A fundraising walk has taken place to support a Salford homelessness charity that is at risk of losing its base in the city.
Emmaus Salford has completed its public ‘Walk For Good’, which was done to raise funds and awareness towards the danger of losing its house in Pendleton.
The charity has urged people from across Salford to walk a mile a day to raise funds for Emmaus Salford, which needs £200,000 to move or repair its current premises, as its lease expires in February 2028.
Organisers of the charity’s ‘Mile in Their Shoes’ campaign to shine a light on homelessness and housing insecurity in Salford invited people to take part in a public walk on 17 February.
Malcolm Larrier turned his life around with the help of Emmaus Salford and jumped at the chance to get involved. He completed the walk and intends to walk a mile each day of February in support of the charity.
He said: “It was good. It was a bit strange getting up and going for a walk straight away, but the weather was nice.
“About ten or twelve of us who did it. We have to keep the shop open as well, so we need to have people in the shop and on the vans.”
Malcolm also managed to fundraise for the charity. He said: ‘I think I’ve got about £50 worth of sponsors, mainly from college.
“I’m not 100% sure on the figures, but somebody mentioned that we had half a million views on one of the videos we did, so it’s done the job to raise awareness.
“People are aware of our situation now, so hopefully people can put their hands in their pockets and help us out and give us some support.”
Malcom is now a certified barber and is pursuing his education, as he is enrolled in college to do a psychology degree after completing school. However, as a former homeless person himself, he has touched on what does the walk really means for one.
“The walk a mile was just to show solidarity with people who are living on the streets. They walk, you know, if you look at the statistics, they walk up to 15 miles.
“You can be in one town, and you’ve got to walk to the job centre to do a universal credit interview. That can be a couple of miles away, then you’ve got to come back, then you might have to go for a job. So, you’re walking all over the place and that’s with your rucksack on with all of your stuff.
‘”It brought back some memories halfway around in the park, and I’m thinking this brings me back when you just wander aimlessly half the time, trying to get some food, trying to get some money, trying to find somewhere to stay.”
Although there is some uncertainty in what the future holds for the 22 people currently living in Emmaus Salford, Malcom asserted that the spirits are still high.
“We trust the staff. They are working constantly on this. I see them making phone calls and in meetings trying to secure the future of it [the house].
“It is all positive, it is looking like it’s going in the right direction. Things like this help.”
Jackie Smith, the CEO of Emmaus Salford, was pleased with the fundraiser.
She said: “Every step taken and every pound raised helps us continue providing a safe home, work opportunities, and tailored support for people who have experienced homelessness.
“If you would like to get involved by fundraising, sponsoring or donating to Emmaus, visit our website. We are incredibly grateful for your generosity and commitment.”
