For Bente
Our former team member and friend, Bente Lovell recently passed away. She was part of our foundational band of volunteers. We will miss her and wish to pay tribute to a wonderful person & friend.
Saying our “thank you” to Bente in 2019 in the Tunbridge Well’s Royal Victoria Place shopping centre - home to a pop Desperate Journeys!
Before the Beginning
Bente joined us when we were still part Global Hand UK, following her volunteering with the Hong Kong counterpart in and around 2013. She served as a bookkeeper and quickly became very popular and always had that encouraging word to say.
When we decided to form Empathy Action (known then as The Empathy Project) in the autumn 2014, Bente joined us as we started to pioneer empathy building mission.
Our pre team Christmas (2014) before we started Empathy Action
Always helpful
Bente was one of those characters who was shy of the camera always attempting to hide when we snapped the team but always had the spirit of generosity and helpfulness when there were tasks needing to be done.
A touch of Danish…
It was always nice to notice Bente’s Danish roots in everyday life, from sharing liquorice to teaching us that Christmas Eve is the main celebration in Denmark. She hosted our team during the early days of Empathy Action, baking great cakes while we held our weekly meetings at her home. We all noticed how much she loved all things sweet!
… and also an Angel!
We also had a very hard time and when we needed a host of angels just to keep us going, especially through Covid, Bente immediately stepped up as one of our Empathy Angels (monthly donors and key supporters!).
Here’s what the team shared
“She was a star on the accounts and in the DJ crew.”
“Bente was lovely!”
“She was so faithful and helpful.”
“She was a lovely gentle lady.”
“What a lovely, warm and caring person”
“She was one of the first EA people I met…. I was only thinking of her a few weeks ago (she had a Hong Kong connection too).”
“She was a beautiful soul.”
“Bente really helped me when I took on the book keeping for EA for a time. She was very patient.”
“…our beautiful, kind friend who personified Danish style and fortitude. She was such a stalwart at the inception of Empathy Action when we needed the careful attention to our finances that Bente was so well qualified to give”
“She was my rugby buddy! We used to always message when the rugby was on.”
“I was lucky enough to have whiled away many hours with Bente stock-taking hundreds of key rings, hearts and bracelets.
I loved having that time to learn about her life, family and have a good chuckle over events. She always remembered important details about my life, family and worries and always checked in on these.
I was so grateful for Bente’s ‘Ying’ to my ‘Yang’ - she kept me organised, focused to task and made sure all boxes were ticked.
I always felt loved and supported when working with her.
These times were precious.”
Bente sharing a picture with all the words that we thought summed her up so well
Our lives were richer for having you with us and you will always be a foundational part of Empathy Action. Rest well dear, dear Bente.
