Renovation of Acton Homeless Centre Completed
Emmaus House transformed thanks to volunteers and donor generosity
Volunteers at Acton Homeless Concern with a large cheque
A newly refurbished Emmaus House was unveiled earlier this month in an official ceremony attended by local MP Rupa Huq.
She joined volunteers and staff from Acton Homeless Concern, Our Lady of Lourdes Parish Church, and Barratt London, on Thursday 2 December, to celebrate the complete of renovation works. Much of the work was done by the site team working on Barratt London’s nearby development, Western Circus. In addition to the renovation works, the housebuilder also presented Acton Homeless Concern with a cheque for £10,000.
The project enables the enhancement of the services provided by the charity, which serves its local community through a wide range of activities including the provision of hot meals, clothing and other essential items, as well as advice and counselling.
Emmaus House is the main building for Acton Homeless Concern and provides a variety of services for those in need in the area, including offering takeaway hot lunches and food for evening and weekend meals; next day clothing, household items and toiletry collections; foodbank vouchers and referrals; support calls for elderly clients and volunteers; GP appointments; advice on emergency accommodation, legal issues and benefit appeals; and alcohol and drug counselling.
Karen McDonagh, Chair of Trustees at Acton Homeless Concern, commented, “We are a fully voluntary organisation and wouldn’t be able to provide the vital services we do if it wasn’t for donations such as this one from Barratt London. The transformation of our beloved Emmaus House is beyond what I ever imagined possible, and I’m so grateful to the team at Barratt London for all their hard work.”
Father Fergal Maguire from Our Lady of Lourdes Parish Church added, “I’m so grateful to the team at Barratt London for all their hard work. Emmaus House looks great and will hopefully feel much more inviting for visitors who need our support. We can now provide a comfortable place for people to come for advice and counselling, as well as offering our usual hot meals.”
The £10,000 donation to Acton Homeless Concern is part of a wider £50,000 donation from Barratt London, split across five different charities this Christmas. The other charities benefitting from this donation are Barnardo’s, Care Ready, Wildcat Wilderness and the Sutton Mental Health Foundation.
Nick Moore, Managing Director of Barratt West London, said, “When I was asked to select a charity for part of our £50,000 donation, I knew it had to be Acton Homeless Concern. Following the struggles the centre has faced over the last year, helping increasing numbers of visitors through Covid-19 lockdowns, I hope the renovation work and this financial donation will help the Centre to return to its full schedule of services for those most in need.”
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December 15, 2021