At Emmaus Cambridge, as well as supporting our companions, we’re always listening to the people who help make our community thrive – our customers, donors and supporters.
Over the summer of 2025, team members from The Cambridge Building Society helped us gather valuable feedback from 98 visitors to our site, perhaps you were one of them? Here’s what you told us about your experience with Emmaus Cambridge.
How often you visit
Nearly a third of you (30%) visit us at least once a week, and a further 29% come in about once a month. These figures are consistent with last year’s results, showing a loyal and engaged community of supporters who regularly shop, donate, and connect with us.
Why you visit
Most people come to Emmaus Cambridge to shop, with others visiting to donate goods or enjoy food and drink at Joan’s Coffee Shop. A few respondents mentioned browsing for bargains or searching for that perfect quality item – from a good book to a great sofa!
Fair prices and great value
We were delighted to hear that 84% of you feel our prices are “just right”, compared with other charities – a 16% increase from 2024. Only a small number felt prices were too high, showing that value and fairness remain at the heart of what we do. We do work to keep our prices competitive by benchmarking ourselves through visits to other charities and through these vital Customer Surveys. We also work hard to keep our delivery costs as low as possible to help assist those purchasing larger items such as sofas, beds and wardrobes, as we appreciate this is a principal factor when buying new or preloved.
Would you recommend us?
A huge 97% of customers said they were highly likely to recommend Emmaus Cambridge to others – including those visiting for the first time. That’s an incredible reflection of the welcoming atmosphere our companions and volunteers create every day.
What Emmaus Cambridge is good at
The majority of respondents agree that we are good at stocking our shops with a high turnover and variety of good quality items and love the idea of our eBay shop too. Another top strength highlighted in the survey was how we provide the formerly homeless people we support with a home, tailored personal support, new opportunities and a sense of belonging and purpose. Other positives included our friendly companions and staff and our well-run, organised shops, with clear displays.
Awareness and impact
One of the most encouraging results this year was that 90% of respondents were aware that more than 40 people who have experienced homelessness live and contribute to the work of the social enterprise at Emmaus Cambridge. That’s a significant increase from 81% in 2024 – and a sign that our message about community and solidarity is reaching more people.
Almost half (47%) also knew that there are 29 Emmaus Communities across the UK and more than 450 around the world – showing strong awareness of the wider Emmaus movement.
Your views on upcycling
Sustainability matters to our customers. When asked if you would consider buying upcycled or refurbished goods, 72% said yes, rising to 82% when including those who said “possibly.” This positive response encourages us to keep exploring creative ways to reuse and restore donated items.
What you love about Emmaus Cambridge
Many of you shared thoughtful comments that truly warm our hearts:
“Amazing place for people to have a purpose.”
“Fabulous facilities and helps people’ mental health.”
“Affordable quality products.”
“It’s a great place to see and talk to people.”
“Love the sustainable garden.”
“Love the place and people. I come three to four times per week.”
“People are so lovely and kind.”
“Carry on the good work.”
Your encouragement means the world to our companions, staff, volunteers and our trustees who work every day to make Emmaus Cambridge a welcoming and purposeful place.
Continuing to improve
A handful of you also offered helpful suggestions on how we could improve, and we’re reviewing each one carefully to make sure we keep developing and responding to our community’s needs.
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A thank you from Donna Talbot, our Chief Executive:
“We’re deeply grateful to everyone who took part in this year’s survey. Your feedback helps us grow, improve and ensure Emmaus Cambridge continues to be a place where everyone involved feels part of something meaningful.
“It’s wonderful to see such positive feedback from our customers and supporters. The fact that so many people value what we do, and understand the difference Emmaus makes to people’s lives, is incredibly encouraging.
“A huge thank you to our long-term partner and supporter, The Cambridge Building Society, for conducting our Customer Survey again this year. Your colleagues do a fantastic job providing us with this incredibly useful feedback and participating in a host of other ways too. We can’t thank you enough.”
Pictured: Volunteers from The Cambridge Building Society – Emma Nelson, Rebecca Manderson and Andrew Colbran.