John Penrose

Conservative Party | Weston-super-Mare

Emmaus visit Westminster

Local MP John Penrose met up with some old friends in Westminster this week when Emmaus came to London for the day. The group were given a tour of the House of Parliament and then met up with the MP for afternoon tea.

The Weston-super-Mare MP spent a week at the Emmaus Centre in Bristol in April, working alongside homeless people collecting and repairing second-hand furniture for sale in its warehouse. In return for working 40 hours a week in the workshop the centre provides homeless people with a clean, safe place to live and helps them to reintegrate back into society.

Mr Penrose invited the group for the tour and tea as a way of saying thank you for his week in Bristol and for giving him a better understanding of how people become and remain homeless, and a basic grasp of how Emmaus can help.

Speaking afterwards Mr Penrose said:

“It was great to see everyone from Emmaus again, and to catch up with their news over the last few months. They were kind enough to share their workplace with me earlier in the year, so I thought the least I could do was to return the favour.

“I'm pleased to say that since I was there in April the Emmaus centre has grown in leaps and bounds. Demand for their furniture means that their pick-up and delivery service is working non-stop. They’ve been able to expand their operations and can now provide help to even more people who have fallen on unlucky times.

“The Emmaus Centre is an impressive place but it’s the people that really make it special. They are determined to turn their lives around and reintegrate back into society. They provide the help and support each other needs to achieve their goals and don’t give up on someone if they make a mistake. I learnt a lot, and I was pleased to be able to thank everyone by welcoming them to Westminster.”