Enter Ali Baba's cave in Emmaüs, near Rouen: "There are real nuggets!"

By Manon Loubet Published on 76actu See my news

Emmaus, the kings of recovery! In Notre-Dame-de-Bondeville, near Rouen (Seine-Maritime), the community of 50 companions receives bric-a-brac from residents of the agglomeration six days a week. For this fifth part of our series presenting behind the scenes and the functioning of places in Rouen and its agglomeration, we went to visit the impressive space for depositing donations at Emmaüs.

The depot part occupies a large part of the community – the entire right part of the land –, the rest being shared between the stores, the sales areas, the accommodation of the 50 companions, a vegetable garden and a canteen.

From 8 a.m. to 11.45 a.m. and from 1.30 p.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Saturday, the cars pass by the quay of the Emmaüs depots. “People deposit everything, assures Stipo, co-responsible for the community. We accept anything in good condition except tires, gas bottles, weapons, fuel and VHS tapes. It would be an additional workload for us to evacuate them to a recycling center. »

Two to four companions take turns to welcome new gifts. “We receive a lot of clothes, books, toys, trinkets, dishes, furniture…”, indicates a companion. Upon receipt, each donation finds its place in a large hangar of approximately 120 m ² , before being sorted.

A reintegration journey

As a reminder, Emmaus welcomes men and women from all walks of life, as part of an unconditional welcome. Once within the walls of the community, these people become companions and companions. Often coming from difficult backgrounds, these people find a certain taste for life when they come to settle in Emmaüs. “The community makes it possible to 'restore one's health', to rediscover the bearings of an organized social life. It gives pride in feeling useful again, and gives meaning to life by serving the most disadvantaged, thanks to the many solidarity actions carried out”, explains Emmaüs France.

In partnership with other associations, Emmaüs also offers companions reintegration courses so that Emmaüs is just a way to get their lives back on track. “But everyone stays as long as they want, there are no rules. No one is paid here but everyone is fed, housed and whitewashed,” concludes Stipo.

To run the huge site, about thirty volunteers come to lend a hand to the companions. Retirees, students but also employees thus contribute to the missions, in particular sorting, one of the biggest workloads, in the various hangars of the community of Notre-Dame-de-Bondeville.

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Important sorting work

“Here on the left, these are the toys, presents Stipo, pointing to a mountain of games for children several meters high. Over there are the books, in the background the clothes, here, the lights…”

Everything is well organized even if in each space, it's an unnamed mess. It's normal, the little hands of companions and volunteers haven't been there yet. "Here, we do a lot of sorting work," says Stipo.

For example, in the book sorting room, Patrick, a volunteer, comes once a week to choose the most beautiful books and then put them on sale in the stores, located on the Notre-Dame-de-Bondeville site but also at Petit-Quevilly and in the brand new boutique in the Grand-Mare district of Rouen.

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"I am a book collector myself, I love that," says Patrick passionately. Every day we receive many books. At first, I select all those who are in good condition and we send for recycling all those who are damaged. Then the ones that are valuable or really beautiful are set aside for special sales. »

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Knowing how to surround yourself with experts

Several times a quarter, Emmaus organizes special sales on themes. "We choose the themes according to the arrivals," says Stipo. Right now we have a special sale on leather goods and jewelry. Then, we will have the big sales the first weekend of December for Christmas…” For these sales, the volunteers and the companions put aside the nuggets found in this veritable cave of wonders. “The special sales are really worth it, you shouldn't miss them and I advise you to get there early”, smiles a volunteer.

“You sometimes find very valuable books dating from the 13th century that are in very good condition ^and can be resold for a very good price. These may be of interest to collectors, antique dealers, booksellers…, assures Patrick. But to spot these rare books, you have to be a connoisseur. “That's why we try to surround ourselves with passionate volunteers. In this room, for example, clocks and cameras are selected, repaired and refurbished by two connoisseurs, continues Stipo. One is a retired watchmaker and the second a great photography enthusiast. »

A gold mine for filming

Emmaüs also works with the world of artists, whether for film shoots or plays. Étienne, volunteer and decorator, came to select several elements of scenery for an upcoming shoot. “Today, I come as a decorator, I come to get furniture, accessories, costumes… There are so many beautiful things that happen here, it's a gold mine! »

Étienne also has a good knowledge of raw materials. “When I come as a volunteer, I help the companions to sort out and value everything Emmaus receives in order to achieve better sales,” he underlines.

Behind this first large building that receives donations, there are then several workshops. "In the household appliance workshop, we test everything: washing machines, microwaves, toasters and everything that doesn't work is sent for recycling", lists Stipo.

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Emmaus evolves with the ideas of each other

There is also a bicycle workshop, a mechanical workshop, a workshop for recovering copper, a workshop for repairing furniture… “Each Emmaüs evolves according to the ideas of its companions and its volunteers. We encourage the companions to carry out their own project according to their skills. For example, the mechanical workshop is brand new, it was set up on the initiative of a journeyman. »

At the bottom of the large courtyard, there are huge containers. “Everything that we cannot recover, we send it for recycling in various companies or associations such as Paprec, Le Relais, Véolia household appliances…, lists the co-responsible for the community of Notre-Dame-de-Bondeville. There are also companions who specialize in recycling. At Emmaus, there is room for everyone and for all skills.

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