We are delighted to announce that our second online fundraising event with humanitarian, Emmaus UK president and former hostage, Terry Waite, has raised £1,905, talking us one step closer to opening the first Emmaus community in Cornwall.
In 1987, as the Church of England’s special envoy, Terry went to Beirut to negotiate the release of a broadcast journalist who had been kidnapped by jihadi terrorists. Terry was taken hostage as well and held in solitary confinement for almost five years before both men were released in 1991.
Since his release, Terry has dedicated himself to writing, lecturing and humanitarian causes. He founded Hostage International, a charity to help captives and their families, is a patron of several organisations, President of Emmaus UK, and a bestselling author.
The hour-long event, which took place on Thursday 11 March, saw Terry in conversation with fellow Sunday Times bestselling author and newly appointed Emmaus Cornwall Charity Ambassador, Cathy Rentzenbrink. Attendees also participated in an ongoing Q&A session with Terry.
Comments from attendees during the event included:
‘Fascinating; such wise words….’
‘What a fantastic conversation…truly inspirational’
‘…such deeply profound messages of resilience and growth from Terry Waite..’
We would like to thank everyone who was in attendance for joining us, purchasing a ticket, and making a further donation. We aim to raise £1million over the next few years to create the first Emmaus community in the county to support people who have been homeless. Our series of online events have been launched to help us kickstart out fundraising efforts.
View the full Terry Waite event here:
Next in the event series we are hosting, is James Bowen in conversation with Cathy Rentzenbrink on Thursday 6 May at 7pm.
James was a recovering drug addict living in supported housing and selling the Big Issue when he met feline friend, Bob, who later helped him turn his life around. The heart-warming relationship between the pair went on to inspire his first memoir and box office hit, A Street Cat Named Bob, in which Bob starred as himself.
Since the release of his first memoir, James has gone on to publish The World According to Bob, A Gift from Bob, and The Little Book of Bob, selling eight million books worldwide in over 40 languages, with A Gift from Bob adapted for film in 2020.
James, who is a patron of Emmaus Cornwall, now dedicates his time to helping numerous charities that involve homelessness, literacy, and animal welfare. Bob sadly passed away in 2020, and James credits him for ‘saving his life’.
Following the same discussion and Q&A format as our previous events, James will be discussing his experience of homelessness and addiction, the story behind A Street Cat Named Bob and sequels, and the organisations he supports. James will also answer participants’ questions in an exclusive live online Q&A.
Tickets cost £10. To book your place, visit www.tickettailor.com/events/emmauscornwall