We would like to say a huge thank you to everyone that was involved in bringing Empathy Action’s Desperate Journeys to Northern Devon this Spring.

With feedback including: ‘OUTSTANDING’; ‘The best thing I have taken school children to in my entire teaching career’; ‘You need to take this to Westminster’ – all the time and hard work was completely worth it.

We’d like to extend our thanks to a few key people, who’s support brought this incredible experience to life:

Sheila and John Roles and the St Peter’s congregation – for lending us your church and for looking after us with such love and care.   

Toby Adamson– for your eye for detail and capturing key moments.

Empathy Action’s Kent based volunteers – for travelling across the country to contribute towards sharing these important stories to the Northern Devon community.

Our Devon based volunteers (actors, chefs, set building crew)– for your time, effort, and belief in Desperate Journeys, for trusting the process and for spreading it across our local community.

Local schools and colleges – for organising travel and staffing to bring students to this experience.

Stakeholders – for accepting our invitation to come to Desperate Journeys, for your reflections and voices to lead change.

Audience participants – for spending 90 minutes with us, for taking off your shoes and your openness to walk in another’s.

Our friends who have lived these stories and shared them – it is your voice and courage that makes this real, makes this more than just a piece of immersive theatre, your voice inspires compassion and positive change.

Finally, to Ben, Chris, Trevor, Laura, Mike, Martin and the whole Empathy Action team – without you, Desperate Journeys wouldn’t exist. Without your love and compassion, Northern Devon would not have had the opportunity to have experienced such a life-changing and thought-provoking piece of theatre. Without you, teachers would not be reflecting with their classes right now about what they experienced last week and thinking about how they can spread more compassion to displaced and refugee communities.

Thank you for volunteering your time to share your passion, stories and questions to the Northern Devon community.

Ways to help

Gift your time, volunteer with us

Share your money, donate to us

Lend your voice, hire our exhibition

Steward your purchases

Choose empathy

Want to bring Desperate Journeys to your community? Contact Ben Solansky.