Formerly homeless men and women in Medway are benefiting from increased comfort and warmth, thanks to the generosity of the heating and construction industry to a local charity.

Emmaus Medway provides accommodation, meaningful work and support at Cherry Tree House for 24 people who would otherwise be homeless. Securing sufficient funding to meet operating costs is a major challenge for the organisation. So when the boiler failed at one of its accommodation blocks, there were no spare funds to replace it – despite the high demand for the charity’s services.

Now, following the intervention of construction industry charity CRASH, working with commercial heating manufacturer Remeha and consultant engineers Cundall, Emmaus Medway has been able to install a new heating system at a fraction of the cost.

For almost a year, the charity was forced to use an immersion heating system, electric showers and stand-alone heaters to ensure that the building could continue to operate. Avoiding closure was essential, as Emmaus Medway’s director Martin Sissons explained: “The level of homelessness in Medway is on the increase therefore it’s important we retain our current service and look to increase capacity in the future.”

The installation of a new Quinta Pro 65 condensing boiler and an advanced iSense Pro control, both donated by Remeha, has ensured a comfortable environment for the occupants.

An improved heating and hot water service is not the only benefit as the more efficient heating system will reduce future bills, helping sustain Emmaus Medway in the years ahead.

Mr Sissons added: “I don’t really know what we would have done without the support of CRASH, Cundall and Remeha, as we certainly could not afford to install a new boiler on our own. We are truly grateful for the support and what it will mean to the organisation and those people accessing our service who would otherwise be homeless.”