Homelessness charity Emmaus Mossley has launched a series of reuse workshops supported by the Greater Manchester Environment Fund.

Last month, a group of eight learners started on a Basic Upholstery Workshop - the first of Emmaus Mossley’s four week reuse workshops.

The charity will then host a Furniture Decoupage Workshop this month, a Wood Repair and Reuse Workshop in May and a Trash to Treasure Workshop throughout June.

The reuse workshops at Emmaus are heavily subsidised by the Suez Recycle for Greater Manchester Community Fund, part of the wider Greater Manchester Environment Fund (GMEF).

The funding enables Emmaus Mossley to offer the workshops for only £20 for all four sessions, which covers the cost of lunch and refreshments on each of the days.

Hazel Hodkinson, retail manager at Emmaus Mossley, said: “Our four beginners workshops will teach people a range of skills to make use of everyday items and materials.

“The workshops will be led by creative practitioners who share our mission to reuse as much as we can.

“We’re extremely grateful to Greater Manchester Environment Fund, Recycle for Greater Manchester and Suez for their kind support to help us encourage more people to reuse, repair and upcycle rather than throwing away.”

Emmaus Mossley supports 26 formerly homeless people by providing them with a home, work, companionship and individual support.

Emmaus Mossley offers a home, work, companionship and individual support to men and women who have experienced homelessness and social exclusion.

The charity opened in 1997 and now has the capacity to support 26 companions (the name given to describe residents at Emmaus communities) at any one time.

LEARNING: Workshop participants learn upholstery skills at Emmaus Mossley.

Emmaus Mossley is an independent local charity that is governed by a board of trustees who all live, work or are invested in the improvement of Tameside, Oldham and its surrounding communities.

Emmaus Mossley is a proud and active member of the Emmaus UK federation, Emmaus Europe and Emmaus International.

There are currently 30 Emmaus communities across the country, supporting more than 850 companions (formerly homeless people) in the UK. In addition, there are three Emmaus groups, all of which are working towards setting up an Emmaus community in their area.

The majority of Emmaus Mossley’s income is raised from their large Secondhand Superstore which sells donated and refurbished furniture, clothes, bric-a-brac and vintage items.

Formed through a partnership between Greater Manchester Combined Authority, Lancashire Wildlife Trust and Finance Earth, the GMEF is the UK’s first regional environmental impact fund.

GMEF will benefit the region socially, environmentally and financially by funding for projects to tackle urgent environmental challenges facing the city region including air pollution, devastation of habitats and risks from climate change.

Each of Emmaus Mossley’s reuse workshops take place over four weeks and limited to eight learners each.

All items, materials and tools are provided along with a lunch and refreshments.

To find out more about the workshops and book on, visit https://emmaus.org.uk/mossley/events 

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