Emmaus Colchester: Palladian Press Charity of the Year, 2008-2009

Emmaus is a practical and inspiring charity that gives homeless people a place to live and work, and the chance to rebuild their lives in a supportive environment.

It does this by opening residential communities for homeless people, providing them with full-time jobs collecting, renovating and reselling donated furniture. These endeavours provide financial support for each Community.

After almost a decade of planning and fundraising for construction costs, including money raised at its popular Arthur Street second-hand furniture store, Emmaus Colchester has just opened its brand-new residential Community building for 20 homeless people. The charity is now raising funds to ensure that their new “Companions” experience a welcoming, well managed and productive experience whilst living there.

Emmaus Colchester is also raising funds to open a larger furniture store and a new wood recycling centre, where Companions will generate woodchips for use in the Community’s own boiler and for sale to the general public.

Emmaus has given hope and purpose to homeless people since former French Resistance member Abbé Pierre founded it in 1949. As his first ever Companion said of him: “Whatever else he might have given me – money, home, somewhere to work – I’d have still tried to kill myself again. What I was missing, and what he offered, was something to live for.”

Palladian Press wants to do all it can to help homeless people in Colchester have something to live for. That’s why it has nominated Emmaus Colchester as its Charity of the Year for 2008-2009 and plans, with your help over the next six months, to raise at least £20,000 by June 2009.

Click the Justgiving logo to donate now. Thank you for your support.