City charity says goodbye to chairman of trustees

Emmaus Sheffield is the drug and alcohol free project that provides a home, support and work for formerly homeless people in the city.

Through its Social Enterprise programme, the charity aims to provide meaningful work and enable the people it supports – known as companions - to eventually become self-supporting once more.

As one of the founders of Emmaus Sheffield, which is based in Sipelia Works, Cadman Street, Martin recognised the need for an organisation that would offer a positive support structure for homeless people who were committed to turning their lives around.

And he was a driving force behind the campaign that took the historic Sipelia Works close to Sheffield’s canal casin and transformed it into an Emmaus community that has, since it first opened its doors in 2008, given support and fresh opportunities to more than 260 men and women.

As well as spending 24 years as chairman of the Sheffield charity, Martin also spent eight years as a trustee and then chair of national charity Emmaus UK.

“Being a part of Emmaus has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my professional career and public life and it has given me the greatest sense of personal satisfaction,” said Martin.

“After 24 years, the time has come for a change - we need new people to come along and give the charity a new energy and sense of purpose and direction.”