We’d like to thank colleagues from major Coventry employer, Cadent, which is the UK’s largest gas distribution firm, who recently volunteered for two days at our homelessness charity.

Cadent kindly selected Emmaus as its charity partner last year, with teams across the business working to support those experiencing homelessness through fundraising, volunteering, and knowledge sharing.

As part of the volunteering, Cadent’s West Midland’s Risk and Assurance team worked in our Emmaus Coventry & Warwickshire charity shop on Red Lane in Coventry, serving customers and helping to run our furniture collection service, which offers free removal of unwanted furniture in the local area. Any items collected are then sold in the shop, which specialises in second-hand furniture and homeware.

The volunteers also assisted with distributing food and other essential items to food banks across the city.

During the two days, the group had an opportunity to speak with some of the people being supported by our charity (known as companions), to learn about their experiences of homelessness and how Emmaus has helped.

It always means a lot when companies go out of their way to help charities which are making a difference in their local area. We were delighted to welcome the Cadent team, providing an opportunity to see first-hand what our charity does. The team worked so hard and got a lot done over the two days that they were with us; we really appreciate their support.

Cadent Risk and Assurance Specialist, Martin McGough was part of the volunteering team: “At Cadent, we are all very proud of our partnership with Emmaus and to be able to support with its vitally important work, particularly at a time when many people across the city need even more help, was incredibly rewarding. It was great to get an insight into how this unique charity operates day to day and to actually contribute to this by offering our help in the shop and distributing to local foodbanks, was a hugely fulfilling experience.”

The charity partnership with Emmaus forms part of Cadent’s overall environmental, social, and corporate governance agenda and as part of this programme, all colleagues are entitled to two days each year to volunteer for any charity or good cause of their choice.

If your business would like to support Emmaus Coventry & Warwickshire, please get in touch.