Emmaus (charity)

Emmaus is a homelessness charity that was founded in France in 1949 by the priest Abbé Pierre and is now run by énarque Martin Hirsch. The charity takes many different forms around the world, but in the United Kingdom it provides otherwise homeless people with a home and a job, usually recycling donated products and selling them on. The name is a reference to the biblical story of the supper at the town of Emmaus, described in the Gospel of Luke (Chapter 24).

From the Universal Manifesto of Emmaus International: "Our guiding principle is one which is essential to the whole human race if there is to be any life worth living, and any true peace and happiness either for the individual or society:"

"Serve those worse off than yourself before yourself. Serve the most needy first."

Existing sites
Emmaus Cambridge, at Landbeach (north of Cambridge), was converted from barns and was the first Emmaus community to be established in the UK. It was opened by Terry Waite on 1 July 1992.

Emmaus Greenwich, in Plumstead (south east London), was converted from a redundant children's home, and was opened by Prince Charles on 29 November 1994, in the presence of Abbé Pierre and Robert Runcie.

Emmaus Mossley, in Greater Manchester, was converted from a former cotton waste mill, Longlands Mill. The building was empty and becoming derelict when it was bought by Emmaus in 1996. It is still called Longlands Mill. Part of the building now houses the Mossley Industrial Heritage Centre, which records the history of the cotton industry in Mossley.

Proposed site in Bradford
There is a proposition from Terry Waite, the President of Emmaus UK, to convert a former church on the Shipley Airdale road to an Emmaus site.

People involved or associated with Emmaus

 * HRH The Duchess of Cornwall
 * HRH The Duke of Kent
 * Richard Branson
 * Tracy Edwards
 * Terry Waite