Many people and organisations have helped to establish Emmaus Merseyside. This concise timeline provides a snapshot of key milestones in the development of our charity, community and social enterprise.
2002 – A group of people are brought together by Margaret Riley to talk about setting up an Emmaus community in Merseyside.
2004 – Emmaus Merseyside is created as a registered homelessness charity.
2012 – After a long and unsuccessful search for suitable premises in Liverpool, attention switches to Sefton.
2012/13 – A successful bid is made to the Homes and Communities Agency for a grant towards a new project with Cosmopolitan Housing Association.
2013 – Cosmopolitan Housing experiences financial difficulties and as a result, closes its development programme. Emmaus establishes a new partnership arrangement with The Riverside Group.
2014 – In March, work starts on site at School Lane, Seaforth to construct the new residential premises for Emmaus Merseyside.
2014 – In June, the 7,000 sq. ft. Emmaus Merseyside Charity Superstore in Seaforth opens for business.
2015 – Emmaus Merseyside becomes part of the Emmaus UK federation; remaining independent and separately constituted from the international Emmaus movement, but benefiting from a significant body of evaluation work, experience, support and advice.
2015 – Emmaus Merseyside was shortlisted for the prestigious Liverpool Echo Environment Awards.
2016 – Our charitable activities further expand with the opening of two further Re-Use Shops in partnership with Veolia Environmental Services Ltd, on the site of Household Waste Recycling Centres in Bootle and Liverpool.
2016 – In June, our new purpose-built 28 bedroom accommodation facility opens and we welcome our first companions.
2017 – In May, the Mayor of Sefton opens our Participation Garden and Seaforth Green, created from an unsightly, derelict area adjacent to our Seaforth accommodation.
2017 – In October, we host an official opening ceremony to celebrate the support given by a wide range of organisations, charities and individuals to helping Emmaus Merseyside reach this important stage in its life as an Emmaus community.
2017 – In November, Emmaus Merseyside wins an Environmental Impact Award at the Liverpool & Sefton Chambers of Commerce Responsible Business Awards.
2018 – In April we won the Re-use and Waste Prevention Award at the prestigious ECHO Environment Awards 2018.
2019 – In June, the Seaforth Green public space, located next to the Emmaus Merseyside community building, was awarded a Green Flag Community Award.
2021 – Nigel Mellor, a pioneer of our charity and former chair of trustees, was awarded an MBE for services to homeless and disadvantaged people.
2022 – In February, our volunteers made the final shortlist in the Steve Morgan Foundation 20th Anniversary Awards.
2022 – In July, our gardening team exhibited plants and produce at the Ainsdale Summer Show, their first flower show, and scooped multiple category awards.
2023 – The Emmaus Merseyside community home was fitted with solar panels to help reduce our impact on the environment.
2024 – In March, The High Sheriff of Merseyside presented Emmaus Merseyside with an award in recognition of services to the community.
2024 – In November, Sir Terry Waite, President of Emmaus UK, joined special guests to officially open The Hub & Coffee Shop at Emmaus Merseyside.
Find out more about the history of the Emmaus movement and of Emmaus in the UK.