fantastic London Marathon result!
Many congratulations to Alex Sants who ran the London Marathon on 25th April for Emmaus Oxford. Alex is still awaiting his official time, but believes it was about 4 hours, which is a great personal result. It's also a great result for us, as Alex has raised a huge amount of money! Please see his JustGiving page for the latest. The page should still be open for post-race donations, too! Huge thanks to you Alex from all of us, for a wonderful effort and outcome.
winter 2009/10 newsletter available
To view and download our latest newsletter, please click here. If you prefer, please ask for it to be emailed or a hard copy sent out.
six new companions - of the feathered variety!
 |
Emmaus Oxford, already well known for its environmental credentials through the recycling work of its Secondhand Superstore, is now increasing its green footprint - or all twelve of them - by welcoming six chickens! With our allotment already producing good crops of seasonal vegetables (including beetroot, onions, potatoes, carrots and courgettes) and the prospect of fresh eggs, we are going a good way towards food self-sufficiency. We are most grateful to Cotswold Chickens of South Newington, OX15 4JP www.cotswoldchickens.com for the generous gift of the chickens plus some food and other essentials: and to one of our supporters who most kindly donated the cost of the coop and run. 20th July 2009 PS The chickens soon started laying! |
our official opening, by HRH The Duchess of Cornwall, 10th June 2009
Not quite three months into the life of our new community we had a real celebratory day when Emmaus UK Royal Patron, HRH The Duchess of Cornwall, visited Emmaus Oxford to officially open the community building. To watch the beginning of the visit, click here.
 |
 |
| On arrival, Her Royal Highness was presented with flowers by Maisy and Lilly James, daughters of community leader Steve James. | The Duchess met some of the trustees, past and present, of the charity. Here she chats with founder trustee Jean Williams who sowed the seed of Emmaus Oxford back in 1996! |
After meeting groups of trustees, key supporters, our partners A2Dominion and contractors, stationed in various ground floor community rooms, she moved to the dining room where she enjoyed a chat with each of the Companions. The Duchess was presented with a souvenir mug, from a limited edition produced to commemorate the occasion. Her final visit was to a Companion's room, before unveiling a plaque recording the official opening.
Our thanks go to photographer K T Bruce who generously donated a morning's work and a lot of photos: www.ktbrucephotography.com
the first companions arrive, 16th March 2009
16th March was fantastic day for Emmaus Oxford. After years of planning and working, we opened the doors to our first half dozen Companions. Chris was the first to arrive. |
 |
 |
The sun shone, so Companions and staff alike were able to enjoy the patio. |
A couple of days later, the guys went on a visit to Emmaus Village Carlton and had a great time seeing what an established community can be like. This was a hired minibus - three weeks later we bought our own. We're lucky to have two Companions able to drive it! |
 |
some earlier news items e earlier news items
we are about to open!
The building is complete! On 25th February the contractors left the site and the keys were handed over to us by our partners A2Dominion. Bugler Developments Ltd had done a fantastic job and completed ahead of contractual schedule. Final preparations, such as hanging curtains, stocking the larder and making up beds are taking place, ready for our first Companions moving in around 16th March. We are also moving the contents of our office from the house, 169 Oxford Road, into the new building: we won't know ourselves! That makes our address 171 Oxford Road - same postcode. The other good news is that our Deputy Community Leader, Andy Bache, started work today: he may not have realised the job included carrying heavy desks, but he hasn't complained yet!
4th March 2009
we have a Marathon runner!
Emmaus Oxford is delighted to tell you that we have a competitor in this year's London Marathon on 26th April. Douglas Graham, a second year student at the University of Edinburgh, has very kindly decided to support Emmaus Oxford in this way. Douglas, whose family home is just outside Oxford, told us, "Emmaus, a charity to help the homeless, was brought to my attention by my mother, who is a volunteer for Emmaus Oxford. Their adage 'giving homeless people a bed ... and a reason to get out of it' makes it an extremely worthwhile cause, which I am proud to be running for. I have pledged to raise £2,000 which I believe is a substantial yet achievable target. Donations can be made online via www.justgiving.com/douglasgraham. I am hugely looking forward to the event and am training hard, with the aim of finishing in under 3hours 20minutes". We are enormously grateful to Douglas for his support - and to all who choose to sponsor him,either online as above or directly to Emmaus Oxford (more information to follow, or please contact us meantime).
February 2009
appointments
Our Community Leader, Steve James, has completed his three-month training programme - which included residential spells in Emmaus Communities in this country and in France - so has been in the office with us for a while. When the building opens we will be moving our office from the semi-detached house, 169 Oxford Road, into the new community building next door, 171 Oxford Road.
Our new Deputy Community Leader has been appointed. Andy Bache comes to us from Emmaus Sheffield, where he held the post of Community Support Worker. Prior to that he was a Companion in Emmaus Greenwich. We are delighted to have recruited someone with so much experience of the Emmaus movement and look forward to Andy joining the team.
14th February 2009
opening soon!
The building is coming along really well and is now fully visible from the Oxford Road. The hoardings put up in March 2008 were removed before the Christmas break and the front entrance steps are being constructed. Internal fitting out has been taking place for some time now and painting is well under way. We expect to receive the completed building by the end of February and to welcome our first Companions (as Emmaus residents are known) in March.
We will soon begin buying the huge volume of goods needed to turn an empty building into a habitable and welcoming home. We have had a fantastic response so far to our 'setting up home' appeal: many thanks indeed to all who have kindly sent donations, in particular to the anonymous benefactor who has offered to match all monies (up to £50,000) raised by our fundraising initiatives. If you have not seen a copy of our recent newsletter, with news of this appeal, of our Secondhand Superstore and more, please click here to download it.
14th January 2009
rebranded Secondhand Superstore now open extra hours!
We're delighted to announce that from 1st October, four months after Emmaus Oxford took over the furniture store, the opening hours have been extended. The Secondhand Superstore is now open to welcome customers from 9.30am - 3.30pm, Monday - Friday (rather than just three hours each morning)! We hope to be able to improve on this still further. Also, the phone lines will be open for six hours a day instead of three, which should facilitate making collection arrangements for the goods that people are kindly donating.
The Secondhand Superstore is now much easier to spot and find your way around, with smart new signs both outside and inside the building. Strategic areas of Emmaus green paint render the interior bright and cheerful, too! To read more about the Secondhand Superstore, click on the furniture store page.
1st October 2008
summer 2008 mmer 2008
Our new building is rising fast! Now, passers-by can share our excitement as the future Emmaus Community soars into view.
a new Furniture Store for Emmaus Oxford
From 1st June 2008, we own and run a furniture store! This is another huge landmark on the road to opening our Community. Please see the furniture store page for details.
1st June 2008