Securing our foundation
…and looking ahead…
A special note from our Board of Trustees
Autumn 2023
“We are longing to secure the future of Empathy Action. We are at critical point and we need to secure the future of our Director and Co-founder, Ben Solanky and his family now… ”
A bit of background
When we began Empathy Action in 2015 with a vision but with little in the way of resources, we chose to be a voluntary organisation.
This has been a particular strength of ours. It has allowed us to demonstarte something deep about who we are and what you can achieve with a small group of passionate, committed and talented people - fuelled by belief, prayer and unwavering commitment.
We knew this would evolve. It would indeed need to.
We knew back then that at some point in the future we would want to expand the core team. To bring in, key people that we need to help further a culture of empathy and compassion, whilst keeping our passion and heart. Things were looking promising in 2019.
This core team, the back bone of EA, has taken a massive hit over the past 3 years. Ben Solanky is now the sole full time volunteer helped by a few others. If he were to leave, we believe the work of Empathy Action would cease.
This is the biggest risk to the mission of Empathy Action. We are in debt to his energy, passion and belief that he is meant to be serving this mission. Ben certainly does not do this for the money, but for his deep calling to pioneer greater global compassion through empathy.
Ben and his family have had incredible support from friends and family. This includes a lovely home provided at ‘mates rates’ in the heart of Tunbridge Wells, regular financial support and holidays being generously provided. To be frank it’s a miracle he’s still here and even more so that they have lived for nearly 20 years with this belief that this is exactly where he is meant to be serving. However this year his situation has changed substantially, as is outlined below.
We have a plan to grow the work of Empathy Action and increase its resilience. However, Ben is critical for these changes and it will take time to get there.
The trustees have therefore decided to launch this appeal to broaden the support for Ben and secure the foundations of change for Empathy Action. The need is urgent and we would like to have the opportunity to discuss this face to face . Would you be willing to have such a conversation?
- Paul Williams, on behalf of the Board of Trustees, Empathy Action
What’s changed with Ben & Family?
Due to the last 3 years of change both in personnel with the loss of co-founder Matt Gurney in 2020 and key regular volunteers coupled with a brutal pandemic and the cost of living crisis, Ben and his family’s situation has changed.
This year their incredible home is needed back by their friends and generous landlords. Miraculously a Trust has stepped in to buy a house for them to rent. This offer will entail a new housing arrangement for them.
Despite a very generous subsidised rent their living costs will increase significantly. In addition to a very large increase in rent, and the current inflationary pressures, they will be losing a number of key sources of income. Looking ahead, ensuring they can qualify for a full state pension will involve significant additional costs. All of these are financial concerns. Both we and they know that working as a full time volunteer comes at a cost and this something that together we are looking to address.
We estimate that they will need an additional £1,500 per month to maintain their current modest standard of living. We are now looking to help raise this through regular commitments.
The best way to support Empathy Action, at this time, is to support the Solankys.
〰️
〰️
“Right now in order to survive we need Ben to lead the mission…”
“… can you help Empathy Action?”
Trustees of Empathy Action
-
Paul Williams
Chair of Trustees
“we work to enable young people to glimpse the broken lives of so many in our world”
-
Laura Cook
Trustee
“This is a chance to encourage and be part of the ‘small things’, but as Mother Theresa once famously said, we can do “small things with great love.”
-
Mike Fawcett
Deputy Chair
“compassionate behaviour starts with heart changing… and is greatly helped by role models”
-
Isabel Hodgson
Trustee
“empathy is not a ‘fluffy cat’ it’s potent and powerful and a driver for positive social change… it’s not only our responsibility to steward other’s empathy, it’s a privilege”
-
Colin Crisp
Trustee and EA Management
“small changes in understanding for the participants can lead to big changes in how people learn to be more compassionate towards others”
-
Natasha Williams
Trustee
“this vital ‘seed sowing’ work… I’ve seen the power of a changed heart… it’s transformational”
-
Jamie Macleay
Trustee and Treasurer
“modelling and showcasing empathy is what is needed to build an empathy generation”
FAQS
Why is this so important to Empathy Action now?
In starting Empathy Action in 2015 we took a risk of setting up this organisation as a charity staffed entirely by volunteers. The risk was primarily carried by the co-founders. The hope was always to evolve once the organisation had built up it’s prowess at being a proven and authentic empathy-making body with a reputation and committed clientele.
This was looking promising in 2019 following work with a growing number of schools, projects with the United Nations, creating crafts for music festivals, and developing a new immersive workshop with more in the pipeline. We took a step back when co-founder Matt Gurney decided to step down. However, Ben Solanky chose to remain to lead EA onward.
Then came Covid 19 which led to a 2 year period of ‘holding on’ and ‘managing loss’. Only last year did we emerge and start a recovery plan which is now underway. We see an amazing future for Empathy Action, one that is pioneering newer and imaginative immersive workshops, working with more groups to create crafts that share moments of solidarity with the marginalised and being a new type of charity for an age like ours.
Ben, as the Director, has seen us through this period and pioneered a vision to take us forward. We’re excited about what’s next for Empathy Action, but right now we need him and he needs us.
Why is Ben not salaried yet?
There’s 2 sides to this: Personal & Corporate:
Personal. Ben (and Angie and then their boys) have followed a path of calling (to ‘serve the poor’) anchored in a deep faith since 2004 which led them to choose to operate in a full time volunteer fashion. They are supported by friends and family. This has been their decision. They have not only worked to help others address and understand poverty but lived it themselves. Their support includes their home which close friends have up to now provide at an affordable rent.
Corporate. When Empathy Action is in a position to fairly remunerate, the trustees wish to employ Ben and other core staff. The charity is not at that stage, yet. We are looking to address this, but believe it will take time, energy and a lot of prayer.
In the interim we and Ben together have been exploring the next steps to get him on to the full support he needs to fulfil the role of directing Empathy Action into the future.
How can we support them?
We, as the trustees, are looking to boost their support to the tune of £1500 per month to help meet the rising cost of living and changes in the home situation, whilst also allowing them to start looking to the provision of adequate pensions in the future. Following investigations, this figure would equate to them being on full support.
Ben and Angie are registered as full time Christian workers and eligible to receive money directed through Stewardship - we will be working through this mechanism for financial support.
We would be happy to talk you through this and give the context to this appeal including some information which is sensitive.
Can we support them as a company, charity or church?
Yes. Please talk to us.
We don’t have money to give, but is there anything else we can do?
Absolutely. Prayers are the foundation of this organisation and indeed for Ben and Angie. We, too, believe in its power and our team meets once a week (usually on a Monday morning between 9-9.15am)