On Wednesday 15th May a special event was held at the Emmaus Oxford community to celebrate our 15th anniversary. Guests enjoyed a buffet with birthday cake, speeches and a presentation showcasing plans for the move-on houses next door.
Since opening its doors in 2009, Emmaus Oxford have offered hundreds of people experiencing homelessness and social exclusion a home and work opportunities for as long as is needed.
With homelessness numbers continuing to rise, the event was an opportunity to present our plans to renovate the buildings next door to the community on Oxford Road, which will soon become ‘move-on’ houses. The new building, along with the adjacent property will accommodate 10 en-suite bedrooms. These rooms will shortly become available for companions transitioning out of the Emmaus community, playing a crucial role in their journey towards independence and stability.
Both Chief Executive Officer Eddie Blaze and Chair of the Board of Trustees Andrew Morgan Giles, thanked the original trustees of Emmaus Oxford for their years of hard work in starting the charity. Talking about the future, Andrew said: “We are investing in two areas: one in learning and development, providing training and skills in areas companions aspire to work in, and the other is the move-on houses, which will become a vital step for companions as they move towards mainstream living.’’
Eddie described the renovation of the houses as a really exciting project for Emmaus Oxford, he said: “The plan is to redevelop the houses to provide affordable accommodation to companions who have recently started working elsewhere and are ready to move on from the community. The houses will provide a safety net where they have access to support if needed as they work independently.”
Community Manager Rebecca Form added a few words on community life at Emmaus Oxford: “Companions are front and centre of what we do here at Emmaus Oxford, their experience, courage, and grit constantly humbles me. The way companions encourage, support, and extend the hand of solidarity and friendship to each other is really special; that alone is something to be recognised and celebrated.”
To find out more about how you can support the work of Emmaus Oxford please call us on 01865 763698