New jobs on way too as funding will enable charity to expand its service

NEW jobs and expanded services are on the way at a furniture charity - thanks to £350,000 in lottery cash.

- Sentinel Reporter

Hundreds of households receive vital items they can't afford themselves from Emmaus North Staffs every year.

Now it plans to dramatically increase the support it provides to families after it was handed £349,350 by the National Lottery Community Fund.

The cash comes three years after the charity, which relocated to a huge megastore in Hanley last year, launched its Beds For Kids campaign after seeing an increase in demand from people struggling to acquire basic essentials.

Since then more than 400 bed bundles - comprising a new bed, mattress and bedding - have been provided to families.

The lottery funding, which will run over three years, will see Emmaus aim to provide 900 more bed bundles, 300 new items of furniture and 900 items of reusable furniture over that period.