Emma's Emporium CIC - Save Our Charity & Community Hub

Hello,

You have probably landed on our Gofundme page as you are one of our staunch supporters and champions. Or perhaps you have heard of our great fight to keep our shop open on social media, radio or the local news.

Sadly, since the charity has been open we have encountered many battles, hardships and pitfalls – all of which we have conquered through immense hard work. However, our latest battle is our biggest yet and this is why we need your support.

Our fantastic shop and community hub is based in the heart of Sunnyhill, Derby and since its inception the shop has contributed to the regeneration of the area and overall making it safer for the community. We have helped whoever has walked through our door and we can honestly say no one has ever left emptied handed, even if all we had to give was a cup of tea and a smile.

The shop is now threatened with immediate closure in two weeks’ time, if we are not able to challenge our landlord’s decision to have us effectively removed from the property. To do this, we need to seek specialist legal advice which you all know comes at a great cost. We have tried to appeal to their better nature and for whoever represents us to either work pro bono or at a reduced rate. Due to the urgency and limited timeframe we have we have been unable to secure free legal advice which we need to continue for whatever duration is needed until we reach a resolution.

To add the charity is at no fault here and the landlord’s decision is not one of our doing.

The primary reason we are asking for donations under this appeal will help to fund on-going legal costs to keep the charity running. But, in part the funds will also be used to maintain the shop’s overheads (which continue no matter what). If we are luckily enough to pass our target or a resolution is reached quickly and painlessly the charity will be transparent about where funds will be used and diverted to. We have always been transparent about our work and more important where your money is being used.

Thank you in advance to anyone who donates – even if it’s £1 that little bit makes all the difference to us and shows us your love and support. The closure of this great community focused charity will be a heartbreaking loss to the Emma, the team and more importantly to those it has helped and does help. We just want the opportunity to help others in future too.

Here’s a few words from our founder – Emma Tansley:

Hi, my name is Emma and I set up Emma’s Emporium in 2019 in the heart of Sunnyhill, Derby to help individuals and families who were struggling with many issues. My passion comes from having been homeless myself in the past and I know how hard it is to ask for help. None of us know how the tide may change tomorrow for us and what situations are awaiting us around the corner. People can face health issues, financial struggles or any other change in circumstances that impacts their lives with devastating consequences. Sometimes, these consequences are a never-ending domino effect.

We appreciate any level of donation you are able to give because to us – every penny does count, especially when you are used to trying to make ends meet to stay afloat. Without your help there is every possibility that what the team and I have created will end and the shop would have to close indefinitely. This would break my heart immensely and make me feel like I have let the community down. Those of you who know me personally know I will fight with all I have but material things like finances I cannot do alone.

Thank you in anticipation and much love,

Emma xx

https://www.facebook.com/emmasemporiym

BBC Radio Derby - BBC Radio Derby, "I was homeless, so I want to give something back"

Further information about our community organisation:

Emma's Emporium CIC is not-for-profit organisation, which operates from our shop/community hub (10 Browning Circle, Sunnyhill, Derby, DE23 8AR). The shop offers support to local residents who are struggling financially, going through life changing circumstances and assisting those who fleeing dire situations i.e. domestic violence. We work closely with local social workers to provide items such as personal hygiene products and all household items/furniture, which are donated to the charity and then gifted onto the person in need. The shop also trades in preloved and new items that have been donated to meet mandatory overheads such as rent and utilities to ensure the premises remains open. The shop is in a socio-economically deprived area and since it has opened it has helped to regenerate the area, make the residents feel safer and bring a community closer together, especially during Covid.

The shop also houses a food bank that is accessible to anyone who needs it without any kind of referral. We work on a trust-based policy as we understand how difficult it is for ask for help on the first instance. We have received great feedback from the community as to what the shop means to them and how devastating closure would be.

Local residents rely on the shop and volunteers for emotional/wellbeing support as well providing anything they may need. We help people from all backgrounds and cultures and pride ourselves on helping anyone, even when we are faced with language barriers. We support people in the community who suffer from terminal illnesses, are full time carers or suffer with chronic, debilitating conditions. We encourage them to come see the volunteers in the shop for a chat and a cup of tea. All the volunteers have faced their own hardships and want to help people with their personal insights.

We have people fleeing domestic violence, refugees and care leavers with setting up with new homes with donated furniture, household items and food. We are regularly contacted by social care workers who are trying to house people. We approach other charities to let them know we can provide additional help to their services, so that how reach is felt further. We run events for underprivileged children such as SEND Proms and Halloween parties using our extended premises. We have to ultimately think outside the box and help the community as much as we can and we continue to push this through our social media channels. All feedback is maintained anonymously to protect the identity of the most vulnerable.

We will try to pre-empt any significant events in the future that are likely to impact peoples' financial well-being. For example, recently children will be going back to school and there will be a need to assist with second hand uniforms to make it more affordable for those families who struggle with kitting out their children before the new school year. All these posts are clearly visible on Facebook page and you can see the level of interaction they garner.

We also receive a lot of feedback from people in person, who will speak about their positive experiences, which in turn has led to the exponential growth of the organisation with regards to more volunteers joining and reaching people in need beyond our immediate area. All feedback is maintained anonymously to protect the identity of the most vulnerable.

It is estimated in an average week we assist 10 people who have very specialised circumstances - therefore amounting to over 500 a year. This is in addition to walk-ins we may receive and again these can vary, but on average it would be 20 plus people, equating to over 1000 people a year. There is no formal record of people who assist due to confidentiality and the extra strain this would put on our already limited resources.

Please help us if you can and pay that little bit forward if you have ever struggled and found a lifeline from Emma’s Emporium. THANK YOU.