Shoppers were treated to live musical entertainment as part of a charity shop launch event at The Potteries Centre.

Emmaus North Staffs, which works to end furniture poverty, officially launched their new superstore, located on the lower floor of the centre, on Saturday 6 June.

Members of the public attended as well as local supporters of the charity and the Lord Mayor of Stoke-on-Trent, Cllr Joan Bell.

To mark the occasion the Staffordshire Choir Association performed musical classics in the store throughout the day. At intervals the group also toured the centre from the middle floor returning to the Emmaus North Staffs base.

"It was great to welcome so many people into our new store for our launch event," said Executive Lead of Emmaus North Staffs, John Webbe.

"We wanted to do something a little bit special and the Staffordshire Choir Association really added to the atmosphere, entertaining shoppers throughout the day, they were brilliant.

"We were also delighted to welcome the Lord Mayor of Stoke-on-Trent, Cllr Joan Bell, to our superstore, who kindly cut the ribbon to officially mark the opening and also shared some very nice words."

Lord Mayor of Stoke-on-Trent, Cllr Joan Bell, cut the ribbon to officially open the shop (image via Sonya Farrall)

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Cllr Joan Bell, Lord Mayor of Stoke-on-Trent, said: "I had a wonderful visit to Emmaus North Staffs, where they are doing outstanding work providing beds and furniture to families in need. The visit was made even more special by a fantastic choir performance."

A Potteries Centre spokesperson said: "We were delighted to support and host the launch of the Emmaus North Staffs superstore here at The Potteries Centre over the weekend.

"The event had a fantastic atmosphere, and it was wonderful to see so many people from across the community come together to celebrate such an important addition to the city centre.

"Emmaus North Staffs does incredible work supporting the local area, and we are proud to have them as part of our retail community.

"Their presence not only enhances our offer but also brings a meaningful social impact, giving visitors the opportunity to shop with purpose.

"We'd like to thank everyone involved in making the launch such a success, including the Staffordshire Choir Association and the Lord Mayor. We look forward to seeing Emmaus thrive here at The Potteries Centre and continuing to support initiatives that make a positive difference in Stoke-on-Trent."

Emmaus North Staffs works to end furniture poverty and partners with housing associations supplying furniture and white goods to those setting up home, at no cost to the tenants aside from a small delivery fee.

In 2022, the charity launched Beds for Kids, which is an on going campaign where brand new beds, mattresses and bedding are providing to families whose children do not have a bed of their own.

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John added: "Part of our launch day was also to let more people know about our Beds for Kids campaign, which we launched in 2022 due to growing demand from families who could not provide their children with a bed to sleep in at night.

"The numbers are quite staggering with an estimated 9,000 children in Stoke-on-Trent alone who do not have a bed of their own.

"Since launching the campaign we have delivered more than 500 brand new bed bundles to local families. This is an issue which is not going away and as a charity we aim to do all that we can.

"Each bed bundle costs £200 and we have to raise funds for this ourselves and rely heavily on donations and sales from our superstore."

The Emmaus North Staffs superstore is open to the public six days a week. Monday to Friday from 10am to 5pm and Saturday from 10am to 4pm.

For more information about Beds for Kids and to share fundraising suggestions with Emmaus North Staffs to support the campaign, contact John Webbe on 01782 846111.

To find out more about Emmaus North Staffs, visit the website here.

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