This World Homeless Day (October 10), we are appealing for new volunteers to help drive our charity forward and support people out of homelessness in the local area.
For nearly 30 years, we have been helping people rebuild their lives after experiencing homelessness by providing accommodation, support, meaningful work and training for as long as it is needed. To aid our work, we are in urgent need of new volunteers to help in our Gloucester, Nailsworth and Stroud shops.
We have a variety of roles on offer and are appealing for volunteers to help with shop and till support, sorting donated stock, assisting with online sales, van driving, and testing donated electrical items. Volunteers are provided with full training and we are looking for people to help for a minimum of four hours per a week but can be flexible for those would like to give more or less time.
New volunteers will be joining a team of staff members, charity beneficiaries and current volunteers. Long-standing volunteers at Emmaus Gloucestershire include Beth and Andrew.
Commenting on nearly 30 years of volunteering at Emmaus, Beth said: “Emmaus Gloucestershire has been a big part of my life for a long time. I’ve been involved since the charity first began in 1993 and over the years, I’ve done virtually everything from cleaning the toilets to banking, and everything else in between. In the early years, I was inspired by what we were doing at Emmaus and now I’m totally committed to it. I’d highly recommend volunteering at Emmaus to anyone interested in supporting a local charity.”
Speaking about 17 years volunteering at Emmaus, Andrew, said: “My favourite thing about volunteering at Emmaus is the people. I started as a work experience student from a local college and when I finished my four-year course, I stayed on as a volunteer because I loved it so much. I now volunteer four days each week, in both the Stroud and Nailsworth shops, to assist the managers and pass on my knowledge to new volunteers. If you’ve got the time and want to learn something new, meet new people and be part of a friendly team, Emmaus Gloucestershire is definitely the place for you.”
Our four second-hand shops and eBay site sells furniture, household goods, books, clothing, bric-a-brac, toys and electrical items. All income from the sale of donated items goes directly back into our charity, helping to fund our accommodation and support for people who have experienced homelessness.
Joe Feeley, Chief Executive at Emmaus Gloucestershire, said:
“This World Homeless Day, we’re urging people to get involved with our charity and make a real difference to the lives of people who have been homeless. We pride ourselves on providing a great volunteering experience, with Beth and Andrew just two examples of how long people choose to stay with us. Volunteering is a great way to meet new people, support a worthy cause and learn new skills. No two days at Emmaus Gloucestershire are the same and we can promise a fun and rewarding volunteer experience.”
To find out more about volunteering at Emmaus Gloucestershire or to enquire online, visit www.emmaus.org.uk/gloucestershire/volunteer or visit one of our shops for an application pack.