Tunbridge Wells - Empathy Action

“A wonderful, welcoming space” Ziggy’s cafe

Another café opening in Tunbridge Wells might not be headline news but Ziggy’s, a new café in our home town (on St John’s Road), deserves a fanfare more than most and not just for the amazing coffee and desserts on offer.

Its owner, Ziggy Okubay, came to Tunbridge Wells in 2011 as an unaccompanied teenage asylum seeker from Eritrea. After crossing through Northern Africa and Europe Ziggy arrived in the UK on a lorry from Calais. Placed in an asylum centre near Ashford, he was eventually given accommodation in Tunbridge Wells and began building a life in the town. After working at KFC for six years, eventually becoming the manager, he realised his dream of opening a restaurant this summer by working with three other local restaurant owners: Abdul Munim, Ray Zoman and Shamim Khandakar.

Together they have created Ziggy’s, a bright, colourful space filled with light and the scent of warm sugar and fragrant coffee. It is a cafe that caters to the whole family, especially those with a sweet tooth, and yet it is also something more – a triumph of hard work and hope; belief and community.

Here’s what one of our team members said following her visit with her children:

“Ziggy’s is a wonderful, welcoming space that caters to the whole family, especially those with a sweet tooth, but it is also the results of an immense amount of hard work, belief and hope of its owner Ziggy Okubay. Do go!”

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We’ve been loving Ziggy’s cafe in Tunbridge Wells! . Here’s what one of our team member says. . . Ziggy’s is a wonderful, welcoming space that caters to the whole family, especially those with a sweet tooth, but it is also the results of an immense amount of hard work, belief and hope of its owner Ziggy Okubay. Ziggy came to Tunbridge Wells in 2011 as an unaccompanied teenage asylum seeker from Eritrea, fleeing a country with a broken democracy and enforced conscription. Arriving in the UK without friends or family, Ziggy was given accommodation in Tunbridge Wells and began building a life in the town. After working at KFC for six years, eventually becoming the manager, he realised his dream of opening a restaurant by working with three other local restaurant owners . Together they have created Ziggy’s. This spirit of community and collaboration helps make Ziggy’s the special place it is. Do go! #ziggyscafe #empathyactionstories

A post shared by Empathy Action (@empathy_action) on Oct 16, 2019 at 7:16am PDT

Schools Choose Empathy

(Photos by Hannah Robertson Photography)

Following the recent spell of Desperate Journeys at The Royal Victoria Place, we reflect on the rise of schools choosing empathy for their students. We have the privilege of facilitating groups to take ’empathy steps’ and here’s a little of what we see.

When schools speak to us we’ve heard one phrase more than others: that they hope to ‘burst the bubble’ of their students. Teachers often inform us that they wish to not only expand and challenge their students’ understanding but also to inspire the use of ‘their own privilege’ and enhance their desire to help others.

A date, time and place are agreed and then they arrive.

A class of young people is ready to learn about empathy. Some are nervous, thoughtful and quiet. Others are nonchalant, and focus elsewhere as they wait. Yet others are noisy with anticipation. Their teacher is with them, answering questions, and asking their own too.

What they are all about to do is outside of their classroom. In this case, outside of their school. And possibly outside of the comforts of their own outlooks. It is an exercise in putting on the proverbial shoes of another.

They go through an immersive experience. In this case it’s Desperate Journeys. It explores the journey a Syrian family has to make when forcibly removed from its home, and is based on real facts and testimonies. It is one of an expanding range of empathy based activities.

Participants share about what they felt and matters that had impacted them. As organisers, we have one purpose: to listen. This is their empathy, we want to hear.

The debrief

It’s been called an “incredible teaching tool”, something that is not easy to create in the confines of classrooms. These are some of the words students have used to articulate how they felt during and after the event:

“It showed me that life doesn’t have a happy ending for so many people. This made me feel very emotional and sad because it makes me realise how lucky I am.”

“There was no control over the choices and we had to make them quickly, knowing each decision would be bad.”

“Breathtaking and scary.”

“It makes you feel for refugees and puts you in their shoes – it seems real, feels scary but mind-blowing.”

(Pupils, Frant Primary School & Hilden Grange)

And from the teachers:

“Today you have reached the hearts and minds of those who have the power to change the future… This was, without doubt, the most powerful school trip I have ever taken a class on.”

“The children have not stopped talking about it.”

(Teachers, St Johns Primary School)

What encourages us, as organisers of empathy, is the growing appetite from teachers to want to bring empathy right into the heart of their schools. Choosing to use experiences and simulations like Desperate Journeys and The Poverty Trap as curriculum for their students.

Empathy Action is looking to increase its range of empathy activities (including a future Climate Action simulation) and work further with schools, businesses and community groups.

If you’d like to know more about bringing a simulations to your group or volunteer with us, please do get in touch. We would love to hear from you.

Desperate Journeys coming to Tunbridge Wells

Desperate Journeys is coming to Royal Victoria Place in Tunbridge Wells, from mid-February to the end of March 2019.

(UPDATE: Press Release: Desperate Journeys comes to Royal Victoria Place Tunbridge Wells)

‘Everyone should experience it’

‘You have definitely opened my eyes to this crisis’

‘An experience that will surely stay with me forever’

‘An inspired, thought-provoking experience’

The saying goes, “to understand another person, you must first walk a mile in their shoes.”

Desperate Journeys is a powerful immersive experience, designed by Empathy Action to increase people’s understanding of the global refugee crisis and build empathy with the 25.4 million refugees living in our world today.

Each ‘Journey’ can be made by up to 30 people at a time and lasts approximately 90 minutes, (there is also a 60 minute ‘Story’ version) including a reflective discussion at the end. Journeys will take place at set times during the opening hours of Royal Victoria Place, throughout the week and at weekends. We are offering the experience to schools, community groups, charities and businesses…in fact everyone who is interested! Our aim is to involve as many Tunbridge Wells people as possible, not just as participants, but also, we hope, in other ways.

Following a successful launch last year at Tonbridge Baptist Church, and further events held at Tonbridge Girls Grammar school and Sevenoaks School, we have seen a growing demand from groups wishing to experience Desperate Journeys, as well as our other empathy programmes.

* * * * * To book, click here * * * *

We need your help

Empathy Action must build its volunteer base to meet the demand. One of our main objectives in running Desperate Journeys this Spring is to grow our team in preparation for all that lies ahead. We have many opportunities for people to get involved, not just with Desperate Journeys, but with our wider work too. They include:

Joining the wonderful cast as an actor (no prior experience necessary!)
Joining our brilliant backstage team
Joining the super set-building team and helping transform empty spaces.
Helping with the hosting, promotion, marketing, ticketing and administration of our events.
Coming along with friends or family and taking the journey yourself.
Connecting Empathy Action with contacts of yours who may be interested in experiencing or hosting our empathy activities; whether they be schools, businesses, community groups, churches or other organisations or sponsors to help take it even further.

*(The Desperate Journeys experience is suitable for Year 6 and upwards)

Empathy Action is entirely made up of volunteers and we are always looking for regular volunteers (full-time or part-time) to grow the charity and to help us in our work of changing hearts and inspiring action in a hurting world.

To book, click here.

Alternatively, do get in touch and speak to us directly. We’d love to hear from you!

Festival bracelets made by Syrian Mothers

Photos by Alpkhan Photography

West Kent local music event Livestock 2016 will be using funky festival bracelets that are lovingly made by five mothers who fled Syria.

This year Livestock want their festival to help “families both locally and abroad” fundraising for two local voluntary groups Fegans and Meeting Need. They also wanted something special for this year’s event that meant buying a ticket will not just fundraise but also directly help displaced people. One of the Livestock founders has been a regular volunteer in the Calais refugee camp and together with the other founders wanted to make this idea come alive at their event.

Each person attending the festival will be given a bracelet that is hand made by Syrian mothers.

Depending on which of the five colours the festival goers receive they will be made by one of the five women who are currently based in Istanbul. Displaced by the conflict in Syria the women are part of a livelihood support and skills development offered by our partner Olive Tree Crafts.

Earlier this year, from creating a bespoke product at the World Humanitarin Summit, we met and have subsequently partnered with the Olive Tree Crafts to develop a special friendship bracelet for Empathy Action kid’s party Action Packs. The partnership has allowed the connection to these specific women and able to work alongside them. Having interviewed them recently we will have a short feature on each of them on our Facebook & Instagram pages building up to this Saturday’s event.

Those taking part in this weekend’s Livestock will not only wear a special product woven and made by these women but also help their family and their dignity. The additional funds raised from the event will go towards helping broken families locally and abroad.

Empathy Action will also be running a stall with other products made from groups working with refugees at the event. For more information about tickets and how to attend Livestock 2016 please visit here.

If you are interested in creating a special product for your event please get in touch.