Operation Easter is back!
This week, our team has been busy sharing Easter joy with children and families struggling financially.
We appealed to the public and local businesses to support their Operation Easter appeal by donating chocolate Easter Eggs. Supporters rallied and we were able to give over 1000 Easter eggs to children who otherwise may not get an Easter treat this year.
We began Operation Easter as a response to the increasing number of families regularly using food bank services. To deliver the appeal we worked with grassroots charities and organisations, including C3 Church, Boaz Project and Colchester Children’s Ward to distribute Easter Eggs to children from low-income families. This year was the biggest Easter appeal yet and Emmaus was thrilled to be supported by long-term partners Reed Recruitment as well as recent supporters, DHL Colchester.
Emmaus Colchester supports those who have previously experienced homelessness by providing a home for as long as needed, meaningful work experience in their social enterprises, and support for people as they build their self-esteem and confidence. Emmaus also regularly supports the local community and those most vulnerable in and around Colchester.
Brian Cook, our CEO “We know that the cost of living is still affecting so many people in Colchester and beyond and we’re pleased we’re able to help people in just a small way. It’s important to us as a charity that we continue to give back. It means a lot to our companions, who we support, to be able to help the wider community. A big thanks to everyone who donated towards the appeal, especially Reed & DHL whose teams have worked hard to collect eggs for us.”
This appeal follows our successful Operation Christmas campaign as well as a recent solidarity campaign for RAMA Colchester.
Christian Spaul, Recruitment Consultant at Reed Recruitment shares “Reed in Colchester is celebrating its 16th year of completing the Easter Egg collection on behalf of Emmaus. The generosity shown by our clients consistently amazes us, and this year is no exception! We have achieved a record-breaking collection of eggs, with the largest number of local businesses getting involved to date.
We are truly grateful for the support of our clients and couldn’t do this without them. For the team here at Reed, there is no better feeling than giving back to our local community and we look forward to many more years of supporting this fantastic initiative”
DHL Colchester also supported Operation Easter and Simon Fryatt, Service Centre Manager shared “The DHL staff at Colchester usually receive Easter Eggs from the business but this year based on their feedback we gave them the alternative to donate to a local charity and we chose Emmaus Colchester. The staff are passionate about making a difference to people experiencing homelessness in Colchester and the surrounding area. This is only the start of supporting Emmaus to make a positive impact on people’s lives.”
We can’t wait to do it all again next year! A big thank you to everyone who supported the campaign.