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About us
Who we are
Emmaus is a homelessness charity with a difference. We don’t just give people a bed for the night; we offer a home, meaningful work and a sense of belonging.For many people who have been homeless, losing their self-esteem can be the most damaging part of their experience. Being on your own, with no support around you can be soul destroying, leaving you feeling worthless.
Finding your way out of that situation isn’t easy, particularly when the only options available are temporary fixes, offering a bed for the night but little to occupy your days. Emmaus is different because it provides a home for as long as someone needs it, in an Emmaus community. This gives people the opportunity to take stock of their lives, deal with any issues they might have, and often re-establish relationships with loved ones.
“Companion” is the name given to those who live in an Emmaus community and work in the social enterprise, where they support themselves and one another. There are currently 750 companions living at 29 Emmaus communities across the UK.
Rather than relying on benefits, Emmaus uses social enterprise to generate revenue that pays for companions' home, food and upkeep, as well as providing a small weekly allowance. This is key to restoring feelings of self-worth, showing companions that their actions make a real difference, both to their own life, and the lives of others.
Bradford, like all large cities, has a significant homelessness problem which is addressed largely by temporary shelters or temporary housing thus not providing a long-term solution to the problem. Emmaus Bradford has initiated an ambitious plan to implement the Emmaus model to address this issue. We have expanded rapidly over the last year adding a new city centre shop to our existing charity superstore in a former cinema at Cross Lane and most importantly, acquiring a property to provide accommodation for 26 companions (formerly homeless). Wehave already taken in our first four companions thus meeting our charitable objects of providing both work (in the charity shop) and a home for the homeless. Work to upgrade the building is expected to be completed early next year and our numbers of companions will increase stepwise.
We do house clearances, collect donated furniture and are increasing our online sales. We also provide an important outreach service for housing associations whose tenants require furnishings or white goods. We are keen to expand our retail activities so we are always looking for volunteer drivers and van assistants and volunteers with an interest in retail and online sales.
