Rugby
Emmaus Rugby
PO Box 5335
RUGBY
CV21 9JY
Contact: info@emmausrugby.org.uk
Welcome to Emmaus Rugby!
Becoming a Trustee
Emmaus Rugby has a committed, hardworking, but rather small team of Trustees and is actively seeking people who want to get more involved in the charity by volunteering to become a fellow Trustee. The Board meet on a monthly basis at the shop premises, and are looking for people with expertise in accountancy, fund-raising, property or business management. If you have a keen interest in making a real difference to the lives of vulnerable people in the area, and some time to devote to us, please get in touch with our Chair, Liz Parvin on chairman@emmausrugby.org.uk.
Emmaus shop
Emmaus Rugby is hoping to open a new shop in the near future. More details
to follow.
Meet Jane O’Meara, our shop manager
Jane joins us from another homelessness charity in the town and has a keen interest in the whole process of recycling and reuse. She is also interested in the provenance of items and knows a huge amount about china, glass and collectables. Jane is used to dealing on eBay and we are hoping that much of this expertise can eventually be put to use in Rugby. An ex-WRAF (Women’s Royal Air Force), Jane has travelled extensively in the UK, returning to Rugby some 12 years ago with a young family of 5 - Jane is certainly used to making ends meet!!
She says ‘I am thrilled to see this shop open and excited about the opportunities we offer, both in terms of the quality of our items and the future for Emmaus Rugby. We have some excellent volunteers (although we can always do with more!), and we are enjoying filling the space with creative displays and ideas. I would like to thank the managers of Emmaus shops who allowed me to visit during my induction, and I am enthusiastic about my future with this amazing charity’.
Why Emmaus in Rugby
These are difficult times for many people as the economic crisis bites harder and more deeply than most of us were prepared for. We know that many local people in Rugby are struggling to make their income stretch, and we want to help where we can by offering excellent quality items at low prices.
There is a real need for Emmaus in the town - you may not see many people actually sleeping rough on the streets, but the numbers of the ‘hidden homeless’ are rising. The 2008 Homelessness Strategy, produced by Rugby Borough Council, reported a ‘substantial increase’ in people applying as homeless as a result of their landlord selling their properties. There is a shortage of affordable housing Rugby town, and in the rural areas around Rugby. According to statistics contained in the Strategy, almost 70% of the local population cannot afford to buy in the town, and almost half do not earn enough to afford the rent for a property from a private landlord.
Single people and those without children are the worst affected. Last winter (2007/8) 60 local people slept rough, or were staying with friends. The number of young people leaving care and requiring ongoing support has doubled in the past 3 years. Sleeping on friends’ sofas and floors, travelling between addresses, and being unable to work or claim benefits is no way for anyone to live. We want to make a real difference, and through our efforts with the shop, our place on the Borough Council’s Homelessness Forum, and our links with local agencies and organisations, we are now in a position to do so.
Emmaus CAN make a difference in Rugby.