During national Recycle Week (23 – 29 September 2019) we’re celebrating saving thousands of pieces of furniture from going to landfill, and asking local people to help by donating their unwanted items.
Over the past 12 months, Emmaus Oxford has saved more than 730 tonnes of furniture including wardrobes, beds and three-piece suites, from going to the rubbish tip, by offering a free collection service for large household items in good condition. The collected goods are then sold in the Emmaus charity store on Barns Road in Cowley.
Emmaus Oxford provides a home and meaningful work for 28 people who have experienced homelessness and social exclusion. Those supported at the community live together and help to run the store, which raises funds to run the charity. This year our charity is celebrating its 10th anniversary.
Gavin Faulkner is currently being supported by Emmaus Oxford. He became homeless after a long battle with alcohol addiction: “Completing a rehab programme was one of the best things I’ve ever done; when I stopped drinking, I was ready for a new start and Emmaus has helped me do just that.”
Emmaus Oxford has given Gavin a place to call home for as long as he needs it, as well as meaningful work and the support he needs to turn his life around: “It feels like home. It isn’t just the physical building but the people; you live and work with others who have also had difficult times and so you support each other. In the eight years I’ve been here, I’ve been on training courses and built up so many skills. I’ve done a lot of running away in my life but Emmaus has given me stability and hope for the future.”
Gavin is now calling on local people to help our charity recycle even more unwanted items, in order to help vulnerable people change their lives for the better: “We’re asking people to take a look around their house, shed, loft and garage; if they have any quality furniture they don’t need, they can call us to book a free collection from their home.”
We’re proud to think that by offering our free collection service, we’re doing our bit to encourage people to think more about recycling. It’s a great alternative to having to take your unwanted furniture to the tip. We hope that our local community will pull together to help Emmaus continue to make a difference; everything sold in the new shop will raise money to help us change the lives of people like Gavin.
Book a free collection for unwanted furniture or please call 01865 763698