Community members from Emmaus Mossley have completed a day of volunteering in solidarity with five different groups.
Emmaus Mossley is a charity that supports people who have experienced homelessness by providing them with a home, companionship, tailored support and work opportunities. On Thursday 6 February, we closed our Secondhand Superstore to give everyone involved in our charity a chance to volunteer for Solidarity Day 2025.
More than 50 Emmaus companions (people supported by our charity), staff, volunteers and trustees teamed up to take part in the Solidarity Day. Emmaus teams supported five groups and charities, and an additional team of volunteers prepared breakfast and lunch for everyone taking part in the day.
Kobe, an Emmaus Mossley companion who took part in the Solidarity Day, said: “I really enjoyed our day volunteering outside. It was a really great day for it all – doing a bit of manual labour in lovely weather and with nothing to complain about. It’s good for the community and helps to make the area look nicer.”
Emmaus volunteers supported Friends of Mossley Park, Mossley Community Centre and Mossley Town Team. Two other teams travelled to Emmaus North Staffs in Stoke-on-Trent and Emmaus South Manchester in Wythenshawe – both are working to establish Emmaus communities in their areas.
Making a positive impact
Pauline Coates, a volunteer and Friend of Mossley Park, said: “The extra help and support from Emmaus is huge! Having younger volunteers with muscles means that we’re able to complete some of the more physically demanding jobs that we would usually struggle with. In just one day they’ve achieved so much and we’re very grateful for their support.”
On the day, teams from Emmaus helped Friends of Mossley Park volunteers clear paths and tidy flower beds. Another Emmaus team worked with Mossley Town Team to clear overgrown trees and bushes, and remove litter in Top and Bottom Mossley. A third Emmaus group helped at Mossley Community Centre, re-coating wood floors and tidying inside and around the centre.
Our teams who travelled to Emmaus North Staffs and Emmaus South Manchester helped in their social enterprises. The groups were tasked with sorting donations, tidying storage areas and creating displays within their charity stores.
Alison Hill, CEO of Emmaus Mossley, said: “It was great to bring our Emmaus Mossley companions, volunteers, staff and trustees together to make a positive impact in support of others. Sharing acts of kindness has many benefits and I’m very proud of everyone who took part and supported this year’s Solidarity Day.”
While at Emmaus, people are given the opportunity for a fresh start, gaining skills and work experience alongside training and personal development. Solidarity is central to the Emmaus ethos and all companions are encouraged to carry out acts of solidarity to support good causes and people in greater need.
This is the second year that our community has organised a day of volunteering and something that companions wish to continue in future years.
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