Cheltenham-based company Just Fabrics has given local homelessness charity Emmaus Gloucestershire a boost by donating £3,500.

The donation was raised by the family run firm through a two-day clearance sale at their Honeybourne Way store last weekend (September 18-19), that saw shoppers receive huge discounts on fabric roll ends, curtains, blinds and soft furnishings.

The donation will go towards providing a home and daily support to people who have experienced homelessness. The charity, which has five shops in Gloucestershire, also offers people funded training and the opportunity to gain confidence and new skills by working in its shops.

Thanking Just Fabrics for its generosity, Joe Feeley, chief executive at Emmaus Gloucestershire, said: "On behalf of everyone at Emmaus Gloucestershire, I would like to say a big thank you to the team at Just Fabrics for this incredible donation and many thanks to all of their customers who went along to the clearance sale.

"It means a lot to us when local businesses go above and beyond to support us and the team at Just Fabrics has really taken the time to learn about what we do. This donation will make a real difference to the lives of the people we support. We warmly welcome anyone who wants to know more about our work to pop along to one of our shops."

Emmaus raises the majority of funds needed to support its work by selling second-hand items in its Cheltenham, Gloucester, Nailsworth and Stroud shops. The charity faced a 12-week closure due to the coronavirus pandemic and lost vital income but has since reopened all of its shops.

Choosing Emmaus Gloucestershire to benefit from the sale was "an easy choice", said Ross Pieters, manager director at Just Fabrics.

He added: "Homelessness is a matter close to my heart, and the hard work and dedication of the charity to not only provide people with a safe home, but also provide meaningful work in a community setting is commendable."

"It is important to me and the whole team at Just Fabrics to support our local community as much as we can, especially during these difficult and unprecedented times. A huge thank you to our customers who came along to the clearance event and for their very generous donations. I hope the money raised from the clearance sale will support the fantastic work Emmaus do in and around Gloucestershire."