HOMELESSNESS charity Emmaus Mossley got the local community and supporters involved in spreading the season of goodwill by rounding off its 25th year with a Big Lunch.
The Queen Street enterprise – which supports 26 formerly homeless people by providing them with a home, work, companionship and individual support – organised The Big Lunch at Christmas to bring people together.
Everyone was invited to bring a dish to share and Emmaus donated and prepared food and cakes for attendees to enjoy free of charge.
At the event, companions – people supported by the charity – joined volunteers, staff and supporters to chat together and enjoy the food on offer.

Emmaus Mossley has teamed up with Eden Project Communities to host a number of Big Lunch events over the past few years.
Emma Hall, a companion who cooked and prepared much of the food, said: “It was nice for the community to come together at this time of year to share some food.
“It was well worth it, all good fun and I really enjoyed getting everyone else involved and seeing everyone together.”
Retail manager Hazel Hodkinson added: “Our final Big Lunch of 2022 was a great event and the perfect opportunity to thank our supporters at the end of our busy 25th anniversary year.
“We love hosting The Big Lunch events as it’s a great way to bring everyone together for food, conversations and good fun.”
Meanwhile, Emmaus Mossley is feeling the benefit of two days of volunteer support from Bunzl Cleaning and Hygiene Supplies (CHS) as part of a national charity partnership.
A team of nine employees spent time learning and volunteering within the Emmaus Mossley social enterprise.
This follows a previous volunteer day, where 14 Bunzl CHS staff helped to sort clothing donations and competed in a retail display challenge.
Freddie Forsyth, Director of National Accounts at Bunzl CHS, said: “We all really enjoyed our day.
“As a company, Bunzl have been supporting Emmaus for a number of years now, and until this visit, I thought I knew what a great job the charity does.
“However, our visit really brought that to life, and one cannot be more impressed by what Emmaus, their volunteers and most importantly their companions achieve collectively.
“Emmaus really is the epitome of teamwork and something we can all learn from.
“Everyone we met or spoke with, exuded enthusiasm and positivity and made us all feel very welcome.
“It would be unfair to single one person out, however a special mention must go to companion Emma, who, it has to be said, makes a brilliant spicy pumpkin soup.”
Alison Hill, Director at Emmaus Mossley, continued: “We’ve had two great days with staff from Bunzl CHS and are very grateful for their support.
“After learning more about Emmaus Mossley and our charity’s work, the Bunzl volunteer teams helped within our social enterprise.
“Everyone got stuck in and their positivity and enthusiasm shone throughout the days.”
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