Emmaus Community Trees
We are growing both native broadleaf trees from seed local to Cornwall as well as non-native trees.
We provide volunteering opportunities to the wider community and socially excluded groups.
All funds generated from the sale of trees go towards our homelessness charity.
About our tree nursery
Our Community Tree Nursery is located on a three-acre site near St Austell at Trewoon, overlooking Carlyon Bay. The aims of our tree nursery are to meet the need for locally grown trees, generate income to support people out of homelessness, and provide volunteer opportunities.
We are growing both native broadleaf trees from seed local to Cornwall as well as non-native trees. Through volunteering sessions, we aim to create a nature-based hub for people in St Austell and its outlying parishes.
This project is the first of a number of planned social enterprises for our charity, with funds generated from the sales of trees helping to provide income to assist the opening of an Emmaus community in Cornwall. There are already 30 established Emmaus communities across the UK providing a home, work, and training to support people out of homelessness and back into employment. Our own Emmaus Cornwall community will be the first of its kind in the Duchy.
Scroll down for more information about our charity and volunteering at our tree nursery!
Volunteering is now open! We’re in need of volunteers to assist with looking after young trees, mulching, gardening, weeding and building beds. No experience is necessary, just enthusiasm and a willingness to get stuck in! Whether you’re looking for a one-off volunteering opportunity or a long-term commitment, we can accommodate your schedule. You’ll have the opportunity to learn new skills, meet like-minded people, make a positive impact in your community and enjoy the great outdoors. If you are interested, please get in touch by emailing [email protected] or calling 078308 63073.
Are you part of a local organisation working with vulnerable and socially-excluded groups? We would like to work with local organisations to offer volunteering sessions to vulnerable and socially-excluded groups. We believe meaningful work for people within these groups can provide a sense of purpose, connection with others and the opportunity to build skills, confidence and self-esteem.
To enquire about partnering with our tree nursery to provide volunteering opportunities for the people your organisation supports, please email [email protected] or call 078308 63073.
We have no open roles at the moment.
If you have any gardening tools or equipment that you no longer need, please consider donating it to us. We can make good use of it at our nursery! Please get in touch if you have any items to donate by emailing [email protected]
About our charity
A bed and a reason to get out of itOur vision is for a world in which everyone has a home and a sense of belonging. We are working towards opening an Emmaus community in Cornwall that offers both a home and work for formerly homeless people. The people we support will give up all benefits (except housing benefit) and work as volunteers in our social enterprises; they will be paid a weekly allowance and have board and accommodation.
We are developing social enterprises – with our tree nursery being the first – which will allow us to be financially self-sufficient and to provide the people we support with a route to re-enter the workplace as part of their rehabilitation. Our Emmaus community will provide a home in a supportive environment that will enable people to move on from homelessness. We will facilitate education and training for the people we support, with the purpose of developing skills to enable them to live independently and gain employment or remain in our community home. Each person will have their own room, but meals will be eaten together, housework will be shared, and social activities encouraged and supported.
The funds generated from the sale of trees will help us to establish our much-needed Emmaus community, as well as other initiatives to support socially excluded groups. By volunteering at our newly established tree nursery, you will be helping us to achieve our goal to help as many people as we can out of homelessness.