On Thursday, 6 March 2025, Families of Veterans Guild hosted a special regional luncheon at Kiama Leagues Club, bringing together 48 attendees, including war widows, families and carers. The event aimed to reconnect members, promote social clubs, and provide key updates.
Distinguished guests included our President Queen Dunbar, along with social club coordinators and volunteers from the Bay & Basin, Nowra and Northern Beaches regions. The event was generously supported by Kiama Leagues Club, which provided an in-kind grant covering room hire, audio-visual equipment and door prizes.
Highlights of the day
Guests enjoyed a two-course meal of roast pork and sticky date pudding in a warm and welcoming atmosphere. The gathering featured the first exclusive viewing of A Story of Women Empowering Women, a tribute leading up to International Women’s Day, honouring Jessie Vasey and the legacy of war widows. You can view this moving video on the Families of Veterans Guild YouTube here.
Queen shared updates on advocacy efforts before handing over to the War Widows Program, who spoke about membership benefits and social club connections, including the new Facebook social club. More information was provided around the Social Work and Wellbeing Programs, highlighting the benefits of both in-person and online activities.
One special guest included one war widow celebrating her 105th birthday in upcoming months, delighting those at her table with her stories. Guests from surrounding towns and suburbs formed new friendships, reconnected with old ones and discussed plans for future gatherings!
Attendees received updates on the upcoming ANZAC Field of Remembrance event on 23 April 2025, which can be attended in Sydney or viewed via live stream. Resources from the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) were distributed, covering home services, aged care support and scam awareness. Members also asked for the Community Services Guide which you can view online here.
“I will definitely make a bigger effort to go to more meetings. It was lovely to meet some of the local ladies.” “Thank you for such a delicious lunch and informative afternoon.” “The Kiama Social Club had a lovely time meeting members from nearby clubs”, some of our attendees said.
Get involved, stay in touch
Gatherings like this show the importance of connection. For more information on staying connected, view with the following;
- The War Widows Social Group on Facebook is open for all war widows here.
- The Friendship Line is a great way for helping widows feel connected with each other.
- Join your local war widows social club and view your nearest club with the provided map.
- Keep up to date with events and activities available by signing up for our monthly Newsletter.
- Become a volunteer! We have a variety of opportunities available for anyone both over the phone and face to face.
For any more questions, contact Families of Veterans Guild at (02) 9267 6577 or email programs@fov.org.au.
