Burnley Soroptimists are supporting Emmaus Burnley as one of their ongoing charities.
Many people ask “What is Emmaus?”. Emmaus is the homeless charity that works. The Emmaus Movement began in 1949 from the Paris housing crisis after the Second World War. Since then, it has established 400 active communities in over44 countries including the UK. Emmaus offers homeless men and women a place to be safe and secure. Each Companion (as residents are called) has his or her comfortable room, whilst living and working in the Community. Everyone living in an Emmaus Community works full time for the Community’s charitable business by collecting and refurbishing donated furniture and household goods, which are then sold at reasonable prices.
Homelessness is a very real problem in Burnley. Government figures for 2001/2 placed Burnley Borough in the top 30 local housing authorities in England for the rate of homelessness per head of population. Emmaus Burnley has established a Community of up to 28 homeless people. With the aid of a Government grant of 1 million and sizeable donations from a number of Charitable Trusts added to ongoing fund-raising by local churches and groups including Burnley Soroptimists, it was been possible to buy a former sheltered housing complex which was adapted and renovated to suit the Community’s needs.
Emmaus Burnley was officially launched in March 2009 by Terry Waite, the President of Emmaus UK. The event, held in St. Peter’s Church, was extremely well attended by members of the local business community and many local organisations. A Board of Trustees has been established to administer the charity. A Project Director and a Project Administrator have been appointed, both of whom work on a paid, part-time basis. One of the Burnley Soroptimists, Ann Haddock, is a Trustee and is Chairman of the Fundraising, Awareness and Communications Group.
In March 2009, Burnley Soroptimists held an Olde Time Music Hall which raised £770 for the local Emmaus project and proudly presented the cheque at the official launch. In September 2009, a fun mock race night called “Going to the Dogs” raised a further £1000+. Since then the Club has raised money on an annual basis.
Emmaus Burnley is now up and running with a full complement of Companions in the residential units and a thriving second hand goods initiative.
Club member Mrs Ann Haddock is our link person with the Emmaus group and Burnley Soroptimists continue to support the project as part of the Programme Action work .