Emmaus opens new charity shop in Norwich 

A Norfolk based Christian charity which supports people who have experienced homelessness and social exclusion has opened a new store in Norwich’s Castle Quarter.

Opened on September 25, the new 8,180 sq ft store in Castle Quarter is designed with an ‘urban’ look, with all the shopfitting created from recycled materials. It stocks a wide range of items from furniture and white goods to clothes and food. Everything in the store is high quality, refurbished or recycled.
 
Cecile Roberts, director of Emmaus Norfolk & Waveney, was looking forward to establishing a presence in the city. She said: “We have been looking for a location in the heart of Norwich for a little while and, when we found the unit at Castle Quarter, it was an obvious choice for us with plenty of space to create the kind of store we want, and loads of storage, which is important for us.
 
“This doesn’t look like an ordinary charity shop. The store is a great place to shop with a funky and trendy look and feel to it. Everything we sell is of great quality. Donated items come from far and wide – we even get items from Harrods. Because items are refurbished to a high standard and recycled, the prices are very affordable. The store will feature a gallery too”
 
Emmaus Norfolk & Waveney was established in 2011 and is part of a network of communities across the UK and the world. It provides a home and meaningful work for individuals who have experienced homelessness or social exclusion. The charity can offer a home to 32 people at its community in Ditchingham and, to gain new skills, each person living within an Emmaus community works in the charity’s shops, collecting and delivering items, serving customers and sorting donated stock. All of the work carried out on the new store in Norwich has been completed by the companions.
 
The charity was originally started in France after the second world war by renegade priest and icon, Father Henri-Antoine Grouès, better known as Abbé Pierre. He was an MP, Catholic priest and former member of the French Resistance who fought to provide homes for the 70,000 homeless people who lived on the streets of Paris at the time.
 
Cecile Roberts said: “Our outlets are staffed by former homeless people who work a 40-hour week and live in furnished accommodation provided by Emmaus. They receive training, meals and the support of the global Emmaus community. The charity has a social, environmental and financial impact, for instance in diverting 1500 tonnes per year away from landfill in the UK through recycling, and saving the taxpayer an immense amount by creating stable employment for homeless people.”
 
Robert Bradley, centre manager at Castle Quarter, said: “The charity does amazing work for deserving people and we are delighted to be providing them with a high profile outlet in heart of Norwich.”

Our opening times are Tuesday-Saturday, 10-5 and Sunday 11-4.
 
For more information on Emmaus, go to www.emmaus.org.uk/norfolk-waveney
 
Pictured above is the new Emmaus charity shop at the Castle Quarter in Norwich.