In twelve months we’ve provided thousands of household items to vulnerable local families as part of our ongoing commitment to ending furniture poverty in North Staffs.
An annual summary of our charitable work carried out between July 2022 to the end of June 2023 showed that we delivered just under 3,000 household items throughout North Staffordshire as well as making 4,000 collections.
The items were delivered through sales in our Furniture and Home Emporium in Etruria and shop located in the Potteries Centre, Hanley, as well as through referrals and donations. Working with 15 local partners, we completed 770 furniture and appliance referrals to support local families.
We are also proud to have saved 400 tonnes of waste from going to landfill through the 9,470 household items collected during the same period, all thanks to a dedicated team of 11 members of staff, 25 long-term volunteers and 10 trustees.
Our Executive Lead, John Webbe, said: “We are continuously working to help others as much as we can and via our referral system and the excellent work our staff and volunteers do, we are able to reach hundreds of families each year.
“By receiving quality furniture and household donations, we are able to either provide those who may not be able to afford items or recycle them and offer them for sale via our emporium and large shop.”
John adds: “As well as supporting local people, we are also very conscious and keen to help with the environment and helping to prevent waste as much as we can is something else which is key to what we do.”
Our commitment to sustainable business and the environment was demonstrated by our Sustainability Award, presented to us at the Potteries Centre Annual Awards in May 2023.
John and his team have been encouraging other businesses based at the centre to donate unwanted goods and recycle them instead of going to waste since moving the charity shop there in May 2022.
We also regularly run recycling woodwork workshops for members of the community – which provide life and employment skills at the same time.
The Emmaus North Staffs Potteries Centre Shop and emporium is open to the public six days a week. For more details visit our shops page.