Member Article

Contractors support homeless people (and dogs!) this Christmas

The latest figures suggest there are now over 2,000 homeless people in Manchester and staff from Emanuel Whittaker, working for Salix Homes in Salford, decided they wanted to support the Manchester Homeless Shoebox Appeal this Christmas.

Resident Liaison Officer Garry Holt for Emanuel Whittaker said: “We were working in Salford last year too and supported the scheme by raising enough cash to fill 15 shoeboxes. This year, the homelessness situation is as dire as ever and so we wanted to do it again – but bigger and better!”

Monies raised buys products such as sachets of soup and chocolate, toiletries and warm winter items like socks, gloves and hotties as well as treats like chocolate and biscuits – essentially anything which fit neatly into a shoebox and this little box makes a real difference to anyone living on the streets in the winter.

Garry and colleague Senior Resident Liaison Officer Adam Berry not only asked Emanuel Whittaker personnel to donate, but also asked partner sub-contractors and suppliers to help out too.

Adam said: “Emanuel Whittaker itself gave £100 and our suppliers including Airsafe Uk, Sovereign Group, Rixonway Kitchens, and even a personal donation from Michael Furness of Greenwood Scaffolding Ltd gave us a total of £370 which meant that this year we had enough money to make up 50 shoeboxes. We wanted bigger and better and we certainly got it thanks to these generous donations.”

And this year, it’s not just the homeless people who get a box – but some of their dogs too!

Adam adds: “We had enough cash to put together 10 shoeboxes for dogs and these include a waterproof mat, doggy biscuits, food and a water bowl, giving our four legged friends a bit of a treat too.”

Adam and Garry didn’t have nearly enough old shoe boxes and so they had to buy extra and then they spent hours trawling the shops comparing prices to make sure they squeezed every last penny out of their budget. They also had to wrap the shoeboxes in Christmas paper, write a Christmas card for each and of course fill them with their essentials. They did this by working through their lunch breaks or in their own time to make sure the shoeboxes were ready on time.

Registered housing provider Salix Homes is impressed with their dedication. Mark Foster, service director for investment at Salix Homes, said: “We take great pride in supporting our communities and those in housing need – a passion that our contractors Emanuel Whittaker share. This is a fantastic appeal that has got many local organisations involved, all of which want to help spread a little festive cheer this Christmas.”

The shoeboxes have now been safely delivered to a local collection point - Hope Florist in Lower Broughton, which is owned by Maggie Macdonald. This is the second year Maggie has been involved with the shoebox appeal who also agrees that it is such a worthwhile project.

It’s not too late to make up your own shoeboxes, the charity will accept as little or as many as you can organise. For more information and details of your local collection points go to the homeless shoebox appeal facebook page.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Emanuel Whittaker .