Member Article

Estate agent selects homeless charity as partner

SHEFFIELD estate agency Martin & Co has selected city homeless organisation Emmaus Sheffield as its charity partner of the year.

Martin & Co is part of the largest letting and property management franchise business in the UK, with a network of 192 offices across the country.

Emmaus Sheffield is a working community with quality, self-contained accommodation, training facilities and a workspace for previously homeless men and women aged 18 years and over.

It aims through its Social Enterprise programme to provide meaningful work and enable the people it supports – known as companions - to eventually become self-supporting once more.

And following a visit to the charity’s headquarters in the historic Sipelia Works at Cadman Street, close to Sheffield’s Canal Basin, Martin & Co General Manager Keith Egan knew he had found the charity he wanted his team to support.

“It seemed to me almost straight away that there should be a connection between a company that deals in property and a charity that supports people who find they have no place in the property market,” said Keith.

“Having had a look around Emmaus, met the people involved and seen just how the charity works to give its companions the support they need to make a fresh start in life, I am very excited to be launching a partnership with this group of inspiring people.

“We want this to be an active and productive working relationship and I am already looking at the many different ways that the Martin & Co team and our clients and business contacts can become involved in making a real difference for such a worthwhile cause.”

Emmaus Community Manager Graham Bostock said the charity was delighted to have been selected as a partner by Martin & Co.

“It is rewarding to know that people do appreciate the work we are doing,“he said.

“And we are particularly pleased this partnership with Martin & Co will enable us to reach a wider support network and give us fresh opportunities to meet people who can make a real difference to the lives of or companions.”

Martin & Co has branches in Sheffield city centre, Woodseats, Hillsborough and Worksop and is part of a network with more than 190 branches nationwide.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by John Highfield .