Homeless charity appeals for volunteers

A homeless charity aiming to set up a community in Exeter has made an appeal for volunteers and support.

Emmaus is a national organisation with many high profile supporters such as Terry Waite and the Duchess of Cornwall. Trustee Louise Toomer was speaking at a ‘High Tea and Talk’ event organised by Exeter Community Initiatives (ECI), a charity that runs community projects to support people facing poverty and homelessness, held at St Sidwell’s Community Centre last week.

Emmaus has a series of communities across the UK that offer people who have been homeless a supportive environment and also chance to rebuild their lives. In return “companions”, as residents are known, agree to work for 40 hours a week for the charity on projects such as recycling and renovating furniture.

Louise Toomer said people who had been living on the streets or sofa surfing often felt lonely and excluded from society but Emmaus offered them the chance to be part of a social group again, “Homeless people very often do not have a witness to their life – someone who cares about them.

“When they are in Emmaus they come home and they shut the door and they are on the inside and not on the outside,” she added.

The Exeter branch of the charity has already established a vintage clothing boutique, Sprout, in Paris Street in the city, to help raise funds. However she admitted they faced a major challenge even to be able to open a community with just a handful of beds.

“A huge amount of money is needed. We may put together a virtual community where people can access resources,” Ms Toomer said.

“We welcome help. It would be lovely to have more volunteers in the shop.” She added that she and fellow trustees were anxious not to "tread on anyone’s toes” and were keen to work with other organisations in the city supporting homeless people.

The ‘High Tea and Talk’ event was organised by ECI to thank donors for their support.

More information about ECI can be found at www.eci.org.uk