A life in the day at Emmaus South Lambeth
Our day
Companion John testing electrical items
There’s little time for Companions to put their feet up at the Emmaus South Lambeth (ESL) Community, it’s a full-time job. The day always starts with a group breakfast. After that it is time for work.
08.45 Morning meeting
ESL has two shops, a superstore and a van. There are different job responsibilities which have to be undertaken every day. At the morning meeting, Companions and one of the leaders talk about the work allocation for the day. These meetings usually do not take very long, as most people have set tasks. The ESL Community Leader says: “In the morning everyone has a chance to talk about problems or suggestions regarding work. We try to give everyone a set task, but it really depends on the circumstances; sometimes people get sick or prefer another task. This is what makes the job fun, you get involved in a range of activities during a work week.”
09.00 Work begins
The shops open at 10.00 am, but before the doors open, new items are sorted, cleaned and priced. The ESL van crew sets out to collect quality donated items and deliver furniture to customers. Companion Filipe works in the warehouse most of the time: “We spend most mornings unpacking and displaying furniture collected the previous day. Sometimes the van comes back around 5.00 in the afternoon, so we don’t have time to unpack it and then have to do that the following morning.”
12.30 Lunch
Companion Elizabeth usually works in the kitchen, preparing lunch and dinner, and the cook also decides the menu. Elizabeth says: “I‘m the one doing the shopping, so in the store I kind of think about what to prepare. We eat at least one roast meal a week. I try to mix a lot, so we won’t be eating potatoes every day of the week. One thing everyone likes is pasta that always goes down well but mushroom soup is very unpopular.”
13.00 Back to work
Each day calls come in from people wanting to donate their furniture and bric-a-brac. To make sure items can be collected on time there is a system and schedule. Companions and volunteers working in the office take the calls and book jobs into the calendar. The van crew will visit the customers and make sure the items are suitable to sell. Van crew member John: “We make eight house visits a day, that’s collecting and delivering. Unfortunately we can’t take all the items we are offered, but we do have alternative addresses so we can still help. Sometimes people offer unusual items; more common are beds and closets.”
17.30 Dinner
The shops and warehouse close at 5.00 pm. Companions return to the house to eat, all sitting together in the communal area. Each one chooses how to spend their evenings. The common room is divided into different areas, with TV, computer and games area.