Artist commits to one year of sponsored silence
Howard Lake | 15 September 2021 | News
An artist and former personal trainer to city workers is undertaking a year-long sponsored silence to raise funds for The Creative Mental Health Charity PoetsIN.
Sean Houlihan, known artistically as Bear Intentions, has vowed to spend 365 days “listening in silence” to raise £100,000 the UK charity.
Four years of intentions
He is not stopping there though. The year of silence is the first of ‘four years of intentions’, a series of challenges to raise money and awareness for mental, physical, social and environmental health conditions.
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- In 2022 his second challenge will see the 30-year-old personal trainer, yoga and meditation teacher and massage therapist “perform all his various characters for a year” (in aid of Clowns Without Borders UK)
- In 2023 he will “carry out a year of altruism” by supporting his local community where it is wanted (in aid of CREATE Charity (UK))
- In 2024 he will go barefoot for the year, with the beneficiary charity to be decided.
Houlihan said: “I’ve spent the last nine years travelling around the world and meeting so many different people. My adventures have helped give me a broad perspective and awareness of how incredibly lucky I am to be in good health, so I have decided to help others who are not.”
“There’s no doubt that listening in silence and refraining from talking for an entire year is going to be incredibly tough, but if it helps others to start these conversations then it’s worth it.”
SEE ALSO: Royal British Legion achieves a top 20 position for its two minutes silence single in 2010.
Paul Chambers, co-founder and chief operating officer of the Creative Mental Health Charity PoetsIN, said:
“We are hugely honoured that Sean has chosen to start his Four Years of Intentions project with us. Mental health – in the last year particularly – has become hugely important and it’s vital we spread awareness and encourage people to recognise when they might need a bit of added support.”
Sean will launch with the event The Art of Tension on Thursday 7th October and will start his vow of silence on his 31st birthday on 8th October. Tickets are available for the event being held at Open House Hackney, E9.
More silent fundraising
- Church raises funds with the sound of silence (22 October 2012)
- 26 examples of 2.6 Challenge fundraising events (27 April 2020)
- Silence is golden for RSL Anzac appeal (7 May 2014)
About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale.
He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.