The work of Emmaus Merseyside has been recognised by the public and judges at the Steve Morgan Foundation Awards 2019.
On Friday 13 September, Emmaus Merseyside was presented with a cheque for £1,000 as runner-up in the Best Entrepreneurial Charity or Social Enterprise Award category. The awards ceremony formed part of the second annual Steve Morgan Foundation charity conference.
The conference heralded the return, after a seven-year absence, of the Steve Morgan Awards, aiming to salute the commitment to excellence of so many charities and community groups. The Steve Morgan Foundation invited applications across five different categories from any charity or non-for-profit organisation within the four remit areas – North Wales, Merseyside, Cheshire and North Shropshire.
Emmaus Merseyside supports formerly homeless people by providing a stable home and meaningful work for as long as they need it. The charity runs three social enterprises in Merseyside, taking in and selling donated and refurbished furniture, household goods, bric-a-brac and vintage pieces.
Steve Morgan, Chairman of the Foundation, said: “It was another wonderful and inspiring day. We held our first annual conference last year, which I thought was great, but this was even better, and has set the bar even higher for future years.
“I think all of us tend to get so busy and wrapped up in our day-to-day activities, that we forget that other people out there have issues very similar to our own. Charities will often experience the same situations and the same frustrations, and getting together at this conference is so valuable in sharing stories which we can all relate to.
“It was after last year’s first conference that we decided to bring back our awards, and we were really impressed with the quality of the applications. The judging process, which included some online voting, took a lot of time and effort but we really enjoyed seeing how much incredible work is taking place at the grass roots levels of so many communities. We had over 100 applications and I think any one of them could have won – they were that good.
“I would also say that every single one of the charities that came along to our conference are winners, because of the work they do and what they put back into society.”
To find out more or support Emmaus Merseyside, head to www.emmaus.org.uk/merseyside. If you would like to get involved or donate an item call 0151 928 1588 or visit the visit the Emmaus charity reuse shops or Superstore.