News - Empathy Action

TEDx Royal Tunbridge Wells

We, at Empathy Action, were delighted to have been asked to team up with TEDxRoyalTunbridgeWells at the Assembly Hall last Saturday for their sixth annual event. It comprised (in their words):

12 TEDx talks,
12 Ideas Worth Spreading,
12 Minutes Each.

Inspirational speakers shared incredibly thought-provoking ideas, from the very personal and important ‘How to Keep Men from Taking their Own Lives’ to the need to understand the ‘Impact of Intergenerational Inequality’. Themes of compassion, our common humanity, and empathy underpinned every talk, and members of the audience went home with much to think about and share. The buzz was palpable.

We were very proud to have played our part, too, by providing #TEDxRTW with unique, ethical products from our #giftsthatgivetwice range:

Keyrings, created from spent bullets in Cambodia
Newspaper Goody Bags made by former street children in Delhi.
And our latest product – Tent Tote bags upcycled from aid tent fabric in Pakistan.

All of these gifts stand for our shared planet, those affected by poverty and for peace.

And each of them carries its own unique story. We were thrilled to hear these stories being told onwards by volunteers and members of the audience at the event.

It is, we believe, in these moments when narrators share their stories with their guests, that their deeper messages of hope for our world through compassionate action shine through and inspire us all.

With thanks to all of the brilliant #TEDxRTW team for inviting us, and congratulations to them and all the speakers for such an amazing event.

Here’s looking forward to the next one in 2021!

If you are interested in #giftsthatgivetwice for your event, we’d love to hear from you!

Thank you Table Builders!

A big thank you to all of our amazing Table Builders who threw themselves into the spirit of our Christmas Campaign:

‘When you have more than you need, build a longer table, not a higher fence.’

They breathed new life into old Christmas cracker jokes, they shared their favourite ways to cook Brussel sprouts, and – most importantly – they invited us in and lengthened their Christmas tables for all.

We are so grateful to each and every one of them, and to you, our readers, for sharing in this too.

Wishing you all a very Happy Christmas and much Merry #TableBuilding.

Meet Our Table Builders #6 and #7

Our Table Builders #6 & #7 are Kate and Mat Waugh (teacher and writer respectively). Here are their brilliant answers to the questions we asked based on our Christmas Campaign:

‘When you have more than you need, build a longer table, not a higher fence.’

1. How do you like your Brussel Sprouts?

I love them (Kate) but I hate them (Mat) so it’s a tricky subject in our household.

2. What’s at the top of your Christmas Wish List?

Given that the world seems to be spinning faster than ever and everyone is busier than ever, a big helping of time together. That’s worth more than a thousand chocolate oranges.

3. Is it a turkey Christmas, or are you veggie, vegan, seagan, or something else?

It’s a turkey Christmas and, as we are going to our friends house up the road for lunch, it’s also a no-cook Christmas for us – result!

4. Who will be at your Christmas table?

We will be joining our excellent neighbours and their extended family and Kate’s Dad will be joining too. We did the same last year and it was so lovely to have a large Christmas with lots of festive fun and cheer and no family bickering!

5. What’s your best Christmas Cracker joke?

I should really leave this one to Mat as he is a children’s joke book author! However, our middle daughter has given us this one: ‘What do you call a reindeer that steals all your Christmas presents? A rude-elf!’

6. If – in the spirit of our Christmas Campaign – you would be keen to build a longer table rather than a higher fence, who would you lengthen your table for this Christmas?

(Kate) My Mum died nearly nine years ago and that first Christmas without her was so hard. Over the years she made Christmas very special for us all and I try to continue many of the traditions in her honour. I’d love to invite people who’d lost loved ones and were facing their first Christmas without them and try to bring some festive cheer into what can be a tough time.

7. Who would you most like to encourage to do the same (i.e. is there someone you can think of who would benefit from being mindful of the saying!)?

Without naming names, there are several politicians we can think of! We’ll leave it there…

8. Which of our handcrafted Christmas gifts would you like to give to another?

Last year we bought lots of the bracelets, hearts and candles for stocking fillers and one of the angels sits proudly at the top of our tree. This year we’ll be getting more of the same for friends and family.

Thanks so much Kate and Mat!

Will you be a #tablebuilder this Christmas?

For Gifts That Give Twice shop here – please place any last orders by 10am tomorrow (20th December).

Thank you!

Meet our Table Builder #5

Table Builder #5 is 12 year old Jem. Here are his answers to the questions we asked him based on our Christmas Campaign:

‘When you have more than you need, build a longer table, not a higher fence.’

1. How do you like your brussel sprouts?
The way my dad does it: parboiled and fried with bacon until crispy.

2. What’s at the top of your Christmas Wish List?
Lego and books.

3. Is it a turkey Christmas, or are you veggie, vegan, seagan, or something else?
It’s usually a chicken Christmas but this year it’s beef.

4. Who will be at your Christmas table?
My granny and all the extended family (except for my other granny and my grandpa and two families, one on each side).

5. What’s your best Christmas Cracker joke?
I really like the pigs in blankets one (but I can’t remember it). Does anyone know it?

6. If – in the spirit of our Christmas Campaign – you would be keen to build a longer table rather than a higher fence, who would you lengthen your table for this Christmas?
For lonely people who don’t have anyone to spend Christmas with.

7. Who would you most like to encourage to do the same (i.e. is there someone you can think of who would benefit from being mindful of the saying!)?
People who start wars and aren’t aware of the impact conflict has on innocent people who are caught up in it.

8. Which of our handcrafted Christmas gifts would you like to give to another?
My favourite is either the geckos, bells or juggling balls. I know someone who would LOVE the gecko.

Thanks heaps, Jem!

Will you be a #tablebuilder this Christmas?

For Gifts That Give Twice shop here.

Meet Our Table Builder #4

Table Builder Number 4 is Jack Rogers of Otto’s Kitchen in Sevenoaks, Kent. He gamely answered our questions based on our Christmas Campaign:

‘When you have more than you need, build a longer table, not a higher fence.’

1. How do you like your brussel sprouts?

Shallots, crispy lardons and still with a crunch on ’em.

2. What’s at the top of your Christmas Wish List?

I just can’t wait to get down to see the Grandparents and the rest of the Fam.

3. Is it a turkey Christmas, or are you veggie, vegan, seagan, or something else?

I try to keep it plant based as much as possible, but it’ll be turkey, cheese, hams and all the rest of it this Christmas.

4. Who will be at your Christmas table?

Grandma, gramps, my cousin Charlotte, aunties, uncles and possibly my nephew.

5. What’s your best Christmas Cracker joke?

Is there such a thing?

6. If – in the spirit of our Christmas Campaign – you would be keen to build a longer table rather than a higher fence, who would you lengthen your table for this Christmas?

Happily extend our table as long as possible. Everyone’s welcome. We are collecting cards for age UK this Christmas to give to anyone that’s a bit lonely this Christmas. So I would want everyone that has no one else to be welcomed to our table.

7. Who would you most like to encourage to do the same (i.e. is there someone you can think of who would benefit from being mindful of the saying!)?

Boris.

8. Which of our handcrafted Christmas gifts would you like to give to another?

They’re all amazing. Love the gecko, but may have to be the juggling balls. I could definitely see us buying more than 1 😊

Thanks so much Jack!

Will you be a #tablebuilder this Christmas?

For Gifts That Give Twice shop here.