Emmaus Norfolk & Waveney is to open a new shop in Norwich next month and hopes to bring a funky and contemporary charity shop to the the Castle Quarter shopping centre.

The new store in Castle Quarter is designed with an urban chic look, with all the shopfitting created from recycled materials. It will stock a wide range of items from furniture and white goods to clothes and food. Everything in the shop will be high quality, refurbished or recycled.

Cecile Roberts, Chief Executive at Emmaus Norfolk & Waveney is looking forward to establishing a presence in the city. She said:

“We have been looking for a location in the heart of Norwich for a little while and, when we found the unit at Castle Quarter, it was an obvious choice for us with plenty of space to create the kind of store we want, and loads of storage, which is important for us.

“This won’t look like an ordinary charity shop. The store will be a great place to shop with a funky and trendy look and feel to it. Everything we sell is of great quality. Donated items come from far and wide – we even get items from Harrods. Because items are refurbished to a high standard and recycled, the prices are very affordable. The store will feature a gallery too”

Emmaus was started in France after the second world war by renegade priest and icon, Father Henri-Antoine Grouès, better known as Abbé Pierre. He was an MP, Catholic priest and member of the French Resistance who fought to provide homes for the 70,000 homeless people who lived on the streets of Paris at the time.

Emmaus today is a secular organisation. At the heart of its work is the creation and maintenance of a holistic community of people who have suffered homelessness at some time in their lives, providing not just support but a home, a job and an income. Emmaus has 29 communities in the UK, with one in Ditchingham, which houses 32 people, and shops in Ditchingham and Bungay.

Cecile Roberts continued: “Our outlets are staffed by former homeless people who work a 40 hour week and live in furnished accommodation provided by Emmaus. They receive training, meals and the support of the global Emmaus community. The charity has a social, environmental and financial impact, for instance in diverting 1500 tonnes per year away from landfill in the UK through recycling, and saving the taxpayer an immense amount by creating stable employment for homeless people.”

Robert Bradley, centre manager at Castle Quarter, said: “We look forward to Emmaus opening in Castle Quarter. The charity does amazing work for deserving people and we delighted to be providing them with a high profile outlet in heart of Norwich.”

Emmaus at Castle Quarter coming soon – official opening date to be announced!