Aug 03 2012: Accent on cooperation and support at Emmaus
THE accent’s on friendship and cooperation between nations as Sheffield charity Emmaus welcomes three special summer volunteers.
Annabelle Sebire, Geoffrey Hastings and Vanessa Tek as French Business Studies students who have chosen to spend their three months with the charity as part of their studies.
Emmaus Sheffield is the project where people who were formerly homeless can find somewhere safe and welcoming to live and rediscover their dignity and self-pride through being part of a working community geared towards becoming self-sufficient through social enterprise.
But the charity actually has its roots in France, where it was founded in 1949 to combat poverty and homelessness by priest Abbe Pierre before spreading around the world.
And that was that link that led Annabelle, Geoffrey and Vanessa to spend their summer working with the Sheffield community at their headquarters close to the city’s Canal Basin.
“The work is part of our humanitarian internship but it also helps us to improve our English language skills,” said Annabelle.
During their stay, the students are supporting the regular team in the increasingly popular Emmaus store and coming up with ideas to boost fundraising, including their own flyer campaign.
They also helped organise the Emmaus team in the recent Dragon Boat Challenge at Manvers Lake.
“The most important thing for us has been promoting the site because it is not in the city centre and so a lot of people do not know it,” said Geoffrey.
“We have worked with the Companions to distribute flyers so that more people know about the work that is done here.
“It has been a very good experience for us to come here and we are enjoying working with the Emmaus Companions who are trying to create a new life.”
