A HOMELESS charity has celebrated the work of its dedicated volunteers.

Emmaus Colchester took part in International Volunteer Day yesterday by thanking its dedicated team of 20 helpers.

The day was an opportunity to raise awareness of the contribution volunteers make to their communities.

Alan Murrells has been volunteering at Emmaus Colchester since 2014.

The charity teaches its companions a range of skills including how to upcycle donated furniture.

Alan lends a hand behind the scenes with IT support.

He said: “I was originally a supplier and had a recruitment business where I helped to supply staff, volunteers and trustees to Emmaus Colchester.

“During this time I found out a lot about what Emmaus does in the community, so when I was looking to do some voluntary work I decided it was a good charity for me to support.

“I liked how Emmaus takes people who are homeless and gives them a chance to get back on their feet and build a CV, while giving them the opportunity to be part of a community.

“It’s good to see the companions moving on, succeeding and developing positively.”

It is not the first time Alan has volunteered.

“I used to be an adult literacy volunteer and I’ve donated blood more than 400 times,” he said.

“I feel my contribution is appreciated and I get a real buzz out of doing anything useful, in fact, I feel like part of the furniture.”

Darren Scott, business manager at Emmaus Colchester, works closely with the team of volunteers.

He said: “When you volunteer you not only help to improve the lives of others, you also gain a greater sense of belonging to a community.

“Our companions form a strong part of our team at Emmaus but we also rely on extra support from volunteers who help us with many different aspects of our business.

“While Alan helps with back office support, we have other volunteers who sort through donations, organise our books, or go out on collections and deliveries.”

To find out more about volunteering, visit emmaus.org.uk/colchester/support-us/volunteer-with-us.