Emmaus (charity)
Encyclopedia
Emmaus is an international charitable
movement founded in France
in 1949 by the priest Abbé Pierre
to combat poverty
and homelessness
.
Since 1971 regional and national initiatives have been grouped under a parent organisation, Emmaus International, now run by Jean Rousseau, representing 310 groups in 36 countries, offering a range of charitable services.
Emmaus is not a religious organisation, but Communities around the world have kept the name because of its symbolism. The biblical story, found in the Gospel of Luke
, describes how two men saw the resurrected Jesus at the town of Emmaus
, and so regained hope. Emmaus is a secular organisation which embraces people from all backgrounds, and retains its biblical name to represent the way that Emmaus Communities are places where people can regain hope for the future.
The organization's goals can be found in the Universal Manifesto of Emmaus International:
Emmaus Cambridge, in Landbeach
, was the first Emmaus community to be established in the UK. It was a site converted from several barns and was opened by Terry Waite
on 1 July 1992.
Emmaus Bolton is located at Derby Barracks in Bolton
. The former Territorial Army Barracks
have been refurbished and now serve as accommodation for up to 22 residents. The Community runs a furniture shop, including a delivery service.
Emmaus Brighton & Hove is situated in Portslade village on the South coast
of England, four miles from the centre of Brighton
. It is the largest Emmaus community in the UK, and its "Second-hand Superstore" is the largest second-hand shop in the South of England.
Emmaus Bristol, located in St Philips, Bristol
, became the tenth Emmaus Community in the UK when Terry Waite
opened Shaftesbury House in September 2003. They also have a Second-hand Superstore and a charity shop in Bedminster Parade.
Emmaus Burnley, located in the Daneshouse area of Burnley
, became the twentieth Emmaus Community in the UK when Terry Waite
opened it in 2011.
Emmaus Colchester opened its Community residence in August 2008, and also runs a furniture store. It was named Charity of the Year 2009 by Palladian Press.
Emmaus Coventry & Warwickshire opened its doors to residents in 1993 at the Old Vicarage, in an acre and a half of grounds which are kept neat and tidy by the residents themselves. The growing allotment brings the Community ever closer to its aim of self-sufficiency. The Community shop is located on Red Lane, Coventry
.
Emmaus Glasgow is the first Emmaus Community in Scotland
. It opened in January 2006 and provides accommodation for up to 24 people, as well as running a shop Tuesday-Friday, which is located in Hamiltonhill
.
Emmaus Gloucestershire, a renovated former nurses’ home, was opened in 2001. Their business activities include a Secondhand Superstore in Gloucester
, and charity shops in Nailsworth
and Cheltenham
.
Emmaus Greenwich, in Plumstead
, was converted from an unneeded children's home, and was opened by Prince Charles on 29 November 1994, in the presence of Abbé Pierre
and Robert Runcie
.
Emmaus Hampshire is located in Winchester
. Its Community shop is open Thursday-Sunday and the income it generates supports the Community and its residents.
Emmaus Hastings opened in 2011. Its Community shop is located in St Leonards on Sea.
Emmaus Preston runs a shop at 49-50 Friargate, Preston.
Emmaus Leeds was established as a Community on 3 November 2004. Its second-hand furniture store offers free collection and delivery to all Leeds post codes, and it also runs a furniture stall on Leeds market in Leeds city centre.
Emmaus Mossley, in Greater Manchester
, was converted from a former cotton waste mill, Longlands Mill. The building was empty and becoming derelict when it was bought by Emmaus in 1996. The building, still called Longlands Mill, also houses the Mossley Industrial Heritage Centre
, which records the history of the cotton industry in Mossley
.
Emmaus Oxford is one of Emmaus' newest communities, having opened its doors for 24 residents on 16 March 2009. It took over an existing furniture store on 1 June and re-named it the "Emmaus Oxford Second-hand Superstore".
Emmaus Sheffield is located on Cadman Street, a short walk from Sheffield
Canal Basin. Emmaus Sheffield opened its shop in August 2007, and welcomed its first residents in January 2008.
Emmaus South Lambeth is located in West Norwood
, London
. They operate a furniture shop and a boutique, on Knights Hill, West Norwood, London, SE27. Emmaus South Lambeth are now also selling items on eBay (username emmaussouthlambeth) and have a Facebook and Twitter page. South Lambeth currently house 27 Companions, who live and work in the Community. Companions are responsible for the running of the business and are empowered to make decisions about the operating of the community. An article on Emmaus South Lambeth featutured in 'The Pavement' magazine in 2009 - http://www.thepavement.org.uk/story.php?story=817
Emmaus St. Albans is in St. Albans, Hertfordshire
and houses 24 people. The Community runs two shops, one joined to the Community building and the other located 8 miles away in Batford. Emmaus St Albans can also be found on Facebook.
Emmaus St. Martin's is located in Dover
, Kent
, fifteen minutes' walk from Dover Priory train station. It houses 21 residents and also works to collect, refurbish and re-sell donated furniture.
Emmaus Village Carlton is located in Bedfordshire
, on the site of the old St Margaret's School in Carlton
. It runs a second-hand shop selling bric-a-brac
, jewellery and books, and also a furniture showroom.
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
movement founded in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in 1949 by the priest Abbé Pierre
Abbé Pierre
LAbbé Pierre, was a French Catholic priest, member of the Resistance during World War II, and deputy of the Popular Republican Movement . He founded in 1949 the Emmaus movement, which has the goal of helping poor and homeless people and refugees...
to combat poverty
Poverty
Poverty is the lack of a certain amount of material possessions or money. Absolute poverty or destitution is inability to afford basic human needs, which commonly includes clean and fresh water, nutrition, health care, education, clothing and shelter. About 1.7 billion people are estimated to live...
and homelessness
Homelessness
Homelessness describes the condition of people without a regular dwelling. People who are homeless are unable or unwilling to acquire and maintain regular, safe, and adequate housing, or lack "fixed, regular, and adequate night-time residence." The legal definition of "homeless" varies from country...
.
Since 1971 regional and national initiatives have been grouped under a parent organisation, Emmaus International, now run by Jean Rousseau, representing 310 groups in 36 countries, offering a range of charitable services.
Emmaus is not a religious organisation, but Communities around the world have kept the name because of its symbolism. The biblical story, found in the Gospel of Luke
Gospel of Luke
The Gospel According to Luke , commonly shortened to the Gospel of Luke or simply Luke, is the third and longest of the four canonical Gospels. This synoptic gospel is an account of the life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth. It details his story from the events of his birth to his Ascension.The...
, describes how two men saw the resurrected Jesus at the town of Emmaus
Emmaus
Emmaus was an ancient town located approximately northwest of present day Jerusalem...
, and so regained hope. Emmaus is a secular organisation which embraces people from all backgrounds, and retains its biblical name to represent the way that Emmaus Communities are places where people can regain hope for the future.
The organization's goals can be found in the Universal Manifesto of Emmaus International:
Emmaus in the UK
In the United Kingdom the charity provides would-be homeless people with a home and work, usually collecting, sorting and reselling donated furniture and household goods. Emmaus UK acts as a central resource to local Emmaus Communities across the UK.Existing Communities
There are currently 21 Emmaus Communities open in the UK, and several more are in development. The Communities provide accommodation and employment for would-be homeless people.Emmaus Cambridge, in Landbeach
Landbeach
Landbeach is a small fen-edge English village about five miles north of Cambridge. The parish covers an area of .-History:The fen edge north of Cambridge was well populated in Roman times, and the village's situation on a Roman road will have helped its growth...
, was the first Emmaus community to be established in the UK. It was a site converted from several barns and was opened by Terry Waite
Terry Waite
Terry Waite CBE is an English humanitarian and author.Waite was Archbishop of Canterbury Robert Runcie's Assistant for Anglican Communion Affairs in the 1980s. As an envoy for the Church of England, he travelled to Lebanon to try to secure the release of four hostages including journalist John...
on 1 July 1992.
Emmaus Bolton is located at Derby Barracks in Bolton
Bolton
Bolton is a town in Greater Manchester, in the North West of England. Close to the West Pennine Moors, it is north west of the city of Manchester. Bolton is surrounded by several smaller towns and villages which together form the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, of which Bolton is the...
. The former Territorial Army Barracks
Barracks
Barracks are specialised buildings for permanent military accommodation; the word may apply to separate housing blocks or to complete complexes. Their main object is to separate soldiers from the civilian population and reinforce discipline, training and esprit de corps. They were sometimes called...
have been refurbished and now serve as accommodation for up to 22 residents. The Community runs a furniture shop, including a delivery service.
Emmaus Brighton & Hove is situated in Portslade village on the South coast
South Coast
South Coast is a name often given to coastal areas to the south of a geographical region or major metropolitan area.-Australia:*South Coast refers to the coast of New South Wales Australia south of Sydney....
of England, four miles from the centre of Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
. It is the largest Emmaus community in the UK, and its "Second-hand Superstore" is the largest second-hand shop in the South of England.
Emmaus Bristol, located in St Philips, Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
, became the tenth Emmaus Community in the UK when Terry Waite
Terry Waite
Terry Waite CBE is an English humanitarian and author.Waite was Archbishop of Canterbury Robert Runcie's Assistant for Anglican Communion Affairs in the 1980s. As an envoy for the Church of England, he travelled to Lebanon to try to secure the release of four hostages including journalist John...
opened Shaftesbury House in September 2003. They also have a Second-hand Superstore and a charity shop in Bedminster Parade.
Emmaus Burnley, located in the Daneshouse area of Burnley
Burnley
Burnley is a market town in the Burnley borough of Lancashire, England, with a population of around 73,500. It lies north of Manchester and east of Preston, at the confluence of the River Calder and River Brun....
, became the twentieth Emmaus Community in the UK when Terry Waite
Terry Waite
Terry Waite CBE is an English humanitarian and author.Waite was Archbishop of Canterbury Robert Runcie's Assistant for Anglican Communion Affairs in the 1980s. As an envoy for the Church of England, he travelled to Lebanon to try to secure the release of four hostages including journalist John...
opened it in 2011.
Emmaus Colchester opened its Community residence in August 2008, and also runs a furniture store. It was named Charity of the Year 2009 by Palladian Press.
Emmaus Coventry & Warwickshire opened its doors to residents in 1993 at the Old Vicarage, in an acre and a half of grounds which are kept neat and tidy by the residents themselves. The growing allotment brings the Community ever closer to its aim of self-sufficiency. The Community shop is located on Red Lane, Coventry
Coventry
Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...
.
Emmaus Glasgow is the first Emmaus Community in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. It opened in January 2006 and provides accommodation for up to 24 people, as well as running a shop Tuesday-Friday, which is located in Hamiltonhill
Hamiltonhill
Hamiltonhill is a working class district situated between Possilpark and Port Dundas in the Scottish city of Glasgow. It is situated north of the River Clyde, next to the Forth and Clyde Canal....
.
Emmaus Gloucestershire, a renovated former nurses’ home, was opened in 2001. Their business activities include a Secondhand Superstore in Gloucester
Gloucester
Gloucester is a city, district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Gloucester lies close to the Welsh border, and on the River Severn, approximately north-east of Bristol, and south-southwest of Birmingham....
, and charity shops in Nailsworth
Nailsworth
Nailsworth is a town in Gloucestershire, England, lying in one of the Stroud Valleys in the Cotswolds. It has a population of around 6,600 people and lies on the A46 road....
and Cheltenham
Cheltenham
Cheltenham , also known as Cheltenham Spa, is a large spa town and borough in Gloucestershire, on the edge of the Cotswolds in the South-West region of England. It is the home of the flagship race of British steeplechase horse racing, the Gold Cup, the main event of the Cheltenham Festival held...
.
Emmaus Greenwich, in Plumstead
Plumstead
Plumstead is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich. Plumstead is a multi cultural area with large Asian and Afro-Caribbean communities, in similarity to local areas such as Woolwich and Thamesmead...
, was converted from an unneeded children's home, and was opened by Prince Charles on 29 November 1994, in the presence of Abbé Pierre
Abbé Pierre
LAbbé Pierre, was a French Catholic priest, member of the Resistance during World War II, and deputy of the Popular Republican Movement . He founded in 1949 the Emmaus movement, which has the goal of helping poor and homeless people and refugees...
and Robert Runcie
Robert Runcie
Robert Alexander Kennedy Runcie, Baron Runcie, PC, MC was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1980 to 1991.-Early life:...
.
Emmaus Hampshire is located in Winchester
Winchester
Winchester is a historic cathedral city and former capital city of England. It is the county town of Hampshire, in South East England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government district, and is located at the western end of the South Downs, along the course of...
. Its Community shop is open Thursday-Sunday and the income it generates supports the Community and its residents.
Emmaus Hastings opened in 2011. Its Community shop is located in St Leonards on Sea.
Emmaus Preston runs a shop at 49-50 Friargate, Preston.
Emmaus Leeds was established as a Community on 3 November 2004. Its second-hand furniture store offers free collection and delivery to all Leeds post codes, and it also runs a furniture stall on Leeds market in Leeds city centre.
Emmaus Mossley, in Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
, was converted from a former cotton waste mill, Longlands Mill. The building was empty and becoming derelict when it was bought by Emmaus in 1996. The building, still called Longlands Mill, also houses the Mossley Industrial Heritage Centre
Mossley Industrial Heritage Centre
The Mossley Industrial Heritage Centre records the history of the cotton industry in Mossley, in Greater Manchester, England.Housed in a part of the former Longlands cotton waste mill, the centre was created as a collaboration between the Emmaus Mossley site and the Mossley Civic Society, after...
, which records the history of the cotton industry in Mossley
Mossley
Mossley is a small town and civil parish within the Metropolitan Borough of Tameside, in Greater Manchester, England. The town is located in the upper section of the Tame valley in the foothills of the Pennines, northeast of Ashton-under-Lyne and east of Manchester.Mossley has the distinction of...
.
Emmaus Oxford is one of Emmaus' newest communities, having opened its doors for 24 residents on 16 March 2009. It took over an existing furniture store on 1 June and re-named it the "Emmaus Oxford Second-hand Superstore".
Emmaus Sheffield is located on Cadman Street, a short walk from Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
Canal Basin. Emmaus Sheffield opened its shop in August 2007, and welcomed its first residents in January 2008.
Emmaus South Lambeth is located in West Norwood
West Norwood
West Norwood is a place in the London Borough of Lambeth.It is primarily a residential suburb of south London but with some light industry near Knights Hill in the south....
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. They operate a furniture shop and a boutique, on Knights Hill, West Norwood, London, SE27. Emmaus South Lambeth are now also selling items on eBay (username emmaussouthlambeth) and have a Facebook and Twitter page. South Lambeth currently house 27 Companions, who live and work in the Community. Companions are responsible for the running of the business and are empowered to make decisions about the operating of the community. An article on Emmaus South Lambeth featutured in 'The Pavement' magazine in 2009 - http://www.thepavement.org.uk/story.php?story=817
Emmaus St. Albans is in St. Albans, Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
and houses 24 people. The Community runs two shops, one joined to the Community building and the other located 8 miles away in Batford. Emmaus St Albans can also be found on Facebook.
Emmaus St. Martin's is located in Dover
Dover
Dover is a town and major ferry port in the home county of Kent, in South East England. It faces France across the narrowest part of the English Channel, and lies south-east of Canterbury; east of Kent's administrative capital Maidstone; and north-east along the coastline from Dungeness and Hastings...
, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, fifteen minutes' walk from Dover Priory train station. It houses 21 residents and also works to collect, refurbish and re-sell donated furniture.
Emmaus Village Carlton is located in Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire is a ceremonial county of historic origin in England that forms part of the East of England region.It borders Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Northamptonshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the west and Hertfordshire to the south-east....
, on the site of the old St Margaret's School in Carlton
Carlton, Bedfordshire
Carlton is a village in the Bedford district of Bedfordshire, England, part of the Carlton with Chellington parish with the adjacent village of Chellington. The River Great Ouse runs just to the north of the village. Nearby places are Harrold, Pavenham, Turvey, Lavendon and Little Odell.Carlton...
. It runs a second-hand shop selling bric-a-brac
Bric-a-brac
Bric-à-brac , first used in the Victorian era, refers to collections of curios such as elaborately decorated teacups and small vases, feathers, wax flowers under glass domes, eggshells, statuettes, painted miniatures or photographs, and so on...
, jewellery and books, and also a furniture showroom.
People involved or associated with Emmaus
- Abbé PierreAbbé PierreLAbbé Pierre, was a French Catholic priest, member of the Resistance during World War II, and deputy of the Popular Republican Movement . He founded in 1949 the Emmaus movement, which has the goal of helping poor and homeless people and refugees...
- Terry WaiteTerry WaiteTerry Waite CBE is an English humanitarian and author.Waite was Archbishop of Canterbury Robert Runcie's Assistant for Anglican Communion Affairs in the 1980s. As an envoy for the Church of England, he travelled to Lebanon to try to secure the release of four hostages including journalist John...
- HRH The Duchess of Cornwall
- HomeSenseHomeSenseHomeSense is a chain of off price home furnishing stores operated by TJX Companies with stores in Canada and the United Kingdom.-HomeSense in Canada:At year-end 2010, HomeSense operated 82 stores in Canada...
- Mehran Karimi Nasseri
- Tracy EdwardsTracy EdwardsTracy Edwards MBE is a British sailor. In 1989 she skippered the first all-female crew in the Whitbread Round the World Yacht Race, becoming the first woman to receive the Yachtsman of the Year Trophy and was awarded the Order of the British Empire.-Bibliography:Maiden. Simon & Schuster, 13...
External links
- Emmaus International
- Directory of Emmaus groups worldwide
- United Kingdom
- Emmaus UK
- Emmaus Bolton
- Emmaus Brighton & Hove
- Emmaus Bristol
- Emmaus Burnley
- Emmaus Cambridge
- Emmaus Colchester
- Emmaus Coventry & Warwickshire
- Emmaus Glasgow
- Emmaus Gloucestershire
- Emmaus Greenwich
- Emmaus Hampshire
- Emmaus Leeds
- Emmaus Mossley
- Emmaus Oxford
- Emmaus Preston
- Emmaus Sheffield
- Emmaus South Lambeth
- Emmaus St Albans
- Emmaus St Martins
- Emmaus Village Carlton
- New Emmaus group launched in Hastings and Rother