About Emmaus South Lambeth
Trustees
Emmaus South Lambeth is a registered charity governed by a Board of Trustees, who make decisions about the strategic direction of the Community and business. The Board meets quarterly and Trustees undertake to familiarise themselves with the day-to-day workings of the Community. Details of the Trustee Board here
Business
We welcome good quality donations of furniture, brick-a-brac, electrical goods, clothes, homewares or books. Please take your donation to our shop in West Norwood, or alternatively contact the shop at 020 8761 4276 or email esldonations@btconnect.com to arrange for a collection. Unfortunately we are currently unable to collect from or deliver to upstairs properties. The only exception we can make to this rule is in properties where there is a working lift. Please check our donations section first for our collection areas and a list of items we DO and DO NOT accept: click here.
We also do HOUSE CLEARANCE - A cheerful and helpful service - give us a call on 020 8761 4276
Companions
Our Companions live in our residence, Bobby Vincent House, and work in the business - either collecting and delivering goods in our van, or serving in one of the three retail outlets:
- Bric-a-brac shop, 9 Knight's Hill, West Norwood
- Electrical shop, 7 Knight's Hill, West Norwood
- Superstore, 4 Beadman Street, West Norwood
To find out more about life in the Community, read about different accounts in the words of our Companions themselves. Cook Martyn writes about working in the kitchen
You can also read about a typical day at Emmaus South Lambeth here.
Emmaus South Lambeth offers homeless people a home, work and the chance to rebuild their lives in a supportive environment. We are a registered charity, and one of nineteen Emmaus Communities in the UK. Our business has three elements, a bric-a-brac shop, an electrical goods shop and a second-hand - or recycled - furniture warehouse, and we rely on donations of good quality furniture and household goods from the public to stock these. We can collect donations as well as deliver goods sold - look out for our van in the area. ESL can house twenty-five people known as Companions, each of whom has a lockable bedroom with ensuite shower and toilet, and the Companions work in our business and take turns to cook and keep house. Each Emmaus Community has the ultimate objective of financial sustainability - earning sufficient funds through trading to support the business and not have to ask the state or supporters for money. We have been open for two years and hope to reach financial independence after five years' operations.
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 36 countries, with nineteen Communities in the UK.