Local, home treasures: discover Emmaus

There’s treasure that gives back to the community with Emmaus, turning the perception of homelessness on its head while providing chic and unique interiors locally. Madeleine Reiss writes.

If you think of a homeless person the chances are you will conjure up an image of someone with no purpose and no potential. Someone who is the embodiment of all that we would least like to be.

Emmaus demonstrates that given the opportunity and the right support, people whose lives have become derailed can not only get themselves back on track but can also make a valuable contribution to the lives of others.

Next time you need to clear some clutter, are looking to re-home a sofa or to complete your collection of glassware or simply want to browse a little and visit a Community cafe you will be very welcome. You can shop or drop safe in the knowledge that your contribution will make a real and lasting difference.

Making furniture go further

Although all Emmaus shops sell good quality second hand furniture, the emphasis of each shop is slightly different. Some shops sell mended and tested white goods, or repaired bicycles, or vintage clothes or plants grown in Community gardens and allotments.  Others have craft sections for which volunteers use remnants of fabric and wool to create something new. Still others customise furniture or make bird boxes and planters or transform unwanted video cassettes into works of art.

With a double bed coming in at £45, a chest of drawers at £15 and a sofa at £50, a visit to an Emmaus shop will guarantee you a bargain. Those seeking quirky and retro pieces that they would be unable to find elsewhere will not be disappointed either. Stock varies according to what has been donated but recent finds include a 50’s picnic hamper complete with its original napkins, a neat sewing box disguised as an occasional table and an art deco lamp.

Recycling is a core value at Emmaus. Donated furniture, the buildings in which Communities are based and even the neighbourhoods in which Emmaus Communities are located get a fresh start thanks to the efforts of Emmaus Communities.

Recent independent research indicates one Emmaus Community can save nearly 900 tonnes of waste from going to landfill sites by the work that they do! Many items that can’t be refurbished or mended are stripped down to their component parts and sold as scrap. In addition, when Communities reduce the need for production of new items, they prevent production processes that harm the environment.

Abandoned factories, schools and convents become viable again when Emmaus Communities renovate them and move in, also providing a boost to local neighbourhoods and offering both a recycling service and affordable furniture.

The focus of work

Emmaus has 19 Communities across the UK in which previously homeless and unemployed people live and work. Each resident is required to sign off unemployment benefit and to work full time at the business of the Community, which is collecting and re-selling donated items of furniture in the Community shops. Not only do Emmaus Communities pay their own way, but any surplus income generated by the efforts of the residents is donated to other local charities and facilities.

Although a safe place to live is, of course, vital for everyone, simply providing shelter for someone who has been without adequate accommodation for a period of time is sometimes not enough. Being marginalised and ignored as many homeless people have been often has the effect of eroding self respect and confidence. Emmaus offers the focus and discipline of work which goes a long way towards restoring in the residents a sense of their own worth and potential.

Dave a resident at an Emmaus Community describes this process;
“Having work stops you brooding about the past and it gives you skills that you didn’t have before. Every time I collect something in the van or sell an item in the shop, I know that I am playing a part in my future and the future of the Community. I can look people in the eye now.”

Rather than assuming that everyone has the same problems Emmaus aims to treat people as individuals with very individual needs and aspirations.
To find out more about Emmaus visit, Emmaus.org.uk