Homelessness charity Emmaus Gloucestershire celebrated the grand opening of its new store on Bath Road, Cheltenham, with a ceremony performed by Cheltenham mayor Paul Baker.
Local shoppers, along with Emmaus residents, volunteers, staff and supporters, gathered on Tuesday, October 1 to explore the newly-designed charity shop.
The store offers second-hand goods including furniture, clothing and books, as well as electrical items and bric-a-brac.
The new shop marks the charity’s return to Cheltenham following the closure of its Henrietta Street location in 2021.
It is located at 147–151 Bath Road.
Paul Newman, who managed the old Emmaus shop in Cheltenham, has returned as shop manager.
Emmaus Gloucestershire provides a home, support and work opportunities for people who have experienced homelessness.
The charity generates income to fund its services through its five shops.
Commenting on the official opening, Councillor Baker said: “I am delighted to open the new Emmaus shop here in the vibrant Bath Road shopping area.
“It’s a fabulous location and bizarrely replaces the former NatWest bank where I used to work many years ago.
“Emmaus is a fabulous local charity providing accommodation for the homeless, offering them employment opportunities and collecting, renovating and selling fabulous second-hand goods, from vintage clothing to jewellery and electrical appliances to furniture.”
“It’s wonderful to be back with Emmaus Gloucestershire and even more exciting to see our charity return to Cheltenham,” said Paul.
“We’re thrilled to be part of the Bath Road community, offering high-quality, affordable items to local residents while supporting our mission to help people out of homelessness.
“The support we’ve had from local shoppers and the warm welcome back has been amazing.
“It really shows how much this community cares about sustainable living and helping people in need.”
Martin, who has been supported by the charity since 2019, moved to Emmaus Gloucestershire after spending a few months street homeless and three months in rehab.
Since joining Emmaus Gloucestershire, he has gained a home for as long as he needs it, has learnt how to read and has gained a portable appliance testing qualification.
He is also learning to drive.
Martin, who attended the official opening, said: “I’m excited for a new challenge in our Cheltenham shop.
“I am going to be helping on the shop floor and with our eBay store in the back room.
“Our opening day was so busy – I served more than 30 customers in the first hour.
“The new shop is really nice and welcoming and has a friendly atmosphere.
“I’m excited to welcome new and regular customers.”
Emmaus Gloucestershire welcomes shoppers, volunteers and donations of good-quality items to help continue its mission of supporting people out of homelessness.
The new store is open seven days a week from 9am to 5pm from Monday to Saturday and from 10.30am to 4.30pm on Sunday.
For more information about Emmaus Gloucestershire, visit emmaus.org.uk/gloucestershire