The history

Emmaus started in France shortly after the Second World War, when homelessness was a big issue.

The first Emmaus community was founded in Paris, in 1949, by Father Henri-Antoine Grouès, better known as Abbé Pierre. He was an MP, Catholic priest and former member of the French Resistance who fought to provide homes for those who lived on the streets of Paris.

One night, a man called Georges was brought to Abbé Pierre after a failed suicide attempt. Georges had been released after 20 years in prison, only to find his family unable to cope with his return home, leaving him with nowhere to go. He turned to the Abbé for help, but instead Abbé Pierre asked Georges to help him, building houses for the homeless mothers who came looking for his support.

Georges became the first Emmaus companion, living with Abbé Pierre and helping him to build temporary homes for those in need, first in the priest’s own garden, then wherever land could be bought or scrounged. He later said:

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.”

Georges – the first Emmaus companion

In 1951, Abbé Pierre resigned as an MP to devote himself to fighting homelessness and poverty. Until then, he had used his salary to pay Georges and the other 18 men who had joined them to set up the first ever Emmaus community, but leaving his job meant that no money was coming in. Instead, he toured the smart restaurants of Paris asking for donations.

When the companions found out about this they were outraged, feeling that begging would compromise their self-respect. So, to raise money, they became “rag pickers”, collecting things that people no longer wanted and selling them on. This was the start of the first Emmaus social enterprise.

1954 – The uprising of kindness

One January day in 1954, Abbé Pierre learned that the baby of a homeless couple had frozen to death in the night. Some days later he heard that a woman had died of hypothermia on the streets having been evicted from her home. Angered by these needless deaths, he sent an open letter to newspapers and made a famous radio appeal to the nation:

My friends, come help… A woman froze to death tonight at 3:00am, on the pavement of Sebastopol Boulevard, clutching the eviction notice which the day before had made her homeless… Each night, more than two thousand endure the cold, without food, without bread, more than one almost naked. To face this horror, emergency lodgings are not enough…

…Everyone can help those who are homeless. We need, tonight, and at the latest tomorrow, five thousand blankets, three hundred big American tents, and two hundred catalytic stoves…. Thanks to you, no man, no child, will sleep on the asphalt or on the waterfronts of Paris tonight.”

Abbé Pierre

The French public responded and gifts and support flooded in. Emmaus communities opened across France. Abbé Pierre became an international figure and travelled the world spreading the word about Emmaus, leading to new communities being set up on four continents.

Abbé Pierre continued to campaign until his death, in January 2007, aged 94. His funeral on 26 January 2007, at the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris, was attended by numerous distinguished guests, but according to his wishes, it was Emmaus companions who sat at the front of the congregation.

Emmaus in the UK

Emmaus had been established in France for 40 years before it came to the UK in the early 1990s, all thanks to a chance encounter at a Cambridge soup kitchen.

In 1989, Cambridge businessman, Selwyn Image was volunteering at a soup and sandwich shelter in the city. He was keen to find out what he could do to help from the people who were using the shelter.

In one particular conversation, a homeless man shot down every idea that Selwyn had. Increasingly frustrated, he asked: “Well, what do you want?” The man responded: “I would have thought that would have been obvious to an intelligent man like you. I want somewhere where I can work, where I feel I belong, and where I can recover my self-respect.”

Then, in a sentence that would change Selwyn’s life forever, the man said: “And what are you going to do about it?”

Selwyn remembered some work experience he had done 30 years previously in Paris, when trying to brush up his French for a language exam. It was at a social enterprise which provided a home and work to people who had experienced homelessness, and it seemed to provide just what this man was asking for.

Not knowing if Emmaus even still existed, the next day Selwyn went to the library and picked up a Paris phone book. He managed to reach Abbé Pierre, told him he would like to open an Emmaus community in Cambridge, and Emmaus UK was born.

Since the first community opened in the UK in 1991, Emmaus has grown quickly. There are now 29 communities spread across the UK, with a further four groups currently working to establish new communities. The UK is now the largest Emmaus movement outside of France.

There are now more than 750 Emmaus companions living at communities stretching from Glasgow to Dover. Each one has at least one shop or social enterprise, with many running successful cafés, shops, gardening projects and removal companies.

No two Emmaus communities are the same – each has its own individual personality, providing a set of services which meet the needs of its local area. For many, Emmaus offers a welcoming place to visit, to speak with companions, volunteers and staff.

The strategic plan

Our vision is for:

A world in which everyone has a home and a sense of belonging

Our mission is:

To work together to overcome homelessness and social exclusion while using our voice to achieve social change

Our seven strategic goals:

Emmaus operates a range of social enterprises in order to achieve financial sustainability.
Emmaus is working with companions to realise their aspirations and potential.
Federation members are demonstrating organisational sustainability and ethical practice.
The Emmaus federation is demonstrating unity and is working together for mutual benefit.
Emmaus is well known and respected and is using its voice to address the causes and consequences of homelessness and social exclusion.
Emmaus in the UK is an active contributor and influencer in the international Emmaus movement.
Emmaus is increasing the number of companion rooms and is providing non-residential opportunities.

This means, by 2020 we will have:

1000 companion places
100 opportunities for non-residential companions
Stronger social enterprises
Structured support and training plans for all companions
Companions on all of our boards and committees
More companions moving into employment
Started campaigning for change
Better recognition for the fantastic work we do

The values

At Emmaus our values are at the centre of everything we do.

Value and respect every person, opposing injustice
Be transparent and honest in all our dealings
Demonstrate solidarity and support for those in need
Create an environment of empowerment
Share and exchange resources, skills and learning
Support and foster interdependence and independence
Work to live and give

Homelessness

Homelessness can take many forms.

Often, the view people can have of someone who is homeless is of a person sleeping in a shop doorway or on park benches, but there are also huge numbers of people staying with friends or sofa-surfing. This is the side of homelessness we might not see, but it can have just as devastating an impact on the lives of the people going through it.

Why do people become homeless?

There are a wide range of reasons that people become homeless. We asked a sample of our companions for the circumstances that led to their homelessness.

The main factor that contributed to Emmaus companions becoming homeless was relationship breakdown, or for younger companions it was being asked to leave home by their parents.

Other factors that had a big impact were losing their home, losing their job, problems with drugs and alcohol and mental health issues.

What support is available?

Much of the support that is available is only able to provide a bed for the night and a hot meal, but the next morning they are back on the streets again. This doesn’t necessarily give the individual the opportunity to address the root cause of their homelessness and find a long term way to overcome it.

This is where Emmaus is different. We don’t just offer a bed for the night, we offer a home for as long as someone needs it, as well as meaningful work in our social enterprises.

This opportunity, to become part of a community and make a contribution to it, plays an important role in restoring self-esteem and helping companions to find a way to overcome homelessness in the long term.

What they do

Communities

Emmaus communities provide a home and meaningful work to people who have experienced homelessness and social exclusion.

Most offer between 20 and 40 places for people to live. Once someone joins an Emmaus community, they are known as an Emmaus companion.

There are currently 29 Emmaus communities spread across the UK, supporting more than 750 formerly homeless people. There are also four Emmaus groups working to set up new communities to help us to reach our target of offering at least 1,000 companion places by 2020.

Unlike a lot of provision for homeless people, Emmaus communities offer a home for as long as someone needs it. Emmaus companions get a room of their own, food, clothing and a small weekly allowance. In return, we ask:

that companions work for 40 hours per week, or give as much time as they are able, in the community’s social enterprise;
that they behave in a respectful way towards one another;
that no alcohol or illegal drugs are used on the premises;
that they sign off all benefits, with the exception of housing benefit.

Although living in a community isn’t for everyone, it can offer the companionship and support that many people who have experienced homelessness have lost. This can be key to helping someone to stop, take stock, and start to regain a sense of control and stability in their lives.

Social enterprise

Social enterprise is central to the Emmaus model as it provides meaningful work for companions but also generates the funding that maintains our communities.

Work is an integral part of community life, and the social enterprise side of the community helps to generate the income that will ultimately make each of our communities self-sustaining, something every community is working towards.

Our research shows that 79% of companions who have lived at Emmaus for a few months say that working and having something to do every day has been most beneficial part of their experience.

The main business activity for Emmaus communities is collecting donated furniture and household goods and selling them in our shops. Some items are refurbished or, in the case of electrical items, PAT tested for safety.

We also run Emmaus cafés, house clearance businesses, gardening projects and clothing shops. Many Emmaus communities also “upcycle” old furniture, re-painting and re-upholstering it to give it a new lease of life before it is sold on. This gives Emmaus companions the opportunity to gain new skills, or use their existing creative flair to bring something back into use.

Everyone at Emmaus plays a part in keeping the community and the business running smoothly.

Recycling

One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.

Emmaus doesn’t just make a difference to people’s lives, it also helps save the environment, by recycling and reusing as much as possible.

In 2014-15 Emmaus saved more than 4000 tonnes of goods from going to landfill.

Many of our communities have workshops where companions, staff and volunteers work together to restore furniture that may have been neglected. This gives companions the chance to learn new skills, or use existing ones, while also taking great pride in giving donated items a new lease of life:

”When the furniture comes into the workshop, it’s a bit battered but we see the potential it has and we restore it to something beautiful again. It’s a bit like when we come to Emmaus; we might have had a rough time but Emmaus gives us a chance to sort our lives out.” Drew, companion at Emmaus Hastings & Rother

Emmaus communities depend on donations of second-hand items to keep them going and will always try to find a way to reuse any donations they receive, often finding quirky ways to do it.

By donating the items you no longer need from your home to Emmaus, you’re helping to provide a home to someone who needs it.

Furniture recycling

Whether you’re looking to do home improvements and want your old furniture to go to a good place, or you’re looking to create a quality, vintage look in your home, Emmaus can help.

If you let us know what you have to donate, we can arrange to have them collected from you. We are able to take donations of sofas and upholstered items, as long as they have a fire label attached.

We do sell the items we collect, so it’s important they’re in a resalable condition, although a few dents and scratches don’t usually cause a problem as we can work on them in our workshops and make them as good as new again.

For shoppers, our furniture shops and warehouses offer a treasure trove of goodies, at excellent prices. Call into your local store to see what’s on sale.

Recycle electrical goods

Just because you have a flashy new TV, doesn’t mean you want the old one to end up in landfill. This is where Emmaus can help.

It can be difficult to find people who recycle electrical items, as they can only be resold if they have been properly tested.

Most of our charity shops accept electrical goods

Most of our communities have companions trained to carry out PAT testing on electrical items, so we can check they’re safe before we sell them on.

Contact your local Emmaus to find out if they can take your donation.

Recycle clothing

Give your wardrobe an overhaul and help Emmaus.

We accept donations of clothing and fabric. We can also take donations of shoes and boots, belts and bags.

Not only that, but when you bring in your donation you can take the opportunity to re-stock your wardrobe with some of the items we’re selling in store.

Solidarity

Emmaus is a charity that gives back.

One of the most important parts of the Emmaus ethos is solidarity. This means working to help someone less fortunate than yourself.

This can be very valuable for Emmaus companions as it is often key to helping to rebuild self-esteem, proving that everyone has the capacity to make a difference to the lives of others.

Acts of solidarity can vary from raising money for a charity that means a lot to the companion or community, to doing work to help someone in the wider local community.

Some companions choose to support Emmaus projects in other parts of the world by sending donations to those who may struggle to collect them themselves. Shipping container units are regularly filled with furniture and other goods collected from communities all over the UK. These are then shipped to countries which struggle to access many of these items. These overseas Emmaus groups then sell the goods to raise money for their own communities.

Every Emmaus community holds a solidarity sale each year to raise money for Emmaus projects in poorer parts of the world.

In 2014-2015, more than £146,500 cash was given to solidarity causes. More than 7,900 hours were worked and nearly £100,000 of goods were donated by Emmaus communities across the UK.

MAKING AND IMPACT REPORT

EMMAUS