Burnley homeless charity Emmaus to sell at ‘salon’ in Paris

The group will be taking part in the 13th Emmaus Salon in the French capital next month, where they will be selling second-hand goods.

The items have been carefully selected from stock given to the group’s Ivy Street charity shop in the hope that they will appeal to shoppers in Paris.

They will be sold alongside donations from more than 160 Emmaus Communities across Europe, at a huge international fundraising event for charitable projects around the world.

Peter Pike, president of Emmaus, said: “Last year’s event raised over £160,000 and the funds raised were used to help a number of projects in Latin America, including purchasing a recycling truck for a project in Brazil and a recycling depot in Uruguay.

“It also funded work with street children in Brazil, Uruguay, Peru and Columbia, providing education, tackling drug addiction and destitution.

“This year’s event will aim to support Emmaus’ and other’s work in Africa, and in particular water projects such as the Emmaus initiatives at Lake Nokoue in Benin. The lake is polluted because they throw dead animals in it and wash in it. It’s their only source of water and so there is a lot of disease.

“Countless people are dying because they haven’t got any clean water to drink, particularly children and elderly people.

“Their immune systems just aren’t strong enough to withstand drinking filthy water.

“As a result Emmaus is helping local residents to drill wells that will give them access to clean water, as well as education to prevent disease, saving the lives of hundreds of children each year.”

Emmaus Burnley is looking for more donations that they could take to Paris for the event.

Of particular interest to Parisians are any items that are British in flavour, such as teapots or anything bearing the Union flag.

To donate an item for the Emmaus Salon in Paris, contact the shop on 01282 430860, call in at the Ivy Street shop or visit the website www.emmausburnley.org.uk.