Central to the Emmaus ethos is the concept of ‘solidarity’.
In the words of our founder Abbé Pierre “serve first those that suffer most”. This means helping people who are less fortunate than ourselves.
Here at Emmaus Cambridge we take solidarity seriously! Over the course of a year, we provide over 600 packages of furniture and other essential items to newly housed families and individuals. By taking the appropriate precautions we are still able to do this despite the virus.
Two relatively small, yet deeply meaningful, act’s of solidarity occurred last week. Firstly, One of our companions received a message from a friend of ours in Milton who is also a friend of EACH Children’s Hospice.
“Do you know if Emmaus have any donated poly-cotton sheets or duvets in patterns or bright colour or any colour which they might be happy to donate to be used to make scrubs for the EACH Hospice in Milton, please?
Ideally a minimum 30% cotton and not too thin.
It’s just an idea as people are hoping to make scrubs as the hospice are short due to COVID.
Thank you.”
They had the pattern but needed the material.
We were also contacted by someone who was looking for material to make drawstring bags for a local hospital.
“I have been asked by a friend of mine, who is a doctor in a hospital, to make pillowcase-size drawstring bags from fabric that can withstand a 60-degree wash (eg cotton, polycotton). It is to put clinicians’ work clothes in at the end of the day so that they can be taken home safely and put straight in the wash.”
So we sprang into action!
Our operations manager, Graham (pictured) delivering the material for EACH Children’s Hospice
Not long after we received a lovely letter:
“Thank you all at Emmaus for the brightly coloured duvet covers and sheets to convert into urgently needed scrubs for Milton EACH.
They’ve been distributed around Milton and Chesterton this morning along with professionally printed scrubs patterns from Printout in Histon ready for sewing.
I hope we might send you some photos when they are made!
I love the idea that the bright colours you sent will be like a rainbow of colour going into the Hospice like the rainbows all the children are putting in the windows!
Thank you again, and Graham!”
