I’m originally from Dundee but I’ve been living in Manchester for 10 years after moving up from London with work. I started as a volunteer at Emmaus Salford in 2021 and absolutely love it.
I had been looking to volunteer at a homeless charity during the Covid-19 pandemic. It was something I wanted to do but didn’t really know how best to go about doing it. I come past Emmaus Salford on the way to work sometimes and had some clothes donations to drop off so whilst I was there, I had a chat with the staff about volunteering. It was April 2021 and Emmaus was looking for a volunteer to drive the vans, so I offered to help out.
I started volunteering soon after and drive the van, doing collections and deliveries. Each week I do at least one day, sometimes two, and usually volunteer for six hours each day. If I can do more, I try and do more, but I’ve got to balance it with work. I’m accompanied by two companions on each trip and it’s great. We drive around Manchester and Salford, collecting and delivering items at houses, flats and universities. I’ve also done Lucie’s Pantry once, delivering food and meals to people in need. I absolutely love it.
There are always a few tricky situations that challenge you as a volunteer. Some of the house clearances we’ve done are very sensitive. You have people who’ve had to move or sadly passed away and you see all their belongings which have taken years to accumulate. I find that very moving and you have to be very respectful and mindful of as it’s people’s lives. Everyone at Emmaus is fully aware of that and companions are very good in that situation – I watch the guys in awe.
Rewarding in many ways
Strangely, when I first started, I went to a reuse depot for the first time to picked out items that we hoped would sell in the Emmaus charity shops. One of the pieces I selected sold as soon as we got back to the shop and I took a lot of pride in that – seeing it quickly make money for the charity.
The thing I enjoy most though is the company on the van and at Emmaus House. It’s the people – the people you work with and share a lot of time with together. I like coming in, having a chat and seeing how everyone is. I absolutely love it and thoroughly recommend it.
Volunteering at Emmaus is very humbling. Speaking to people about their experiences and how they’ve found themselves in different situations is a real eye opener. Learning from those people is great and I hope I’m a better person for it. When I speak to my friends, I emphasise how things can change very quickly for people, so you always need to keep that in mind.
For those looking to volunteer I’d say go and do it, absolutely 100%. Some people have got different situations with kids and at different stages of their life, but I want to do it for as long as I can. I would thoroughly recommend volunteering, whatever time and skills you can spare.