My name is Lee, I’m a school teacher and during the summer holidays I am volunteering at Emmaus Salford.
I have driven past Emmaus House on a number of occasions, intrigued by the green chairs in the trees but never really sure what goes on here! I wanted to do some voluntary work over the summer holidays and so walked in and spoke to the Community Director.
I have been here for four weeks now and have met some great people who have talked openly about their lives and the impact that Emmaus has had on them. During my time here, I have been asked to provide some feedback on what is working well and what could be developed. I have also found that people sometimes just want to have a conversation and a listening ear.
A lot of my time has therefore been spent talking and listening to the companions and customers. I am particularly interested in the social supermarket ‘Lucies Pantry’ which operates at Emmaus Salford and it has been good to work in there.
Asked if there have been any challenges along the way?…the big one is to witness individuals and families experiencing food poverty in this day and age which is unacceptable.
I have been made to feel very welcome by both the staff team and companions. I cannot say enough about the amazing work that Emmaus does and the life changing impact it has on former homeless people. It has been an honour to spend time here. Would I volunteer again with Emmaus? Absolutely and I would encourage others to do the same.