Exaireo Trust, a Christian social housing charity in Loughborough, celebrated the launch of its new initiative - Enterprise Partnerships in Communities (EPiC) - earlier this month.
The vision of EPiC is to offer meaningful employment to people who face barriers to work, while blessing the local community through practical services such as car washing, gardening, and painting and decorating.
A distinctive aspect of EPiC is that the project is led and managed entirely by volunteers, who are drawn from different churches in Loughborough.
They give their time to bring in work, support the operatives, and help create a pathway towards stability and hope.
All income from the services goes directly towards paying the operatives and building the long‑term sustainability of the project.
The charity is thankful to God that EPiC has already made an encouraging start. Two part‑time operatives have completed their first assignment with very positive feedback, and further bookings and enquiries are already coming in.
The event was held on 17 April at Exaireo’s Reuse Workshop, where residents create and sell upcycled furniture as part of their journey towards gaining skills and independence.
The launch brought together Exaireo staff, local supporters, and the core volunteer team. They also welcomed Bishop Saju, the Bishop of Loughborough, who prayed for God’s favour and blessing over the project and said: “The work of EPiC and the Reuse Workshop are signposts pointing people to the Lord Jesus - signs of compassion at work in our communities.”
Please continue to pray for EPiC as it grows; pray for the operatives, the volunteers, and for many opportunities to serve the community in Christ’s name.