Emmaus South Manchester volunteers have been busy over the past few weeks creating more than 100 draft excluders to give away free to local residents.
The latest project by our textile volunteers aims to help those affected by this winter’s increasing cost of living crisis. The volunteers used rolls of donated aircraft-grade fabric to create a range of draft excluders in different colours and patterns.
Janet Plumb, one of the volunteers behind the project, said: “Creating practical and useful items from such high-quality fabric is very rewarding, even more so when the fabrics have been saved from landfill. We hate to see wasted textiles and are constantly challenged to come up with ideas and samples for new products.”
Janet and fellow volunteers have been working together to create the draft excluders over the past few weeks. These are now available free to local residents, one per household, from the Emmaus South Manchester Emporium charity store.
The Emmaus South Manchester Emporium is filled with an eclectic selection of pre-loved furniture, homewares, collectables, vintage clothing, craft supplies and upcycled items. The store is open Thursday to Saturday, 10am – 4pm, and located at St. Andrew’s Methodist Church, Brownley Road, Wythenshawe, M22 0DW.
Solidarity project
Mark Booth, Project Leader at Emmaus South Manchester, said: “As an act of solidarity, our brilliant textile volunteers have undertaken this project to support local residents who may be struggling to heat their homes. As energy bills increase for everyone, those who are already vulnerable are at greater risk of falling deeper into poverty. Our charity is keen to do all we can to help alleviate people’s struggles.”
Emmaus South Manchester is currently working to build the support and funds needed to establish a new Emmaus community in our area. Emmaus communities support people who have experienced homelessness by providing a home, work experience, individual support and an opportunity for a fresh start in life.
If you have textile skills and would like to help us create more draft excluders, find out about the current volunteer opportunities at Emmaus South Manchester.