On Thursday 23 October, Genesis Housing Group held an event with Emmaus UK to celebrate the completion of the latest Emmaus Community in the UK. The two organisations worked in partnership to complete this new building, in the heart of Colchester, which will house 20 Emmaus residents (called ‘Companions’). It opens as a result of over a decade of planning and fundraising.

Companions are usually single people who would otherwise have been homeless or who have been homeless in the past. The first Companions were welcomed into Emmaus Colchester in August this year.

The goal of each Emmaus Community is that it becomes financially self-sufficient through the endeavours of its Companions. Emmaus Colchester aims to achieve this within three years through growing its furniture and wood businesses.

The building provides 20 en-suite bedrooms and shared community facilities, including a kitchen and eating area so that all the Companions can cook and eat together. There is also an on-site flat for the Community leader to live in.

Designed to be environmentally-friendly, this building has installed a low-carbon woodchip boiler for heating and hot water. There is also high-standard thermal installation, low-energy lighting, control systems to cut down on wasted power, low-flush toilet systems and natural ventilation where possible.

The partnership enabled Emmaus to access the support of the Housing Corporation and significant grant funding. The Emmaus project forms an integral part of Colchester Borough Council’s most recent Homeless Strategy which was launched at the opening event.

Other key partners in this scheme include the East of England Development Agency which also provided considerable grant funding. Funding was also received from a number of charitable trusts, individuals, churches and other organisations which have donated, often on a regular basis, towards Emmaus’ work. Emmaus Colchester’s own furniture store raised a staggering £200,000 towards this project, through volunteers, customers and donors.

Lesley Corner, Development Manager at Emmaus Colchester, said “The Emmaus Community in Colchester started off with a furniture store at the Cowdray Centre in the late ‘90s. We’re so proud to be here today showing you how a small charity with big ideas can achieve so much. Emmaus UK has been invaluable – they have a whole team of staff who given advice and we have taken full and grateful advantage of their expertise.”

“We have lots of plans for the future, including opening a wood recycling centre, collecting and recycling waste wood and providing fuel for the woodchip boiler which heats this building”.

Richard Spooner, Chairman of Emmaus UK since 2001, said, “I would especially like to thank all the staff at Emmaus Colchester. This was a joint project and we shared the project management. This construction was one of those happy projects that comes in on time, on budget and on spec, which could not be a better place to start our community.”

Iain Mackechnie-Jarvis, Head of Genesis Community and previously the first Director of Emmaus UK, said “Genesis’ commitment to Colchester goes back many years in the provision of quality social housing and special needs schemes. We recently opened the Bluebell Centre in Highwoods, a partnership with the PCT which provides a valuable community-based primary health and family centre. And now, after almost a decade of planning and fundraising, we are extremely pleased to be celebrating the opening of Emmaus Colchester”.

Tony Sheekey, one of the Companions, who also happens to be a singing contestant on ITV’s forthcoming ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ show, said “I’ve been here 11 weeks. I came here after living in a night shelter which did not feel like a safe place. I love it here – the company of the people, the facilities – it’s like a real home.”

Another Companion said “I really like living here. I’ve been here three months. Before that I was on the streets and have been in prison. Here I’ve regained my dignity and have my pride back. I feel safe – you just can’t better this place.”

Image caption (l-r): Richard Spooner - Chair of Trustees, Emmaus Colchester;

Fiona Broom - Community Leader, Emmaus Colchester; Lesley Corner - Project Director, Emmaus Colchester; Iain Mackechnie-Jarvis - Head of Genesis Community;

Selwyn Image - Vice President, Emmaus UK; Tim Page - Chief Executive, Emmaus UK

- Ends –

For further information, or an image, please contact Diana Evans on 020 8150 4178 / email diana.evans@ghg.org.uk

Notes to editors

Emmaus is about people, many of whom arrive at Emmaus at a very low point in their lives. People become homeless for many different reasons but relationship breakdown, bereavement, addiction or abuse have often played a part. In Emmaus, they find the space and support they need to start rebuilding their lives.

As well as Companions, many other people make up the Emmaus Movement in the UK, including Terry Waite CBE, HRH The Duchess of Cornwall, a wide range of other high profile supporters and advisers, in addition to staff, volunteers, trustees and other supporters.

Emmaus Communities enable people to move on from homelessness, providing work and a home in a supportive, family environment. Companions, as residents are known, work full-time collecting, renovating and re-selling donated furniture. This work supports the Community financially and enables residents to develop skills and rebuild their self-respect.

Companions receive accommodation, food, clothing and a small weekly allowance, but for many, the greatest benefit is a fresh start. To join a Community, they sign off unemployment benefits and agree to participate in the life and work of the Community and abide by its rules – for example, not bringing drugs or alcohol into the community.

Emmaus is a secular movement, spanning more than 40 countries, with 17 Communities in the UK. Each Community aims to become self-supporting, with any surplus donated to others in need.

Genesis Housing Group is a social investment business. It provides homes and services, supporting customers and communities to build futures. Genesis provides homes and services to tens of thousands of people across London and the south east of England. The Group consists of PCHA, Pathmeads, Springboard and St Matthew housing associations. Genesis also has in its group a charitable foundation, Genesis Community. It is one of the largest and most diverse housing groups in the UK, owning and/or managing more than 38,000 homes. Its overriding aim is to put customers first and provide excellent service to all.

The scheme

This land in the very heart of Colchester was approved by Colchester Borough Council on 7 March 2007 and on the 19 March Genesis started to clear the site.