Employees from Nationwide Building Society have teamed up to support Emmaus Salford by preparing Christmas hampers for people in need.
On Wednesday 27 November, eight Nationwide staff volunteered for the day to create festive hampers for members of Lucie’s Pantry, Emmaus Salford’s social supermarket. The Pantry provides a sustainable and affordable source of food and household essentials to members of the Pendleton community struggling through debt, illness or low income.
Debbie Lees, one of the employee volunteers from Nationwide, said: “I really enjoyed my day volunteering at Emmaus in Salford. This is the second time we have visited, and the staff made us feel very welcome and made sure we had a real understanding of all the excellent work they are doing with their companions and also the wider community through Lucie’s Pantry.
“It was interesting to see the new People Pods and hear about how they will be put to good use. I really hope the hampers we put together make a real difference to the families who receive them this Christmas.”
Nationwide encourage their employees to support local causes by giving them up to 14 hours to volunteer in their local communities during work time each year. In addition to employee volunteering, Nationwide will be investing over £20 million in housing projects over 5 years to support local charities and organisations working to tackle housing issues in local communities.
Emmaus Salford supports 22 formerly homeless people by providing them with a stable home, meaningful work and support for as long as they need it. The charity operates three social enterprises across Salford, selling donated and upcycled furniture, household goods, electrical items, clothes and vintage wares.
Rachel Richardson, Community Director at Emmaus Salford, said: “It was a real pleasure to welcome the volunteer team from Nationwide to our Emmaus Salford community. The day was a great opportunity to explain more about our work and receive some much-needed support in the run up to Christmas.”
Learn more about the Emmaus Salford charity and social enterprise. If you would like to get involved or donate an item, please call 0161 737 8279 or visit one of the shops at Fitzwarren Street, Seaford Road or Partington Lane.