Familar face steps down after years bringing hope to those in desperate need

George Almond, 81, has stepped down as chair of the Emmaus North West Partnership, marking the end of a long and impactful tenure with the charity.

Best known for his role in helping to establish Emmaus Bolton, George has spent the last 25 years supporting people experiencing homelessness in the North West.

(Image: Tony Stephenson)

He said: “I was asked by Roger Speare to set up Emmaus Community Bolton.

“There were over 300 communities worldwide then, 30 in the UK and just seven in the North West.

“That was about 25 years ago, and I’ve been involved ever since.”

A retired firefighter, Mr Almond’s commitment to public service has shaped his entire adult life.

Outside of his professional career, he volunteered with St John Ambulance in Manchester, rising to the rank of commander, and served as a trustee for Broughton House, a care home for veterans.

His involvement with Emmaus began in the early 2000s, even before the Bolton community was officially established.

Alongside Mr Speare, he helped create what would become only the second Emmaus community in the North West.

Mr Almond said: “We needed people who believed in the idea, bringing people in who want to turn their lives around and giving them every support to do that.

“Not just accommodation but skills, training, courses.

“People stay with us for as long as they need, some months, some years, until they’re ready to get back into society.”

One of his first major achievements was securing a permanent site for the charity.

Mr Almond identified the former Derby Barracks on Fletcher Street, a disused Ministry of Defence property.

The building was refurbished with the help of around £750,000 in community-raised funds and has since supported hundreds of people to rebuild their lives.

Today, Emmaus Bolton boasts one of Bolton’s largest charity shops, a social supermarket, garden centre, café, a recycling facility and workshops where donated goods are repaired or transformed, all helping fund the community’s work.

Fifteen years ago, Mr Almond became chair of the Emmaus North West Partnership, representing communities in Lancashire, Merseyside, Mossley, and more recently Salford, South Manchester, and North Staffordshire.

During his time in the role, he helped grow the regional network from a single community in Mossley to one of the most densely populated Emmaus networks in the UK.

Roger Speare and George Almond

His contributions included everything from health and safety support to promoting the charity at public events.

Frances Hirst, vice-chair of the partnership, said: “George’s involvement has been fantastic over the years.

“From attending events to using his fire service expertise to keep us safe, he has been a calm, steady voice helping Emmaus grow and thrive.

“It really is the end of an era.”

Mr Almond and Mr Speare were awarded Founders’ Medals by Emmaus UK for their roles in creating Emmaus Bolton.

He said the most rewarding part of the work has always been seeing people change their lives.

He said: “It’s nice to see people turn their lives around.

“Sometimes all they need is a bit of encouragement and someone to point them in the right direction.

“We’ve had people from every kind of background, around 15 per cent ex-service, but also doctors, bank managers, accountants, all sorts of professionals who fell on hard times.

“To help them get back on track… that’s the reward.”

At his final Partnership meeting, Mr Almond was presented with a handmade wooden bench, flowers for his wife Elizabeth, and a card signed by all seven Emmaus communities in the region.

Although he has stepped down as chair, Mr Almond remains a trustee for Emmaus Bolton and Emmaus North Staffordshire.

He said: “Without volunteers the world would be a lot poorer.

“We have thousands here in Bolton helping people move forward in the right direction.”

Source – INDIA TV