTC), a youth military-style marching band based in Havering. The charity is one of the oldest independent youth marching bands in England, which has provided the young people of Romford and surrounding areas with music tuition, travel and self-development opportunities for over 60 years.

The donation will go towards the purchase of new instruments.

Jack Jones works as a Senior Technical Account Manager at Amazon in London, and he nominated RDTC for the donation. He said:

“As a current Trustee of RDTC and former band member of 10 years, I enjoyed many trips, new experiences, learned to play several musical instruments, and made many life-long friendships through the charity. It is also where I met my wife and we both have seen first-hand the positive impact it has had on so many young lives. I’m eternally grateful to RDTC and pleased Amazon can give back in this way. I know this donation will be put to great use for its members and help to secure its future.”

Kerrie Kavanagh, Secretary of RDTC, added:

“We would like to say thank you to Jack and the Amazon team for this donation. This support will be invested in our young people so they will have the best possible environment, opportunities and experiences.”

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 3 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.