War Widows Day, observed annually on 19 October, honours the sacrifices of Australia’s war widows. In 2024, Our November Guild Digest highlighted not only how Families of Veterans Guild celebrated War Widows Day, but told the deeply personal stories of courage and resilience that make this day so significant.

Held at the Cenotaph in Martin Place, Sydney, the 2024 War Widows Day Service started with the War Widows Motto, “We all belong to each other. We all need each other. It is in serving each other and in sacrificing for our common good that we are finding our true life”.  The day featured personal stories, member tributes and War widows laying sprigs of wattle upon the Cenotaph in silent tribute, a reminder of their sacrifices. The service also celebrated Jessie Vasey CBE OBE, our founder, and past leaders and included messages from the Governor-General of Australia. 

War Widows Day address

Former State President Wendy Thompson and Former Board Director Lynne Boyd delivered an address during the War Widows Day service at the Cenotaph, a tribute to two remarkable women: the late Audrey Blood OAM and Diana Bland, who were Former Presidents of the War Widows Guild of NSW.

Wendy and Lynne shared their personal stories through their address. Wendy spoke of her husband, Keith, who enlisted during World War II at just 16. He served in the Solomon Islands, Bougainville, and New Guinea, before passing in 1999. As Lynne spoke on both of their behalf, the War Widows Guild helped her build friendships and get each other through.

Lynne recounted her journey following the loss of her husband, Chicka, a Vietnam War veteran whose life was cut short due to exposure to Agent Orange. Widowed at 55, Lynne spoke of the milestones Chicka missed, including their daughter’s wedding and the chance to meet his grandchildren. Yet, through the Guild, Lynne found a community that understood her grief and supported her healing. “Being a war widow is the last thing I ever wanted to be,” she said, “Yet I am grateful for the incredible and inspiring women I have met since becoming one.”

Each war widow has a story, Wendy and Lynne are two of the 10,700 war widows here in New South Wales. “Our stories are unique to us, but we are connected to these women through our shared experiences of service, sacrifice and love.”

If you missed the our November Digest, revisit its pages to learn more about War Widows Day 2024, the sacrifices and strength of war widows. View all our previous seasonal digests here.

The post Stories of courage and sacrifice first appeared on Families of Veterans Guild.

A significant step toward system reform was made today with the Veterans’ Entitlements, Treatment and Support (Simplification and Harmonisation) Bill 2024 introduced into Parliament. For so long this piece of work has been deemed too difficult and unpopular therefore nothing has changed.

We are glad to see that finally really change is on its way. As Glennon Doyle reminds us “we can do hard things.” And this Bill is testament to that fact. Just because something isn’t easy doesn’t mean it is impossible or not worth doing.

This Bill must pass, however it is important to recognise that this Bill is merely the first step to a much larger body of reform work, including within the legislation itself. This Bill, if passed will get our sector out of the starting blocks and we cannot stop once we start.

To improve conditions, entitlements and pathways to support and recognition for the families of veterans we would like to see further improvement to the legislative framework such as:

• Recognising veteran families and their role in the new legislative framework.
• Remove privacy barriers which prevent families from being meaningfully engaged
• Removal of inequity in the provision of funeral entitlements.
• Removal of inequity for bereaved families under the Acute Support Package.
• Extension of entitlements for children of veterans who have passed in or because of their service for lifetime mental health care.
• Adjust prescribed limits to domestic assistance provisions to allow greater flexibility in their application. Empowering veterans and families to be able to keep pace with the costs of services.
• Including veteran family engagement and a role for DVA in the provisions that govern Transition Support.
• Adjustments to the attendant care entitlements to reflect community understanding, expectation, and language.
• Adjustment to the wholly dependent partner provisions to reflect community understanding, expectation, and language; and
• Extending liability provisions to cover deaths in duty caused by disease which has been treated while the person is a member of the ADF and has passed as a result of that disease while in service.

To stay informed on our advocacy work and get involved, subscribe to our newsletter today.

The post New Legislation to simplify and harmonise veteran compensation introduced today first appeared on Families of Veterans Guild.

Welcome to the March Newsletter!

The post AWWNSW E-NEWSLETTER MARCH 2024 first appeared on Families of Veterans Guild.

This month, our CEO shares her end of year message and we update you on our call for a national War Widows Day. In this newsletter, we provide you with updates on recent news and reports released from DVA, our latest Club events and holiday season gatherings, plus share the latest from our Our Space events. Enjoy your reading.

– Team AWWNSW

Read the December 2023 newsletter online HERE or download HERE.

Read our previous e-Newsletters here:

AWWNSW eNewsletter November 2023

AWWNSW eNewsletter October 2023

AWWNSW eNewseltter August 2023

AWWNSW eNewsletter June 2023

The post AWWNSW ENEWSLETTER DECEMBER 2023 first appeared on Families of Veterans Guild.

This month, we call for your response to the proposed national War Widows Day, we update you on the recent DVA Gold and White Card benefits, share our latest Club events and invite you to the much-anticipated Our Space ACT and Our Space Online Webinar. Plus, we share news concerning the Royal Commission into Defence and Veterans Suicide. Enjoy your reading.

– Team AWWNSW

Read the November 2023 newsletter online HERE or download HERE.

Read our previous e-Newsletters here:

AWWNSW eNewsletter October 2023

AWWNSW eNewseltter August 2023

AWWNSW eNewsletter June 2023

The post AWWNSW ENEWSLETTER NOVEMBER 2023 first appeared on Families of Veterans Guild.

This month, we bring you exciting updates including the latest from War Widows\’ Day, Gold Card concessions, and the much-anticipated Our Space ACT and Our Space Online. Plus, we share news concerning the Royal Commission and the Defence & Veteran Community Forum. Stay tuned as we also give you a glimpse into what lies ahead in the coming months.

Read the October 2023 newsletter online HERE or download HERE.

Read our previous e-Newsletters here:

AWWNSW eNewseltter August 2023

AWWNSW eNewsletter June 2023

AWWNSW eNewsletter May 2023

The post AWWNSW ENEWSLETTER OCTOBER 2023 first appeared on Families of Veterans Guild.