We want to say a huge thank you to everyone who’s donated to Emmaus Oxford over the last few months.
It’s been a difficult and unsettling time for everyone. Like a lot of homelessness organisations, we have had to change how we work to keep people safe. We’ve put in extra precautions and equipment and also kept providing advice and support to the 28 people who live in our community.
Between March and June, our store remained closed. We usually get more than half of our income from the store and so we were faced with a huge challenge ahead. However, we are extremely grateful for the support from our local community, businesses, trusts, and foundations who have all donated to our charity.
Everyone’s generosity has made a huge difference and in just three months, we received £73,478 which is an immense amount for a charity of our size. In the video below, our Fundraising Manager, Hannah Hutchings, gives a big thanks to everyone who has helped us get through the last few months.
As well as facing a loss of income, we needed to ensure our companions remained safe and well. An important part of what we offer is a reason to get out of bed in the morning through meaningful work in our store. When our store closed, our companions lost that opportunity and many experienced an increase in anxiety and a negative impact on their mental health.
In the second video found below, one of our companions, Darren, explains what lockdown life was like for him at Emmaus Oxford and what he and his fellow companions did to stay busy, active and positive.
In July, we re-opened our store with new measures implemented to ensure the safety of our companions, customers, volunteers and staff. We are open Monday – Saturday 9.30am – 5pm and Sunday 10am – 4pm at Barns Road, Cowley, Oxford, OX4 3RQ. We would love for you to stop by for a browse.
We are also accepting donations and kindly ask that you call our store beforehand to check what we accept and if there is space due to quarantining measures – 01865 763698.
The future is still looking difficult and uncertain for all of us and we know there will be hard times and a lot more work ahead. We just wanted to take a moment to say thank you and give an update on the massive difference you have all made.